Delia Morinelli, the old housekeeper of Ancel and Margaret Keys, grants an interview full of memories about recipes and culinary tradition. Delia worked at Keys home for many years and contributed to the achievement of the objective of Professor Keys: to know the elixir of long life through the typical dishes of Campania. During the interview, Delia describes all the dishes that Ancel and Margaret learned from her, she remembers their interest for Cilento’s traditions and reveals the skill of Mrs. Keys in the kitchen. Delia tells the authenticity of food that Keys favored, recipes that they worshiped and reveals that the Professor ate every evening two dried figs. Pasta, fish, little meat, a spoon of olive oil per day and lots of vegetables and legumes: this is the secret of longevity handed down by Ancel and Margaret Keys, her employers but mostly “masters of life”.

Interview by: Elisabetta Moro
Video by: Elisabetta Moro. Editing by: Roberta Campassi
Subtitle by: Maria Funiciello
Document by: Annarita Lecce
MedEatResarch – Center of Social Research on the Mediterranean Diet of the University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa, head by Marino Niola and Elisabetta Moro
Created: 05-08-2013
Delia Morinelli

Delia Morinelli

Date of Birth: 19-05-1937
City: Casal Velino
Profession: chef
Language: Italian

Video table of contents

- 00:18 The dishes that Delia Morinelli prepared for Ancel and Margaret Keys
- 03:10 The recipes that Ancel and Margaret Keys learned from Delia Morinelli
- 04:32 Delia between work and dedication to her husband
- 05:34 Simple and healthy food for festivities at Keys home
- 08:20 Pasta with beans and soups: dishes beloved by Keys
- 09:38 The Keys’s vegetable garden
- 10:57 The traditional cuisine of Cilento
- 12:23 Margaret Keys's preferred dish
- 12:48 Overseas tradition: Thanksgiving turkey
- 15:03 One spoon of oil for a perfect diet
- 15:24 Keys and his passion for dried figs
- 16:02 The recipe of spaghetti with octopus
- 17:52 Delia Morinelli's favourite dishes
- 18:34 Memories about ragù
- 19:48 Keys and their research
- 22:35 The secret of longevity

Geographic information

Country: IT
Region: Campania
City: Pollica
District: SA
Suburb: Pioppi
Altitude: 10m s.l.m.

Links and attachements