My father is Italian-American, and my mother is Yugoslav. It’s an understatement to say that food is such a huge part of both cultures. I’ve visited Serbia fourteen summers in a row, watching my grandmother, Baka, meaning “grandmother” in Serbo-Croatian, make a dish called Banica. Growing up, I would also watch both my mom and dad cook and bake, and Parmigiana di Melanzane, my other grandmother’s signature dish, is the family favorite especially at Christmas and Easter. A framed copy of the recipe sits on her kitchen counter. Cooking was a family affair, with my mom leading the way. I would take care of desserts. In eighth grade I picked up my family’s camcorder and began filming recipes in the kitchen. 

I love any type of pasta to eat but for taking photos, dessert is always the most fun. An orange almond cake covered in a rich chocolate ganache is one of my favorite desserts to bake...and eat. It might sound complicated, but it is really easy to make. During quarantine, I’ve been experimenting with a ton of different flavors and trying out new desserts.