Portrait of Pandemic at Grandmother's House - Ritratto di Pandemia a Casa della Nonna

While many Americans claim to be experiencing 'cooking fatigue' during the coronavirus pandemic, for me who likes to cook and am good at it, cooking is business as usual. 

This week we finished canning tomatoes (120 jars) from our vegetable garden.  Canning tomatoes has been an ingrained summertime tradition in our family for the last 60 years.

Canning 2020

     

Sausage making has also been a tradition in our family.  During the early months of the pandemic, we made pork and chicken sausages.  Every year, it's a great time for the whole family to get together and continue the tradition.  This year, due to the coronavirus just my husband and I were involved in sausage making.

Consumption of pasta soared during the coronavirus pandemic -- 

While many made home-made bread during the pandemic, we enjoyed making home-made pasta.

  

Having had an overload of eggplant this season, I have been forever frying, roasting and pickling.

Pizza is food of the pandemic

During the months of March and April as I walked our neighborhood, pizza delivery cars were seen on a daily basis.  We always preferred making pizza at home so that we can top the pizza with our favorite toppings.

   

For us these traditions are here to stay even after the coronavirus situation improves. 

The vegetable garden is priceless amid the coronavirus pandemic - L'orto non ha prezzo in mezzo alla pandemia di coronavirus

For us vegetable gardening has never been a hobby.  We have been gardening for three decades, but we are particularly grateful for this year's growing season.  During the pandemic with many working from home, gardening has taken off throughout the state and the nation, resulting in more urban gardeners getting their hands dirty.

 

Many of you wonder whether a vegetable garden is worth the hassle.  Let me tell you that there is nothing like the thrill of picking crunchy beans or juicy red tomatoes right out of your own garden.

Fresh beans and zucchini

Peppers, eggplant and tomatoes

Is it a big hassle?  Yes, it does require time, labor and patience but gardening can be tremendously satisfying when you sit down to eat your work.  Not only there is a sense of self-sufficiency but also the more practical reward of consuming food that is fresh and nutritious because the vegetables are picked when ripe.

Eggplant parmigiana

Eggplant, zucchini and cavatelli

I hope that once we’re back to normal — whatever that means — people don't give up gardening.

Flat beans with simple tomato sauce

A CORONAVIRUS EASTER

At Christmas and Easter, our home traditions are celebrated with family especially at the table.

The marathon during the Easter period, starts with dinner on Holy Thursday, usually with stuffed artichokes and a pot of mussels and clams.

 

Stuffed baby artichokes

Mussels and clams with broth

Following dinner on Holy Saturday

Lamb stew

Braised peas

and finally a delicious Easter dinner. In short, these days there is nothing more than food. However, after all the liturgies to honor the sacred Resurrection, we sit at the table to consume delicious dishes that are made even better thanks to the company of loved ones.

Home-made Lasagna

Oven roasted leg of lamb with potatoes

Thanks to the 'silent enemy' coronavirus, we are going to have to change things up a bit this year.  Because that's life right now.  But despite the pandemic, celebrating Christ's death and Resurrection are still on the agenda. With social distancing, including stay-at-home orders and self-isolation, we will be observing Easter church services virtually.

There's been a lot of adjustment for everyone over the past few weeks.  And while we might be a little bit sad that we cannot celebrate Easter weekend in person with our loved ones, we encouraged our family to embrace the new.  Because what we are celebrating is the same, regardless of how we celebrate.

We may not share a table with loved ones this Easter weekend but we can surely share our traditional Easter desserts.

Fiadone

Pizza dolce

Pastoni

And we're quite sure … this Easter will be one to remember.

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