.: What's for dinner?

Maybe it is that I am living with a professional chef, or maybe it just a very Italian way to be, but, everyday, after work, the topic of the conversation is not what you have been doing during the day, but it is: what’s for dinner?

I remember it used to be this way for me too, even when I was living with my ex, but after every sign of family left my house and I started living alone, dinner was not too important anymore. I would simply cook whatever I would find in the fridge, still making myself nice dinners (like a good Italian woman should do) but it would not be anymore an important part of the day. I would eat wherever would happen, on the sofa outside, in front of the tv, or as I was reading a book or something in internet. My mind would run to find something to keep busy, and what entered in my mouth would not be that important anymore. I started cooking in a more American way, where they say that “the more, the better”, and sometimes I would put too much oregano or chili or garlic.

Now things are different. Suddenly, the table is set, even with the napkins, the foods are superbly spiced, and in every bite you can taste every single smell that was put into it. No more exceedences, everything in the right amount. We sit at the table all together and, with plenty of delicious food served in front of us, NOW we can finally start chatting about what happened in the day, about what will happen in the future, about people and family… Now it is home and now it is time to discuss, with the sweet company of a glass of wine. And for each meal there is always a starter, a main course, and a dessert, as life should be. We sit at the table for hours. And we invite people over, there is not better way to know somebody better than in front of a nice meal! Last night we also had dinner with my aunt Erika, that joined us cybernetically all the way from Levico, in the Alps... anyone is invited to join us for dinner! Just drop a line and we will organize!

I realized all this today… Pietro and Mia came to pick me up at work, my knees still hurt a lot and I find it very difficult to walk. We stopped in a store to buy some material to have some custom-made cloths. On our way out we found that the stores also sells pasta Barilla, maccheroni! Pasta Barilla! We had to buy it! I bought a bunch when I was in Oregon, but the longer it lasts the better! Then a second though: Maccheroni! Maccheroni = Amatriciana. The typical red sauce from the town of Amatrice, made with guanciale (it is the check of the pig), that HAS to be eaten with the maccheroni cut of pasta (because the cubes of guanciale can enter very well inside the big holes of the macheroni, while the stripes help the red sauce to stick to the pasta…) (you would be considered a pagan if you would try to use any other cut of pasta for this sauce). Well, no guanciale here, but bacon will do. So we stopped at another store to buy the bacon… And now we can all relax, cook, set the table, and enjoy another evening in good company with great people and good food…