Even our holiday dinners are sprinkled with an Italian dish added to the traditional meal of turkey or ham. Whether or not it is Pasta Fagoli or lasagna, from manicotti to gnocchi, I found that I've always been able to enjoy myself. Even when I came home from college just the other week, my grandmother had plenty of food to serve my friends. Throughout my life being raised in a family that is extremely rich in culture, I have learned many things. I have not only learned how to cook spectacular foods, but I also learned how to be very responsible.
Italian families teach their children how to respect all elders.
In my family and many other Italian families one of the biggest signs of disrespect is to refuse to eat the meals in which they have prepared for you. I know it sounds rather ridiculous, but in the Italian culture food is a way of letting you know that you are welcome. If you deny the food in which they offer you, it is like you are denying their welcome.