For the final assignment to obtain my Certificate in Applied Neurogastronomy Platinum Level, I brought to my teammates an idea based on "At This Restaurant, Grandmas Are The Chefs" and this report from BBC Travel that I came across some time ago about this curious restaurant where a few days a week, they offer in their rotating menu some dishes prepared by nonnas from different parts of the world. They are called nonnas because the restaurant started inviting initially Italian grandmothers that would bring their beloved homemade recipes to prepare and serve at the restaurant. Later on, the idea expanded to include nonnas from many other countries, an homage to the amazing ethnic and cultural diversity of NYC, a city with a very rich and unique cultural melting pot like no other place in the world. Our final assignment and presentation were a success, but I couldn’t go on without visiting in-person the restaurant that inspired our project and going through the experience of having a meal prepared by one of the Nonnas of the World!
It was a very nice surprise to receive an email from Paula, from Enoteca Maria, to inform me that my application to be a nonna in training was accepted just a few days after I filled out the form. When I informed them that I also spoke Spanish, she suggested I could train with nonna Rosa, who prepares Peruvian food. I visited Peru in 2020, right before the onset of the pandemic. I stayed for three months with family members who had recently emigrated from Venezuela when my birth country was experiencing one of the most acute economical and political crises of its modern history. I thought that having the opportunity to eat and learn more about Peruvian food would be a comforting and delicious trip down memory lane, so I didn’t have to think it over too much. The other two options I was offered were a nonna from Mexico and a nonna from Bangladesh. Both were also very tempting options, but having returned from Bangladesh just a few months ago visiting my in-laws, and having to wait a bit longer to train with the nonna from Mexico, I opted for nonna Rosa, which I didn’t regret at all after I finished the training.
I confess that in my twenty-plus years living in NYC, visiting Staten Island had always been on my to-do list. Although there was the New York City guide's suggested journey of jumping on a free 30-minute ferry ride from Manhattan to then jump back in the next returning ferry from Staten Island–a very touristy-thing to do that also gives you a panoramic view of the Statue of Liberty–, it didn’t feel quite right for me to stop by the Staten Island's Ferry Terminal for only 30 minutes to say that I have already been in this borough, the last one of the five in NYC that I hadn’t visited. Instead, having the opportunity to be a nonna in training in Nonnas of the World and having a different Sunday lunch at Enoteca Maria with my husband as part of our anniversary-month's treat, was worth the trip to the island.
I’ve always been very bad with directions. But when I read on the restaurant website that it was only a 5-minute walk from the St. George Ferry Terminal, I felt relieved. The info and directions were quite clear and it was, literally, only a few minutes walk, although slightly uphill, before reaching my destination. I had sent Paula a text message that I would be arriving a few minutes later than the agreed time because I had missed the 10:00 a.m. ferry I intended to ride initially. A mental note I saved for myself for future visits is that the Staten Island ferry leaves only every half an hour.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I was warmly greeted by Joe, the owner, who then introduced me to nonna Rosa and the kitchen manager, Elias. They've already started to do the prep work in their open kitchen. I immediately put on my apron and head cover and presented myself ready to nonna Rosa. At the beginning, I think she was a bit puzzled and apprehensive with my presence as if she didn’t know what to do with me. But as I started speaking Spanish and told her that I was from Venezuela, one of Peru’s neighboring countries, I think she started to feel more at ease. Determined to make myself useful in her kitchen–I wasn’t planning to spend my training just observing–I asked to be given some tasks that I could do without causing too much interruption to her workflow and prep schedule. I started peeling potatoes and cutting them into the right size to become the fries that later would be served with one of the main dishes. While I was peeling and cutting, I saw this roughly 5-feet-tall, 80-year-old grandmother with the energy of someone half her age, completing all the different tasks to ready the kitchen with everything they were going to need later to prepare and serve the three selected Peruvian dishes for that day: Mixed ceviche, Fish escabeche, and Lomo saltado.
The first thing that I noticed was that nonna Rosa was preparing everything from her memory, and ingredients and quantities were added instinctively. I was being trained through observation and hands-on tasks as no recipe books or manuals were on sight. It was exactly how I learned to prepare many of my own grandmothers’ beloved dishes. Also, the kitchen wisdom and tips that nonna Rosa shared were invaluable. Like when she told me to chop the sweet potatoes before boiling them, and let them cool before peeling them off carefully. This way, the piece of sweet potato will remain whole, which is better-looking when serving, while if you cut them after they're boiled, they might just break apart unevenly. After all the prep was done and before the beginning of the first service, I enjoyed a brief chat with nonna Rosa where she told me more about her life in NYC, her family, and the other jobs she does during the week. It was clear that she had an unconditional love for cooking–especially Peruvian food–and feeding others. Before my husband arrived for lunch, I had the opportunity to see how nonna Rosa plated the different dishes for serving.
My heart was swell with gratitude for having the opportunity to learn from such a wise and lively nonna, and we enjoyed three iconic Peruvian dishes beautifully executed.
This description comes from Enoteca Maria's Menu on that day:
Ceviche mixto
A South American dish of pickled shrimp, calamari, octopus, and codfish
Mixed with cilantro, onions, celery, lemon juice, and sweet potatoes
Lomo saltado
A popular and traditional Peruvian dish consisting of sautéed strips of tender seasoned steak with onions, tomatoes, and fresh herbs served with white rice and potatoes
Escabeche de pescado
Traditional Peruvian dish consisting of pan-roasted cod
cooked with onions and served with white rice
We concluded our lunch with a decadently rich piece of gluten-free Basque cheesecake accompanied by two excellent cappuccinos. The perfect ending for such a memorable lunch.
Gluten-free Basque Cheesecake
After having participated in nonna in training, I felt a great responsibility to continue preparing and learning more about these dishes that nonna Rosa shared with me so kindly. These three specific recipes are also full of history and they are a result of the fusion of local and foreign ingredients and cooking techniques brought by different immigrants that have arrived in Peru throughout the years.
With nonna Rosa from Peru
I can’t close this note without thanking Enoteca Maria and their project Nonnas of the World. I’m hopeful knowing that such a project exists. It gives an opportunity to guests to try dishes from different culinary traditions, thus enriching their lives by learning about new countries and cultures through something as intimate as food. These types of initiatives help to bring people together to break the cycle of divisiveness and intolerance that are only based in ignorance. I believe gastronomy is a venue to help open up doors to encourage conversations, exchange ideas, and find common ground. What could be a better place to start learning more about each other than at the table with a good plate of food.
If you ever have the opportunity, I'd encourage you to visit Staten Island to have lunch at Enoteca Maria and try some of the dishes prepared by the visiting nonna of Nonnas of the World. You can even check out their Nonnas Calendar ahead of time to plan. Now, if you love to cook and want to learn how to prepare new dishes from other countries as a real nonna, consider also signing up to be a nonna in training. You won’t regret it!
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