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It was here at Ellis Island, at the turn of the 20th century, where the McDonaugh's, Rogers', Cicio's, and Kolakowski's passed through before four of their children would fatefully meet in Woodside, Queens, and Coney Island.  Legend has it that before meeting my grandmother, Nellie, at Coney Island, my grandfather, Vito, prayed to the Virgin Mary to send him an angel.  The very next day, he laid eyes on my grandma, (whose name was actually "Angela") and the rest, as they say, is history.  My paternal Grandfather, Martin McDonaugh, used to play horseshoes with the local boys in Woodside and Sunnyside, which were Irish at the time.  It was here that he caught the eye of Mary Rogers, daughter of one of the neighborhood fellows.  Well, their children would eventually meet one seemingly normal day while waiting in line to register for classes at Nassau CCC in Hempstead, NY, and now here I am giving this presentation.

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Basil became a key herb in Italian cuisine, but it came to the Mediterranean via ancient trade routes tracing back to India. Thank you, intrepid merchants of yore!

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Homeland of the McDonaugh and Rogers Clan

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Home of the Kolakowski's, my maternal grandmother's homeland

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Islip, NY-- where Sunday dinners were often populated by my mom's sweet and savory spaghetti sauce, with her one-of-a-kind meatballs. Before dinner you could find me making frequent trips to the kitchen, stealing spoonfuls of the simmering sauce.

New York City, and its suburbs, have recently been classified as being in a humid subtropical climate zone, which is hotly debated amongst climate aficionados. I wouldn't get in the middle of that one without a helmet if I were you!

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Catania, Metropolitan city of Catania, Italy

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Catania, Metropolitan city of Catania, Italy

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Catania, Metropolitan city of Catania, Italy

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City of origin for the Cicio's, my maternal grandfather's homeland.

Sicily is home to a mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers).

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Climate is extreme continental: long, hot summer; cold winters

Does the recipe call for 3 cloves?  Better make it 6!

How our pungent pal made its journey to Europe from Central Asia is uncertain, but some say it came via Crusaders returning home from that historic clash of religion and empire.

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mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers)

Olive oil is produced by grinding olives and extracting the oil by mechanical or chemical means. Green olives usually produce more bitter oil, and overripe olives can produce oil with fermentation defects, so for good extra virgin olive oil care is taken to make sure the olives are perfectly ripened.

Just a little goes a long way-- a few tablespoons will do for this recipe.

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The tomato likely grew in a temperate climate, in the Andes Mountain Region of South America.

But how'd it get all the way to Italy, you say?  Hint: they don't speak Italian in South America!