Salami through the ages

Years tick over with crazy speed sometimes, and it can be hard to place a memory in its correct time slot.

Thank goodness for metadata, and a computer which tells me when a photo was taken.

("We always say thank you for metadata" - The Information Management student in me).

2011

Even while the years flash past, it's comforting to know that the rhythms of tradition give meaning to different seasons and stages.

The heart of winter is salami time.  Nonna sends out the phone call announcement, someone old and responsible (obviously not me) organises the meat pickup from the butchers, a date is set, and various family members trickle in.

Even before the birth of the Cooking With Nonna project, I was there with my camera to capture a family tradition which has literally been carried from generation to generation, Italy to Australia.

Polenta

So there have been some big changes in the Cooking With Nonna environment:

Namely the Farm, the house of my grandparents, my favourite childhood location, the best place on earth...

Has been sold.

Yeah, still getting over that one.

Change is not fun.  

But it does allow for endless possibilities, new beginnings, and the chance to create fresh memories.

Nonna now has a shiny, white, modern, spacious new kitchen waiting for her at a new house.  So I guess I'm excited to christen it with more traditional family recipes.  

The Cooking With Nonna project is still up and running, and it's wintertime which means:

Polenta!

Dropping in: Zucchini & Basil Spaghetti

Summer has blown through Australia, leaving us all wondering if time just dissipates like sea spray in the wind. Or like an ice cube in the sun, or like chocolate ice cream in my bowl.

Thankfully, summer produce is still trickling out of Nonno & Nonna's garden.

When I dropped in to say hello this Saturday, it was already midday (weekend sleep-ins are precious to the newly working woman!) so of course we had another drop-in lunch.

Nonna cheerfully started frying zucchini and basil for a quick and easy spaghetti dish.

I never cease to be amazed at how the most simple, fresh ingredients can make the most tasty, healthy meals.