Apple Pie and Lamingtons
This week was the 3rd anniversary of my Nonno Gerry’s passing. He went to sleep in 2020. Just before I moved to Queensland, I got one of his favourite sayings, ‘Piano Piano’ tattooed on my wrist to remind me to slow down and take it slowly slowly. It is the perfect reminder I needed when I moved and is a constant message I need in my daily life. My Nonno was a very humble and calm man and would always light up a room when he was surrounded by his family and loved ones. Up until his last days, he would still be smiling, and his eyes would light up and sparkle when he saw us. My Nonno loved his music, his family, his cars, dancing, food and of course vino (wine). One of my oldest and fondest memories of him was when I was little. Every Wednesday my sisters and I would go to Nonna and Nonno house and spend the day there and then Mum, Dad, Zia and my cousins would come later for dinner. My Nonna and my Great Aunt would spend the day cooking inside and then on the occasion there was a job left for Nonno to do in the kitchen in the garage. Usually, it was any foods that would be fried so it wouldn’t stink out the house. But one of Nonno’s specialities was the Polenta. About 45 minutes before 7pm he would have a big copper pot ready on the stove outside ready to cook a big pot of Polenta to go with the Umido (stew) that Nonna had been cooking all afternoon. He always started the cooking process off with a whisk and then as it thickened and got closer to being fully cooked, he would use a wooden spoon. When the Polenta was almost ready, he would always have a tablespoon ready for me to test it for salt. Most of the time I’d usually have a couple of spoonful’s just to really make sure it was seasoned properly. His Polenta was incredible, there was always so much love put into it every single time. He was always so proud of it every time he served it to us at the table.
He always had stories about when he first moved to Australia. He never failed to remind us that his favourites were Apple Pie and Lamingtons. The Lamington is usually my go to when I am travelling, I find a small country bakery and know if I find one, my Nonno is with me on my travels. On his birthday I’ll usually go out to buy one and when I moved to Queensland I made a stop in Ballina and Bundaberg where he worked and made sure to enjoy a Lamington in memory of him. He loved his food but still to this day these two sweets where always his favourites. The week before he passed I re-created the Apple Pie for a dessert special dedicated to him and to his love of one of his favourites. Pictured above.
I think my love for bringing people together through food came from him. Because I get that warm fuzzy feeling that I believed he felt every time he was surrounded by the people he loved. That feeling is what keeps me going and keeps me getting back into the kitchen.
I wish he could still be here enjoying my food, but I know he is on this food journey with me every step of the way.