Love Italian Style My Italian mother, Toni, taught me by her example from a very early age that “food is love.” Toni always felt one of the best ways she could show how much she cared for her husband and children was to ensure they were fed meals that were nutritious as well as delicious. Feeding people gave my mother as much pleasure as it gave to those being fed, and the act of sharing food had a significance and expression way beyond just the serving of a simple meal. It is no wonder that I became interested in cooking when I was quite young because my mother always made it look like fun to be in the kitchen preparing meals. She taught me many things about cooking procedures, but aside from the “how to” aspects of preparing food, I learned l’arte d’arrangiarsi – Italian for the ability to make something special and wonderful out of a few simple ingredients. This phrase can also refer to social gatherings, meaning the ability to get a few friends together and make it seem like a party. This was Toni’s forte.
Boun Appetito & Mangia, Mangia!! Grazie mille, Toni – Ti amo always