This is the first page of my family cookbook. It features the images, journals, poems, recipes, stories and memories of the Ceraulo family. It is a 332 page full color book with a leather bound gold foil cover. For information on how to do one for your family e mail me at lcme239@optonline . net
This book was not published. It was for family.
To discuss pricing or ideas for your own book e mail me at lcme239@optonline.net
Received the “Cookbook – A Portrait of Ten Families” in yesterday’s mail. It’s a great read, haven’t even gotten to the recipe’s yet. This is a wonderful task you undertook to record the memoirs of your family, not just for now, but for future generations; you are truly the sweet fruit from your family tree for having done so. Enjoying the candid and personal approach in your writing. Reading parts of it made me think of my own family and some of the stories my dad told me about growing up in Brooklyn, like my Uncle Steve and him walking down the railroad tracks to collect coal that had fallen off the trains for heat. Or the story Uncle Steve told me once about some big lug cutting in line in front of my dad at a movie and the old man beating the day lights out of him because it just wasn’t right for somebody to push their weight around like that.
Loved the story and the lead up to it about your grandparents eloping…Love, who can explain it… Your grandfather Loreto seems a very self-made and dignified gentleman. And really enjoyed the story about Maria’s brother Charles. Also, Maria’s reason for wearing black for so long, it is sooo Italian, full of heart and soul.
Anyhow, very nice book and looking forward to getting to the recipes.
This was from a cousin in my husbands family, who wanted the book despite not being related to my side.
From my cousin Marie on Christmas Day:
They all went crazy!
I gave it to them after we ate dinner at the dining room table. I received
an incredible response. Ashley, Morgan and Peyton were astonished.
Jennifer was speechless. Michael was astonished. David was touched.
Michelle was so grateful and appreciative of the time and effort you spent
creating this book. Her boyfriend who is a librarian’s mouth was agape.
It came out so beautiful and the detail was beyond expectations. This is
your “life’s work”. So much love. So much determination. So much
patience. Truly remarkable. I cannot thank you enough for memorializing
these memories.
Much love,
Marie
This wonderful treasure has far surpassed expectations. You worked tirelessly on this amazing project. I will cherish this beautiful heirloom forever. Your stories and pictures brought so many memories to light. The recipes are priceless. Home Italian cooking just can’t be beat. This spectacular book will be passed down to future generations, who will now have such a wonderful history of their ancestors. You are truly a dedicated professional! I can’t possibly thank you enough.
Laurie:
For reasons unknown I was never given any history of my family. I knew some stories that my Dad told me but I had no idea of my roots as far as my grandparents. Your book was a revelation and gave me a whole new insight into my backround. Not only did I learn alot about our family backround but now my son has information that he can pass on to his children that I could never had given him. Thank you so much and best of luck with your new venture!….Love ya!
Thanks Rick, I am so glad you are enjoying the book. Much love, Laurie
From Kathy Nixon
I have tears in my eyes reading the cookbook. What an absolutely fantastic thing you have done for yourself, your son and your entire family.
As an ESL teacher of middle school students in the 90′s, I once partnered a bunch of about 12 elderly immigrant and paired them with my ESL students. We engaged in a project in which the elderly orally told their story to my students. The student would return to the classroom and write the biography. I collected old photos of the elderly on one occasion and photocopied them in color paper so they came out almost identical to the originals and returned the originals to them. Then after several encounters between the students and the elderly, the students continued to write the story about how the elderly came to this country. My students went through the whole revision/editing phase in great length. Then we cut up wall paper, cardboard and sewed the book together. The text photos were glued in. At a ceremony my students presented the books to the elderly. It was the most memorable projects I ever did with students.
I always told them how their books would live forever and that the families of the elderly people would always know where their story came from.
I think about this with your cookbook. Just think, a century from now, your family will have this beautiful written history of who they are.
Bravo!!
I guess you know how truly fantastic your family is in my book. I loved the way ya’ll had those amazing gatherings. It was so much fun for me. I will forever be grateful for the generosity of your beautiful mother.
I really enjoyed seeing the preliminary design work, as well as some of the completed pages for this book. Of course the cook in me would love to get my hands on some of those authentic Italian family recipes. Congratulations on finishing the book.