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Mary Contini - Food Writer
Mary is a partner in the famous Italian delicatessen Valvona and Crolla in Edinburgh."I strongly believe that we have to teach our children how to cook, they love it & it is the easiest way to engage them in choosing a healthy diet."
Coming from an Italian background I have been brought up with an instinct and passion for good
food. I find local Scottish produce exceptionally good from fish to shellfish, lamb and beef.
We are so lucky to live here and have the best of both worlds…Italian food heritage and
Scottish ingredients.
What five things do you think your Grand-parents (who
started the business) would have chosen?
I reckon my Grandparents would choose exactly the same as me:
Good extra virgin olive oil, Fresh Pecorino cheese, (sheep's milk alternative to Parmigiano…they
were shepherds) garlic, dried chilli, peproncino, and fresh tomatoes!!!
All the ingredients above as they are the basis of nearly all our recipes.
Market place, impulsive, inspirational, fun and surprising.
Recipes are in Dear Francesca published by Ebury Press.
I would make pasta with tomato sugo cooked with polpetini and Fonteluna sausage, followed
by Spring lamb roasted and served with greens.
Pudding would be fresh fruit with fresh pecorino cheese and some honey drizzled over it.
I make my food the same way my grandmother and mother taught me. The recipes haven't changed
in 100 years.
I think a lot of people in schools, health education and government are all fighting to ensure that good eating and healthy diet is not lost to our children.
Initiatives are springing up all over the country to make this happen and if we all do our best to keep good food on the agenda the children of tomorrow will carry the message forward.
I strongly believe that we have to teach our children how to cook…they love it and it is the easiest way to engage them in choosing a healthy diet.
I have never been a Guide but do feel that it is a great organisation. I do think that it is also important these days that young girls learn to be self sufficient and independent but also think they should learn to work and play with young men as well.
I love Marcella Hazan Italian Cookery Books and Rich Stein, Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater. These are all authors who are knowledgeable, inspirational and whose recipes always work.
My mother, Gertrude Di Ciacca who brought up 8 children and ran a café and catering business at the same time. She made us all cook with her and taught us to think and plan in the kitchen as well as to choose the very best ingredients. She is a brilliant cook.
Mindroom…a charity for children with learning difficulties as it aims to give all children an equal chance.
My two girls…Francesca and Olivia……bringing up children is a huge achievement and all parents should be proud of all they do.
I'd like every child to have Easy Peasy…by myself and Pru Irvine …it is geared to teach children to cook! And Sue Lawrence 'Scottish Kitchen' because I think we should all celebrate our Scottish Food heritage.
I'd love to have a good chat with Carry Grant! We could talk about the meaning of life!
To find out more about Mary's business please see www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/
Go to main inspirational women page