{a little bit behind the scenes}

What can I say ~ except I do come from one crazy Italian family!



Are we loud? Oh ya!



Can we eat pasta every.single.night? You bet!



Do we have this passion to cook? Hell ya!



Do we enjoy a amazing glass of wine? YES! YES! YES!



Now this is not the only things that make my family what we are but when most people think of the typical Italian family...we are so it! Even with my Chinese children to add in the mix ~ we are one crazy Italian family!



To say that we are loud...that is an understatement - seriously. I could never understand why my grandmother & mother spoke so loud but after surviving some years among this family...I now know the answer to that...you need to be loud in order to be heard. There can be several conversations going on at the same time and for everyone to be heard....voices tend to get loud! I wish I could video tape my family all making home made raviolis. It is truly "a piss your pants" funny! It wasn't until I moved away that I began to appreciate those special moments in my grandmother,s - now my mother's kitchen! While we are small in numbers, we are loud in voices.



While I do try to keep up with the wonderful Chinese traditions that is my children's heritage...I also find myself teaching my children the ins & outs to surviving my crazy Italian family! I know they say the Chinese invented the noodle, but we Italians were the ones to add that amazing sauce and really per-fect it as a meal (at least in my opinion).



I love my family ~ to pieces! And I do know I would not be where I am today without each & every one of them playing a major role in my life. I can only hope & pray that I instill within each of my children what is important in life...and in this family...cooking, food, celebrating each course that is place in front you, and sharing it with your true family & friends...that is what is really important and what life is all about.