![minn.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPHgbredLBfp4z84LS35p5pMM6mK25ioW3Fd7xRbvqUni/minn.jpg)

I grew up in Hamilton Ontario Canada. Living there most of my life I learn through the years, that Hamilton had many Italians living there. I even became a singer of an Italian wedding band for years.

Shortly after I was married, to my now ex husband, we moved to a downtown neighborhood into a small old townhouse we had purchased. 

![Untitled.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPaeFyyxsCKbfoCdHx82fhsf8aZrzodCjr3W3Xey3FkC8/Untitled.jpg)

Next door to us was an older man and his wife. They were Italian and had lived in Canada for almost all of their lives, though they had very heavy accents. 

You couldn't have asked for better neighbors, and I never held it against him that Johnny Papalia, the well known mob boss would often go to his house for a visit. The two had known each other since youth. Papalia was gunned down years later.

My neighbor's name was Agustino. He was the typical Italian gardener. His small back yard would be converted into a full blown Eden  for beautiful fruits and vegetables.

![white-cabbage-2521700_1920.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmf2V4Kij2kBy7i6rzhGhXXPTAM5sSZg5k5YHiHfmzZBGh/white-cabbage-2521700_1920.jpg)<p><a href="https://pixabay.com/">source</a></p>

There would be tomatoes of course, cucumbers, zucchini, fava beans, string beans, herbs, berries and so on. 

![food-3052773_1920.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmV5PJc8AdwamBFfhu36QLo6khWWwTx1fA82vt5H1BZMCK/food-3052773_1920.jpg)<p><a href="https://pixabay.com/">source</a></p>

![broad-bean-729153_1920.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmNWA1VE2355oFwNNkXmR29EUmfong8FWfb7NxfMFfMCGP/broad-bean-729153_1920.jpg)<p><a href="https://pixabay.com/">source</a></p>

I realized how lucky we were that we would be the first ones he would share with. Not only would he share the fresh goods, he would also knock on my door once or twice a week with a pot of freshly made Minestrone soup.

We were treated to a bowl of soup made from fresh beans, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, fava beans and pasta. I was not at all vegan at the time so I didn't mind the parmesean cheese grated on top. 

What I remember the most is the incredible taste of the basil that he grew and added to the soup. He called it "Basilico"

![basil.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmWaLSMGBkjMZGuZXKcW7Mk6g71xovFc3NLyupxyDLmY7i/basil.jpg)<p><a href="https://pixabay.com/">source</a></p>

Here in Acapulco you can only find this type of basil which is called "Albahaca"  in certain stores, sold in packages and way too costly for the amount. The kind that you find everywhere is not the kind that I like.

Today I made a vegan version of minestrone walking down memory lane, reminiscing  of Agustino who later passed away taking the best minestrone soup recipe with him. Well I suppose his wife knew it but it was he that made it.

I used ingredients from the local market down the street which is just a little hole in the wall with many customers crammed in. There is always a line up.

I put in fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, string beans regular brown beans, veggie soup base and pasta. I was great. It would have been kicked up a notch with some added basil; the kind Augustino used to grow.

![min.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSvgQabdrCjeej7rMFuGutrp6hP8QbrX4gbgEXHNXq6CA/min.jpg)

![signature.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbPJucWnKVChamWAnLBf2BPn5eq7VSzSK3AcKsBSg9Epb/signature.jpg)