Georgia Spanos first started recording her family’s memories in a journal a few years ago. After losing her Nonno, and with him a sentimental family recipe, she was determined to immortalise the stories that define her Italian-Australian history, afraid the traditions would fade away with her grandparents. ‘Food is our tradition; it’s what binds us’, explains Georgia, ‘The kitchen is the place where we come together to cook and swap recipes, to share our joys and our disappointments’. During their many sessions in the kitchen, Georgia’s Nonna shared with her the recipes and stories that shaped their identity.
When The Tomatoes Are Ready is a story of migration and food. Part cookbook and part family history record, the book traces the narrative of Georgia’s grandparents’ lives, from childhood in Italy to when they first arrived to a strange, new culture in Australia. The tale is punctuated by 27 important family recipes expertly woven into the tale, illustrated by Melbourne-based designer James Fox Rogers.
