The bathroom project is finally back on track!

Matt is working on the bathroom! I am so excited that there is progress... I made him a little bruschetta snack to show my gratitude!

LAZY SUNDAY WITH A POT OF SAUCE BUBBLING...nothing better.

<p>You would never know it from the heat we have been having but the calendar says it is officially fall now. So I got up and made a Vat of sauce with some nice meatballs plopped in for good measure. My kitchen smells amazing!  I am going to freeze half for this weekend. It's my dear friend Silvias birthday and she would like me to bring some eggplant parmigiana.
I love making double batches of things so that you have 1 mess but extra meals that will be easy to throw together.
Happy Sunday everyone...

The Great Eggplant Throwdown

Finally here's the video from our eggplant parm throwdown party...

 

So much fun- can't wait for the next one!

 

 

 

Fresh fruit tart with almond crust

 

I love this tart because it is super easy to make and I prefer the thinner cheese layer than a traditional cheesecake. I make this with berries as well but everyone raves about the fresh peaches. I mix white and yellow peaches whenever available but you can use whichever you prefer. Also you can increase the sugar by a small amount if you like things a bit sweeter.

*Please note video demo quantities are based on a 12" tart pan. Recipe below based on 9"

2 cups Nilla wafers (5 ounces)

½ cup toasted almonds

¼ cup plus 3 Tbs. sugar

4 Tbs. butter, melted

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sour cream

1 egg

3 firm ripe peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges

Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the Nilla wafers with the almonds and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until fine. Add the melted butter and pulse till moistened. Press the crumbs into a 9 inch springform or tart pan going about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until smooth. Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes until set. Cool on the counter for a few minutes and then place in the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes.

In a bowl toss the peaches with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange the peaches over the custard. Remove the ring, slice and serve.

Ordering Bistecca Alla Fiorentina...

Ordering Bistecca Alla Fiorentina.  First, the cook brings out a side of beef for your approval...

Pizza Margerita...possibly the worlds most perfect food.

Leaving Sorrento

VENEZIA

July 12, 1965 Weymouth, Massachusetts

Happy summer everyone!
It has been a little crazy the last few months and have had precious little time to post anything at all. I just celebrated a birthday and as usual my family and friends made me feel special and loved. I was reminded of my very first birthday celebrated in America...

July 12, 1965 Weymouth, Massachusetts

My fifth birthday! We had been living with my Aunt Tina and her family since arriving from Italy. The adults had been preoccupied with things like finding us a house to rent, jobs, and putting me in school etc. My aunt was starting to get a little crabby at having houseguests for so long and my mother was getting uncomfortable with the whole thing. She was anxious to get out of there as quickly as possible.

 

For me it had been all fun and games. I was treated like a minor celebrity by the neighbors and kids on the block. I guess we were a bit of a novelty and a distraction from the heat and boredom that summer. I had been befriended by two girls my age, Stacey and Shelley. Shelly showed me how there were handprints in the driveway cement of her and her siblings which I found fascinating. They taught me important things like how to run through the sprinklers, eat popsicles, and they introduced me to the magical world of Barbie! They also taught me to speak English. My parents were amazed that after only two months I could converse with these girls without any problems or accent.

 

The trade off was that they wanted to know Italian. They would point to stuff all day long and ask things like “How do you say Turtle?” Tartaruga, I would reply. And so it went. They would try to repeat the word in Italian and then dissolve into fits of giggles. I was happy to keep them so entertained. So when Shelly’s mom heard it was my birthday she insisted that she was going to bake me a cake. I remember sitting on a bar stool at their kitchen counter and watching in awe as she deftly frosted a 4 layer chocolate cake letting us have the extra icing and a couple of spoons. This was heaven and a very foreign concept to me. The only cakes I had ever eaten had come from a bakery. My mother was an awesome cook but didn’t know the first thing about baking. And here this woman was turning out this delicious thing right here in her own kitchen! I was mesmerized.

These lovely people were my first exposure to Americans, their foods, language and customs.I was hooked! Shelly decided that she was going to call me Patti because Patrizia was too hard to say and anyway “you’re an American girl now”…Twenty two years later as a new mom, I asked the men doing the cement walkways at our new house to wait just a minute. I held Christina’s little hand and made an impression in the still wet cement with her name and the date.When she was older, she thought it was pretty cool too. I guess some things stay with you whether you realize it or not

.

Happy Birthday with my beautiful daughter, family and dear friends

Happy 4th of July

May 1965, Dawn, New York Harbor 

I was sound asleep in our stateroom when my mother shook me awake.  Groggy and a bit cranky I noticed it was still dark outside through the portholes and that my mother was already fully dressed.  With great urgency she tells me to get my sweater on and hurry up and follow her.  I could tell it was something important for my mother to let me out of the room still in my pajamas so I quickly did as I was told.  She scooped up my still sleeping baby sister and we made our way upstairs to one of the main public lounges with the big picture windows.  She told me to stand on one of the banquettes under the windows so I could see better.  

I still wasn’t sure what it was she wanted me to see but I hopped up and looked out. I saw twinkling lights and knew we were almost there! And then I saw it…  It was so beautiful! Lady Liberty all lit up with green glowing lights. I was awestruck at seeing something I had only heard about or seen in pictures or movies. Here it was right here in front of my eyes!  Our ship had slowed way down and was silently gliding past our official welcoming committee of one.  Somehow the significance and beauty of that moment was not lost on me and I remember it as vividly as if it happened yesterday.  I looked over at my mom.  She was silently hugging my sister and her eyes were filled with tears. I am forever grateful to her for dragging me out of bed that morning. It is a memory that will never leave me and one that I cherish to this day. 

Even before I ever went to school, or learned about our history, the flag, or the constitution my parents instilled in me a love for this country and gratitude for everything it has done for us.  On its worst day this country is still the best in the world. We need to take care of it, give back to it, be proud of it, and NEVER, take it for granted.  God Bless America.

Happy 4^th of July everyone…

Summer Salads

A riot of colors!

My hydrangeas are in full bloom. Happy. Happy!

Spanish Paella

Paella sounded good for dinner tonight so I picked up a few missing ingredients today at lunch time. Our friend Robert and his son Alex popped in to join us as did my niece Claudia. We sat outside, drank a little wine, talked about Aliens, politics, and the Loch Ness Monster. The conversation is always "interesting" when Robert is involved. Anyhow it was a really nice evening and a good kick off for the weekend. Plus the Angels won tonight.  

Spanish Paella

This is a recipe that I adapted from a book my friend Patty gave me. I am known to continuously adjust recipes every time I make a dish. This however came out so good the first time that I was asked to just “leave it alone”! If you can find Paella rice fine, if not I used Arborio and it worked very well. For the stock I used a combination of lobster and chicken base dissolved into 5 cups of hot water

2 cups Arborio rice, rinsed

6-7 links Spanish chorizo or hot Italian sausage

24 shrimp shelled and deveined

1 can baby clams, drained

2 medium onions, chopped

6 cloves chopped garlic

6 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup frozen peas

½ lb. fresh green beans chopped

5 cups fish or chicken stock

Made from 1tsp lobster and 2 tsp chicken base dissolved in the 5 cups of water

1 red bell pepper seeded & sliced

½ tsp saffron threads

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

 

     Put the sausage links in a shallow dish and cook in a 375 oven for about 20 minutes. Cut into ¼ inch slices and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or Paella pan. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, green beans, peas, stock and saffron. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered and without stirring for about 15 minutes cook until rice is almost tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add sausage, shrimp, clams and red bell pepper to the top of the dish without stirring. Cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add the parsley and stir very gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.

My Family came to America in the month of May (see previous) so I thought I would post a few memories of that journey...

As for May 2012, we celebrated Mother's Day last Sunday with a nice brunch at Balboa Pavilion.

It's going to be a beautiful warm weekend so I think I will hose down the patio furniture, warm up the spa and throw something good on the grill. Haven't decided what yet.  So Cal weather is pretty great most of the time but I love the warm days and cool nights and no bugs to speak of. We are so spoiled here...  

So next month we are hosting our first ever "Throw Down Party" (Bobby Flay Style) The subject of the first ever throw down will be "Eggplant Parmigiana" and I can't wait. The responses have been hilarious.  At least four people are planning to enter a dish as they are pretty sure theirs is the best. Several have volunteered to judge, and one (my sister-in-law Jamie) declared she will come ONLY if she does NOT have to eat eggplant. No problem! we'll fire up the pizza oven too.  No one has ever starved at our house. We are going to film the throw down for the blog so stay tuned!

Genoa to New York May 1965

We had been sailing for a few days already and the seas were fairly smooth.  My father was quite proud of the fact that his family did not get seasick.  Unfortunately others aboard did not have the same Moscovio family sea legs. On one particular morning we went to the dining room for breakfast where only about half of the tables were occupied.  I was really awed by the fancy place settings, silver coffee pots and starched linens.  Also the floor was made of some kind of material that absorbed sound, so when I dropped my fork, there was no clanking sound! I remember our waiter was a very tall black man with a booming voice who at first seemed a bit intimidating to me.  His warm laugh and huge smile soon put me at ease.  He was very nice and called me missy.  I remember he went out of his way to make us feel comfortable and well cared for. Somehow we communicated despite the fact that he spoke no Italian and my parents only knew a few words of English. 

On that particular morning my mother was ready to try something other than our usual “Italian” breakfast of Cappuccino, brioche or croissants with jam etc.

She had noticed some flat round things on other diner’s plates which smelled wonderful.  After some pointing and gesturing he understood and my mom was served a beautiful tall stack of pancakes with warm syrup. They were delicious.  So many new tastes and smells and we weren’t even in America yet!

 As we sailed closer to our new country we found ways to occupy ourselves.  Cruise liners back then did not have all the glitz and non stop activities like now.  You played cards, read a book or just chatted with other passengers during the day.  One afternoon my father spotted a piano in one of the lounges and began to pick out some tunes.  They were mostly old Neapolitan love songs and pretty soon people had gathered around for a little sing along. Santa Lucia, Anema e core, Torna Surriento. Some of them were crying as they sang.  I realize now that they were not only shedding tears for the home and loved ones they had just left behind, but perhaps for the fear and uncertainty of what lay ahead.       

Zuppa di scarola

(Escarole and Bean soup)

This soup is pure comfort food!  It is very satisfying just as it is, served with some crusty bread for dipping. If you want it to be even heartier, you can brown some Italian Sausage, pancetta or chicken before adding the garlic. Note: I buy whole wedges of parmesan cheese and grate it as needed.  For this recipe I cut a piece of the outer rind into small cubes and sprinkle them on top of each bowl of soup just before serving.  When we were kids, my sister and I swiped up the little cheese morsels as fast as my mother could cut them up.    

1/3 cup olive oil

6    cloves chopped garlic

2    heads of escarole, well washed and cut into 2 inch pieces

8    cups chicken broth

2    15 oz cans cannellini, or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1    cup grated parmesan plus cubed rind for garnish

1    tsp kosher salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

   

Chop and wash the escarole and place in a colander. There is no need to fully dry the greens. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant and lightly colored. Add all the greens at once. Add salt and pepper, stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. After a few, minutes give the greens another stir.

They should have wilted and cooked down considerably.  Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Reduce heat, cover and cook till it comes up to a boil.  Add the beans and cook for 5-10 minutes longer. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle liberally with grated and cubed parmesan cheese.      

Leaving Italy

Port of Naples, Italy May 1965

The big day had arrived.  We boarded the S.S. Constitution that day along with a contingent of assorted uncles, aunts, cousins and friends who had come to see us off.  In those days they let you do that.  A few of those uncles had spent the better part of the last few months trying to talk my parents out of leaving.  My Zio Mario was the most vocal. “What’s in America that you don’t have here?” he would ask over and over.  “You live well, you have a nice business, I just don’t understand.”  But my parents were just as adamant that they wanted to start a new life in the States.  Ever since they got the letter from the consulate a few months earlier stating that it was “their turn” they never hesitated for a moment.

 

They said they wanted a better life for my sister and I and they know that the opportunities we would have in America were just not possible in Italy.  My father soon made all the arrangements and booked passage to New York.  He had wanted to fly but my mother was a bit apprehensive about it plus we had too much stuff. He chose the Constitution because it was an American ship.    He said that if we were going to become Americans then we should start by arriving on what was then a modern American vessel.

Pretty soon the ship sounded a few blasts of it’s’ horn to signal that all visitors needed to go ashore.  I remember everyone was crying and hugging even my dad.

I didn’t cry, probably because at the age of not quite five, I couldn’t possibly comprehend how our lives would never be the same, and that I probably wouldn’t see any of these people again for a long, long time.  It was just a big exciting adventure to me and I didn’t get what all the tears were about.  

        

Linguini and fresh clams at the Carter's tonight... Frank's favorite!

Pasta with Pancetta and Peas

Knowing how much I enjoy cooking and that I am now writing this blog, a friend recently asked me "so who's your favorite TV chef"? I didn't hesitate for a minute. It's Ina all the way baby. That's Ina Garten-also known as the Barefoot Contessa for those of you that "don't Food Network" I am a huge fan so I was going on and on about her when my friend stopped me and said "yes, yes she's great but she's got nothing on you" Can I just say that everyone should have at least one loyal, supportive, lying friend like this one.

Anyhow, setting aside the fame, hefty bank accounts, and that lovely little home in the Hampton's, my girl Ina and I do have a lot in common. We both prefer simple, uncomplicated food.  She makes her guests feel welcome and comfortable - something I feel is far more important than what you serve or how fancy your dishes are. I think most importantly, I love the way she dotes on her husband Jeffrey and how sweet they are with one another. AND she gets him to wear those pretty pullover sweaters tied around his neck! I have been known to spoil my Frank a bit as well and after 27 years we are still each other's number one but I just don't think I'll ever get him to do the GQ sweater thing... 

Now speaking of simple, uncomplicated food. Here is a perfect but delicious example.         

Pasta with Pancetta and Peas

The combination of sautéed onions, peas, and pancetta is so simple but very satisfying.  The “secret” to this dish is to save about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. It helps create a wonderful “sauce” to coat the pasta with. 

5    ounces diced pancetta (bacon is ok but not maple flavored

1    Large onion thinly sliced
¼   cup olive oil
1    16oz bag frozen peas (thawed)
1    lb ziti pasta or similar
¼   tsp black pepper or to taste
¼   tsp salt or to taste
1    cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or more)    
Place a large pot of well salted (a good heaping tablespoon) water to boil.  Meanwhile place a large sauté pan on medium heat and brown the pancetta till almost crispy. Add the olive oil and the onions.  Cook the onions till softened about 5 minutes or so. Add the salt, pepper and peas stirring to combine.  Meanwhile add the pasta to the salted boiling water and give it a stir so as not to stick together.  When pasta is cooked “al dente” scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and add it to the onion mixture and stir. Turn up the heat on the onions, drain the pasta and add it to the onion pan.  Add ¾ cup of the parmesan and stir well.  Serve immediately and top each serving with a sprinkling of the remaining parmesan.             

    

Naples, Italy 1964

Funny that my first real conscious memories have to do with food and cooking. I was barely 4 years old walking hand in hand with my mother to the “mercatino”, to do the daily grocery shopping for that day’s supper. Even though the budget was tight, she always managed to put a good meal on the table.   I remember the produce vendor’s singsong calls that his were the best tomatoes and sweetest peaches and such.  The vendors were very competitive with one another as to who had the best stuff. It was almost a carnival-like atmosphere and very entertaining.  He wrapped our selections in a sheet of newspaper shaped into a cone and weighed it on a hand held scale.

Next we visited the butcher shop where I was both fascinated and repulsed by the array of dead things hanging on big hooks in the window.  My mother bought a small quantity of something (meat was very expensive) and we moved on.  Next stop was the Salumiere for a few items from the deli counter and some olives out of a big barrel.  Finally the stop I had been waiting for.  A free standing pushcart with bunches and bunches of hanging bananas and beautiful pineapples.  My mother buys me a perfect little banana, peels it half way down and handed it to me as if it were the best treat ever.  As an adult I learned that it really was a special treat as all tropical fruits were very expensive and therefore reserved for special occasions.

So there I was walking along with my beautiful mammina, who for the time being was all mine.  It was a beautiful day and all was right with the world.  She was already expecting my sister but I don’t think I understood it.  I was blissfully unaware of the little blond cherub that would soon join our family and of the huge changes that the coming year would bring.                           

Pappardelle with Mushroom sauce

I love the earthiness of this dish. It is pure comfort food. Of course you can use any pasta shape that you like but either store bought or homemade pappardelle really works well with this sauce. For the mushrooms I use a combination of Cremini, Portobello, White button and dried Shitake.  No problem If you can’t find the dried mushrooms.  Just use more of the fresh and use the bullion only for your liquid.         

 

1    Lb. Pappardelle pasta 2    Lbs. Assorted sliced or quartered mushrooms 2   medium onions, thinly sliced 6   cloves minced garlic 4  Tbs. olive oil 4 Tbs. Butter 1 Porcini Mushroom bullion cube 1 Chicken bullion cube 1 Tbs. fresh chopped sage or thyme 1 cup ½ and ½ 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Salt and pepper to taste

IN A LARGE BOWL, add 2-4 ounces (if using) dried shitake mushrooms. Pour 3 cups hot water over the mushrooms and let sit till completely softened.  Meanwhile chop or slice remaining mushrooms and set aside. If using Portobello’s, scrape out and discard the dark gills first before slicing. Slice onions and chop garlic and set aside.  Strain shitakes, squeeze out excess moisture and add them to your other prepped mushrooms. Strain the reserved mushroom liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Put it in a saucepan on simmering heat.  Add the two bullion cubes to the liquid stirring till dissolved.  In a large skillet add 1 TBS each of the butter and olive oil and sauté onions till softened with a tsp each of salt and pepper.  Add garlic to the onions and cook for a few minutes more.  Remove to a large bowl add 1 Tbs. each of butter and olive oil to the same skillet and sauté ½ of your mushroom mix till lightly browned. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the mushrooms and remove to bowl with the onions. Repeat with the other half of the mushrooms and remove to the bowl with the onions.  Now add about ½ of the liquid to the skillet and bring to a simmer.  Meanwhile cook your Pappardelle in plenty of salted water.  Add ½ and ½ to the liquid and ½ of the grated cheese.  Whisk together. Sauce will thicken slightly. Return onion and mushrooms to the skillet, add remaining butter and garlic as needed. Add chopped herbs.  Drain pasta and toss with the sauce. If too dry add more of the liquid and combine. Top with remaining cheese and serve.

Lazy Sunday...

Today has been darn near perfect so far.  Let's start with the weather. Sunny blue skies, low 70's, Mt Baldy in the distance is clear as a bell with lots of snow still from the last storm. Went out to breakfast with Frank to this little cafe in town that makes these giant pancakes that fall off your plate, the waitresses are hardworking and friendly, and they never let you see the bottom of your coffee cup!

Then we went to HD to buy some new flowers and roses which we immediately planted. A day like this makes you want to stay outside even to do yard work! The dogs just love to romp around when we are out there with them and they got good and tired.  My roses and lilacs are blooming and soon the hydrangeas too.
It seems like a silly thing but just looking at my flowers makes me smile and puts me in a good mood.

Then we came in and I went to work on getting dinner going. Tonight it's Braised Short ribs, which are already in the oven and smelling delicious.  Christina is on her way home already and the Angels game is about to start. Can this day get any better? We'll yes, it woud be nice if they beat the Yankees two games in a row. But now I'm getting greedy.

 　 If you can't find boneless ribs then use with the bones but just add a few pounds to allow for the weight of the bones. I like to trim off any excess fat as well. These are delicious with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. After I take them out of the oven I let them rest a bit first. Then take 5 or 6 paper towels and lay them across the top of my ribs to absorb any excess fat before plating. These ribs do not dissapoint. They come out succulent and fork tender.

            

Braised Boneless Short Ribs

Braised Boneless Short Ribs


4 lbs Boneless beef short ribs
6 ounces chopped pancetta (or bacon)
1 large onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
2 shallots and 2 cloves garlic chopped
3 TBS olive oil
3 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 porcini mushroom buillon cube crumbled
2 cups cremini mushrooms halved and stems removed
1 tsp each salt and pepper
2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and thyme (1 tsp of dried thyme is ok if you don'y have fresh)
flour for dredging
Salt and pepper the rib pieces, dredge them in flour, shake off the excess and set aside.

Heat a large dutch oven over med/high heat. I use my big Le Creuset pan for this. Add the chopped pancetta to the pan and cook until the fat is rendered and it is browned nicely.
Remove the Pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. Now add the olive oil and brown the ribs on all sides. You will need to work in batches so that you don't crowd them in the pan. Remove the ribs to a plate. Now add the onions, carrots and a bit more olive oil as needed and saute for a few minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer. Now add the wine all at once and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till boiling and slightly reduced. Add the ribs back into the pan along with the beef stock, buillion cube, salt and pepper, rosemary and thyme sprigs, and cooked pancetta. Give it all a good stir and taste to see if more salt or seasoning is needed. Cover and place your pot in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven, add the cremini mushrooms on top and carefully spoon some of the beefy gravy over the mushrooms. cover and cook for another 30 to 45
minutes.

It's a gloomy, rainy day in California which can mean only one thing, SOUP! Below is one of my favorites...
 

Chicken Tortilla soup

I was first exposed to Mexican food when we moved to California. I didn’t know a taco from a tostada back then. Cilantro, cumin, hot chilies, and corn tortillas were all acquired tastes. Of course now I love it all!  Here is my take on tortilla soup and I have been told that it doesn’t stink. Seriously, I don’t pretend to know much about Mexican cooking though and prefer to leave it to the experts. However, I was invited to make tamales once at the home of a friend. This was the big time! Everything was authentic and done the traditional way.  I was very proud to be quickly promoted from corn husk cleaner to masa spreader. I’m a quick learner what can I say! It was great fun and I learned a lot. The Margaritas were pretty good too…

3    TBS olive oil 3    cloves chopped garlic 2    medium onions chopped 5    celery ribs 1 inch slices 4    carrots peeled, 1 inch slices 3    jalapenos, seeded &chopped 3    boneless chicken breasts

8    cups chicken broth 1    15 oz can black beans, rinsed 1    15 oz can white corn, drained 1    cup white rice 1    tsp. each, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt Shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, and fried tortilla strips for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook just until fragrant and lightly colored. Add the cumin, chili powder and salt and stir.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts, celery and carrots. Cook about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Add the corn, black beans and rice.  Cook until rice is done about 20 minutes. In the mean time shred the cooled chicken and return it to the pot. Taste for seasoning. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with some shredded cheese, a few slices of avocado and some tortilla strips.

Naples 1944 - How it all started

My father’s older sister Tina was an 18 year old war bride. She came to the states on one of those giant military transport ships with thousands of other young women just like her-sailing towards a new life in America. She settled in Boston with her new husbands’ family while he completed his tour of duty. Imagine being 18, not speaking a word of English, and coming to a new country without your husband around.  It’s hard to imagine how scared and lonely she must have been.

Before she left to begin this new life she asked her youngest brother (my dad) if he wanted to come to America too.  It was right at the end of the WW II and he was a 13 year old kid with absolutely no prospects for the future.  Italy had been ravaged by the war. They had all survived bombings, hunger, blackouts, and occupation but the reality was that things would not be better for a very long time.  He was the youngest of 5 kids in a family that had always struggled to survive even during the best of times.  Heck yes he wanted to come to America!  To Italians at that time, America represented hope, prosperity and a chance at a better life.  It was decided that once she was settled in she would begin the paperwork that would allow him to follow his sister.

At the time they had little understanding of immigration laws, quotas and how it all worked.  Nevertheless she filed the papers as promised and then life went on.  Zia Tina and her husband bought a house in the suburbs, raised two kids,   and got on with the business of life.

Back in Naples my dad too, got on with the business of life.  He survived by his wits and determination. He found a job working for Coca Cola, got married to my beautiful mom, had two little girls and had made a nice life for himself and his family.  By the time I was four they had started a small business, moved into a new apartment building and were making a decent living when the letter from the US consulate came.  It basically said that “his number had come” and if he still wanted to come to America it was now or never.  It was 1964 and exactly 20 years had gone by since those papers had been filed.

I am told it took my parents barely a few minutes to decide.  Absolutely we still want to come to America!

Making Porchetta With David

Buona Pasqua!

Silvia, Sister Dee, and my Beautiful Mom and Christina's Giant Carrot Cake          

Yesterday was Easter Sunday. A day to rejoice and be glad! We went to the 11:00am service and what a mad house! We got there about a half hour before the service and just barely snagged some seats. Now we are hardly what I like to call "season ticket holders" when it comes to church attendance but Easter and Christmas seem to bring out just about everyone in town! It was a glorious sunny California day too. Picture perfect. I set the table so we could eat outside, and while doing so thought about Easter time in Boston where I grew up.  The days leading up to Easter were always spring like, warm and deceptive! Everyone would get excited at prospect of spring, new outfits would be purchased, yard work and outdoor sprucing would begin. Then Easter Sunday would bring a nice blizzard with 5 inches of snow...

There were 12 of us for dinner in all so a relatively easy meal to prepare and get ready for.  I promised my mother I would make the Easter Bread or Casatiello as we call in in our Neapolitan dialect. Saturday night at 11:00pm they were still in the oven baking when I ran out of steam and went to bed.  Frank said he would stay up and wait for it to be done as long as he could have a piece warm out of the oven. Seemed fair to me... It was a great day with family and some dear friends in attendance. Our menu (see below) as always includes some of our traditional Italian dishes as well as American favorites.

Appetizer platter with prosciutto di parma, pecorino romano, olives, roasted peppers and eggplant
Honey Baked Ham (sorry, I don't do lamb)
Filet with Horseradish sauce
Roasted potatoes with rosemary and garlic
Sauteed artichokes
Russian salad (my friend brings this)
Deviled eggs
roasted asparagus
Fruit salad
Casatiello Easter bread
For dessert we had Pastiera which is a very traditional Easter dessert and Cassata Cake which is normally eaten at Christmas. We like it so much that we eat it every chance we get! Finally my beautiful Christina made this whimsical carrot cake shaped and decorated like a giant carrot. Adorable AND delicious!   

It's Done!

I started this blog with the best of intentions but life simply the got in the way.  I can't believe 11 months have passed since my daughter graciously helped me get it all set up and here I am almost a year later with my second post. How pathetic is that???  So much has happened since then too. The Loggia is finished! We are loving it and our new wood fired oven is awesome. We have done some additional things to the house like new windows and some brick work out front. Does it ever really end? Next is a bathroom remodel but I don't want to talk about that. We haven't even started and it's already stressing me out. I am a person who like order and peace none of which is possible when you are in the middle of a "project".

I am going to try to be more consistent and faithful to this blog. I think it might just be the solution to another little project of mine that is not moving along as quickly as I would like. As some of you may know, I have been working on a cookbook for a couple of years now.  Notice I didn't say "writing a cookbook" which seems a bit pretentious to me.  I started with the idea of writing down best loved family recipes, so I could pass them on to my daughter Christina someday. Somewhere along the way I also began writing down childhood events and recollections. A sort of window into the past that Christina might find interesting. Of course my story, as an immigrant child coming to a new country and trying to assimilate, is the story of so many, and hardly unique. But I figure it's MY story, and a story is always more interesting when you know the characters!

As I went along I soon discovered two things. First - I hate writing recipes. I find it tedious and boring. Second, unlike the recipes, the memories and stories flowed from my head and onto the page like water. This process has made me realize that it's not just about writing down a bunch of recipes for my daughter, It's also about giving her a glimpse of who her mother was, where she came from, and how all of those life events have shaped who I am today. So I'm thinking that instead of putting all that into a "book" why not just start posting it all here? I have quite a bit already so I'm going to go for it! Stay tuned, pictures and a few videos coming soon!