Bike Touring Journals by Neil Anderson and Sharon Anderson Lead Goat Bicycle touring Sardinia
Nino's Diner
Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.
~ Rabbi Hyman Judah Schachtel
"Come over for lunch tomorrow," Nino invited Sharon and me as he left Bruno and Iole's.
We arrived at his apartment the next day at noon. Nino had a large collection of English language movies. I scanned the titles. Dracula. "Why do you have Dracula?" I asked.
"It helps me with my linguistic skills," he answered. I nodded. Mr. Tubby's classic line popped into my head: 'I'm a chic zombie.' I was beginning to understand why they said some of the things they did.
"Come and sit in the kitchen," Nino suggested. "I'm making pasta and fungi di carne, a favourite recipe of mine from a Sicilian friend."
He opened the oven door to check the proceedings and I spied the slices of meat inside.
"What kind of meat is that?" I asked.
"What?" he said, seeming confused.
Ha, I thought, doesn't the great English teacher understand?
"Is it beef?" I asked.
"No, Louie," he replied.
"Pork?" I tried.
"No, Louie."
"Lamb?"
Nino gave me a large smile, but shook his head.
"Is it beef?" I asked again.
"Yes, Louie," he sighed. "It's beef."
A few minutes later he served the pasta and fungi di carne. I took a bite. To my surprise, the "beef" turned out to be mushroom - it only looked like meat. Aha. Fungi di carne - mushroom meat. "This is aptly named," I said, taking another bite.
Nino flashed me an immense smile, and asked, "How's your beef, Louie?"
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