Finding True Life in Campania

The Taste of Home

Hey there again, Moreno here. For those of you who know me, you know that my life revolves around the rhythm of the pizza oven—the heat, the dough, the constant push and pull of creating something perfect. But even a pizzaiolo needs to step away from the fire. This past month, Penny and I took a trip home, back to the heart of my family in Campania, and it was a reminder that the best kind of living is often the simplest.

True life here isn't about speed or efficiency; it's about the small, deliberate moments. It’s in the way my Nonna still makes pasta by hand every morning, her movements precise and full of a love that's been passed down through generations. It’s in the taste of the first sun-ripened tomato picked straight from the vine in my grandfather's garden, bursting with a flavor so pure it feels like a secret. Penny, who's used to our fast-paced city life, kept marveling at it all—the way the afternoon light hits the rolling hills, the easy laughter of my cousins around the dinner table, and the slow, meandering conversations that have no end goal other than to just be together.

There's a humility to the beauty of this place. The mountains stand solid and eternal, the sea breathes a quiet, powerful rhythm, and the food—the food is a reflection of this profound simplicity. It’s not complex; it's just real. Fresh fish, simply grilled with lemon and herbs. Pizza, of course, but the kind made in a family's backyard oven, its scent mingling with the evening air. This trip reminded me that the most beautiful things in life, much like a perfect pizza, are built on a foundation of honest, high-quality ingredients and a lot of heart.

Being here with Penny, watching her fall in love with the place and the people who made me, has been the most meaningful experience. She saw the other side of me—not the chef, but the boy who grew up here, who learned about passion and patience from his family. It's a different kind of lesson from the ones I learn in the kitchen, a lesson that reminds me that the most delicious life is one where you're connected to your roots and surrounded by the people you love.

So, while I'm back in the kitchen and ready to get back to the heat, a little piece of my heart is still back in Campania, savoring the slow, beautiful, and deeply true life of home.