This Friday, 21st of October, our screens will be filled with a brand new miniseries by Netflix which narrates the life and love story of Amy (played by Zoe Saldana) and Lino. The show is a screen adaptation of Tembi Locke’s homonymous memoir, From Scratch, written following her husband’s passing after a long battle with cancer.
Italy frames Amy and Lino’s love
The moving storyline is constellated by moments surrounding food, from one of the first conversations the future couple shares, on what Amy’s favorite foods in Florence are, all the way to the two families making Lino’s caponata all together, after his passing. Tembi herself shared what her real-life favorite food discoveries in Italy were.
«During my first weeks in Italy, I discovered radicchio and mascarpone in the same dish. As a twenty year old from Texas, I didn't know what either ingredient was. But the combination of them together in the same dish awakened a new bold flavor frontier. I was intrigued, surprised and delighted. But mostly, I kept thinking of food and of Italy, "What else don't I know?"».
At the beginning of their friendship - which speedily transformed into a romantic relationship - Saro invited Tembi to the restaurant he was working at, wanting to impress her and allow her to discover the vastness of Italy’s gastronomic heritage. We asked Tembi if, all these years later, there was still a dish that symbolizes the love between herself and Saro. «I'd have to say the risotto verde. It was one of the first dishes he made for me. And it was a discovery and a revelation, verdant and aromatic, like his love. When I wrote about it in the book, I realized that is the one that I miss most and that I can never recreate. It will always be my strongest food memory and it will always be our dish».
La Sicilia
Although Florence plays a key role in the miniseries, providing a romantic backdrop for the couple’s newborn love, it is Sicily that holds a more significant value both on screen and off screen. Tembi and Saro spent their honeymoon in Sicily in the hopes of being able to encounter Saro’s family, who initially disapproved of his choices regarding work and marrying a black American woman. Saro’s home leaves a painful hole in the couple’s hearts, one which later fortunately gets mended through a family reconciliation.
After Saro’s passing, Tembi, along with their daughter, spent many summers in Sicily as a way of remembering their lost loved one and connecting with his past and homeland. When speaking about Sicily, Tembi says that it «represents a place for immense poetry, personal respite, delicious food and warm family. It is a place where I can feel both deeply at home, but also always a little like an outsider. It is a curious combination, for sure. But I welcome it. All of Italy reminds me to be present and open to life's adventures. But Sicily reminds me of the past and present simultaneously, as well as the bitter and sweet, love and pain. It always leaves me wanting more and longing for it when I'm not there».
Tembi now lives in Los Angeles with her and Saro’s daughter, and Italy’s flavours and ingredients have not only lived in their memories, but in their daily routines and family kitchen. «I have a very Italian kitchen. Extra virgin Italian olive oil, garlic, and onion are the soffritto that is the base for many dishes in my home. I keep Sicilian origano and sea salt from Trapani (course and fine) on hand for soups, salads and pasta. And I learned from my mother-in-law to always have lentils in the pantry. Lastly, my kitchen is never, I repeat never, without salsa di pomodoro!»
Salsa Pronta by Tembi Locke
Ingredients - makes about 8 cups
2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
2 large red onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Large bunch of basil
1 tablespoon sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
Origano and red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
Combine the tomatoes and ½ cup water in a large pot. Add half of the onion and half of the garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes, stirring frequently to keep from sticking. Remove from the heat. Pass through a food mill or blend in a blender to make a puree.
In a food processor, combine the olive oil, basil, and the remaining onion and garlic. Puree until very smooth.
In a clean pot, combine the tomato puree and the basil puree. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until it thickens, 20 to 30 minutes (longer if you are going for a paste consistency). Remove from heat. Add the salt and sugar. If you are making sauce for pizza or prefer a little spicier flavor, add a small bunch of oregano and/or pinch of red pepper flakes.
This sauce can be canned in sterilized jars while still hot or stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.