Mom is a strong woman, always a good soul with a forthright attitude. It’s in her nature to speak frankly and honestly without crassness or ill temper. As the child of German immigrants, she carries some of that forwardness and integrity indicative of their culture. One always knows where Mom is coming from. They can also be certain hers is a fair, objective, carefully thought out opinion. Unless it’s about tattoos. (She is not a fan!)

However, it seems also she is the one who passed much of the creative gene on to me, leading to my life as a working artist. Family vacations were documented by her adept eye. Her hand made the paintings and frames in the house. The book cabinets and other woodworks are also her creation.

She set quiet examples instead of telling me what to do. As a teen, I watched as she struggled with working a full-time job while going to college, often falling asleep on her study books. All-in-all, she is one of my inspirations of how to seek a good life.

Now, I am a blessed, lucky man. I’m surrounded by a wife is also a truly awe-inspiring supermom, a sister who makes me extremely proud with her little one, and my mother. One who I look to as a sage in much the same way same I did as the boy who looked up at her as his loving Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

-Nick, Photographer

Uno Alla Volta is celebrating Mother’s Day this year with stories and memories from around the office.

My mom’s grandmother came from Slovakia, and although she brought with her very little English, she did bring along an incredible pierogi recipe. This recipe has been passed down through every generation of women in my family, and although I have been enjoying these pierogis for decades, I only very recently learned how to make them myself. My mom passed the torch on to me, and I hope to keep this tradition alive in the generations of my family to come!

My Family Recipe for Slovak Pierogis

Dough:

2 ½ lbs flour

1 egg

1 cup water

2 pinches salt

Mix and knead dough, then cut into circles with the lid of a cup.

Filling:

2 ½ lbs potatoes to peel and boil

Mash with cheese to create a thick consistency.

Directions:

Put potato filling on each circle, and pinch closed into a half-circle shape. Boil 8 minutes until they float. Let cool, then fry in butter – the most important part according to my mom! Make sure to watch the pan as the butter browns to avoid it burning.

-Carrie, Marketing & Public Relations Assistant

I never realized how being a mother would change my life so much for the better. My mother made it seem so natural and when I had my daughter, I couldn’t imagine my life without her today. The friendship and bond that I have, and which continues to evolve, with my now adult daughter, is one of my most valued and important relationships. Watching her grow from a small child, to a teenager, graduate from college, and be off in the workforce was an amazing evolution. Today, she is off on her own, buying her first home and owning her future.  As a mother, I cannot be more proud and feel more blessed.

-Robin, President

I am lucky to get to spend time with my mom every day, because we both work at Uno Alla Volta. I love that she is just a few desks away from me if I need her. I never fully appreciated all of her time and care until I became a mom myself. Now that I’m pregnant with my second child, and my first girl, I hope that my daughter and I will be equally as close!

-Marissa, Merchandising Assistant

For as long as I can remember, my mother has taught me to fight for everything I’ve ever wanted, and to never take “no” for an answer. While a juvenile understanding of this philosophy created a rather mouthy, indignant teenager, I find myself growing comfortably into a confident, tenacious, resolute woman as I tiptoe through my twenties.

I often sigh that it’s my sister whose face mirrors my mother’s and my grandmother’s, and that I will never feel the way they do when I glance at my reflection. Recently, this problem has begun to solve itself. Every time I open my mouth, my mother’s iron will and quick wit spill right out!

Growing up in a big, Italian family, food has always been central to our lives. Today, my mother and I can often be found right back in her kitchen, elbowing each other as we fight to use the stove. This is my favorite comfort food, and one thing she and I will always agree on.

Macaroni Pie

¾ of a pound of spaghetti

12 large eggs

1 cup diced ham

1 cup diced pepperoni

¼ cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese

1 8 ounce bag of shredded mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. While it’s boiling, beat the dozen eggs in a very large mixing bowl. Next, add in the meats, cheeses, and black pepper. When the spaghetti is cooked, rinse it quickly under cold water before adding it to the egg mixture and stirring to fully combine. Add the mixture to a buttered 9.5 x 11 baking pan, and bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until egg is fully set all the way through.

-Anna, Associate Marketing Manager- Content

Since I started my first entrepreneurial venture, just after becoming a mother myself, my mom has always been by my side helping with the business and childcare. Today, my babies are 25 and 21, and the business has turned 24. Mom can often be found in Uno Alla Volta’s distribution center, picking your orders and preparing your products for shipment.  But that just describes the activities of her hands. She is really here with her heart and soul, letting her presence be felt in the lives of all the wonderful employees that make up a part of Uno Alla Volta’s extended family.