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I was reminded by a dear friend recently how my Mom used to dip a piece of Italian bread into the sauce she was cooking to give it her finest taste test. Mrs. B calls it “The Dottie Dip.” That’s my mother’s name. It's something I do, too. It's one of my favorite parts of cooking, and a cherished memory of my beloved Italian Mom. Thank you Mrs. B. Another fine Italian.
But the very best part of an Italian meal is the scarpetta. You have just finished your tasty pasta dish, and there it lies on your plate: a whole layer of delicious sauce. How could you leave it there, wasted, to be thrown away? Impossible! is the answer many Italians would give to such a question: this is why we love the scarpetta and cannot quite avoid doing it, even when, as Galateo, which means proper manners in Italian, says, we shouldn’t. Senza Senso! Nonsense.
The word scarpetta can hardly be translated in other languages except if using a whole definition of the action itself. In Italy, the expression, fare la scarpetta, is understood everywhere, but the origins of it are still unknown. This expression literally means make the slipper. Alright, back to the story. Some would say that the word scarpetta recalls a type of pasta used in the 19th century in Tuscany, others say that it is linked to the idea of a little shoe, literally, a scarpetta, taking everything under its sole and cleaning the plate; others still say that it is linked to the Southern Italian word “scarsetta,” meaning poverty. Whatever the meaning is, it's delizioso. We all know what that means.
In spite of its relatively old origins, the word only appeared in the Grande Dizionario della Lingua Italiana in 1987. This is something that not every foreigner can understand. In itself, the act is simple: it’s just dipping some bread in the leftovers of whatever one has just finished eating. For we Italians, however, there is a whole world behind this habit, and discourse on whether it is polite or not to do it have been going on for a very long time. Should we or should we not do the scarpetta at the end of a good meal? After centuries of discussions and thousands of people debating should it be avoided when dining formally, or embraced fully as a celebration to conclude a fantastic meal, it has been eventually decided that doing it is not so much of a problem anymore. Madone!
"The Dottie Dip" was a ritual in my home growing up. We'd all have our turn at ripping, not cutting, a piece of Italian bread from a fresh-baked loaf and dipping it in the sauce. To me, this is another form of scarpetta. It was like an appetizer before our meal, and no one got in trouble for doing it. My Dad was the only one who didn't do the scarpetta. Maybe this Father's Day, your Dad will take a turn at this long-standing Italian tradition, whether he's Italian or not. The Dottie Dip is for everyone to enjoy. Mangiamo!
Peace and Love,
Skylark
At 60 and beyond, rituals from our childhood can bring us a lot of comfort as we age. The Dottie Dip does that for me.
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I am a columnist with Skylark Live Town News (SLTN) and write short, poetic articles geared to the 60 and beyond population. Topics include human interest, nature, general observations, inspiration, music, and events in and around Bay Shore. I also write about restaurants and stores I've been to in the area. You can also watch my first Monday-of-the-month vlog, “60 and Beyond with Skylark" on my YouTube Channel, Skylark Live, that features my articles from SLTN. Please subscribe to my free STLN newsletter that gets delivered directly to your email each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To support SLTN, you can make a recurring monthly donation ($5 Friend or $15 Advocate) or a one-time donation of any amount. It's up to you, and it's easy to do on my feed. You can also advertise your business or event here as well. Please follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn under my brand, Skylark Live. Thank you for your support.
