The Donatelli’s and I were Good Friends and they accepted me like I was family. I was invited to the Best Italian Home Cooked Dinners ever. Not everyone got invited to Joseph Donatelli family Sunday supper/dinners. I was extremely lucky and blessed to be included. Even more so than I knew or realized at the time. And a good thing I was hungry. I ate practically every dish and loved them all. The Donatelli’s were happy to see me enjoy their meal so much. If I finished my plate I was told to get another plateful. And the dessert(s) too. This was as close to the Ritz as I ever got. But even better.
Before we began the meal we all said a Blessing and prayed together. We all held hands and prayed along with the father of the family and his unbelievably nice with Mary. Yes, Joe senior was The Man in so many ways. Three Donatelli brothers and 5 beautiful Italian sisters. And the great family dog whose name escapes me. He was so well behaved and was therefore allowed around all the delicious food.
We had the meal in the back yard as there was not enough room in the house for the entire family and guests. The fruit and vegetables were grown in Joe’s garden he tended to and fathered off to the side of the lawn. The vegetable be was all chicken wired in because there were critters every night in the back yard hoping to get a free meal. Joe planted so many beautiful natural and delicious crops and they were all delicious.
wine and beer, cheese plater
Fresh Garden salad and Italian dressing. Home grown vegetables like tomatoes and lettuce. Fresh Italian bread was oven baked and there was several loaves throughout the meal.
main dishes are manicotti, spaghetti with homemade spaghetti sauce with Italian Sausage and Meatballs
desserts were ice creams, ices and eclairs
Then the real desserts like
More home made wine (made in the basement) and anisette (anise flavored liquor).