At Home in Two Worlds: The Melena-Maci Family

The Melena-Maci family has woven a life with threads from many places, but the two that stand out are West U, Houston, Texas, and Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy. Two places as different as they can be, but complementary in a way that makes their lives uniquely Italian-Houstonian. 

Their story begins in the ancient and picturesque city of Chieti, perched on a hill overlooking the Pescara Valley and the Gran Sasso mountains, just a two-hour drive from Rome but a whole other world away. Annalisa Maci and Mauro Melena were both born and raised in Chieti. There they went to high school together, then went their separate ways in college in L’Aquila and Pescara, both cities not far from Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Mauro became a mechanical engineer and Annalisa, an architect. After college, they began dating and eventually married. One thing the couple clearly had in common is that they both always knew that as much as they loved their homeland, they would leave to follow their dreams.

“It's unusual, you know, in my hometown to have people living so far away,” said Annalisa. Indeed, she and Mauro are both the only ones in their family to do so. Their first home outside Italy was London, where Mauro began working in the petroleum industry, and Annalisa finished her architectural studies. From there, they moved to Houston, where Claudia, now 20, was born; Paris and Italy again, where Federico was born. After four happy years in Italy, the family lived in Houston again before moving to Stavanger, Norway, in 2012. In Stavanger, they surprisingly met many Houstonians whom they are still best friends with now that they are all back in Houston. 

SWEET MOMENTS Claudia, Rori and Federico share traditional Italian Christmas cakes, the Panettone and the Pandoro; the Panettone is the original first cake from Milan, a sweet bread with candied fruit and raisins, while the Pandoro is a more recent version of the sweet bread, from Verona, taller than Panettone and shaped in eight-pointed star. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

But the link between the two worlds has always been strongest for them in the breathtakingly beautiful region of their birth. Abruzzo encompasses human settlements dating back to Neolithic times. Abruzzo’s territory was part of the Roman Empire practically since its inception and is rich in archeological sites such as temples and amphitheaters. Medieval castles and towers dot the hillsides and the coastline. Stretching from the Gran Sasso Range in the west, the highest of the Apennines range, the region extends to the Adriatic Sea’s Trabocchi Coast in the east, named for the traditional wooden fishing piers found along its sandy beaches. Nearly half of Abruzzo is protected natural parks, home to rare and endangered species such as the Abruzzo chamois, the Apennine wolf, and the Marsican brown bear. 

In Abruzzo, the family spends their days catching up and enjoying hikes together in the mountains, walks on the beach, biking along the trail that runs the length of the coast, cooking, and dining at some of their favorite restaurants. 

Not surprisingly, the Melenas go and spend time with their family in Chieti every chance they get. Christmases in Chieti are a given – other than a couple of years during the Covid-19 pandemic, they haven’t missed a year. There is always room in the family home with Annalisa’s parents and sister, with a whole floor just for their family. 

Christmases are spent preparing and sharing favorite dishes like baccalà (salted cod), arrosticini (grilled skewered meats, usually locally raised sheep, in the Abruzzo tradition), thin-crust pizza and homemade pasta, and fresh fish and seafood dishes from the nearby coast. 

For dessert, their favorites include chiacchiere (crumbly fried pastries), castagnole (deep-fried dough balls, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside), bocconotti (a small cake the size of a cookie filled with the jam of Montepulciano grapes called scrucchiata, sprinkled with powdered sugar), and of course, tiramisú and panna cotta. 

IMMERSED IN ITALY The Melena Family at Calascio, a small town in the heart of Abruzzo surrounded by the mountains of the Gran Sasso. Rocca Calascio is very famous for the fortress on top of the cliff used as an observation and communication point during 1500 to preserve the territory from brigand attacks. At its foot the church of Santa Maria della Pietà, an octagonal building, was erected in gratitude for a miraculous victory against a terrible band of brigands. The landscape has been the set of several movies, such as The Name of the Rose and Ladyhawke.

Going out to eat is always a treat, whether it’s just to grab a gelato or a quick slice of pizza al taglio typically available in the bakeries, or to make it an occasion at one of the many fine dining establishments in the nearby villages or on the beach. Seaside, many of the traditional trabocchi (fishing piers) have been converted into restaurants overlooking the water.

They fly into Rome with a layover in Paris or Amsterdam, for a trip that takes nearly a full 24 hours. In Rome they either rent a car or take a bus that takes them through a tunnel under the mountains, where they arrive in Chieti in a little over two hours. 

Christmas is especially beautiful, with the towns and cities and main roads decked out in colored lights. Local choirs perform in the churches and the piazzas, and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is a beloved family tradition. Visiting Christmas markets throughout the city of Chieti and nearby Pescara is another favorite activity, with the occasional visit to the most famous Christmas Market in Rome’s Piazza Navona.

“Christmas is a continuous celebration for three days, because even the day after Christmas, it's a holiday for us: it's St. Stephen’s Day, and so we gather again with family and friends for dinner and table games.” St. Stephen is considered to be the first Christian martyr, and his day is celebrated with a third day of feasting, carnivals, and festivals.

Most of their time in Italy is spent with family in Abruzzo, but Annalisa and Mauro wanted their children to know the rest of the country, so they planned some travels, such as the time they flew down in February from Norway to Milan and took a train to Venice for Carnevale, Italy’s version of the pre-lenten bacchanalia that occurs in most of the Latin world.

CHRISTMAS IN CHIETE Chieti historic center, facing the main street of Corso Marrucino, which follows the shape of the main hill of the town, along which tourists can visit historical buildings like palazzi (palaces) with porches, churches and the theater. In this photo, one of the piazzas along the main street of Chieti, on the right side, is the Theater that was completed in 1817 and called Marrucino Theater in honor of the Marrucini, an ancient people living in the area before Roman dominion.

Sometimes they’ll take a drive to visit friends in the Marche region, also along the coast to the north of Abruzzo. Or they’ll head south to the heel of Italy’s boot, Lecce, nicknamed the Florence of the South. There they like to spend days at the beaches, a part of the region tucked between the Adriatic and Ionian seas, famous for its soft sandy beaches and rocks with crystalline waters, all with Turkish and Greek cultural and culinary influences.

They often visit Rome, and have taken the kids to tour the many archaeological sites, such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Rome is an easy place to meet American friends who come for a visit, so they frequently have a reason to go. 

Recently Federico, 18, has been going to Rome to volunteer with a local organization that does outreach and tutoring with migrant children. Claudia, for her part, spent a semester abroad in Milan, studying at Bocconi University. 

“I hadn't lived in Italy since I was little, so going back was something that I'd always wanted to do; spending all those summers and Christmases really nourished that passion,” says Claudia. “And I loved being back there and learning more about my culture, and speaking Italian on a regular basis.”

She was there at the start of the war in Ukraine and says the experience affected her deeply – not only because several of her classmates were Ukrainian, but also because of the way in which the university and the community engaged immediately and responded to reach out and help Ukrainian students and families and to march in the streets protesting the Russian invasion. 

HOLIDAY CHEER Panettone and pandoro are always better with a little Italian espresso. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

“I feel like it opened my eyes in a way that I would have never been able to experience here in America, just reading an article or something. Because there, you're actually living it. Here, it feels like you're very separated from it, so it doesn't really affect you. But when I was there, it was something that I thought about constantly.”

Claudia has maintained her friendships with Ukrainian as well as Italian classmates. And besides their family and friends and their regular trips to Italy, they now have another connection that ties them to home. 

Last summer, Federico participated in a group campout and hike in the Alps in Northern Italy. There he met Rosalía “Rori” Domenghini, a high school student who had just received a scholarship to study in the United States, but was having trouble finding a host family. It was already July, and classes would be starting in a month.

“We understood that this was going to be very difficult for her,” said Annalisa. “So we said, okay, let's try… to find an American family for this girl.” But Annalisa was in Italy at the time, and she couldn’t find anyone willing to host the girl. 

“So at the end, we said, ‘If it's okay with you, we are all very fluent in English, plus our kids, they just finished school. We know the system, which is very different from the Italian one. So we said, well, if you want, we can offer a place for her here.’ And so she accepted. And so she arrived here in August and it's just a blessing. I feel like I have one of my kids at home.”

Rori is from the north of Italy, close to Milan, so the family is learning other traditions from the north of Italy. And Annalisa, for her part, was happy to have a reprieve from the Empty Nest Syndrome that loomed with Federico leaving for college.

“She's already part of the family,” said Annalisa. Rori is now studying at Lamar High School, near their home, and is doing very well. “She's part of the family… we are very happy she is with us.”

A TASTE OF ITALY Tiramisú on the left and panna cotta with berries on top on the right.

Annalisa’s Favorite Tiramisú Recipe

6 eggs 
120 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
500 grams (2 cups) mascarpone cream
750 ml coffee (25.36 fluid ounces); Annalisa uses a moka pot to brew her coffee
400 grams savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers) (about 14 ounces); these can be found at international food markets like Phoenicia
Cocoa powder (enough to cover the top of the last layer, approx. 1/4 cup) 

Mix the egg whites only until aerated.

In a different bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks till it’s very creamy. Add mascarpone cream. Combine the mix with the egg whites, beating and aerating it using a spatula. 

Brew about 750 ml of coffee. Prepare the ladyfingers by soaking them in coffee. 

In a flat container (glass or ceramic 12x8 inch), arrange a layer of ladyfingers previously soaked with coffee. Spread on top a layer of the cream (the sugar and egg yolk mix). Put another layer of ladyfingers soaked with coffee. On top, put a layer of the cream.

Spread the top with dark cocoa powder. 

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Serve. 

Tips from our Travelers

Annalisa shares some tips on travel in Italy.

Worth the splurge: Drive to the top of Maiella Mountain during a sunny, clear day to hike and watch the panorama of the coast from the top of the mountain.

Visit vineyards to taste local wine like Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and Trebbiano D’Abruzzo.

Don’t miss: Trabocchi (fishing platforms today converted into restaurants), Parco Nazionale D’Abruzzo (chamois, wolves, bears and deer), Lago di Scanno (heart-shaped lake known for its fine handcrafts and jewelry), and the Castle of Rocca Calascio, set of the American film Ladyhawke. 

Favorite restaurants: Province of Chieti – Restaurant in Hotel Mamma Rosa in the village of Pretoro near the city of Chieti; Restaurant Casamoro and Pizzeria Fermenta Chieti; Gli Ostinati al Trabocco Mucchiola; SottoSale Osteria di Mare and Gastropescheria Blu Mare in San Vito Chietino. Pescara – Lido Il Corallo. Restaurant Lido il Gabbiano in Francavilla Al Mare.

Pack: Trekking shoes, backpack, and hat in summer. Gloves and snow jacket in winter. 

Don’t pack: Too many clothes; you will shop at the local open-air markets and stores.

Don’t forget: To try: gelato, arrosticini, and wine. To visit: castles, lakes, and churches; fashion stores in Pescara city. 

Safety tip: Watch the weather forecast if you decide to hike in the mountains and let others know which trail you are going to. Don’t leave bags or personal valuable items visible in your car.

Unexpected hit: Walking along the coast at San Vito Chietino finding the local fish ready to be served. Driving through one of the small villages in the Parco Nazionale D’Abruzzo and close to L'Aquila city; spending time at the local market for food and wood artisanal souvenirs. Swimming next to a Trabocco and laying in the sun. Museo Archeologico Nazionale “La Civitella” in Chieti.