At the Table of Tradition with A Story About Pizza

In Italian culture, traditions run deep and they are at the forefront of everything we do; how we raise our families, how we cook, our faith, and how we run our businesses. For Italians, traditions keep the old world alive. They keep us connected to our ancestors, and they help us tell generational stories to our children, and our children’s children, and so on.

Food is more than just a tradition in Italy; food is the culture, the very heartbeat of Italian life. It was no different in my household growing up; daily meals were shared with my 4 siblings and my parents. It was our time to connect, share stories, and bond over food. As I grew up, these traditions never left my heart and I continue to keep them alive with my own family.

Italian Tradition Runs Deep

Did you know pizza was one of the first foods ever created? Learning this fact during my research and writing of A Story About Pizza made me laugh because, of course it was. Italians value tradition and culture above all else, and pizza has withstood the test of time!

Show me a person who claims they don’t like pizza and I’ll ask them this — have you had authentic, straight-from-Italy pizza? Not that cheesy monstrosity they’re selling at “fast food” pizza chains… but the real deal pizza that my Italian grandfather (and so many others) has been making for decades?

That’s another thing about Italians. We’re headstrong, we don’t like being wrong, and we definitely don’t support anyone who knocks our most treasured cultural relic—our food!

When my grandfather opened his pizzeria in 1960, he had his own story to tell. He told it through the love of pizza with the freshest ingredients and his personal style of presentation: a rectangular pizza with 15 slices that’s thicker than a traditional New York-style pie.

How Traditional Italian Food is Shared Through Generations

If you know an Italian person and they’ve ever invited you over for a Sunday lunch, you’ve more than likely heard something along the lines of, “These meatballs are my great-great-grandma’s recipe.” Or you’ve heard, “You have to try this sauce; it’s been passed down through my family for six generations!”

These traditional Italian recipes and dishes are how Italians show their love and respect for their country, how we honor our heritage, and how we share it with the world. If you’ve experienced a treasured recipe or dish that’s withstood the test of time, consider yourself lucky! Aside from family, Italians value their food above all else.

Throughout my life, I’ve always felt an undeniable pull to my Italian roots and heritage. Whether I’m sinking my teeth into one of my grandfather’s original pizza recipes or I’m making a family recipe in my own home, Italy is never far away in my mind.

A Full-Circle Moment

Writing A Story About Pizza was a full-circle moment for me because it’s a story I’ve grown up hearing. Ultimately, it’s woven into my culture and my family life, helping to define who I am as a person. I don’t claim to know my entire family history, nor can I fully understand the struggles that my grandfather Pietro faced. Still, his passion for food, family, and prosperity deeply resonated with me throughout my time researching his story.

All that to say, Italians may not be for everyone… but our food certainly is.

Want to learn more? Read A Story About Pizza and my inspiration for sharing my grandfather’s story here.