“Is this your first time here?” she asks from the kitchen, her hands over a basin of milky water where she’s pulling mozzarella like it’s taffy.
I nod. I must look lost.
“You like mozzarella? Come. Taste.”
She rips off a hunk of the soft cheese, squeezes it in her dripping fist, and thrusts it towards me. Like a good Catholic faced with the Eucharist, I take and I eat. The fresh cheese is warm, silky, and delicious.
“Chew it good,” she says.
This is my introduction to Irene DeBenedittis of Leo’s Laticcini, also known as Mama’s of Corona. Irene makes the mozzarella and her sister Marie does the cooking—turkey with gravy, roast pork, manicotti, you name it.
“I don’t use recipes,” says Marie. “I just go on instinct" ...
Please read the rest of the essay here.
4 comments:
Butcher of an edit. Jeez.
Excellent companion piece to your op-ed. Letting people know that there are still many mom'n'pops left that need some kind of helpful legislation is a VERY important endeavor. Thanks for ALL your efforts, and thanks to the DrBenedittis family for keeping the traditions alive. You are a treasure!
And, just wondering, do you think they would mind if I pitched a one-person tent in the corner of the backyard garden?.....I WANT TO LIVE THERE! :+)
Many thanks DrBOP. They might let you pitch that tent, they're pretty generous!
Nice article, but the full address of the business isn't listed.
It's on 104th St and what cross avenue?
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