"When I think of doing tomatoes, I think of fun first and foremost. Music, food, laughter and then we did the tomatoes." - AnnaMarie
She remembers sitting in a circle with her brothers and sisters, each holding a small knife while their mother washed tomatoes in large tubs downstairs. Their grandparents carefully watched over everything, making sure the process was done properly. “Everything had to be perfect. Everything had to be clean,” she recalls. “It taught us responsibility without us even realizing it.”
Looking back now, what stays with her most is not the work itself, but the feeling of being included in something important. “I never want to forget sitting in that circle with my brothers and sisters while my parents and grandparents watched over us.”
Her grandfather remains one of the strongest memories from those days. “My grandfather was so patient with us. He loved having his grandchildren there helping.” At the time, she didn’t fully understand what those moments meant, but now she sees how much they shaped her understanding of family, care, and responsibility.
At the end of the day, after hours of work, everyone gathered around the table for pasta
made with the fresh sauce they had just prepared.
“That was the grand finale,” she says. Today, the tradition continues with children, grandchildren, and even customers joining in. “The laughter, the peace, the good times, that’s what stays with me.”