Newsletter Archive: Cooking My Way Home, An Italian Summer

Dear Reader,

It’s been over two months since I’ve posted or shared a recipe on Tina to Table. When I find it difficult to write about my emotions or how I’m feeling, I often roam into the kitchen to cook them out. Right now I’m working as a full time caretaker for my family and I’ve been cooking a lot lately — if that might tell you anything about the volume of cooking and the emotions I’m also experiencing. Family and food are a relationship that I’ve managed for over 24 years, one that I’ve turned from trauma to art and freedom (well, maybe with a little bit of trauma still stirred in — nobody’s perfect). But I am happy to report that at this point in life I’m not eating in my room in secret and crying alone because I cannot control the situation — I’m eating at the table, slowly, crying in front of everyone and talking to God — a lot. It’s a relief and a release turning to food in a call for healing and the health of my family. Admittedly, the writing part has slipped by — honestly — without a tremendous feeling of guilt — but with a knowing, in my heart, that I’ve been avoiding sitting down quietly because, well, in silence our thoughts can be loud.

This weekend, on a call, a friend kindly asked me “Tina, have you been writing?” I replied with an honest “no” and after we hung up I recognized that I don’t have to write about my emotions here — even if the overwhelming meanderings of my mind brought me to participate in kitchen therapy. At the very least, I can write a recipe, share a simple why and get a little something out of myself and give it to you. I thought my creativity escaped over the last few months, but I think it’s alive — mostly in food and in the bellies of my family.

Maybe they can taste love, fear, joy, sadness, elation and crankiness in my food? Maybe I’ve given them gas or made them float in food ecstasy — passed on an upset stomach or aided in the glory of a good nights sleep?

Alas, I am here. I am writing. I am cooking my way home to them and to myself. It’s been an Italian summer of fresh, simple ingredients — with some staples from the pantry and items we always have on our countertop. Maybe this will inspire you to cook, find a new place to tuck your emotions, exercise creativity or learn something new. Perhaps you’ll find yourself looking at a can of tuna differently, a bag of rice or that bulb of garlic that hasn’t been used in over a week. There’s even a chance you may feel differently when all is said and done — that you’ll look at your family with more love, appreciation and thanks.

Who knows what can happen when we step into the kitchen?

With love,
Tina

PS: The great news here? All of the below recipes can be made in the same week because they contain overlapping ingredients. Getting back to more modular cooking, repurposing ingredients and designing flavor profiles for the week really helps keeps meals easy to prepare on the fly.