Rose's Table
Stories of a Sicilian-American Family, Told Through Food
by
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Dear Mom and Dad,
In the excitement of your 50th Wedding anniversary your children wanted to do something special for you. We tried to think of what would symbolize our family, your wonderful relationship and our strong family values. What came to mind was that in the center of all our family functions is food. Whether it was a Sunday dinner or a simple cup of coffee. It was at Rose’s table we all came together with family and friends. It is here we talked about and shaped our lives. It was very common to walk in our home to find a neighbor, cousin or friend sharing an Italian Cookie or a bowl of pasta. Everyone was always welcomed and encouraged to taste what was cooking. It was part of growing up, Italian food is synonymous with caring and love.
Mom, It was a privilege growing up watching your relationship with Dad blossom. You were the woman who set high standards for everyone. You were a perfectionist, especially with your cooking. We did not often go out to restaurants but when we did it was a special occasion. You were always very particular and it was common to hear you say, “ I probably could make it better.” It is that same high standard that you expected from us as we grew up and became adults. Work hard and do the best you can.
Dad, You were always so easy going and we all enjoyed your good-natured teasing. You were always very respectful, patient and kind. You to had an incredible work ethic, working long days at your job and at night transforming into a master carpenter fixing up our old home. We always knew when we heard the train go whistling by the backyard, you would be home for dinner in the next ten minutes. We always waited for you because it meant so much to all of us to eat dinner as a family.
No one appreciated Mom’s cooking as much as her husband. Dad would often pick at the food as Mom cooked and then scold him for not waiting. Mom and Dad you would always make new people feel at home, Dad would charm them with a silly joke and smile and soon they would join the both of you for one of Rose’s meals.
We have all learned so much from watching our parent’s relationship grow. It is because of you that we have developed into the adults we are today. We just wanted to say how much we love you and to thank you for all you have done for us. We hope this cookbook helps to share some of those special recipes that brought us together as a family.
Your loving children,
Connie, Barbara, James, and Ralph
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About the Book
With homespun charm, Rose’s Table unveils the secrets to many classic Sicilian and southern Italian recipes, from Testa di Turc, (a savory calzone) to Italian cheesecake. Find out the key ingredients of Sanna Sauce (the key staple of Sunday Dinner), how to cook an artichoke, the secrets of tender calamari, and the Sicilian version of cheesecake.
Rose’s Table provides more than recipes: included in the book are memories and tributes from friends and family that paint a classic portrait of The American Dream. Coming from humble beginnings, Ralph and Rose Sanna moved from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Queens, and finally to Pleasantville, New York (a suburb as nice as it sounds) where they raised their family. Through old-fashioned hard work and an unfaltering commitment to their children, they created a life rich in values if not wealth. “Family is the most important thing you’ve got” is the Sanna motto that is oft-repeated, and anyone who comes in contact with Ralph and Rose experiences their natural instinct to share what they have with those they love.
Come to Rose’s Table, where you’ll find the ultimate in comfort food.
About the Author
When Rafaello Vincenzo Sanna met Rose Anita Falcoabramo in the early 1950s, playing ball on
The children of Sicilian immigrants, Ralph and Rose married in 1954, the year Sinatra topped the charts, Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for literature, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were both married and divorced, and a middle class home cost a few thousand dollars.
Fifty years later, despite the drastic changes in the world around them, The Sannas celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, still happily married. In their honor, their children compiled Rose’s Table, a tribute to Rose’s famous dishes – the cornerstone of many a gathering in this Sicilian-American family.