Italian America Magazine - Summer 2022

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By Andrew Cotto

12 TAYLOR TAGLIANETTI

By Andrew

16 I AM BOOKS

By Andrew Cotto

Italian America®

The Official Publication of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America®

Italian America Magazine is a publication of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), the nation’s biggest and oldest organization for people of Italian heritage. To subscribe, see www.osia.org or call (202) 547-2900.

Editor-in-Chief:

ON THE COVER: Rocco DiSpirito

photo credit: Morgane Rondot Location and set design provided by MCM Stages, Manhattan, NY

OSDIA Women’s Action Committee Debut Bookmark

ORDER

‘Let’s

OF ITALY IN AMERICA 219 E STREET, N.E. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20002 www.osia@org (202) 547-2900 * (202) 546-8168

Six Children’s books, including a trilogy of Rabbit Tales, who bring their Italian culture with them to Clarksburg, W VA Other titles on: La Befana, Feast of the Seven Fishes, Spaghetti & Meatballs.

Lawyer, best-seller & Edgar Award winning author of 33 novels, 9 books of essays from her newspaper column ‘Chick Wit’. Legal Thrillers, current Historical novel ‘Eternal’, set in WWII Italy

NY Times bestselling Author & columnist. Harvard cum laude Grad, co-wrote a nine book series of nonfiction, humorous essay collections w/ her mom. Thriller mystery ‘Ghosts of Harvard’. ‘Chick Wit’ column ‘Philadelphia Inquirer’

Best selling author of 18 books. A playwright, TV writer/ producer, director. Several series of novels, nonfiction, stand-alone novels & anthologies. Current novel: ‘The Good Left Undone’. All appeared in ‘OSDIA Interviews Live!’ Podcast: season 4

In the Fall of 2021, the new National “Women’s Action Committee” (WAC) came into being, under the auspices of National President, Robert (Bob) Bianchi, Esq. OSDIA Second National Vice President, Michael Polo, has oversight of this committee. Comprised of OSDIA women leaders from the national and state levels, a set of goals were formed to provide attention to the contributions of Italian American women. Among the first projects were bookmarks dedicated to the accomplishments of Italian American women. The bookmarks are intended to provide tributes suitable for events, recruitment, fundraising, publicity and more.

The first in the series of bookmarks will be “Italian American Women Authors.” Designed, written and produced by WAC committee member Catena Marie Spiritosanto, this glossy, double-sided piece will feature head shots and information on five women authors who have been guests on past episodes of The Italian America show. Also showcased is our new National logo and contact information. Other future categories will include: arts & sciences, performing arts, sports figures, and political/ business leaders. We predict that these testimonials will stimulate interest in emulating these Italian American women of achievement.

The first distribution of these bookmarks will occur at the Plenary session this August in Chicago. Packets of bookmarks will be freely given to those attendees from Grand Lodges that have placed orders for a set number. Please place your order at wac@osia.org by August 3rd. The Grand Lodge attendees should be contacted ahead of ordering to ask if they are willing to carry these orders home with them from the Plenary session! Bookmarks can still be ordered later, after the Plenary in August, but there will then be a small shipping/handling charge added, which will depend upon the number ordered.

Many more interesting and useful projects from the WAC are coming soon. Stay tuned!

Hammonton, NJ

Dear Business Owner, Mother Cabrini Lodge 3003 is a local, nonprofit organization affiliated with the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America. This lodge was established in Hammonton in 2020.

Our mission: preserve our Italian culture and traditions while contributing to the community that we love in any possible way.

In the short period we have been established, we have

o Donated Thanksgiving & Christmas meals to families in need within the Hammonton School district & St. Joseph Academy

o Brought holiday trays to Hammonton’s first responders

o Donated to local assisted living & veterans

o Offered scholarships to Hammonton & St. Joseph Academy students.

o Donated to the Hammonton Devils Pantry & Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish food pantry.

October 22, 2022, we will be having our first event at Hammonton Independent Volunteer Fire Company Station 2 “Bada Bingo” will be a bingo where the prizes appeal to both men & women. We anticipate this event to sell out with approximately 220 guests.

Our organization relies on the support of generous donors. Your contributions will help us purchase our prizes such as sports tickets, purses, coolers, golf outings, etc. The success of our event will allow us to continue giving back to our community. We thank you for your consideration of our request Sincerely, Mother Cabrini Members

Bada Bingo

$100 sponsorship

Your business will be

• displayed as a sponsor at the entrance of event.

$250 sponsorship Your business will be

• displayed as a sponsor at the entrance of the event

• displayed as a sponsor on every table centerpiece

Your business will be

$350 sponsorship

• displayed as a sponsor at the entrance of the event

• displayed as a sponsor on every table centerpiece

• be announced as a sponsor throughout our event by our DJ

Checks should be written out to Mother Cabrini Lodge and can be given to any Mother Cabrini member or mailed to Vice President Deanna Mascioli at 640 P easant Mil s Rd Hammonton NJ 08037

Upon receiving your donation, we will mail you a receipt with our tax-ID for tax purposes.

OSDIA’S WOMEN’S ACTION COMMITTEE

WHICH ITALIAN AMERICAN WOMEN AUTHORED THESE TITLES?

BY ANDREW COTTO

In Beyond the Cobblestones, debut author Luisa Livorno Ramondo tells the story of Claudia, a child of poverty in rural, post-WWII Italy who dreams of a better life. The narrative, told in retrospect from the protagonist in old age, as established in a prologue, quickly introduces the limitations of life for Claudia and her family in tiny Orsara, a town in Puglia devoid of money or cars. The hardships are particularly acute for Claudia’s family, as work for the father is as inconsistent as the pregnancies of her mother are common. As the second oldest child, and second daughter, Claudia’s life is an uninspiring routine of chores, care for her younger siblings, and school.

It is at school, though, where Claudia thrives as an ambitious and bright student. Her desire for knowledge inspires her dreams of higher education and the rare escape from Orsara, a town with no opportunities beyond marriage, children and another cycle of poverty. Through descriptive and direct prose, informed by acute empathy established for the narrator, we follow Claudia’s efforts to defy the predictability of her simple surroundings and the conformity of her existence as she manages, through hard work and perseverance, to move beyond Orsara to a bigger town within the region and then to the industrial north of Italy. She is aided along the way by compassionate relatives, though it is an aunt who has made it all the way to America that fuels Claudia’s ultimate desire.

What makes Beyond the Cobblestones such an enjoyable read is that accompanying the strong writing, vivid ambiance and compelling main character is a refreshing depiction of the struggle of immigrants to rise above and beyond. There is no unnecessary drama that makes Claudia’s dreams more complicated than they already are when subjected to abject poverty and an antiquated society. Just being poor and female is quite enough of a challenge in mid-century Italy, and by not complicating Claudia’s quest with bad actors and manufactured obstacles, Ms. Livorno Ramondo has paid tribute to the typical immigrant story that is a fantastic tale unto itself.

Beyond the Cobblestones is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local bookstores.

Italian America interviews Luisa Livorno Ramondo, author of the Summer 2022 “Book Pages” feature, Beyond the Cobblestones.

What inspired this work of fiction?

This book was inspired by my mother, Antonietta Marinaccio Livorno.The cover of my book is a picture of my mother on her little street, in her small town in southern Italy. I have vivid memories of this picture from the early years of my childhood, and I was always intrigued by it. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how she grew up this way, so drastically different from the way I was growing up in Philadelphia, PA. So, I started interviewing my parents and recording all the details they could remember. However, I didn’t really have a clear path towards what I was doing and how I would get there.Three years ago I had the opportunity to travel to Italy with my father, and on that trip I got to see Italy first hand, through my father’s eyes, and really understand what it was like growing up there. I compiled a lot of information for my book and did some writing while I was there. It was a great way to jump start my book writing journey again.

How much experience did you have as a writer prior to this effort? Absolutely none! I have been a financial analyst and now a realtor, so most of my career has involved working with numbers and investments. And I love it! However, writing has given me so much joy that I can’t imagine a life without it. As I mentioned, I started the idea of writing a book many years ago, but since I wasn’t trained as a writer, I had no confidence and stalled at about 5,000 words.

What was the most difficult part of the process? The most difficult part was not feeling like an imposter. Since I wasn’t trained as a writer in my formal education, I definitely felt intimidated by the process.

What has been the most rewarding part of the experience? The most rewarding part of this whole experience is that I was able to get to know my parents in a way that children usually don’t. I spent countless hours doing research with them, which consisted of basically sitting around their kitchen table and getting all the details of their childhoods. It was an experience I will always cherish.

What are you working on now? I am currently writing my second novel, which is a continuation of my first. It has been very challenging the second time around, but for different reasons. Primarily because I’m still promoting my first book and don’t want to lose my focus there. However, it’s coming along and I’m expecting to publish by end of 2022/early 2023. I am also doing research for my third book, which is a story about my maiden name of Livorno. It is a city in Italy, on the Mediterranean Sea, and there’s a story behind how we got that name that I’m excited to explore further.

DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS PROPOSED ADDITIONAL BUILDING

La Societa’ Dante Alighieri, founded in Italy in 1889, with its present world headquarters located in Rome, is a non-profit association that promotes and disseminates the Italian language and culture throughout the world to include Italian achievement in the arts, literature, science, and industry and their collective promotion via language and cultural activities. La Societa’ Dante Alighieri has approximately 490 affiliated chapters in more than 80 countries worldwide.

One of the chapters is the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts, Inc. (“the Society”) which was incorporated on June 11, 1971 pursuant to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 180, and in particular Section 4 thereof. The Society is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) not-forprofit corporation. The Society’s Italian Cultural Center is located on a 35,000 sq. ft. parcel of land immediately adjacent to Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. The Cultural Center, which was dedicated in June of 1985, was designed by the world-famous Italian Architect Pietro

Belluschi who at the time was the Dean of the School of Architecture at MIT. Over the years, with a fidelity to the cultural and educational programs and purposes of La Societa’ Dante Alighieri, the Society has grown to a point that the present Cultural Center can no longer service the needs and demands placed upon it.

To ensure the financial security of the Cultural Center, the Society seeks to create an endowment to increase the Society’s principal and provide additional income to sustain the Cultural Center. Over the years each Italian Consul General stationed in Boston has had an abiding interest in the Society and its cultural activities. In 2018 the then Consul General in Boston encouraged the Society to build a new building on its mini-campus in Cambridge. He was also instrumental in obtaining the interest of the Italian Foreign Ministry as a possible tenant in the proposed new building. In that regard, the then Consul General in Boston and the Society envisioned the proposed new building servicing the future needs of the

The present Cultural Center with the proposed new building fronting on Cardinal Medeiros Avenue on the right.

Engineering Associates, Inc. (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and fire safety); Structural Engineer Carmine Guarracino, P.E., Principal of Roome & Guarracino, LLC; and Construction Consultant Joseph J. Albanese, President and CEO of Commodore Builders Inc.

The readers are invited to consult the Society’s website at www.dantemass.org and scroll down to the portion of the website captioned “Proposed Additional Building on the Dante Campus” and then follow the prompt “Click here for complete details.” By doing so, the readers will view additional photographs showing drawings and perspectives of the new building.

Cultural Center and the possibility of having the Italian Consulate as a long-term tenant. As a result there would be established an endowment for the Society and surely strengthen the Society with a unique Italian Cultural Center, a landmark for the entire Italian and ItalianAmerican community where tradition and innovation would converge in achieving the purposes and programs referenced in the first paragraph hereof.

The Board of Directors of the Society, recognizing the immediate need for two additional classrooms, more office space and for library expansion to include a Reserve Book section, created the New Building Committee as a Standing Committee under the Society’s By-laws. The Committee is presently comprised of five members of the Society, all of whom are well-qualified and experienced to discharge their responsibilities concerning the planning, design and construction of the new building. The Chairman of the Committee, Guy A. Carbone, is a practicing attorney with law offices in Winchester, MA, and a Registered Professional Engineer with three engineering degrees from MIT. He is a life member of the OSDIA, Piave Fiume Lodge No. 1036, Watertown, MA, and served as its President when it was the largest men’s Lodge in Massachusetts. He also was Chairman of the Charitable and Educational Trust of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. The other Committee members are the Society’s President Angelo Firenze ex officio, the Immediate Past President Anthony Cassano, Commendatore and President Emeritus Lino Rullo, and Attorney Richard J. Vita who is also President of the Italian Heritage Month.

The major design consultants for the proposed new building are all highly regarded in their respective professions: Architect Anthony Pisani, AIA, of Pisani Associates of Boston; Alfred E. Muccini, P.E., the Principal of MEA

An aerial view of the mini-campus with the present Cultural Center and the proposed new building.

Numerous benefactors have generously donated considerable monies which have been spent for borings, geotechnical and environmental engineering, schematic architectural, structural and mechanical drawings, and legal fees and expenses required to obtain zoning relief from Cambridge. The Society, acting through the Committee, has immediate need for at least $150,000 before the design team can begin work on the construction drawings and the specifications for all the work required to apply for a building permit for the project and also related legal fees and expenses. Accordingly, the Committee appeals to all those who are interested in seeing the new building come to fruition to donate any amount for the advancement of the project. Checks should be made payable to “Dante Alighieri Building Addition Account” and mailed to “Dante Alighieri Society, 41 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, Attention New Building Account” or one may donate via the link as stated in the Society’s website which is supplied for convenience (see above). All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by applicable law. The Board and the Committee thank you for your consideration and generosity.

The small employee espresso lounge at the southerly end of the new building on the plaza level.

a with conversation ROCCO DISPIRITO

AMERICA’S CHEF ON HIS ITALIAN AMERICAN ROOTS

BY ANDREW COTTO

Rocco DiSpirito is a household name in American kitchens. Since his arrival as a young celebrity chef in the 90s, Rocco has remained a popular, if not iconic, figure in mainstream American culture for decades through frequent appearances on magazine covers and television shows. His cookbooks span an array of cuisines and approaches to eating, and his healthy food brand can be delivered to your door. Currently, among many ventures of the hard-working kid from Queens, NY, is a role as a celebrity judge on Guy Fieri’s “Tournament of Champions” on Food Network as well as a new cookbook, Rocco Happy at Home, which was inspired by the Italian cooking cherished in his own kitchen. Rocco sat down with Italian America to talk about his roots and their role in his life.

God, pasta, and family were the big themes in our home.

Rocco at his graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in 1986 with his mother, Nicolina DiSpirito, and grandmother, Anna Maria Iacoviello.

Tell us about your family’s background. Happy to do so. My mother and father are from the same small town in Campania called San Nicola Baronia. They lived, literally, right next door to each other. They were childhood sweethearts and each other’s only boyfriend and girlfriend ever. It’s a lovely and amazing story. After marrying in Italy, they came to America and settled in Jamaica, Queens.

And how was their adjustment?

Great. I think. My mother loved to talk about the fact that she worked on day one. Literally. Getting work was the pot at the end of the rainbow that is America, right? The idea that you could work versus having zero opportunity in a post-World War II Italy was the big story. Why did you leave Italy? Why did you go to America? It was always work, work, work. So my mom always talked about how she was able to come to America and work on day one. She worked for a tailor as a seamstress’ assistant. She was very proud of this achievement, and rightfully so. My father, like his father, was a cabinet maker, a craftsman of handmade furniture.

What was the family make up?

I was the last of three, with a brother and an older sister. We lived on the first floor of a two-family home in Jamaica, Queens. This was not a traditional Italian American enclave. My parents chose it because my mother had an aunt nearby and the housing was affordable.

What was the neighborhood like back then?

Well, I think at one point, Jamaica was the epicenter of the crack epidemic in America, which wasn’t so great and probably had something to do with the affordable housing I mentioned. The neighborhood, like most of Queens, had a little bit of everything in terms of ethnicity. It seemed that we had people from every Latin American community imaginable. There were also a lot of Greeks and African-Americans, a big population from the Caribbean, too. It was very mixed.

Did this mix include many Italian Americans?

Not really, though our home unto itself was practically an Italian American enclave. It was your archetypal, Italian American household where little Eng-

lish was spoken. We ate homemade Italian food every day. There were rosary beads on the walls and pictures of Gesu Cristo. So God, pasta, and family were the big themes in our home.

How did it feel to be Italian American outside of your home?

That was a different story. By the time I started kindergarten, it was clear that we were different and that my name, in particular, was like a kick-me sign. I was often asked a series of questions: First - What’s your name? Second - Is that your real name? Third - Where do you want me to hit you? My name was basically an invitation to start a fight because it was so unusual, which is odd because the 70s in New York City should have been a really comfortable time for most Italian Americans. I imagine it was, and maybe we just picked the wrong neighborhood. That said, I like how it ended up because the exposure to all of those cultures really helped inform my worldview, especially as a chef.

At the time, though, was your identity more problematic than not?

Yeah. I hate to say it, but I suffered from a little ethnic self-loathing like many first generation kids. I didn’t understand why my parents didn’t speak properly. Why we couldn’t participate in what I would consider normal everyday school and church activities. And so I resented my ethnicity a little bit because it added to the complications of my life. Once we got my parents in what I would call ‘fighting shape’ as somewhat assimilated immigrants, they began to participate in ways, like working the festival, attending parent-teacher conferences, coming to the bake sale, even helping with homework, though that was always a challenge because of language.

apples, peaches, figs, onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes. Sort of everything on the Italian American recipe list. She bottled her own sauces. She made her own pickles. She baked her own bread daily. We drank her homemade wine. So Sunday was a big deal…

So we were always surrounded by food and encouraged to help in a hands-on way, which is, to say the least, literally accurate when you’re eight years old and pulling feathers from a chicken.

Was there exposure to Italian American culture beyond your own home?

Certo! We spent Sundays with our relatives who were spread between other parts of Queens and Long Island. And this was always at my grandmother’s house in West Hempstead, Long Island. This was my mother’s mother, and she was the matriarch. The capo di capi. She had about an acre of land, but it felt like an entire farm. She raised pigeons, rabbits, pheasants. She had, easily, 30 to 40 things growing. She grew at least four kinds of lettuces, two kinds of cherries, two kinds of pears, three kinds of

Sunday was a very big deal. It began with church, of course, but afterward it was off to my grandmother’s for the family get together. A great thing was that everyone cooked, including the men. My whole extended family were all pretty cool about cooking, and you know those Italian Americans, they want the kids to be involved with the food. Sometimes they would ask us to pluck the feathers off birds or to gather up the garlic that’s curing in the garage or pull the ristras of chilies that’d been hanging in the sun. So we were always surrounded by food and encouraged to help in a handson way, which is, to say the least, literally accurate when you’re eight years old and pulling feathers from a chicken.

Was this your first exposure to hands-on cooking?

My mom was 40 when she had me. When I came around, my sister was 11 and my brother was 4, so my mother got stuck with me a lot. I guess you’d call her a casalinga or a housewife. She went out to shop every day. I loved hanging out with her because she was awesome. She introduced me to cooking. The first thing I remember her letting me do was put powdered sugar on struffoli We’d also make pizza fritta together when there was a leftover piece of dough. She’d let me shape it, and then

Rocco serenades his mother at home in New Hyde Park circa 1988.

she would fry it, and I’d coat it in honey or sugar. My mom started working again the minute I was able to go to school, so that’s when I became a latchkey kid and had to cook for myself. By this time, thanks to my mother, I knew a lot about Italian food. I knew how to come home and select ingredients from our cupboards or garden, to make my own pasta or sandwiches or snacks. I loved it because it made me feel connected to my mom even though she was at work. The first thing I told her as soon as she got home was what I had made for myself after school.

What was your first real exper ence with food in a professional capacity?

When I was 11, there was an album I wanted from a rock band that my mother considered basically spawns of Satan. I remember it so vividly, because my mother, who rarely cursed and certainly less so in English, said if I wanted that “bulls--t music” I had to pay for it myself, that I had to go out and get a job. The next day, I got up as early as I ever had, and I went out and knocked on doors. The third door I knocked on belonged to Sal, who owned the pizzeria. He offered me a job on the spot, and that was the beginning of my career in cooking. The pizza job got me into cooking hands-on for pay, but, more importantly, it exposed me to the magical part of the restaurant industry: the interaction with people. I remember simple things like just giving someone what they perceived to be the slightly better slice of pizza would cause this transference of joy. It was such an epiphany for me to see that there was work where you could be happy all day long.

And then what happened?

age 14. My family moved around that time from Jamaica to Long Island. It was there that I was hired at a real restaurant, the New Hyde Park Inn. I worked in the kitchen doing prep: chopping, peeling, cutting, eventually making sauces from scratch. Everything. I loved it. It was there that I heard about the Culinary Institute of America. I also heard that it was hard to get in, so I decided to accelerate through high school. I’d done so much academic work in the Catholic school system, I had enough credits to graduate early and enroll in the CIA at age 16.

There’s about a 12 year period that followed graduating from the CIA where Italian food was not the focus of your cooking. What brought you back?

I’d come to fully appreciate that growing up in an Italian family was the greatest culinary experience of my life, and I wanted to pay tribute to that

Well, yeah, it wasn’t an intentional deviation from Italian food. After graduating, I took a job in Paris and lived there for two years, rotating between some very respected kitchens. And then I returned to the States to attend Boston University, where I studied business and worked in some luxury hotel kitchens. After that, I went back to New York where I became a partner at Union Pacific. It was all part of the process of me becoming the best chef and business person I could become. I was very fortunate for the experiences, and I wouldn’t trade them, butthat said - my Italian pedigree, so to speak, remained, and I was always cooking Italian food on my own and visiting the country, as well, while in France. I mean, what’s the saying: You can take the kid out of the Italian kitchen, but you can’t take the Italian kitchen out of the kid…

Is that really a saying?

So, that pizzeria job led to another pizzeria job, that paid slightly better, and to another pizzeria job, that paid slightly better than the previous one, and then to another…Ultimately what I was looking for, besides better pay, was a full-service restaurant where I could learn all kinds of cooking because I had decided that I loved cooking and wanted to become a chef. It fully conquered my mind by

I don’t know. If not, it should be. Anyway, after there was a level of success at Union Pacific, the urge to do something strictly Italian was too much to ignore. I’d come to fully appreciate that growing up in an Italian family was the greatest culinary experience of my life, and I wanted to pay tribute to that. So I opened Rocco’s in a space not far from Union Pacific. The idea was to do something a little different than the typical Italian place, but to have my

roots front and center. And I did this, literally, by having my roots front and center. My mother was the executive chef. My aunts and uncles, the ones we spent every Sunday and holidays with while I was growing up, also worked as cooks there. It was a real family affair. It was amazing, until it wasn’t…

What happened?

I agreed to let a reality show into the restaurant. And this definitely made running an actual restaurant very difficult. Having a full television crew on top of your restaurant staff was beyond complicated. There’s a dozen or so camera crews roving around; there’s a mirrored wall with 20 cameras behind it. Every waiter is an actor/slash reality star; some customers are real and some are planted. Maybe if we had done this differently, like Gordon Ramsey did with his show, and built a restaurant to fit a show, it might have worked out differently, but I created a restaurant first and we tried to retrofit it to work in a show. Not good.

Plus, you had family involved.

Yeah. I had family involved. When the situation with the show and the restaurant ended, I didn’t want to be in a restaurant anymore. I still wanted to be part of food, of course, it’s my life. So, I started writing cookbooks, one after another. I was also doing a lot of TV, a lot of consulting, a lot of personal appearances. I created a healthy product line and Made by Rocco, a custom food delivery service. It was nice to still be immersed in the food world without having one primary, possibly all-consuming, commitment. As time went by, though, I wasn’t completely against going back into the restaurant life, but the proper opportunity never presented itself. I kept on doing my thing and stayed busy. Next thing you know, I’m about to start promoting my 13th cookbook and the pandemic hits.

I remember thinking back to my childhood where pasta was on the menu every night, and if there was not pasta on the table, there was a fight instead about why there was not pasta on the table.

tion. I started doing a lot of cooking demos live on various forms of media, like Instagram and Zoom. And I was asked to prepare comforting foods, like pasta, especially carbonara. I think Pasta Carbonara might be the food MVP of the pandemic! It was for me. People, I believe, had the time to absorb a new concept in carbonara, which was to make it authentically, to make it with the right cheese and the right meat and to learn the proper technique. People were cooking at home more, and I was cooking at home more. Now we could cook at home together. It was amazing. I could read the comments forever; they were so enthusiastic and appreciative. It reminded me of the joy that attracted me to working with food in the first place, back in the pizzerias of Queens. There was so much unknown during the pandemic, and so much to be afraid of at the time, and food provided the succor, the comfort, the connection. And the food, as we all know, that provides the most comfort and connection is pasta. I remember thinking back to my childhood where pasta was on the menu every night, and if there was not pasta on the table, there was a fight instead about why there was not pasta on the table.

Did this experience in home cooking Italian food trigger another return to your roots?

What was your response, as a chef, to this unprecedented situation?

Besides the obvious response regarding remaining healthy, there was also the consideration of my career. The book tour was canceled, so I had to figure out what I was going to do professionally. Obviously, social media became important to almost everybody as a means of connec-

I wouldn’t say that it was me re-embracing my Italian roots, because they are never not part of me, but of definitely dipping in again for another helping, so to speak. One major result of this is that it showed me that I needed to dedicate my next book to heartwarming comfort foods. Rocco Happy at Home will be published later this year, and 80% of it will be Italian. My experiences as a chef during these times pushed me to tell my publisher that Italian comfort food is what people want from me now. It’s also so validating to recognize that there was once a time as a child when my heritage made me feel distinct from the American experience, only to be reminded as I grew older, again and again and particularly now, that Italian American heritage is American heritage. So, I’m happy to deliver this message in both a cultural and culinary sense. Believe me. I’m so proud.

(photo credit Jonathan Pushnik)

Rocco at the table.

BY ANDREW COTTO

Taylor Taglianetti, 23, is a selfdescribed “old soul.” She accredits this assessment to her longstanding interest in things well before her time, like music as far back as Doo-Wop and films from throughout the previous century. This cultural anachronism often left her feeling generally isolated, a condition she attempted to remedy through the camera lens. “My interest in film came out of a desire to connect with people and make a positive impact through storytelling,” Ms. Taglianetti said. “I want to understand people and to be understood, to make sense of the world and get people thinking.”

The introduction to film began when the Brooklyn born and raised Ms. Taglianetti would earn $0.25 from her filmenthusiast parents for every Roger Ebert movie review their young daughter would read. This consistent learning about films generated an interest in creating films of

her own, an effort which an adolescent Ms. Taglianetti began in middle school, making short films that featured her grandmother in an effort to keep her beloved Nonna intellectually engaged - an act that many attributed to elongating her life. In high school, Ms. Taglianetti

“A lot of reasons there are so many negative stereotypes of Italian Americans is that there are not a lot of people in the industry who are fighting to make those changes or making films that are more positive. There are so many remarkable stories from our heritage that people just don’t know exist.”

was accepted into the free, non-profit documentary film-making program, Reel Works, which serves underrepresented youth in New York City. Her film created within the program was her ticket to acceptance at the prestigious film school at New York University (NYU).

At NYU, Ms. Taglianetti discovered quite a bit about film making beyond the actual making of films. “For starters, I realized that I enjoy bringing people together and getting people to do their best work, to perform at the top of their game. That’s my thing, and this talent is not necessarily exclusive to directing,” Ms. Taglianetti said as she explained her turn while at NYU towards producing and the more business oriented aspects of film making.

She also realized the reasons behind her passion for documentaries, an interest initially stimulated by Martin Scorcese’s 1974 film ITALIANAMERICAN . “I’m attracted to relationships and families, and how people interact. Something about documentary film making offers more of a window into the soul,” Ms. Taglianetti said. “I’m a very curious person. I love asking questions, and documentaries allow access to people and the world. It gives me an excuse to learn things.”

What Ms. Taglianetti also learned while in college–lessons first generated by ITALIANAMERICAN and also during some time spent in Italy, thanks to an educational trip sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)–was that her heritage, as it occurred to her, was not necessarily part of the popular narrative in the film industry. With this in mind, as a way to pay it forward for the extremely generous scholarships she received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation, at the age of 20 she founded the National Organization of Italian Americans in Film & TV (NOIAFT) with the intention of provid-

Taylor Taglianetti at the Los AngelesItalia Film Festival in March for the premiere of Heirloom, the first film credited to her production company, Half House Productions.

Filmmaker Taylor Taglianetti

ing Italian Americans opportunities to network, promote, and work together to share their often-underrepresented voices in film and television.

“A lot of ethnic groups have organizations to help them in the film business, and for some reason, Italians don’t have that,” Ms. Taglianetti said. “A lot of reasons there are so many negative stereotypes of Italian Americans is that there are not a lot of people in the industry who are fighting to make those changes or making films that are more positive. There are so many remarkable stories from our heritage that people just don’t know exist.”

One of those remarkable stories is Heirloom, the first credit to Ms. Taglianetti under her production company, Half House Productions. The 30-minute documentary was directed by Michela Maria, and it features Ms. Maria and her mother, who set out together to discover why Italian Americans still love to gar-

den. The film features segments with noteworthy Italian American gardening enthusiasts, such as iconic actress Isabella Rossellini, whom they visit on her Long Island farm. “The film is really about family and preserving our roots and our stories,” Ms. Taglianetti said. “It’s about a passion many Italian Americans have that provides a sense of connection to the homeland.”

Heirloom premiered at the Los Angeles-Italia Film Festival in March with additional festival appearances scheduled throughout the year.

Currently in the works for Ms. Taglianetti is her role of director and producer of What’s Next? - a feature documentary about the world’s oldest practicing physician, a neurologist from Cleveland named Howard Tucker, who faces the loss of relevancy because of his age despite the retention of physical

and mental prowess. The filming will culminate this July when Dr. Tucker celebrates his 100th birthday.

Since she has already spent all of the quarters earned for reading Roger Ebert reviews as a child, funding for her films and efforts via NOIAFT can be provided by contacting Ms. Taglianetti at taylor@noiaft.org. This same address can be used to arrange a screening of Heirloom. Free membership in NOIAFT is available at www.noiaft.org.

Heirloom, featuring Isabella Rossellini, is a documentary exploring the relationship of Italian American women and gardening.

Andiamo! The Hidden Gem of Le Marche

BY CHANTELLE KERN CEO, CO-FOUNDER & ITALIAN TRAVEL EXPERT THE ITALIAN ON TOUR

Transport yourself three hours east of the Eternal City by car, and you will be in Ascoli Piceno, the capital of Le Marche’s southernmost province. Le Marche is revered as “All of Italy wrapped up into one region.” Ascoli Piceno remains under-the-radar, offering all the charms of Italy’s well-known regions without the crowds. This up and coming status lends Ascoli to being a city where you still get to meet the locals and can truly experience the authenticity of genuine Italian hospitality.

This type of experience is one I didn’t achieve until visiting Ascoli Piceno with my then boyfriend, now husband, Giovanni as my local guide. Getting married in Ascoli and sharing a slice of the real Italy with our guests was the impetus to leaving Canada and starting The Italian On Tour, a boutique travel company that offers intimate, multi-day small group tours for food & wine lovers who want to experience Italy’s hidden regions like a local.

Ascoli Piceno boasts a rich history that dates back to before the inception of Rome. The sense of being “Ascolani” is embodied by the local phrase: “Quando Ascoli era Ascoli, Roma era Pascoli” (“When Ascoli was Ascoli, Rome was just meadows”).

The city of Ascoli Piceno was built almost entirely with travertine marble. An architectural gem, known as the “City of 100 Towers,” it is also home to one of Italy’s most beautiful squares, Piazza del Popolo. In the evenings the streets around the piazze (squares) come alive, buzzing with energy, as locals meet-up to enjoy cocktails at Caffe Meletti (One of Italy’s 150 Historical Cafes) before the nightly passeggiata (stroll) to one of the many restaurants

ANDIAMO! DISCOVER ASCOLI PICENO, A PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF LE MARCH

The rolling hills of the province of Ascoli Piceno in Le Marche

Piazza del Popolo in the city of Ascoli Piceno

Photos courtesy of The Italian on Tour Inc. All rights reserved

Photos courtesy of The Italian on Tour Inc. All rights reserved

in the historic center that is mostly blocked off to traffic, making it the perfect base for your trip to Le Marche.

Unlike many of the towns of Tuscany that have been surrendered to tourism, the heart of Ascoli still beats to the rhythm of its 50,000 residents. It is big enough to support a local shopping and dining scene, but small enough to have maintained its authenticity and heritage. Highlights of this heritage include: La Quintana (the second largest medieval reenactment in Italy); the Mercatino

grape varieties, both red and white, in full respect of the land. During cooler months, these rolling hills are coveted for their black & white truffles. To get a taste for Le Marche’s top truffles you can join The Italian On Tour for the “Italian Truffle Adventure” where you’ll enjoy a truffle hunting expedition and savor numerous truffle tasting menus. Come the warmer months, from spring into early fall, a visit to the pristine beaches of San Bendetto del Tronto’s Riviera delle Palme (Palm tree Riviera), lined with numerous beach clubs and seafood restaurants, is an easy 30-minute car ride from Ascoli Piceno.

Whether you desire to dip your toes in the turquoise Adriatic sea, delight in exclusive culinary experiences, wine taste at award-winning wineries, cook with local chefs and truffle hunt at the height of Italy’s truffle season, The Italian On Tour has put together multiple small group itineraries that are perfect for experiencing Ascoli Piceno, nearby destinations of our neighboring region of Abruzzo, as well as the hidden gems of the Veneto region.

Ready to experience Italy’s hidden regions like a local? Please feel free to contact Giovanni and me at info@ theitalianontour.com

BY ANDREW COTTO

AN ITALIAN BOOKSTORE MADE IN AMERICA

Boston's Bookstore That Thrives on Italian Culture

When legendary Italian American children’s writer and illustrator Tomie dePaola came to visit Boston’s I AM Books in 2015, the line to meet the beloved author extended out the door and down the block of the small storefront at 189 North Street, circling the charming lanes of the historic North End, the city’s Italian-American enclave. The estimated turnout was 300 visitors. The next year and the year after that, the outpouring, respectively, for Mr. dePaola was nearly twice the original size. The massive numbers, three years running, were not only a boon for the owner of the boutique book store but a validation of his belief in identity-driven retail with a cultural emphasis. In this case, the identity is that of a bookstore dedicated exclusively to Italian and Italian American literature, history, art, research and more (hence the name: I for Italian: AM for American). A few years after Mr. dePaola’s third and final visit, however, the Coronavirus pandemic shuttered the original I AM Books location and tested the resolve of its owner.

Nicola Orichuia was born and mostly raised in Rome. A professional Italian journalist by trade, he accompanied his surgeon wife to Chicago in 2008 for a medical residency. While furthering his own studies of journalism at a local college, Mr. Orichuia began working for Fra Noi, the Windy City’s publication dedicated to Italian and Italian American culture. He continued his relationship with the Chicago magazine after relocating with his wife to Boston where he expected to find a similar publication.

“It was nice to have this magazine in Chicago that the entire Italian American community could aggregate around,” Mr.

Orichuia said. “But when I came to Boston, I didn’t find anything like that, and I thought that was weird because Boston also has a large metropolitan area, not as large as Chicago, but there’s all these surrounding towns, and the Italian American community is so present. So, I said to myself, ‘I know what I’m going to do.’”

Bostoniano was launched in 2012 after a fierce fundraising effort throughout the greater Boston area. The free monthly magazine was 52 pages with information, features and news across the spectrum of the Italian and Italian American community. The idea was to recognize the status of the Italian and Italian American presence in Boston as well as the pride.

“We were trying to highlight why it was great to be Italian and/or Italian American because a lot of times if you - being from this culture - are looking only at the mass media, you get all these stereotypes thrown at you and it’s hard to really understand the reasons to be proud, contemporarily and historically, and dig deeper than the typical projection,” Mr. Orichuia said.

One of the ways the magazine worked to promote Italian culture was through the sharing of information on events. A problem with this in Boston was that the cultural centers, with a few exceptions, weren’t particularly active in hosting such gatherings. This sparked yet another idea in Mr. Orichuia, one borne from a serendipitous coffee with a friend who was closing a small retail space at 189 North Street.

Again, Mr. Orichuia knew what he had to do, though the concept of a cultural center alone struck him as a task dominated by fundraising in order to stay open. He thought, instead, to raise his own funds

Owner Nicola Orichuia outside the new storefront of I AM Books at 124 Salem Street in Boston's North End.

Nicola Orichuia, owner of I AM Books.

through a retail operation that is culturally relevant and could also host related events. A bookstore seemed like an ideal way to appeal to the cultural identity of a community while providing relevance and affirmation through a combination of the materials sold and events hosted.

I AM Books quickly became an important part of the North End community in particular but the greater Italian and Italian American community at large in Massachusetts as well as up and down the eastern seaboard. “We’d have people come in from Philadelphia and Portland, Maine, places like that, and say they have heard of the store and wanted to support us while visiting Boston,” Mr. Orichuia said. “People come to our store, from around the corner or around the east coast, or through our online sales, because were narrowly focused on things Italian and Italian-American and we’re building that bridge between the two cultures and trying to make all the specific content that is out there readily available. For example, we have a section for Classics, but we only have Italian classics, not Greek. We’re strictly focused on only providing materials that are relevant for our customers.”

Of course, the majority of I AM Books’ customers are from the local community.

“I first discovered I AM Books in the summer of 2017, when I was fresh out of college. I had just obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Italian Studies and had no idea how I would be able to continue to pursue this precious passion of mine,” said Boston resident Sarah Netsky. “Thanks to this extraordinary cultural hub in the North End, I was able to keep immersing myself in the culture of Italy, whether through crossword puzzles, books, poetry, or cultural events.”

Like a lot of small businesses, I AM Books had to close its doors in 2020. After a last day fire sale, the operation, fully online, relocated to Mr. Orichuia’s basement in the

The spacious new interior of I AM Books allows for larger events and more materials related to Italian and Italian American identity.

home he shares with his wife, their eight-year-old son and twin toddlers. The business remained afloat thanks to mail orders from loyal customers around the country, but in 2021, on the dawn of what appeared to be the pandemic’s shift to endemic, the requests to return to a brick-andmortar presence from customers (and also from his wife) coincided with Mr. Orichuia’s own desire to conduct his passion project face to face. A much larger storefront, more than four times the original space, was leased and renovated at 124 Salem Street on one of the North End’s busiest commercial rows.

With its new storefront opened since the 2021 holiday season, I AM Books is thriving in its rebirth as a bigger, better version of its original self with more titles and more space for events. The doors are open seven days a week, every day of the year except for the four major holidays, so pay them a visit when in Boston or shop their site for things in print that not only validate the majesty of Italians and Italian Americans but also support one of our culture’s advocates as well.

I AM Books is located at 124 Salem Street in Boston’s North End neighborhood. Their website for browsing titles and/or ordering online is: www.iambooksboston. com. You can reach the store by phone at: 617-530-1106.

BY MICHELE DI PIETRO

Summer is such an exciting time to get cooking . . .and eating!

With fresh, seasonal produce, simple recipes and outdoor cooking on the grill, there are endless food possibilities to both satisfy and delight. Typical ingredients like zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and basil that are at their peak and in abbondanza during these steamy months are perfect for so many traditional Italian-American favorites. And, the simpler the recipes, the better! Often, not more than a little extra-virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt and a sprinkle of peperoncino is needed to highlight the natural goodness of fresh, summer ingredients. These three recipes were inspired by summer’s bounty and seasonal get-togethers. They are all crowd-pleasers, fairly straightforward and great as leftovers. These dishes also pair well with each other for a perfect, well-rounded menu.

I like to serve the Stuffed Zucchini as a hearty antipasto, a small portion of the Bucatini with Ricotta and Slow-Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes as a primo piatto, and the Fried Peppers paired with Grilled Italian Sausage as the secondo. Together or a la carte, though, they will be a welcome addition to your summer menus. Please let us know if you give them a try!

Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini are quintessential summer fare, when the zucchini harvest abounds at farm stands and backyard gardens alike. Filled with a chunky mixture of savory ingredients, this recipe screams seasonal freshness. Read on for a simple and delicious, plant-based recipe:

5 zucchini (long or round)

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 heaping cup finely chopped yellow onion

2 Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic

1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes + their oil (about 8 tomatoes and 1 Tbsp oil)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup breadcrumbs, plus more for sprinkling over stuffed zucchini Lemon zest from 1 lemon

To taste salt and black pepper

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a small, parchment-lined baking dish large enough to snugly fit the zucchini. Set aside.

2. Prep all ingredients according to specifications above. If using long zucchini, trim the ends, then cut them in half lengthwise. With either a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, gently hollow out the zucchini halves by removing the soft inner flesh, making sure to leave the heartier zucchini base in place to be stuffed. This is best done by scraping the spoon towards you along the length of the zucchini while holding it vertically. If using round zucchini, cut off the top stem, then either cut the round bulb in half and scoop out the flesh as described above for the long zucchini, or leave the zucchini bulb whole and scoop out all flesh from above. Rough chop the flesh and set it and the hollowed out zucchini aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions have mostly softened, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the reserved zucchini flesh and continue to cook 4-5 minutes or until all residual liquid has evaporated.

5. Turn the heat off, then fold in the sun-dried tomatoes and basil, followed by the breadcrumbs and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

6. Carefully fill each dug-out zucchini shell with the zucchini and onion mixture, then nestle the stuffed vegetables in the roasting pan. Top each zucchini with a light sprinkle of additional breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

7. Pour enough water in the roasting pan to fill it about ¼”. Cover the pan with foil, then place it on the middle rack in the oven. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the flesh of the zucchini base is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Then, uncover and roast an additional 5-10 more minutes to brown the Stuffed Zucchini, taking care to not burn them. (NOTE: If the zucchini are large, they may take longer to cook and require additional liquid in the pan. Add more water if necessary so that the baking dish does not dry up and the zucchini start to fry and burn.)

8. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. The Stuffed Zucchini can be served either hot or at room temperature. Buon Appetito!

NOTES:

• The zucchini and onion mixture does not have to be 100% cooked as it will continue to cook during the roasting process.

• The water is added to the roasting pan to help facilitate the cooking of the zucchini shells. Start with a small amount of water, as noted, and add more if needed for larger zucchini. The important thing to note is that the zucchini should not end up frying and burning in the baking dish!

• If you have filling leftover after having stuffed all the zucchini shells, add it to scrambled eggs for a delicious and nutritious egg snack or some freshly grilled bruschetta bread for a savory, impromptu antipasti!

Bucatini with Ricotta and Slow-Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes

This dish has SICILY written all over it, but in a different way than usual. It’s basically a twist on what is, arguably, the most famous and ubiquitous of all Sicilian pasta dishes, Pasta alla Norma. It contains most of the same ingredients–just prepared and presented differently. Bucatini is combined with intensely flavored slow-roasted tomatoes and eggplants then tossed with creamy ricotta and sharp pecorino.

2 pounds eggplant, peeled, cut into 1” chunks

3 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in ½ lengthwise (2 ½ pounds)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 pound uncooked pasta (I used bucatini) + salt for pasta water

2 heaping Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic

1 cup whole milk ricotta, at room temperature (8 ounces)

½ cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Large handful fresh basil, stemmed and chopped or hand-torn Salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 275 F. Prep all vegetables according to specifications above.

2. Roast the vegetables: Arrange the cut eggplant and tomatoes in a single layer on separate parchment-lined sheet pans. Do not overcrowd the pans. (Use 2 pans for each vegetable, if necessary.) Toss the veggies lightly with some of the olive oil, then place on a middle oven rack for 2 hours at 275 F, stirring once about halfway through the cooking process.

3. Once the vegetables are finished, remove them from the oven and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Set aside. (NOTE: The vegetables can be done several hours or up to 1 day in advance. If doing so, hold the roasted vegetables in a sealed container under refrigeration until it is time to cook the pasta.)

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, or about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente. (Be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.)

5. Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, combine the garlic and about 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet and heat on medium-high. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to brown, then add the roasted vegetables to the pan, just to heat through.

6. When the pasta is ready, transfer it to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water (to start) and the ricotta. Stir well to fully combine all ingredients and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce and absorb all of those wonderful flavors! Add the additional pasta water if more moisture is needed.

7. When the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat, then fold in the pecorino and basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish with a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

8. Serve warm with additional fresh basil. Buon Appetito!

NOTES:

• Whether you decide to go with large or small cuts on the vegetables to be roasted, the most important thing is to keep all pieces basically the same size, so that they all cook in the same amount of time.

• Be sure to separate the eggplant and tomatoes onto different sheet pans, arrange the vegetables in a single-layer and do not overcrowd the pan.

• Salt the tomatoes and eggplant after they are finished roasting, not before, to prevent the vegetables from steaming in the oven.

• Combine the garlic and the oil in the pan at the same time, then slowly bring the temperature up.

• The pasta water is key! Add it to the veggies along with the pasta and ricotta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.

• Don’t forget to drizzle the finished dish with some high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for an additional hit of flavor and richness.

Fried Italian Sweet Peppers

Fried Italian Sweet Peppers are the perfect accompaniment to so many things–Italian sausage, scrambled eggs, bruschetta, pasta, or, quite honestly, any fork headed directly to my mouth. Seriously, though, it is not summer without them. If you see them at the market, buy them, fry them, enjoy them, repeat! Their beautiful colors are just the beginning! For this menu, consider pairing the fried peppers with grilled Italian sausage for a simple, yet satisfying, summer entrée.

Oil for frying, enough to cover bottom of pan + ¼” (See NOTE below.)

2 lbs whole frying peppers (See NOTE below.)

Coarse sea salt

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

1. Gather all ingredients. Rinse the whole peppers in cold water and completely dry them with a paper towel before frying.

2. Add enough oil to a large pan with high sides or a Dutch oven to about ¼” depth. Heat it over medium-high heat.

3. Place the whole peppers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan and let them brown before turning. Brown on multiple sides and until tender. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Work in batches if necessary and do not overcrowd the pan! If you put too many peppers in the pan, the temperature of the oil will decrease and not allow moisture to dissipate, causing the peppers to steam, become extra-greasy, and/or not brown properly.

4. Transfer the fried peppers to a platter or bowl, then sprinkle them with coarse sea salt and (optional) fresh basil leaves. That’s it! Buon Appetito!

NOTES:

• Use an oil with a neutral taste and a high smoke point for this pan-frying technique. I used avocado oil. Canola oil, peanut oil and vegetable oil are also good options. Of course, olive oil is always wonderful, but may cause more smoke in your kitchen than you would like. If you use olive oil, I suggest using regular olive oil and not extra-virgin.

• If you prefer, remove the stems and all seeds and thinly slice the peppers prior to frying. Rinse the peppers in cold water after de-seeding to remove any remaining seeds. Be sure to completely dry the peppers before adding them to the hot oil.

• Do not overcrowd the pan! If you put too many peppers in the pan, the temperature of the oil will decrease and not allow moisture to dissipate, causing the peppers to steam, become extra-greasy, and/or not brown properly. Make the peppers in batches, if necessary.

• The pepper skins may crack during the frying process and this is normal. In fact, many people prefer to peel off the skin before eating.

• Leftover fried peppers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. They will keep for 3-5 days if stored properly.

Michele Di Pietro is an entrepreneur, chef, cookbook author, blogger, culinary consultant, food writer, and creator of Mangia With Michele, the expression of her lifelong passion for Italian ingredients, foods, recipes, culture, and traditions. Throughout her busy professional culinary life, Michele has also always been an avid home cook with strong ties to her Italian roots. She is most happy and satisfied when cooking for, and breaking bread with, family and friends. It is these ties and sentiments, along with her passion for sharing both food and travel experiences with others, that led her to create Mangia With Michele In 2020, Michele released her first cookbook: SOUPified: Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes, a whimsical collection of soup recipes inspired by familiar entrees. Find her at www.MangiaWithMichele.com and follow her at @mangiawithmichele on social channels. www.instagram.com/MangiaWithMichele www.facebook.com/MangiaWithMichele

BY ANDREW COTTO

I’m the youngest of seven cousins on my mother’s side. My mother was the youngest of three daughters born to Carmelo and Phyllis Maccarrone. My Sicilian grandparents started their family in New York City in the 1930s and raised their daughters in Palisades Park, New Jersey in a three-family home on 8th Street. By the late 60s / early 70s, all three daughters had married and had families of their own in or around New York City. It didn’t matter where the families were settled, Sunday lunch on 8th Street was mandatory. There was no soccer game or birthday party or non-life threatening illness that kept any of us, each and every Sunday, from the home of my grandparents.

My grandfather was Nono. We called my grandmother Noni because her mother, Nonna, lived with them. Nonna was the gatekeeper upon arrival and departure for Sunday lunch. She sat in a metal chair in the corner of the kitchen, often peeling and eating raw garlic slivered with her stiletto that - as rumor had it - she smuggled from Sicily in her sock in order to find a man who had left her sister at the alter. More scary than the knife and its portent was the aroma that emanated from Nonna because of all the raw garlic she consumed. Each of her great grandchildren had the obligation to greet her with a kiss on her papery cheek upon arrival, to touch her hands that were rutted as the handle of her knife. This unpleasant experience was repeated when it was time to leave; the final effort, though, rewarded with a nickel from Nonna’s satchel.

In between the kisses from Nonna, on each and every Sunday of my childhood, was a sensory and familial pleasure that has remained among my most vivid and cherished memories. The smell upon entering the vestibule and dark hallway of the parlor floor was a thick perfume of savory delicacy, of tomato sauce stewing and chicken roasting in bread crumbs, of meatballs and “man-a-gaut” (manicotti).

The floor-through apartment of six simple rooms would be full of life, with cousins running around, aunts and uncles joking around, and my grandmother in the kitchen doing all of the work by herself, cooking multiple courses simultaneously while also serving as the most charming hostess and fountain of gioia that defined our family.

The younger cousins were boys, and we would find something to do in the small backyard or in the adjacent alley or in the street out front where our oldest cousin

usually worked on his car. Nono would be next door drinking beer from bottles and playing bocci on his neighbor’s backyard court. The girl cousins would go upstairs to Nonna’s apartment to practice music or theater routines to entertain us with later in the afternoon.

Lunch was served at 2:00. We gathered in the dining room that centered the apartment, around a long table. The 16 of us would hold hands as someone said grace. And then it was time to eat. While Noni brought the food to the table, a giant fiasco of red wine, made in the basement by Nono and Nonna, would be passed, with the children’s glasses cut by a quantity of 7-Up determined by age. The first courses featured meatballs and shanks of pork or lamb swimming in tomato sauce; the same glistening gravy would be ladled over the whipped ricotta within the handmade crepes. The aroma of pungent delicacy still lingers in my memory, as does the texture and depth of flavor of the manicotti. I can hear the harmony of multiple conversations at once, of serving utensils and silverware pinging plates, of my grandmother humming “Che sara sara…” as she makes her trips back and forth to the kitchen.

The next course was my favorite. Noni’s chicken was succulent thighs coated in her mixture of bread crumbs, grated cheese and herbs. The coating was adhered through

Phyllis Maccarrone, the author's grandmother, in her kitchen on 8th Street in Palisades Park, NJ.

egg-dipped pieces of chicken, tossed in a brown paper bag with the bread crumb mixture. My family used to claim that Noni invented “Shake & Bake” before it became a supermarket staple. This is a dish I still make today, and I do so every time with the wonder of the flavors exploding in my mouth as a child with each bite as I wonder as an adult how Noni made it taste so good. Another aspect of this course that I loved was watching my grandfather, especially on days when I would secure the seat next to his, devour his pieces of chicken and then suck the bones clean of any traces of flavor. After this, usually while the other plates were being cleared, he would use a long knife to remove and eat the marrow from within the bones. Once the bone was completely hollow, he would insert one of his cigarettes in an end and smoke it through the makeshift filter.

Slices of raw fennel would be brought to the table along with a zesty salad. After this course, bowls of fruits and nuts would appear. The smell of coffee would waft in from the kitchen and a bottle of anisette, to accompany the coffee, would be put on the table. All of this was prelude to the platter of pastries brought in from Corona, Queens, home to my mother’s oldest sister and her family. The dazzling array of cannolis, seven-layer cookies, eclairs, sfogliatelle, biscotti, zeppoli, etc., was almost too beautiful to eat.

After the pastries, my female cousins would perform the song or scene they had rehearsed. Then our parents would hold court around the table, telling stories and singing songs, until it was time for the women to carry in the plates to the kitchen and the men to wash the pots and pans. Music played in the kitchen, and the clean up effort would often be interrupted by impromptu breaks, when the right song came on the radio, of couples dancing around the linoleum floor. I could hear them laughing as I fell asleep watching TV on the carpet in the front room.

“Come on, Pal,” my father would say as he gently roused me awake. “Let’s get your nickel and go home.”

Carmelo Maccarrone, the author's grandfather, with two of his granddaughters during a typical "Sunday Lunch."

La Famiglia, circa 1975, of our Editor-in-Chief (bottom row, middle).

The 33rd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards

Gala

The Foundation Focus

BY JOSEPH SCIAME, PRESIDENT

The Foundation Focus this issue will be dedicated to the evening of Wednesday, May 25, 2022 that will long be remembered by the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) and the 200 guests who gathered at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, for the 33rd Annual National Education Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala. It was an incredible evening, saluting the lives and achievements of four prominent Italian Americans: Hon. Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman of the United States; Lidia Bastianich, Chef, Author, TV Personality and Restaurateur; Angelo Vivolo, Entrepreneur and former President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation; and Laurie Serricchio Hollander, Founder and President of the Help Our Military Heroes (HOMH) foundation. Simultaneously honored was the theme from each recipient about the importance of La Famiglia!

Another validation of the evening’s theme was the comments of nineteen stellar recipient students, who competed among over 450 applicants for the 2022 national Sons of Italy Foundation Scholarships. It was acclaimed actor Joe Mantegna, MC of the evening for the 19th straight year and a former NELA honoree himself, who shared the words celebrating each recipient, inspiring faces of joy for the generations ahead.

SIF scholarships for 2022 approached an all-time high of $130,000, continuing the history of the tens of thousands of dollars that are awarded each year. These amounts are distinct from the funds from state and local lodges of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) that surpassed over $650,000 in 2021. It is estimated that since 1989 the SIF has awarded well over $2 million in scholarships.

The festive and elegant room of guests were entertained by The Sicilian Tenors, who also saluted the group of veterans attending the event. A check of $20,000 was presented to Ms. Hollander of HOMH for the purchase of the 7th in a series of vans for a paraplegic veteran. The

applause roared during this presentation as additional pride was aroused in the attendees, especially the veterans.

The NELA Gala was created by the SIF Trustees in an effort to bring to the nation’s capital city a showcase event whereby Italian Americans and others might be recognized for their significant contributions to the world. In recognizing such high-level personages in recent years - among whom are: Hon. Condoleeza Rice, 66th Secretary of State; Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of State, USA; Anthony Fauci, M.D., Director, NIA&ID; Hon. Leon Panetta, Former U.S. Secretary of Defense; Gen. Colin Powell, 65th Secretary of State; Claudio Bozzo, President, MSC; President Bill Clinton and then VicePresident Joseph Biden; former Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi; Joe Mantegna, actor; Regis Philbin, television host; Mario Andretti, racing legend; Frank Sinatra, legendary entertainer; Hon. Antonin Scalia, and first honoree Lou Carnesecca in 1989 - it appears to me to be a litany of achievement all related in some way to our Italianita, even among those honored who were non-Italian.

The real story of the success of our 2022 NELA was, and will continue to be, the goodness and greatness of the Sons of Italy Foundation and the wider circle of the OSDIA members and friends in raising funds to help others through our combined charities, scholarships and disaster relief. We have much to be proud of from the early days of the OSDIA in 1905 and through the founding of the Sons of Italy Foundation in 1959. Most of all, though, we can have pride in knowing that we are working on great causes for humanity!

Finally, our hats are off to the staff in D.C., for without them our 2022 NELA success would not have been realized. Kudos to Justin, Shayla, Joana, Michael and Harrison – a TEAM!

The Honorees

THE HONORABLE ROSA DELAURO Congresswoman U.S. House of Representatives

THE 2022 SIF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

Rosa DeLauro is the Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District, which she has represented since 1991. She serves as the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and she is the Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where she oversees our nation’s investments in education, health, and employment.

At the core of Rosa’s work is her fight for America’s working families. Rosa believes that we must raise the nation’s minimum wage, give all employees access to paid sick days, allow employees to take paid family and medical leave, and ensure equal pay for equal work. Rosa has also fought to stop trade agreements that lower wages and ship jobs overseas, while also protecting the rights of employees and unions.

Rosa is a leader in fighting to improve and expand federal support for child nutrition and for modernizing our food safety system. As the Chair dealing with appropriations for Labor, Health, Human Services, and

Education, Rosa is determined to increase support for education and make college more affordable for more American students and their families. She is also fighting to protect the Affordable Care Act so that all Americans have access to affordable care. Rosa believes that we have a moral obligation to our nation’s veterans and their families, and her concern for these heroes extends to both their physical and mental well-being.

ANGELO VIVOLO Philanthropist and Entrepreneur

THE 2022 SIF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN ITALIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP

Angelo Vivolo is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and lifelong advocate for educational opportunity and promoting and supporting his Italian Heritage and Culture. Angelo presently serves as the President of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, dedicated to preserving the legacy of Christopher Columbus. He was elected as the President of the National Columbus Education Foundation which is funded by the five most influential Italian American organizations in the country. He has served as past President and the Chairman of the Board of the Columbus Citizens Foundation and the Columbus Day Parade in NYC. His focus is on preserving Italian Heritage and Culture and supporting Columbus Day and Statues.

Recently he was nominated and elected as a member of the City University of New York Board of Trustees. CUNY and its 25 schools are the largest group of higher education institutions in the country. Mr.

MC Joe Mantegna with Honorees Laurie Serricchio Hollander, Lidia Bastianich, Hon. Rosa DeLauro, Angelo Vivolo.

SIF President, Joe Sciame (center) with scholarship recipients (left to right): Diana Moschetti, Matteo Marshall, Michaela Gaffney, Alexander Johnson.

Vivolo serves on the Board of Directors of John Cabot University in Rome. As president of the Francesco and Mary Giambelli Foundation he leads a philanthropic organization that supports cultural programs in New York City schools which has funded more than $3 million in scholarships. In 2019 he was appointed to co-chair the Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini Statue Commission. Angelo is a 2005 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Ufficiale dell’ Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, conferred by President Sergio Mattarella of Italy in 2018.

LIDIA MATTICCHIO BASTIANICH

Chef, Author, Television Host, and Restaurateur

THE 2022 SIF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULINARY ARTS

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, successful restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. Most importantly, she has accomplished all of this by marrying her two passions in life—her family and food—to create multiple culinary endeavors alongside her two children, Joseph and Tanya.

Lidia has published numerous cookbooks, co-authored with her daughter Tanya, and companion books to her Emmy-winning television series Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America, and Lidia’s Italy. Her most recent book is Lidia’s A Pot, A Pan, and a Bowl, a companion to her new 26-part public television series, Lidia’s Kitchen: Home Cooking. She is also the author of the English and Italian version of her memoir: My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food.

Lidia is a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier and founding member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, two non-profit organizations of women leaders in the food and hospitality industries. She is also a champion for the United Nations Association of the United States of America’s Adopt-A-Future program, in support of refugee education.

Among the numerous awards and accolades Lidia has earned are seven James Beard Awards (Outstanding Chef, Television Food Show, Best Chefs in America, Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, Specials 2016, Special 2017 and 2018) and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host (2013 and 2018).

LAURIE SERRICCHIO HOLLANDER

President & Co-Founder Help Our Military Heroes THE 2022 SIF

AWARD FOR COURAGE AND PATRIOTISM

Laurie Serricchio Hollander is President and CoFounder of Help Our Military Heroes (HOMH), a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to provide fully equipped, adapted minivans and SUVs to our country’s most severely wounded, injured, and ill service members who sustained their injuries while on active duty.

With her husband, Ted, and their friend, Marybeth Vandergrift, Laurie founded HOMH in 2009 as an all-volunteer donation-driven nonprofit organization. HOMH pays no salaries, and all non-program expenses are paid by its Co-Founders and board members, which means 100% of all donations go toward the purchase of modified vehicles for veterans. Since 2009, HOMH has provided grants for 186 modified vehicles for veterans across the country, and as far away as Pohnpei, Micronesia.

Guests at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC for the 2022 NELA Gala.

OSDIA President, Robert (Bob) Bianchi, Esq., address the audience at the NELA Gala.

Laurie got the inspiration for HOMH in 2006, when her eldest son, Robert Wilkinson, left college during his junior year to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, and her younger son, Matthew, received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. It was there, at a West Point football game in Michie Stadium, that

Laurie witnessed a combat-wounded soldier, who was in a wheelchair as the result of an IED blast, being presented with a ramp-entry minivan during halftime. While she had been fundraising for several years for local organizations, she decided to switch gears and turn her efforts towards providing adapted vehicles for veterans in need.

SIF President, Joe Sciame (center), with OSDIA National Office staff (left to right): Harrison Brown, Michael Howard, Joana Bala, Shayla Kaestle, Justin Smith.

SIF President, Joe Sciame; Honoree Laurie Serricchio Hollander; SIF Trustee Emeritus, Frank Panessa; OSDIA President, Bob Bianchi.

SIF President, Joe Sciame; Honoree Angelo Vivolo; Past Honoree Vivian Cardia; OSDIA President, Bob Bianchi.

SIF President, Joe Sciame; Honoree Lidia Bastianich; OSDIA President, Bob Bianchi.

SIF President, Joe Sciame; Anne Evans, CEO Universal Strategies Limited; Honoree Hon. Rosa DeLauro; Paul S. Polo, Past National OSDIA President and SIF President Emeritus; OSDIA President, Bob Bianchi.

OSDIA National 4th Vice President, Mark DeNunzio; SIF Trustee, Mary Kovach; OSDIA President, Bob Bianchi.

Takoma Park MD Police Department acting as Honor Guard; SIF Trustee, Maria Fassio Pignati.

SIF Trustee, Maria Fassio Pignati and the Sicilian Tenors end the program with a rendition of "God Bless America."

ALL PHOTOS CREDITED TO DAVID KEITH

NELA Gala attendees stand in salute to the National Anthem.

THE 2022 SIF NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANT RECIPIENTS

MICHAELA GAFFNEY

The Frank D. Privitera Family Scholarship

Hometown: Boise, IA School: Boise State University

• Recipient of a President’s Writing Award for an article, informed by personal experiences, on the unhoused community in Boise.

• Intern for the 3rd District Court District CASA guardian ad litem advocating for the rights of children in foster care.

• A local advocate for social justice regarding accessibility issues on a systematic level.

ALEXANDER A. JOHNSON

The Nancy DiFiore Quinn Scholarship

Hometown: Long Beach, CA • School: Columbia

• Will graduate in 2023 from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons with a dual degree (MD & MS in biomedical research), with plans to complete an Internal Medicine/Pediatrics combined residency.

• Completing a nine-month Fulbright research grant at Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy, studying the intersection of urban health and architecture.

• Hopes to continue working as an ocean lifeguard in his hometown of Long Beach, California.

PAULINE RENDA

The Franzone Family Scholarship

Hometown: Wantagh, NY • School: Columbia

• Currently studying for a Masters in Nurse Anesthesiology at Columbia University.

• Worked front line during COVID in an ICU and was awarded the Heart of Gold Award for patient advocacy.

• Awarded University of Delaware’s Promising Woman Award for volunteer work in a nursing community as well as research in the improvement of the health of older Americans in assisted living centers.

LAUREN APPEL

The National Italian American Bar Association & Sons of Italy Foundation Scholarship

Hometown: Ithaca, NY • School: Cornell

• Graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Vanderbilt University, majoring in Classical and Mediterranean Studies, Economics, and History of Art.

• Served as Notes Editor on the Cornell Law Review.

• Received Frederic H. Weisberg Prize for Constitutional Law.

DIANA MOSCHETTI

The Franzone Family Scholarship

Hometown: Rye, NY School: Univ. of Miami/American University of Rome

• AP Scholar with Distinction.

• National Honors Society.

• Tri-M Music Honors Society.

REESE NOVESS

The Sons of Italy Foundation’s American University of Rome Scholarship Hometown: Albion, MI School: The American University of Rome – Rome, Italy

• Founded a club in Rome that connects and supports students studying abroad.

• Co-President of the International Relations Club at the American University of Rome.

• Student assistant to the IR degree program at the American University of Rome.

GRACE EVA RICHARDSON

The Anthony J. & Eldora B. Perfilio Scholarship for Italian Language Hometown: Schereville, IN School: Indiana University

• Studied at the Complutense University of Madrid in Spring 2022.

• Phi Beta Kappa, honors fraternity and Sigma Delta Pi, Spanish honors fraternity.

• Member of Pol-IU-Glot multilingual student recognition group.

MATTEO MARSHALL

The DeNunzio Family Scholarship Hometown: Pfafftown, NC School: University of North Carolina, Greensboro

• Immigrated from Italy in 2007 to join the US military’s war on terror.

• Highly-decorated combat disabled veteran.

• Attending the School of Nursing at UNC Greensboro.

RALPH CURRA

The Signor Forcellini Scholarship Hometown: Parkland, FL School: University of Alabama Honors College

• Recipient of the National Merit Finalist package from the University of Alabama.

• Served as president of the Patriotic Raiders club.

• Vice president of his school’s National Italian Honor Society chapter.

HEATHER DAMIA

The Franzone Family Scholarship Hometown: Chatham, NY School: Dartmouth

• Performed in the Treble Choir at the 2019 New York State School Music Association All-State Conference in Rochester, NY

• Awarded the Albert I. Dickerson 1930 Freshman Writing Prize at Dartmouth College.

• Served as Company Manager for Dartmouth College’s student-run Shakespeare troupe.

CHARLES HARMON

The Henry F. Salvatori Memorial Scholarship

Hometown: West Linn, OR School: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Will graduate with a 4.62 GPA as Valedictorian.

• Quarterback and Team Captain of the 6A (top division) state semifinal football team.

• Co-founder and President of Young Men’s

TOBIA RUTH

The Peter & Jeri DeJana Foundation Scholarship

Hometown: Montclair, NJ School: University of Pennsylvania

• Will pursue a dual degree in Physics and Chemical/Biomolecular Engineering.

• Competed at regional level for Liguria, Italy

OHIO WASHINGTON

On Palm Sunday, April 10, Cincinnatus Lodge #1191 resumed “The Original Italian Dinner” after a twoyear pandemic hiatus. Since 1911, this celebratory dinner has been one of Cincinnati’s oldest and largest traditions. The lodge partnered, once again, with Sacred Heart Church, but for the first time, the event was a “take out” rather than the customary sit-down dinner. The church kitchen was utilized to prepare massive quantities of Italian food, including exactly 90,000 ravioli, 12,000 meatballs and 300 gallons of sauce. All Items, except the grated cheese, were frozen and sold over the course of three + hours. All proceeds went to Sacred Heart Church.

It was truly a team effort of Lodge #1191. Special thanks go to Ron Panioto, Jr. (Immediate Past President), Ryan Lehan, and Ed Rubeo (Treasurer) for organizing the tremendous event as well as the many volunteers from the lodge.

These two photos are from Seattle Fedele Lodge #1390. Separated by five years, the photos feature vests presented to young ancestors of the lodge. Aydan Anthony Harvey, on the left, is the grandson of Seattle Fedele #1390 members Rod and Diana Sciola Warczak. The family of Danny Croce Volpone, on the right, has been members of the lodge for over 50 years.

The “SpecialRecognition” vests were the idea of Tony “Bisceglia” Anderson, Immediate Past Grand Lodge President & National Financial Secretary at the time of the original photo, and now OSDIA 5th National Vice President. Tony is pictured in both photos, along with Linda Buccini Anderson, President of the GLNW, and National Trustee, Rosetta Stella Beyersdorf, in the original presentation.

“Five years ago, I recognized the potential in both of these boys. They attend every meeting and event, always wanting to learn and help,” Tony said. “In a time when we want to push for increased membership, especially among younger members, I wanted to let them know that they we were watching and recognized their potential not just as members but future leaders as well. At that time, they were boys. Now, five years later, they are young men. Looking into the future, I can’t wait to see what they accomplish. We love you Danny and Aydan!!”

Danny just joined the Seattle Fedele #1390 Lodge. Aydan will join next year.

OSDIA Releases New Logos!

FOR YOU

From the President’s Desk

By Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.

Dear Sisters and Brothers: It has been a continuing honor to serve as the National President of this amazing organization!

Firstly, I want to thank the many of you who have shown your support for all that we are doing, and to the many members who have worked so diligently on committees to make our projects and mission a reality.

My team and I have been working to deliver new, innovative, and interesting projects so we can attract new members and provide value to our existing membership. I look forward to your continued participation.

With looking forward in mind, I dedicate this message to our amazing staff at the National office. I believe a positive mindset in addition to impeccable skills are vital to advance any organization; therefore, those whom we employ have a direct correlation to our success.

We have worked for months analyzing finances, best practices, policies and procedures—all in an effort to maximize productivity while minimizing costs. In this time, we have made up our budget shortfall, a direct result of this team effort. We are also now stronger as an organization.

I am proud to announce that Justin Smith (our Managing Director) is now the point person of the National office. Justin continues to do an amazing job at coordinating with the officials of OSDIA and implementing our vision. He has also significantly contributed to the discussions regarding this vision. Justin’s leadership skills and commitment are assets to the entire organization. His tireless efforts, passion, and love for the Order are greatly appreciated.

I am also elated to have Andrew Cotto as our new Editor-in-Chief of this very magazine. Andrew is an award-winning novelist and a regular contributor to the New York Times as well as other reputable publications. He brings not only an impressive level of accomplishment but also many useful contacts for OSDIA. Andrew loves Italian culture and has assisted us previously on projects on the media/production side of OSDIA. It is an honor to have such a credentialed person on board.

Shayla Kaestle, CPA, is now OSDIA’s very first Director of Finance and Accounting! We were advised to establish such a position to manage our bookkeeper and work with our accountants. Shayla is extremely accomplished, and her dedication has already put OSDIA on the cutting edge of fiscal management and cost reduction, while she has also worked on many committee projects. Shayla’s services are invaluable, and we are thrilled to have her as part of our team.

Michael Howard, our new bookkeeper, comes from a strong academic background. He works with Shayla to ensure that our bookkeeping practices are efficient and accurate. Michael is a very accomplished person who wants to be involved in other projects in addition to his bookkeeping responsibilities. I love that mindset, and we are happy to oblige.

I am very excited about where we are heading and with the team that will make it happen.

Finally, I must mention our incredible NELA Gala in May. So many in the organization worked tirelessly to ensure the event’s success. I believe it was the best NELA to date. This joyous event will continue to be a reminder of our mission and serve as a catalyst for the money raised on behalf of the Foundation which supports of our charitable causes.

Congratulations to our inspirational honorees: Hon. Rosa DeLauro - Congresswoman Lidia Matticchio Bastianich - Chef and Restaurateur Angelo Vivolo - Philanthropist and Entrepreneur Laurie Serricchio Hollander - President & Co-Founder,

Help Our Military Heroes

My special thanks to Foundation President, Joseph Sciame. He had the vision for the in-person event and worked for months making our Gala such an incredible success. Congratulations Joe, and to your entire team, for making us so proud of OSDIA!

In all, we are on the right path! Have a happy, safe, and healthy summer! Fraternally,

The CSJ Perspective

By Robert M. Ferrito, President

I would like to begin this issue with a renewed focus on our constant battle in the education of the Italian American community, specifically our youth. We are all too familiar with the false narratives prevalent in our education system that malign Christopher Columbus. We must continue to combat those narratives. I think, however, we cannot forget that we have so many positive things to say about our culture and heritage. We must be proud of it. We must present this positive image when we speak about our ancestors and the many cultural, social and political contributions that the Italian American community has provided this great country.

We at CSJ have made available a resource page available that can be used by our members to find information regarding that positive image while combating the false narratives that exist in our education system. Our educational programs can be used from kindergarten to 12th grade. Please take advantage of this resource page. As I said in the last issue: It is important that we continue to fight through education. The resource page can be found online at www.osia.org/csj.

CSJ continues to play a part nationally as a major component of The Conference of Presidents of Major

Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO). It was a historic week in Rome and within Vatican City in May as a delegation of Italian American leaders from COPOMIAO met with government officials and Pope Francis to advance cultural and religious initiatives.

Judge Basil M. Russo, President of COPOMIAO, also conducted a panel discussion with Italian Supreme Court justices, met with the Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and sat down with the Vatican’s Secretary of State to pinpoint issues of mutual concern.

The landmark visit to the Eternal City is a first-ofits-kind event and one of many new summits that are designed to preserve and promote Italian American history, traditions, institutions, and financial and cultural connectivity to Italy.

CSJ is constantly looking to form partnerships and alliances throughout our nation. We are working with these partners to promote public policy, advocacy initiatives, and the Italian language in the United States.

It is all of us working together as one, projecting a positive image and educating our youth, that will allow the Italian American community to remain strong as we continue our battle to preserve Columbus Day and Columbus statues that are symbols of our proud heritage.

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Letters to the Editor can be sent to Editor-in-Chief Andrew Cotto at Italianamerica@osia.org or mailed to the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Attn: Editor 219 E Street NE Washington, DC 20002

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Italian America®

Italian America Magazine is produced by the national headquarters of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America®, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 202/547-2900. Email: nationaloffice@osia.org

Andrew Cotto Editor-in-Chief, Italian America magazine

Justin Smith Managing Director Shayla Kaestle, CPA Director of Finance and Accounting Joana Bala Program Coordinator Michael Howard Bookkeeper

Italian America® is the official publication of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA), the largest and longest-established organization of American men and women of Italian heritage. Italian America provides timely information about OSDIA, while reporting on individuals, institutions, issues, and events of current or historical signi ficance in the Italian-American community nationwide.

Italian America (ISSN: 1089-5043, USPS: 015-735) is published quarterly in the winter, spring, summer and fall by OSDIA, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. ©2022 Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any method without permission of the editor is prohibited. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily imply an opinion on the part of the officers, employees, or members of OSDIA. Mention of a product or service in advertisements or text does not mean that it has been tested, approved or endorsed by OSDIA, the Commission for Social Justice, or the Sons of Italy Foundation. Italian America accepts query letters and letters to the editor. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts. Italian America assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Annual subscriptions are $20, which are included in dues for OSDIA members. Single copies are $4.95 each.OSDIA MEMBERS: Please send address changes to your local lodge. Do not contact the OSDIA National Office.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Italian America, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Subscriptions are available through the OSDIA National Office, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. OSDIA membership information is available at (800) 552-OSIA or at www.OSIA.org. Archives are maintained at the Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn. Printing by Printing Solutions Inc., Sterling, Va. To advertise: Contact ItalianAmerica@osia.org (202) 547-2900. Also see www.osia.org for advertising rates, specs, demographics, etc.

BY ANDREW COTTO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ITALIAN AMERICA MAGAZINE

I’m thrilled to be the Editor-in-Chief of Italian America Magazine! I come to this position as an awardwinning author and a seasoned journalist. My work is inspired in many ways by the experiences of Italian Americans and Americans in Italy.

I am 100% Italian American. My life has been very much informed by my heritage. I am also an avid Italophile who has visited Italy regularly over the past 25 years and has lived there twice: first, for a year in Florence writing my first novel, and then for a summer in Rome teaching Travel Writing at John Cabot University.

It is this duality of identities, that so many of us share, and their interconnection that will inspire much of the content of the magazine while it is under my editorial direction. I want to, first and foremost, celebrate notable, contemporary Italian Americans and learn about the role of our shared heritage in their lives. I’d also like to bring some attention to many from our community, across generations, past and present, who may not be known but are worthy of recognition. I’m eager to champion our active artisans and artists who pay homage to our heritage through the traditions that inspire their work. We will be sharing news of the good deeds done by our members and fellow Italian Americans on behalf of our community and country. We will continue to hear in each issue from the leadership of OSDIA, as well as updates from lodges and news from our members.

We are Italian Americans, after all, so food will be a regular feature. The new “Mangia” section will be a carefully curated, thoroughly explained, and beautifully photographed seasonal menu courtesy of renowned Italian food blogger and cookbook author Michele Di Pietro of the “Mangia with Michele” platform. Purveyors of fine Italian food from around the country will be introduced. A nostalgic ode to food and tradition will appear in a new column called “Sunday Lunch” which will chronicle memories of OSDIA members from those halcyon days when lunch with la famiglia was a weekly routine.

Creating a bridge to Italy will continue to be an important focus of the magazine. There will be a travel section in each issue written by an expert. The emphasis will be on understanding a specific area through local knowledge that, hopefully, inspires a visit but educates nonetheless. Narratives of interest, contemporary and historic, from Il Bel Paese will also be featured.

I look forward to providing the members of OSDIA and subscribers to the magazine with a publication that will inform, inspire and promote the beauty of the Italian experience. I consider all of our readers collaborators, so please be in touch with your comments and suggestions. Or simply to say Ciao!

Ray Romano

INTERVIEW BY ANTHONY SCIARRATTA

Ray Romano is an actor and comedian best known for his role as Ray Barone on CBS‘s Everybody Loves Raymond (19962005). He created and starred in Men of a Certain Age, had a recurring role on Parenthood, and voiced Manny in the Ice Age films. Romano recently starred in The Big Sick and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. Romano made his directorial debut at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival where he showcased Somewhere in Queens, a film inspired, in part, by the Italian American family.

Three of Romano’s four grandparents were born in Rome or Palermo before immigrating to the United States. His paternal grandfather fought in the Italian army during World War I.

What was it like being raised in a predominantly Italian neighborhood in New York City as opposed to where you currently live in Los Angeles? Do you miss your old neighborhood?

Yes, I do miss the old neighborhood. I still consider myself a New Yorker. I came out to Los Angeles when I booked Everybody Loves Raymond. My family stayed at home for the first year. We were waiting to see if the show was going to stick around. When the show got picked up for a second season, I moved my wife and kids out to Los Angeles. We’ve been there ever since. I still consider Forest Hills and New York my home. It’s different than Los Angeles, there’s not the same feeling of a community as there was in Queens. In Forest Hills, you know everybody on the block. In Los Angeles, people have houses with gates, and you don’t even get to see your neighbors. I like California, but I miss the overall sense of community in Forest Hills.

How would you say your Italian heritage influenced you?

My brothers and I were raised as American Italians, but it was my wife’s family who had the old school traditions. My wife’s parents were off the boat Italians and didn’t immigrate to America until their 40s. At their house, every occasion was a big catered event like somebody had a mini wedding. I went to a ton of communion, confirmation, and sweet 16 parties. I recently wrote and directed a movie about an Italian family using that same world.

you talk more about your new film, Somewhere in Queens?

Somewhere in Queens is a new film that I wrote and directed. It’s kind of loosely based on things that I experienced in my life, but through the world of this Italian family in Queens. It’s about a guy and his son who is a basketball star. His son is about to graduate high school with expectations to work in the family business. The father wants to see if his son can continue to play basketball instead of coming in the family business, which causes friction. I would label it a Dramedy. It’s funny, real, and emotional. I wanted to write about this type of environment, especially one that I lived in, for a long time.

Did you always know you wanted to be in entertainment?

I wasn’t initially sure about stand-up comedy, but I was attracted to performing. When I was a teenager in Forest Hills, Our Lady of Mercy started a teen club to keep kids off the street and out of trouble. They allowed us to go into the church basement and use the space. My friends and I were inspired by Saturday Night Live, which just came out around that time. We wrote sketches for the kids in the neighborhood and called it the No Talent Show going by the name, No Talent Incorporated. It was there that I caught the bug and realized performing was something I really had a passion for. I was always a fan of stand up, but it wasn’t until I heard about an audition night at a club in Manhattan called The Improv that everything changed. I did a few minutes of horrible stand-up material, but those one or two laughs in the crowd got me hooked. What advice would you give to an up-and-coming entertainer who wants to model their career after yours?

The only thing I know from my own experience is that nothing is a better teacher than getting on stage. Whether it’s successful or the worst experience of your life, it’s still a learning experience. You get better at the most horrible and best nights that you have. There is no shortcut to success. The comedy scene is a little different now, and I’m not sure how things exactly work. What I do know is that you only get better by getting on stage. You quickly learn what works and doesn’t work and you master those experiences over time. I quit my regular job when I started to make a decent amount of money. From there it’s all word of mouth. Each time you go on stage, you’re getting exposure. What you must hope for is that you’re experienced enough when you’re able to get paid.

Can

Proud Member Since 1958