Reading the Sunday papers, opened up across the plastic table-cloth, a cup of hot coffee, some fresh buns right from the bakery, garlic and parsley have been chopped, meatballs are rolled and are already frying, so is the sausage.... fried until lightly browned, the stewed, plum-tomatoes have been chopped, smashed, and are ready to be added to a deep pot and turned into "gravy", not sauce, but, the 'Sunday-Morning Gravy'.  The rigatone ( a style of pasta) are sitting in boxes on the kitchen counter, waiting in the wings, ready to be dumped into boiling water later this afternoon, cooked until al dente, and then put into a deep bowl along with the gravy, meatballs and sausage, both hot and sweet.  The table will be set with ordinary dishes, and glasses that may or may not, match, grated cheese, some cherry-peppers, ricotta, red wine, soda, and of course, salad will be on the table also.  Fruit and nuts will follow later along with the pastry, black-coffee and anisette.

The aroma of the simmering gravy, fresh basil, garlic, frying meats, olive oil, red wine....is the calling card of traditional Italian families on a Sunday morning.  It's a ritual that's been going on all my life, and I can still see my mom, rest her soul, frying the meatballs at the stove, happily cooking, for the family, with never a complaint.

This is a slice of life that's disappearing fast.  Too many diets, cholesterol warnings, and scattered families have killed this tradition off.  As I look out at the ripening figs growing on my back porch, I have these visions, and these wistful, smokey, memories, floating gently before my eyes.  All things change.


Frank

What time is dinner ??!!! I have to say when we're in FL , that's our every Sunday with the whole family ! LOVE it!! I put on Jimmy Roselli music and music I grew up with . Keeping traditions alive... Great memories, Thanks for the wonderful post.  ツ

Thanks Frank,
Memories of my childhood streaming back as I read your post, all except the figs growing by the back porch, very little of that happening here in Maine.  Trying to add that memory for my family with my fig plants as well as get figs into the hands of more Maine gardeners.
Cooking for your family is love demonstrated.
Greg

Nice Frank.
brings back fond memories of my parents and Anthony as well each time i make the Sunday gravy .
Dad learned to count the meatballs as he fried them as Anthony and i used to sneak a few.
One of my fondest memories was when he brought home some horse meat night before from club unknown to us and made bracioles making horse sounds as we ate them that afternoon was a rare site to see him in that mood.
He used to bring home so many figs from the club also and other things i truly miss those times.
Also visits to grandma's house for it was her that was my biggest influence to the world of figs at a very young age .
Thanks for sharing you Sunday morning here on forum.

Just because family is scattered doesn't mean the tradition has to end.  I live over a thousand of miles from my parents & siblings.  But there are always friends who have also grown up with that tradition who like to keep it going.  We get together with the adults talking it up and the kids running all over the yard.  Good food, good beer (or wine depending on the drinker) and good company.  That's all it takes.

Keep the tradition going Frank!!

Gosh, that sounds really great. My family used to get together in similar fashion. They are all scattered now. And those who kept those traditions alive are gone. You are a lucky man, Frank. And that menu for tonight sounds sublime.

wow that really hit home...brought back some fond memories of my childhood...thanks for sharing

WOW! THAT SOUNDS GREAT, FRANK! i dont make sunday gravy that often, but it freezes great. i put a cheap pork roast in mine. for extra flavor. do you? sometimes braciole  is fun too.

anyway, now i gotta make it next sunday. i can't think of anything better.

luv your posts! keep 'em coming .

Susie, braciole was very special growing up to me, never saw it anywhere but at home with family.  Thank you for the reminder, need to make some.

Thanks for the wonderful comments, and sharing  the remembrances of things past, and present.  You will all be at my afternoon dinner...there's always plenty for everybody.

We all try, in our own ways to cling to what's familiar and what's comforting.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it's only just the memories that linger.

Thanks for taking a trip back in time with me and sharing.



Frank

Funny that you should post this at this time, I just finished watching the Godfather, Mean Streets, and watching Scarface, and having meatballs, Pasta, Salad for Sunday dinner.  Not a bad day for an East Texas, fig growing, all American patriot.

Carry on the tradition, too many are lost!!

Thanks . i complain all the time while cooking... wheres the garlic? the tomatoes are not fresh... the onions are overfried...  all this while watching news on my IPAD..

WORLD IS CHANGING

Wow, this gave me a chill. It will almost be a year since my mom passed, she was a cook like no other. She would always make the sauce (not gravy at our house) every Sunday morning with lamb or pork and yes the meat balls . You could set your clock because at 1pm it was a big lunch/dinner. Now the my mom is gone, my wife and I are canning the tomatoes today just like my mom would do. We grow them, pick them wash them down boil for 3 mins, cool them, cut them up, and run the through the tomato mill and now the are simmering on the stove. My mom would do hundreds of quarts a year and never complain. My wife and I looked at each other and said this is a lot of work how did my mom do this for years after years  and never complain. We are trying to keep as many traditions going as possible.  Just a s Frank (Bronx figs) said that how out house was when we were kids.

Frank, even though I grew up in a northern european-american culture and know nothing about sunday gravy (and up until 3 years ago knew nothing about figs), I really enjoyed your reminiscing about the sunday family ritual.  Regardless of the culture, the times cooking and eating with family and friends are the best.

Frank, thanks for the great description of how wonderful it could be. I had an Italian aunt (R.I.P.) who wouldn't let that "parmesan in the green can" into her house. She would say "we might not be able to afford much, but we can afford to eat right!"

I'd be the one carrying the freshly-cranked home made gelato in the front door, asking, "do you have any room in the icebox for this? I'll serve it after dinner."

Fespo if your heavy into canning tomatoes. 
Made in Italy by Imperia its a Electric Spremy machine takes whole tomato's and seeds and skin go one way and the good stuff the other.
It works great had mine for lot of years.

Then i fill up sterilized mason jars and into canning pot for 20 minute or so boil last long time as you already know.
Teaspoon of lemon juice in jar makes the color stay nice.

Hi Frank.
Thank you for describing my Sunday diner table except the ripeing figs, mine are just seating there doing nothing.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Vito

Man, I miss this atmosphere.  We would visit my grandparents in Cleveland and have food spread across a 12' table.  Grandpa would come from the basement with a bottle of wine he made from the grapes in his backyard.  All the aunts, uncles and cousins would come over for lunch/dinner.  I remember the kitchen had a hypnotic smell and all burners were full.  Then, comes the espresso and homemade cookies.  Long gone are those days...

Czech, not Italian, but have similar memories growing up.., Fresh hot Kolaches.  Homemade chicken noodle soup at one grandmas with hand cut hair thin noodles, fresh pot roast and sweetbreads with homemade bread and jatrove knedlicky (liver dumpling soup) at the others..... 
Everyone showing up on a crisp fall day to slaughter hogs and make crackling and  Jitrnice, (Head sausage).  great memories,,, I miss them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Wow do I miss my grandmother when I am reminded of days gone by. She has been gone for 30 years this year. Luckily my brother and I were smart enough to hang around the kitchen and learn a few things. Now it's me on my Sundays off in the kitchen making the house smell wonderful.

Frank, thank you for taking us all back to Noni's house for a spell where life was simpler and better.

I agree that things do change unless we take a stand protest to the contrary. I'm proud to report the Russo home still serving up the macs and gravy on Sunday, homemade bread and wine. Sometimes escarole soup. Can't wait for the figs to ripen up.

All are invited to partake just know ahead of time that Mrs. Russo puts everyone to work. :-)

I always thought gravy was brown til I met a girl with Italian heritage.