ITALIAN-AMERICANS

Italian-Americans, a breed apart, we have our own culture, rituals, traditions, our own style, and language, especially in Brooklyn, Da Bronx, South Philly, and Jersey, Soprano Territory, as well as Boston’s Italian neighborhood, The East End. We love family, music, Pavorotti, Sinatra, Dino (Dean Martin), Frankie Valli, Jerry Vale and Al di La. Our culture, yes all the great music and recordings of recording artists like Mario Lanza and Louie Prima. We have great writers like Mario Puzo and Gay Talese, with Film Directors; Martin Scorsese of Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Casino fame which he collaborated with Nick Peliggi, and the great Francis Ford Coppola of Godfather and notable wine fame as well. And speaking of wine fame in America, The World, and of Italian-Americans, let’s not forget Robert Mondavi who almost single handily put American Wine on the map as concerns the prestige of American Wine from average to among the greatest in the World.

   Italian-America has had its share of great Boxers in those two Rocky guys; Rocky Graziano and Rocky Marciano. There was Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini, and The Raging Bull himself, Jake La Motta, and speaking of Rocky’s, there was that other Rocky Guy of Philadelphia, one Rocky Balboa The Italian Stallion created and played to beautiful perfection by an Italian Stallion from Hells Kitchen, New York, one Sylvester Stallone.

   And Ball-Players you ask? The Baseball Hall of Fame is filled with great Italian-American ball players like; the Holy Cannoli Guy, Phil Rizzutto, Yogi Berra, and the great Joe D, The Yankee Clipper “Joltin Joe DiMaggio.”

   On the gridiron we had one of the Biggest All Time Greatest in the spectrum of football, Vince Lombardi of Englewood New Jersey. So great that The Super Bowl Trophy is named after him.

     Wow, a lot of these great Italian-Americans are from New York and New Jersey. Quite interesting. Who are they? The list is pretty long. Ready? Of course the list starts with the greatest and most beloved Italian-American of all, Frank, yes Frank Sinatra, a legend who is not, but is close to being almost “God-Like,” that’s how esteemed, loved, admired, and respected this man was, and still is. He’s revered to the highest degree possible. Yes, Frank Sinatra born and bred in Hoboken, New Jersey, then buying his first home in Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey, his first wife Nancy was from Lodi, and all of Frank’s 3 children, Frank Jr., Nancy, and Tina were all born in Jersey before Frank moved out west to Hollywood, California before settling in Palm Spring. But once a Jersey Boy “Always A Jersey Boy.”

   Gay Talese, Joe Pesci, Frederico Casteluccio, Frank Vincent, Connie Francis, Danny DeVito and Cousin Jack, who is half Italian, John Jack Nicholson that is, born in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich Village, New York and grew up in Neptune, New Jersey near cousin (Cugino) Danny. So Jack is both a New Yorker and Jerseyite, just like me. So you’ve also got John Travolta from Englewood Cliffs and Frankie Valli from Newark, New Jersey.

   Now, how bout the New Yorkers? The list is long; but I’ll give you the short-list; Al Pacino (Da Bronx), Robert DeNiro, Martin Scorsese (Elizabeth Street), Dion Dimucci (Bronx), Tony Bennett, also known as Anthony Bennedetto from Astoria Queens, Jake LaMotta (Bronx), Rocky Grazianno of the Lower East Side, and?

   So as we know the Italians love their music, Amore, nice clothes (Italians wrote the book on Style), rituals, this-that-and-every-other-thing. Yes, but thee greatest, most beloved and of greatest importance of all these things we love and do, nothing is more important than Food, after family and good health that is. Yes important as music is, and Amore, food is number one.

Excerted from SUNDAY SAUCE   by Daniel Bellino Z

Sunday Sauce

RONZONI PASTA Co.

of NEW YORK

THAT’S ITALIAN !!!

ITALIAN-AMERICAN

For years now, many so called food Experts who thought they knew more than they actually did wrote disdainfully of the famed Italian dish Spaghetti & Meatballs, saying “it was not authentic Italian food,” and is Psuedo Italian. Well, “oh Contraire.” Guess what? Spaghetti & Meatballs is Italian. Or should I say Pasta & Metaballs. Yes, pasta with meatballs is a dish eaten quite often in southern Italy and the regions of Puglia, Sicily, and Abruuzo, a native dish is Pasta, (usually short Maccheroni) dressed with Meatballs as a special treat .. The names pf these dishes are called Pasta Seduta, meaning Seated Pasta and Maccaroni Azzese .. Yes Pasta w/ Meatballs, “It’s really Italian.”   I myself have written about this in my book SUNDAY SAUCE -When Italian-Americans Cook, where I stated at the time that I had hear of certain areas serving Meatballs along with their pasta. And even before I heard this I surmised that out of so many millions of poor Italians over the years it was most certain that in poor familys not wanting to wash more than 1 dish per person eating that momma would not serve pasta and meatballs in seperate courses but together on one plate of Pasta & Meatballs (Spagetti Meatballs). And so as stated before Pasta with Meatballs is an authentic dish served all over Southern Italy, it’s reall Italian Food and has names for it, again Pasta Seduta and Maccheroni Azzese .. So there, “In your face Food Snobs,” snubbing our beloved Spaghetti & Meatballs, no it’s not just Italian-American, which is not a bad thing, it’s really Real italian and the mystery and controversy is now setted, it’s Spaghetti & Meatballs, millions love it, and billions of plates have been served over the years. Why? People love it, as simple as that ..

LASAGNA CARNEVALE alla NAPOLETANA Has Little Meatballs Inside

Frank Sinatra & Ava Gardner Mangia Bene

More on SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

If there is one dish that incapsulates the emerging Italian-American food culture, it is Spaghetti & Metaballs. Pasta and meat: two symbols of prosperity in the old country were combined to make an edible celebration of life in America. Spaghetti & Meatballs constituted a bridge between Italian-American enclaves and the mainstream diet of the United States. The dynamic immigrant business elite promoted the dish actively.

Excerted from The Epic History of Italians and Thier Food   by John Dickie

Patsy’s

56th Street  NY NY

FRANK SINATRA ‘S Favorite Restaurant

Faicco’s pork Store

GREENWICH VILLAGE New York

GABAGOOL

aka Capicola

The Master of PIZZA !!!

Dom DeMarco

Di Fara Pizza

Brooklyn New York