Braciole
Pip's Sunday Dinner
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 27, 2018
Braciole
On a Sunday night
Astrid and me
Last of week in Gloucester
Dinner with Pip, Sarah and Yuri
Norwood Heights, Annisquam
Not far from Mom’s house
Long since sold
Where we grew up
Huddled together
Yuri’s slide show
Visit to Panama Canal
Remembering long ago
Boisterous bad boy
Before we got old
She pounded meat
Which Pip doesn’t eat
Making braciole
Stuffed steak rolls
Bread crumbs, cheese, egg
Tied with butcher's string
Simmered in sauce
Dad’s family recipe
For special occasions
Like our Sunday dinner
All day project
Such a grand meal
Started with soup
Vegetarian broth
Garnished with dill
A culinary thrill
Dessert from the freezer
Saved from summer
Annual visit of
Aunt Esthere and cousin Paula
Stayed at Brynmere Inn
Near the Yacht Club
On Cambridge Beach
From Brooklyn bakery
Brought ritual casada
Cannoli cream filling
For sponge cake
Soaked with rum
Topped with candied fruit
Cut up on a plate
Savored yummy morsels
Such a lovely dinner
As Aunt Caddy would say
With a grimmace
Stirring mashed potato
With a wooden spoon
Bland Irish food
Not Pip's Sicilian flavor
We laughed that
Mom couldn’t cook
Until she retired
As Pip said
Then time for the kitchen
Whipping up dinners
Without any fuss
Dad was the maestro
Houdini with linguini
Grand opera with meals
Sauce and soup
Simmered Saturday night
Mom's specialty
Boiled corned beef
Cabbage and carrots
All in one pot
Easy cleanup
Spring weekends
House cold and damp
Camping out in Squam
Franks and beans
Brown bread grilled in butter
Mom said love is service
Now and then Italian
With a fine sauce
Pasta on Thursdays
Maid’s night off
Often ate out Pip recalled
Moscow’s in Allston
Waiter in tuxedo
Touch of ersatz class
A generic cafeteria
What’s that Sarah asked
Long gone I said
Plain American food
So so meat loaf
Fast and cheap
Pip commented that
It was pretty terrible
For me great fun
Just to dine out
Anything but Beacon Street
Having to clean up
Never liked KP
Just not for me
Hey Pip thanks again
Such a fine treat
Can't be beat
Nice end to our week