Emiko, this resonated so much with me! I find myself horrified by the habits around feeding children every time I'm back in the U.S., and appreciate the way my children are being exposed to food here. I love the newsletter, keep up the great work!
This is a lovely read. Thank you. I am not a breakfast person, but the first thing I buy for a temporary kitchen pantry when we are on vacation is a big bag of Abracci cookies!
My husband also remembers getting (saltless - he's from Marche) bread sprinkled with sugar and red wine as merenda. He liked it better then than bread with ricotta and sugar on top.
Strangely, this sweet things for breakfast seems to "offend" a lot of foreigners - we were discussing it not such a long time ago with a gaggle of expats - but French people tend to eat sweet things as well so I am not too shocked by the cookies (although I am definitely going for savoury things by taste).
This is so beautifully written Emiko and powerful, especially after just having had dinner with my kids here in Australia. We always eat together but gosh you just highlighted the anxiety I felt about getting some nutrients into my youngest, which I recognise I have now been feeling all the time recently! This is not good! You couldn’t be more accurate with how different things are in Italy! While I still can’t work out how the younger kids get enough sleep, once it was explained to me that sweets (biscuits, cornetto) are eaten there in the morning as that’s when your metabolism is at its fastest and you have all day to burn off (as opposed to Australian or US where we have a big meal followed by dessert at dinner right before bed!) it just made so much sense! Anyway- I just loved reading this post, thank you for helping me to remember these great important lessons😍
What a joy to read Emiko. It's a refreshing perspective and one that resonates! You might find this a little strange, as I don't eat animal products, (which might seem like a restriction of sorts!) but I often feel that pang of disappointment hearing/reading others judge whether we should eat oil, carbs, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, white flour, etc. I eat dinner later, enjoy a big appetite, love food, embrace the joy of eating - but feel this is looked down upon, especially in Australia. And in the plant-based community. But since letting the judgement go - cooking, eating and sharing just got a whole lot better! And reading your story really helps me solidify my own truth. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely lovely. These are really something to look forward to. I don’t have children of my own, but even my personal relationships with food has grown exponentially since I first moved to Italy (I have lived in Italy on-and-off since my 20s). I hold traditions near and dear to my heart and no diet or social construct can keep me away from pasta.
When I was very little my best friend’s mother was deeply into the Health Food movement (it was the 70’s in Brooklyn) and I remember her once staring into my eyes and saying in a piercing (and ominous!) way, “do you eat to live, or live to eat?”
I was so sure my answer was wrong.
Honestly, it would be a sad world if we couldn’t have both.
(Just had bomboloni filled w crema for breakfast so 😁)
I love this, and miss raising my children in Italy. I am also married to an Italian (Napoli) and we lived in Puglia from the time my oldest was 2 until she was 5, she went to asilo in our little town and they would set up a long table everyday and eat together. It was my favorite part of her school experience, because they considered it part of their education, not just the quick 30 minutes that schools in the US give them to refuel. It was a time to unwind and share, even at 3!
This was such a gorgeous essay. Thank you for writing it. Without wanting to romanticize Italy, I do find, from my life here in America, such a comparative lack of joy around food; emotions around food here are usually (not exclusively!) consigned to guilt and shame. Whereas I read such warmth and delight in your words here, with food as an anchor and a way of telling time throughout the day.
Emiko, this resonated so much with me! I find myself horrified by the habits around feeding children every time I'm back in the U.S., and appreciate the way my children are being exposed to food here. I love the newsletter, keep up the great work!
This is a lovely read. Thank you. I am not a breakfast person, but the first thing I buy for a temporary kitchen pantry when we are on vacation is a big bag of Abracci cookies!
My husband also remembers getting (saltless - he's from Marche) bread sprinkled with sugar and red wine as merenda. He liked it better then than bread with ricotta and sugar on top.
Strangely, this sweet things for breakfast seems to "offend" a lot of foreigners - we were discussing it not such a long time ago with a gaggle of expats - but French people tend to eat sweet things as well so I am not too shocked by the cookies (although I am definitely going for savoury things by taste).
Love this Emiko!
I exhaled reading this. Great piece, Emiko.
What a beautiful piece. Here’s to gelato after dinner and biscuits in milk for breakfast. X
You are a beautiful, beautiful writer Emiko. I love reading your thoughts and commentary on Italy, your family, and food. Thank you.
This is so beautifully written Emiko and powerful, especially after just having had dinner with my kids here in Australia. We always eat together but gosh you just highlighted the anxiety I felt about getting some nutrients into my youngest, which I recognise I have now been feeling all the time recently! This is not good! You couldn’t be more accurate with how different things are in Italy! While I still can’t work out how the younger kids get enough sleep, once it was explained to me that sweets (biscuits, cornetto) are eaten there in the morning as that’s when your metabolism is at its fastest and you have all day to burn off (as opposed to Australian or US where we have a big meal followed by dessert at dinner right before bed!) it just made so much sense! Anyway- I just loved reading this post, thank you for helping me to remember these great important lessons😍
What a joy to read Emiko. It's a refreshing perspective and one that resonates! You might find this a little strange, as I don't eat animal products, (which might seem like a restriction of sorts!) but I often feel that pang of disappointment hearing/reading others judge whether we should eat oil, carbs, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, white flour, etc. I eat dinner later, enjoy a big appetite, love food, embrace the joy of eating - but feel this is looked down upon, especially in Australia. And in the plant-based community. But since letting the judgement go - cooking, eating and sharing just got a whole lot better! And reading your story really helps me solidify my own truth. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely lovely. These are really something to look forward to. I don’t have children of my own, but even my personal relationships with food has grown exponentially since I first moved to Italy (I have lived in Italy on-and-off since my 20s). I hold traditions near and dear to my heart and no diet or social construct can keep me away from pasta.
Thank you for the wonderful read, Emiko.
Laura
What an excellent read, Emiko--thank you ❤️
When I was very little my best friend’s mother was deeply into the Health Food movement (it was the 70’s in Brooklyn) and I remember her once staring into my eyes and saying in a piercing (and ominous!) way, “do you eat to live, or live to eat?”
I was so sure my answer was wrong.
Honestly, it would be a sad world if we couldn’t have both.
(Just had bomboloni filled w crema for breakfast so 😁)
I love this, and miss raising my children in Italy. I am also married to an Italian (Napoli) and we lived in Puglia from the time my oldest was 2 until she was 5, she went to asilo in our little town and they would set up a long table everyday and eat together. It was my favorite part of her school experience, because they considered it part of their education, not just the quick 30 minutes that schools in the US give them to refuel. It was a time to unwind and share, even at 3!
Emiko!!! This is one of my absolute favorite pieces you have ever written! So close to my heart & so very on point!!
~rose New Jersey, USA
Love it! Thank you.
Wonderful writing, pure and direct, about such an important topic! Please keep these writings coming!!
This was such a gorgeous essay. Thank you for writing it. Without wanting to romanticize Italy, I do find, from my life here in America, such a comparative lack of joy around food; emotions around food here are usually (not exclusively!) consigned to guilt and shame. Whereas I read such warmth and delight in your words here, with food as an anchor and a way of telling time throughout the day.