A coworker recently told me of a dessert she was making over the weekend. As she began describing her recipe I recognized it immediately – Pistachio Cake.
Cool whip, cake mix and pistachio pudding all conspire together to make a truly delectable dessert – as you can tell by the picture. I hadn’t heard of many people making this cake before, though my grandmother used to make it religiously growing up.Seeing this “green” dessert again brought back memories of grams and her many culinary fares I often enjoyed and indulged in.
Famed chef Mario Batali once said, “The tradition of Italian cooking is that of the matriarch. This is the cooking of grandma. She didn’t waste time thinking too much about the celery. She got the best celery she could and then she dealt with it.”
My grandmother may not have been a Food Network star, but she knew how to throw ingredients together, with little to no waste, to satisfy your appetite.
She loved to cook and enjoyed making meals for her family whenever possible. I can remember nights that my wife and I would visit her for dinner – you’d think she was cooking for an army. But like so many Italian grandmothers, she believed you could never have too much food on the table.
In fact, I couldn’t stop over for a visit without her offering me something to eat or nibble on – and that was just fine. For it’s all of the simple, ordinary moments which I remember most about my grams now that she’s passed on.
For some people food’s only purpose is for nourishment. But there’s something wonderful about sitting down to a big meal (once in a while) – sharing stories and laughter which seem to linger in your heart long after the dishes are cleared from the table.
