Mark’s Score 9.0
I stumbled upon this store one day when returning from the St Michael’s Nature Trail. Whenever I go to St Michaels, this is now one of my regular stops. Why? It is one of the few places I can buy Nero d’Avola, a wine from Sicily. If you haven’t tried it, you don’t know what you are missing. It is also where I buy high quality pasta, polenta, and risotto. But the main reason I shop here is the staff. They are always friendly, and cheerful; making it a joy to shop here. The only down side, I usually end up buying more than I intended.
Simpatico was opened by Bobbi Parlett more than a decade ago. Parlett is passionate about Italian cuisine. Her purpose in opening Simpatico was to fulfill a dream to bring artisan Italian products to the Eastern Shore, while also sharing a bit of Italian culture. Parlett personally selects the products sold at Simpatica. Many of the items at the store are made by small family-run artisan producers in Italy. Meaning that many of the products sold at Simpatica can only be found at Simpatica. As part of its mission, Simpatica hosts tastings, cooking classes, and culinary events.
My relationship with Simpatica started one day while walking down Railroad Street I saw their sign proclaiming “Italy’s Finest.” That is a pretty bold claim, and it seemed unlikely to me that you would find “Italy’s Finest” on a side street in St Michaels, Maryland. Let’s face it, the Eastern Shore isn’t noted for its large Italian-American community. What would people here know about Italy’s finest? I walked in the store and was greeted with a “buon giorno.” To which I replied, “buon giorno, come stai,” which caught the salesperson off guard. She exclaimed, “you speak Italian!” I don’t, but my college roommates were Italian, so I can say hello and swear in Italian. This exchange did not belie my skepticism about the store’s claim to house “Italy’s Finest.”
In spite of the inauspicious start, the salesperson’s enthusiasm, friendly manner, and product knowledge soon won me over. I enjoy many cuisines and many cultures, but from an early age, growing up in Boston, I developed an appreciation and love of all things Italian. Italian is my favorite cuisine, the Italian penchant for hospitality, their appreciation of quality, and their joy of living strikes me as just the right way to live.
As the salesperson escorted me through the store, I realized that I had stumbled upon a treasure chest of quality Italian products. This store is full of hard-to-find Italian wines from the Veneto, Lombardy, Tuscany, Sicily and Sardinia. They carry Italian cheeses and charcuterie. There are also artisanal pastas and risottos.
I am not certain if these products are Italy’s finest, but they are sure the finest Italy has to offer on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and there is certainly enough here to keep me coming back. The fact that many of the products come from small artisan-producers, makes this store a rare and happy find.
What else is there to do in St Michaels?
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