Your Family Recipe

I just finished reading "The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken".  Laura Schenone, the author, introduces us to her family and her desire to recapture a food tradition that has all but been lost by the passage of time -- and the passing of grandparents -- Ravioli.

Are you lucky enough to have a traditional dish passed down for generations?  One that isn't plagued by the convenience (questionably real) foods that only resemble the real thing?  Have you made it lately?  Why not?

Through several trips to Italy to retrace her family's roots, Laura discovered a lifestyle filled with family tradition, great hand-made food, and a slow appreciation of life.  A food artisan in Genoa or Recco, Italy, actually has a name and face!  In the end, her family downsized to a smaller home, got more involved in cooking and developed closer relationships with their family.

Yes, there are great ravioli making tips and a handful of recipes to consider, but perhaps the real gem in this book is the questions it begs us to consider.

Food is central to our lives.  Why not invite friends and family into the experience of making quality food, slowly enjoying God's bounty?  When was the last time your family made a complete meal from scratch?  When was the last time your dinner lasted three hours because of great conversation, food and wine?  What's your family recipe?