"When the Tomatoes are Ready is a self-published Calabrian cookbook that also tells the tale of how author Georgia’s Nonni fell in love and migrated to Melbourne in 1950.
As entirely written and edited by Georgia, designed and illustrated by the ever-talented James Fox Rogers, and printed in Melbourne, this book strictly supports the local Melbourne community.
Through James' fascination with representing the recipes and stories in an honest manner, the artwork throughout talks a relatable visual language, where emotional sentiments are first felt.
Georgia began learning her Nonna’s recipes a few years ago once her Nonno had passed and taken a recipe only known to him with him. With fear that her family’s traditions would soon fade, she spent an entire year in her Nonna’s kitchen, learning how to cook just like her. She made sure to write the recipes down in a journal.
In the same journal, she would write stories – any type of story she wished to create that day. One day she wrote a story about her family, in particular, she wrote about her grandmother and how she met her grandfather and migrated from Italy to Australia. It was then that she discovered she was holding onto something quite incredible: her Nonna’s traditional Calabrian recipes that flowed through her very own life story.
Georgia has always been inspired by her Nonni’s dedication to food and tradition, and of their honourable sacrifice for family.
She now shares this story with you."
