Carmella Celentano
1912-1982
Born: Denver, CO
Died: Arvada, Jefferson, Colorado, United States of America
1912-1982
Born: Denver, CO
Died: Arvada, Jefferson, Colorado, United States of America
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 24.75pt"><font face="Times New Roman">As I remember growing up on our truck farm, I can recall so many memories……</font></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 22.5pt"><font face="Times New Roman">We didn’t have all the conveniences we do today; we had an outhouse and mama would have to heat the water over the coal stove for us to take a bath in a wash tub every Saturday evening.<span> </span>In the early spring daddy would get the hot beds ready for the planting.<span> </span>He would make mats for the beds of cut cattails.<span> </span>The beds were for the starter plants.<span> </span>As the summer months approached, we had to work hard all day, from early morning to late at night, to harvest all the vegetables: radishes, green onions, peppers tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, corn and Pascal celery.<span> </span>The celery would then have to be wrapped in newspaper in the fields or trenched in order to bleach it.<span> </span>Thanksgiving and Christmas was when we sold the celery.<span> </span>As winter approached, this was the season to butcher pigs.<span> </span>My aunts and uncles would help in the process.<span> </span>We would make our own sausage, render the fat into lard.<span> </span>We used most of everything from the pig.<span> </span>Mama would always cook the liver that day for us all to eat.</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 22.5pt"><font face="Times New Roman">As tradition would have it, we would have the same menu for our dinners every week:</font></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Sunday:<span> </span>Spaghetti, plus fired chicken, pork or a roast</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Monday:<span> </span>Soup</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Tuesday:<span> </span>Spaghetti made with chicken, pork and roast beef</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 22.5pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Wednesday:<span> </span>Stuffed peppers, roast red stew with peas, fried peppers and potatoes</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Thursday:<span> </span>Spaghetti and meatballs, rice or polenta</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Friday:<span> </span>Pasta Fagioli poached eggs in stewed tomatoes or fish</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Saturday:<span> </span>Steak or roast pork or beef</font></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.15pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The memories I have growing up on the farm like the smell of mama cooking, the sauce on the stove, getting a slice of bread and spooning the sauce over it.<span> </span>Bean juice from cooking pinto beans with olive oil, salt and pepper over bread.<span> </span>Sugar and milk over bread for snacks.<span> </span>There were no fast foods and we didn’t worry about cholesterol.<span> </span>It was a simple life.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 23.4pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Rose Ann Ghilardduccci Soucie</font></p>