I always knew just how Italian my family was. I mean my senior superlative was - what if Sofia wasn’t Italian? I grew up in a very Italian family, we cook, yell, and our family gatherings include at least 100 people. When we were younger and my parents didn't want us to know what they were saying they would say it in Italian.

Italian-Americans are overprotective, passionate, loud, caring, family oriented people. Not only will we take you in but, we’ll cook you dinner and make sure you have enough leftovers for the rest of the week. Not all of us act like we just came out of The Sopranos but some people don't quite get that.

1. Is your family in the mafia?

Nope. My dad does not work in waste management, I’m not a mafia princess. And before you ask, yes I have seen The Godfather, Goodfellas, and the Sopranos, and yes they are my favorite movies

2. Is it sauce or gravy?

It’s sauce. Final answer. No debate.

Sauce is tomatoes, onions, garlic, and with a bunch of basil simmering in a pot all day. And you definitely were yelled at as a kid to "keep an eye on the sauce" and stir it when your mom left the house.

They don’t have or use the term “gravy” in Italian, however, that Sunday sauce that your grandfather makes with sausage and pork chops and other mystery meats cooking in… you can call that gravy. Know the difference!

3. Do you know anyone from Jersey Shore?

Yes, I am from NJ. Yes, I’ve been to Seaside. No, I do not know anyone from the Jersey Shore. No, I’ve never been to Karma.

The real Jersey shore was a most anticipated trip down the parkway, windows down with the hot sun streaming in, and the best part about summer vacation.

4. Have you ever been to Olive Garden?

I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

5. Why do you talk with your hands so much, it’s really distracting?

I’m expressing myself. My hands can say things that my mouth can not.

Don’t worry, I’m only saying nice things

6. No, you can’t get bread with olive oil here, it’s a Chinese restaurant

“As soon as I sit at a table I gotta have bread within like 15 seconds of sitting down. I gotta have something to do with my right hand… you got oil coming out? I need oil.”

7. Why do you say things so weirdly?

Excuse me? I’m the one saying it correctly. It's calamad not calamari, ganol’ not cannoli, prosciutt’ not prosciutto, maranad definitely not marinara, and I swear hearing people say mozzarella or ricotta is like nails on a chalkboard. It’s muzzarell’ and rigotta… get it right.

8. Can you cook for me?

What so you can mooch off of me and eat a nice meal for free? No.

9. Why are you yelling all the time?

10. Pasta or macaroni?

Macaroni and Cheese, sure. Everything else is pasta.

11. But for real, your family is in the mafia right?

Still no … why does everyone immediately think that?

12. What do you mean that was just appetizers?? We already had cheese, salami, salad, pasta, and calamari...

Are you kidding me? We still have the main pasta dish, the veal, fish, and dessert. Then we take a nap and snack on the leftovers

13. Why do you have a red pepper hanging from your rearview mirror?

It protects me from the demons and shit… you know the eye! Don't you have that in your family?

14. Wait, you really have a cousin named Vinny?

Yes. I actually have two

15. Does your whole family have to come on our date to the movies?

So please, go to a real Italian restaurant, rent the Godfather (part 1&2 only)...