As I drew this, I was a little taken aback by the emotions that came over me. My grandma was, simply put, an amazing person. She was also a really great cook! It always amazed me how she could put perfectly assembled meals together in, what seemed like, such an effortless way. She made carrot soup for me a bunch of times when I lived with her in high school. No matter how tough of a day I had, I’d walk in and the smells whirled around me like a hug and reminded me that I was “home”. It was so delicious and I loved that she made it just for me. She gave me her recipe but, sadly, I can’t find it anywhere - I really hope one day I stumble upon it. Anyway, I found out later that she actually didn’t even like cooking at all, it always makes me laugh because I was certainly fooled. I also always imagine that if she could do something she didn’t even like doing with such grace and perfection, just think what she could’ve done with something she was truly passionate about. When I think of her now, I remember how much she loved my art, even when I made ridiculously awful drawings in high school, you’d never know it by her reaction. She’d tell me, “don’t forget to sign it, I want proof that I knew how talented you were before everyone else did.” I always knew she was incredible, but I didn’t always realize that having that kind of support and encouragement for your passion was as special and, sadly, as rare it can sometimes be. I’m so lucky to have had her in my life.

Fave Memory (actually two)!

1. When I was little, our Italian grandparents came to visit for a week every August. Each time, Nonnie brought a HUGE tin filled with biscotti and pizzelles. Because this annual treat was just so special, we all individually snuck into the tin to steal "just one". And yet we were collectively surprised when the HUGE tin was empty after only a couple of days!

2. As a youngster, dad was served soup with every meal. We regularly make the cappalletti at holidays, but the pasta fagioli somehow fell by the wayside. My sister painstakingly recreated all of the nuances of Nonnie's recipe. I rarely saw strong emotion from my dad, but he was simply overcome when he tasted my sister's soup, exclaiming that he never thought he'd taste that flavor again. Good work, Sister!

Perfect savory and sweet squash soup. Best consumed with comfy socks on a rainy day.

An easy-peasy pumpkin soup recipe to stay warm.

Meet my favorite Pumpkin Soup. It is creamy, spicy and delicious!

Easy and simply delicious ...

My Aunt Kathy's soup kicks-off every Thanksgiving dinner. A wonderful starter or a great entrée on a chilly day. (Originally illustrated in 2017 for a tea towel available on Spoonflower)

Illustration based on the traditional Spanish dish paella. Colors and line styles were inspired by Spanish culture. All text is hand-lettered.

A traditional springtime recipe in Sweden, this soup makes use of the abundant young nettles shooting out at that time of the year. Nettle tops can be frozen for use later, though — and so can the soup itself.

Tuscan Tortellini Soup is something that my mom makes at home a lot (though it is not a recipe she made up entirely on her own) and is always something that I look forward to when I'm home visiting from school. She makes it a little extra spicy which I love, and ALWAYS makes it in this huge, teal colored pot. If you haven't had it before, you should definitely try it now! For anyone who's curious, this design and type was all drawn and arranged by myself on Photoshop using a Wacom tablet.

Last night's dinner. It's as easy on the tummy as it is to make!

butter + onion + chicken bone broth + roasted tomatoes

Super Food Entry

Super Food Entry. Nettles have many health benefits, especially to women!

Super Food Entry