WELCOME TO enza’s quail hollow kitchen
MEET Enza Whiting
Hi! I am so glad you are here in my little corner of the internet!
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a first-generation immigrant from Italy, Sicily to be exact. I was born in Palermo and lived in a tiny little town called Valledolmo for the first 4 ½ years of my life. My parents and I came to the US in the mid-sixties, so I have lived essentially my whole life in the US. I have been truly privileged to grow up with all the benefits of living in the US, while at the same time being so close to all the traditions of my Italian heritage.
Since I have been cooking and baking for more than 45 years, I know my way around the kitchen pretty well. This blog gives me the opportunity to not only share recipes but also the lessons I have learned from years of cooking. When you have been cooking as long as I have, there are as many kitchen failures as there are successes to learn from.
I have been lucky enough to have been featured in the 2024 July/August issue of Buffalo Home Magazine and in December I was the featured guest in the on the 716 Get Housed Podcast. Then in February of 2025 I was honored to be the guest speaker at a luncheon sponsored by Michael Radecke of Morgan Stanley, where I shared my journey into food blogging.
My husband John and I have two fantastic sons. My oldest married a wonderful girl in the midst of the pandemic, and they have since blessed us with two grandchildren!
I was in the corporate world for many years while we grew our family. I worked in the insurance industry for over 33 years, working my way up to having national responsibility for medical injury claims. I was blessed to work for so many years with an organization that maintains high standards for quality and integrity, which I have carried on to this new adventure in my life.
When asked what I love to do for fun, the answer is easy. Eat! I love food! My favorite foods are a list about a mile long, although anything with chocolate and coffee is at the top. Along with having a passion for eating, I also have a love of cooking for my family and friends. I think it is a way that I can express my love and gratitude for the people in my life.
I never really planned to have a cooking blog. It just kind of happened. It all started with my mother. It seems that all good things start with your mother, so I have big hopes that this will be a good thing for you and for me as well.
My mother (“Nonna” to her grandchildren) is the matriarch of our family and she is a great cook! For so many years she has prepared food that brought us together as a family and that we built traditions and memories around. Many of her recipes are generational and have been handed down from her mother and grandmother.
It occurred to me that I needed to document these recipes exactly how she prepares them so they can live on long after we are all gone. I also realized that I could not just go by her written instructions.
When mom says, “it takes a spoonful”, or “a cup full” of something, I must measure out the spoon or cup she is using. Most of our old family recipes have been made by touch and feel rather than exact measurements. So, part of my task has been to “quantify” the recipes so that anyone can make them and achieve success!
Take her recipe for “pollo agrodolce”, sweet and sour chicken. I got the recipe from her over the phone one night and she said she uses a couple spoonsful of sugar and vinegar. Mine came out good but it did not have nearly the intense luscious flavor that hers does. Then when I was watching her make it, I noticed that she used a large serving spoon to measure her ingredients! Well, that sure explains a lot! So now I am measuring out every spoon, cup, and any other utensil she uses!
Recipes your family will love!”
As I started to record mom’s recipes, I started to think that I should share them with all of the other people that she has touched with her cooking over the years. Why should we be the only ones to eat “Nonna’s” delicious food. And that is how I started on this journey.
But I don’t want to just share our Italian family recipes; after all, I am lucky enough to have married into a family of great cooks, so I would like to fill this site with all of the dishes that have in some way been a part of our family life.
I also have the pleasure of hosting all the major holidays and celebrations for our extended family. It is an honor that I don’t take for granted. I absolutely love cooking for my family and carrying on traditions that have been passed down for so many years.
I can promise you that I will not put a recipe on this site that has not been thoroughly tested. Each recipe must get the stamp of approval from the many taste testers in my family. I want to make good on my promise to deliver recipes your family will love and that you can make with success.
Every recipe I post is something that my family loves and that I know your family will love too! But everyone’s kitchen and techniques are a little different so, I want to get your feedback and comments as well. I want to know what worked and what didn’t work so I can adjust my recipes as needed. This will help me make this website a place where you can find the best, most reliable recipes and it becomes a place that you love to visit.
I hope you find something you love here and come back to visit often! In fact bring your friends, we are all family here!
Welcome and Buon Appetito!
