Exploring my heritage in the green heart of Italy
There's a sense of excitement when you look out the window and can clearly see the place where you are headed, like flying into Sydney and seeing the iconic Opera House or into JFK and seeing the Manhattan skyline. And two weeks ago when I flew to Rome, we crossed over southern Greece then headed... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure, along with my husband and five other diners, of attending a cooking class with Sandra del Greco. Sandra runs cooking classes for small groups at her home, which she shares with husband Alf, in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond. From the moment you arrive, you feel you have entered an... Continue Reading →
Abruzzo is never far from my mind. I am planning a trip of my own later this year. But, as always in April, my thoughts turn to my late mother Louise Pergolini Tucker. She would have been 89 this week. Not only was she born on the 10th of April but she also died on her 81st... Continue Reading →
Arrosticini are skewers of cubed lamb meat cooked over charcoal and are a specialty of the Abruzzo region of Italy. Historically, arrosticini were prepared by shepherds on the move. Now they can be found at many festivals in the region, at social gatherings, conference lunches and some restaurants. Most of the foods that we grew up with reflected the... Continue Reading →
Two recent articles have inspired me to write about my late grandfather John Pergolini, longtime tailor. First, a review of a documentary about Italian tailors, which I have yet to see (Men of the Cloth - a film by Vicky Vasilopolos). The review is written by fellow Abruzzophile Helen Free on the Abruzzo Blogger Community site. Second, an article... Continue Reading →
Out of sheer necessity, my mother Louise Pergolini, made simple meals at home. She was usually feeding anywhere from eight to 12 people each day. When she knew she'd be home for a few hours, she'd often made a big stock pot of sugo, an all-purpose tomato sauce for pasta meals or braised meat dishes. It normally... Continue Reading →
Our great uncle Michael Izzo married into the Mezzacappa family and acquired not only his wife, my great aunt Ethel, but four more sisters. All potential suitors had to be scrutinised by our great grandfather Nicola Mezzacappa, who could be, by all accounts, somewhat frightening and very protective of his five daughters. So having passed muster, you knew... Continue Reading →
One thing is for sure - soup is the most curative of substances. From sniffles to broken hearts, nothing is as comforting and warming as a well prepared bowl of soup. What you put in it depends entirely on personal taste and probably a bit on your heritage. My grandparents Giovanni and Anna were both from the Teramo province... Continue Reading →
Normally, at home in Australia we pride ourselves on how lucky we are to have a great climate (mediterranean, in the case of Adelaide) which gives us access to a variety of fresh local food and produce, year round. Living by the low food miles philosophy is possible here. Sometimes I break from the philosophy,... Continue Reading →
