Mamma mia!
We salute mothers everywhere.
IN ITALY MOMS ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF THE HOME AND HAVE BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE THE TIME OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS, WHO HELD FESTIVALS IN HONOR OF THE MOTHER GODDESSES RHEA AND CYBELE.
In the US, Anna Jarvis is credited with conceiving Mother’s Day following her mother’s death, as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians. By 1914 her persistence paid off, and President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in the US.
There’s nothing like a nice Mothers’ Day picnic.
As you would expect, Mother’s Day in Italy
revolves around a great meal.
The modern version of Mother’s Day was first celebrated in Italy in May 1957, about 50 years after it was founded in the United States. A parish priest began the tradition in Assisi, the beautiful hillside town in Umbria. Many in the surrounding cities got word and joined the appreciation of the women whose unconditional love and hard work helped them become who they are. The celebrations were so popular that just one year later, the holiday was officially adopted across Italy’s 20 regions.
Today, La Festa della Mamma, as it is known in Italy, involves spending quality time with mom, often sitting around the dining room table or in a picnic setting outdoors, sharing a nice home-cooked meal – and of course that means enjoying plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
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For Mother’s Day Nico Mannion got to show off his cooking skills and delighted his mom by making her favorite dish, under the tutelage of celebrated chef, Michele Casadei Massari.
Nico Mannion grew up enjoying the great Italian dishes made by his mom, Gaia.
This Mother’s Day we helped him return the favor.
Nico Mannion is an exceptional athlete and a wonderful basketball player who is enjoying his career in the NBA. Unfortunately this means lots of travel which keeps him away from his family. So, this Mother’s Day we wanted to help him celebrate his mom by inviting Chef Michele Casadei Massari to give Nico a few cooking tips through a virtual cooking class, along with his mom. It was the first time that Nico did any type of cooking! The result was a great time for all. Gaia recalled how Nico would “steal” chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano while she cooked, and shared other fun stories about Nico’s early years. At the end of the class, Nico totally surprised her by doing a fantastic job in the kitchen – setting the stage for the next time the two can spend time together in person.
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Pasta Norcina alla Gaia is a special variation of the traditional Umbrian dish named in honor of Nico Mannion’s mom, Gaia.
Introducing Pasta Norcina alla Gaia,
made with lots of love, and plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Pasta Norcina is a typical recipe from Umbria, specifically from the ancient town of Norcia, which is renowned for its artisanal sausages and cured meats. In Italy it is usually made with Norcia sausage crumbled into a pan with oil and onion, fresh cream, truffles and Pecorino Romano cheese. Our version features Parmigiano Reggiano cheese instead of Pecorino Romano because Chef Michele believes that “Parmigiano Reggiano is a remarkably soluble hard cheese; hence an amazing fit for this recipe”…and he named it Pasta Norcina all Gaia, after seeing how much love Nico put into making the dish for his mom. Try making it at home, and we bet that it will become one of your favorite recipes!
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