It started with an innocent phone conversation… Who wants to get together after Christmas? Every year – except last – we’ve had a family Christmas with some of Victor’s cousins a week or so after Christmas. What used to be just the Martorano’s and the Rinaldi’s grew this year to include the Peditto’s, as well as the eldest surviving Monaco. 40 people, give or take. What a blast we had!
The emails started flying – who could make it, who couldn’t. Emails saying we’re coming even if you don’t invite us… (Actually, we didn’t officially invite anyone except Uncle Victor and Aunt Lonnie.) Usually for these things we do all the cooking. Both of us really enjoy doing it. Cooking for 40 is infinitely easier than cooking for 4. Really. However, this time it was suggested that we pot-luck it a bit to try and give us a bit of a break. One said they’d bring this, another that… Ideas and recipes were burning up the internet. Now… it’s not that I’m a total control-freak or anything (okay, I am, but that’s another story for another time) but the thought of having people to my home and having said people bring the food frightens me. What if there’s not enough?
I mean, I can see it happening… Everyone getting into their cars and heading off to the closest fast-fooderie saying “Can you believe it?!? They didn’t have enough food…”
Okay… so I’m neurotic. But no one ever leaves our house hungry! Ever. It’s a rule.
Naturaly, I had no reason to fear… We had food. Did we ever have food… We made meatballs and sauce (excuse me… gravy) as well as sausage with onions and peppers, baked ziti, and a big ol’ salad. And then the food started arriving… Hot crab dip with homemade Italian bread toast. Bags and boxes of chips, crackers, dips and tapenades. An antipasto tray of every conceivable Italian meat, marinated mozzarella, roasted peppers, stuffed hot peppers… Platters of vegetables and tapenades… A half-dozen different breads and rolls… And sangria, and wines, and beer, and sodas of every flavor…
And desserts…
It was Steve’s birthday a few days back, so – because he specifiically said no birthday cake – we got him a birthday cake. Well – his sister did. From an Italian bakery in North Jersey. It was a Napoleon cake. Layer after layer of flaky dough filled with a rich cream filling and topped with a silky fondant-type icing… OMG! Leah made a Cranberry Pear pie with a crumb topping that was fantastic. Aunt Lonnie brought pumpkin and apple pies from her favorite Philly bakery, and Joanna brought her famous wedding rings – that 8 year old Elizabeth made! Plus brownies and, and… I’m drawing a blank. I know there was more…
My fear of not enough food were unfounded, of course. We had more food than many small emerging nations. We started pulling out the tupperware to make doggie bags for everyone to take home. and still saving lots and lots for us!
It was just so much fun sitting around and talking with everyone, laughing and joking, talking politics, andjust enjoying being with one another… It’s what family is all about.
And just think – in less than 3 weeks we get to fly to San Francisco and do it all with my family to celebrate Pop’s 84th birthday! Definitely what family is all about!