Sunday Family Dinner
February 29, 2012
This weekend I was back in Syracuse spending time with the family. Sunday was the perfect winter day with crisp blue skies, a few inches of freshly fallen snow, a fire in the fireplace and the aroma of my father’s Northern Italian dish for dinner filling the house. We started with a couple fresh loaves of Columbus Bakery bread, followed by an antipasto platter with lettuce, tomato, greek olives, cucumbers, salami, ham, provolone, blue cheese and topped with a white balsamic vinaigrette. The main dish was homemade marinara sauce with tomatoes, chicken stock, fresh garlic, onions, zucchini and a touch of sugar. After simmering for a few hours with the chicken breast and thigh meat, it was poured over fettucini and garnished with parsley and parmesan cheese.
Marinara sauce with chicken and fettucini
Antipasto platter
Columbus Bakery bread dipped in olive oil
Grating parmesan cheese and Columbus Bakery bread
Antipasto platter
Bread and Pasta
White balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
Pasta and bread
Antipasto
A Dish for Grandma
February 3, 2012
I’ve spent the past few weeks Upstate with my grandmother during her final days, and with my family once she passed away. Now that I’m back to work, I’m looking forward to getting my food shoots up and running again. I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off my return than with a tribute to the amazing woman she was. One of her favorite meals was pasta and meatballs, an Italian classic that happens to be one of my favorites as well. I had so much fun pairing the vibrant red sauce with some old B&Ws of my grandmother and her sisters on their 4th of July holiday in the city circa 1941.
My Aunt Nici and Grandma sightseeing in NY
Aunt Flory, Aunt Nici and Grandma getting off the subway
Grandma, Aunt Nici, Aunt Flory in the park
Aunt Nici, Grandma and Aunt Flory strolling down Broadway
a camera in the kitchen 