Who knew that the food staring back at me would become so much apart of my life? Meatballs have been used for centuries as a way of bringing families together. They are a family staple at dinner time, not to mention just how insanely tasteful they are. Although many of us consider meatballs an Italian dish, they are vaguely different of what actually originated from Italy. Polpettes are known as the original form of meatballs in Italy, and they can be made out of turkey or fish instead of ground beef. In fact, 1880 when Italian immigrants came to the United States, they americanized these “polpettes” into what we now know as meatballs. My Nana was the first person to introduce me to meatballs, and I still continue to eat Italian Sunday dinners with my whole family at her house every week. Also, even though this food is very well-known, eaten consistently and casually, I still consider meatballs a vital part to my culture. My family enjoys them regularly, instead of only having them once every few months around important holidays. After I had my Nana’s dish, I knew meatballs would remain apart of my life forever. Meatballs are very important to me because they are a symbol of my background and identity. They represent the food I love, in addition to where my family is originally from and my Italian culture.

– Elise T

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