Italy | Calabria – Il Mio Cuore
Near and Dear to my Heart
Calabria is a place that’s very near and dear to my heart – it’s literally in my DNA. It’s where my father comes from, and his family lives, and where I spent a good portion of my childhood, even though I am a US citizen. There’s something special about knowing somewhere both as your home, and as an outsider looking in. A sense of both knowing the secret essence of a place, yet still searching to know it better.
I grew up with the traditional Sunday dinners – loud and vibrant affairs where the passion was so heated, it almost sounded like an argument. But it was just people unafraid to express themselves, sharing memories and stories. My zias made gnocchi and sauce and vegetables grown in the garden out back.
Learning how to make fresh gnocchi from my zia
Preparando la Salsa
Cibo
When I think of Calabria, I think of going back to roots – both literally and figuratively. Everything here is homegrown, traditional, warmer and slower like I imagine the “good old days” – like I remember them. Local foods like salami, red onions, and olives are imported to the more urbanized North. But here there are farms and mountains and beaches.
In Calabria, laundry is a social affair, and people gather in the park for chiacchierando – shooting the breeze. In fact, if I had to describe what it’s like to be in Calabria one word, it would be “together”. And that is a beautiful way to live.
