Anne Gillis likes to make gnocchi the old-fashioned way: by hand and chemical-free (i.e. organic). This Italian-born, California-raised octogenarian learned to make gnocchi- a traditional Italian potato pasta- from her mother.

Believing that anything out of a box is dead, she continues to cook nearly all her own food at home, and from scratch. While it may take a bit more time, she believes that the process itself is nurturing: “cooking is love”.

She is religious about cooking and eating all organic because she believes it’s what is keeping her alive. Two decades ago she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After surgery, she researched her condition and found that most doctors recommended avoiding conventional produce in favor of organics (in a recent EU study, scientists found more antioxidants in organic fruits, vegetables and milk than in their conventional counterparts). Believing that her body can’t process all of those pesticides, she has remained faithful to her organic diet to this day.

In this video, Anne Gillis shows us how to make her mother’s traditional gnocchi with all organic ingredients. It took a few hours, but it was an enjoyable activity and in the end, the kitchen did seem filled with love. And no, she’d never heard of the Slow Food Movement.