family picture

Food at our house is always a family event. Not just because we all get together at the table to share a meal, but because our mom and our grandmother (both known as Nonna) always used fresh ingredients and made food that was delicious and healthy. You can say that in our family, healthy never tasted so good. As a matter of fact, the lunches of lentil soup, pasta with cauliflower or sardine sandwiches we brought to school always got an odd look from our classmates. But, we always looked forward to eating!

The close connection between food and family is directly linked from generation to generation through recipes. However, our recipes are not written in a cookbook, they are taught early. Not only did we watch our mother and grandmother cook, but we also participated in the preparation. Now, our own children take part; especially during holidays when certain kinds of foods are prepared and become traditional. Tradition and customs are an essential part of our family's framework and food is the foundation and the bond that keeps those traditions and customs intact.

As children, one memory regarding food that is vivid in our minds to this day was the annual tomato sauce making day. We would go to the local farm and pick fresh tomatoes and when our bushels were full, we would take them home right away to wash and start prepping the other ingredients. All of us were seated around the kitchen table, peeling and chopping onions, separating the leaves of fresh basil, and putting everything in a big pot along with the farm picked tomatoes. After the sauce would cook for hours, and then jarred to be enjoyed throughout the winter months, we would end the day with a magnificent feast of pasta and fresh tomato sauce. There was nothing like working hard all day and indulging in the fruits of our labor! The true essence of Mediterranean Meals lies in the passion we have for food and the love of family. All of our meals are a perfect example of both.