our STORY
Sorta Italian. Lots of Italian tradition.
Growing up with one obviously very fortunate brother, the three of us were always referred to as “the sisters”, or “the girls”. Now, with kids of our own, we are also known as “the aunts”.
Our Grandpa Lonetti had 3 sisters too: Genevieve, Cecilia and Rose. Their parents came to St. Paul, MN from Calabria, Italy. In our big Italian family (by virtue of our dad and his 5 brothers), somehow we are the only other set of 3 Lonetti sisters. Our company name, 3 Lonetti Sisters, was pretty easy to agree on when we decided to give this meatball spice making business a roll. And while the three of us aren’t full-blooded Italian, as our mother would say, we choose to celebrate our Italian heritage!
Our family has always connected through food. We actually take pictures of every meal served at family parties before everyone can dig in. (The hungriest of our children are less enthusiastic than us about this). It’s yet another tradition born from Grandpa Lonetti and the family celebrations held at his house where he actually had a second kitchen in the basement for frying meatballs and cooking his renowned red sauce! While the times have definitely changed, our Grandpa Lonetti’s recipes haven’t; they’re still an essential part of our frequent get-togethers.
That’s right, we throw lots of family parties. Full on Italian-style gatherings where we talk with our hands, share great food, arrive early and leave late. Oh yeah, and share a couple glasses of wine. This is how we grew up, and it’s important for us to continue the tradition with our kids. And to no surprise, they love it as much as we do!
Grazie,
Ann, Steph, Katie
years of family tradition.
The below Lonetti family traditions of the past showed us how to put family first, how to host a party with good food and drink and how to have some fun.
Grandpa taught us about more than meatballs!
“Green bell peppers fried in oil till browned (or Grandpa’s style, nearly black) are carefully arranged on Italian bread with a swipe of mayo, a generous shake of garlic salt then topped with a slice of provolone cheese.”