I grew up in a meat and potatoes household, the staples of mealtime in a farming community. Dinner time meant hearty fare — savoury pot roast. tender chicken or succulent pork accompanied by heaps of creamy whipped potatoes, buttered corn, crisp coleslaw and flaky biscuits.
Of course, coming from a German background we could also count on having plenty of sausage and sauerkraut as well. This was all not just tried and true fare, but all I knew.
The tradition continued through to my early 20s. But, I love to cook and it wasn’t long after I was out on my own that I came to realize there was a lot of good stuff I was missing. I was 23 when my future husband took me to an Italian restaurant and I had spaghetti for the first time. I was sold and kept my eyes open for pasta and tomato-based recipes to add to my culinary repertoire.
Now with ideas for supper available literally at my fingertips thanks to the internet, the meat and potatoes of my childhood have taken a back burner. The flavours of Italy are featured fare at our home on a regular basis. Nothing tastes or looks as delicious and these photos featuring the wonderful variety of Italian cuisine are sure to get you salivating.
