"The name came from what my mother asks when she calls me". Mary Grace Mercadante was born in Melbourne from Italian parents, and as the country was approching the soft lockdown in early March, she thought aboutstarting a community page to share her culinary creations. "I hoped others would do the same - Mary told SBS Italian - but I didn't really have any expectations, or I knew where it was going to get to".
Yet the Interest around 'Mangiasti?' (Italian for 'Have you eaten?' apparently no matter how old you are, that will always be what your Italian mother would be worried about) grew very quickly. So the page collected members from all parts of the world, although most are Australians of Italian background. According to Mary Grace there's no competition, the members are just happy to share their talents and even secret recipes from their families in a way that has brought back childhood memories.
As a result, some started to bake bread everyday, others have scooped up some recipes that were long lost, others found the way to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances. But, first and foremost, everyone found a way to enjoy their time in lockdown. "The page will not die once Australia will go back to normality - says Mary Grace - as this group make us happy. We're now family".
Australians must stay at least 1.5 meters away from each other and meetings should be limited to two people, unless you are with a member of your family or home.
If you believe you have contracted the virus, instead of going to your doctor in person, call them by phone, or contact the national hotline for information on Coronavirus at 1800 020 080.
If you find it hard to breathe or find yourself in an emergency, call 000.
SBS is committed to informing all Australian communities about the latest developments related to COVID-19. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus.
