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DInner on Sunday at 2:00! The first time I took my future wife (now ex) to my mom's for dinner she was treated to the typical Italian-American dinner. Being non-Italian, it was all new to her and became a story told many times after as her initiaion into the ways of Italians in Brooklyn.

First the antipasta was served. Slices of salami, mozzarella, olives, marinated peppers.

Next came the cheese ravioli, with meatballs, sausage and of course a rich red GRAVY, covered by romano cheese. Alongside was a salad, and a generous loaf of garlic bread.

Then the main course, a braciole, a rolled and seasoned steak.

After this, we went for dessert, across the hall to a neighbor's apartment, for espresso and cheescake. The espresso was of course properly served, with a rind of lemon alongside.

My intended feasted on the antipasta, and got as far as the ravioli, thinking that was the end of the meal.

A good Sunday meal took at least an hour or two, and was punctuated by visits by with neighbors and family. What a time, and a way of life. I miss it.

You are scaring me here. You are describing family meals with my Italian family down to the dessert.

My friend that included me in her family, well her wedding was the Italian version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was a good thing the theater was empty when my Mom and I saw that movie. I laughed and lived that wedding.

I bought the DVD and my Mom and I went through scene by scene the parts that were straight out of my friend wedding.

My Italian great grandmother served a dish with pasta only first. After that we had the meatballs sausage and or braciolle, and some fried chicken thighs. Salad was always last. No bread was served as that was what they ate during the depression and was forbidden on her table.

AND ITS SAUCE not gravy LOL

Your menu sounds much like the one I enjoyed in a very Italian restaurant in southern Brazil. The difference? As soon as you finished the dessert course, they cleared the table and as long as you remained seated there, they began serving you the whole menu once again. I was so bloated and content after the fish course, I was ready to leave happy. Only one or two trenchermen were able to get through the second serving of pasta. It was all incredibly good, but we are talking major calorie intake at one sitting--up to thousands of cals per person after eating every item on the menu. Mama mia!