THE BEGINNING OF THE ITALIAN KITCHEN TABLE

              

The Italian Kitchen Table was my first choice for this blog before it changed hands. Unfortunately, I have noticed many of my original articles have been lost in the transition.

         

The Italian Kitchen Table concept was, I felt, a very warm and vivid memory of my experiences over the years during the days when visiting our relatives was a prominent part of our lives. However, here in the states, this practice has dwindled.

Fortunately, in Europe, Italy, Spain and Portugal, that I have experienced, the practice of visiting relatives is still intact. When you visit your relatives and/or friends, there is always a table of special ham and cheese and bread for you to enjoy with your glass of wine, and pastries to savor with your espresso. 

In our Italian household, those of my family and my friends from Spain and Portugal, even here, when children and or parents come to our homes or some one comes to the house, to visit, they all gather around the kitchen table. There is usually a delicious dish of cultural variation awaiting your enjoyment and pleasure.

There is something about the kitchen table that is comforting and safe. We talk about problems, we reminisce, we laugh together and cry together, we look to the future and throughout these conversations, there is always something good to eat on the kitchen table to sooth and help us remedy our situations, hence, "The Italian Kitchen Table."