la famiglia

One of my favorite things to do when I'm home over the summer (besides eat my weight in peanut butter and sushi) is to have little family get-togethers at our house. Kate/Mom and I are a great team - I cook and she sets everything up all cute. We sit on the deck and crack jokes and then the uncles will build a fire and smoke cigars and the party continues late into the night. We usually end up reminiscing and laughing till we're crying with hilarious Papa stories.

I made Ina Garten's Pasta With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, which is always a hit. I highly recommend it for your next summer party; you can make ahead of time, it gets more delicious as it sits and is a snap to put together. Ina knows what's up. (We also had a spinach salad and a four berry pie that was out. of. this. world.)

From left to right: Uncle Rich, Paola, Uncle Tom, me, Kate, Papa, Francesca, Uncle Bill, Marco, Joanne, Christian. 

If you're an expat too, then I think you'll agree that though it's bittersweet to live far from home during the year, it makes me so appreciative of the time we have together over the summer. Because for us Italians, la famiglia is the most important thing in life.