Not only do regions have their specialty foods, but people have their specialties...my husbands grandmother was from Sicily...she made a wonderful bread that was rolled up with a special filling of spices and italian sausage...Now I made great homemade bread and Italian sausage, but I could never duplicate her recipe, not as good as she made it...and of course, she would never part with her recipe...
And my husbands aunt made the best spaghetti and meat balls and sausage ever...and fried chicken that would put the best southern cook to shame...and then again, she would never pass on her recipe...
What was it with these old Sicilian ladies?....it was as if, their best eats had to be kept a special secrete, and they would never pass on their best recipes, and when the old ladies died, so did their recipes...
Very sad. My mother passed on at age 96 a couple years ago. Her memory will be passed on more completely because she taught her children to cook. And I have taught my children to cook.
"What was it with these old Sicilian ladies?....it was as if, their best eats had to be kept a special secret, and they would never pass on their best recipes, and when the old ladies died, so did their recipes..."
Keep your friends close; keep your recipes closer....