BIONDI CUCINA

Family Recipe Passed Down for Generations

My passion for cooking comes from the way my family lived life. In my house, sitting down for a meal wasn’t just about eating. “Eating” was a sacred time for family discussions about life, current events, reminiscing about family members that had passed, holiday plans, and funny stories – both past and present. I learned all about my family history by sitting around the table at night, and my wife and I have taught our daughters the same... just ask any of my kids about Grandma Bruno.

The preparation of the meal was just as important as the meal itself. Watching my mother, grandmother, aunts and great-aunts preparing food was like watching a well-orchestrated performance. Forming, shaping, kneading dough, pounding meat, cleaning shrimp and cutting fish – they carried on and talked about life while seemingly not paying attention to what they were doing... muscle memory, I guess. They never measured anything; a little of this, and a little of that. A delicate balance of both artistry and skill.

Meals were enjoyed in course and took time to complete. You didn’t pile a bunch of different food on your plate with dessert on the side and make your way to the table to start shoveling food in. Eating was a ritual and cuisine was to be appreciated. We had the first course, then second course, followed by salad. After a small break, the table would be cleared for coffee and dessert. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. A regular family dinner took over an hour from start to finish. On holidays, the adults sat at the table for hours on end. Then they played cards for even longer.

Italian cuisine is born of poverty. In Southern Italy, cooking is very basic and simply. One of my dad’s favorite things he cooked up was chicken livers and hearts with garlic, salt, pepper, hot peppers, onions, olive oil, parsley and basil. He would top it off with a glass of homemade wine and nice heal of bread to sop up the drippings. He would always say that “kings never ate that good”. Man, do I miss my dad. He loved life (and food) more than anyone I know.

As I mentioned before, in our family, sitting down for a meal isn’t just about eating – it is a chance for us to slow down and celebrate togetherness and the simplicity of life. It is my hope to honor the legacies of my family through Biondi Cucina and to share our passion for food from our table to yours.