Sunday Tradition

These past few years I have received several priceless recipes, a cookbook from Nick's mom which contains most of their family recipes, partiularly Nick's pappa's side, another from his Grandma that contains a lot of recipes from her side, particularly her mother, a recipe from my grandma for my Grandpa Phelps' Barbecue Sauce, and perphaps one of the most special, a cookbook that my Aunt Diane made for each of us for Christmas this year. With the passing of my Aunt Kathy, a lot of our family recipes were, for lack of a better word,lost. However, My Aunt Diane compiled what we all had and took other recipes from new family members and made a wonderful commemorative book with family photos, family history and the Recipe for Carollo homemade spaghetti sauce. I find family recipes facinating and love researching my families history through cooking. The recipes which are not written down unless asked for by a younger family member create a family legacy and tradition. These are the things that are present at every family function, prepared by the same family member. Recipes endearingly called "Aunt Pat Cookies", "Auntie Char's Kolaches" ,"MA Ma's pie crust", or "Grandpa Phelp's Barbeque Sauce" Recipes not known by any other name than by their preparer. These are the recipes which I hold the most dear and which I will be cooking from this week. Sorry you won't get the recipes for these, not because I don't want to share....ok well maybe. But these recipes are as much a part of my soul as they are a part of kitchen

The first question asked when you walk into a Carollo household is usually, "Can I get you something to eat?" It didn't matter if we got there at 9am or midnight whenever we would walk into my grandma's house, she would always ask.... "Do you want something to eat?" And of course it was rude to turn anything down and usually by the time we got to Chicago, we were so hungry for Italian Beef we were salivating walking in the door KNOWING Grandma Carollo would have some in the freezer. In fact, for us her question usually turned into "do you want something to eat, I've got some beef in the freezer" and she would get up from the kitchen table, where she had usually fallen asleep waiting for our arrival,and in her night gown and slippers,walk to the refrigerator, get out the pots and pans and begin to prepare our meal. it made you feel special that she was there, waiting, ready to spoil you and take care of you. But of course, my dad was "her precioius" so she always went extra special out of her way to take care of him ( or at least that is what Aunt Kathy would say when she was giving him a hard time) This tradition has become such a vivid memory for me, I often catch myself doing it to our guests. Food was always a very important tradition for our family and our family functions usually revolved around it. So, tonight I started with the best, Carollo's Spaghetti sauce. From the boiling of the neck bones to the fresh oregano, basil and parmesean. This recipe was just as tasty as I remember it. Although it took all day to make, it was worth the wait, and I have lots left over to freeze for another meal. Not only was the meal tasty, it was great to reminesce and remember my family members who used to make it for us. So often, we take for granted the family recipes and memories that people forget to write down until it is to late, and tonight it was great to make something that has been a part of our family for so many years.