Recreation: from notes, memory, taste, & smell

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

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 mat, ie: grams and oz.) and I used gluten-free puff pastry, since it was already at the house. 

The second iteration occurred in March, 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: Anna Marie Smith