Philly Food
When I set about creating Natalie Ross, my main character in
The New Mafia Trilogy, I didn’t want her to be one of those girls who didn’t
eat. She has a healthy relationship with food and part of the allure for
Dominic Grabano, her love interest, is that he comes from a big Italian family that
owns and operates several bars and restaurants in Philadelphia. In The Beautiful People (Book One of The
New Mafia Trilogy) the date where Dominic first introduces Natalie as his
girlfriend, takes place at his aunt and uncle’s restaurant. Like the old adage
‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, Dominic plays out a sort of
seduction with Natalie using food.
Franco
fried up some calamari and brought a heaping plate over. Dominic dipped a piece
in the marinara and popped it into my mouth. I had to close my eyes and savor
the moment. The golden batter was light and flaky and the marinara had a bit of
spice to it. I’d never had calamari like that before. Having an Italian god
feed it to me wasn’t too bad either.
There are other dates where Dominic takes Natalie to a late
night joint in Chinatown and to a five star restaurant his Uncle Al owns. All
of these are places Natalie had yet to explore in Philadelphia and this is a
way for Dominic to share his world with her. For example, the restaurant in
Chinatown was a favorite spot where Dom’s parents took his family for dinner
and he shares his childhood experiences with Natalie.
Not only is food used as a tool for character/relationship
development, but it’s also used to showcase the regional culinary delights
Philadelphia is known for.
Philadelphians are fanatical about their cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and
hoagies (not subs or grinders). I
couldn’t write a series set in the City of Brotherly Love without mentioning
the food. In fact, when I head down to Philadelphia for the Yo! Philly Author
Event on May 16th, my first stop will be to grab a cheesesteak for lunch or
maybe a hoagie? Decisions, decisions…
Thanks for stopping by to share your food for thought, E.J.!
E.J. Fechenda has lived
in Philadelphia, Phoenix and now calls Portland, Maine home where she is a
wife, stepmom, and pet parent all while working full time. Crazy is how she
likes it.
E.J. has a degree in
Journalism from Temple University and her short stories have been published in Suspense Magazine, the 2010 and 2011
Aspiring Writers Anthologies, and in the
Indies Unlimited 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology. In addition to writing The
New Mafia Trilogy, she is working on The Ghosts Stories Trilogy. E.J. is a
member of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and co-founder of the
fiction reading series, “Lit: Readings & Libations”, which is held
quarterly in Portland.
E.J. can be found on
the internet here:
Tumblr: http://ejfechenda.tumblr.com/
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