It's not just food...it's way more important...

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm trying to eat healthier and have added more physical activity to my life.  When you're trying to be a healthier person, your relationship to food gets complicated.  Most trainers will tell you to think of food as fuel for your body.  It's not a reward, it's fuel.  Nothing more.

Sounds like a great idea, right? I just can't do that.  I'm Italian, and as such food is way more than that.  Italians tie their whole family experience to food.  You don't feel well? Have some pasta, you'll feel better.  Something to celebrate? Have everyone over for a meal. Someone died? I'll send a lasagne.  Cooking for someone is taking care of someone.  It's nurturing.  It's also bonding.  A lot of the best conversations of my life have happened while cooking and cleaning up...not to mention the actual meals themselves.

My dad's family(the Italian side of my heritage) lives in Pennsylvania and even though we didn't get to visit often, when we did come into town it was an event.  The whole family would gather at Aunt Mame's house and there would be Holiday soup(italian wedding soup) and pasta and veal parmigiana and bread and people I didn't know pinching my cheeks and telling me to" eat...Eat... you're so skinny!.. Anthony...what are you feeding this child? What do you mean you don't want gravy on your pasta? That's just not right...."

So now, I continue the tradition.  I make up events to cook for my kids and their friends.  When TrueBlood is on HBO we have Truebloodfests.  I make dinner... we all watch the show, make snarky comments, discuss life.  When Walking Dead is on ...it's Walkingdeadathon.  Same process...different show.

Food is so much more than fuel.  Its the whole experience of nourishing your body and nurturing your family.  Cooking is texture and taste and smell and experimenting with all those things.

Love and cooking should both be approached with reckless abandon.

Caprese pasta salad