Little Italy in Middlebury? You heard right

Author: Rachel Schiffer

Who would've thought that our little town of Middlebury was big enough to have a Little Italy? Any doubts you harbor will be gone when you walk into Depasquale's Delicatessen and get a whiff of the savory Italian cold cuts and lingering aromas of Parmesan and sharp provolone cheeses.

Propped outside the door, a dry erase board filled top to the bottom with the day's specials lured me inside. I felt like a fish being lured by bait, which was fitting because this Italian take -out deli is also a fish and seafood market and offers homemade prepared and frozen Italian and seafood dishes. When I walked inside, the lobster den had a few little guys crawling around the case. Although they were only small chicken lobsters, the prepared and deshelled tails in the deli case looked succulent and firm. A nice selection of fresh shrimp, scallops, squid and clams sat alongside a few varieties of fish and filled the remainder of the seafood case. The case was clean and there was no fishy smell, a sign of true freshness. In fact, Depasquale's receives daily deliveries from Boston and Maine.

As I strolled down the narrow aisle only one thing struck me as being terribly out of place. Sitting amidst a wonderful collection of imported Italian olives, sun dried tomatoes and pasta was a shelf of soy sauce, wasabi and nori. I understand that fresh fish includes sushi, but I felt the presence of Japanese products revealed a bit of an Italian sellout. The beverage case, on the other hand, did not disappoint me. For a seltzer and bubbly water addict, having to choose between plain, orange and lemon sparkling sodas was a fun dilemma.

I turned to face the kitchen, which is separated from the store by the line for hot food. The pulled chicken in red sauce looked great for a cold day's lunch with a hunk of Italian bread, but I was disappointed to hear the red sauce was Southern BBQ, not Marinara. As I considered changing my order, I was assured the homemade sauce wouldn't disappoint me. He did not steer me wrong. It was good. The sauce was sweet and smoky and the meat was soft and tender. The sturdiness of the bread's crust and it's chewy inside made for a good scoop that didn't mask the flavor or texture of the chicken. When asked if the recipe was his, the employee smiled, saying, "I don't bring anything to the table but old age." But while he may not add to the tastes of Depasquale's, he certainly adds to the flavor of the place.

More in line with the owner's Sicilian heritage and also on the hot line was a batch of all beef meatballs stewing in their chunky, tomato sauce. They were hearty and heavy and I could taste hints of Parmesan cheese and oregano, which rounded out the beef. Sweet Italian sausages with peppers and onions were simmering in a smooth, red gravy which the store's owner, Mark Reardon, calls "Mom's Sauce." Reardon has been in Middlebury for 16 years now and Depasquale was his grandfather's name.

White board menus were hung all over the delicatessen, assuring customers that its daily pickings were linked to the catch of the day and available fresh ingredients. One posted fish specials, another sides and yet another was dedicated to "College student favorites." It boasted a list of subs with creative, if cliché, names like "Rocky's Favorite" and the "Italian Stallion." All included different combinations of Italian hard salami, capocollo and prosciutto hams and Provolone cheese with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of Italian-seasoned oil.

My partners in dining opted for the seafood. Fish and chips were dredged and fried to order and served perfectly golden brown, flaky and light. The breading was well seasoned, if a bit salty, but it was not oily, meaning the fryer was hot enough when the fish went in. A cup of New England clam chowder was not all that creamy but the thick broth was chock full of potatoes and clams and had intense clam flavor and a nice hint of black pepper and lemon.

Sitting atop a single leaf of lettuce, the seafood salad was laden with crabmeat, shrimp and lobster. Though it looked heavy on the mayo it wasn't overly creamy, nor was it over seasoned. The full flavors of seafood remained afloat and spread through one's mouth like waves up the beach. The pasta salad side was typical as far as pasta salads go, but it was fresh and did not taste like it sat in a picnic basket all day.

At the end of lunch I was satisfied, but I felt like I was still missing Italy. With so many menu options, I had visited Little Italy without having fully tasted it. A final sip of my lemon San Pelligrino partially did the trick, but I what I really needed was a bite of Italian sub. But that's ok because I'm planning another bargain trip to (Middlebury's) Italy in the near future. Only, next time I'll be sure to keep the ordering Italian.