One of the most fascinating things about Italian culture is the importance of traditions. In the modern world, though, it’s hard to make time for doing things the way they used to be done. How can you honor those recipes and traditions of doing things with our hands while still getting through the long to-do list of today? There are ways of doing so.

Learning to Find Ways to Make the Old Work – A Recipe Book Saga

The passing of a family member is always tough, of course, but sometimes the realization that an entire history and culture is gone with that person is even harder. In our Italian family, many of the older aunts and uncles, who were born in Italy, don’t speak much English, even though they’ve lived here for 30, 40, or more years. The stories, then, about the Old Country, get lost as time moves on.

This is such an important element of Italian culture—the ability to carry on those traditions. But modern times make it hard to pull it all together and maintain the same traditions.

Let me tell you a story.

That is what happened to our family about three years ago. Our Aunt Nina, with her black hair and heavy accent, lived until she was 87, but when she passed away, it was like a part of our culture had faded. That is, until my cousin stumbled upon an old recipe book, one written in broken English, tucked away in my aunt’s boxes of belongings. When she passed away, no one could bear to go through all of the knick-knacks, old letters, and handkerchiefs tucked into wooden boxes. So, the book sat there for years. But when her son was moving, it became necessary. It might have been sad, but it was also a fantastic way to remember, laugh, and maybe cry a bit, too.

The recipe book itself contained dozens of authentic Italian desserts to no fail. Each one was carefully crafted by hands that loved the people who would munch on those treats.

There’s something magical about this book that is hard to put into words. Running your fingers over the words, feeling the indents on the page where she applied pressure, and even the soft scent of something sweet, is simply special. She was a well-loved and cherished member of the family – the one who always showed up at Christmas and Easter with a dozen trays filled with cookies, cakes, and fabulous goodies. This book held what some in our family would easily consider a treasure.

The problem was that a combination of age and broken English made it very difficult to know what those recipes were. Deciphering took a bit of work, something my family spent a few months working on when we had the time.

Then there was the need to convert ingredients used 30 years ago into items available today. Her cannoli recipe, for example, used vanilla in the incredible filling. She didn’t pour vanilla from a bottle bought at the store, but made her own using vanilla beans and vodka that aged over time. Butter? No, it was lard. Getting those conversions right wasn’t easy, but it was a necessary step.

Let’s be honest. No matter how many times we worked on those recipes to get them exactly as we remembered, it was never going to be exactly the same. There was something “extra” about Zia Nina’s recipes that didn’t quite translate from that recipe book.

But that is the point of traditional Italian family recipes. They are made with love.

Why Does Food Like Cannoli Matter to Italian Families?

It’s easy enough to pull up a recipe for just about any Italian dish online and have a “good enough” version. But there’s something very different about using recipes from years ago. Food in Italy, and authentic Italian families, represent a unique identity, culture, and pleasure. For a mother or a special aunt, giving a big tray of cookies to a family whose home you’re visiting is not just about nourishment. It is about bringing people together, slowing down, and savoring that special time together.

Food is a way to show love. It’s a way to celebrate what truly matters in the world. In our family, which is more “Old Country” Italian than others, life is meant to be enjoyed not with “things” but with people. Food brings those special people together to celebrate, talk, and reminisce.

It’s More Than Passing Recipes, Though

One night, while we were working on trying to figure out a recipe for braciole and realizing that we just could not figure out the other herb she used, my daughter shared a thought about the entire process. She was worried that even if we could create all of these recipes and start enjoying Sunday dinners as a family again, there just would not be time.

It’s true. As everyone gets older, there’s no time in the day for things like making cannoli from scratch. It’s something that needs to be done with patience, the same type of love you have for each member of your family. I didn’t know what to tell her, and that night, it bothered me that this really is a big thing. Will her children have any idea what those fabulous recipes were like, or the feeling of knowing there’s a platter full of goodies waiting once you finally get over to Zia’s house?

Food is such a defining characteristic of Italian culture. Modernization has made Italian food accessible everywhere. There’s no way you could admit to not making your own homemade sauce from scratch for Sunday supper, but there are really good alternatives to getting around those items you just can’t go without.

Honoring the Recipes Through the Tradition

While the food itself is important, it is the effort and memories that stem from those recipes that make them special. With Golden Canoli, I found a way to offer traditional cannoli to my family, but at the same time, do so without the demands of everyday life. Here’s what I learned:

• What was most important was the tradition of passing down authentic Italian desserts and the stories that accompanied them.

• With pre-made products made with traditional cannoli recipes, I can give that flavor and tradition to people who are far busier today than my aunt was.

• The time spent together enjoying those traditional goodies and authentic Italian desserts was far more important.

Buying the pre-made shells, made from an authentic and actually good-tasting recipe, created a sense of convenience that made me feel better about passing on those recipes and the importance of food.

There’s no telling what a fabulous meal with good family members will lead to – a solid argument that wakes the neighbors or a good cry – but it will always be centered around the food and those tried-and-true recipes and authentic Italian desserts.

Contributed by Sandy B from Ohio