Traci Anello

The Power in Food


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Food insecurity and how we are helping

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I’ve been invited to my sister Kim’s home in New Jersey.

I love visiting her because coffee is always served outside on her porch overlooking her beautiful gardens. We catch up on our families and then we plan our meals based on what is ready in her garden. The herbs are always plentiful and as we reach the end of the season, her root vegetables will play a big part in our menu. Kim loves to entertain and shares with me that she will be hosting a brunch before Thanksgiving. I love this! Cooking food for friends, especially new people is always a community experience.

After coffee I explore her refrigerator to work on a brunch menu. I see that she has a meal kit from Blue Apron. I take the box out and unload its contents to see what I’ll have to work with. This kit is wonderful! Everything you need to make a dinner is in there. This kit is a great way to teach someone how to cook basic sauces, proteins and vegetables. Immediately the menu comes together. We make mini quiche, garden fritattas, roasted potatoes with fresh herbs, roasted root vegetables with fresh thyme and crushed garlic, curried chickpea salad served with homemade crackers, homemade muffins bursting with Maine blueberries and a hint of lemon zest, fresh fruit with Kim’s garden mint and a host of fresh juices and coffees.

Pasta Kit

As I was preparing the dishes, I thought “Why can’t everyone have access to meal kits like this”. These kits are a great way to teach basic cooking skills. Since COVID19, it’s been almost impossible to arrange cooking classes so I thought maybe we can create meal kits like these for everyone to teach them in their homes. My main focus was people who are experiencing food insecurity. I have volunteered at food pantries and local farmers and grocery stores donate pounds of fresh produce. But watching people walk past the produce table was upsetting for me. The food they are given is great. Don’t get me wrong. But to walk past the produce table and lose the opportunity to add nutritional value to their meals was something I couldn’t ignore. Through no fault of their own, food insecurity is generally passed down. If you’re not taught how to cook basic meals, you can’t teach your children how to cook them either. The pantries do an amazing job of sourcing the staple pantry items. Volunteers work tirelessly to make sure everyone that is present gets as much as they can give. It’s a beautiful program. The teaching piece is missing. Not because they won’t offer it but because they have so much to do in a day to coordinate these bags of food. This where we come in.

We are The Community Gourmet. We are based out of Kennebunk, Maine.My name is Traci Anello and I’m the Founder. I went out and bought basic staple food pantry items and lined them on my counter. I made a menu based on what I had available and what I knew the pantries could offer. The first kit I made was the Pasta Kit. It contained two ponds of pasta, a 20oz can of tomato sauce, an 8oz container of parmesan cheese, a 10oz container of mayonnaise, three recipes, a handcrafted greeting card using the photos I’ve taken at farmers markets, a self stamped survey post card (a way for recipients to be heard) and eventually we started to add essential kitchen equipment like measuring cups, spoons, calendars, cutting boards, pot holders, ladels, etc.. It’s important that if we supply the recipes, we also provide the basic equipment to follow the recipes. Our three recipes show how to use a staple like pasta three different ways. For our pasta kit, our recipes are Pasta with Meatballs, Pasta Primavera and Pasta salad. It shows the versatility of pasta used both hot and cold and a great way to get those nutritious vegetables in there.

I decided to give this a go. As a chef, I knew I could tap into my resources and get some of the foods from restaurants ordered and donated. Most of the food we bought through our fundraiser accepting donations from our homemade Raspberry linzer cookies. We packaged them by the dozen and asked for a suggested donation of $15.00. We had no idea how popular these would be. We go on to make over 100 dozen through the summer during various fundraisers. The local Chamber of Commerce (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel) has been wonderful and very supportive. We have our cookie fundraisers there and could not be more thrilled at all of the people we get to meet who support our mission. Our mission which is: Teaching, Caring and Nourishing. Our kits are at no cost to the people who receive them. As a matter of fact, we concentrate on the people who don’t qualify for government assistance. The thought of asking for help and being told that they do not qualify breaks my heart. We have decided to have our kits available to everyone. There are no questions asked. If yo need help and reach out, we will direct you to where you can pick up a kit.

Our first pantry was The Little Pantry in Kennebunk at the Chamber of Commerce. t’s a 24/7 emergency pantry and they do a tremendous job working with the community to keep it stocked. Laura Dolce, the director, has such a big heart. She’s been very supportive along with her team at the Chamber. The Chamber is a valuable resource and we appreciate everything they do for the communities. Kennebunk is a giving community. The residents do not hesitate to step up and support their neighbors. Other places we supply kits to is the York County Shelter Pantry in Alfred, Maine. This is our largest pantry and covers many towns. They do over 300 people a week here. Mike Oulette is the pantry manager and along with Jim, his assistant, and their volunteers, they run a tight ship and supply many people with the necessary foods and even food for their pets! Saint Mary’s church in Wells, Maine is also a wonderful supporter of ours. Paul Goyette and his volunteers welcome our kits and pass them out to the people who come to their weekly food pantry. I love their set up. Paul is a wonderful resource of information for us as well. Our newest pantry is a self made pantry by a mom who wanted to help her community. Big Love One Community in North Berwick, Maine is so cute! Sara Dutch along with her husband built a pantry on a trailer. The inside looks like a grocery store. It’s painted with bright cheerful colors and it gives you the privacy to shop and maintain your dignity. She has a flower plant hanging outside and a big heart on the side of her building. I absolutely love what she does! We have additional pantries that we would like to supply but we are in need of a larger space. We have outgrown our current location and are in search for a larger space about 500 sqft. Once we accomplish that, we can accommodate more pantries.

Our focus right now is to have kits made available to senior citizens as well as the pantries. we are in the process of creating a kit that provides seniors with meals. Recently I was told that Meals on Wheels which is a wonderful program can not accommodate all of the seniors who request their meals. Again, the “do not qualify”. That’s the worst answer anyone can hear. we understand resources are tight. That’s why we would like to pick up that burden if we can. We would like to have these kits available at the agencies that seniors have to visit so they have something to walk out with that will provide meals for them for a period of time. These seniors have been a valuable resource for younger people not to mention the programs they have probably been a part of and the taxes that they have paid into all of these years. It’s time to give back.

We are still new to the game. Our first kits rolled out in March of 2022. To date we have made over 6000 kits and packages. Ofcourse we sent out sample kits earlier but officially our first kits went to the Little Pantry in Kennebunk in March. Food insecurity is everywhere. We would like to be everywhere. Right now we are in York County Maine with a vision to supply every county in Maine eventually. From there, regional, national and so on. If we can teach people the basic cooking skills using pantry items and produce from our farmers, we on track to putiing a dent in food insecurity. “Give a man to fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime”.

💚

Visit our website: http://www.thecommunitygourmet.org


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A lunch lady tribute

The hair net, the orthopedic shoes and that laced collar and iconic cat eye glasses describe the real unsung heroes of the school cafeteria back in the day (and maybe still today). It’s the lunch ladies. The hard working early morning starting cooks that served the perfect shape of mashed potatoes and that square pizza on Fridays.

Our lunch ladies at Goodyear Elementary School always kept the kids in line and the line moving like a well choreographed dance. Even the teachers wanted to know how they did it. Whether you wanted to peas or not you got them and fought back the urge to say “no thank you”. They had no time to waste. They had a lot of kids to feed, a kitchen to clean and orders to be placed before the end of the day so that they could do it all over again the next day.

Growing up experiencing food insecurity is rough. Sitting next to a friend with a fresh sandwich, a bag of chips and cookies their mom made was hard to watch. You try to act like it’s no big deal. You weren’t hungry anyway was the only way to fight back the tears. Some days you had that bologna and cheese sandwich and once you pulled the bologna out, it didn’t look so bad. But smelling the fresh turkey and cheese sandwich next to you made your stomach tighten. Sometimes you sat next to someone that was kind enough to offer you a cookie or some chips but it wasn’t often. It felt good to be offered and feel grateful.

By the time fifth grade came around, you could sign up to volunteer in the kitchen and work with the lunch ladies if you dared. They didn’t scare me. Probably because I never got to stand in that line. Students feared them because they didn’t have time for games and let you know. They were pretty bad ass actually. They needed the help and it was a great learning opportunity for anyone that had the guts to sign up. The only thing was you could only do it once a week but once a week meant a free lunch and that was the best part…I thought. Everyone wanted Friday because it was pizza day. I didn’t care and took whatever they gave me.

I remember my first day, they brought me over to the dish machine to rinse off the stacked dishes and trays. I was too young to operate that huge machine but I could fill the dish racks and rinse all of the dishes. I remember looking at that dish machine and thinking we could use this at home with 10 people living there. The spray hose was the best part of that job. It rinsed dished off like magic.

As time went on, I showed an interest in the food prep by being really nosey. Little by little they would give me small job like lining cookies on cookie sheets or putting cheese on the cheeseburgers. Quickly I became quite the prep assistant and the cranky lunch lady became my friend. Want to know how I knew? She signed me up for Fridays so that I could have pizza. Not only did I have the pizza but I prepared it. She stood side by side and explained how she wanted it done. I clung on every word. Someone cared. That’s all I could think of. I wasn’t excited about eating lunch. I was excited about standing with her and learning something new. She made me feel like I belonged in the kitchen. She gave me hope and was my beacon of inspiration. How could I get one of those sweet dresses she was wearing with the laced collar? I had the hairnet and it was cooler than any hat my brothers were wearing. It was my superpower. Every day as students lined up for lunch with sweat starting to form as they had to face the lunch ladies, I would walk by the kitchen and call the women by name and say hi and wave. Classmates would look at me like I was in some private club. How did I do that?? How was I able to smile and say hello like we just finished eating a big meal together. That hair net hat I wore gave me the power to feel confident. That hope and inspiration they gave me was exactly what I needed to fight off the hunger and the feeling that I didn’t belong. All they did was take an interest and teach and treat me like part of their kitchen. It felt great. I don’t know how they did it but they got me signed in an extra day every week. That’s two meals I would get. Suddenly though it wasn’t about the food. It was about the caring, the teaching and feeling like a part of a team.

It made me think of my career as a culinary instructor. Looking at photos, I’m standing right next to my students just like she did with me. I knew who needed a little help with food. I could see which students looked forward to eating what we made that day. I always made sure these students had food to take home. They didn’t know that I knew but you never forget that feeling. Even when there’s plenty of food, in your mind, you still think about where the next meal will come from. Teaching students how to cook was my way of making sure they had food.

Food insecurity is awful. When you are hungry, it’s not just a growling stomach. It’s painful. It’s painful physically and mentally. It makes you go in the bathroom and cry. Snack time was another reminder that you were going without unless the teacher decided to bring in something to share. Children that come to school hungry can’t concentrate on school work. They’re too busy trying to keep their stomachs quiet so the other kids stop laughing. They’re tired because they couldn’t sleep the night before because they went to bed hungry. It hurts in so many ways.

Thankfully today there are programs that offer breakfast and lunch at no charge to the students. There are places like in Kennebunk, Maine where a student can go to The Little Pantry outside of The Chamber of Commerce and help themselves to food in a cabinet on the porch whether it’s snacks or food to bring home to their siblings.

The Community Gourmet in Kennebunk started a Mission for Nutrition program and delivers care packages to students. These packages have small meals like macaroni and cheese cups, Chef Boyrdee meals, cereal, oatmeal, breakfast bars, juice boxes and snacks like chips and cookies to name a few. They’re in a reusable grocery bag folded over to look like a bag with sneakers or a book inside so no one makes fun of them or they don’t stand out as the kid with no food at home. These go to students who are currently unhoused or experiencing food insecurity at home. We put enough items inside for them to share with siblings. We try to set these up so that they have them for the weekend. This program is so important to me. I don’t want any child to have to worry about their next meal. When you share food items you share support. Hopefully they can find hope and know that we do care. I want them to know they are supported. The school does a great job making sure these students have food. We have an amazing community. They are always ready to help when asked for food drives and donations. It does take a village and our community steps up every time. The support they give is above and beyond and we are grateful for that because every donation means another child gets to have a meal.

I think about those lunch ladies all the time. I think about where I came from and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t know what hope felt like. They cared. They showed up. They were teachers themselves. I was one of many students that had the opportunity to learn from them. I was one of many that got to have a full meal because of them. I was one of many that started to get better grades and looked forward to going to school especially on the days I was a big helper in the kitchen. Every good cook starts in the dish area. I’m proud to say I am a member of that club.I took those skills and used them. I still use them. I’m grateful for those women. They taught me a valuable lesson about caring. They also taught me how to wear a hair net and an apron perfectly because they took the time to show me. My other died when I was four. There was no mother figure. These women somehow knew it and showed me things that really made me feel supported.

This story is dedicated to the two women that cared and showed me that I was a special person. They showed appreciation and love for the food they served. They were very proud of the work they did and I was proud to be a part of that. And suddenly classmates stopped picking on me because they knew they had to face those lunch ladies every day and those women were my friends.

I was a member of a very elite club…The Lunch Lady Club.

If you’d like to learn more about The Community Gourmet and how you can help a student facing food insecurity, please visit our website and see the work they do in their Mission for Nutrition program: http://www.thecommunitygourmet.org


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The Community Gourmet Holiday Recipe 2024

Thank you for purchasing our holiday wooden spoon at our friend, Melanie’s, amazing shop, Dragon Star in Kennebunk, Maine.

I was trying to think of a really special recipe to share to show you our appreciation for your support. Each spoon raised enough money to feed two older adults for a full week with small meals and snacks.

I reached into my archive and found a recipe so special, it’s perfect to share.

Traditional Gingersnaps Makes 24 small cookies

Directions:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  2. Add the egg and mix until well combined. I use a whisk
  3. Add the lolasses and whisk together.
  4. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together
  5. Add to the wet mixture and stir with a spoon until you can no longer see the dry mixture.
  6. Roll into 24 small balls and freeze for 1 hour.
  7. Preheat your over to 350*
  8. Place the second 1 Cup of sugar in a gallon freezer bag.
  9. Add a few of the frozen dough balls and coat with the sugar.
  10. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  11. Bake about 15 minutes or until the center of the cookie does not look wet.
  12. Let the cookies cool completely and package for gifts.

This a favorite cookie for so many people. You can also make 12 larger cookies with this recipe by dividing th dough into 12 balls. I use a purple handle ice cream scoop for the small cookies and a yellow handled ice cream scoop for the larger ones. You can find these ice cream scoops in kitchen stores and online. The colors are universal.

These also freeze very well before baking. Just be sure not to roll them in sugar until you’re redy to use them. The baked gingersnaps also freeze well after baking if there around long enough. You can use these for ice cream sandwiches too. Find a nice cinnamon or ginger ice cream for the middle.

If you like this recipe, sit tight. We will be sharing many more. The recipe vault is full! We will also be making a video soon on a step by step of these gingersnaps and many other cookies.

Thank you again for supporting The Community Gourmet by purchasing one of our beautiful wooden spoons. You can learn more about including how you can make a donation to help to create more Care packages for one of our many programs at our website: http://www.thecommunitygourmet.org

Thank you!


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The Care Package

Our elder community is our richest resource when it comes to life. Their stories and experiences teach us if we are willing to listen.

When I started The Community Gourmet, the primary focus was teaching people at food pantries how to cook using basic staples items. We create three recipes for each type of recipe kit we donate to food pantries and churches. Teaching people how to stretch their staple items and make them three different ways became a success. The feedback we got was positive and enriching. The more people we taught, the more kits we created. To date we have donated over 1600 Recipe Kits.

Our Care Package

In the Fall of 2022, I had the opportunity to meet our local police officer who created a very successful elder abuse task force. What she does to help and protect seniors in our county is just beautiful work. We talked about seniors and the the foods they had (or didn’t have) in their homes. The stories were heartbreaking. Having a father that’s 92 made it hit home even more. We talked about what type of foods they could benefit from. The one thing she said was to try to have it so they don’t need to cook on the stove. It’s a safety concern. The time this woman spent talking about her mission was so important. I was appreciative to have the opportunity to learn as much as I could.

When I went home that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about what she said. The fact that seniors have to choose between heating and eating kept me up. I wanted to create a kit just for them. It would need to be something that could supplement Meals on Wheels. It had to be something no one would ever have to qualify for. You can never be told no. You never have to fill out an application. These are available for whoever needs them. This wonderful program brings one meal a day to the seniors. We wanted to offer small meals like soup, tuna fish with crackers, oatmeal, Macaroni and cheese cups (easy to prepare in the microwave), protein bars and so on. With my background in the food industry I had worked in hospitals and hospice. I remember the small individual items we would have for the patients. I spoke with our dietician at our local hospital and she was a wealth of knowledge. Applesauce helps to swallow pills. Carnation instant breakfast is an easy meal when someone has low energy and doesn’t want to cook. Individual peanutbutter and jellies so everything is portioned. We also add crackers for the soup, cereal for breakfast along with oatmeal packets, canned chicken, pre made meals like beef stew or chicken a la king. With. a little more funding, we will add more protein items as we grow. These are all contained in a reusable shopping bag. I had a good idea what I wanted to put in these kits which are now called “The Care Package”. More about the name later.

The Care Package wasn’t complete. It needed more than just small meals. It need nostalgia and memories. It needed Fig Newtons, Lorna Dunes, ‘Nilla Wafers and shortbreads. Was this a healthy option? Not exactly. Well, maybe mentally it was. This gave some one the opportunity to have a cup of tea (also included) and a cookie that brings back memories of growing up. This is a moment to sit and enjoy something nice. These are items they wouldn’t buy for themselves so they could save their money to pay the electric or heating bill. We add these items because we care. We also add a blank greeting card with photos I’ve taken over the years. Maybe while enjoying that cookie, they can write a card to someone.

I reached out to to our local agency on aging and was gifted one of the nicest people I’d ever met. She was interested in our Care packages and immediately I made samples and delivered them. Our foundation was fortunate to be able to speak st the elder abuse conference. This gave us the chance to explain who we are and what we do. We got so many messages about the Care Package and agencies that wanted to try them. We delivered to police stations, General Assistance programs, churches, senior centers and of course pantries. We also make these for disaster situations. We sent 20 care packages to Fort Lauderdale to help people who suffered through the hurricane. We’ve made over 50 for asylum seekers who needed some food while they lived in a hotel. These packages can be made for any situation. To date we have donated over 600 of the packages. These are at no cost to the people that receive them.

Why do we do it? Because we care. We are a community that cares about the people in it and surrounding it. Because people need to know you care and you’re here to support them. This is where the name came from. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. You should never have to worry about where your next meal is coming from.

It’s our mission to teach, care and nourish the people of our communities. We love to do it. We have wonderful volunteers. We have a very talented Board of directors that we are blessed with.

I’m happy to come to your town and show you how you can start making meal kits like these. I can show you how to source the foods and the containers they come in. I can show you how it can be educational, heartwarming and even fun to create these kits and packages for our richest resource, our seniors.

You can contact us through our website: http://www.thecommunitygourmet.org

You can also write to us: thecommunitygourmet@gmail.com

If you would like to make a donation, we have several options including our Amazon Wish list. This can all be found on our website.

Check on your neighbors often. Listen to what they have to say. Learn a lifetime of valuable lessons.


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The Day I Rediscovered Cooking with “Somebody Feed Phil”

It’s been two months since I was given the opportunity to start a completely different career. This is an opportunity I am forever grateful.

November 8, 2021 ended a long thirty-seven year career in foodservice. I traded my black coat, my red and black pinned striped apron and my not so shiny black clogs for a large office with split screens and a very comfy chair. I traded working every other weekend and holidays for every weekend off and every holiday too. I transferred to another department within the hospital. I went from cooking for our patients and staff to credentialing for our providers. I couldn’t be in a more different but exciting world.

The day I punched out on a time clock for the last time was more significant than just ending the day. I ended my career. That weekend I didn’t want to cook. I didn’t want to eat out. I just didn’t want to interact with food. Like a rush from a broken dam, the question began to flood my mind. Did I do the right thing? Is this how I want to end my career in the kitchen? I had so many accomplishments. I grew from a mouthy 17 year old to a prominent business owner and pastry instructor in a college program I created. Working kitchens was easy for me. Did I really want to give that up? Absolutely. I was ready for a change. I was very concerned with the direction foodservice was headed in. The lack of employees and covered shifts meant working longer hours. The lack of morals and responsibility that kitchens now faced only meant longer days. It was definitely time to move on.

About a year and half ago, my friend Gail asked if I could come over to her house and help with a catering job she had. I loved cooking with Gail so that was an easy “Yes”. When I got there she had another friend, Deb, over that I recognized but didn’t know. It was fun. We talked food, cooked food, ate some food and had some great laughs. I didn’t know it at the time but this woman would later on become the very person that would open up a whole new door to start a completely different career just two years later. You never know in life who you’re going to meet when it comes to food as the common denominator. As time went on, I became friends with this woman and we always enjoyed talking about food. I loved seeing her at the hospital because it was a few minutes to escape and have a conversation that I knew would be a good one every time.

So fast forward to this year late summer. As COVID19 continued to do its thing and disrupt anything in it’s path, the state of Maine put a mandatory vaccine into effect. Not everyone was compliant and that meant opening doors for people to move up in the company. One of the positions was in the department I now work. I talked to Deb about it and she thought I would be a good candidate. Being a food person, she compared what her office did to that of being a chef. Attention to detail, being able to handle a stressful situation, organization skills and working in a changed environment and being able to pick up where you left off were just a few. I decided to make the career change. It meant hanging up that black coat. In exchange I would experience opportunities I haven’t for years like weekends off, holidays off, a good salary and wearing real clothes. It wasn’t a hard decision.

I love what I do. I love what I did. Cooking for a hospital staff is an honor. You have the opportunity to create good food for the very people who every day are saving lives. They only have 10 maybe 15 minutes to eat something quickly and they give us that time to serve them something comforting. That’s an honor. I never took that lightly. Every day I put the same love into every dish I made hoping they would receive that. If you feed someone good food, it feeds their soul. And when you feed a soul, you know the comfort that delivers. That means that person can go back and make better decisions for themselves and the patient. And when you can make better decisions for the patient, the healing begins. Food is love and every meal you have that canvas to create the best. That’s what I miss the most. But in my new position I help with the providers and if I do my job correctly and with the same passion, the patients will benefit.

This is why I stopped cooking at home. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just didn’t want to do it.One day my friend told me about a show she had watched called “Somebody Feed Phil”. She said it’s a very good show about a man that travels and eats great food. I didn’t want to cook let alone watch someone else do it. But she always had great recommendations about books and shows so I knew at some point I would try an episode. It’s New Years day in Maine. It’s cold and raining and I don’t have the energy to go out. So I sit on the couch with my two cats, Chaos and Bear on each side and put “Somebody Feed Phil” on. He’s in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. This man loves food! I went from sitting on the couch to sitting on the edge of the couch. I’m watching this beautiful country and the people in it. I’m watching this man so excited about his food that he looks like a 5 year old with his first slice of pizza! It was awesome. He loved his food and he shared it! He won my heart. I was so excited. I decided at that moment I would recreate the black bean dish he was eating. This show sparked the very flame I blew out just two months prior. I made a grocery list and headed to the store. I bought the ingredients and headed home to make myself a lunch even Phil would be proud to share. I sautéed the onions and celery until they sizzled and the celery danced around the pan to the sweet symphony of the sizzle. I added the garlic and spices. My house smelled like a restaurant. I poured the black beans and their velvety goodness into the pan and stirred. I added some chopped kale and squeezed two beautiful limes. The limes turned out to be the stars of the dish.I finished it off with fresh cilantro. On the side I baked some crispy tofu and a sweet potato. One the show there’s some type of fruit that accompanies every dish. I’m not a fan of fruit or anything sweet but they’re on to something. I peeled a tangerine and placed it on the dish and then added some edamame to the sweet potato for color. I poured this beautiful black bean sauce over brown rice. Where’s Phil?? Where’s Richard? They should be here. they should be tasting this dish and Phil should be doing that sweet victory dance he does when he enjoys what he just experienced for the first time. Phil is such an inspiration with his show.

I decided to make one dish from each show. It’s my tribute to this incredible show. I’m especially excited because the second episode I watched was Phil in San Fransisco. His two guests chefs were my absolute favorites: Alice Waters and Thomas Keller. Can this show get any better! I’m not sure what I’m making from that show but it will something from our farmers market as a nod to Alice Waters. Thomas Keller is also a wonderful inspiration so I’ll have to choose wisely what I make from him.

Another thing I like about Phil’s show is his interaction with his wife and father. I loved the jokes. There’s a lot of love in the family and it shows.

I can’t thank Deb enough for recommending this show. It’s exactly what I needed. Food is love. It’s so apparent in these episodes. Phil is so happy and giving. That’s what the celebration of food is all about. It’s about learning new cultures and how they enjoy food. It’s learning about their ingredients and what’s abundant to them and how they utilize that. It’s about community, sharing and the love of food. It’s hoping that someday we embrace each other and our cultures as a whole and bring peace to the world one plate at a time. It can be done. Just watch one episode of “Somebody Feed Phil” and tell me how motivated you are to share a meal. That is the power in food.


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Cooking in Healthcare, the Double Edge Sword

Being a cook in a healthcare setting is a double edge sword for most chefs. So many of us have traded the upscale hotels and restaurants to experience a real vacation and occasional weekends off. Not to mention the benefits package which in itself feels like an amazing bonus.

There are so many benefits to cooking in a hospital setting. I think the most important is knowing that the food you are cooking actually plays a big part in the healing process. This happens in a couple of ways. The one thing a patient has to look forward to is their meal. In most cases, they get to choose what they want from an “a la carte” menu. They may not be able to choose their medication or their length of stay but they can have control over what they order (based on the diet assigned by their physician). Second, if we prepare their food correctly and with absolute care, the food can aid in the healing process. I’m talking about cooking their vegetables and legumes perfectly. We also make sure they have the best crisp lettuce and vegetables on their salad. These are things we CAN control. You have to want to though. You have to cook every meal like you’re making it for your family. If you wouldn’t eat it, neither should they. It’s all about the patient. We have to do our best to fulfill their requests and make the best meals every time. When it comes to the patient, there’s no room for error.

When I think about how we do meals now, it’s very much like a restaurant. The patient has a menu they get to order from. So they call down to the “Diet office” where trained individuals take their order. Hopefully the system is set up so that it understands the patient’s diet. Most systems are set up this way so that if a patient tries to order something they can’t have, the system will not allow the operator in the diet office to add that option. So the operator is like a waitress in a sense. They take the order and it’s sent to the cooks and room service staff through a ticket very much like a restaurant kitchen uses. The printer prints out every detail to make sure they’re are no mistakes. The cook creates the meal and sends it to an expeditor to check over the ticket and place it on the appropriate cart or truck for the hostess to deliver. The hostess brings the meals to the floors as a waitress would do to a restaurant table. They ask the patient to identify themselves by giving their name and date of birth. It’s essential to deliver the correct tray with so many different diets. Once identified, the hostess places the tray in front of the patient and lifts the lids off of the main plate. If we have all done our jobs correctly up to that point, the patients should be pleasantly surprised and look forward to their meal just like in the restaurant. It’s imperative that the hostess smile and ask the patient if there is anything else they can get them. Ofcourse that has to go through the diet office if they want anything additional but the point here is establish a positive relationship with the patient so they realize we do care about them. Like a restaurant, there’s a waitress, a cook, an expeditor and a hostess. It’s all the same concept. There’s no room for error. The meal must be cooked to perfection and followed through with the same service when delivered.

The other part of cooking in the hospital is for the staff. This is an honor in itself just like the patients. These people work hard. They have to be on their feet most of their shift and time is rarely on their side. When they come into the cafe, they want their meals quick and it’s the least we could do. It’s so important to give them the very best as quickly as possible. A great meal can sustain someone for the remainder of their shift. It can also help in the decision process. These people have to be on their toes and make split decisions at any moment. If we can provide a delicious meal, it can only make someone feel so much better. When you feel better, you make better decisions. If we don’t deliver, then these workers could feel sluggish and incomplete. At my hospital, we have the best fresh produce and local seafood to work with. The hospital provides us with the canvas and the best supplies so it’s not rocket science to create healthy delicious meals for the staff. Now, not every meal is the healthiest but it is fulfilling. We do offer fresh vegetables every meal that are steamed or roasted. I’m very happy to be able to provide homemade desserts. I’m a pastry chef by trade so that fills my soul to make homemade strawberry shortcake and my favorite linzor cookies. Every time it’s like packaging a little hug. I feel it’s an honor each and every time I cook for the staff. They give you their precious time by giving us the opportunity to serve them. The least we can do is give them the absolute best, every time. We do also provide the same meals for visitors. It’s just as important to make sure friends and families of patients have a great tasting meal. They’re providing the support to the patients and like the staff, they need to be able to make decisions at any time or just feel good about the care the patient is getting. A good meal will always aid in an important decision or impression of patient care.

Cooking in the cafe and for the cafe also gives us the opportunity to meet our co-workers. I love these people. I may not know them all by name but I do know what they like to eat. I love our interactions. It’s a nice way to show them how much we care and value what they do everyday. The kitchen is separate from the rest of the hospital so we don’t see what these people are involved with and the trauma they have to deal with. That’s why it’s an honor to have their time. I wish more people saw it this way. It’s truly team work. I’m talking about everyone from the doctors and surgeons to the nurses, admin staff and environmental services. From the maintenance crew to the security staff to our own nutritional co-workers. Every one plays an important role in patient care. The food should always reflect that.

Being a chef in a hospital setting has its benefits. Like I said, It’s a double edge sword. You also have to abide by Human Resources and their protocols which is something most restaurants don’t have. But you do get health insurance, some weekends off which is unheard of in restaurants and also vacation time. The perks definitely out weigh the lack of. Hospitals have incentive programs that are pretty lucrative. The work is year round employment as opposed to seasonal in a tourist community. Hospitals make sure you have all of your up to date shots and immunizations where most restaurants are a tetanus trap. Restaurants give you the opportunity to be very creative and make spectacular entrees. It’s such a give and take. I have to say hospitals offer security, job security. Overall, I prefer working in the hospital. I’m fortunate to be woking with a chef manager that’s an amazing cook. I’ve learned from him and we work great together. That’s a real win. That doesn’t always happen. Most times you have to deal with an ego that is not productive. Do the best you can with that. It’s not easy. I’ve been there and the stress alone with send you back to a seasonal restaurant. This time I’m very fortunate.

If you are a chef or a line cook and you have the opportunity to try a healthcare setting, you owe it to yourself. There’s a lot of give and take but the rewards are worth it. You deserve a weekend off and a paid vacation. I will admit, I do miss working at hotels on the beaches and doing the weekly lobster bakes and catering weddings. That’s a feat in itself. To balance the best of both worlds, find a way to still participate in the catering and special events. We all know someone so the best balance is to live in both worlds. There’s plenty of support out there.

I’m very happy where I am. I love cooking for the patients and the staff. I’ve learned to balance the double edge sword. You can too and I’m happy to help. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or critiques.


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Juggling Plantbased meals on non traditional shifts

Working a shift other than the “normal” 9 to 5 can create road blocks with meals. I work in healthcare and the days I pick up a replacement shift of 11am to 7:30pm can really throw a wrench in my meal planning. Thankfully, there are some pretty creative ways to work around that so you get the maximum nutrition on limited time.

Meal planning is your best friend. You decide a time or day of the week to do all of your prep and organization of your lunch and dinners. I pick a day off that I can dedicate 3 hours. That’s it. Three hours is all is takes. That’s less than 30 minutes an entree. I go through my trusted recipe books written by creators I know can cook. I decide what I want and make a shopping list. Here’s where a pantry of every day items comes in handy. I’ll get into that in a few minutes. I go shopping and come home and get to work.

Shopping can be inexpensive if you stick to whole foods like fresh broccoli, crisp red peppers and tender sweet carrots. The expense comes in purchasing the processed items which you don’t need. They’re good in a pinch but you’ll get way more bang for your buck with fresh produce, whole grains and legumes.

So back to the pantry. I always have canned beans, brown rice, farro, quinoa, couscous, diced tomatoes, lentils and pasta in my pantry. These are items that can stretch your dollar and create healthy meals. My herbs and spices are always abundant. I use granulated garlic and onion powder, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, ginger (both ground and fresh) and miso paste for salt. I also have Kombu and dulse (seaweed)flakes for a salt substitute. These are also great when you’re making chickpea “tuna” salad or cradles cakes. For flours I have oat, almond and sprouted spelt. I love the almond and oat for cookies and I make my own rolls with the spelt. A pantry is essential regardless of your lifestyle. There will be times you want to make something quick and having grains and spices on hand will make life a lot easier. Pasta can be made with sauce or toss in some of your prepped cut vegetables and make a cold salad. Lentils are great on a salad or a powerhouse in a soup. Couscous cooks in five minutes. Just sauté some vegetables and you have dinner in less than 15 minutes.

A typical day of meal preparation starts with my rolls. I mix sprouted spelt flour with silkened tofu, baking soda, sea salt or miso and my own “everything” bagel combination. That’s it. It makes the best rolls. While those are baking I prep my vegetables. I always roast sweet potatoes, cauliflower, asparagus, and purple potatoes. They’re a staple for my veggie scrambles in the morning and my brown rice bowls. I roast what ever other vegetables I’ve picked up. This is a great time to try a new vegetable either at the grocery store or from a farmers market. I then cut up fresh bell and yellow peppers, cucumbers, red onion, shredded carrots and red cabbage. Roasted red peppers are a nice addition. Those are put in containers placed in my refrigerator for me to create quick salads or another grain bowl. The whole idea is to just get these items prepped and roasted or cut up if using fresh. Once this is done, and it only takes an hour, then you can set your bowls or mason jars up for the week and start crating your meals. Now you have meals for every day you just grab and go. An example of what I make would be that I take a bowl and add a grain like brown rice or farro. I then add my colorful peppers, green onions, red cabbage, shredded carrot, chopped kale and maybe some broccoli. You just made a Buddha bowl. You can put your favorite dressing on the side or maybe mix some hummus on the side. Change it up and use different grains and make a variety of bowls. The goal here is when you work these odd shifts, your meals are ready to go. You don’t have to reach for a super sugar packed energy bar or a carby bagel to get you by. I get it. I’ve been there. Salsa and awful chips or a banana and peanut butter sandwich because you have no time. Enough of that. Pick a day and create these nutritious bowls.

Don’t forget to pack some snacks. I will roast a can of chickpeas in a try fry pan with some paprika and a little maple syrup (local, of course) and keep moving that pan around until you have crispy chickpeas. Those are also great on salads or your bowls you have prepped for you ready to go. You can cut up some carrots, cucumber or celery and have that with hummus. Fresh fruit is always recommended. Either make a fruit bowl for yourself or pack some berries, an apple or whatever your favorite fruit is.

It sounds like a lot of work but once you get used to it and it becomes a routine, you’ll be glad you made the investment of time. If you dedicate one time and one day a week, you’ll make your life a lot easier by incorporating healthy meals. This also make shopping less of a hassle because you’re using a list and doing it once a week. Now you have more “YOU” time.

Don’t stress about the shift. Make the shift work for you. Have these meals ready to go and share the information with your other second and third shift friends and before you know it, you will all be sharing tips and techniques on how you make this work for you. Plantbased is a wonderful lifestyle. The food is colorful, fresh, abundant and delicious. Share the knowledge and share a meal. The power in food is in your hands.


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Whoopie Pies, Love, Mom

All I can smell is the dark chocolate cakes coming out of the oven. It’s that really rich strong smell of what will soon be a whoopee pie. It’s the only memory I have of my mother and it’s a very faint one.

My mother passed away when I was 4 years old. I always heard about her baking and how much of a positive impact it had on people. Any time I asked about her, baking was always the first thing people would say. Mom made the best whoopie pies. She also made these incredible doll cakes with their large ball gown the size of a mixing bowl. Then she would put a doll into the center of the cake up to her waist where mom would seal with a beautiful buttercream waist band. She would pipe what seemed like a million stars to cover the gown. With three daughters, I can only imagine she made these cakes often.

It wasn’t until I owned my own bakery in Wells, Maine that I decided to make them for everyone. I spent a lifetime searching for her recipe. In the meantime, I just made the best whoopie pie I could think of. Mine were made with strong brewed coffee in the cake. Once they were cooled, I filled them with a sweetened buttercream. They never hung around very long in the bakery. It still wasn’t my mom’s recipe but it worked for the time. I sold somewhere in the neighborhood of four dozen a day during the week and up to eight dozen on the weekends. I’ve even made a wedding cake out of whoopie pies. Everyone that walked into the bakery would comment on the scent of dark chocolate cake coming from the ovens. It’s those comments that would bring me back to the only memory of mom. It kept it alive for me. If I could offer people a lifetime of great memories associated with the scent of chocolate cake just like I had experienced, it was a major win for me. That’s what food is all about.

I always make them by hand mixing them in a bowl. The real trick to the whoopie pie cake is getting the consistency right. If the batter is too loose, the cakes will spread. If the batter is too thick, the cake will be hard and not like a soft chocolate pillow. It takes experience but once you figure out the feel, you’ll never forget it. I prefer to hand mix most of my recipes just for that reason. It’s so important to have the feel. That’ll keep you from over mixing recipes which can cause problems. Generally over mixed batters can’t relax resulting in a tougher cake. Once mixed, I then line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper so my cakes won’t stick. I line them up like soldiers in a four by six pattern using a yellow handled ice cream scoop. This keeps them all the same size. I bake them and then pull them out of the oven to cool where they can be seen and smelled. While the cakes are cooling, I whip up a sweetened buttercream using real local butter softened so it whips up nice and fluffy. I sift powdered sugar into the butter and add real vanilla. I finish it with a pinch of salt and bring it all together in my KitchenAid mixer with the whip attachment. Once the cakes are cooled, I flip half of them over and use red handled ice cream scoop to add the filling. Pop the top on and you have a classic New England Whoopie pie. You can get creative with the fillings and add peanut butter or peppermint. You can even color the filling to match a school or college colors. There’s so much room to be creative with these. You can make mini ones and even make a birthday cake out of one.

When I was in my early 50’s, I finally asked my cousin Lori if she had her mother’s recipe. I figured if I’m never going to find my mom’s, I know her mom made really good ones and that’ll be a little closer to me. When I asked her she told me that it was the same recipe my mom used to use!! She said both of our moms used the same recipe! She sent me a picture of the original hand written recipe. I was so thrilled. I looked at the recipe and of course she used Crisco. How oringinal! I’m not a fan of Crisco and I don’t use it but the rest of her recipe was very similar to mine. Her filling used canned milk. I thought that was interesting. That certainly would have kept it sweet! I spent a lifetime searching for her recipe and I had access to it all along. This is definitely the time to say “Better late than never”.

I love to make these desserts for anyone. Every time I do I feel like a piece of my mom is still working through me. I feel the same love I imagined she put into each and every one. It’s a tradition I wanted to keep sharing. It’s her legacy to make great tasting baked goods from her heart. It’s all I have of her. Every time I make them and someone says thank you I just want to tell them to thank my mom.


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A favorite pie and a slice of cheesecake are all part of the power in food

This Thanksgiving plans were all set. I was going to New Jersey to have dinner with my sister Kim, her family and some dear friends. We talk about the menu months prior and everything started to line up. I love cooking in her kitchen. It’s beautiful. The set up is perfect and the balcony filled with fresh herbs is right outside the door. I always head out there with my coffee and a pair of scissors. There’s fresh thyme, chives, sage, basil, rosemary and mint. It’s how I picture Alice Waters everyday gathering her fresh herbs for her salad or for her roasted vegetables.

Well, sometimes plans change and it can happen very quickly. For us, it happened in the blink of an eye. I got a phone call four days before Thanksgiving that my dad had fallen and was in the hospital. He cracked 9 ribs and was in a lot of pain. Thankfully he was stabilized and was resting. On the way to the hospital, my step mother got in a car accident. The second phone call I got about her accident was hard to hear. Thankfully she was unhurt, as was the other driver but her car was totaled. Immediately it was clear that the game plan for Thanksgiving was about to change. After talking with my sister, it was decided that I would stay back and drive to Massachusetts instead for the holiday meal. It was a no brainer actually. My dad needed to stay rested once he got home. So I made the call to my step mother and told her I would be down on Thursday to cook the meal. I was more than happy to do this. It meant they didn’t have to leave the house and they were going to get one hell of a dinner. This is where a quick change of plans can be a good thing. You never know in a given day how things are going to change. If you go with it and adapt to the current situation, it can become less stressful for everyone. Love is a wonderful driving force and it can create some beautiful moments out of an unfortunate set of circumstances.

I came up with a menu and the very next day went to our local butcher and asked about an eight pound turkey breast. They were sold out which was to be expected so it was off to the supermarket in town which I always try to avoid because I prefer to support local businesses. Fate had a different path for me. I went into the store and couldn’t find what I needed. An associate from the meat department approached me and asked if I needed help. I was a bit surprised because customer service in a corporate setting is a thing of the past. But this man was very happy to help and I was very happy to let him. I told him I was looking for a turkey breast about 8 pounds.   He said he was almost certain they were about to put an order in for some that would arrive the following morning and he checked. Sure enough, I was in the right place at the right time. I was able to order one with the understanding that I needed to be at the store early to assure it would be there. The associate was looking every where for a pen while I was thanking him several times. I wanted this meal to be the best for my family and it meant everything had to line up two days prior to Thanksgiving. He played a big part in making this happen. Where there’s a will there’s a way. So I took my favorite pen out of my checkbook and handed it to him. He wrote down my information and went to hand the pen back when I told him to put it in his pocket and hang on to it. I don’t know who was more appreciative. Was it me for getting this order in or him for getting a nice pen? It was a wonderful quick moment that ended in us both wishing each other a nice holiday. These are the important little victories in life and this was just the beginning.

The next morning, I was supposed to be at a local bakery to help the owner make her yearly mega pie order. By now it’s a tradition to do this with her and her amazing staff every year. But first I had to pick up my turkey breast and sure enough, it was ready. I was thrilled. I brought it home and placed it in my refrigerator and then off to Kennebunk to make what would be 145 pies that days. I was thinking of dessert for our meal on my way to the bakery. I decided I would make my dad’s favorite pumpkin cheesecake and his wife’s favorite mincemeat pie. That would make them both very happy and given the circumstances we were in, it was the exact thing to do. I love food and I especially love he power in food. So while I was in the middle of this pie marathon, I was trying to figure out when am I going to have the time to pull these desserts off the day before the big meal. Out of the kindness of this bakery owners heart, she said for me to just make the pie while I was there. Thank you!! So I did which meant it was a real time saver for me and I also got to roll out a beautiful homemade pie crust. Out of the 145 pies I made that day (146 including this one), the mincemeat was my favorite. The meaning behind this pie was of pure love. When you know what someone’s favorite dessert is and you make it, there’s a lot more than ingredients going into that pie. Love in Love out. The cheesecake I put together that night. I thought of my grandmother, Marietta Straguzzi, and the love she used to put into my dad’s meals. Maybe I was channeling her love and techniques. I like to think so because I never measured the ingredients. It was a little of this and a little of that just like she used to do.

Thursday morning I packed up my car and headed to Massachusetts. It was a perfect trip down and I stopped and grabbed a couple of coffees from my dad  and Ginna’s favorite coffee shop. I got to the house and hauled all of the good things I brought down with me. I took the pies out of the bag and showed Ginna her mincemeat pie. She was really happy. When my dad saw his cheesecake he was willing to dine on that first and eat turkey later. He’s  funny guy my dad. He loves to eat and loves his desserts.  It was nice to see him getting around. He was very sore but he stayed in the kitchen and we talked while I prepared the meal. I knew once he started to smell everything cooking, it would stimulate the healing process. That’s what food does. When it smells good, it looks good. When it looks good, you associate it tasting great before you even stick your fork in it. The healing starts. You’re happy and excited in anticipation of a great meal shared with family. We had turkey breast, two types of stuffing (I’m plantbased so no animal products on mine), roasted squash and carrots (all produce was organic too), mashed potatoes, roasted head of cauliflower, green beans, gravy, fresh rolls and the cranberry sauce. My dad, his wife, my brother Tony and I all sat around the table and laughed and ate a lot of food. It was the best time. It was very special to me and them.

This was a meal that wasn’t planned and would not have taken place at this holiday if not for the unfortunate events that took place with my dad. This was a total reset moment for me. This meal was so special and meant so much to each of us. There were a lot of hugs and love in that room. How can that not be healing?? It’s an important lesson that when an event happens that’s devastating and hard to embrace, you have to go with what’s important for everyone. You have to create a new set of circumstances that will bring a good feeling for each person including yourself. We did it in less than a day. It was the right thing to do. It created some very good memories. It brought back some important traditions. These would have all been lost that day if my dad hadn’t fallen. I’m not saying they wouldn’t have had a nice day otherwise because they most certainly could have. What I’m saying is, this situation created an opportunity for four people to reconnect and enjoy a nice meal together. The conversation was fun. The food was good. Love was abundant. It was a beautiful day that came to a close with a favorite pie and a slice of cheesecake.

I’m very thankful for my family. I’m also very thankful for the power in food.


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Grandma Straguzzi’s Kitchen Influence

The Bronx, New York is the birthplace of my dad, Antonio Anello. He is the son of Sicilian immigrants Luigi Anello and Marietta Straguzzi. He’s the youngest of seven. My dad spent a lot of time with his mom and three sisters while the rest of his brothers were in the service. He said he learned how to make gnocchi and other pastas from his mom. He was home alone with her often and I’m sure the attention he got was nothing short of educating.

I first learned how to make pasta from my dad. He was a widower at thirty-seven with five of his own children. He was a pretty good cook I remember. I was seven when one night I decided to push the chair up to the stove and make him dinner that I wanted ready when he got home from work. I watched him do this a hundred times so after that many dress rehearsals, I was ready for showtime. I’m sure I was channeling Grandma Straguzzi the entire time. When my dad walked in the door that night, the look of surprise was exactly what I was going for. In all fairness it could have been because of the mess I made but I like to think he was happy dinner was on the table. I sat across from him with my chin resting in the middle of my folded arms and watched him eat every bite. I’m sure Grandma was right there with me. I knew at that very moment I wanted to do this for everyone. I wanted to make people happy with the food I created for them. So the journey began.

Dad ate some pretty weird stuff to me too at the time. He loved sardines. What Sicilian didn’t?? I thought they were gross only because we had a couple of beautiful fish tanks in our home and I couldn’t imagine marinating them in olive oil and mustard and slapping them on a piece of Wonder bread. When he first started eating these around me, I would run to the fish tanks and count the fish. Phew!! The head count was good! None the less, I asked dad if I could make his lunch every night for him to take the next day. Sometimes the sardines were in mustard dressing and sometimes just olive oil. Other days he would have mortadella and cheese. I loved making his lunch. I didn’t know it at the time but the love I put into every sandwich he would receive at lunch the next day.

I would try to imagine his mom in the kitchen with me. I was two when she passed away. How I wish I had a lifetime to cook with her. I’ve learned a lot from my aunts and uncles and of course from my dad. But I think of what else I would know. I love the stories of how she would sit in the window of her apartment on 187th Street in the Bronx and wait for the produce cart to come by. I would imagine some old worn out horse that just wanted to take a nap pulling an old wooden cart full of produce. She would yell down to the produce man and tell him what she wanted. How cool is that? I wish we could still do that today. Maybe you can in Sicily. I just wish this country still had the honesty and trust for such a simple request. Point at someone today in the street from your apartment and yell to them what you want and I guarantee you won’t be getting green beans and pears. It’s always nice to imagine what it was like though. Dad talks about going down to the chicken coop and picking out the chicken for dinner. As any boy would, dad loved watching the butcher prepare the poultry from start to finish. He loves telling that story especially since I don’t eat meat. He’s still a little boy at heart. One of his favorite things to make around Christmas is gnocchi. He showed me using the small holes side of a cheese grater. It works pretty well. I’ve since ordered a gnocchi board from Italy made out of olive wood in honor of my grandmother. Some other cool traditions I’ve carried on are bread at dinner and always bringing something homemade to a friends house when invited over. I also always have something to make if I have a surprised guest stop by. I’m plantbased now so I use the same techniques and just adjust the preparation to a plantbased one. It works every time. It’s all about hospitality. It’s love. Love in love out every time. It’s Grandma Straguzzi’s influence. It’s about family even when you aren’t related.

Spending time with My Aunt Rose and Uncle Larry was always a special time. Rose was the oldest daughter of Grandma’s. Boy could she cook. I remember going to down to Florida to visit her and my uncle with my dad. The feast they put on for us was amazing. Meatballs, braciola, pasta, salad, bread and wine. My uncle always loved to have a glass of wine with me.  He put my glass right next to his at the table. I’m sure my grandmother was right there with us. The very next day Uncle Larry decides to make some more meatballs. He was going to teach me the art to making the perfect meatball. Each one he carefully formed into the perfect sphere as if he was performing some intricate surgery procedure. He showed me from the ingredients to the final product what he himself had learned as a boy. Now as a chef I listened carefully. There has never been a moment when I’ve passed up a recipe and this was no different. I love being the student. I loved being his student. Off in the distance I could hear my aunt chiming in with a few of her own suggestions and it was then I knew the love I had felt all along from this family was pure. I adored them both and their children. I wish grandma Straguzzi was there to share that moment. In spirit she most definitely was.

So not a day goes by I don’t think of her. Not a moment in the kitchen is lost without thinking about how she would prepare something. I’m sure everyone loved her food. I’m pretty sure with her influence, I can treat people to the same love with mine.

That, my friends, is the power in food.

My grandparents Marietta Straguzzi and Luigi Anello