For many people, food can play a special part in our lives.
When we celebrate birthdays, weddings or my favorite, Christmas, we are
surrounded by food. Food is something that we can all share. We can all relate
to it. Food doesn’t separate us. It brings us together. We all have to live,
therefore, we all must eat. I bet if you think about a special moment in your
life you will probably remember what you ate that day.
This summer I had the pleasure of spending a month in Italy
studying opera. Most of the time I was in Ischia, an island off the coast of
Naples (where my mother’s family is from) and the rest I was in Rome. Not only
did I become more in touch with my Italian roots, but with food. Italian food.
I have loved food for as long as I can remember. It has
always been a special part of my life. Some of my best memories involve food. My
grandma hard at work in the kitchen making Sunday gravy, Easter pie (more on
that later) and my personal favorite, fried cauliflower. My mother preparing a
Christmas Eve feast for our friends. When I was little I loved to bake. Now, I
love to eat and I love to cook. It’s meditation. And when the food turns out
well, it’s even more rewarding. Let’s face it, in life, nothing is certain.
Most things are inconsistent, jobs and relationships may come and go. Things can
let you down. But food will always be there for you. After a rough day it’s nice
to come home to a nice tray of baked ziti. Food makes you feel good. Simple as that.
And for me, it’s Italian food. Milky fresh mozzarella, al dente penne, tender
meatballs and crunchy cannolis. There’s just something about Italian food that
makes me feel the way no other food makes me feel. It’s a very special feeling,
so come and join me for supper and experience that same feeling. Be Italian.
