My Mom, Tullia Battaglin, was born January 30, 1928 in Marostica (Vicenza), Italy. She was the sixth child of ten. My Mom’s mother, Agnese Bonomo Battaglin (Nonna Agnese) ran a small restaurant in the early years of her marriage. Nonna Agnese was locally renowned for her cooking. She also was clever at stretching meals to feed a hungry brood of ten children.

Mom married Anthony Villanova March 7, 1951 in Italy and emigrated to Hudson, New York in September of the same year.

Once Mom became comfortable in her newly adopted country people raved about her cooking, from school friends we brought home to my Mom’s Hobby Club to the many couples she invited over for special meals. And she always made enough for everyone to take home leftovers, “so no one has the cook the next day.” We could stop home any time, even unannounced, and look in her freezer “treasure chest”. “Are you expecting company?” She’d ask. “Take this tray of lasagna for when they come.” Or “take home the salsetta” to make with the beans you said they love”.

Mealtime was very important. Dinner was served promptly with Mom yelling for us in the neighborhood. Or she would yell at Dad, “Don’t let the rice get long!” (Which meant the rice would no longer be al dente.)

As I compiled her recipes while cooking together, Mom related amusing and fascinating tales of her childhood growing up in her large family during the decades around the time of World War II. Therefore, I have included her tales which are woven throughout this book. I have written this book of her recipes and tales for family both in the United States and abroad, as well as for the many fans of her delicious food.