Delicious Italy had the pleasure of meeting the association in our studio a little while ago and first learned everything about the 'Cesarine'.

This Italian word applies to grandmothers, carers and aunts who are remembered fondly from every Italian's infancy whose cooking was never bettered.

The heart of the Home Food message is that good food can be a means of construction and conservation of civility.

The scope of Home Food is to create a literally virtuous circuit in which ancient recipes, a sense of hospitality, the peculiarities of the territory or more specifically a specific location are celebrated.

According to the association: "Within the home environment there is no better place for food to claim its cultural aspect and through the dishes prepared communicate complex social, territorial and personal points of view."

Our view is that the Home Food Association is playing a part, along with many others, to preserve Italian traditonal cooking, but the real food issue in Italy is the struggle of so many traditional Italian food products to survive.

Authentic Italian dishes are not cheap anymore as the raw ingredients are getting harder to source.

To participate in Home Food events you must become a member of the association, as are all the 'Ceasarine', but do not consider Home Food to be a cheap meal with a few Italians while you are on vacation.

Quiz your hosts about the recipes and history of the dishes and also ask if you can shop with them in the local markets.

www.homefood.it