"When people ask me what my father is like, I tell them about the geese."
In honor of Father's Day, I'm reposting an essay I published in the NYTimes last fall about geese, family, and love (and my dad's sense of humor). Here it is.
4.2.2015: A Recipe for Spring
Nana Sasso's Savory Easter Pie
In celebration of spring, here's a short piece I wrote for Italian Cooking & Living several years ago, about a family recipe passed along through my maternal great-grandmother, Maria Assunta Famighlietti Sasso, and the changing traditions surrounding it.
I don't recommend following the magazine's version of the recipe (it's too salty, for one), so I've also posted Nana's original instructions (as told to my mother) and my mother's adaptation (click through to read those). As you'll see, altering the recipe is part of the tradition and fun of this pie. Year to year, it is never exactly the same--so feel free to play with it!
Happy spring.
12.29.14: Triple Happiness
Blurbtastic news!
My almost-8-year-old niece, Anna Luiza, read an advance copy of Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split over the holidays, and my heart split open and oozed happiness at the sound of her giggling over it in the next room.
Two other wonderful people, Lauren Myracle and Megan McDonald, also gave the book an early read. Lauren and Megan are two of my favorite authors, so I am dancing around the room, wagging my tail with excitement over the news that they liked it:
"I've drawn rainbow sparkle hearts on every page of this book, because I love it that much. A perfect friendship story!" --Lauren Myracle, bestselling author of the Winnie Years
"Fast-paced, fun, and funny. Girls will lap up this easy-breezy friendship story like a banana split--and the happy ending is the cherry on top!" --Megan McDonald, bestselling author of Judy Moody
Thank you, Lauren and Megan!
And hey, Happy New Year, everyone. Here's to sparkles and joy and lots of great books in 2015.
11.23.2014: A Gander at Love
I'm honking and flapping with excitement!
"Geese are mean and geese are dumb. But this is not really about geese."
The New York Times just posted an essay I wrote about geese, family, and love. Here's the link: A Gander at Love. Thanks for reading!
Update 11.25.2014: The essay has climbed to number 16 on the NYTimes Most Emailed list. Thanks to all who have read and shared it!
