Posted on April 24, 2012 - by admin

Giovanna Gambino

Giovanna Gambino wasborn and raised in a small town called Passo di Rigano, minutes away from Palermo, Sicily.

“I have many picnics with my family, I will never forget my many relatives. Even though I was at a very young age I can still remember the feeling of eating under the olive trees, eating our favorite homemade fettucine with fresh tomato sauce and Ricotta Salata, many times topped with fried eggplants. We would eat on a wooden plank called Scannature. The men would cook on an open fire most of the time a small pork and roasting artichokes under it so the drippings would make them that much more delicious.

I came to the US in 1964 with my mom and younger brother to be reunited with my father and my older brother who was getting married a few months later. I celebrated my 10th birthday after only a month after arriving in America. After my brother’s wedding we all lived in the same house and I had no one my age to play withso I started becoming interested in watching my mom and sister in law in the kitchen, and sometimes they would let me help. It wasn’t until after I married at the age of 20 that i discovered my real passion for cooking, taking family recipes and often giving them a twist. Even today I’m proud to say that cooking really relaxes me. My favorite recipe is Anellette al Forno, Rigatoni Imbottiti, Cavatelle inside round purple eggplant just to name a few. Cooking at Enoteca Maria was my first experience in cooking outside my family and it’s been very rewarding, I only wish I’d come to cook here sooner.”