You just have to ask

So last December I was at Chef Central event in Paramus, NJ. I was a guest of Chef Jim Edwards during his cooking demonstration of several dishes one might prepare in celebration of the Feast of the Seven Fishes.  It was a great time – Jim is an amazing cook – and the crowd was large, friendly and very supportive.   There were a couple of great ladies sitting right in the front row and I ended up talking with them extensively.  One thing led to another as we discussed all things food and Italian and one of the ladies mentioned something that sounded absolutely delicious.  She said that on Sunday mornings prior to the big meal, her family would often make a snack of anchovies and bread.

 I was determined to try it and in the spirit of the season opted for the morning of Christmas Eve while we were ramping up to cook the Feast.  I mentioned this to my mom and she said, “Oh we used to do that. Your great-grandmother would sauté anchovies and then spoon them out on fresh bread.”  And in an additional step the ladies from New Jersey either omitted or did not practice, my great-grandmother would slice provolone over the hot anchovies which would melt right into the fish.  We went with my great-grandmother’s approach, sautéing the anchovies in a little oil – garlic optional .  Shannon had baked fresh bread – she always does the day before the Feast to make bread crumbs for stuffing the calamari – and we slathered the fish on the bread and added the provolone.  Despite the early hour we had a little Chianti to accompany the meal.  My brother, father-in-law and I instantly fell in love with the taste and have agreed to make it a regular part of our Christmas Eve tradition.  You should try it, too.  Sure the fish is salty and intense but if you go easy on it and have plenty of bread and cheese you just might find yourself falling in love.  There’s something else I want you to try – and that is asking questions of the older members of your family - whether you are Italian or not. 

As we grow older much of what we do becomes reflexive.  We don’t even think about why we do things – choices cease to be choices and become more like, well, sneezes.  As a filmmaker I see this all the time.  Directors make decisions without a thought as to why.  Our older family members behave the same way.  They just always did this stuff because that’s what their older family members did.  Often they didn’t ask the why of things and it occurred to no one to volunteer information.  That’s how wonderful traditions are lost.  I’m trying to get in the habit of asking my mom about everything now, because she’s not always going to think to tell me.  Which reminds me – I still don’t have my great-grandmother’s recipe for the ravioli she always made for Easter...

Comments

[Guido]

I know exactly what your talking about when you speak of passing on traditions. A "little" this or a "litte" that just really never explained the recepie. Now, I have been trying to get the recepie for the deep fried bread ball which some were filled with anchovies. I remember it was like a bread dough but different and nana would boil some potatoes and use them and the water. I truly miss those days. The spegetti sauce that I remember (cooking all day) I cant even compare what I make now. I miss those family members and I miss those traditions and wish I had paid more attention.