Uncle Gianfranco is one of my favorite cooks and has a passion for food that only Italians can understand. On a recent Facetime with him, he gave me the following piece of advice:
"Learn to cook really well 3 or 4 pasta sauces. This way you'll always have friends around for dinner."
Seeing him cook over the years to parties of all sizes, from small family gatherings of 10-15 people to large groups of friends, it makes sense.
Gianfranco has always been known to family and friends as the chef. His dishes always surprise and delight us.
And whenever he says he's going to cook lunch or dinner, you find a way to shuffle your schedule and be there on time with an empty stomach. His food never disappoints. And he's also a very good entertainer, always armed with good stories and jokes.
The beauty of his advice is that cooking is a nice hobby. Time spent in the kitchen is seldom wasted, especially if you're working to cook to perfection a Cacio e Pepe or a juicy steak.
Perhaps it is a very Italian thing, but having friends around a table full of food and drink is one of the things I enjoy the most.
So I'll take his advice to heart and start perfecting my Carbonara.