Mi puzzo di fame

Nobody tells a story like an Italian nonno. They can turn the simplest event into the most interesting story ever, and they have a story for everything. My dad’s dad loves to sit around after meals and regale us with tales from his past. With my nonno Franco, the combination of broken English and Italian dialect, along with the fact that he laughs at his own stories as he is telling them always makes for a great time. Apparently, we should have all been around in 1942, because that’s when everything exciting happened. As Dave sat with him and listened to the latest, I chatted with my nonna and filled her in on the lunch she missed last week. We sat and flipped through my cookbooks and she totally recognized Jamie Oliver. She turned to me and said “he cooks so fast and he’s so funny”. My other nonna looked over at the book, shrugged her shoulders and said “chi ni capisce”. Both reactions are prime examples of how they view cooking in general.

When it comes to food and cooking, my nonnas are from 2 very distinct and different camps. Teresa (my mom’s mom) is known for her hearty meals and she has her standards that she likes to stick to (frittata, minestrone, cannelloni, fettuccini, gnocchi). She makes her pasta with eggs and will always put sliced baby carrots and tomatoes in salads. She loves potatoes and rice and more often than not, eats out of necessity, not desire. When she cooks, food is ready in advance and left to warm in the oven or on the stove. Anna (my dad’s mom) is a bit more adventurous and watches cooking shows; her sauce is to die for and her meals are full of flavour. She like hot peppers, Thai food and will try anything we make. When she makes dinner, we always wait for things to finish cooking but meals are served fresh from the oven and she makes extras so we can have leftovers. Funny thing is, my mom is an amazing cook and my dad needs directions to boil water – nature versus nurture?

Lunch today was prepared by my mom, although I did make the marinade for the chicken and some pre-lunch drinks while Dave took care of the barbequing. Next Sunday I’ll be shopping in Buffalo but fear not, I’ve got something up my sleeve for Father’s Day…



Raspberry vodka, Limoncello, a splash of ginger ale, pomegranate juice ice cubes
Chicken thighs with olive oil, herbs de Provence, rosemary, green onions, garlic, lemon rind
Butterflied jumbo shrimp with garlic and herbs, on the BBQ
Risotto of wild, whole grain brown rice, oyster mushrooms, white wine
Broccoli with seasoning and olive oil
Mashed potatoes, chive cream cheese and goat cheese
Sliced tomatoes, olive oil, fresh parsley, parmesan cheese
Espresso, random homemade cookies and cakes