Did you ever wake up in your house and smell someone making something good in the kitchen? Maybe pancakes or bacon? I know I did, except my house didn't smell like an IHOP. No, every weekend at home I wake up to the smell of oil and garlic sauteing on the stove. I grew up thinking everyone had this experience, and it wasn't until later that I realized it was because my parents were the first in their families born in this country. My grandparents came here from Southern Italy in the 1950s, and they brought with them a culture that makes appearances in Italian-American households across the country. So sit back, grab a glass of wine, and enjoy the list of things you probably live with if you have an Italian-American house.
1. The weekend
Some people wake up Saturday morning ready for a day off of work and some much-needed R&R. My parents wake up and start a day-long process of meal prep. Huge pots of tomato sauce, vegetables of every color, and eggplant parmigiana (which my mom was making while I wrote this, pictured here) are just some of the possible products. My grandmothers did this every morning, but with a more American work-schedule and a two-income family that's all been pushed into a weekend-long excursion of food.
2. Getting turnt
My parents have a liquor cabinet that would put some bars to shame, but the Italian flare comes with what's inside that cabinet...Frangelico. When I was making this list, it came to my mind and sure enough there was not one, but two full bottles of it. Frangelico is a hazelnut-based liquer that tastes kind of like a mix between red wine and nutella (without the chocolate). I'm not sure where they get it, but it's damn good.
3. Hydrating
Coming to college, hands down the hardest thing was having to drink regular water instead of Seltzer. Carbonation was my best friend growing up; Italians are obsessed with carbonated beverages, whether its the fancy San Pelligrino imported from Italy or the seltzer water you buy in bulk at the local supermarket (this is my parents' current supply in our pantry). I am very much looking forward to carrying on the tradition in my own house one day.
4. Vino
My parents have recently been trying to cut back on how much wine they drink, but it used to be a glass (or two) a night just because red wine is that delicious. Surprisingly, my parents prefer French wines to Italian ones typically. But this is something that never seemed like a big deal until you stepped out into America, where there is a weirdly-paranoid culture surrounding alcohol. My parents have been giving me wine since I was in middle school, my grandfather used to make his own wine in his basement...these things were just cultural norms in my family. And you know what? Their influence has been far healthier than what American college has taught me about the relationship with alcohol, just sayin'. (Also note the rooster statue "for good luck").
5. Gardening
So I couldn't include a picture of my mother's garden because it's "not pretty enough to be on the Facebook right now" and also it's like 100 degrees outside today, but my mom has an herb selection that honestly should be featured on the Food Network. Basil, thyme, rosemary, mint, oregano, you name it, she grows it. It was nothing like my grandfather's though--he built a trellis just so that he could grow his green beans properly, right between the onions and the zucchini. Maybe this is a reason why nothing beats Italian home-cooking.
6. Oh sweet Jesus!
My parents aren't religious zealots, but they're decorating may say otherwise. Italians, from my experience, are masters at combining cultural superstitions with organized Catholicism, and the result is religious artifacts in every room of the house. Every room. We all have crucifixes and/or plaques in our bedrooms. This framed picture of Jesus, semi-famous on my snapchat, sits just outside the door to my bedroom and watches over us in the living room from across the hall. Oh, and also the palm crosses...they're in every room (and car) too.
7. And....more decor
This one might not be as common, because my dad gets these when he gets his shipments of tomato cans, but I couldn't make this list without highlighting these gems hanging on the wall next to my refrigerator. They feature Italian proverbs (most of which, unsurprisingly, have to do with food).
Culture is an important part of every life, and whether your household has a specific culture tied to a group of people, or is its own unique brand, appreciating where you grow up can become a rock in an unstable life.
