In her mind the images are still vivid- of the stove, where at only four years of age, she would fry scalille. She still feels, in the awkward little hands of a seven-year-old girl, the flour mixed with potato she would prepare to help her mother make gnocchi. Adelina Fiorito Pulford does not remember exactly when her passion for food and the art of cooking were born; most likely, because it has always been inside her, since she was born.
Originally from Cervicati, in the province of Cosenza (Calabria), Pulford arrived in Australia in 1968 with her mother and older brother to join their father who had arrived seven years earlier.
"I am very fond of my first home: it’s a beautiful place in a hilltop location”, recalled Pulford.
“For this reason, before the pandemic, my husband and I returned to Italy at least once every two years".
When Pulford arrived in Australia, Italian food was not in vogue at all; indeed, a great deal of prejudices surrounded the culture of the Bel Paese. So she limited herself to pursuing her passion within the four walls of the house, always inspired by her mother, who never missed the opportunity to involve her in the kitchen. Life then led her to study law, and she went on to work in administration. But none of this brought her true happiness.
Thus, when she turned 40, she decided to enrol in some cooking classes at the William Angliss School. "I knew that even if I worked in an Italian restaurant, people wouldn’t take me seriously because I didn’t have a degree in the industry”, Pulford explained.
“I couldn’t even do internships because I was too old. So I decided to study, and in the meantime to work in some Italian restaurants to gain experience".
One of the first she worked at was Campari Bistrot in Hardware Lane, which is no longer there. Later she joined the team of Sorry in Southbank, where from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon she was immersed in the preparation of pasta, bread and cakes. Finally, she landed at Enoteca Sileno, where she had the opportunity to conduct several cooking classes, and where she stayed until 2009.
And it was in that year that, together with her husband, Adelina went to Italy for a trip that lasted about seven months, and that led her to visit all of the most remote corners of the Peninsula and taste, of course, all of the regional dishes. Thanks to the friendships and contacts she had built up over the years with various suppliers, Pulford had the opportunity to sample some of the finest Italian products prepared by experts in the field, such as wines and white truffles.
But the memory that truly warms her heart belongs to an episode that occurred in Sicily, when, on a beach in Milazzo, she met a boy who was shelling a vast amount of freshly caught prawns.
"I was fascinated and asked him if I could buy them”, Pulford recalled.
“He said yes and asked me how many I wanted; I answered that I wanted them all, of course! I miss this Italian spontaneity a lot. It was a fantastic experience; I really hope to be back soon - maybe even next year!"
While she recounts these captivating memories to me, Pulford is looking out at the ocean. For some time, in fact, she and her husband have lived in Dromana, on the Mornington Peninsula, where the cook has been able to house her personal collection of recipe books, which now boasts almost 600 titles.
It is in precisely this environment that, since 2013, she has continued to conduct the occasional private cooking lesson.
"Everyone cooks their own dish after following my demonstration and we often end up eating our creations together”, says the cook with a smile.
“I always share my lessons on my Facebook page, Adelina Pulford, Instagram (@adelinapulford), and in Italian groups. You never realise how many people are really interested in the world of cooking. On my Facebook page, for example, there are about fifty-thousand people who follow me, and many are also from other countries, such as the United States or Canada".
However, with the advent of Covid-19 in 2020, Pulford had to postpone her lessons, due to government restrictions. But this did not discourage her at all; in fact, it gave her the opportunity to concentrate on writing her books. The first was released in 2014, while the last, titled Adelina’s Kitchen Dromana: Dolce e Salato / Sweet & Savoury 2, was released in November 2021. This book distinguishes itself from the others because, in addition to bringing back traditional recipes as readers would expect, it also features some modern dishes, not specifically Italian, but that have simply become part of the daily life of the author by virtue of their deliciousness. For example, readers will find tips for cooking a juicy meat pie, or a delectable vanilla slice.”
"I am proud of it because it is a book in which people - not only those of Italian origin - will see themselves, and within which I can share my favourite dishes".
It is a book that, a bit like the chef, begins with an Italian knowledge base, and then enters into conversation with different cultures, managing to grasp their differences and appreciate them. A book of international cuisine that is able to unite people of all backgrounds and who share a single passion: great food.
