Classics Corner: Strega Nona

And a Valentine's Day party

Happy mid-February! And just like that, we’re almost halfway through the winter. Hopefully, this means you’ve been enjoying the sunshine for a little while longer as endless winter weather besieges us. I am sick of slush, y’all.

In happier tidings, I am doing something I’ve never done before: hosting a Valentine’s Day party! Having never had any enthusiasm for Valentine’s Day whatsoever, you can imagine my friends’ surprise when I sent them an invitation. “You’re throwing a Valentine’s Day party?” they asked disbelievingly. Yes, yes I am.

Nobody knows why. I think I need a distraction from all the gray. And what better way than red and pink hearts? So, if you’re so inclined, keep reading to learn about my plans for the little party (I’m not worried about spoiling the surprise—none of my IRL friends know about this newsletter!):

• ACTIVITIES

  • Adults: All the couples will be playing against each other in Valentine’s-themed Newlywed Games (which couple knows each other best? aka which couple is willing to embarrass themselves in front of us all?), Taboo, and we’d like to have one more game but we haven’t come up with one yet. Any ideas?

  • Kids: honestly, I haven’t really thought of anything for them. I’ll probably set up a station for making Valentine’s Day cards. Maybe some cookie decorating inspired by

    Chelsey Feder

• MENU

  • It’s a lunch party and it’s with very old friends so I’m not making it super fancy. Everything, except dessert, will be served all at once

  • Roast potatoes, hummus board, and heart-shaped pasta salad

  • Tartine (I’m not doing fancy but I can still use fancy words!):

    • Goat cheese and (vegan) chorizo

    • Pea, Za’atar, and Feta via a recipe from

      Yotam Ottolenghi
      ’s book, Simple*

    • Avocado, butter, and tomatoes via a recipe from

      Yotam Ottolenghi
      ’s book, Simple*

  • Heart pastry pizzas for the kids

  • Dessert will be a pastry board with macarons, chocolate bark, Nutella-filled doughnuts from Trader Joe’s, and strawberries

Have you thrown a Valentine’s Day party before? What fun things did you do to mark the occasion?

And in case you missed it, check out these delightful children’s books for Valentine’s Day:

Strega Nona

Written and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Recommended Ages: 4+ years old

Buy now*

Strega Nona holds a special spot in the nostalgic hearts of Millennials. Published in 1975, it won a Caldecott Honor Award a year later. And for good reason—Strega Nona was the OG kid-lit granny.

In this iconic book that reads like folklore, we’re introduced to a small Italian village in Calabria where Strega Nona is busy making all sorts of witchy herbal remedies for the good townspeople. And while they may murmur and question her methods, no one can deny their effectiveness.

But since Strega Nona is getting on in years and the work is getting harder, she decides to take on some help. Enter Big Anthony. In exchange for room, board, and a small stipend, Big Anthony is tasked with chores around the house. But he must never, Strega Nona admonishes, touch her magic pasta pot.

Unbeknownst to Strega Nona, Big Anthony hears her incantations as she makes pasta with her magic pasta pot. Big Anthony blabs to the townsfolk about Strega Nona’s magic pasta pot and they don’t believe him. Out of anger, Big Anthony is determined to prove to the town that Strega Nona’s pot is indeed magic.

When Strega Nona heads out for a brief visit to another Strega, Big Anthony sees his chance. He murmurs the incantation and lo and behold, the pasta pot begins producing pasta. The townsfolk gleefully partake in the bounty of this pasta but the charm is lost when they realize Big Anthony doesn’t know how to turn it off.

Just as the town is about to be overrun by strings and strings of spaghetti noodles, Strega Nona comes back and intuits exactly what happened. Completing the incantation, she’s able to stop the magic pasta pot from producing and saves the day. The townspeople rejoice in Strega Nona’s return.

There’s a reason this book won the Caldecott Honor Award in 1976 (losing to my previously covered Classics Corner book Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Leo and Diane Dillon). dePaola’s illustrations are infused with all the charm and whimsy of Italian village life. The romantic muted hues (those gorgeous pink-tiled roofs!) shine up from pages that softly depict bulbous noses and pointed, cleft chins. And dePaola masterfully balances the essence of the story with its illustrative portrayal—they exist in total harmony, neither one usurping the other, each a tribute to the other.

So, aside from the story and stunning illustrations, am I going to lambast this children’s book?

My thoughts

No, I think this book is pretty terrific. There’s nothing obviously problematic. In fact, it makes me rather wistful for my own grandmother.

You can almost smell this “granny from the Old Country”—a mix of herbs, a little bit of Vicks, and just a teensy hint of staleness. There’s a kindliness to Strega Nona that coexists with her no-nonsense firmness. She is the epitome of a warm hug and a stern, loving reprimand. And Strega Nona would not be Strega Nona without her foil, Big Anthony.

Big Anthony is the perfect embodiment of all of us. A young man burdened with human shortcomings whose curiosity often gets the better of him (have I just perfectly described all children?). When Big Anthony lets the foibles of hubris trip him, Strega Nona, in all her grandmotherly/witchy wisdom, is there to ease his fall and pick him back up again (and us).

There isn’t anything to not love in this simple, slightly silly, story of a town overrun with spaghetti.

Interesting facts

• Strega Nona is a frequently challenged book (for book bans) because it portrays a witch doing witchy things

• Strega Nona launched a witchy/Italian design trend on TikTok

• There are 19 Strega Nona books!

Let’s Talk…

• What’s your favorite spaghetti recipe?

• Did you read Strega Nona as a child? Which of her stories was your favorite?

• Any tips/suggestions/ideas to make my Valentine’s Day party memorable?

*Thank you for using (at no additional cost to you) the affiliate links in this post! :-)