Breakfast Conversations...

Being part of a large Italian family is sometimes crazy making. And I am so not kidding, that coupled with parents who are getting older is the perfect mix for lots of laughter.

And I mean lots of laughter.

In our family we make our own sausages, salami's and panchetta. My father in law has the knack and skill for this stuff and boy do we love it when Nono cranks out the good stuff.

So this weekend we drove the "rents" (short for parents) to a farm about 2 hours a way to pick up a boat load of meat to make the above.

Before we embarked upon our journey we stopped at a local diner for breakfast and I stupidly entered into this conversation about low carb diets and the Atkins diet.

What you should know beforehand is my father in law loves his wine. He along with my husband are both well studied when it comes to their wine. My father in law is always on some sort of low carb diet and this was no exception.

As he ordered his breakfast of eggs and bacon, no toast, black coffee and no hash browns we were discussing the facts that vegetables have carbs as well, and I was saying that having zero carbs in your diet can't be safe and what in the hell was he going to do if he couldn't drink any wine? Wine as carbs.

" I want you to know" he says, "I have a lot of experience with the North Beach diet" and I paused for a second, and said "huh? North Beach? You mean South Beach Diet right?" Laughter from the table ensued and he said "North Beach, South Beach, I got all the beach diets down" (all in an Italian accent).

"But Nono, I said, Don't you think that no carbs is a little dangerous?" And of course I got the lecture about how wonderful the Atkins diet is blah blah blah.

Fast forward to Easter Sunday -- Was my father in law drinking wine? Yep. Did he have cherry pie? Yep. Did he eat the honey glazed ham? Yep. How about some bread? Yep. Mashed potatoes - I think so yep.

When I asked him what happened to the no carb diet he said as he drank his wine --

"I have been violated so I am drinking wine today."

Of course I rolled my eyes and replied with Buona Pasqua and clinked my glass.

I mean God-- what can you say to that?