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I don’t get nervous when I cook for people, but this one got to me as it was an important event in their life. Not to mention that it was like having 35 food critics for dinner all at once. I have enough experience to give my meal an Italian flair, but that flair was nothing compared to the personalities of the crowd I cooked for! They were everything you might imagine in an Italian family, or any large family for that matter…
There was an uncle dressed in black that looked as if he was fresh out of The Sopranos. There was one uncle who was always telling dirty jokes and there was another one who was offering advice to everyone whether they needed it or not. But there were not only men at this gathering: Grandma was very much alive and had great spirit. Of course, all the ladies would gravitate to the kitchen sink every hour or so, like this was the place where the ladies have been for the last two thousand years.
The food turned out very nice, if I do say so myself. I gave them an Italian feast “a la French style”. Everyone loved the tenderloin, the prawns were a success and dessert hit it out of the park. Overall, a great family meal was shared together to celebrate an event in someone’s life, and nobody was left out doing the work in the kitchen. After all, a 25th anniversary is an accomplishment.
I truly enjoyed contributing to this special day. I felt like I was back in Quebec with a huge family where no one talks about anyone else’s quirks, but rather it is just a real social event. The focus is on the event and the food, not on the dysfunction. I had a great time, and it gave me hope for human kind. I still believe that food can really be the gum that holds our society together for the next few hundred years.
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, laughter, wine, garlic, parsley, lemon, pinches on the cheeks, basil, oregano and voila, you got yourself a great authentic Italian meal. Come to think of it, that is what makes an authentic family meal from any place.
I miss my folks!
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
