---
aliases: ["Maria Colombo"]
Is A: Person
Tier: "1st 🥇"
Tags: ["Family"]
---
# Maria Colombo

Luca's mother, a retired school teacher living near Lake Como in a house where Luca and Elena grew up. Maria spent thirty years teaching elementary school in the local community and is beloved by generations of former students. Now retired, she tends a beautiful garden, cooks elaborate meals for family visits, and stays active in local community activities. She is the emotional anchor of the Rossi family and the source of most of Luca's best recipes.

Maria is proud of both her children, even if she does not fully understand what Luca does for a living ("something with computers and a podcast"). She worries about him working too much and not eating enough, as Italian mothers do, and never misses an opportunity to remind him that there is more to life than staring at a screen. Luca visits her most weekends when he is not traveling, often bringing Giulia along.

## Notes

- An incredible cook whose pasta recipes are Luca's most treasured family heirloom; her risotto alla milanese is legendary
- Warm, nurturing, and gently persistent; the kind of person who makes everyone feel at home within minutes
- Has adapted to technology more than expected; uses WhatsApp proficiently and video calls with Elena in Rome regularly
- Her garden near Lake Como produces tomatoes, basil, and zucchini that she insists are superior to anything available in Milan
- Loves Giulia and has already started dropping hints about grandchildren, which Luca deflects with practiced skill

## Collaborations

- [[event-dinner-family]] — the heart of every family gathering; her home near Lake Como is the family meeting point
