A Little History About My Italian Heritage
I was born in Capograssi, Italy, a small village located not far from the coast of the Mediterranean sea. I can remember my parents taking me to Marina di Agnone as a child, not only to enjoy the beach, but to purchase and eat the finest seafood caught that day.
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My parents lived off of their land, and as I grew up, I learned from them how to make dishes from scratch, and tend to the farm. We raised livestock and grew our own grain, along with tomatoes and other vegetables. We prepared everything we ate, including our own sauces, olive oil and wine. My parents would milk the goats to make cheese and butcher the matured livestock to make salami, bacon, sausage and prosciutto. At harvest time, they would take me to the town grain mill, which was powered by water. For a small fee, our grain was milled into flour.
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Serramezzana has been known throughout history for its fine wines and olives, as well as its assortment of dried meats, figs, nuts and tomatoes. My family frequently visited città (towns) such as Eboli, which is known for its buffalo mozzarella cheese. Made from the milk of the Italian buffalo, it is truly one of a kind. It should be eaten instantly once it is made - nothing compares to its taste and texture. If you are able to taste this product right at the cheese factory (casificio), it will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.
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San Marzano was another town we visited, which is known for their incredible plum tomato production and manufacturing. You can spot these canned tomatoes in specialty Italian stores.
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In the region we also have many pasta factory (pastifici), such as Pastificio di Martino.
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There are also many pasta factories in this region, such as Pastificio di Martino. But my favorite nearby city was Salerno. Twice a year, my parents would take the whole family there to shop for clothes, shoes, lipstick and novelties. Let me tell you, going to Salerno was a big event for us! Everyone would return home happy.
As I grew up, I watched my mother create all of these wonderful dishes that had been handed down to her through the generations. As I got older, I realized that cooking was actually my passion, so I began to cook more and more. In the region of Italy that we come from, food is very simple, but very tasty. We have traditional recipes that have been there for centuries and have an authentic, delicious taste. It’s also simple and easy to cook - at least for me!
Work became scarce for my father in Italy, so he moved to Canada to live and work for five years; and then he moved the rest of the family there to join him. None of us were happy about leaving Italy, but the boss said we had to go. So we went!
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Move to Canada
I was 18 years old when I arrived in Canada. It was a complete culture shock, but at least we arrived in the summertime. I quickly realized that everyone was buying their foods at the supermarkets. Believe me, this was different from what I was accustomed to. And once the winter hit, let me tell you - coming from the Mediterranean, the cold weather was a huge adjustment.
I took a job in a bakery, and this is where I began to learn English. The bakery quickly recognized my love for food and asked me to prepare all kinds of baked goods, including bread, pastries, and donuts. I made them the way I had learned to in Italy, from my mother.
I was 20 years old in 1969, and after just a year and a half in Canada, I moved to Hoboken, New Jersey. I had a child - my son David - and took time to raise him for a few years. During that time, I began to realize that my heart and soul were missing what I loved to do most, which was cooking.
When David was a little older, I secured a job at a fine dining restaurant in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. I started off making the hot and cold appetizers, but once they realized my capabilities and passion for food, I began working side by side with the head chef to prepare the entire menu. After about two years (1978-1980), I met a very well-known, 5-star chef from New York City. He was fond of me and offered me a position in a new venture he was undertaking, which was an elite gourmet shop in Englewood, New Jersey. Together we prepared some of the finest delicacies I could ever imagine. I absorbed a tremendous amount of cooking knowledge, which I began to combine with the lessons of my culinary heritage. After a few years, I became head chef, responsible for preparing all of the food in the gourmet shop.
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My Own Restaurant
In 1982, my boyfriend (and later, my husband) Anthony Catanzaro was looking to renovate a small fish market he owned in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. I saw it as an opportunity to expand the business into a gourmet fish market and restaurant. Catanzaro Seafood underwent a huge renovation, which created more space and brought the restaurant into the 20th century. We wanted to give people more good food choices, and slowly but surely, we did.
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What started simply as a fish market with some soups and sandwiches became a very successful restaurant. We served a full menu and cooked anything the customers wanted from our fresh cases of seafood. We became a county landmark and one of the largest seafood companies in the area. The most exciting and challenging times were the holidays, when people in the local neighborhood demanded their traditional dishes. It was a lot of work, but it was always rewarding when our customers raved about our food. We received numerous wonderful reviews and write-ups from the local newspaper, magazines, and food critics.
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The restaurant thrived throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, then my husband decided he wanted to sell the restaurant and semi-retire. But retirement wasn’t for me! I decided to take a job with corporate America as a chef. It was very different to work 9 to 5, but the pay was great and the benefits even better! I kept working until 2016, and then retired. During my last few years of working as a chef, my son David blessed me with two grandchildren, which helped me to realize how much I wanted to share my cooking knowledge with others.
Gianna
About Gianna and Her Journey Cooking With Nonni
From the second Gianna put her feet on the ground when about 14 months old, I can remember Gianna going into my kitchen cabinet, fishing around, pulling out the pot I made her pasta in and handing the basket to me; Gianna would climb upon a stool and watch me preparing the dish. As Gianna grew older, Gianna would be at my side baking alone helping me with cookies, cupcakes, pies and cakes, we were making cupcakes. When Gianna, with the step stool in her hand , took the spoon from my hand and said, Nonni, I, do, I do, Gianna climbed up on the chair with the utensils in one hand and started to fill the cupcake pans.
Gianna was always around me in the kitchen like a busy little bee, helping and learning any way she could; around the holidays, Gianna knew how to do the holiday table setting, learning all the placements for dishes, how many courses, and what silverware would be needed.
We have so much fun together cooking and eating. Our first complete recipe was in September 2018, and we have started producing our first video recipes. Gianna was 4.5 years old, and Gianna and our video crew recorded zucchini Blosson, Bib salad and Stuffed Figs recipes. Five years later, Gianna is 10.50 years old; here we are with 175 video recipes and making our website. Gianna and I have an extraordinary relationship and many wonderful fun times; Gianna is growing by the minute, an honour student, doing basketball training, and working on my cookbook in between.