I just wanted to share with you these two photos of two lovely ladies. Nonna Carmela here at the top making her cicatelli by hand and Zia Maria showcasing her pumpkin and sausage raviloi. This is passion, knowledge and a love of cooking and the reason why I chose to write a cookbook ‘Southern Italian Family Cooking’,  and capture family recipes and techniques before they would be lost forever. Nonna is 86, she is slowing down now in the kitchen, but still cooks daily and zia Maria is in her mid 70’s and like a skiping child, they are sisters.

Pasta on a daily basis is still made by hand and nothing pleases me more than when I receive a tray of fresh pasta to stash in the deep freeze for a quick and easy dinner time. The passion from my elders has rubbed off on to me in every aspect. From making pasta with Nonna, to my mum Solidea teaching me how to make passata, and my dad Rocco teaching me how to ring a chickens neck…(sorry). But this is it. If your passionate and inspired this is what you do.

Having four children I try to cook with them as often as I can, time and patience needs to be on my side of course!! So that’s it. Ask your mum, Nonna or aunty for advice and recipes. Get motivated and inspired in your own kitchen, who knows where it may lead……

Baci Carmela x

www.carmelas-kitchen.com