John and Elana Talk About Food

Thank you for visiting our page! Allow us to introduce ourselves and provide our hopeful goal for this website.

We are John and Elana Iaciofano, brother and sister. As kids, we used to dread our daily encounter with the elementary school lunch lady. As adults, we still get whiny when it comes to mediocre meals. That's because we were raised in an Italian family that placed an extremely high priority on delectable, ultra-satisfying food, owing to Mom's (a.k.a "Marmo") wizardio a la cucina. (That's wizardry of the kitchen, an old Italian saying, for those wondering).

In light of this, we ask that you put your trust in us as we relish the role of virtual taste-testers and tour guides, navigating the Italian culinary landscapes of New York, New Jersey, and beyond (which occasionally will include posts and snippets from our crazy Italian family).

Enjoy!

John's Personal Message

When I'm not lawyering, golfing, or imagining myself as the star of an 80's movie of some kind (more Maverick than McFly), I'm allocating time and deep thought towards my utter adoration for Italian fare. And although I harbor a liking for all quality foods of various ethnic influences, it is Italian and Italian inspired dishes which really provoke my culinary enthusiasms.

I'm not a food critic or scholar, but I'm optimistic that you'll find my and Elana's reviews, recipes, and random spastic thoughts on this site to be helpful, understandable, and entertaining. Also, I listen to this song every day as I dress for work, and I'm forever bitter about the Series Finale of Lost; a horrible - perhaps criminal - excuse for "closure" towards an otherwise beautiful and magical story.

Elana's Personal Message

I explode my ktichen (aka the Laboratorio Semi-Moderno) with cooking experiments on average once a week (think Bunson and Beeker from the Muppets). Fried pickles, homemade pasta, and pizza after pizza after pizza have all fallen victim to my culinary curiosity. And yet...family members, friends, occasional strangers and stray dogs (and sometimes the fire department) still find their way to my apartment, attracted by the enticing aromas emminating from the kitchen.

When I'm not cooking, eating or photographing food, I'm usually swimming, biking or running with my Triathlon Team, Full Throttle. Any time not devoted to these activities is usually spent listening to John wax poetical about his hair via gchat. And wondering what meal I would cook for Agents Mulder and Scully if I ever met them. I post all of these mental olympics on this blog for you to enjoy. My goal is to make you laugh, make you cry (with laughter), and make you a better all-round eater if I can.

Additional Blog Contributors/Characters

Mom - a.k.a. Marmo, Marlene - Mom is perhaps solely responsible for setting us on the right path towards our ultimate appreciation of fine Italian cuisine. As kids growing up, she worked part time as a travel agent, but always found time to deliver a delicious home cooked dinner every night. Today, Marmo owns and operates Gourmet Getaways, a business which organizes cooking and wine tours throughout Italy. Elana and I have both happily played the part as assistant tour guides during these voyages, and, when it comes to Italian food and culture, owe much of our adventurous, inquisitive side to her.

Dad - a.k.a. "The Box" - And on the opposite end of the culinary curiosity continuum lies "The Box", whose Frankie Valli blasting, spaghetti slurping, 3 a.m. cookie snacking habits still deserve their due respect in shaping our ultimate palates and views concerning Italian culture and fare. An accomplished attorney of considerable intelligence, yet simple needs - pasta, naps, and the Jersey Shore - Dad's culinary preferences seldom stray from known tastes and hefty portioned plates. Take Dad's temperature on Scipio Africanus' contributions to the Punic Wars and he'll beam with pride and suffocate you with impressive historical fact flinging. But mention to Dad the idea of leaving the Garden State on a trip to Italy and he becomes paralyzed with fears of pedestrian exploration and lack of access to the Golf Channel.