Column: Pino’s coming to dinner

When eating a meal in Italy, you are never just consuming quality ingredients served in stunning presentation — you are absorbing the rich flavors of Italian tradition and history.

At an unsuspecting restaurant in an alleyway in Florence, I discovered the beauty of Italian culture enveloped between two layers of flaky focaccia, thick slices of mozzarella and a generous spread of pesto.

Aside from Salumeria Verdi’s display-case boasting countless Italian dishes (pasta with marinara, ribollita — a white bean and cabbage soup — and fresh vegetables sautéed in glassy green olive oil), the true magic resides in chef and owner Pino, who has run the establishment for the past 20 years.

Food was an integral part of Pino’s life growing up in Naples, a city in southern Italy known for its coastline, crime rates and cuisine.

With a soft smile on his face, Pino recalled childhood memories of his mother in the kitchen, spending endless hours cooking meals for the family.

Every day, without exception, she set the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Young Pino was constantly at her side, tasting each dish to learn the difference between oregano and basil, the texture of a ripe tomato and the proper consistency of ragu.

Meals served at the family table were a testament of her love for her family and a vehicle for the stories of her Italian heritage.

Her recipes were never scrawled on note cards. Italian culinary art is an oral tradition passed down through laughter, whispers and playful banter, an education that Pino gleaned from his mother’s example rather than in the confines of a culinary school.

After growing up with such values of unity cultivated around the family table, owning a restaurant and enoteca was a way for Pino to put this message into practice within his community.

Since opening Salumeria Verdi, Pino has enjoyed his long days of serving locals, tourists and hoards of university students with insatiable appetites.

After eating my first caprese panino, I was captivated by my meal, and witnessing Pino’s enthusiasm made the greatest impression.  

In search of guidance on what constitutes the “glue” of a strong Italian family, Pino has taught me that lessons shared through food are ones that inspire personal growth, deepen relationships and impart a sense of comfort and security.

“Eating together is something that unites the family, an event that brings them closer together,” Pino said.

However, as longer work hours have become more common in the Italian lifestyle, eating meals together can be difficult.

Yet, even after a 12-hour workday, Pino still has time to sit down for dinner with his wife and child.

No matter how long the day may drone on, nourishing one’s body and enjoying time with friends and family are moments that Pino says are worth living for.

This act of communion through food, shared around the family table, should take greater priority in our daily life.

Not a day has passed since my arrival to Florence that I haven’t shared a meal with my host mother, roommate or friend. These are the moments I will remember most about my life in Italy, ones that I will be able to recall simply by enjoying a meal with those around me.

Thanks, Pino. With your wisdom in mind, in my house, someone will always be coming for dinner.