Our Story
Hi, sugar. I’m Aunt Loretta.
I’ve been feeding people for as long as I can remember — family, neighbors, friends who became family, even that one ex-boyfriend who still shows up on holidays (don’t ask). My kitchen has always been the heart of the house, and over the years, I started to think: What happens when I’m not here to answer the phone and walk you through the sauce?
So I started writing things down. At first, it was just little notes in the margins — “use the cheap wine for this one” or “don’t tell them it’s just frozen spinach.” But deep down, I always wanted a grimoire — a book of spells, but for food. A legacy you could pass down, spill wine on, and dog-ear to death. That’s what this space is.
Each week, I share one easy, delicious recipe. Nothing complicated. No obscure ingredients you have to hunt down at that overpriced market with the tiny carts. Just real food you’ll actually make — and actually enjoy. Because nothing breaks my heart more than hearing someone say they hate to cook. Sugar, you don’t hate to cook. You hate feeling overwhelmed. Let’s fix that.
About the Salt
Now let’s talk about the salt — because if you’re not finishing your dish with a good flake, what are we even doing here?
I’ve always believed in local ingredients. And what’s more local than salt when you live by the sea? I collect mine right from the beaches of Huntington Bay, near the oyster beds where the water filters itself clean. I wait for the right tide, the right weather, and then I go. It’s small-batch, hand-harvested, and dried with sun and sea air — no machines, no fuss.
Living in a coastal town means I’ve got the time and the tools to do it right — and that’s all I ever aim to do. Whether it’s a Sunday sauce or a sprinkle of finishing salt, I want to make cooking feel like home again.
So come on in, grab a spoon, and stay awhile.
We’re just getting started.
At Aunt Loretta’s Kitchen, we don’t just teach you how to cook — we pass down the old-world ways, with a modern twist and a whole lotta heart. Every recipe, eBook, and jar of salt we create is rooted in the traditions of our Italian heritage: made by hand, tested in real kitchens, and always seasoned with soul.
We use fresh, local produce from New York farmers and herbs that smell like your Nonna’s garden. Just because we’re pickling doesn’t mean we cut corners — no spongy asparagus or dusty old thyme here. If it’s not crisp, bright, and bursting with flavor, it doesn’t make the cut.
Whether it’s a finishing salt, a protective pouch, or a one-pot pasta recipe, everything we offer has been tried, tested, and loved by our own famiglia. Because cooking should feel like home — a place where you’re allowed to experiment, make a mess, and fall in love with feeding yourself again.