As I was reading this I thought of my Sicilian relatives, and our social engagements when I was growing up. Food was very important, and it was always home cooked. Meals were elaborate and a reflection of a family's pride. A table well set and guests well nourished were the standard. Once someone entered your home, they were fed, and fed well. There was no such thing as a quick snack. It was always a tablecloth, and a setting.

That era is gone. Sometimes the long sessions around food got on my nerves, because it all took so long and the expectation for socializing was quite high. But there was a grace about it that is sorely lacking today.