Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: DELICIOUS (02/04/16)
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TITLE: A Labor of Love | Previous Challenge Entry
By Wanda Draus
02/09/16 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Which is why on this particular morning as I sauntered into the kitchen still wearing my pj’s and Minnie Mouse slippers my noni took one look at me and decided it was time.
“Gianna, there you are my “bella ragazza,” which in Italian is “beautiful girl.” I’ve been telling your momma that it is time for you to learn how to make our fam-i-ly gravy.”
“Noni,” I protested, “I’m only twelve!”
Waving her hand with her fingers together and in her broken English, noni said, “I was making gravy and a pasta at twelve years old and feeding my whole fam-i-ly. Gianna, how will you feed a you fam-i-ly if you do not know? Will you let them starve?”
“Noni, I will go to the store and buy it in a jar.”
At that moment Noni grabbed her chest and made a sound as if gasping for her last breath. I wasn’t sure if I had actually caused my noni to have a heart attack, but then with a shooing motion, she said, “Gianna, go getta dressed and no more talk,a gravy in a jar,” as she continued to mumble something in Italian.
Noni looked at momma and said “we will teach Gianna the way my momma taught a me and the way her momma taught a her and the way I taught a you.”
******
Dressed in jeans and t-shirt that said, “Know Jesus, Know Peace” from the last youth retreat—I was ready. Momma handed me an apron that was way too big, she seemed to think I was ready as well.
“Gianna,” Noni said, “you take the tomatoes from a your garden and make a sure you pick a the nice plump ones.”
“Noni, you can buy tomatoes in a can.” At that I see her make the sign of the cross and silently send up a prayer.
Moving on, I was pleasantly surprised when she told me to put the tomatoes in a blender and not have me squish them with my hands or worse—with my feet, like they do the grapes.
I did all that noni asked. I crushed the garlic, I made the meatballs and I browned the sausage and neck bones. When all of that was ready, we added the tomatoes with all the spices and meat to one huge pot and turned the burner to a medium simmer. The aroma filled the house.
“Gianna, now we cook a slowly for a couple of hours and while that is simmering, we make a the pasta. I think today we make a ravioli.”
Momma cleaning up the counter and wiping her hands on her apron, had a grin on her face. I could tell I wasn’t going to ride my bike any time soon.
I was actually having a great time, with my momma and noni. It was a lot of work but they seem to truly enjoy it. Noni said, “it is a labor of love when you cook a for your fam-i-ly—a gift back a to God.”
Noni told stories of her childhood in Italy, her noni and poppy, and the many blessings God provided during the hard times where she learned to make a few meals from one pot of gravy or a feast out of just a few vegetables.
After church the next day, I was pretty excited and nervous to see how the rest of the family, especially poppy, would like what we made, even though noni proudly gave me full credit for Sunday’s dinner.
As we sat down and held hands, poppy gave thanks to God for all our blessings of family and the food that his granddaughter had prepared. I sat quietly, hardly taking a breath, while I waited for poppy to take the first bite of the ravioli.
All heads turned his way, and with his lips kissing his fingertips, he announced, “DELIZIOSO!”
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)
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Blessings~
Not sure why the *** was there. If it was to show transition in time you could have used a word instead like ...Returning dressed in jeans...
Definitely seek some details on sentence structure and capitalization. I think Noni, Momma, and Poppy need to be capitalized - but check it out with the experts. :)