"When I was a little girl, my grandmother lived with us and cooked festive meals based on the recipes she brought over from Italy on weeknights, mind you we were very spoiled! The smell of fresh baked bread, sauteéd veggies and roasted meats filled every room in our home. The magic moment of every day was finishing my homework and racing down the stairs to see the vibrant dishes my grandmother had lovingly made for us. For me, the beauty, the aromas, and the love were all wrapped up in that moment.
My parents, who enjoyed traveling, decided one summer when I was twelve, that we would embark on a PanAm luxury trip to Italy. Our first stop was Rome where my Mom had lots of cousins. The late night dinners and the artisanal food on beautiful handmade plates felt at once familiar and exotic to me. Like home and adventure. I was hooked! From early on, I knew that food, family & friends were going to be a big part of my life and I would enjoy every minute of it."
Donna Cacciatore Smith
