Of all the warm, fuzzy feelings we get when we think of grandmothers,
a full belly may be the most comforting of all.
The quintessential American grandma loves to express her affection with food.
(As “Nanny Jane,” I can assure you—it’s true!)
After all, what’s more loving than the gift of nourishment?
Nothing in the world, it seems.
Grannies all around the globe share the primal longing to satiate the souls of their little successors.
How do I know?
Photographer Gabriele Galimberti has captured it on film.
It all began when Galimberti’s own grandma whipped up a batch of her famous homemade ravioli to prepare him for a photographic expedition to chronicle couch surfing abroad.
Photo courtesy of Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE http://peace-meals.com/the-grandmother-ingredient/
No doubt, she wondered if it would be his last wholesome meal.
Gently, he reminded her that he would be staying in other people’s homes, where he would likely be fed.
“I said to my grandma, ‘You know, Grandma, there are many other grandmas around the world and most of them are really good cooks. I’m going to meet them and ask them to cook for me so I can show you that you don’t have to be worried for me and the food that I will eat.'”
That was a lightbulb moment for Galimberti, and a new photographic mission was born.
His newly hatched project, “Delicatessen with Love,” ended up taking him to 58 countries, where he photographed grandmothers alongside their favorite ingredients and signature dishes.
Photo courtesy of Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE http://peace-meals.com/the-grandmother-ingredient/
“I like the idea of showing all the single ingredients in the first photo in a way that everybody can recognize, and in the second photo, I show the result of the recipes, where all the ingredients are mixed together.”
The Delicatessen with Love website exhibition also includes recipes for each dish (click on the “More Info” link below a photo to find the accompanying recipe).
“And, yes,” Galimberti assures, “I always [sat] at the table with the grandmas, and I always tried their food!”
