Blog 1 Revision of "La Nonna: Traditions of the family"

A mouthful of fettuccini alfredo overtakes my taste buds as currents of flavor zing through my nostrils with a bouquet of zest and cured parmesan ;  Italian traditions of family cooking brings life to every home cooked meal.  My Nonna, along with every other grandmother, is the best cook in the family.  Her cooking makes me yearn for the holidays; the time when days are spent in preparation for a night’s supper and a year’s worth of pasta.  Day lengths of time are dedicated for merely contriving new ravioli fillings and kneading yards upon yards of pasta strands.
                Food has always brought back memories of family, friends, and holiday time.  The Italian family lives in the kitchen - the most used part of the home.  Food has really brought my family together; it gives us a central theme which we can all easily relate too, as well as a time of the day where we all can sit down together.  Dinner is when we discuss the day, the good and the bad; it’s a time where we can be…family.  My Nonna has been key to tradition; she brings all sides of the family together for every major holiday.  Christmas is the best of times, the family is circled around the table dining upon a beautifully prepared meal.

                Three days prior to Christmas, dinner preparations begin.  My Nonna, mother, and sister begin cleaning the kitchen, preparing the cookery, and accounting for all necessary ingredients.   All the men sit around, watch television, and nap.  It’s a lazy time for all, we know the next few days will deplete all the energy we can muster.  My Nonna usually sets up a game of dominos for the evening, a great game to play after dinner.  I can recall playing for hours on end, looking up at the clock seemingly five minutes later and realizing its three hours into the next morning!  Time literally flies by during family game nights, especially when the snacks are brought out.

The next day is when the work begins, we try to sleep in late but end up rising early in anticipation of the day.  We all wake and amble our way to the kitchen, which always seems to be filled with life no matter what time of day or night you are there.  We begin the day by kneading and grating the pasta dough, a tedious task which should leave us all with a year’s supply of the delicious stuff!  Every pasta requires a different mixture, mainly comprised of egg and flour but with different spices and herbs added.  The dough is then finely grated by hand for pastarazza, thinly rolled and evenly sliced for traditional pasta, or rolled and cut into perfect triangles which will be later filled with assorted meats prepared by the men the next day for cuppaletties, a favorite Italian soup meaning “little hats” in English.

The third day is when the men are ready to offer their “vast wisdom” of cooking.  The meats are shredded, ground, and mixed with herbs and spices for the perfect taste nobody can resist!  The cuppaletties are filled, the pastas are finished drying, and the potatoes are baked.  The third day is the laziest of days, not much is needed to be done; only preparations for the morning are created.  However this is usually the most valuable of days.  Everyone has committed their day to being with the family to cook, and no outside plans have been made.  When work is finished early, and there is a light load for the day, the entire family can relax together; generally in the kitchen around loafs of crusty bread, milky cheese, and aged meats.  Time seems to have no meaning on this day, no obligations must be met or accounted for.  Clocks are generally not even looked at.  We play everything by ear; we relax and are grateful for the company we have.  We share stories, talk about recent issues, and discuss future plans.  This is where family vacations tend to be brought up, old photos looked at, and embarrassing stories told.  The only account of time which we must abide by is church service, which is always filled with joy…and even more when we open one gift after service!

The next morning is filled with excitement!  Stockings are rambled through and gift wrapping is left in shambles. We express love and joy to each other as we bask in the newly acquired gifts given to each other through loving hearts and kind personalities.  But the greatest gift of all comes midday when we all crowd around the kitchen.  This is the fun day.  Lobster, clams, crabs, and fish are all steamed, sautéed, or grilled.  Lemon butter and pesto are spread across the mess of seafood for the perfect blend!  The potato skins are re-baked and the innards are mashed and reformed to the re-baked potato skins; they are then laid to bask under the warm coils of the oven till dinner.  Last minute preparations are made; silver ware is put out, drinks are poured, fruit is cut, and salad is tossed.  The feast begins.

Dinner may only last thirty minutes, but the time spent at dinner lasts for hours; the family has been brought together from day one. The time spent together takes everyone out of their normal routine, out of the schedule and worries of life. We were brought together to simply relax and cook, a tradition that has been passed down not only in my family, but amongst many others. All the days were not only worked through in preparation for the sole dinner on Christmas, but for a way to pass the time together. The Christmas dinner shows this: food may only last for thirty minutes, yet everyone remains at the table for the company and comfort of everyone there. The food has subconsciously brought us together. The same can be seen on a smaller scale every night at the home, dinner time, when the family sits and dines together.

- Giovanni Mannella