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Melissa's Italian Kitchen
Benvenuto nella Cucina di Melissa!
Buongiorno! Mi chiamo Melissa. Sono italiana. Adoro la cucina.
Hello! My name is Melissa.
I am Italian. I love cookery.
When I was a little girl, I would watch mia nonna (my grandma) and mia zia (my aunt) cooking and I would ask them to teach me.
la mano
There is a saying in Italy: to cook well you must have 'la mano'. This literally means 'the hand' and the belief is that to be a good cook you cannot just follow a recipe but you need to have a special touch.
Family recipes are handed down through the generations. The elders of a family can be selective about who they share them with! In fact, they can be quite maliziosi (mischievous) and have even been known to sabotage a recipe when asked to share it with someone! That way, a secret family recipe will be kept safe!
I believe that with a little practice and patience everyone can learn to cook just as well as mia nonna and mia zia and develop la mano!
Many people think of fancy restaurants when talking about Italian food but the truth is that the best dishes are the simplest!
Here, on my website, I will share with you some of my favourite recipes that are typical of what Italian families eat at home and not necessarily things that you would find in a restaurant:
just simple, authentic cucina rustica.
Buon appetito!
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