Paleo Chef and Mother Carmela Cirilli Mattson Loves Fermented Foods, And Her Denim Vest Too
My cousin, Carmela Cirilli Mattson, is a real food chef, teaching probiotic workshops, near her home in New York’s Hudson Valley selling cultures for kefir, kombucha and more, and creating delicious Paleo meals for delivery.
Lacto-Fermentation Workshop
Carmela loves the magic that happens with fermented foods—watching raw ingredients transform into amazing, flavorful food is adventurous and fun for her.
Sourdough Starter
But, as she stands committed to reviving “the lost cultured food traditions,” sharing her “knowledge to help build a strong real food community,” she’s also doing it nine months pregnant, simultaneously minding a three-year-old daughter. Yikes!
Ladybug Apple Snack
“Juggling work while parenting hasn’t been easy,” she shares, including her daughter in her kitchen adventures, teaching her healthy eating habits. “It’s been tough working with ferments during pregnancy because I had terrible nausea for the first two trimesters;” Carmela admits. “I had to put my ferments on hold because I couldn’t tolerate the smell and taste.”
Some “Kombucha” Humor
Luckily, she won’t have long to wait before jumping back into fermented foods.
Kefir Milk and Kombucha
In the meantime, she and her filmmaker husband, Tim, are busy preparing for a new addition in their household. While on prescribed bed rest, Carmela took some time out to share her three favorite maternity items.
Jacqueline Colette Prosper, @yummicoco
Denim Vest
I love my ripped, faded, studded with skulls and stars denim vest! I got it last year as a birthday gift from my father-and-mother in-law.
I wear it for a little edge with sundresses, or with jeans and a tee. I think I love it because it’s versatile, fun and a little badass so I don’t feel like a ‘mom.’
Dark “Skinny” Jeans
I love my comfortable, dark-wash “skinny” jeans from Old Navy—one of the few maternity items I’ve purchased. I live in them, because I’m a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of girl, and they allow me to feel put together while being able to get dirty with my toddler.
Maternity/Post Baby Dress
I love this Charlotte Russe dress, because it’s feminine, pretty and classic. I don’t usually wear dresses, but love how this one makes me feel, which is why I wore it to our baby shower.
It’s light and fresh and easy to wear when I need a pick me up. It’s made of a light peach gauzy fabric with lace detail on the straps and back. One of the things I like about it is that it works well for pregnancy (with a cute tie above the belly) and can still be worn post baby. Score!
