Today, at lunch, I chose to have melon and parma ham. Normally served as an antipasto dish, this was the main course and, as I haven’t had it for years, I decided to give it a try.

Of course, I then had to go hunt for the final, perfect finish to the dish. My co-workers were absolutely horrified. Really! There was that horrible shock/horror moment as they watched me sprinkle black pepper over it.

It seems that this is something never done in Italy but, for me, this dish without it just doesn’t quite hit the spot.

I looked round at everyone and said:

>Well, I am English.

That seemed OK as they think I am quite weird anyway.

So, next time you have parma ham and melon in a restaurant in the UK and the waiter offers black pepper AND if they are Italian why not ask them whether this is normal for an Italian meal in Italy. It would be interesting to hear what they had to say, don’t you think?