A Bite of Beauty
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
There are so many moments in my everyday life that I wish I could capture and hold onto forever. Relive certain days over and over again. But life it moves, time is swifter than any of us truly know and we must hold tightly to those we cherish most. There are a handful of moments in my life where someone strikes me immediately. My walls comes down, I feel fully comfortable within their presence and their eyes tell stories you can only begin to imagine. Gianna Ciaramello is an extraordinary soul. Her sweet sparkling brown eyes omit more love than I ever thought possible. She has a vast array of talents that are all dedicated to sustainability and design. She is a magnificent vegan cook, a designer, wood worker, & jewelry maker. If there is one word I would use to describe her, it would be compassionate. She has a heart that never stops giving and a mind that is constantly creating new ideas and projects. She has big dreams and ambitions to create a brand that truly will make a difference in this world. Words truly fall short at describing this breathtaking woman. She is humble, kind with an enduring spirit that yearns to be close to nature. I am so thrilled to share with you the inner workings of her soul. Not to mention you will end up wanting to get creative in the kitchen after viewing all of her gorgeous food. So as always with my interviews, grab a cup of your favorite tea, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket and get ready to be blown away! xo
WHAT THREE WORDS DESCRIBE YOU BEST?
Compassionate, Diligent & Giving.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT?
Oh my my favorite ingredient? GARLIC, for sure. I love garlic!
6 PLACES YOU WANT TO EXPLORE AND WHY?
New Zealand
Norway
India
Greenland
Alaska
Australia
These places are important to me and my journey because they seem to offer a peaceful and enticing experience. I have such a love for exploring and being in nature. I would be so appreciative to be able to explore these beautiful places.
YOUR FAVORITE PAST TIME.
Cooking with my mother and father. It is everything to me and I look forward to it every time i come home. They mean the world to me and something as simple as helping my mom cut garlic or stirring the batter for my dad makes my heart flutter.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST KITCHEN FAILURE / ACHIEVEMENT?
A kitchen failure would have to be when I get really desperate for food and I end up having bread with mayo on it...yeah it has happened quite a few times this semester during school.
My biggest kitchen achievement has been my ability to share my culinary adventures with everyone that I have been connecting with through social media. Cooking is such a big part of me, my memories and who I am and since I am an introverted person it has been such a crucial way for me to reach out to people and connect with them while giving them something special that they can share with their families.
HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY INTO YOUR LIFE?
Through my designs. As a product designer I am working really hard to create products and designs that are more sustainable, and cruelty free. It means a lot to me to know about the entire process of the product in which I created. Knowing that it wasn’t sent overseas and made in a factory by women who are making a couple dollars a week eases my heart.
Whether I am making it myself or working with someone else locally, I would like to have a relationship with the place that my designs and products are coming from.
Joining the world of cruelty free products and sustainable fashion ties into this for me as well. Although I may not be able to purchase every little thing cruelty free Id like to participate in creating a brand that supplies that. Intensive animal farming affects the world around us and our bodies everyday. Animal agriculture is responsible for more gas emissions then exhaust from transportation and these emissions are only going to increase more rapidly in the next 20-30 years. This industry is also responsible for 90% of our water consumption which is absolutely terrifying. I do not want to be apart of this in any way, whether is it what I am ingesting or what I am producing. That is what sustainability means in my life and how crucial it is in what I am doing everyday.
WHAT DOES EATING LOCAL, SEASONAL, ORGANIC FOOD MEAN TO YOU?
Food shouldn’t come from a far away land, sprayed with pesticides, chemicals and preservatives and transported on a truck filled with fumes. Food should be simple, accessible and of good quality.
Local ingredients offer a number of beneficial properties. One that is really important to me is the relationship you could have with the person you are getting your ingredients from. My mom always bought figs from a man who grew them on his property. He packaged them up in a little basket and sold them from his home. When the season arrived for these beautiful gems to be plucked my mom would look for the stand on the way home and scoop some up for us to enjoy. These figs were lush, rich, and sweet. Fragrant and decadent. We look forward to this occasion every year. All ingredients should be like this, beautiful, simple, and shared with others around us.
Recognition of the location in which my food came from is important to me as well. Therefore I know the food didn’t succumb to strange transportation methods and I am receiving the best quality in its best state.
OUT OF THE FIVE SENSES WHICH DO YOU LOVE MOST?
Taste, I think I would perish of a broken heart if I lost my ability to taste the beautiful foods in this world.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
A perfect day for me would be a day spent with animals. I recently went to skylands animal sanctuary in Wantage, New Jersey and the day that I spent there really changed my life. We were given a tour, a story of all of the animals journeys and an opportunity to get up close with them and give them some love. The way that I felt when leaving that farm was so powerful, I can’t explain it. All of those beautiful animals, all of their journeys, their heartache and their accomplishments meant the world to me. To spend a day at a place like that, volunteering and helping these beautiful creatures would be perfect. There is no love like the love between and animal and a human, it is unconditional, domestic and wild. A very inspirational woman I know once said this for her dog who had passed and I think it is appropriate for all animals, "He didn't drink or smoke too much, he was never an asshole, or late on taxes, he never cheated or lied to anyone, he did nothing illegal, he never set out to hurt anyone, he never judged me or you; his love was constant and consistent. Wow. What a beautiful thing that is. That's why losing him hits so hard. The purest love I've ever known.” -Christina Auricchio All animals are that special and that is why I would choose to spend my perfect day with them.
http://skylandssanctuary.org
WHAT IS COOKING FOR YOU, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT OTHERS TO TAKE FROM YOUR RECIPES?
Cooking is part of me. It is in my memories, my heart and provides me with an energy that I can’t describe. The most rewarding part of it is being able to share something that I made with someone else. To be able to feed them, healthily, and provide them with a happiness is an indescribable feeling. I may not be able to cook my food for everyone that I share my recipes with, but at least they can take it and share it with their families. I put my heart in what I do and with that being said sharing my food and my recipes with people is like sending them away with little pieces of my heart, some love and a good meal. I just want people to feel appreciated and to know how special they are because everyone is.
Follow Gianna Cirarmello on Instagram- @Gianna_Ciaramello
Email- bunny52992@gmail.com
