My Great Grandparents immigrated from Italy during their adult years. They made sure to change their lives as little as possible so they could still be connected to their home even when they were an ocean away. And nowhere is it more obvious how Italian we are than in the kitchen. They passed down their home cooking in this cook book for generations. It is filled with hundreds of original recipes and special foods that tether me and my family back to our Italian roots. From personal pasta recipes to Cucidati cookies that my family makes every year together for Christmas to even personal messages in the beginning and throughout the book, this book has a vital place in my family's history. At the very beginning of the book, my great-grandmother writes about the significance of this cook book to us and that she always believed the kitchen has been and always will be the heart of the Pensabene family. She says that time through food and the loving preparation of it that we love, enjoy, comfort, support, and ever forgive each other. I believe that these words still ring true for my family today because even throughout a viral epidemic, we were all able to safely get together and carry on our tradition of baking and cooking as a family.

– LL

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more