Flat Lay Self Portrait

Pot of tomato sauce: This is representative of my background and the role it plays in my life. Not much influence of my ancestry is left after Americanization, as it has been multiple (and from some places, many, or countless) generations. One thing that has survived is the tomato basil sauce my grandmother makes. She learned from her mother, who learned from her mother, preserving the tradition throughout time.

Bowl of spices: I only had basil in my home so I specifically went to my grandmother's house to get some of her sweet basil. The other two spices are oregano and parsley. These are all the spices my grandmother uses in her pasta sauce.

Chopped onion and garlic: These are both ingredients my grandmother uses in her sauce, although she usually used pre-chopped garlic from a container. (Side note: my grandmother taught me that to prevent your eyes from tearing while chopping onions, hang a piece of bread from your mouth. It works!)

A bottle of olive oil: Olive oil is what you use to sautee the onion and garlic, and usually green pepper as well.

A knife: My grandmother usually uses a large knife like this to chop her vegetables before adding them to the sauce.