Meatballs & Memories
Growing up Italian, I quickly learned two things. #1: Our family makes the very best food (especially for celebrations) #2: Keep your mouth shut when the meal is over and the adults just might forget you're there & talk.
Lesson #1: The Food. Learning how to make that great staple of all Italian dishes is a rite of passage. I made tomato meat sauce for the first time on my own during my freshman year of college. I called my mother too many times to remember to ask every little question. Lucky for me, she answered them all. And, for my college friends, my sauce became a couldn't-happen-enough dinner event.
No matter what your family's background is, you have your trademark meals. These are mine. I learned much more than how to cook. I learned how to live.