What do you do when one of you is Polish, one of you is Irish, one of you is British, one of you is Australian and one of you is, ahem, made in Thailand?
How you do you unite this multicultural whirlpool and find something that both unites, and in some way defines you as a family?
Yes.
That's right.
You learn to cook Italian.
We are both proud of our family heritage and eager to share it with our children, as well as teaching them about their own culture and tradition. But of equal importance was finding a way to define our own family unit. A unit that whilst connected to our corresponding families is also unique in its own special way.
It's taken us years to find the "thing" that works for us. But Italian it is.
It means that everyone from the youngest to the eldest member can play a role in preparing.



Our primary focus is making pasta and a (weight watchers) carbonara sauce.

This year we are thinking of branching out into pizzas. The merits of the best kind of pizza maker are being debated whilst the children chime in with their preferred topping choices.
This means guests who visit us are instantly put at ease with the chance to be involved, to be part of the action.
From a personal perspective I am always a guest who offers to help. I mean it. Seriously. Get me mixing the salad or or pouring drinks. I not only want to help, but it helps ease my (temporary) discomfort in situations where I am initially displaced.
It's interesting to note that not once in a squillion years of being part of my husband's family, has my mother in law ever invited me into her kitchen.
Now I love my mother in law a great deal but I think the point has been passed where I can simply go in and start helping and part of me thinks she would probably chase me out of there waving her kitchen knife wildly!
So I like to reflect this when we have guests. I want you to feel you are welcome. I want you to feel part of our blend. And who doesn't love the satisfaction of creating their own delicious dinner with a glass of wine in hand?
For this night and this time you are part of our own unique little rainbow family.
Yes I totally stole that analogy from Angelina Jolie.
What are your customs? I'm always curious what other people do.
I may just steal your ideas too. xxx