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Hello Russ,I am actually of Maltese/Irish/ Welsh/English....ancestory....quite a mixed breed I am afraid. But I do have inlaws from Northern Italy......and a couple from Sicily. And I grew up with many friends whose ancestors are from all areas of Italy. That is the wonderful thing about Ingham........ all of Italy's customs, cooking, beliefs...... in one little town.  

�侱����,�ʾ�������������ղ�����Գپ��Բ�,�����ٳ�ough I grew up in Ingham in an italian/ multi-cultural community, english is the language heard/ spoken mainly. So alas my italian is very limited. However I am endeavouring to teach myself italian as I realize that if I intend to talk-the-talk, walk-the-walk of Italy one day, this I must do.Much of my life that has been influenced predominately by my italian friends, in-laws, and neighbours and not my ancestors (maltese, irish, welsh etc). I was brought up to cook using all natural ingredients and not convenience/ supermarket preparations. I learned to cook with what I had available out of my vegetable garden. So I hardly ever use a cook book to this day and my meals are often variations of an original and very flavoursome.Apart from the vegetable garden and fruit orchard, we even had chickens for eggs and eating, and cows for milking and making of butter (although this custom was short lived once electric refrigerators were invented). And we had goats for awhile, their milk for drinking and the cream to make incredible feta and hard cheeses. But this also was lost with modernisation.When I was young, mum had me take lessons from an italian lady in dressmaking as she could not sew but realized the benefits of my learning.. This proved invaluable  to me as I made many of my and family garments for many years and I actually even worked as a fashion designer in bridal wear in my adult life (before studying nursing).And get togethers were always big feasts with plenty of music, laughter, and wonderful foods and wines. We learnt from an early age to make our own fun, to socialize and have wonderful celebrations. We also learnt never to think twice or have to be asked  to help out a  "neighbour" when assistance was required.I now live in Townsville which is very "Australian". The mindset is totally different. The people are not always as friendly, warm or welcoming. My home is an appartment with no garden. It is only an hour away from Ingham but sometimes feels like I am in another country. I don't dislike it totally....it  does have its good points...but I miss my home town and its people. However  it too is now changing as the young grow up influenced by televison and worldly events.Spero che lei has un giorno meraviglioso.