Let’s talk Bread
Let’s talk Familia
family style Focaccia
Grandma’s hands, almost as big as Daddy’s
Strong Sicilian garden drenched hands
Cooking hands, Sewing hands, Soft hands,
Hands that took the upper hand to pomodors, bell peppers, and stripping skins off homegrown elephant garlics
Prize Blue Ribbon garlics
A Nonna’s blindfolded art
the way she effortlessly mastered swirling delicious fresh flavors together
her raviolis, handmade pillows stuffed with veal, beef, fresh grated
Parmesan all floating happily in a secret family sauce
But the focaccia was the real deal family ritual
from the dough picked up at Giovanni’s Bakery
made just the way Papa Giovanni’s family made it in my grandfather’s village in Sicily
atop the focaccia Grandma scattered thinly sliced mozzarella, piled high with savory vegetables, herbs and cheese, sprinkled with her garden fresh
Oregano, Rosemarino, Marjoram, and placed one-by-one Olive Oil drenched garden grown bell peppers next to whole ear
elephant garlic ~ Italian candy
harvested right from the yard
placed on a wooden peel and gently shoved into the handmade backyard oven
as we all sat under the grape vined trellis singing Italian songs
the focaccia toasted to a bubbling golden brown 
each of us generously graced with a sizzling slice 

our Sunday Familia picnics
full of laughter, good eats, loud Sicilian songs
and sometimes fights

Grandma would always say,
“Let ’em a holler, afta they holler, let’a shut up!”