We’ve told you about Nonna in her home kitchen. The fresh pasta, the aroma of sauce & starchy water, and the nostalgic family meals...
but often, it began with Nonno in the garden.
THE BACKYARD GARDEN
It started with a shovel and tidy strings marking the rows.
The tomatoes were thoughtfully nestled against the house.
Always many rows of tender carrots and fresh lettuce.
Cucumber and zucchini plants, carefully plotted.
Well-tended Raspberry bushes along the side of the yard on the neighbor’s fence.
Sloshy rubber boots were worn, even when the sun was shining.
Many neat & tidy garden paths that we used to like walking along.
He’d say “Hey, get out of the garden”, followed by a generous tour, with handfuls of fresh ‘snacks’ along the way.
The short season of sweet green peas was picked fresh and enjoyed in handfuls while walking through the backyard, back to the house.
ENJOYED IN THE MOMENT
The backyard garden was our family's version of a local food source. Everything was enjoyed in the moment and in the season.
The tomatoes and cucumbers & fresh lettuce were made into a simple salad, tossed in an oil & vinegar dressing.
The raspberries were picked into recycled dairy containers and sent home with you. If you ask us, each berry on a specific timer in Nonno’s head to ensure being picked at its prime.
The potatoes were turned into hand-rolled gnocchi.
The Zucchini was battered & fried, or added into baked goods (and just about anything you can add zucchini to)
Very few things were preserved.
What was left of the surplus of zucchini was turned into a sweet tangy relish.
The cucumbers were made into sweet bread & butter pickles which were later enjoyed around the holidays.
The extra juicy ripe raspberries were handpicked and Nonno & Nonna would work together to make jelly for the winter. A sleepover always meant raspberry toast in the morning.
THE VEGGIES ARE READY
The backyard garden was a family tradition, a sense of pride and possibly friendly competition at work, bragging rights so to speak.
Nonno was persistent on the timing of each vegetable and when it would be ready to pick.
The zucchini by mid-august. It was always a phone call we awaited… maybe with a small fear. These were not regular sized squash. They were sometimes the size of baseball bats and were handed out in generous multiples.
The unspoken rule was when the vegetables were ripe, they were ready. The flavor was at its prime and needed to be enjoyed! It had to be picked up that same day, so you wouldn’t miss out.
FROM GARDEN TO TABLE
While Nonna was creating in the kitchen, Nonno was in the garden. They worked together growing food, sharing it, and enjoying it with our family.
What started in the garden ended up on our table, surrounded by chatter and clanking dishes.
Now you know more about our story.
ABOUT THE CANDLE
We’re telling a new part of our story through scent. Kate Strange from Waxxed Candle Co helped us create a scent that describes our memories of Nonno’s Garden.
These hand-poured candles capture the fresh and sweet green smells of a backyard garden with notes of tomato leaf, rosemary & mint.
Made with natural coconut wax, cotton wicks, and high-quality fragrance plus essential oils. Available in 4oz and 8oz.
4oz / 25- 30 hour burn time.
8 oz / 50 - 60 hour burn time.
Available through our online store, or within our NEW retail store inside Goods & Co Market.