Cook Like an Italian Nonna

Street fairs always have a wonderful energy about them. Last weekend I spent the afternoon at Sydney’s largest; the Norton St Italian Fair in Leichhardt. People head to events like this for a great day out, expecting the best and rarely being disappointed with what they find. Locals mingle with locals, patting each other on the back as they pass. Newcomers explore the wonders of a new locality and sample the myriad of foods on offer.

 Food always plays a critical part in street fairs, especially in Australia. We have such a diverse multicultural melting pot and every locality specializes in its own cultural heritage. Leichhardt is Sydney’s “Little Italy” and for a day, with traffic blocked and fumes removed, the only scent was the heady mix of garlic, tomatoes, coffee and gelato.

 For ten minutes, I watched three old ‘nonne’, Italian grandmothers hand kneading gnocchi, rolling them into little sausages ( just as I did with Playdoh all those years ago...) and expertly chopping them into neat little squares. The love with which they made each piece guaranteed that they would taste delicious...and they did! I put the first morsel into my mouth and it melted straight into its garlic, pine nut and basil sauce. The texture was exquisite. I ran back around to congratulate them, happily practicing my Italian with “mille grazie, buona, stupende!” These ‘mammas’ deserved recognition for their love and effort.

 Their effort made me realise that the art of cooking with time and love has slowly disappeared as time pressures mount. Gone are the days when you could wake up in the morning and spend the day cooking, baking and more so, enjoying it. Or have they disappeared?...

 Why not take a day a month to spend with your kids and make it a family cook out day. Male or female, it doesn’t matter. We all eat and we all need to know how to cook. One day your kids will be up and out, creating a life on their own. They need the skills to cook, but why not give them the love of cooking, just like those Italian ‘nonne’. Next weekend that’s exactly what I’m planning to do with my daughter. I can’t say that the results will be anywhere near the tantalising hand made gnocchi I devoured, but I make a pretty mean quiche, so maybe we’ll just practice our French instead.