When you're planning which restaurant to go to, you typically don't ask, “Do you want American food?” No, you ask... "How about Italian?”

But here’s the twist… much of what we call authentic Italian food isn’t actually from Italy. It's kind of a made-up Italian, American style!

In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely unpack the real story behind Italian-American cuisine, how it's more of a blending of what we had here, and how adaptation shaped everything from lasagna and chicken parm to pasta and even the right San Marzano tomatoes. If you’ve ever debated your Mom's marinara vs. Nona's Sunday sauce—or wondered why meatballs are bigger here than in Italy, you'll want to tune in to learn more.

Interestingly enough, Italy wasn’t even a unified nation until the 1800s. Its food traditions were regional, hyper-local, shaped by geography, and published cookbooks. Families in the mountain villages cooked differently than those in small coastal towns. Meat was scarce. Recipes were instinctual. Nonas didn’t measure. They remembered and passed on the feeling of what to do to their daughters and sons.

But then immigration changed when families went to find a new homeland.

In America, meat became affordable. Flour was abundant. Tomatoes were more often than not canned. Portions grew - Maria said, "What's the matter, you don't like my food," when you couldn't finish your dinner.

Layers stacked. And what emerged wasn’t a copy of what we thought was Italian. It was really instead, something new: Italian-American food, a cuisine built on resilience, memory, and opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

1. How immigration transformed Italian food in America
2. The difference between tomato sauce, marinara, and real Sunday gravy
3. Why semolina flour and wheat quality matter in your pasta
4. And why Italian food feels like family, even if your grandmother wasn’t a Nona

This episode of Family Tree Food & Stories blends food history, real storytelling, and a little kitchen humor, because Italian food isn’t just about pasta, it's about using all your senses and a little dash of garlic and memory. It also helps to pour a lot of wine into that sauce (and the glass), and a chance to stay at the table long after the plates are cleared.

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