What’s in a Name

Dad with my grandparents

My grandparents, who emigrated from Italy shortly after World War I, lived in the upstairs apartment in our house in Queens, NY. They’re a part of all my childhood memories.

One of those memories is a little nursery rhyme they used to sing to me when I was baby. It went like this, (at least it sounded like this. I never saw it written down):

• Mani manuzzi, veni papa! (Clap hands, daddy is coming!

• Porta ceci cosa sa (He brings sweets home)

• per so filio es so ma! (for baby and mom!)

When I had kids, my dad would recite the rhyme to them. He’d put them on his lap and clap their hands in time with the sing-songy words. At the last line he’d get louder and bring their hands up to their cheeks and squeeze their little faces when he got to “ma!”. The kids always laughed and shouted “more!”.

I also remember the great food my grandmother and her sister would make for family meals, especially the desserts. They were simple, not overly sweet, but delicious. When I was old enough to appreciate espresso, it was a revelation how good those desserts were with coffee.

So it’s fitting that our company, dedicated to bringing a wide variety of traditional Italian-inspired cookies, cakes, and tarts to a region that knows its coffee, be named in honor of my Italian family, who gave me a joyful passion for family and food.