Pierucci

My parents, Luigi & Flora were married in 1952 in Marche, Italy. With no education, no language and very little money they immigrated to Toronto in 1956 and brought with them hope and optimism. It wasn’t always easy for them. My father was often harassed by police & my mother spent many hours working in conditions that weren’t always ideal. But despite their early struggles they remained committed to their faith and family & shared their rich culture with me & my two sisters. We enjoyed fresh fruits & vegetables from my fathers garden while my mother made our clothes. We made sauce in August that we would enjoy all rear round followed by wine making, cured deli meat that would fill the cantina & be enjoyed on pizza, in a panino or just on its own with some peppers from the garden dressed in olive oil & home made vinegar.

Sunday was a sacred day reserved for God & family. It was a time when all of our zio’s and zia’s would gather for Sunday lunch. We were taught the importance of family & respect, & we were lucky enough to visit Italy often growing up. These visits gave us a better understanding of what it meant to be Italian & while we missed being away from our friends we knew that Italy was our real home.

Christmas & Easter were big family events that included more food than we could ever imagine. Nothing went to waste & no dinner was complete without the Italian cards coming out & espresso being served.

Being Italian is a way of life that will always be rooted in faith, family & food. I honour my parents by preserving my rich diverse culture in their name.