About

Hello, I’m Anthony Mazzarella

Up there, that’s me and my nonna, Marianna. Some time around 1990. A time when I woke up on Sundays to the smell of simmering tomatoes and pork necks. Dinner would, invariably, be at 2:00 PM; twelve of us descending on the dining room to find plates piled high with maccheroni. This was a family tradition upheld week after week after week, like in so many Italian homes.

In retrospect, I took it for granted. Not that food wasn’t always a constant for me. It is part of the fabric of who we are, as a Sicilian family and individuals. The first time my nonna met my wife, it was a hug, a kiss, and “Do you want something to eat?” Food was what brought us together as family and friends; to be shared as an expression of love and care. It wasn’t until I left home for college, though, that I realized my role in it needed to be more than that of appreciative consumer.

Today, I live in Bucks County, PA near Doylestown. I participate in the food communities around me as actively as I can, especially in support of the many wonderful farmers growing for us. At home, I cook to maintain a connection to my Sicilian heritage, and uphold the traditions my nonna did for so many years. My love for the complexities and comfort of pasta has planted its roots deep.

This place, Chunky Marinara, is a place I hope to document those efforts. It’s for my nonna, my mom, and my zie who put so much of themselves into their food and families. And for my wife, who never fails to support my hare-brained kitchen whims.