My Neapolitan-born grandma did not believe in eating out at restaurants. The only time she went out to eat was on the occasion she craved Chinese food. And once a year on Mother’s Day, we would treat her and my mother to a fancy dinner at a steakhouse.

I won’t use the words here that my grandma used to describe restaurant food, but let’s just say, she thought her home-cooked food was more nutritious and better tasting. And after having eaten at some of the highest-rated restaurants in the world, I have to say I agree with her. No one could cook vegetables better than my grandma. Crisp, full of flavor and nutritive value.