Recreation: from notes, memory, taste, & smell

The 2nd iteration to recreate my grandmother’s recipe, adding more context, current measuring units, instructions, and illustrations.

photo credit: AZZAMARIE Studio

Castagne Cookies

These cookies instantly transport me to my childhood. Recently, my colleague Tom and I discovered a special connection through our shared — yet uniquely personal — memories of spending time with our grandmothers (nonna, mima, meema); women who deeply influenced our early years.

In the mid-80s, my grandma, sister, and I would leave the family pizzeria in the early afternoon, around 1 or 2 p.m., and head off to the farmers market or supermarket to shop for groceries. Then it was time to help: prepping ingredients, baking, cooking, and setting the table—always part of the daily rhythm.

In 2008, I accompanied my brother on a trip to Italy, as he prepared to start his first year of university. There was a summer festival in our grandparents’ hometown, and there they were—castagne cookies. Just one bite, and I felt like I was home.

The first iteration to try to make Meema’s recipe was in December 2024, while home visiting my extended family in upstate New York. I got it pretty close with figuring out the filling (converting from notes to actually doing math, ie: grams and oz.) and I used gluten-free puff pastry, since it was already at the house. 

The second iteration occurred in March 2025, during a focused weekend dedicated to testing Caputo gluten-free flour. Starting from a partial recipe, I reformulated the dough and successfully replicated the original structure, texture, and flavor profile.

photo credit: AZZAMARIE Studio