Calls during my sleep always bring good news. Friday’s was no exception.

Since my friend started with her most recent craze over lasagna, I knew we would soon find a place around here to get it. My art teacher helped in that endeavor by suggesting quite a nice place, though a bit out of the traveled path.

I’ll tell you one thing, having lasagna here in Taiwan is no easy task, they aren’t famous for good Italian food, so much that many local average Italian restaurants will serve a bit thicker noodle as spaghetti and rice in creamy sauce as risotto. The only thing I’ve seen them get right are gratins. Some do get to the point of using real spaghetti and pasta, but they still have a long way to go.

Anyways, I’m digressing again.

We ended up on Friday afternoon, after a looooooooong walk, at the Swallow Cafe (夏綠地 咖啡) in Hsinchu’s Downtown. The place is like hidden, but so worth it. It’s ambience is very cozy, very mediterrenean. The menu is well filled. But we were going for one thing and one thing only: Lasagna.

yum!

And man, that was lasagna. Thin layers of pasta inlaid with layers of cottage cheese, ground meat and bathed in a very nice tomato sauce, not too sweet not to sour. And on top, gratin cheese. Simply delicious.

But more than a delight I have not had in such a long time, the lasagna left me something else, a memory, a nostalgic memory.

Back when I was home, back in CR, like one or two Sundays a month, my mom would make lasagna, chicken spinach and cream sauce lasagna, with lots of cheese. I remember helping her do the lasagna, prepare everything and then put it together. And also help her eat the leftover pasta and chicken. After it was baked and cooled a little, we would sit, all five of us at the table for lunch. Oh how I miss those days. I remember how hard it was to take out the first piece, which usually ended up requiring a spatula, a spoon, a knife an a lot of strategy. But it always went well, and always tasted so good (despite my mother’s opinion, cause she said it was either too liquid or not moist enough )

The lasagna was soo good, that it was well known among our (my sister’s, brother’s and mine) classmates and professors, they wouldn’t miss the chance to ask my mom to make it for some party or meeting. (truth be told, a lot of my mom’s cooking is famous among our high school professors, but that is another story)

In short, I really do miss that lasagna, but oh well, I’ll have to wait to get some, either until my mom comes or until I go back… sigh. ^_^

Cheers, NM