Family Portrait: Food writer Jennie Perillo and her family
Jennie Perillo’s life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Mikey, died suddenly of a rare autoimmune disorder in 2011. As she struggled to cope with the tragedy, the food writer turned to her lifelong passion for the culinary arts—the same passion Mikey had encouraged her to pursue when they first met. Perillo threw herself into cooking for (and with) her daughters, Isabella, now 10, and Virginia, 5, in their Carroll Gardens home, as well as for the devoted fans of her popular blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen. Perillo’s first cookbook, Homemade with Love, which debuted in March, is the fruit of that labor. Many of the healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes feature interchangeable ingredients, influenced by Isabella and Virginia’s finicky palates as well as their friends’ dietary restrictions. Mikey’s memory also lives on in the book’s recipes—including his favorite dish, drop-biscuit chicken pot pie—and in the family’s Friday movie night tradition. “We make pizza from scratch and watch classic movies,” explains the Brooklyn mom. “Mikey was a huge fan of the Marx Brothers.”THEIR FAVORITE...BRUNCH SPOT“We love the servers and hostesses at Café Mogador (101 St. Marks Pl between First Ave and Ave A; 212-677-2226, cafemogador.com). They’re so friendly, and are always armed with a smile—no matter how busy it is. Isabella typically goes for the pancakes or French toast. I’m addicted to the Moroccan eggs, which are poached and served with a spicy tomato sauce. Virginia loves them too, sans t