Memories of Mama

This site is dedicated to my mother, recently departed, but never forgotten. Grace Isaacs (neé Barbuto), born of Sicilian parents, born, raised and died in Sydney, Australia. Mama was known for her humour, her warmth and her love of family and friends who loved to flock to her table, to be fed and entertained.

Growing up in an Australianised Italian family meant that some of the Italian traditions had been watered down. My mother and her siblings were not fluent in Italian, insisting their parents spoke mostly English. My grandparents, having arrived in Australia at young ages, mostly preferred to speak English anyway to fit in with their new homeland.

It was the way it was done way back then, pre World War II before we even heard of multiculturalism. Migrants, mostly from Europe, who arrived in Australia before the big post-war influx were well and truly in the minority. They had to assimilate more than their counterparts who came later. Australia might take away their language - at least when they were with other Aussies - but nothing could take away certain parts of their Italian traditions… especially those involving Italian food and wine!