Page 48 of A Place in the Sun
‘So it’s lasagne for lunch on Sunday,’ Giovanni says, writing it up on the whiteboard in the kitchen.
‘Just one thing,’ I say. ‘How will we choose a winner?’
‘We will ask the mayor to judge. It can be on his head!’
We’re all in agreement.
‘Let’s get everyone to spread the word. Friday suppers, tell everyone about the lasagne contest.’
We’ve put up signs around the village. Giovanni and I are visiting each of the threenonnas with their Friday-evening meals.
‘Well, this is a surprise. Two guests!’ says Nonna Teresa when we visit her first and tell her of our idea
Then on to Nonna Lucia. ‘What a lovely pair you make!’ says Nonna Lucia.
‘Oh, no, we’re not …’ We speak in unison, and see disappointment on her face.
‘Well, not officially,’ I say. Beside me, Giovanni practically chokes on his coffee and I nudge him. ‘We’re planning a party, for when the house is finished.’
‘An engagement party?’
‘No!’ we say.
‘More of a summer celebration,’ I say, ‘inviting people to join in with what the village has to offer. Cooking at La Tavola and enjoying the company.’
‘Afesta,’ Giovanni puts in, and we wish we’d rehearsed what we were going to say.
Lucia’s eyes twinkle. ‘But it could be an engagement party?’ She smiles naughtily.
I say nothing.
‘We want to choose the best meal for the party,’ Giovanni says.
‘Lasagne, of course!’
‘Yes … but which one?’
‘Well, mine has always gone down well, like my tiramisu.’ She looks down at thefritto mistowe’ve delivered. ‘This fish needs more salt. And a little less time in the pan.’
‘We’d love to try your lasagne.’
‘On Sunday at La Tavola?’
She sniffs and even gives a small smile.
‘A lasagne competition, you say?’ Nonna Rosa’s competitive streak is apparent as soon as we mention it.
‘Like I say, we’re choosing a lasagne for a summer party. We thought everyone should get the chance to put forward their recipe.’
‘It’s all in the sauce,’ she says. ‘A chance to show that mine was the original and the best!’
We leave the final house as it’s getting dark. We put all the empty dishes into the basket to return to La Tavola. We walk up through the cobbled streets under the bright white moon, which seems to hang over Casa Luna.
‘Would you ever do it again?’
‘What? Make lasagne?’
‘No, get married. You seem to have your life sorted.’ I tilt my head. ‘Thenonnas sound pretty keen to find you a match!’ I smile. ‘Maybe you and Caterina.’
