All Aboooooooard!
Welcome to “Be Italian!” Station!
Those of you that have been with us throughout the “Papa’s Italy” journey know that this is the blog for the website, “Papa’s Italy”(www.papasitaly.com)- a continuation of the adventures of Aniello Agostino Oliviero, (aka, “Papa”) and his “grandawta” Danielle!
This entry is our third stop on Papa’s wonderful, whimsical train ride around the history of Italy and what it is like to be Italian-American in the U.S.A. We visited the tribes of ancient Italy, witnessed the immigration of Italians into America, and took a special tour through the challenges and charms of being Italian in modern America.
For this final installation, we want to share with you the different ways you can have more “Italy” in your every day life, and introduce you to some of our Italian-American friends and their favorite memories about growing up in an Italian family in America!
It’s a Great, Big, Italian World Out There
Why are so many aspects of the Italian culture so prevalent in the United States and around the world? You may be surprised to learn that while the majority of Italian citizens can be found in Italy, the majority of people reporting Italian heritage are not living in Italy.
Today, infogalactic.com reports that of the 130 million Italians worldwide, 56 million Italian citizens live in Italy– the remaining 74 million people (about 5 million Italian citizens and the rest non-citizens of Italian heritage) are divided between other countries around the globe. The countries with the largest percentage of Italian citizens and national citizens with Italian heritage include:
| Italy 55,818,099[1] | |
| Brazil | 23,047,494[2] |
| Argentina | 20,500,000[2] |
| United States | 17,250,211[3] |
| Venezuela | 1,736,766[4] |
| France | 1,530,563[2] |
| Canada | 1,488,425[5] |
| Peru | 1,400,000[6] |
| Uruguay | 1,055,220[2] |
| Australia | 916,121[7] |
| Germany | 830,000[8] |
| Switzerland | 545,274[9] |
| Belgium | 451.825[10] |
| Chile | 184,997[2] |
| United Kingdom | 130,000[11] |
| Mexico | 85,000[12] |
| South Africa | 77,400[2] |
| Spain | 38,694[2] |
| Austria | 29.287[13] |
| Albania | 19,000[14] |
| Croatia | 17,807[15] |
| Czech Republic | 3,503[16] |
| Romania | 3,203[17] |
Dat’s alotta Italian influence! And if we look for it, we can see it everywhere. In our past blogs we talked about the presence of Italian culture in movies, music and especially food. But what if its not enough? What if you want more Italy in your life? Here are some ways you can have more of that “La Dolce Vita,” the sweet life, in your life!
Mangia! Mangia!
©Copyright 2016 Danielle Landis
The easiest way to have more Italy in your life is to eat, drink, and be merry, Italian style! This one can be as simple as heading out to your favorite local Italian restaurant for anything from a simple plate of linguini to a more elaborate kitchen preparation like a baked lasagna or a porcini risotto. TheDailyMeal.com gives us a list of the U.S. neighborhoods with the highest concentration of Italian restaurants (http://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/america-s-best-cities-italian-food), but even if you don’t live in Boston, Hartford, New York, Chicago, Providence, St. Louis, or Philly, most neighborhoods have a huge selection of Italian restaurants offering a variety of Italian cuisines for all kinds of Italian budgets! (Ever tried Osteria Natalina http://www.osterianatalina.com/ in Tampa, Florida? T. Maccarones http://tmaccarones.com/ in Walla Walla, Washington? Sarducci’s http://www.sarduccis.com/ in Montpelier, Vermont? Bocca Osteria http://www.boccaosteria.com/ in Cooperstown, New York?) Even in the smallest towns in America you can find a decent pizza somewhere, and if it’s just not decent, then no need to sacrifice, why not make your own Italian dinner at home? You can go from something as simple as Pasta Aglio e Olio (as easy but as delicious as it gets – pasta, olive oil, sauteed garlic, and grated parmesan) or “Lazy Lasagna” (a recipe Papa devised that had the Nonna’s rolling in their graves, but was the best “quick fix” for a last-minute lasagna craving! I’ve included the recipe at the end of this month’s blog, along with Mama’s “Easy Eggplant Parmagiana.” You will not be able to resist trying them!)
If you are feeling more ambitious, you can dig into one of the many traditional Italian cookbooks laying around the house or the internet and try your hand at an old-fashioned, real Italian recipe like those in Ada Buoni’s 1950 “Talisman Cookbook.” 
Even if you are not in the mood to conjure up some “Eels Genoa Style,” “Lamb Sweetbreads” (culinary hint: they are neither sweet nor made from bread), or “Ox Tounge in Rustic Sauce,” most of the recipes have less than 10 ingredients and taste just like they came out of Nonna’s 1975 kitchen (Try your hand at the “Tuscan Ministrone!)
While you are at it, if you want more Italian in your life, why stop at “just” cooking and eating? Why not plan an entire festa around your meal? Simply add a great soundtrack, a nice Italian wine, a quintessentially Italian movie, and you’ve got your very own Italian night! Here’s our recipe for one you can try at home:
The Meal: Make it easy on yourself and order in from your favorite, local Italian restaurant! Or, want to make it yourself but don’t want to spend the entire day in the kitchen? Try Papa or Mama’s “Shhhhhh….Don’t Tell” easy recipes for Italian favorites lasagna and eggplant parmagiana… or, go ahead and get motivated and find the true Italian chef within- make an afternoon of it and try a recipe or two from the Talisman cookbook!
The Soundtrack: We have the perfect playlist! Start it when you start cooking and let it loop through to dessert- see our blog post “Aniello Oliviero’s Infinite Symphony” and scroll down to the end for a playlist of our all-time Italian favorites.
The Wine: Italy produces the largest volume of wine in the world (France is second.) Because of this fact you will probably have a large selection of Italian wines from which to choose.
©Copyright 2016 Danielle Landis
My advice? Start anywhere. And when I say anywhere, I mean start with a wine from any one of the recognized wine regions in Italy- there are 20, and I have listed them below using Wikipedia’s Italian wine map:
The regions are, roughly from Northwest to Southeast:
- Aosta Valley
- Piemonte
- Liguria
- Lombardia
- Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Veneto
- Emilia-Romagna
- Toscana
- Marche
- Umbria
- Lazio
- Sardinia
- Abruzzo
- Molise
- Campania
- Basilicata
- Puglia
- Calabria
- Sicily
Another helpful Italian wine selection hint? Make sure the wrapper on the bottle neck is labeled, “Vini IGP,” “Vini DOC,” or “Vini DOCG.” These are Italian wine classifications that help ensure the wine you are drinking is actually from Italy, and not just a mix of grapes from somewhere in the European Union (not that an international mix is necessarily a bad thing, but we are going for authentic Italian wine on our Italian night!) (Note: this classification applies to your olive oil as well– there was a scandal a few years back when it was revealed that many olive oils claiming to be Italian were actually mixes of oils made from olives [and also oils from not olives!] from Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain and Greece. And when we use the word, “scandal,” trust that even though we are Italian, we are not exaggerating. You will be shocked [again, not exaggerating] at how common counterfeit Italian olive oil is, and how prevalent is its presence in the world market [www.oliveoiltimes.com/tag/olive-oil-fraud?page=4].
If you desire olive oil from other countries of origin, that is great– I personally love trying new types of Spanish and Greek olives and olive oil- but if I believe I am buying olive oil from one country of origin, then I want the oil I buy to actually be from the country that is advertised on the front of the label– and I want it to be entirely made of olives! Pay special attention to the labels that say “Mediterranean Blend,” as these are usually a mix of the oil from several countries, and look for the “Country of Origin” listing on the back label, usually in very, very tiny print.)
Away from deceptive olive oil practices and back to authentic Italian wine, here, from Wikipedia, is a “cheat sheet” of basic Italian wine varietals to look for. First, your “Bianco,” your White Wines:
- Arneis: A variety from Piedmont, which has been grown there since the 15th century.
- Catarratto: Common in Sicily—this is the most widely planted white variety in Salaparuta.
- Fiano: Grown on the southwest coast of Italy.
- Friulano: A variety also known as Sauvignon Vert or Sauvignonasse, it yields one of the most typical wines of Friuli. The wine was previously known as Tocai but the name was changed by the EC to avoid confusion with the Tokay dessert wine from Hungary.
- Garganega: The main grape variety for wines labeled Soave, this is a dry white wine from the Veneto wine region of Italy. It is popular in northeast Italy around the city of Verona. Currently, there are over 3,500 distinct producers of Soave.
- Greco di Tufo: Grown on the southwest coast of Italy.
- Malvasia bianca: A white variety that occurs throughout Italy with many clones and mutations.
- Moscato blanc: Grown mainly in Piedmont, it is mainly used in the slightly-sparkling (frizzante), semi-sweet Moscato d’Asti. Not to be confused with Moscato Giallo and Moscato rosa, two Germanic varietals that are grown in Trentino Alto-Adige.
- Nuragus: An ancient Sardinian variety found in southern Sardegna, producing light and tart wines consumed as an apertifs.
- Passerina: mainly derives from Passerina grapes (it may even be produced purely with these), plus a minimum percentage of other white grapes and may be still, sparkling or passito. The still version has an acidic profile, which is typical of these grapes.
- Pecorino: Native to Marche and Abruzzo, it is used in the Falerio dei Colli Ascolani and Offida DOC wines. It is low-yielding, but will ripen early and at high altitudes. Pecorino wines have a rich, aromatic character.
- Pigato: An acidic variety from Liguria, the wines are vinified to pair with seafood.
- Pinot grigio: A successful commercial grape (known as Pinot Gris in France), its wines are characterized by crispness and cleanness. The wine can range from mild to full-bodied.
- Ribolla Gialla: A Greek variety introduced by the Venetians that now makes its home in Friuli.
- Trebbiano: This is the most widely planted white varietal in Italy. It is grown throughout the country, with a special focus on the wines from Abruzzo and from Lazio, including Frascati. Trebbiano from producers such as Valentini have been known to age for 15+ years. It is known as Ugni blanc in France.
- Verdicchio: This is grown in the areas of Castelli di Jesi and Matelica in the Marche region and gives its name to the varietal white wine made from it. The name comes from “verde” (green). In the last few year Verdicchio wines are considered to be the best white wines of Italy.[12]
- Vermentino: This is widely planted in Sardinia and also found in Tuscan and Ligurian coastal districts. The wines are a popular accompaniment to seafood.
Other important whites include Carricante, Coda de Volpe, Cortese, Falanghina, Grechetto, Grillo, Inzolia, Picolit, Traminer, Verduzzo, and Vernaccia.
And here is a list of your “Rosso,” your Reds:
- Aglianico del Vulture: Based on the Aglianico grape produced in the Vulture area of Basilicata. It was recognized as DOC in 1971 and DOCG in 2011.
- Aglianico: Considered the “noble varietal of the south”, it is primarily grown in Basilicata and Campania. The name is probably derived from Hellenic, so it is considered a Greek transplant. The fruit is thick skinned and spicy fruit.
- Barbera: The most widely grown red wine grape of Piedmont and Southern Lombardy, most cultivated around the towns of Asti, Alba, and Pavia. Barbera wines were once considered simply “what you drank while waiting for the Barolo to be ready”, but with a new generation of wine makers this is no longer the case. The wines are now meticulously vinified: in the Asti region Barbera grapes are used to make “Barbera d’Asti Superiore”, which may be aged in French barriques to become Nizza, a quality wine aimed at the international market. The vine has bright cherry-coloured fruit, and its wine is acidic with a dark color.
- Corvina: Along with the varietals Rondinella and molinara, this is the principal grape which makes the famous wines of the Veneto: Valpolicella and Amarone. Valpolicella wine has dark cherry fruit and spice. After the grapes undergo passito (a drying process), the wine is now called Amarone, and is high in alcohol (16% and up) and characterized by raisin, prune, and syrupy fruits. Some Amarones can age for 40+ years and command spectacular prices. In December 2009, there was celebration when the acclaimed Amarone di Valpolicella was finally awarded its long-sought DOCG status. The same method used for Amarone is used for Recioto, the oldest wine produced in this area, but the difference is that Recioto is a sweet wine.[13]
- Dolcetto: A grape that grows alongside Barbera and Nebbiolo in Piedmont, its name means “little sweet one”, referring not to the taste of the wine, but the ease in which it grows and makes good wines suitable for everyday drinking. Flavors of concord grape, wild blackberries, and herbs permeate the wine.
- Malvasia nera: Red Malvasia varietal from Piedmont. A sweet and perfumed wine, sometimes elaborated in the passito style.
- Montepulciano: Not to be confused with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano; it is most widely planted grape on the opposite coast in Abruzzo. Its wines develop silky plum-like fruit, friendly acidity, and light tannin. More recently, producers have been creating a rich, inky, extracted version of this wine, a sharp contrast to the many inferior bottles produced in the past.[14]
- Nebbiolo: The most noble of Italy’s varieties. The name (meaning “little fog”) refers to the autumn fog that blankets most of Piedmont where Nebbiolo is chiefly grown, and where it achieves the most successful results. A difficult grape variety to cultivate, it produces the most renowned Barolo and Barbaresco, made in the province of Cuneo, along with the lesser-known Sforzato, Inferno and Sassella made in Valtellina, Ghemme and Gattinara, made in Vercelli’s province. Traditionally produced Barolo can age for fifty years-plus, and is regarded by many wine enthusiasts as the greatest wine of Italy.[15]
- Negroamaro: The name literally means “black bitter”. A widely planted grape with its concentration in the region of Puglia, it is the backbone of the Salice Salentino.
- Nero d’Avola: This once-obscure native varietal of Sicily is gaining attention for its fruit and sweet tannins. The quality of Nero d’Avola has surged in recent years.[16]
- Primitivo: A red grape planted found in southern Italy, most notably in Apulia. Primitivo ripens early and thrives in warm climates, where it can achieve very high alcohol levels. It is known as Zinfandel in California.
- Sagrantino: A native of Umbria, it is planted on only 250 hectares, but the wines produced from it (either blended with Sangiovese as Rosso di Montefalco or as a pure Sagrantino) are world-renowned. These wines can age for many years.
- Sangiovese: Italy’s claim to fame, the pride of Tuscany. It produces Chianti (Classico), Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Montefalco Rosso, and many others. Sangiovese is also the backbone in many of the acclaimed, modern-styled “Super-Tuscans”, where it is blended with Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) and typically aged in French oak barrels, resulting in a wine primed for the international market in the style of a typical California cabernet: oaky, high-alcohol, and a ripe, fruit-forward profile.[17]
Other major red varieties are Cannonau, Ciliegolo, Gaglioppo, Lagrein, Lambrusco, Monica, Nerello Mascalese, Pignolo, Refosco, Schiava, Schiopettino, Teroldego, and Uva di Troia.
I try to support vineyards from the Southern region, since that is where Papa and Mama’s families are from, and amazing Southern wines are often overlooked in favor of the more famous Northern and Tuscan wines, like Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino (known by American eonophiles as the “Killer B’s” of Italian wine.) I like to drink “Greco di Tufo,” if I drink an Italian white wine, but reds are my favorite, and my favorite Italian reds right now are Aglianico, Aglianico del Vultura, or Negroamaro, all from the Southern regions. I also became a bit addicted to a rosé-style Aglianico, called Lacrimarosa Irpinia Rosato, from the Mastroberardino vineyard from Irpinia (http://www.mastroberardino.com/en/the-history/.) 
©Copyright 2016 Danielle Landis
The bottle art is lovely and the pink color is beautiful (not that you can see the shade, however, as I drank the bottle before it occurred to me to photograph it.) I was blessed to be able to try the rosato and quite a few “local” Southern wines this summer during the famous “Sponzfest” (http://www.sponzfest.it/2016/) in Calitri, Italy, a time when all of the wine caves and grottos open up to offer their family’s best labels.
Other than those vine-tastic hints from me and Wikipedia, you are on your own with the Italian night wine purchase! Have fun and make buying and drinking the bottle an experience in and of itself. Try to experiment with the different regions and varietals, and be comfortable deciding what you like and what you don’t. It’s all part of the adventure!
So, back to our “Italian Night”– you’ve got your soundtrack, you’ve got your food, you’ve got your wine. Now, for the evening’s entertainment, your “quintessentially Italian” movie.
The Quintessentially Italian Movie: Obviously this is a matter of taste and preference, and this list reflects my bias in both. Here are my favorites that I think will make for a great Italian theme night! We will begin with some classic Italian directors and films and work our way up to the more modern films that are less Italian and more “Italian themed.”
- Cinema Paradiso (1990 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095765/ ) and Malena (2000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213847/); Directed by Giuseppe Tornatorre;
- Il Postino (The Postman) (1994 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110877/) – Directed by Michael Redford;
- The Bicycle Thieves (1948 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040522/) Directed by Vittorio De Sica
- Amarcord (1973 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071129/) and La Dolce Vita (1960 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053779/); Directed by Federico Fellini
- Pane y Tulipane (2000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237539/) Directed by Silvio Soldini;
- La Vita e bella (1997 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/) Directed by Roberto Benigni;
- Pranzo di Ferragosto (2008 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1277728/) Directed by Gianni di Gregorio;
- Roman Holiday (1953 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046250/) Directed by William Wyler
- To Rome with Love (2012 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1859650/) – Directed by Woody Allen
- The Big Night (1996 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115678/ ) Directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci
There are a few movies that, although they are not my favorites, if you like Italian-themed film and characters, these are stereotypically Italian and definitely worth a watch!
The Godfather starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando;
Moonstruck starring Cher and Nicholas Cage;
My Cousin Vinny starring Marissa Tomei and Joe Pesci;
Raging Bull starring Robert DeNiro;
Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone;
Stealing Beauty starring Liv Tyler;
Tea with Mussolini starring Maggie Smith and Judy Dench;
The American starring George Clooney;
The Tourist starring Angelina Jolie and Johhny Depp;
When in Rome starring Kirsten Bell and Josh Duhammel;
Under the Tuscan Sun starring Diane Lane;
Only You starring Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr.;
Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts;
The Talented Mr. Ripley starring Matt Damon and Jude Law;
Letters to Juliet starring Amanda Seyfried;
Italian for Beginners starring Anders Berthelsen.
While you are watching your classic Italian movie you can enjoy a classic Italian dessert, like Neapolitan ice cream, Cannoli or Tiramisu, followed by the customary after-dinner espresso to make sure you make it through the entire movie (Italian films are renowned for being long!) Be sure to finish it all with a “digestivo” like Fernet Branca, Amaro Lucano, Ramazotti, or Cynar, very important bitter herb liquor concoctions to help all of that wonderful food digest, and make sure you sleep like a bambino.
More, More, More!
So let’s say you’ve had your Italian theme night, or even a few of them, and all it has done is make you hungry, thirsty and craving even more Italian. Non te preoccupe, there are so many things you can do to bring more Italy into your life! Some examples:
Visit Italian-Themed YouTube Channels– Italian-American YouTubers can bring some fun and entertaining Italian culture into your life. Plus, you may learn a thing or three! A few that I like:
This segment from Marco in a Box is called “How to be Italian – 20 Rules Italians Never Break.” See if any of these ring familiar for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6G_clfRX5U
This one from Buzzfeed Yellow, “Signs you Grew Up Italian American”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxXTCrXFRK0
And another from Buzzfeed, “Italian Grandmothers Try Olive Garden.” **Brooklyn Nonna Bad Language Warning: One of the Mamas has a bit of a dirty mouth on her, but the video was so cute I was compelled to include it anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVyhE3-_lCM
Read Italian Books – If you love reading, and you love Italy, be sure to look at this list from Goodreads.com, (http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/italian) that includes authors such as Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose), Niccolò Machiavelli (The Prince), Dante Alighieri (The Divine Comedy) Giovanni Boccaccio (The Decameron), Paolo Giordano (The Solitude of Prime Numbers), Elena Ferrante (The Days of Abandonment), Mario Puzo (The Godfather) and many others. Oh, and while you are at it, don’t forget to read, “How Do We Love?” The soon-to-be classic non-fiction picture novel about the adventures of Aniello “Papa” Oliviero! (www.papasitaly.com)
Go to an Italian Heritage Festival- Annual Italian heritage festivals can be found all over the United States. Many of these events coincide with Italian American Heritage Month, which is in October. LifeInItaly.com provides lists and links to all of the Italian festivals aross the country by state: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/heritage/italian-american-festivals.asp
As does Order Sons of Italy in America, with over 361 festivals listed across the country!
https://www.osia.org/culture/italian-festivals.php
And Martha Bakerjian from GoItaly.com shares with us her favorites: (http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/tp/US_italian_fests.htm)
• Memphis Italian Festival May: Memphis Italian Festival is usually the last weekend of May in Memphis, Tennessee
• Summer in Little Italy Festival Summer: New York’s Little Italy holds a festival every weekend during summer with sidewalk cafes and special events.
• Venetian Night and Boat Parade July: Chicago’s Venetian Night and boat parade is modeled after boat parades in Venice, Italy.
• Feast of the Assumption August: Feast of the Assumption, August 15, is a big holiday in Italy. Cleveland, Ohio.
• San Gennaro Festival September: San Gennaro is a 10-day festival in New York City’s Little Italy.
• Feast of San Gennaro September: Feast of San Gennaro is celebrated in Los Angeles with a weekend festival in late September.
• Italian Heritage Parade October: San Francisco’s Italian Heritage Parade, held in North Beach on Columbus Day, has been going on since 1868 and is nation’s oldest Italian Heritage Parade.
Organize a Family Reunion– what better way to appreciate and reminisce about being an Italian American than with an Italian family reunion? It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just the act of having everyone together in the same place- whether it is Nonno’s living room, a park, the beach or a nice Italian restaurant- is what makes it amazing! And holding it around a special time of the year, like Thanksgiving or Independence Day or Mama’s 96th birthday makes it a no-brainer for every warm-hearted, holiday-loving Italian American. Imagine all the famiglia, the food, the photos, the wine, the music, the laughter, sharing old stories and memories and making new ones!
Join an Italian-American Society– Italian American clubs represent a way to preserve the Italian American culture, traditions, memories, language and relationships between Italian Americans in the United States. Plus, they usually hold all kinds of wonderful Italian-related events, from language classes to group travel to festivals and other social events. Daddezio.com provides a list of the Italian American clubs and societies by state: http://www.daddezio.com/italianclubs/
Go to Italy! Eighteenth century British author Samuel Johnson said, “A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see.” The World Tourism Organization ranks Italy as the 5th most internationally visited country in the world, with 50.7 million international visitors in 2015, up from 48.6 million in 2014. And according to USNews.com, Rome is the #1 family vacation spot in all of Europe. These statistics are not surprising, with all the beauty and diversity Italy has to offer. Who hasn’t wanted to visit the ancient Coliseum in Rome, walk through vast fields of Tuscan sunflowers, or overlook the rugged, jaw-dropping vistas on the Amalfi Coast? Airlines now offer inexpensive direct flights to Rome, Air BnB, HomeAway.com, and HolidayLettings.com make local living affordable and possible, and as of this writing the Euro is at an all time low. What are you waiting for? Italy is waiting for you!
Become a dual citizen- Thanks to the Italian government and some helpful non-governmental and for-profit services, it is now easier than ever for Americans with Italian heritage to get their dual Italian citizenship. Having dual citizenship will allow you to live, work and study in Italy and the E.U. without a visa, will allow you to stay in Italy beyond the 90-day visa waiver limit, and will also make buying property easier. You will need to know certain information, such as the birth dates and birthplaces of your Italian-born ancestors, and you will need to secure original birth and death certificates for them, you and everyone in-between (websites like MyItalianFamily.com can help with those activities at very reasonable rates.) There are costs associated with applying for dual Italian citizenship, and the status may also have tax implications, but if you are interested in the idea of having dual citizenship, then it is worth a look! Check out www.MyItalianFamily.com for more information.
Move to Italy- This is, of course, a big step, but if you are truly in love with Italy and all things Italian, you may want to consider a life there! If it’s good enough for celebrities like George Clooney, Sting, Hellen Mirram, Woody Allen, Richard Branson, George Lucas, Leonardo Dicaprio and others, maybe it’s worth a try for you? (http://www.italylogue.com/about-italy/celebrities-with-homes-in-italy.html)
Wealthy movie stars and directors aside, more and more “regular, everyday” U.S. citizens are moving to or retiring to Italy in order to make their financial savings go further than it can in the U.S. Take, for example, my neighbors in Calitri, Italy, Barbara and John Highet. They bought and renovated a home in Calitri, Italy, sold everything in their hometown of Evergreen, Colorado, and now live in Italy full time. (See Barbara and John and their new Calitri home in their episode on International House Hunters http://www.hgtv.com/shows/house-hunters-international/episodes/connecting-to-roots-in-calitri.) If you catch the bug and want to learn more about moving to Italy, Emma Basile runs Porta D’Oriente agency in Calitri and has quite a bit of experience helping Americans (and UK’ers and EU’ers) become expats! (http://www.portadoriente.org/eng/home.shtml).
Before you commit to a permanent move, you may want to consider a temporary, trial adventure for a few months- even if you don’t want to or are not able to apply for dual Italian citizenship, you can still apply for a “Permesso de Soggiorno” which will allow you to stay in Italy beyond the 90 day visa waiver limit. (https://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/10716-Residence_permit/) Once you have applied for the Permisso de Soggiorno for 5 years in a row, you can apply for permanent Italian residence. Don’t think you have the budget to live anywhere else for a few months? If you want to try out living in Italy, you can also try house or pet sitting. www.TrustedHouseSitters.com and www.MindMyHouse.com are two well-established sites that offer opportunities for house and pet sitting around the world, including Italy!
Meet Some Paesan!
We hope these ideas have given you some inspiration for a multitude of ways to bring more Italy into your life. But one of the best and most Italian ways to bring more Italy into your life is to make new friends. If you thought you and your family were the only Italian-Americans out there, then meet a few new amici that have graciously shared with us their fondest memories of being Italian.
Meet Leila Martini!
Full Maiden Name: Leila Martini
My dad’s side is from Northern Italy and immigrated into Canada. My mom’s side is from Sicily and immigrated into Florida.
Leila’s Mimi and Papa (Mimi wearing the fur shawl and Papa to her left)
Mimi and Papa’s parents came from Alessandria della Rocca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandria_della_Rocca). My mom said BOTH of mimi’s parents and BOTH of papa’s parents came from that town…very interesting!
Leila’s Great Grandparents
Both Mimi and Papa’s families came into Ybor City, Florida. The interesting thing about this is a lot of our traditions are a merged blend of Italian/Cuban because of the Ybor City Cuban influence…for instance…Mimi’s FANTASTIC “Cuban coffee” and the fact that Papa loved GUAVA pastries, which he called “wawa”…lol!
The thing I love most about being Italian is the warmth. There is a certain exuberance that comes along with being Italian…a zest for life!
The most memorable thing for me about being from an Italian family is everyone talking over each other and all at once. I took a communication class once and the professor noted that I start most of my sentences with “Listen…” and it occurred to me that that is because growing up no one did listen and you had to literally yell to be heard!
My favorite Italian comfort food? Oh my gosh! PASTA!!! And Mimi made it so many different ways. One of my favorite ways was this white sauce…made with chicken and peas and mushrooms…it was not creamy…sort of soupy, really and with big, thick, curly noodles…sort of like a lasagna noodle but 1/3 of the width. I think the food is the Italian tradition we carry on in my family. March 16th for instance, my mom has a get together of all the cousins to celebrate the March birthdays and she is making all of Mimi’s pastas…all the main ones…chicken/peas/mushroom white sauce, the red sauce, the clam sauce, the broccoli and pignoli nuts.
We are definitely Italian and have that Italian vibe but truly it is so mixed in with Cuban that it is funny to me. Mimi spoke Spanish and I was shocked to discover this. She said it was from growing up in Ybor City. Her version of the Italian language was interesting….All her little old lady friends that she played bridge with would say “que beda” and “que duche”…so instead of BELLA it was BEDA. And “DOO CH AY.” So their pronunciations weren’t really formal Italian…maybe that is what Sicilian pronunciation is like. Also, there was a big, big difference between Mimi’s side Italian and Nonno and Nonna’s side (my dad’s side) Italian. Nonno and Nonna were northern Italian, what one would think of when thinking Italian…pasta made from scratch, old ladies mourning and wearing black…like old school… Mimi’s side was more joyful and warm and cohesive and I think that was part of the Cuban influence.
Meet Lisa Marie Farniacci!
Full Maiden Name: Lisamarie Sellitti (Lisa Marie is on the right)
My grandmother on my mother’s side was born in Bari, Italy and my grandfather was born in Tuscany, Italy. My grandmother on my father’s side was born in Naples, Italy and my grandfather was born in Tuscany, Italy. When they first came to the U.S., both grandparents came through Ellis Island, and they settled in Brooklyn, New York.
Top Image – Lisa Marie’s grandparents. Bottom Image, Lisa Marie’s grandmother
The thing I love most about being Italian American is of course the food, but also the stories and Italian rituals. My best memory of being from an Italian family has to be my grandmother cooking for weeks to get ready for the holidays. My favorite Italian comfort food was definitely eggplant parm! My grandmother also used to make homemade pizza, pasta and Easter pie. We just don’t do that anymore!!!
There are a few Italian traditions from my childhood that I still carry on today. Saying grace before each meal is a big one, and so is making all the fish on Christmas eve, and on Christmas day, lasagna! Also, we still do christening celebrations, big birthday parties for the one-year-olds, and huge weddings where we invite everyone!
Meet Jill Barone!
Full Maiden Name: Mary Jill Barone (I kept my maiden name when I got married….. that’s the way they do it in Italy too. The name you are born with is the one you die with!) Our family is Italian only on my dad’s side—my dad’s mom was born in a small town called Fossato Ionico in Reggio Calabria. My dad’s dad was born in the U.S., but his older sisters were both born in Modica, Sicily before the family came to the U.S.. Dad’s mom was born in Fossato Ionico, Reggio Calabria, Italy right at the tip of the boot and Dad’s father’s siblings and parents were born in Modica, Ragusa, Sicily.
My dad’s grandfather (Salvatore) and his brothers came to the U.S. several times—at least two trips for my dad’s grandfather in 1907 and 1910. In 1907 the brothers stayed in New York City (presumably for work), but when Salvatore came back with his family in 1910 they went to Ohio—first to Cincinnati (where my grandfather was born) and then to Cleveland where they stayed. Interestingly, one brother (Santo) came to the U.S. and had some kids here but when his wife died he went back to Sicily, remarried, and had some more kids. Later (around the late 1940’s) one of his U.S.-born sons sponsored him to re-immigrate to the U.S.. I got his Alien file from the National Archives and it had a TON of info in it. Also, the youngest brother, Giovanni, returned to Italy for good. I have cousins in Reggio Emilia that I have recently been in touch with who are descendants of that brother. There are a few other brothers that I just don’t have any additional info on. My grandmother’s family came to the U.S. in 1926 when she was 11. Her father (Carmelo) had come years before in 1902 and then again later (not sure the exact year) to become a citizen and begin the time tolling for the residency requirement. By this time it was getting more difficult for immigrants from the south of Europe to enter the U.S. freely so he had to become a citizen first. At that time, minor children were also naturalized at the same time as a parent so my grandmother was actually naturalized along with him. As with my dad’s dad, Carmelo first came to New York and then brought the family to Cleveland when they came in 1926.
What do I love the most about being Italian? What’s NOT to love about being Italian? In addition to the things that everyone loves about Italy (the food, the architecture, the culture, etc., etc.), I think the best part is the warmth and sense of family of the people. When I went to Italy in 2011, I contacted some potential relatives in Modica before I came. They didn’t know me at all, but when I got there, they treated me like a queen. I didn’t drive myself or pay for a meal the entire time I was with them. Just think about that for a minute—if you got a letter from a complete stranger who said “hey, I’m coming to your town” would you drop everything and welcome them like that? It totally blew me away and was so refreshing.
I don’t know that I have one single best memory of growing up Italian—it’s definitely a combination of things. I remember learning to cook with my grandmother, which I really liked since my mom didn’t want me to mess up the kitchen at her house (totally understandable.) We also had dinner with my grandparents every Sunday when they were in town (they were snowbirds.) My grandmother was a really funny lady too and a great storyteller. I probably asked her to tell me about coming to America like 100 times. Learning English wasn’t easy back then—they certainly didn’t have ESOL (English as a Second Language) classes for the kids. I remember her joking that she was the only kindergartener with boobs and would sometimes have to wear the dunce cap (which is pretty ironic, because she was incredibly smart….she just didn’t know English the second she stepped off the boat.)
What is my favorite Italian comfort food? Oh, there are so many…. My grandmother’s meatballs were pretty awesome. She also made a dessert called ricotta pie that was one of my favorites. Her stuffed artichokes were stellar too. And there was always, always antipasti. I still cook a lot of the things that I learned from my grandmother, but unfortunately there aren’t a lot of other traditions that I’ve kept. I always used to set up my grandmother’s manger at Christmas but we don’t have it anymore which is sad. I’d like to get another one someday….maybe from Italy!
One more memory – the only time my grandparents ever spoke Italian was when they didn’t want the grandkids to know what they were saying. This is something that I’ve only just realized since I started taking Italian lessons. I remember that one of them would start screaming “stai zitto” to the other one and then whatever it was they were talking about. Now I know that “stai zitto” meant “shut up”….lol!
I really have to hand it to my grandparents—they pretty much lived the American dream. My grandfather’s father died in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic when he was only 4 years old. His mother was left to raise 5 kids by herself (one of whom also later died of the flu). Despite such a rough start, my grandfather graduated from high school and went on to run a successful building supply business with his brother. He owned a home in Cleveland, put two sons through college and dental school, and was able to retire to Florida. I also have to hand it to him for being creative, too. Obviously, when he was a kid, money was tight…especially for leisure activities like the movies. Somehow he got his hands on a roll of movie tickets and was able to use them to go to the movies whenever he wanted! I definitely tip my hat to him whenever I come up with ways to “think outside the box” like that…it’s definitely genetic! Both of my grandparents were incredibly kind and generous people and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to know them. I think part of why I have spent so much time researching my family history and going through the dual citizenship process is because I really miss this connection to my heritage. My grandparents both died in 2006 (in their 90’s) and I wish that I had done more during their lifetime to preserve all of their memories.
Leila, Lisa Marie, Jill, thank you so much for sharing with us your memories and your families – and the best parts of what it is like to grow up Italian-American! For this last stop on Papa’s train, we will close with a story from Leila Martini– and a memory of her beloved Mimi.
A Story of Mimi
I rang the doorbell, chimes echoing in various octaves, and pressed my face to the cold glass of the kitchen door. I could see the mist from my nose fogging up the door and the sweat from my palms leaving their impression. The kitchen was bright and I could hear Mimi bustling around.
I stepped back as Mimi unlocked the kitchen door with a “thwack” sound. I will remember the sound of that door unlocking for the rest of my life…a sort of thick, solid, thwacking sound.
I entered the kitchen to a flood of sensations. The bright lights, the sound of crackling oil bubbling on the stove, the smell of garlic, the sound of Mimi’s greeting- a loudness level that was less than an actual yell but much more than a regular talking voice. We tend to talk loudly in my family.
I looked at the stove with its various pots and pans and contraptions all going at once. Mimi was cooking again for some friend or relative who had just come home from the hospital or lost a loved one or been diagnosed with something. Mimi was forever cooking for us and for others.
“Leeeela…” Mimi sort of drew out the “eeee” as she said my name and then snapped the “la” at the end….reminding me of the “ahhhh….ohhhh….ummmm” cadence one hears in yoga class.
“Leeela, you want some Cuban coffee?”
I sat down at the wooden kitchen table as Mimi added another pot to the fray. I could hear the suction of the refrigerator door as she opened it to get the milk from the shelf packed with all sorts of tasty treasures. At one point during my childhood there was a Styrofoam container in the fridge stocked with fresh eyeballs. I am not kidding. My grandfather was an ophthalmologist and would have eyeballs for use in corneal transplants.
Mimi poured the milk into a pan and filled a small pot with water and waited for them to boil. Her process for making Cuban coffee delights me still. The pot of water boiled and she dumped in a bunch of the strongest, richest smelling coffee from a brown paper bag, into the water and stirred. She drained it through this old strainer that looked like a piece of cone-shaped felt in a rickety, old tin container.
After the coffee making ritual she stood by the stove tending her many dishes and telling me about this or that friend or relative, with this or that tragedy, that she was in the process of cooking for.
At this last memory, my mind flashed back to the present moment. Back to the ornate church with stained glass windows all around me, to the hushed ceremonial grieving, to the priest in monotone, to the unbearable hole of sorrow that bored into my guts….a sort of hollow feeling…a wave of the most unfathomable pain at the loss. After the church we went to the graveyard to watch as my dear Mimi- in her purple dress, the one she had selected just for this day, the one that she wore when she was honored as “Tampa’s Best Dressed”- was buried by my dear papa.
Amidst my despair I heard all the stories…they sank in to my heart…the story of a woman who had taken her niece, the one with the poor parents, to lunch and then to buy her a confirmation dress…the story of the other poor family member for whom Mimi bought a Christmas dress every year…the stories of the families for whom she had cared and cooked…Mimi was thought of in the most selfless ways. The stories of the flowers, of the generosity, of the love… And I realized that even though Mimi was gone, she was in fact still alive and well in all of our hearts.
Thank you Leila. And thank you Mimi. It has been an honor to meet you both.
Well, that’s all for this month, dear ones! But before we go, as promised, here are Papa and Mama’s recipes for “Lazy Lasagna” and “Easy Eggplant Parmagiana.” We hope you enjoy them, guilt-free and with some music, laughter, family and friends around the table– Italian style!
The Curse Has Been Lifted!
Ok, so we were all raised with the understanding that it is Italian law that any food made and served at an authentic Italian dinner table can NOT come pre-made in a box or from a jar, right? Right. And that making said pre-made food (ESPECIALLY sauce or gravy) is an affront to Italian heritage and a direct insult to the entire lineage of ancestors, living or deceased, right? Right. Well… I hope to change all that. I figured that if the Cubs can remove the curse of the goat and win the 2016 World Series, then it is about time we also remove the curse of pre-made food and consider there are times when, in a pinch, a few shortcuts may be not only acceptable, but downright yummy! Papa and Mama seemed to think so, because they came up with these two recipes which I have tested on family members and received repeated toasts of approval! I took some serious liberty with the sauce, as Papa and Mama would not use a jar of pre-made sauce, which I have included here, but would instead whip up a “quick” gravy, throwing a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato paste, fresh garlic, salt, and olive oil in a sauce pan for about an hour. But they could work Italian magic that I just can’t, and so if I want something quick, then I have found a jar of sauce is just as good as anything I could make from scratch. I think you will like it just as much as your own sauce! (No, I am not suggesting in any way this will be anywhere as good as Nonno’s or Nonna’s.) And…who knows, you may end up having a lot more Italian food– and free time on your hands- as a result of trying it! Enjoy!
“Papa’s Lazy Lasagna”
Ingredients:
1 box large, square ricotta cheese filled ravioli (or two boxes for a large rectangular pan)
1 12-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1 jar pre-made spaghetti sauce like Beroli or Rao’s, although I use 365 Organic Classic
Directions:
Boil and drain the ravioli per the instructions on the box
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spread some sauce on the bottom of a square or rectangular baking dish
Place a layer of ravioli on the bottom of the pan
Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the ravioli
Pour a layer of shredded mozzarella over the sauce and ravioli
Place another layer of ravioli over the mozzarella
Spoon another layer of sauce over the ravioli
Spread another layer of mozzarella over the sauce
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes
Remove foil and broil cheese on top until browned and a little crispy
“Mama’s Easy Eggplant Parmagiana”
Ingredients:
1 box frozen, pre-made breaded eggplant (Domenix makes the kind Mama uses!) or 2 boxes if you are using a large rectangular baking dish
1 12-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1 jar pre-made spaghetti sauce (see above for my preferences)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spread some sauce on the bottom of a square or rectangular baking dish
Place a layer of frozen eggplant on the bottom of the pan (try to fill all the spaces with eggplant, even if you have to break some of the rounds apart to do it.)
Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the eggplant
Spread a layer of shredded mozzarella over the sauce and eggplant
Place another layer of eggplant over the mozzarella
Spoon another layer of sauce over the eggplant
Spread another layer of mozzarella over the sauce
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes
Remove foil and broil cheese on top until browned and a little crispy
There you have it! Shhhhhhh… you don’t have to tell anyone it’s not from scratch!
Grazie mille, my friend, for spending the time with us on today’s adventure. Until the next time we meet, enjoy the food, the wine, the love and life! It’s the Italian way. Ce vediamo prossimo mese! See you next month!
Papa’s Great Granddaughter Sierra carries on the Italian pride!
Papa's Italy 
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