Culture through Cooking
Introduction
to
My Family Heritage
In Italy, food defines the culture. Food is a means of establishing and maintaining relationships between friends and family. Rather eating for nourishment, Italians savor meals as a time to enjoy delicious food and spend time with family. This philosophy distinguishes Italy from other European countries.
Since my father is Italian, Italy is one of the countries of my heritage. Throughout my life, I have experienced aspects of the Italian culture more than any other country associated with my background. My father’s side of the family is from a town in Central Italy called San Donato Val di Comino. It is a section of the Comino Valley, which is located in the Province of Frosinone in a region called Lazio.
In Italy, it is typical for friends and family to gather on Sundays for a family meal. Ever since I was young, this tradition has been a part of my family. Every so often, either on a typical Sunday or a special occasion, we would have a family dinner. Typically, my father would spend the entire afternoon cooking in anticipation of an early dinner. He would often prepare what his family cooked for their Sunday meals, such as fresh, handmade pasta. Food was such an important aspect of his childhood that all of the recipes were engraved in his mind. My dad would also use his knowledge of cooking to create his own recipes. And I must say, he is an excellent cook.
For a Sunday dinner, the meal that my dad cooks ranges from an elaborate pasta dish to homemade pizzas in our outdoor fire brick pizza oven! A few examples of a typical Sunday dinner in my house are Homemade Ravioli stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta served with Tomato Gravy, Handmade Lasagne Noodles with Italian Meatballs and Sauce, and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Pictured above is the beautiful town of San Donato Val di Comino, the place of origin of my father's family.
Click here to learn more about this part of Italy!
In addition to Sunday family dinners, my dad also prepared Italian foods from his childhood on holidays. The recipes from my father’s childhood have become traditions in our household as well. Date-Nut Bread and Ricotta Cookies are two of the holiday traditions in my household that are critical to my family heritage.
Click on the buttons below to learn more about my family recipes!
