From left:  Rose Selvaggio, Salvatore Selvaggio, Andrea Salera, Dora Salara holding Andrew Selvaggio. circa 1959

Our Grandparents and Parents who immigrated, worked hard to provide for their families and to give their children a brighter future!

  In this photo we see my grandparents enjoying a meal.  My mother may be the one preparing the food and my father taking the picture, I can only imagine.

The location is my grandfathers bakery in Chicago.  My grandfather still has his apron on. The structure behind him looks like the walk-in refrigerator. What are they eating?  It could be some kid of "pop" on the table, some Italian sliced meats, perhaps a bowl of gravy meats as well?

 I do notice a bowl of Roma tomatoes on the table for the fresh made salad harvested from the garden which they all had!  What do you notice?

Many meals have been celebrated at the bakery!  The family business is where they lived! Everyone worked and celebrated there as well.  More formal occasions were celebrated at their homes.

This is your Italian Family Photo Album!

---Here is how it works:---

Find an image that you feel captures the spirit of Cook-Italian.com

Italian food, family and fun! Images of your whole family crowded around the table around the holidays or special occasion!

They may be vintage pics which conjure up images of childhood memories as well as ones in color!

Once you decide which ones, send me a email and attach them plus a description of the occasion. For example, " Selvaggio Christmas 1958!".

Add richness and tell me the story around the image, i.e..," We are all playing cards after dinner and eating chestnuts and drinking wine!  Little Andy was caught mixing 7up and Paisano!" :)

Why not let me know what you were eating as well I can create the recipe and write a post about it dedicated to your Italian family!

I will then upload them for you so you will be able to find them right here where you may view them anytime you like! 

Please send your pics to info[at]Cook-Italian[dot]com

Thank you and Enjoy our Cook-Italian.com! Family Photo Album!

  The pictures of this award winning wedding cake are from La Bella Italia Pastry Shop in Chicago

  Location was in the Taylor street neighborhood, Grand Avenue.  A young Andrea Salara is seen here completing the finishing touch on a wedding cake that was said at the time to be a record holder for the tallest wedding cake.  When I was living with my grandmother she gave me this photo as a gift, to this day it hangs in my home. I believe that the photo is more than of 75 years old.  It is mounted on 1/4 inch plywood in a wooden frame that has been painted at least 5 times.

I have no Idea how he got the top of the cake up there.  I do know that back in the day you could not buy the decorations that today we take for granted.  Each one of the trellises were created by piping icing over coffee cans cut in half or on foil cut outs.  Once dry they were put in place. Think of the time it may took!