In this fabulous job at Olio2go, we are immersed in Italian culture and reminded of Italian-American experiences on a daily basis. We have memories of our grandparents who bridged cultures in small towns, our own travels to Italy, and our remembrances of the traditions that we have kept and those that we have let go.
My grandmother, Lucille, could take two pork chops and serve all who came to dinner, with a little of this and a little of that. The table filled quickly with antipasto selections, pasta, and vegetables. Miraculously a bounty could be found at her house. My grandfather had a garden in the back yard with grape vines, tomatoes, zucchini, and chard. My writing here doesn’t do justice to the abundance of love expressed through food in that house.
As emigration from Italy to the U.S. has tailed off, we have fewer who can carry forth the Itatraditions from the old country. It is now up to the U.S.-born to carry on the traditions for the future generations. If this is an interest of yours, be sure to join the National Italian American Foundation (NAIF).
Recently, I came across an alumni magazine with stories of the influences of grandparents and returning to one’s roots. Land Recognized is the story of a young woman’s journey back to Italy. On page 30 of the PDF, Land Recognized reveals the thoughts of her journey to Italy in search of a connection to her grandmother and her family’s history.
Popular novelist Adriana Trigiani weaves tales of her Italian American upbringing through her novels and her family memoir. From Big Stone Gap, through the mills of Pennsylvania, she crafts wonderful weavings of her experiences and those common to so many of us who had the joys and experience of Italian-American small town life. Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from my Grandmothers brought back my own memories of Lucille and Josephine. In the last pages, I began to think of all of those friends and cousins who would enjoy this book!
Adriana Trigiani has also published a cookbook, Cooking with My Sisters: One Hundred Years of Family Recipes from Bari to Big Stone Gap, sharing more of her family’s Italian-American heritage.
We’d love to know your favorite traditions and we’d also like to know your favorite books to share with other Olio2go readers!
While we honor all our mothers
with words of love and praise.
While we tell about their goodness
and their kind and loving ways.
We should also think of Grandma,
she’s a mother too, you see…….For she mothered my dear mother as my mother mothers me.
If roses grow in heaven then Lord pick a bunch for me. Place them in my grandma’s arms and tell her they’re from me. Tell her I love & miss her. Then when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while. I miss my grandma so much.
I am the daughter of immigrants,I treasure the memories,Itreasure the language,I treasure the culture,I mourn he fact that I never knew my grandparents,but from that sadness,I vowed to be a loving caring Italian grandmother,to all my grand-kids,and I hope that like the statement above,my grandkids will always have happy memories,of thier Italian gramma,wholoved them and FED,them MANGIA,
While we honor all our mothers
with words of love and praise.
While we tell about their goodness
and their kind and loving ways.
We should also think of Grandma,
she’s a mother too, you see…….For she mothered my dear mother as my mother mothers me.
If roses grow in heaven then Lord pick a bunch for me. Place them in my grandma’s arms and tell her they’re from me. Tell her I love & miss her. Then when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while. I miss my grandma so much.
I am the daughter of immigrants,I treasure the memories,Itreasure the language,I treasure the culture,I mourn he fact that I never knew my grandparents,but from that sadness,I vowed to be a loving caring Italian grandmother,to all my grand-kids,and I hope that like the statement above,my grandkids will always have happy memories,of thier Italian gramma,wholoved them and FED,them MANGIA,
so sweet..you must be an amaziing person,Teresa.
Teresa,
Your post is just beautiful. I too miss my Grandmothers as well. (Can’t forget Grandfathers to.)
My Mom was a teacher by profession and as they say chief, cook and bottle washer. She did it all. Took care of three children, ran a home, was a teacher and there was always a hot meal on the table at night for dinner. I don’t know how she did it all. She would make us breakfast in the morning and made sure we had very nutritious and satisfying lunch for school. Then in the evening she made dinner mostly from scratch, as in the 50’s,60’s and 70’s they didn’t have much of the prepackaged prepared foods as they do now. Many of my fondest memories was helping my Mom make dinner. The smells of chicken or pork cooking in the oven with potatoes and onions was a wonderful way to grow up. On Sundays, church was always the top priority ( the whole family would go together and get dressed up not like today with jeans) and then we would come home and prepare for dinner which we would eat about 2:00 pm our larger meal. Sunday was not only for church but for family. Being an Italian-American family, we always had company over, whether it be my Grandparents, friends, or Aunts and Uncles. Now, this is what I mean about food being centered around our family. The table had to be set just so, with the proper placement of forks, spoons and knives. We had a centerpiece that coordinated with each holiday and we would always use the good china and silverware. Especially before a major holiday, like Christmas or Easter the silver polish would come out and my job was to help clean the silver serving trays. We also polished all of the furniture as everything had to be just perfect. Even now if I smell Gorham silver polish it brings back memories of family gatherings long ago. Now back to the food, my Mom would list on a piece of paper what she was going to make for that Sunday meal which was very important. She always said to make a list so you would not forget to put a dish out on the table. A typical Sunday meal was centered on pasta (macaroni or mac’s for short we would call it) and meatballs as a first dish and then came the entree with all the trimmings. Either chicken, pork roast, or a roast beef. Then the veggies were either broccoli, stuffed mushrooms, fried cardoons ( like a celery but tastes like an artichoke) the list is too numerous to mention. Then the starch was either potatoes mashed, baked, in a gratin or rice. A lettuce salad was a must. It contained everything from lettuce of all types, cucumbers, radishes, sweet sliced peppers, red onions, and chunks of carrots or celery. The dressing was made with the best olive oil and always balsamic vinegar. After every one was almost busting out of their clothes came the coffee, demitasse, (Italian black coffee) tea, fruit, nuts, figs and the desserts. Now baking is my forte so I salivated over all of the Italian pastries including cannoli, sfogligtelli, cream puffs, cookies with pignoli nuts, and cheese cakes. We of course do not eat like that anymore, thank goodness or we will have to be rolled out of the house. Things were different then, I think this describes it very well, “ Family Plus Food Equals Love.”
http://familyplusfoodequalslove-dottie.blogspot.com
Adriana’s books are truly lovely and make you love your granparents memory even more
I am not Italian but Adri sure makes me wish I was! She is an amazing author and person. Her book signings are unbelievable. She is truly a friend to her fans!
Ah, my grandmothers, such different women with different traditions, blessings and gifts to pass on. The spiritual wealth they have left us! I too remember dinner at my Nana’s after Mass on Sundays. I still have her kitchen table!
I so enjoy all of Adriana’s books and am so thrilled to let my friends BORROW them!
Ah, my grandmothers, such different women with different traditions, blessings and gifts to pass on. The spiritual wealth they have left us! I too remember dinner at my Nana’s after Mass on Sundays. I still have her kitchen table!
I so enjoy all of Adriana’s books and am so thrilled to let my friends BORROW them!
i have read all of your books,some twice.please keep writing
So interesting how each Italian -American family has such similar traditions. I love those memories! Thank you, Adriana, for reminding me!
So interesting how each Italian -American family has such similar traditions. I love those memories! Thank you, Adriana, for reminding me!