“Marron che profumo!” Yes, indeed! The house was filled with the distinct aroma of boiling tomatoes, the chatter, and the undeniable clang of heavy metal pots. It was canning day! And it was coming from “a bascia ul cell!” Well, where else would Italian Moms do their heavy cooking, but in the 2nd kitchen of the house — the basement?
The memory of canning tomatoes “è per sempre,” is forever. It was a wonderful seasonal tradition for many Italian immigrant families, as was the crushing of grapes for wine in the fall. Both fruit off the vine. The nice thing about both these events was many neighbors came together to share in the joy! And yes, tomatoes are fruit, but unlike the grape, it is not used in a fruit salad!
