sign in sign up
<<
Home , 1805 Molise earthquake, As It Is In Life, Basilio Giordano, Bill Palatucci, Culture of Italy, Jelsi

Ambassador National Italian American Foundation Vol . 31, No.1 n Fall 2019 n www.niaf.org

Heritage Travel in Is This Leonardo’s Lost Angel? Hiking the True Saving NYC’s Historic Erben Organ A Festival of Sculpted Wheat NIAF Anniversary Gala Preview!

Ambassador The Publication of the National Italian American Foundation Vol . 31, No.1 n Fall 2019 n www.niaf.org CONTENTS

34 Features

26 Heritage Travel in Molise 34 Hiking the True Cinque Terre Connecting Molisani Family Ties Beyond the Beaches and Tourists By Susan Van Allen By Rachel Bicha 5141 30 Leonardo’s Lost Angel? 38 Driving the Via Emilia Some Experts Believe da Vinci On the Mother Road of Made the Statue Found in Emilia-Romagna Patricia de Stacy Harrison San Gennaro Church By Silvia Donati Gabriel A. Battista Chairs By Paul Spadoni Don Oldenburg Director of Publications 41 Festival of the Great Grain Mother and Editor Molise’s Worldwide Gift of Natalie Wulderk Sculpted Wheat Communications Manager and Assistant Editor By Kirsten Keppel Gabriella Mileti Bottega NIAF Editor

44 No Pipe Dream AMBASSADOR Magazine The Master Organist Saving 44 is published by the National Italian American Foundation New York’s Historic On the Cover: (NIAF) 34 19th-Century Erben Organ 1860 19th Street NW A quaint street in Washington DC 20009 By Maria Garcia , a town in the POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Sections Province of NIAF, 1860 19th Street NW Lettere 6 that becomes a Washington DC 20009 The North End Foundation Focus 10 48  destination in our ©2019 The National Italian NIAF On Location 15 Visiting Boston’s Little cover story Heritage American Foundation (NIAF). Bottega NIAF 16 By Francesca Montillo No portion of this magazine Travel in Molise. may be reproduced without Paesani 18 written permission from NIAF. Italia 22 Photo by Giambattista Single issue price: $15 Mangia Qui 54 51 The of Molise Lazazzera/shutterstock ISSN 1000-9999 Easier to Drink than to Find Cinema 56 NIAF Between The Pages 60 By Dick Rosano 1860 19th Street NW Washington, DC 20009 Room with a View 67 Tel. 202-387-0600 On Sports 69 www.niaf.org Pensieri 70 Design: Barbieri & Green, Inc. NIAF Anniversary Gala Preview 72 Printing: Mosaic NIAF Insider 76 Crossword 80

4 WWW.NIAF.ORG BETWEENFROM THE THE CHAIRSCHAIRMAN PAGES Ambassador Association afewdayslater, where guests from theItalian AmericanWhiteHouseStaff honored tohostadinnerforpublic servants Association’s newpresident. NIAFwasalso the ItalianAmericanCongressional Staff debutas Lauren AmendolaraMcDermott’s we loveunequivocally. The eventwasalso the UnitedStatesandItaly, thecountries mingledwhiletastingwinesfrom staffers American Congressional Membersand where Italian Foundation hostedaVinOff dignitariesinMolise. and government to Italy. Theyalsometwithbusinessleaders the studentsthere whileontheirMission program. TheNIAFBoard ofDirectors met Peter F. SecchiaVoyage ofDiscovery first-ever triptoItalyontheAmbassador American collegestudentstraveledfortheir promote Italianheritage.InJune,19 outitsmissionto been activelycarrying the excitingGalaWeekend Events. Preview sectioninthisissuefordetailsof American community. GototheGala who are distinguishedleadersinourItalian of Honor, Molise, andfeaturinghonorees tocelebratingNIAF’s 2019Region forward 1-3, inWashington, D.C.!We are looking GalaWeekend, November Anniversary Foundation isgearingupforour44th here andtheNationalItalianAmerican are backinschool,whichmeansFallis On July25onCapitolHill,the Since theSummerissue,NIAFhas The weatheriscooling,andkids NIAF Chairs Message thank you for supporting ofourmission. thank youforsupporting behalf oftheNIAFBoard ofDirectors, we million AmericansofItaliandescent.On and promote theheritageandculture of20 engagement helptheFoundationpreserve Italian Americancommunity. available toevenmore individualsinthe these educationalandculturalopportunities Italophiles ofallages.Pleasehelpmake experiences forItalianAmericansand grants,scholarshipsand opportunities, Gala. TheFoundationprovides incredible membership orattendingourAnniversary renewing orupgradingyourNIAF with NIAF, whetherthatmeansjoining, hope youcanbecomemore involved has positivelyinfluencedtheirlives. shared howtheirItalianAmericanheritage NIAF Chair Gabriel A.Battista NIAF Chair Patricia deStacyHarrison Your andthoughtful financialsupport As weheadintotheFallseason,

from the from

Louis E.Tosi Simeone George Hon. BasilM.Russo,Esq. Alfonso Ruffo Philip L.Rinaldi Dr. JohnP. Rosa Joseph H.Moglia J.Lumia Vincent Dr. AntonioGiordano Hon. MikeFerguson Anthony S.DiSandro Jr., Esq. Antonio DeMatteis Joseph M.DellaRatta Hon. CapriS.Cafaro Paolo Catalfamo Nicholas R.Caiazzo,Esq. Chris Berardini Maria Bartiromo Peter J.Arduini Board ofDirector Salvatore J.Zizza Salvatore M.Salibello Aileen Riotto-Sirey Francesco Nicotra Richard A.Grasso Mario J.Gabelli Matthew J.DiDomenicoSr. Board Emeriti Frank D.Stella Hon. FrankJ.Guarini Joseph V. DelRaso Colangelo Jerry Dr. A.KennethCiongoli Emeriti Chairmen Jeno F. Paulucci Founding Chairman Joseph D.Lonardo General Counsel Linda R.Carlozzi Secretary Gerard S.LaRocca Hon. FrankGiordano V.Robert Allegrini Presidents Executive Vice McBride Hon. AnitaBevacqua E.Carlucci Robert John F. Calvelli Kenneth J.Aspromonte Chairs Vice Harrison Hon. PatriciadeStacy Gabriel A.Battista Chairpersons The Da Vinci Council is NIAF’s way of saying thank you to its members donating $2,500 each and every year.

EXCLUSIVE OFFERS | BUSINESS NETWORKING FORUMS PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS | FOOD & OPPORTUNITIES

For successful Italian American business men and women who wish to support NIAF’s heritage focused programs— this is the perfect way to show your support.

Learn more: www.niaf.org/davinci 6 WWW.NIAF.ORG LETTERE

Courtesy of the Mirto Museum Archive Ambassador useful, too. and entertaining wasvery Elsewhere ing: Tips forYour NextTrip toItalyand And, FrankVan Riper’s SavvyTravel- the challengeswhendrivinginItaly. was helpfulinunderstandingsomeof the SummerissueofAmbassador. It Italy’s ZTLTricky Traffic Restrictions,in IntheZone:SteeringAround ough story In theZone Reader Feedback Past Issuesareavailableat NIAF’s website:www.niaf.org. To AdvertiseinAmbassador [email protected] orcall202-939-3108. Letters maybepublishedand editedforlengthandclarity. zine, 186019thStreetNW, Washington, DC20009.Includeyourfullnameandaddress. Letters totheEditormaybee-mailed [email protected] totheEditor, Ambassador Maga- We'd LovetoHearfromYou! LetusKnowWhatYou're Thinking! —  Thanks forPaulSpadoni’s thor Los Angeles,Calif. Giulia Davis - knowledge ofourculturalpatrimony. contribution thatwillhelpspread the amostimportant For us,itistruly ofPalazzoMirto. the importance adds valuetoandshinesalighton that for yourmostbeautifularticle Inside PalazzoMirto located about90milesnorthofRome. yet stunningUmbrianhilltownofTodi” is sador, shouldhavestatedthat“thesmall Italy, inthe2019SummerissueofAmbas- of Todi: AHiddenJewelintheCenterof Where’s Todi? CORRECTION —  Compliments andmanythanks , Palermo, SiciliadiPalazzoAbatellis Galleria Regionaledella periSiticulturali Polo RegionalediPalermo Valeria Sola The featureTown the 75th Anniversary events. the 75thAnniversary proud torepresent themat was very and momexperienced75yearsago. I for me.Hard toimagine whatmydad to)…. Thatwasamovingexperience beaches anddrop zones(seepho- invasion C-47 overtheNormandy . Iflewinthe“MissMontana” Airfield, U.K.,andinNormandy, eventsatDuxford D-Day Anniversary inthe75th our triptoparticipate inWorld Warultimate victory II…. ed inD-Dayandcontributedtoour - and civilianpersonnelwhoparticipat bravery, andsacrificeofallthemilitary to acknowledgeandhonortheservice, toremind everyone alsoserved article ofD-Day, 75th Anniversary Ihopethe toournation.Onthis their service zine (Spring2019issue). Paesani sectionofAmbassadormaga- inthe andincludingthearticle story… interest inmydadandmom’s D-Day 75 th ,Fla. Lt.Col.,USAF, Ret. —Stephen P. Pedone from My wifeandIjustreturned It isagreat honorandtributeto A quicknotetothankyouforyour Anniversary D-Day Anniversary HONOR your Ancestors. EMPOWER the Next Generation.

PRESERVING, PROMOTING AND PROTECTING OUR ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE

SUSTAINING MEMBER 2019

Give a NIAF Membership to a Paesano

WWW.NIAF.ORG/GIFTMEMBERSHIP

Your gift membership is tax deductible.

NIAF_Membership_Ad_3.5.19.indd 1 6/14/19 10:45 AM MADE WITH OLIVES

facebook.com/ColavitaUSA ColavitaUSA AND youtube.com/ColavitaUSA @ColavitaUSA Pure ingredientsamore from a trusted family brand | COLAVITA.COM ColavitaUSA

Fall2019Ambassador.indd 1 8/22/19 9:05 AM MADE WITH OLIVES

facebook.com/ColavitaUSA ColavitaUSA AND youtube.com/ColavitaUSA @ColavitaUSA Pure ingredientsamore from a trusted family brand | COLAVITA.COM ColavitaUSA

Fall2019Ambassador.indd 1 8/22/19 9:05 AM 10 FOUNDATION FOCUS

WWW.NIAF.ORG I Voices Ambassador Ambassador PeterF. Secchia. of generous financialsupport heritage ofItaly—allthanksto to thecountry, and bonding youngItalianAmericans the ItalianAmericanidentityby trip toItalyhelpsstrengthen Honor. The all-expensespaid Molise, NIAF’s 2019 Regionof college studentstoRomeand brought 19ItalianAmerican Voyage ofDiscovery AmbassadorPeterF. Secchia nJune,the2019 from of the Voyage

better is a unique experience unlike better isaunique experienceunlike themselves and theircommonhistory peers withashared goalto get toknow group ofsimilarlyaged,like-minded ian Americanandwhere Icome from. lens tounderstandwhoIam asanItal- me withanexpandedandenriched left trip ofmylifetime.Thisjourney University ofConnecticut,Class'19 Gianna DeMasi say abouttheirexperience: what three ofVODstudentshadto and discovered thereal Italy. Here’s trips totownsthroughout theregion we discovered itsrawbeautywithday the rest ofthetrip.WhileinMolise, asourbasefor Campobasso served to Molisewhere thecapitalcityof walking. We thenmadeourway and with fourintensedaysofhistory The opportunity to travel with a totravelwith a The opportunity The Voyage wasthe ofDiscovery We inRome ourjourney started to Molise NIAF Director ofSpecialPrograms NIAF Director By GabriellaMileti seed fortherest of mylifesomuch me thattruly, Iam Italian. realities overlapped anditclickedfor in theirland,wasamoment where families behavinginthesame ways, tantly, the people.To seereal Italian cities, clothes,foodand,most impor for Italianculture—the history, , me wastheappreciation Ideveloped for ofour journey meaningful part above all,themostmemorableand aspects ofthisprogram forhoursbut, what madetheVODsospecial. people toshare thisreflection withis somed asaresult ofthetrip.Having peers’ newfoundItalianidentityblos- most thoughtfulandinspiring,my experience beautifully. Andthen,the weaved athread through ourmutual sharing historiesandfamilystories— conversations withthesepeople— anything Ihavecomeacross. Having The VoyageofDiscoverycrewinScapoli,Molise. I willcherish and nourishthat I couldtalkabouttheamazing -

Gabriella Mileti Gabriella Mileti

Gabriella Mileti ing tohearand seethedelightin wewent.Itwas sosatisfy- everywhere was abletopractice myItalianalmost connection withthepopulation. I Molise, wegotamuchmore intimate proved tomeevenmore fulfilling. In coupled withagreat history, Molise especially asanItalianAmerican. evenmore, appreciate thehistory ever, seeingitupcloseallowsyouto aboutancientRome,how- learned We firstinRome. arrived We allhave I willcherishfortherest ofmylife. VOD hasleftmewithmemoriesthat give myexperiencejustice.NIAF’s ing,” “breathtaking” or“marvelous.” was, Irespond withasimple“amaz- colleagues askmehowmytriptoItaly Seton HallUniversity, Class of'19 Alexander Aroneo-Perez also yourself,insideandout. er anotonlybeautifulcountry, but get lostinthepulseofItaly, todiscov- is nobetterbackdrop tofeelyourself program tomypeers.There covery highly recommend theVoyage ofDis- know thefeelingforthemselves.I so thatIwantmyfuture children to which hasbeenmakingcheesethesamewaysince1600s Voyage ofDiscoverystudentssurroundedMolise’s famouscaciocavallocheeseintheCaseificioDiNucciAgnone, While Romehadgreat food These words, however, donot When myfamily, friendsand opportunity given to me by NIAF and given tomebyNIAFand opportunity ited Moliseand Italy. thisgreat Without , blessedtohavevis- Ifeeltruly Oratino tothequasi-tropical seaside of and perhaps theworld. underappreciated bytherest ofItaly, thatMolisegoesrather disheartened ofdiscoveriesmademefeel sorts ed NationsandtheVatican! These for esteemedclientssuchastheUnit- produces bells Thisfoundry Foundry. ness intheworld—theMarinelliBell busi- the second-oldestfamilyrun instance, inAgnoneweencountered tosee.For historic andimportant in Molise,there issomethinggreatly littletown ing isthatinalmostevery Molisano myself. mademefeellikea experience truly intheprocession. This morning the culminationoffeastSunday thentic Italianstreet food,andwatch Molise, butallofItaly),purchase au- local street vendors(notjustfrom nights, wewere abletoencounter in LaFestadeiMisteri.Formultiple most wasbeingabletoparticipate incredibly good.ButwhatIlovedthe could speakItalian.Thefoodwasalso anAmerican locals whentheylearned From the rolling landscapes of From therolling landscapesof measmostinterest- What struck beautiful Italian culture. beautiful Italianculture. our ence this,forthesakeofpreserving young ItalianAmericansgettoexperi- hopemore always begrateful.Itruly been fulfilledthisyear. For this,Iwill dream ofvisitingItalywouldneverhave Ambassador Secchia,mychildhood War IIbattleground. at MonteCassino,aWorldCemetery with pastawemadeourselves. where weenjoyedpastaandfagioli memorable waslunchinFornelli, to beoneofmyfavoritemeals. Also Le CavediSant’Ignazioin Rome had hard pressed topickafew! Dinnerat restaurants andactivitiesthatI’m were somanyincredible landmarks, pinpoint myfavoritemoments.There have beenchosen!It’s difficultto thistrip,andsoluckyto organizing with thelandofmyancestry. myconnection firsthand, andfortified a lifetime,experiencedItaly’s beauty an understatement.Imadefriendsfor say itwasalife-changingtripwouldbe this summer’s Voyage To ofDiscovery. The CollegeofNewJersey, Classof'19 Nathaniel Hirschman I wasmovedby theCassinoWar I’m sogratefultoNIAFfor in I hadthehonorofparticipating inFornelli. Wood learningtomake Sabrina SalesandLiberty

Ambassador 11 WWW.NIAF.ORG Gabriella Mileti FOUNDATION FOCUS 12 WWW.NIAF.ORG FOUNDATION FOCUS Ambassador I’ll bebacksoon! life-changing experience—I’msure ty. ThankssomuchtoNIAFforthis ofmyidenti- strengthened thispart Italian American,andthistriponly a newlife.Iamsoproud tobean my grandparents leftbehindtostart nection withtheauthenticItalythat trip wasallabout—makingacon- really drove hometomewhatthis ins forthefirsttime!Meetingthem festival, Iwasabletomeetmycous- during theLaFestadeiMisteri.At watched anincredible procession my translatingability! became popularwiththegroup for my Italianskillsintopractice,andI the trip,Ilovedbeingabletoput of theSistineChapel.Throughout I wasstunnedbythestrikingbeauty iting Vatican Citywasincredible, and icans hadinItalyduringthewar.- Vis role Amer States, andtheimportant tion betweenItalyandtheUnited The sitereminded meoftheconnec- In thecityofCampobasso,we - Where They Are Now? were marriedinJuneRhodeIsland. Italy, onthebalconyofSt.Mark’s Basilica.They In March2018,NickproposedtoNoëlinVenice, in-house legalcounselatPhilipsNorthAmerica. Practice GroupsinProvidence,R.I.,whileNoëlis firm’s Mergers&AcquisitionsandCorporateLaw Today, NickisanattorneyatHinckleyAlleninthe Denice whometwhileontheirVODtrip. Discovery 2012alumniNoëlGiglioandNicholas We atNIAFwanttosendourAuguri!Voyage of some alumnimarriages. experiences andlife-longfriendships,buteven has notonlycontributedtolife-changing Ambassador PeterF. SecchiaVoyage ofDiscovery With 19yearsoftripsinthebooks, at [email protected]. If so,letusknowwhatyou’reuptotodayandjoinouralumninetwork!EmailGabriella Mileti Did youorsomeoneknowparticipateontheGiftofDiscoveryVoyage Discovery? as thesayinggoes,restishistory! Rhode Island.Theymetupfordinneronenightand, people there,shereachedouttoNick,whoisfrom and relocatedtoNewEngland.Notknowingmany in-house corporatelawpositionoutsideofBoston every nowandthen.InMay2013,Noëlacceptedan school inthefall.Buttheystayedcontact,talking separate waystostartthenextsemesteroflaw When thetripwasover, NoëlandNickwenttheir to NaplesandtheVallo diDiano,andfinallyRome. down theAmalfiCoast,fromOstiatoSorrento,then Emilia-Romagna itinerarywasreplacedbyatrip days beforeweleftforItaly, theBolognaand makingittoodangeroustovisit.Afew Rome asoriginallyplanned,aearthquakestruck Rather thanvisitingthecitiesofBolognaand The VODClassof2012hadauniqueadventure. wedding day on their Noël andNick AMB. PETER F. SECCHIA VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

THE NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION

AMB. PETER F. SECCHIA VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

THE NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION A Life Changing Experience

FIRST TIME TRAVEL TO ITALY FOR YOUR DONATION OF... ITALIAN AMERICAN YOUNG ADULTS $75.00 Processes a student’s passport The Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of $125.00 Pays for a student’s one-night stay in a hotel Discovery Program is a free, life-changing trip to $250.00 Pays for a week’s guided tours Italy for young Italian American adults between the $500.00 Pays for a student’s meals ages of 18 and 23. The trip fosters friendships and $1,000.00 Pays for one roundtrip airfare memories of a lifetime, and in doing so transforms $2,500.00 Pays for one student’s entire ITALY trip! the future of the Italian American community. SUPPORT NIAF’S AMB. PETER F. SECCHIA VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY AT www.NIAF.org/VOD

Italy in Italy Finding more than60,000 slicesofpizza. a.m. or2 In2018alone,itserved City, spotinSurf whetherit’s 10 the pizzeriahasbecome go-to Francesco andCarlottaZaza in2014, of Rome!FoundedbyRome natives small pizzeriaisanauthentic slice Beach where Inowcallhome.This ZeroZero 39,rightinHuntington husband, Mark,introduced meto whenmy have beenmore fortunate to findthebestslice.Icouldn’t at home,soI’malwaysonthequest pizza. It’s theonefoodIdon’t cook there andwhy? What areyourfavoriteItalianrestaurants mission ofmine. uring itout.Ithasbecomeapersonal County?” But,littlebylittle,I’mfig- “where are theItaliansinOrange O.C. from D.C.,IactuallyGoogled World feelhere. When Imovedtothe Francisco, soyoudon’t getthatOld immigrants likeLosAngelesandSan County wasneverahubforItalian around sincethe’40sand’50s. Italian Americanspotsthathavebeen and cafesownedbyItalianex-patsor authenticItalianrestaurants are true cityyougoto,whetherthey in every in theO.C.,you’llfindItalianspots while there isn’t acentralLittleItaly made upofmanysmallercities,so County orSanDiegoCounty. It’s one maincity, likeinLosAngeles What isthemostItalianpartofOrangeCounty? Orange County, Calif. Programs GabriellaMiletifindsItalyin live. Thisissue, NIAF’s DirectorofSpecial make themfeelmoreItalianwherethey insider informationonspecialplacesthat our members, friendsandstaffprovide are everywhere. InNIAFonLocation, lifeinAmerica influences inevery-day museums ormust-visitmarkets, Italy’s Italian restaurants, popularfestivals, Whether it’s thebesthistoricarchitecture, My favoriteItalianfoodis If youlookatitshistory, Orange Orange Countydoesn’t have

Jon Bilous/shutterstock: not-so-classic blue honey pizza! not-so-classic blue cheesehoneypizza! marinara, , spicysalamianda all theclassics, includingmargherita, isn’t pages-long,likeinItaly, theyserve from Naples.While thepizzamenu materials directly thatimports Forni, companyMarra by Maryland-based 800°Foven made in awood-burning, station, thepizzaiolobakespizza car-repair a former garageandgas in thecounty, hands-down.Builtinto pizza, 2145inCostaMesahasthebest Tutto ilmondoèpaese! we havefriendsincommonRome. of mymanyvisits,weevendiscovered shop, youfeellikefamily. Duringone hospitality, sowhenyouwalkintheir Italian ucts. Andtheybringwarm authentically madewithfresh prod- sandwiches, pastriesandcoffee—all salads,calzone, Carlotta alsoserve slice (pizzaaltaglio).Francescoand rectangular iron tray, andsoldbythe simple ingredients, bakedinalarge with consisting ofmedium-thincrust za that’s apopularstreet foodinItaly to openaRomanpizzeria. California the pioneersinSouthern a pizza-by-the-sliceshop.Theywere toopen they sawahugeopportunity Italian-tastingpizza, not findingtrue Beach. Whilehere onvacationand surfing brought themtoHuntington Francesco andCarlotta’s passionfor Orange County For traditional Neapolitan-style For traditionalNeapolitan-style Romanpiz- And theirsisthetrue Francesco Zaza,GabriellaMileti,ChefLorenzo Manzotto andCarlottaZazaatZeroZero39.

Tropea, Italy. DomenicoMaurici from Italian-born Beach, which opened in1993by inNewport is theespresso atilFarro So atZeroZero 39 isperfetto. withmyMokapot,the the mornings always makemyespresso athome in espresso inAmerica.Although I espresso. It’s hard tofindgood and travelthere often.Iknowagood so connoisseur, sinceIlivedinItaly Where’s thebestmorningespresso served? traffictogetthere. California tucci biscotti.It’s theSouthern worth pastries, includingcannoliandcan- with freshly bakedItalianbread and cucina. Themarketfeatures abakery Danielle andSterilgarda’s pannada MixMax snackcakes,toProsciutto San no Bianco’s PandiStelleand Balconi’s from Muli- everything 1963 andcarries ly-owned andoperatedbusinesssince products. Cortina’sported isafami- selectionofauthenticim- the largest in Anaheimtakesthecakeforhaving flour and00flour. telvetrano olives,,semolina tomatoes,Cas- SanMarzano , suchasProsciutto di Italian imports ness since1946andfeatures favorite Huntington Beachhasbeeninbusi- ingredients? Italian Where doyougoforhard-to-find I pridemyselfinbeinganespres- However, Cortina’s ItalianMarket in Lucci’s ItalianDeliandBakery The PacificOceanatHeislerPark, in LagunaBeach,Calif. Ambassador

Mark Petruziello 15 WWW.NIAF.ORG NIAF ON LOCATION Great Designs, Grateful Grating Great Finds, N Grating cheese can get messy. Contain the Great Products! mess with this natural-oak, box-mounted Italian-style! grater, complete with a drawer to collect I your gratings. Sagaform Cheese Grater with Drawer: $30. BOTTEGA www.Nordstrom.com BOTTEGA NIAF BOTTEGA By Gabriella Mileti F Cutting Edge Add a touch of sophistication to your cheese board with this set of cheese knives. Handcrafted in Italy from aged olivewood, each knife’s stainless-steel blade is designed to cut a specific kind of cheese and makes for a handsome presentation. Antonini Olivewood Cheese Knives Set of four: $59.95. www.Williams-Sonoma.com

Daily Grind A collection of every day Italian products is coming to America, specifically at a Mapped out Mappina pop-up shop at the MoMa Design Store in Accent your kitchen with this New York City. The e-commerce company, beautiful 100-percent cotton-towel Fattobene is hosting the shop. And leave mappina. The soft, durable towel it to the to make household features artistically designed necessities impossibly beautiful! The shop landmarks and foods from each features shampoo, toothpaste, staplers, region of Italy. Made in Italy Paneangeli baking powder, mints—and exclusively from Sur La Table. Italy even this vintage-looking manual coffee Map Kitchen Towel, 28-by-20-inches: grinder made of cast iron and beech wood. $15. www.SurLaTable.com Tre Spade: $220. www.Fatto-Bene.com

Espresso Yourself Sip your morning brew in this adorable mini mug. Made of ceramic in mint color with gold brim, and perfect for your espresso. Espresso Yourself Mint Mug: $10. www.Francescas.

Perfect Slice Fall means and if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some, you’ll need a professional slicer to ensure you have perfectly sliced truffles. Made of oak wood and stainless steel, the razor- sharp laser-cut blade will deliver a consistent cut On Board! throughout your meal. You can even Presentation is everything when adjust the blade for thicker or entertaining, so for your salumi e thinner shavings. Made formaggi you’ll need the perfect board. in Italy. Urbani Made from solid olive wood, which Rice Ball Wizard Truffles: $39.98. is known for its durability and rich Make the perfect Sicilian arancino easily and quickly with the Arancinotto. www.Amazon.com wood grain, this board will not only Made in Sicily, Ragusa to be exact, this mold can pump out 180 arancini WWW.NIAF.ORG stand the test of time but will impress per hour. The package even comes with a recipe book. Available in pointed your guests. Olive Wood Rustic Large and rounded shapes, and 80-gram and 160-gram sizes. Pointed shape, 80 Board: $59. www.WestElm.com grams (pictured): $19.90. www.Amazon.com

16 Ambassador Over the Are you making, marketing or selling Inspired by the tops of wine , fantastic products that this mango wood and galvanized metal BOTTEGA are made in Italy or of serving tray brings a rustic wine country interest to Italian ? touch to your table. Use it to display Let us know so we can appetizers or carry your favorite vino feature your product in from one room to the next. Food safe Bottega NIAF! Contact and monogramming available. Barrel Top [email protected]. Tray: $79. www.PotteryBarn.com

Dish It Out Italy is known for its ceramics but bringing ceramics back from a trip there can be a nightmare. Luckily, you can find handmade ceramics with Italian flare right on Etsy in the Magic Moon Pottery shop. This Buon Appetito dish measuring 14¼-by-4¼-inches is ideal for serving appetizers and snacks. Buon Appetito Dish: Pasta Jewelry, Cause and Effect $36. www.Etsy.com/shop/ Inspired by and its passion for pasta, the collection is lovingly MagicMoonPottery fabricated by Delicacies Jewelry for people who love pasta. (And, really, who doesn’t love pasta? And jewelry, for that matter?) Cast in .925 sterling silver, the mini earrings measure just .43 inches-wide-by-.3-inches tall. The earrings are rhodium-plated to discourage tarnishing. Giving back is baked into this purchase: these earrings provide 16 meals to help feed the hungry! Delicacies Jewelry Mini Farfalle earrings: $40. The matching farfalla charm, attached to an adjustable 15-to-16-inch cable chain, is meant to be worn just below or on the collarbone and is perfect for layering. The necklace provides 25 meals to help feed the hungry! Delicacies Jewelry Mini Farfalla Necklace: $75. www.delicaciesjewelry.com

It’s Electric! The quintessential Italian scooter has gone electric. Vespa, who made a name for itself starting in the 1950s, has released an all-new electric scooter that’s quiet and good for the environment. The Elettrica features a digital dashboard and uses a lithium-ion battery and an electric motor to travel up to 62 miles on a full charge. Just don’t forget to plug it in at night! Vespa Elettrica: $7,499. www.Vespa.com WWW.NIAF.ORG

Ambassador 17 18 WWW.NIAF.ORG PAESANI

Ambassador Send suggestionsto [email protected]. doing extraordinary thingsofinteresttoItalianAmericans. KnowsomeonewhoshouldbeinPaesani? Ambassador’s Paesanidepartmentprofilesinshort formthelivesofItalianAmericans, Italians andothers — SusanVan Allen Website: www.barabarafasano.com andbeautyofasong.” key todiscoveringthetruth They taughtmetonothold back.Forme,that’s the emotions—from lovetosorrow, anger, orcompassion. expressing heartfelt free-flowing whenitcomestotruly Italian family,” Fasanosays.“Theywere, andstillare, very James Gavin praised fortheemotionalintensityshebringstolyrics, from NaplesandCalabria.” aunts, uncles,andgrandparents, whocametoAmerica ground tobigholidaycelebrationsinBrooklyn withmy , andOl’BlueEyeswasalwaystheback - The SummerWind of herbobbysoxerdays,myfatherinthebasementplaying would beinthekitchenmakinglasagnaandtellingstories Long Island:“There wassomuchSinatra!Mymother remembers howmusicfilledherchildhoodinBayShore, In Sinatra’s Footsteps These days, Fasano’s CDs and performances are These days,Fasano’s CDsandperformances Award-winning jazzsingerBarbaraFasanofondly Center andBirdland. Hall,Lincoln venues asCarnegie Eric Comstock,atsuchManhattan her husband,pianistandsinger in London.Sheoftenappearswith clubs across thecountry, andabroad in Springsteen, andsheperforms book, from Harold ArlentoBruce spanstheAmericanSong - repertory to Sinatraforourtime.”Fasano’s Hadju describingheras,“anheir with authorandmusiccriticDavid “I’m forever inspired bymy

Bill Westmoreland Proving Grounds West in Virginia to and brewing. Whenhereturned that sparkedhisinterest aboutroasting San Diego,hetastedsomegreat coffee In feehouse, buthealwayslovedagoodcupofcoffee. magazine. a dream,” saysBonasso,36,aboutappearinginthe intheMountainState. coffee W.Va., inMorgantown, Quantum BeanCoffee asthebest year, magazine recognized SamBonasso’s Food &Wine ed onsite,thatcupofjavajoyisasgooditgets.This beansare precisely roast- takable. Andwhenthecoffee Quantum Bean Coffee in Quantum BeanCoffee marketsin 2015.Heopened at farmers began sellingbrewed andbaggedcoffee “hobby” inthekitchenofhishomeand — Robert Fanelli Bartus Jr. FanelliBartus — Robert https://www.facebook.com/quantumbeancoffee/ ing hisdestiny—onecupat atime.Website: they sure domeanalottoday,” says Bonasso,aboutfulfill- And whileIwishwouldhavelistenedtohiswords sooner, life, thatyougettochooseyourdestiny, part. toalarge grandfather, Tony, alwaystalkedabouthavingchoicesin dinners withfamily, andhisgrandfather’s wisdom. “My Both are West Universitygraduates. Virginia while working in the IT field in 2007, while workingintheITfield The West nativeneverworkedinacof- Virginia “It wasoneofthosepinchyourselfmoments—like isunmis- The enticingaroma offresh-brewed coffee Bonasso is gratefulforhisCalabrianheritage,Sunday 2012, he started his his he started 2018 NIAF’s Persons of Interest with his wife, Susan. with hiswife,Susan.

NIAF’s Persons of Interest Website: “My Italianheritagemeanstheworldtome,”saysBruzio. children, whichhesaysishisfavoritemealoftheweek. an roots? Sunday pranzoat1p.m.withhiswifeandtwo “Neverlet anybodystopyou.” Bruzio. the moviebeingmade,toitthenfinallycomingout,” says almost 16yearsfrom thedayIfirstputpentopaper, to “perseverance isthekey”tohislifeasawriter. “Ittook where hewasinvolvedwiththetheater. Hebelievesthat since his highschooldays always beenattractedtothearts has forActing, Bruzio Conservatory studied actingatthe StellaAdler his filmof redemption. about spirit ofthisstory,” saysBruzio people are inspired bythehuman andhope universal humanstruggle but toyourself.Ikindoffeelthisisa mistake, notnecessarilytoothers, to prove thatyouare more thanthat given asecondchanceatlifeandbaseball. Sonny Stano,isreleased from prisonafter17yearsandis Manganiello and SofíaVergara. Manganiello’s character, film, Bottom ofthe9th,debutedthissummer, Joe starring est inspirationforwritingwasthefilm Rocky.HisIndie Brand NewBallgame — Robert Fanelli Bartus Jr. FanelliBartus — Robert How doestheBronx nativecelebratehisCalabri- APaceUniversitygraduate who “Somehow gettingthechance admitsthathisgreat- Bruzio Screenwriter Robert

www.robertbruzio.com

Saban Films

Fred Esposito Touching Image — MariaGarcia work. “That,”hesays,“isjoyful.” African Americangrandmothers whothankedhimforhis come…the personinneed,nomatterwhatcoloryou are.” safety,” hesays.“Standinginfront ofthatmural,yoube- compassion, thatconvincedpeopleshewouldgetthem to “Imagine herincredible strength ofcharacter, butalsoher commissionedtodepictTubman.as awhite,maleartist Rosato confesses hefeltsomediscomfort and Cortese, began receiving 50emailsdailyaboutthemural. no socialmediaaccountsinmid-Maywhenhesuddenly see andcan’t see,”saysthe59-year-old muralistwhohad man’s outstretched hand. of photospeoplereaching toward Tub- pen,” hesaysofthattouchingmoment. although Ineveranticipatedwhatwouldhap- Md. “Iwantedthatkindofengagement, seum andEducationalCenterinCambridge, Tubmanan exteriorwalloftheHarriet Mu- Railroad.to freedom ontheUnderground andledothers who hadescapedfrom slavery the outstretched handoftheAmericanhero media thispastspring.Itpictured ayoung girltouching Tubmanican abolitionistHarriet wentviralonsocial Rosato recalls chancemeetingsatthemuseumwith The grandsonofItalianimmigrantsfrom Torino “African AmericansseesomethinginitthatIdon’t Since then,Rosatohascollecteddozens Rosato paintedthe14-by-28-footmuralon A photoofMichaelRosato’s muraldepictingAmer

Amy Taylor Ambassador - 19 WWW.NIAF.ORG PAESANI 20 WWW.NIAF.ORG PAESANI

Ambassador Archdiocese of Boston — ChristinaGaleone come totheUSA,Igoand see themtrainandplay.” time they world,” adding“IamabigRomafan,andevery Filippucci callsA.S.Romathe “bestsoccerteaminthe love ofRomeandItaliancooking, heshares teamspirit. ing thesummerataCatholiccenterinIsraelorleaving adolescence. angry away suddenlywhilepraying,propelling thechildintoan 1997 when10-year-old Filippucci’s beloveddadpassed and LuciaStefania.Theywere ahappy, devoutfamilyuntil toCatholicmissionariesPiergiorgio sixth childof11born inRome,Filippucciisthe didn’t becomeapriest.Born locatethefire andsavethechurch. partments they couldn’t battletheblaze,theyhelpedlocalfire de- Church inMarlborough, Mass.,thispastwinter. Although Fr. Andrea Filippucci racedtoImmaculateConception Baptism byFire In 2004,hismothermadehimchoosebetweenspend- Filippucci almostmissedthatopportunity. Healmost afire extinguisher,With Fr. StevenClemenceand with mylife.” inbooks,but what Ihavelearned help notjustwithwords, orwith can through manystruggles…I Mass., parish.“SinceIhavebeen now administratorofaLynn, with people…,”saysFilippucci, me toconnectinmanyways helps think mypersonalhistory inBoston2007.“I a seminary God’s loveinIsrael.Heentered home. Hesaysherediscovered Besides sharinghisfaith,and NIAF’s Persons of Interest

Archdiocese of Boston Jazzed Up — DeeMcNeil and family!Mymusicexpresses theloveIhave!” into thepersonIam!love goodfood,great company manyItalianculturalwaysandtheyare combined learned to spenditwithourgrandparents!” Monacosays.“I’ve tional NeapolitansongNonTi DiMe. Scordare includes theItalianpophitQuandoandtradi - Truckin’ hisheritage.Italso , butMonaconeverforgets Root DowntoafunkyversionoftheGratefulDead’s great JimmySmith—’s mentor. playing inastylesimilartothe jazzy HammondB3organ nightspot where localsandfansfrom afarenjoyhisbluesy, him athisregular “MonacoMonday”gigataColumbus Definition ofInsanity,you’llfind ofhislatestCD,The in support clubs, andhasreleased 14CDs. weddings, nightclubs,andjazz at over 52yearshasperformed ever since,”saysMonaco,who atanItaliandance. on thedrums, bus, Ohio,nativeplayedaccordion, alongsidehisfather known foritsmusicians.Hisfirstgig?At12,theColum- his fatherandgrandfatherwere musiciansfrom atown hesays emigrated totheUnitedStatesfrom , veins. Afirst-generationItalianAmericanwhoseparents Courtesy of Tony Monaco “My fatherwouldtakeourfamilytoItalyatChristmas His latestCD’s songlistrangesfrom aJimmySmith’s When Monacoisn’t touring “I’ve playedandrecorded TonyOrganist Monacohasmusicstreaming inhis

22 WWW.NIAF.ORG CIAO ITALIA sance, the ruling Gonzagafamilyembraced thepumpkin sance, theruling wasafanofpumpkin;and, duringtheRenais- poet , dizuccaforthem. prepared tortelli the soulsofdeadfind their living relatives whohave (luminaries)are There, saidtohelp theselumere etery). with candlesalongtheroads leadingtothecimiterio (cem- pumpkinsilluminated the Mantovanihaveplaced carved Halloween wasinventedinMantua!Forhundreds ofyears, Naples, zuccaiscombinedwithsausageandbeans. oil, vinegarandherbsforsalad.InCampania,especially . InSicily, thinstripsofzuccaare marinatedinolive . InUmbria,zuccabecomesplumpgoldenyellow agricultural crops ofthe region. the mostimportant pumpkin takesonanalmostmysticalqualityandisone of withpumpkin)asitsmostfamousdish.InMantua, stuffed dizucca(pasta heritageandtortelli tagonist ofitsculinary Ambassador Even Mantua’s mostfamouscitizen, thegiftedRoman All thisloveforzuccaleadstothebeliefbymanythat The usesforzuccagofarbeyondtheborders of Mantua isproud tohavezucca(pumpkin)asthepro- dy isnotsomefierce lookinglionor regal eagle. No, Lombar hesymbolofthecityMantuainnorthern BY MARY ANNESPOSITO PRIDE PUMPKIN ITALIAN - tion of acorn and butternut squash. andbutternut tion ofacorn wouldbesubstituting acombina- a respectable alternative have grown inmy home garden with seeds from Italy, but dizucca. memorable, tastyfillingfor tortelli sometimes pearsinfusedwith mustard oil,itbecomesa mustard montovana),madewithapplesand (mostarda ) andafruit almondcookies(amaretti bined withcrushed ting oneopenreveals thebrightdeeporangepulp. panache.Cut - wooden-like stemsthatgivesthemacertain with rough bumpsandknotsontheirskinalmost rather darkforest green typesthatshowtheirpersonality orange typesthatweare familiarwithatHalloweenbut soca. that are knownindialectastortei recipes fortheseplumppastapillowsfilled withpumpkin mas Eve).Generationshavehandeddowntheirtreasured diNatale (Christ- are alwaysthefirstcourseforVigilia create pumpkin-inspired dishes. thanks toIsabellad’Estewho,itissaid,askedherchefs I havecreated thedishmanytimes from thezuccaI When cooked,itisdeliciouslysweet,andwhencom- The pumpkinusedforthefillingisnotbright Tortelli dizuccaare a mustfortheChristmasseasonand

Joanna Tkaczuk/shutterstock Joanna Tkaczuk/shutterstock 1 3 cupsunbleached,all-purposeflour eggs 4 large dough Ingredients fortortelli leaves 1 cupfresh arugula oliveoil ¼ cupextravirgin ½ cupred wine 1½ poundwell-marbledT-bone steak, ½ teaspoonsalt leaves 2 tablespoonsfresh rosemary 2 clovesgarlic,peeled filling Ingredients fortortelli Tortelli diZuccaallaMantovani • Rolleachpieceouttothethinnest • Kneadthedoughagainforabout 4 theexcessflourasideandknead • Brush to •When thedoughbecomestoofirm • Beattheeggswithafork.Then,using • Combinetheflourwithsaltand Directions tomakethepasta • Coverandrefrigerate untilready touse. • Transfer thesquashtoabowlandmash aspoon,scoopoutthepulpand • With • Bakefor35minutesoruntilthesquash • Placethehalvescutsidedowninasmall • Cutthesquashorpumpkininhalf, • Preheat theovento350°F. Directions tomakethefilling cheese cup gratedParmigiano-Reggiano ½ 4 or5fresh wholesageleaves 1 stickofbutter (for 2dozentortelli) Ingredients forbutterandsagesauce / 8 teaspoonsalt about 2inchesthick a thicknessof to with arolling pinon afloured surface setting onapasta machineorroll itout the rest covered. Work withonepieceatatime,keeping minutes andcutitinto4equal pieces. rest for10minutes. untilsmooth.Coverandlet necessary) the dough(addingadditionalflouras dough. You maynotneedalltheflour. the flourtomakeasoftbutnotsticky hands, incorporatingjustenoughof mix withthefork,kneadityour from theinsidewallsofflour. the fork,graduallyincorporateflour eggs intoit. in thecenterofflourandbreak the Makeahole mound itonaworksurface. migiano-Reggiano cheeseandmixwell. egg,jam,nutmeg, salt,andPar crumbs, cookies,bread - it well.Addtheamaretti minutes. place inacolander;letitdrainfor45 is easilypierced withafork.Letcool. the dishwithfoil. baking dish,add½cupwater, andcover scoop outtheseeds,anddiscard. 1 / 8 inch. - • Transfer to a serving dishandsprinkle • Transfer toaserving andgentlytossuntilwell • Addthetortelli • Meltthebutterinamedium-sizedsauté • To potofwatertoa cook,bringalarge • Gatherdoughscrapsintoaballand • Placeagenerous teaspoonofthefilling • Cutthedoughinto3-inchsquares. 1½ cups diced pumpkin or butternut squash cups dicedpumpkin orbutternut 1½ 1 onion,diced olive oil ¼ cupextra-virgin Ingredients 4 Serves kick duetothehotpepper pumpkin isfullofflavorand has alittle This spicychickendishriddled with Chicken DiavolowithPumpkin John Hession Chicken DiavolowithPumpkin with the cheese. Serve immediately with thecheese.Serve coated withthesauceandhot. leaves torelease theirflavor. pan; addthesageandpress onthe cotton-towel linedbakingsheet. ted spoonandplacethemonalint-free Drainthemcarefully withaslot- surface. 1 to2minutes,oruntiltheyrisethe atatime,for boil. Cook2dozentortelli re-roll themtomakemore tortelli. floured towel. the fillingandplacetrianglesona shape. Pinchtheedgeswelltosealin rectangles inhalftomakeatriangle in thecenterofeachrectangle, foldthe • • •  •  •  •  •  •  •  Directions 3 cupspureed plumtomatoes whitewine 1 cupdry taste Fine seasaltandcoarseblackpepper, to 8 skinlesschickenthighs 2  2 tablespoonsfresh thyme,leaves 1  2 clovesgarlic,minced Serve hotover creamy . Serve minutes longer. Uncover thepan andcookforcouple instant-read thermometer. until thechickenregisters 165°Fonan low, cover, andsimmerfor10minutesor Add thetomatoes,reduce theheatto Cook for2minutes. to thepanandraiseheat high. theonionmixture andthewine Return onceortwice. brown well,turning Add thechickentohotskilletand per andthyme. Season thechickenthighswithsalt,pep- and setaside.Discard therosemary. soft andgoldenbrown. Transfer toadish Cook overlowheatuntiltheonionsare thyme andtherosemary. onion, pumpkin,garlic,hotpepper, skillet,heattheoil.Add In alarge kitchen string tiedwith sprigsfresh rosemary large strips small, fresh hotred pepper, cutinto Ambassador 23 WWW.NIAF.ORG CIAO ITALIA 24 WWW.NIAF.ORG CIAO ITALIA Ambassador •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  Directions Toasted pumpkinseedsforgarnish Salt totaste teaspoon (ormore) freshly gratednutmeg ¼ ½ cuplightcream 2 cupsrichchickenbroth 1 cupfinelymincedleeksoronion 1 tablespoonbutter 1 cupwater 1½  andseeded small piepumpkin,quartered 1 Ingredients 6 Serves textured soup. family; combinethemtomakethisvelvety Pumpkin andsquashare inthesame Creamed Soup Pumpkin andSquash Serve immediately. Serve top withsomeof thepumpkinseeds. Ladle thesoup intoindividualbowlsand salt. Heatthemixture slowlyuntilhot. the half-and-halforcream, nutmeg,and Transfer thesoupto pot.Stirin smooth. cess untilthemixture isvery andpro- tube withthemotorrunning Slowly pourthebroth through thefeed in batchesuntilthemixture isblended. with thepumpkinandsquashpuree Transfer theleekstofoodprocessor soft. leeks are very broth andcontinuecookinguntilthe Stir in3tablespoonsofthechicken are limp. slowly overlowheatjustuntiltheleeks medium heat;addtheleeksandcook In asouppot,meltthebutterover place itinafoodprocessor. When cool,scoopoutthefleshand hour, oruntilsoft. num foil,andbakefor45minutesto1 Add thewater, coverthepanwithalumi- in a15½-by-10¼-inchpan. Place thepumpkinandsquashquarters Preheat theovento350°F. and seeded squash,quartered pounds butternut John Hession •  •  •  •  •  •  Directions 2-4 tablespoonsmilk 2 teaspoonsvanillaextract 2 cupsconfectionerssugar, sifted Frosting ½ cupgratedapple ½ cupwell-shakenbuttermilk ¼  1 teaspoonvanillaextract 1 cupcannedsolid-packpumpkin eggs 3 large ½ cupdarkbrown sugar ¾ cupgranulatedsugar 12 tablespoonsbutter, softened ½ teaspoonsalt ¼ cupdicedcandiedginger ¼ teaspooncloves ¼ teaspoonginger ½ teaspoonnutmeg 2 teaspoonscinnamon 1 teaspoonbakingsoda 2 teaspoonsbakingpowder 2¼ cupsall-purposeflour Ingredients 8 Serves dramatic statementmadeinaBundtpan. This moistpumpkinspicecakemakesa Pumpkin SpiceBundtCake Blend inthepumpkin, orangejuice, combined. Add theeggsone atatimeuntilwell and sugarstogetheruntillight andfluffy. bowl ofastandmixer, cream thebutter In abowlwithhandmixeror inthe powder, candiedgingerandsalt. the flour, spices,bakingsoda, baking In amedium-sizedbowl,whisk together dust withflour, setaside. Butter a10-inchBundtcakepanand Preheat ovento350°F. large orange large cup fresh orangejuicepluszestof1 her websitewww.ciaoitalia.com inItaly,andfrom Lifelong FoodAdventures Esposito’s newcookbookCiaoItalia:My Ann The zuccarecipes are from Mary •  Directions forFrosting Half andasneeded 2 tablespoonsmeltedandcooledbutter 2 cupsconfectionerssugar Ingredients forFrosting •  •  •  Visit www.niaf.org/forms/anniversary-gala. in Italy.Seatingislimited, sodon’twait. cookbook, CiaoItalia:MyLifelongFoodAdventures chase includesasignedcopyofMary Ann'slatest the NIAF2019RegionofHonor. Your ticketpur course dinnerinspiredbythecuisine of Molise, Ann asshetakesyouthroughanelegant, three- Gala Weekend, inWashington, D.C.DinewithMary November 1,duringtheNIAF44thAnniversary Cut inwedgestoserve. to makealooseglaze.Drizzleovercake. In abowl,combinealltheingredients a wire rack andcoolon dle comesoutclean.Invert inthemid- tester ortoothpickinserted Bake for45-55minutes,oruntilacake Transfer thebattertoprepared pan. mixture, blendingwell.Donotover-mix. Combine theflourmixture withtheegg smooth outwhentheflourisadded). (the mixture willlookcurdled butwill andgratedapple zest, vanilla,buttermilk Esposito with MaryAnn An Evening Esposito onFriday, Evening withMaryAnn Please joinusforAn John Hession - NEW BOOK Ciao Italia My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy

BY MARY ANN ESPOSITO

Companion to the PBS series Ciao Italia

Featuring over 150 recipes, gorgeous food photos and scenics.

Available at fine bookstores and online retailers everywhere, or order direct from Pathway Book Service: www.pathwaybook.com | 1-800-345-6665. 26 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador in MOLISE Heritage Connecting Molisani Family Ties Thisisoneof thosemoments…. Momentsthat fill ourheartsbeyond ourimaginings. There are moments inourlives that are unforgettable. stone wall.“Nana!” wegaspedinunison. ing omen:an elderlysignoradressed inblack, walkingalonganold ings. SouthofCampobasso, approaching , cameawelcom - frost- capped withwhitestone villages thatlookedlikebirthday-cake a coupleofhours,wefound ourselveswindingthrough green hills, only gotblanklooks. aboutthevillage,I When IaskedmyItalianfriendsandtravelexperts ter conqueringtheSamnites,ancientItalicinhabitants ofthearea. itintoapenal colonyaf- “prison withchains.”TheRomanshadturned and theoriginofitsname,from theLatinvinculacatenis,meaning Vinchiaturo,websites, findinglittleabout exceptitspopulation(3,000) deeper anddiscovermyancestralland.Isearched guidebooksand andgaveusagrandreception.” her cousins:“Theyare wonderful, the villaheruncle,awealthymonsignor, hadlefttothefamily, andof a lettershewrote aboutthequietstonevillagesetonahillside, family thatstayedbehind.She’devenvisitedthemin1957,andIfound the Americandream inNewark,N.J.Nanahadkepttouchwiththe helmina Spada,andherfamily, emigratedfrom there in1903,tofind Vinchiaturo, avillageintheregion ofMolise.Mygrandmother,- Wil Intrigued, my sister and I set out via rental car from Naples. Within Intrigued, mysisterandIsetoutviarental carfrom Naples.Within Almost 50yearslater, aftermanyvisitstoItaly, Iwasready todig That wasmytoastatdinnerwithItaliancousinsIhadjustmetin Travel By SusanVan Allen

Church inVinchiaturo 13th-century SantaCroce Susan Van Allen laundry basin, where Iimag- laundry marble remains of alarge tized. Mycousinshowedus my grandmotherwasbap- Santa Croce Church, where tower ofthe13th-century ing thevillagewasbell a beautifulspot.Dominat- the onlyAmericansinsuch to mygrandmother. feeling ofdeepconnection cer gameonTV, andagreat family pictures, music,asoc- kitchen.Weernized shared grand fireplaces, butamod- , Julietbalconies,and described, withoriginal villa mygrandmotherhad and wine.Theylivedinthe generosity, deliciouspasta, and tidal waveofwarmth Nana’s followed.Itwasa a youngergenerationthan cousinsof with wonderful It wasthrillingtobe A grandreception of genealogists whogather have thenameoftown.” tors inMolise,butmostonly requests looking forances- Italian roots. “We getmany necting peoplewiththeir pany thatassistsinrecon- of MyItalianFamily, acom- tells me.She’s thefounder lucky ones,”BiancaOttone, my Italianfamily. enced withoutseekingout I neverwouldhaveexperi- Allofthis of ourancestry. backintothoughts further temples—bringing useven ofatheatre and with ruins an oldRomansettlement vast archaeological siteof to discoverSaepinum,a , wewere astounded 20-minute driveaway, near washing andgossiping.A ined mygreat grandmother Ottone hasa network “You are oneofthe

from thesouth,including to theUnited States,mostly brought 4million Italians gration, from 1880to1920, biggest waveofItalianemi- of emigrantsinItaly. The numberpercapita largest tone thatMolisehasthe table experience.” - she says“sealstheunforget to cemeteries—apointthat local restaurants andvisits reunion mealsin arranges knew theirfamily. Shealso cousins andpeoplewho lived, andmeetlong-lost see where theirrelatives visit theirancestralvillage, the localdialect,sotheycan and translatorwhoknow be accompaniedbyadriver up tripswhere travelerscan out livingrelatives. Shesets and thecomuneseek documents from churches SerFeo of Vinchiaturo,nearSepino site ofanoldRomanruinsoutside , avastarchaeological My Italian Family I learned from Ot- I learned off theirbelovedhome. off you warmly, proud toshow and nativeswhowelcome ical treasures and traditions, tranquility, unspoiledhistor roots, atraveler canfind along withdiscoveringour hasn’t takenover. InMolise, ulated andwhere tourism Italy that’s notdenselypop- vantage tovisitingaplacein in Molise.” States orCanadathanwedo living relatives intheUnited “Sometimes wefindmore abandoned,” saysOttone. and somevillagesare almost what itwas100yearsago, of manyvillagesishalf “These daysthepopulation so emigrationcontinues. has developedinMolise, region. Notmuchindustry eMolise then theAbruzzi 600,000 from whatwas

SerFeo ruins outsideofVinchiaturo archaeological siteofoldRoman Theater ruinsatSaepinum,an But there’s agreat ad- now 747;in1871,itwas2,664. emigration. Itspopulationis decrease inpopulationdueto Molise villageswiththehighest Forlì delSannioisoneofthe Ambassador

- 27 WWW.NIAF.ORG 28 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador Courtesy ofJoeRobertucci in hisancestralresearch. Joe RobertuccifoundforAngeloRobertucci,1871, Background photo:Baptismalcertificate and teaching me some pear withhis pocketknife, smoking hispipe, cuttinga trella. Iremember Grandpa of Italians,manyfrom Pe- thatwasfull of Pittsburgh, ville, aminingtownsouth lived withusinConnells- big impression onme.He only 4yearsold,helefta Pasquale diedwhenIwas “Eventhough was born. Pasquale Pietro Robertucci, where hisgrandfather, ofthe town says Robertucci on mybucketlistforyears,” main piazza. homes thatleadtothe alleyways flankedbystone historic centerofnarrow anditspreserved Martire, esque church, SanGiorgio Roman- for its12th-century Campobasso, atownknown of ulation 1,400),north (pop- Petrella Tifernia experience more ofMolise: er storiesthatinspire meto “A triptoPetrella was visited Joe Robertucci Here are acoupleoth-

Joe Robertucci Emidio Spinogotti the UnitedStates to thosewholeftfor Monument inPetrella didn’t knowanybody there, “Since Ispeak noItalianand contacted Bianca Ottone. add Petrella to thistripand with hiswife,hewantedto a triptoRomeandVenice Recently, whileplanning records. baptismal andbirth with thick envelopearrived for records. Eventuallya toPetrella asking forms 30 yearsago,hesentsome father camefrom. About ous aboutwhere hisgrand- wasalwayscuri- Robertucci their connectionstoMolise, problems forever ensued!” family they married…and pa fellinlovewithher, answered thedoor, Grand- nia. But…thegirl’s sister immigrant from Campa- meet hisbride,anItalian “Grandpa wassetupto was 21,tojoinhisbrother. nellsville in1892,whenhe inCon- grandfather arrived words, asIwastoldlater!” Italian words…not sonice Though hisfamilylost sayshis Robertucci Joe Robertucci(left) relatives inPetrella sharing photoswith

house…is something Ican’t the wallofmy Grandpa’s “The feelingof touching stone row house,”hesays. what wefoundwasthisold “But lived inafarmhouse. hehad family were farmers, that sincehisgrandpa’s touch them!” 1700s, sooldIwasafraidto went allthewaybackto records. They Robertucci priest, whopulledoutthe impressive. We metthe very Church, whichwas Giorgio who tookustotheSan We metourgenealogists, marketgoingon… farmers’ it totallyauthentic,witha tering thetown,Ifound “En- recalls Robertucci. much likeConnellsville,” lookedso and farmland, the landscape,rolling hills my firstimpression wasthat and adriver,” hesays. gists, ahotelinCampobasso, She setusupwithgenealo- Bianca couldhelpusout. Allesandro Amoroso and PetrellaMayor with hiswifeElizabeth Joe Robertucci(right) Robertucci imagined imagined Robertucci “Approaching Petrella,

San GiorgioMartireChurchinPetrella Giuseppe Quattrone - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 with Petrella anditspeople.” trip ofalifetime. Ifellinlove ey,a cream. Itwas andtruffle hon- of blacktruffles, day, he presented agift:jars onourlast dropped usoff forests. Whenourdriver found inthesurrounding which are she likedtruffles, wife hadmentionedthat souvenir. To my topitoff, a sketchofthechurch asa his officialsash,andgaveus “The mayormetus,wearing like family, saysRobertucci. related towelcomedthem al!” Evenpeopletheyweren’t who’d emigratedtoMontre- ed thatshecalledhersister pictures, andshewassoexcit- this great visit,sharingfamily even knowexisted.“We had didn’t a cousinRobertucci to theirnewhomeland.” wishing themasafejourney grants wholeftinthe1800s, dedicated totheimmi- Mary, statue oftheVirgin was amonumentwith moving describe. Also,very The genealogists found The genealogistsfound

Emidio Spinogotti Giambattista Lazazzera came toClevelandin1920, and tomatosauce.” her makebraciole,gnocchi kitchen withher, watching memories ofbeinginthe up inabun.Ihavefond braided grayhairpinned black dresses andher English, alwayswore long She didn’t speakmuch Cleveland neighborhood. she really stuckoutinour when Iwasachild,and “Nonna hadlivedwithus saysCoakley.born,” Maria LouisaPetti,was where mygrandmother, to Italyandgotheplace decided totakemyfirsttrip sculptures andfrescoes. its buildingswithdecorative and painterswhoadorned stonemasons, craftsmen known forcenturiesits inItaly,”Beautiful Villages Oratino “oneoftheMost Belli d’Italiaassociationcalls Più TheIBorghi . in Molise’s province of ofCampobasso, northwest Oratino (population1,600) Coakley’s grandmother “For my 50th birthday, I Leslie Coakleyvisited The villageofOratino dark-haired woman who dark-haired womanwho Coakley spottedashort, at theCampobassostation, me tocomestaywithher. communicated. Aduaurged Italian, butsomehow, we I bettergetatmy conversation thatIrealized English. Itwasduringthat hoping shespokesome later, Itelephoned Adua, decided togo,over20years daughter Adua.WhenI which shevisitedAniesse’s in the1980s,during and tookatriptoEurope mother kepttheaddress, after Nonnadied,butmy communication stopped says Coakley. “The Aniesse, inOratino,” Nonna andhersister, were alwayslettersbetween 12 milesfrom Oratino. from ,atownabout Paolo, met andmarried Cleveland’s LittleItaly, she went backtoOratino.In Her fathereventually her motherandonesister. and siblings,leavingbehind at age22,withherfather Stepping off the train thetrain Stepping off “I remember there

Leslie Coakley the SantaMariaAssunta togo was wonderful of thevillage.“Andit Petti, afamousgilder grandfather, Giuseppe villa builtbyhergreat had movedthere.” as somanyfrom thevillage ‘Are you from Cleveland?’ family are youvisiting?’and same twoquestions:‘Whose ple, they’dalwaysaskmethe recalls. “WhenI’dgreet peo- of thevalleybelow,” Coakley architecture andtheviews the village,admiring “I lovedwalkingaround how beautifulOratinowas. whenshesaw next morning night, soitwasn’t untilthe like royalty!” shesays. moment on,Iwastreated her. “From thatwonderful around threw theirarms They andtwoothercousins Coakley asked“Cugine?” other cousin,SisterAssunta.” next tohercouldbemy says, “andthenunstanding guessed shewasAdua,” looked likehermother. “I She visitedabeautiful at She hadarrived Approaching them, younger cousins and her Leslie Coakley did tome.” as deeplytomycousinsit and thatthisvisitmattered really belongedinOratino, there, Ifeltsoloved,that tasted exactlythesame. like myNonna.Hersauce the wayshecooked,wasjust kitchen. Hermannerisms, were beingwithAduainher “Some ofmybestmemories family dinners,”sheadds. there were alwaysdelicious tives inAmerica.“Ofcourse, know allabouttheirrela- poured over, wantingto many evenings,thecousins album offamilyphotosthat, as ifIwere acelebrity!” introduced metoeveryone for Mass,”shesays.“She Church withSisterAssunta Only, tours. smallgroup Weeks inItaly:ForWomen also designsandhostsGolden Woman ShouldGo.She of 100PlacesinItalyEvery Susan Van Allenistheauthor www.myitalianfamily.com about Italianancestry: “All thetimeIwas Coakley hadmadean For more information information For more

Leslie Coakley Sister Assunta Ambassador and Cousin

Leslie Coakley 29 WWW.NIAF.ORG Paul Spadoni 30 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador Lost Leonardo’s Some Experts Believe da Vinci MadetheStatue Found inSan Gennaro Church ? By PaulSpadoni Angel L has received littlepublicityoutsideofTuscany. known amongaficionadosofLeonardo, buttodateit Approximately four-footangeliswell tall,the terracotta tobetheworkofLeonardo daVinci. experts by art secrets—what isoneofthetwoorthree statuesbelieved in anobscure villageinTuscany isoneofItaly’s bestkept ofalittle-knownchurch ocked awayinthebackcorner first published in 1997, have since been first published in1997,havesincebeen Pedretti’s opinions on itsauthenticity, greatest Leonardo scholarofourtime.” scribed Pedretti as“unquestionablythe BBC Television seriesCivilisation—de- writer, producer andpresenter ofthe Leonardo. HistorianKennethClark— ontheworksof the foremost expert Carlo Pedretti, widelyrecognized as historianDr.attention ofthelateart under Verrocchio. made. Leonardo did studysculpture the angelwasjudgedtohavebeen him inFlorence atprecisely thetime lan in1482atage30.Thiswouldplace with Verrocchio untilhemovedtoMi- Leonardo continuedtocollaborate set himupwithhisownworkshop,but doctors, whenhewas20.Hisfather and medical ofartists an organization master inFlorence’s GuildofSt.Luke, ages 14toatleast20;hequalifiedasa Verrocchiocraftsman andartist from Andrea delVerrocchio. anti attributedittotheworkshopof historian andcriticLudovicoRagghi- received attentionin1958,whenart statue wasmade.Thesculpture first he wouldn’t havebeen30when the in1452,so wasborn 1482. DaVinci to havebeenmadebetween1475and the archangel Gabrieland isestimated Leonardo himself. the angelpossiblyisthatofyoung a viewing.And,asbonus,thefaceof loverstoarrange relatively easyforart sculpture attributedtoLeonardo. It’s than theothermostwell-known Eventually, thestatuecameto Leonardo studiedundermaster The polychrome statuedepicts The statueisfourtimeslarger Paul Spadoni water oratmosphericturbulence. ing themovementlikemotionof ical ofLeonardo inthesenseofshow- especially thehair, thehairthatistyp- anatomyofthefoot.Butitis particular which suggestmovement,andthe there are allthepositionsofbody, isset.Then, ofthearm the drapery do canbeseenimmediatelybytheway “That thisisanearlyworkbyLeonar Pedrettri workofdaVinci, said, true Quark, firstbroadcast in2008. the ItalianpublictelevisionshowSuper- production onthelifeofLeonardo on authorship inathree-and-a-half-hour his convictionsaboutthestatue’s Leonardo Studies,Pedretti confirmed HammerCenterfor tor oftheArmand professor emeritusatUCLAanddirec- echoed byotherhistorians.Theformer Asked why he believes it to be a Asked whyhebelievesittobea -

for hisAnnunciationpainting. meticulous foldsinthesleeveofArchangelGabriel ciation, byLeonardodaVinci,c.1470-1473,showing Above: ThependrawingSleeveStudyfortheAnnun- Vinci. di SanGennarocouldbeanearlyworkbyLeonardoda that thisstatueofthearchangelGabrielinPieve From thetopthreedetails,someevidencesuggests Paul Spadoni

Paul Spadoni the angelatSanGennaro.” ble datefor[Leonardo’s creation of] statesthat“1475isaproba- The websiteoftheMuseoGalileoin mensional representation ofthearm. increating athree-di- be important shows thefoldsofmaterialthatwould sleeve, drawnbetween1470and1473, ly detailedpendrawingofGabriel’s inFlorence. Themeticulous- Gallery Angel oftheAnnunciation,atUffizi do sketchtitledStudyfortheSleeveofan thenticity comesfrom anearlyLeonar the statuethatspeaksforitself.” Leonardo. Idon’t needtosayit;itis inthemuchlaterworksof returns early ,anditisthefacethat is thefaceofhisfirstimages, speaks thelanguageofLeonardo. It Another basisfortheangel’s au- “But itisespeciallythefacethat Gennaro Pieve diSan The doorof Ambassador - 31 WWW.NIAF.ORG 32 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador see ittoday.” restorer, andthis ishowwe diately restored by alocal Pedretti said. “It wasimme- floor inathousandpieces,” the statue,whichfellto tipped overaladderthathit preparing thedecorations, “A sacristanofthechurch, church’s archives in1771. ue firstappearsinthe reasonable.” a workofLeonardo] isvery the hypothesis[thatthisis Angel oftheAnnunciation, son withthesleeveof that “basedonacompari- said Leonardo daVinci, hundreds ofexhibitson andauthorof do daVinci the MuseoIdealeLeonar founder anddirector of The churchandbelltower Mention ofthestat- Dr. Alessandro Vezzosi, -

Paul Spadoni associate professor of art associate professor ofart and ofVisual Journal Pellegrini, director ofthe historianEmanuele said art received little attention,” has ing thatthediscovery “It’sstory. really notsurpris- azines havepickedupthe guage newspapersormag- papers, butfewEnglishlan- published inItaliannews- to Leonardo hasbeen News oftheattribution historians? the circle ofart relatively unknownoutside er, behewhommay.” be done,aswellanyoth- in paintingwhatevermay bronze orclay, andIcando outsculpture inmarble, ry Leonardo wrote, “Icancar ofMilan, Ludovico Sforza offering his service to hisservice offering and theother.” Inaletter being equallyadeptatone sculpture thaninpainting, that heworked“nolessin Leonardo tellsushimself from hisownhand….” filled thecitywiththings do’s timeinFlorence “he wrote thatduringLeonar Vasari Giorgio and artist merous statues.Historian Leonardo creating nu- through thearea. so hewouldhavepassed trips, lic engineeringsurvey route ofonethehydrau- on amapthatshowsthe San Gennaro isincluded controlled theValdinievole. city ofFlorence, which engineering forthenearby consulted regarding canal show thatLeonardo was the Valdinievole. Records overlooking thesamevalley, Both are hillsidevillages miles from SanGennaro. wasonlyabout23 in Vinci location? Leonardo’s home work beinsuchanobscure Why isthestatuestill Evidence pointsto Why wouldLeonardo’s - -

Paul Spadoni was a replica of something was areplica ofsomething work himself, or ifthework master hasdonesomeofthe difficulttoseeifthe it’s very They workedasindustries,so workshops. huge artists’ 16th centuries,wehadthese is that,duringthe15thand . Buttheproblem probably visitedthisspotin thatLeonardo said. “It’s true chio workedinPistoia,”he ment. “We knowthatVeroc- judg- found, heisreserving until definitive records are Leonardo. Pellegrinisaid attribution oftheangelto been foundtoverifythe was.” who theartist some documentsthatshow attention, orsomeonefinds them becauseyoudon’t pay said, “butyoudon’t see eyes,”he before yourvery have masterpiecesright . “Sometimesyou was realized thattheartist years before someone unnoticedfor500 largely in achapelPadovawent ondisplay that acrucifix are relatively unknown.” many masterpieceswhich in Italianprovinces tofind Lucca. “It’s quitecommon for AdvancedStudiesin attheIMTInstitute history story ofthestatue’s attributionto Leonardo Italian newspaperdatedApril1998with No documentation has No documentationhas Pellegrini pointedout it wentondisplay atthe YoungChrist. Aglietti-Gallaudt terracotta credit toLeonardo isthe said thethird sculpture some horse’s breastplate. Vezzosi tain histhumbprintonthe sculpture isalsosaidtocon- could becastinmetal.The he diedbefore themodel commissioned sculpture, but use itasamodelforlarger 1508. Leonardo intendedto by 10-incheslong,madein approximately 10-inchestall model calledHorseandRider, Leonardo isasmallbeeswax which scholarsattributeto ongoing.” ture. Theresearch isalways discover theproof inthefu- so fewexamples.We may Leonardo asasculptorand about little information parisons becausewehave also difficulttomakecom- ro, youcouldbesure.” to theparishofSanGenna- showing thesaleofangel If youfoundadocument sources thatyoucanrely on. ed, unlessyouhaveother master likeLeonardo. done from adrawingfrom a done bythemaster, oritwas And, lastMarch, when Another sculpture Pellegrini added,“It’s “So it’s quitecomplicat- Jwpetty 1951 - CC BY-SA 4.0 speak English). with theparishpriest(whodoesnot Sunday massormakearrangements so eithercomeduringthehoursof locked whenthechurch isnotinuse, location.Thedooris due toitsrural Gennaro isonlyopenlimitedhours sculpture foryourself,thePievediSan a laughingbabyJesus. adoring MonaLisa-likesmileholding withan Mary don. ItdepictsaVirgin MuseuminLon- &Albert the Victoria with theLaughingChild,c.1472,from racotta sculpture knownasTheVirgin Leonardo created the20-inch-tallter scholars announcedtheynowbelieve Palazzo Strozzi, inFlorence, Italianart The townofSanGennaro Most visitorssetupaviewing While youcanseetheangel -

Victoria & Albert Museum, London built inthe1100s(apieveisarural as the800s.Theexistingpievewas church existedonthesiteasearly Frediani.Vincenzo Itislikelythata paintingofRenaissanceartist portant showing apregnant Mary, andanim- early 13thcentury, anunusualstatue are awoodenstatuemadeinthe the visitworthwhile.” tetramorphs thatbythemselvesmake said. “Ithassomesmallbutintricate there signedbyMaestro Filippo,”she pulpit also afantastic12th-century inthechurch. “There’sworks ofart angel butsomeoftheothernotable carlo. Sheisfamiliarnotonlywiththe Benvenuti, wholivesnearbyinMonte- with alocaltourguide,suchasElena Other itemsofinterest there Visit hiswebsiteatwww.paulspadoni.com.Visit . withoutPermission ing laDolceVita book AnAmericanFamilyinItaly:Liv- inTuscany,Abroad andhaspublisheda Italy. HewritesablogcalledLiving(with) in GigHarbor, Wash., andMontecarlo, wholives Paul Spadoniisajournalist depth samplingofthemaster’s life. the MuseoLeonardino foranin- see thehomeofLeonardo andvisit wherea visittonearbyVinci, onecan combine aviewingofthestatuewith avisit.Shecan is stilleasytoarrange statue remains relatively unknown,it depended). local churches withoutbaptisteries uponwhich church withabaptistery Leonardo as theworkof some arthistorians 1472, attributedby Laughing Child,c. The Virginwiththe Left: c. 1508–1511 Leonardo daVinci, often attributedto a beeswaxsculpture Horse andRider, Far left: Benvenuti saidthatsincethe

Paul Spadoni Ambassador 33 WWW.NIAF.ORG Hiking the True

CinqueBeyond Terre the Beaches and Tourists

Story and Photos by Rachel Bicha

“The trails are closed,” a tired- looking employee in the information booth said with a shrug after I asked for a trail map in Riomaggiore. I stood in the stuffy information office, with my favorite hiking socks and two liters of water in my backpack, taken aback. Cinque Terre, the famous “Five Towns” located on the North Ligurian coast of Italy, had been on my Vineyards in the mountains above bucket list for years. Not just for the colorful towns and fresh pasta. The approximately six-and-a-half-mile seaside trail that connects all five towns is renowned for its sweeping

Heading up to the trail from views of rocky cliffs falling into the Riomaggiore

WWW.NIAF.ORG crystal-blue ocean and the whimsical towns climbing up the hillside. Overlooking Vernazza 34 Ambassador ed ittome. pulled outamapandhand- wearing abright yellowshirt boothwhere ayoungwoman end—aninformation very officesandfinally—atthe into smallinns,government andsouvenirstores, faded focacciere bordered bycolorful tion booth.Shecantellyou.” from thetown. “Headthatway,- there’s another informa know where…?” pizza? Cinque Terre thancrowded beachesandunderwhelming at anearbysouvenirstand.Surely, there wasmore to ists purchasing overpricedsunscreen andgaudymagnets mend youtojusttakethetrainsandenjoybeaches.” maybe it’s toofarforgoingtoallofthetowns.Irecom- faded window. toward theverdant green mountainspeekingthrough the about through themountains?”Iasked,noddingmyhead were clear. “But, there are othertrailsIcantake?What with theirbright-red strikethrough labels—CHIUSO— way toManarola A smallvillageonthe I thankedhimandheaded up.Thestreet, initially The employeesighedandpointedupthestreet, away trails?Doyouhaveamap? “But there are I lookedbackovermyshoulderatthecrowds oftour “Yes, there are...well, yes,there are trails.ButIthink andthemapsonwall But theemployeewasfirm - of ferns and trees. Icheckedmymap obsessivelyand of ferns quietandinsulated bythicklayers pine-needled dirt, as Iwalked. againstme yellow pollenfrom allthewildflowers brushing ie atthefirstoutlook,Ifound myfacespottedwithbright occasionally bumpinginto me. WhenItriedtotakeaself- butterflies andhumming bees flittedabouteverywhere, lions anddozensmore Icouldn’t name.Speckle-winged all kinds:daisiesandlilacs,roses andred poppies,dande- pletely empty. wound upward fornearlyanhourand wasalmostcom- up. Thenear-vertical trailofmuddy stone“staircases” led upthemountain.Thekeyword here being, ofcourse, Sure enough,attheendofroad wasatrailheadthat head onthemapnearpinforRiomaggiore. National Parkzone. stretched outfarbeyondtherangeofCinqueTerre’s connector trailsjustakilometerortwotolongthat mountains anddownintothetowns,from dozensoftiny of trails,allinterconnected andzig-zaggingacross the The trailquicklysnakedinto forest, withmossy, Evenbetter, thetrailwascrowded withwildflowersof She noddedandpointedthewaydownasidestreet. here?” Isuggested,pointingtoatrail- “I shouldstart My HolyGrail:themappaintedadelicatetangle Ambassador

35 WWW.NIAF.ORG 36 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador Vernazza, nearDrignana Farmhouses inthemountainsabove Looking outatVolastra,asmallmountaintownbetweenManarolaandCorniglia paused forshadeand abitofsinging Inside oneofthechurches wheretheauthor The authornearanoverlookonthetrail small road leading downintoamoun- felt lighter. Near mid-day, Isawa townNo.3. Corneliga, the mountain,Ifinished day onein theedge of of mywatersupplyoff almost dropping theentire remains fordirections, andonce farmers moments ofstoppingtoasklocal yards andstunning outlooks,several ters filledwithnear-vertical vine- pictures? There wasnothing. vistas andquintessentialCinqueTerre was thepathdowntoseaside noticed, anotherroute Where totry. asignIhadn’t potential missedturn, taken withouttheswimorpasta. uphill climbwouldhavetobeunder tearsasIrealized thatmy frustrated may nothavesatdownandshedafew pasta, Ireached adeadend.Imayor town withoceanwavesandfresh er thanhavinglandedinaseaside ended—in someone’s driveway. Rath- and aquickdipinthesea. lunch self withthepromise ofawarm my- next town.Instead,Icomforted to walkuphillagainonmywaythe reality thateventuallyIwouldhave scuttled downstaircases, ignoringthe down toManarola, thesecondtown.I signs were beginningtopointtheway By thetimeIwasready forlunch, on theofficialCinque lineup. Terre of theseaagainandinlandtownsnot from theforest withviews emerged totwo,five,untilIfinally turning connected trailaftertrail,onemile The secondday waslongerbut After anotherhalf-dozenkilome- I lookedonmywayupfora After about40minutes,thetrail - opposite direction asIpluckedit A coupleofwomen passedgoingthe all theseeds. on themasyou blowoff cause, ofcourse,youcanmake wishes be- child, Icalledthese“wishberries” flower—about asbigmy head.Asa ofseeds,notthe dandelion—the puff a bitofcalmbackwithmetothetrail. between thechurch walls,andtaking the echoesoflastnotehanging then walkedbacktothetrail,leaving ity. Ipausedinthemustystillness, and beyondmyownsingingabil- certainly with akindofsacred weightthatwas echoes floatedacross thedarkchurch ancient cathedralI’devervisited.The church asayoungchildandofevery of singinginLatinatmygrandma’s cient church hymnthatreminded me tiously, IsangtheDoxology—anan- And then,quietlyandalmostcau- Hmmm. Icheckedagain.Noone. single note. one elsewasthere andhummedjusta then—I lookedaround tobesure no Wow, whatacoustics,Ithought,and backpack downwithanechoingthud. cos andswingingcobwebs.Isetmy lit chandeliersilluminatedfadedfres- flickering atthefront andafewdimly in fresh mountainair. Asmallcandle back andthesidewere open,letting rest, Iduckedinquietly. Doorsatthe sun andhopingforamomentof outside. Needingarespite from the pipesonabench smoking worn aside from afewgrandfatherlyfigures to asmallchurch. Itwasdeserted, tainside villagewithasignpointing Shortly after,Shortly Inoticedafluffy A smallthread ofmusicechoed. the CinqueTerre mountains Groppo, asmallhamletin was closer to the heart ofItalythan was closertotheheart ers from awish. Wildflow- field offuture wildflowers. ter afieldofseedswhere theyland—a dandelionsscat- for don’t cometrue, me that,evenifthethingsyouwished wishes onthewind,Ikeptwalking. And,then,withmy bushes andferns. sticking ontheirwaydownamongthe themovertheocean, the breeze carry letting ing alltheseedsovercliff, close asIcouldtotheedgebefore blow- dandelion. large was avery But, Ireasoned, it mation boothstaff. was intheeyesofskepticalinfor awaythanevenMonterosso further five towns,dreams thatwere much mountains, through thesetrailstoall as mefindingmywaythrough these collection ofwishes,hopesasunlikely dandelion,” theothercommented. “Better haveabigwishforsuch out from therock. “Wow!” onesaid. Perhaps allofthis,Irealized, It’s to alwaysbeenagreat comfort At thenextlookout,Istoodas I did—notasinglewish,but - red from eating ripe cherries fallen red from eatingripecherries time.” Maybeit’s infingersstained in thefields.“Cometoeat.Lunch- an upstairswindowtoherhusband be it’s inanoldwomancalling from me thewaytonexttrailhead.May- wavingtomeandshowing cal farmers the beachesatall—butinsteadinlo- Terre I’dbeenhopingforwasn’t in English menus.MaybetheCinque than streetside restaurants withplastic to reach somethingalittledeeper taste foramomentwhenwemanage older, Italy—theItalythatwe truer the distance. the hour, somechurch bellstolledin there, andalways,on brook gurgling chirping ofasongbird here, asmall slipped downthehillsides,quiet for thelatter).Onlyendlessvineyards to (althoughIwouldhavepaidalot marks orsouvenirshopsevengela- selfie sticks,noself-proclaiming land- dreamt of,butwithnotourists, and miles,there were alltheviewsI’d I hadexpected.Formilesand Maybe, too,thispointstoward an delion wishes could come true too. delion wishescouldcometrue instant—that maybeallofthosedan- somehow Icouldhope—justforan the wildflowersandchurch bells, stunning vistas,quiettrails,andall of Monterosso andthinkingofthe theshore Swimming thateveningoff I’d gottenwhatIhopedforafterall. I’d beenadmiring,Irealized that waters dove intotheMediterranean my waydowntothefinaltownand the way. Andevenbefore Imade trees plantedalong the rows offruit totheroots ofItalyas deep andtrue ing theItaliancoastlinethatfeltas quiet pathwayswere awayofexplor es onwildflowerseeds. among thepath.Insendingoutwish- some way or another—really did come true. didcometrue. some wayoranother—really after thishikingtrip,allofthewishes—in She’s alsohappytosaythat,almostayear of teaorasolidhelpingBenandJerry’s. withtheletter“h,”mostly withacup start hope, andtonsofotherthingsthatdon’t Rachel Bichawritesabouthome,hiking, Thelongdaysofhikingalong Ambassador - 37 WWW.NIAF.ORG By Silvia Donati

On the Mother Road of Emilia-Romagna iryna1/shutterstock WWW.NIAF.ORG

Scenic old street in 38 Ambassador

61668_Ambassador_Fall_2019.indd 38 9/19/19 9:27 PM 61668_Ambassador_Fall_2019.indd 38

9/19/19 9:27 PM

iryna1/shutterstock the AdriaticCoastwithPlacentia ()onPoRiver. built bytheancientRomanstoconnectAriminum(Rimini) on from aroad: Emilia-Romagna is the only Italian region that takes its name Hilltop villageofSanLeointheRomagnacountryside mans were ableto establishcolonies tomovequickly.allowing armies trade. Theroad wasalsostrategicfor pecially from the East,whilefavoring bulwark againstpossibleinvasions, es- asadefensive ra Padanaandserve help populatetheproductive Pianu - twofunctions:to Aemiliatoserve Via Aemilius Lepidus,whoplannedthe was namedaftertheconsulMarcus was completedinonlytwoyearsand Italy.the colonizationofnorthern It ders andcouldconcentrateinsteadon bor about itssouthern had toworry when theRomanSenatenolonger the endofSecondPunicWar, after Emilia beganin189B.C.,shortly along itscourse. ,etc.) cities (Bologna,Parma, mountains andpassesseveralart PoValleyfertile from the Apennine Emiliadividesthe theVia northwest, region diagonallyfrom southeastto Thanks to the Via Emilia, theRo- Thanks tothe Via workonthe Via Construction A straightlinetraversingthe the Via Emilia, one of the most important roads Emilia,oneofthemostimportant the Via - Via EmiliatravelsthroughBologna and excellent food products. and excellent foodproducts. treasures its smalltowns guarding art region knownforthequality oflife it willimmerseyouinthesoul ofa common identity. So,travelingalong EmiliacontributedtocreatingVia a and more minor centers. Forlimpopoli, Forlì,Faenza,Imola, B.C.), andlaterthesmallerCesena, (183B.C.), ReggioEmilia(175 Parma along itsroute, includingModenaand several more citieswere established ofthe road, predate theconstruction Rimini, BolognaandPiacenza,which the peoplelivinginregion. Besides aggregating force for an extraordinary tions inItaly. agriculturalproduc- one ofthelargest Incidentally, Emilia-Romagnastillhas , RomeandtheSouth. ant area ofItaly, evenovershadowing - populous andeconomicallyimport potential soonrendered itthemost in theregion whosevastagricultural In connecting all these towns, the In connectingallthesetowns, the Emiliaendedupbeing The Via

Tango7174 CC BY-SA 4.0 Countryside nearForliandCesena countryside ofRomagna,withits countryside detours toexplore thedelightful hilly Cesena andForlì, oryoumayoptfor perhaps stoppingforquickvisitsat decide togostraightalong theroad, Emilia, youmaywest alongtheVia Romanarchitecture. great celebratory no, thecity’s cathedralinspired bythe paying avisittotheTempio Malatestia- Rimini’s smallhistoriccenter, it’s worth to experiencebeachlifeItalian-style.In to spendsometimethere insummer its beachesandnightlife,it’s fun is knownandfrequented primarilyfor Romanarch. Today,surviving Rimini Emperor Augustusandistheoldest It wasbuiltin27B.C.tocelebratethe Emilia. pointoftheVia as thestarting of AugustusinRiminiisrecognized completed 33yearsearlier. TheArch from Romeandhadbeen departed Flaminiathat Rimini withtheVia the Driving Via Emilia - Leaving Riminitoheadnorth Emilia connectedat The Via Ambassador

ermess/shutterstock 39 WWW.NIAF.ORG 40 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador to west,andis linedwithprestigious street, cuttingthrough townfrom east Emilia isModena’s most important ESCO World Heritagesite.TheVia the Tower ofGhirlandina,are a UN- Grande, alongwiththecathedral and cars.ItsPiazza wine andFerrari with balsamicvinegar, Lambrusco gna, you’llfindModena,synonymous ragù, you canenjoytheclassictagliatelleal many cafés,trattorieandosterie,where people. Justasalwayscrowded are the and you’llalwaysfindthemfilledwith Bologna duringthedayandatnight still doestoday. Stroll thestreets of professors from alloverthe world;it attractingstudentsand when itstarted vibrant citysincetheMiddleAges, has madeBolognaacosmopolitan, ty, theoldestinWestern world, itsmedievallayout. preserved beautiful historiccenterwhichhas capital, famousforitscuisineand Emilia.BolognaistheregionalVia two yearsbefore completionofthe Roman colonyin189B.C.(Bononia), EmiliaisBologna,foundedasa Via did andauthentic. themselves: rough attimes,butcan- that issaidtobeliketheRomagnoli Sangiovese diRomagna,thered wine cheese, accompaniedbyaglassof noli,” filledwithsoftsquacquerone known as“thebread oftheRomag- thepiadina, traditional foods.Try la. Thisisalsowhere youshouldtaste arcangelo diRomagnaandBrisighel- hilltop villagessuchasSanLeo,Sant- Rimini beaches As you proceed north from Bolo- As youproceed north The presence oftheUniversi- The nextmainstopalongthe andlasagne.

the Poriver, only about 42milesfrom Piacenza stands ontherightbankof oftheregion, corner northwestern center ofthePoValley, inthefar lessjolly.reserved, Locatedinthe than Emilian—more austere, more which somesayismore Lombard to inLanghirano,salameFelino. giano ReggianoinSoragna,prosciut- - products: theMuseidelCibo—Parmi dedicated toEmilia-Romagna’s top process. There are evenmuseums made followingamostlyartisanal to seehowthesedelicaciesare still and acetobalsamico,yourchance giano Reggiano,Prosciutto diParma - producers ofworld-famousParmi Thisiswhere you’llfind countryside. from Emilia toexplore theVia the youmaywanttostray and Parma, the ItalianCapitalofCulture for2020. isalsosettobe my byUNESCO,Parma Declared aCreative CityofGastrono- duringtheHighRenaissance. Parma themasterpainterof by Correggio, withpaintings Paolo, bothadorned Cathedral andtheCameradiSan masterpieces suchastheRomanesque richwithartistic elegant Parma, adopted in1797. Italiantri-colorflagwasfirst current of theItalianFlag:itwashere thatthe the Tricolore HallandtheMuseum Emilia.ReggioEmiliaishometo Via like Modena,iscutlengthwisebythe where thecity’s gatesoncestood. squares ateachendmarktheplaces public andprivatebuildings.Two The Via EmiliaendsatPiacenza, The Via Between Modena,ReggioEmilia is About 18milesnorthwest Next stopisReggioEmilia,which, her blog,www.bolognauncovered.com. ofEmilia-Romagna on region rounding about herhometown ofBolognaandsur- and atourguidebasedinItaly. Shewrites journalist Silvia Donatiisafreelance “mother road.” was andalwayswillbeonewith its that to grasptheidentityofaterritory where pastandpresent coexist.Itis ic andculturalevolutionofaregion length todayistoretrace theeconom- Via Emilia. officially called ly ontopoftheRomanroad. It’s still oftoday's road lyingdirect- with parts Roman route formuchofitslength, StateRoad9stillfollowsthe current standsout. which thered Gutturnio a “tail”);andthelocalwines,among its namefrom itsshapeendingwith with ricottaandspinach,whichtakes (the Piacenza-area versionoftortelli conlacoda and tomatosauce);tortelli efasò(gnocchettiwithbeans,lard pisarei salumi likecoppa,salameandpancetta; cious isthelocalgastronomy: hearty aces, andchurches. Evenmore pre- Palace,numerous noblepal- Farnese the cathedral,GothicPalace, tic treasures from thosetimes,suchas of thePoRiver.- artis Ithaspreserved branch oftheDuchyMilansouth from the created inthe16thcentury andPiacenza, of theDuchyParma decades before Emilia. theVia mona, establishedin218B.C.,afew Italy,in northern alongwithCre - . ItistheoldestRomancolony is apalaceinPiacenza Palazzo Comunale(alsocalledGotico) To Emilia’s travelalongtheVia At 262km(163miles),the wastheseat Piacenza withParma

Antonio Valiante Great GrainMother Great GrainMother ofthe Festival Gift of Sculpted Wheat Molise’s Worldwide

By KirstenKeppel in Molise Wheat FestivalinJelsi, with wheatforthe2019 Works ofartaremade allegorical opening mass andblessingofthe ered inJelsi’s ChiesaMadre forthe forthesagra. year. to locales every Many alsoreturn continue thetraditionintheir own the , andAustralia to thefourwinds,Jelsi’s emigrantsto isthat,likegrainsscattered marvels damage andcollapse. lives spared andavillagesavedfrom have gathered tohonorSt.Annfor killed almost6,000people,Jelsesi July 26,1805,whenanearthquake wheat festival,lafestadelgrano.Since to celebratethesagraknownas July26 province, havegathered every a villageinMolise’s Campobasso . tractors pullfloatscalledcarri of oxenpullsfloatscalledtraglie;small Apair clothes ofcontadini(farmers). families infolkloriccostumesorthe Some honorSt.Ann,othersshow follow. sitely wovenwheatartistry asfloatsofexqui- herforward carry crown ofwheat.Two ofthefaithful the villagestreets. St.Annwearsa braided wheatsculptures adorning against St.Ann,braidsresembling the Thechildnestles if togiveinstruction. other gentlyraisesanindexfingeras one handcupsachild’s headandthe Ann looksdowninsoftsolemnityas by joyfulaccordions? ing byinaprocession accompanied giftsofsculptedwheatfloat- offering world togatherinagloriousfestival that compelspeoplefrom around the with amonstrance oftherelic of This July, numbergath- alarge One ofthiscustom’s myriad For 214years,residents ofJelsi, Leading theparade,astatueofSt. What isitabouttheGrainMother traglie and . Starting . Starting carri Ambassador

41 WWW.NIAF.ORG St. Ann, the parade featured an offer- ritual of the Christian Church is ac- connected to the earth as well as the ing of St. Ann’s bread and a proces- companied by popular participation,” rhythms and cycles of the season,” he sion of new brides—the sfilata delle notes Antonio Valiante, a professor says. “Today, we would call it ‘a green spose. The newly married women hope who directed one of the first studies culture’ that is surviving the global that St. Ann, a protector of pregnant on wheat festivals in Jelsi and else- and digital world.” women, will bless them with children. where in . The tradition dates back to a A local folkloric music group played as Together with the Sant’Anna world of ancient rituals. Its culture, floats rolled through Jelsi’s streets past Committee of Jelsi and the Universi- based in grains and agriculture, trans- its colorful houses and four-dolphin tà Suor Orsola Beneicasa in Naples, formed into one supplying wheat and fountain. Wheat sheaves glistened like Valiante wants the celebration official- flour for pasta. Valiante emphasizes gold under the southern sun. ly recognized as a part of UNESCO’s the importance of both in Molise’s “The heart of this feast beats with intangible cultural heritage. “The current economy. Yet, few are aware a renewed sacredness in which the custom is a symbol of contadino culture that this Mediterranean culture of ce- reals and grains has roots in antiquity. “We’ve found Ceres again!” Wheat Festival in Jelsi exclaimed Professor Giuliano Scabia, Valiante’s thesis supervisor, upon noticing Jelsi’s Wheat Festival listed in the thesis appendix. Ceres was the Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherly love. Valiante notes that grain-based became encompassed within Christian rituals throughout centuries, from Medieval to to , all keep- ing bread as a connecting thread. “In these rituals, there is not only a nostalgic yearning to revive life lived in the countryside, but also a wish to connect with a world tied to the earth,” Valiante says. “It is the world of grand- parents and great-grandparents, more natural and favoring a culture connect-

Antonio Valiante ed to a variety of ancient grains, as well as to local bread and food.” Antonio Valiante

Preparing for the Wheat Festival in Jelsi

Works of art are made with wheat for at the

WWW.NIAF.ORG 2019 Wheat Festival in Jelsi, in Molise Antonio Valiante

42 Ambassador wheat sculptures. “We don’t dothem banners from Molisani villages,and Saint Annincludesamarching band, urday, aprocession ledbyastatue of sold 7,200atthisyear’s feast.OnSat- Italian foodthatwemakeourselves.” to Sunday, wehaverides,gamesand to July26,”hesays.“From Thursday festa forSt.Anntheweekendclosest the Clubsince1960s.“We havea dent of25years,hasbeeninvolvedwith organizations. year toscholarshipsandcharitable donates between$40,000-$50,000per ber clubisopentoanyoneand on LongIslandSound.The600-mem- 250-personhallatamarina its current group movedtwicebefore settlingin ated theClubinagarage1914, Since theoriginalJelsesifounderscre- celebrated its105thfestainlateJuly. Conn., al, St.Ann’s ClubofNorwalk, “And nowtheygoontheirown.” tion wastocreate alink,”hesays, ers received atriptoJelsi.“Theinten- and thefollowingyear, theMontreal- Jelsesi received atriptoMontreal, and in2013and2014.The change betweenfloatwinnersinJelsi in Jelsi,Passarelli created anex- Molisani livingthroughout theworld.” regions, weare closeto800,000 “According toastudydonebythe than 90,000Molisani,saysPassarelli. ince ofQuebechaswelcomedmore left forMontreal in1894,theProv- countries. SinceJelsi’s firstemigrant munity, aswellvisitorsfrom other welcomes Montreal’s Molisanicom - in nearbyOntario,thecelebration requires amonthlongerforharvest Sunday inAugust,becausethewheat festival inQuebec.Heldonthelast just celebratedthe42ndannualwheat Montreal, Passarelli and400members the ApostleinAhuntsicDistrictof in 1982attheChurch ofSaintSimon religion thatkeepustogether.” agrees. “It’s thepassionand treal, inCanada’s Québecprovince, of theAssociationJelsesiMon- Known foritspizzafrita,theClub Nicandro Cappuccia,pastpresi - Some 350milessouthofMontre- theSant’AnnaCommittee With A catalystforcreating theparade Michele Passarelli, pastpresident “It lookslikegold!” whenhesawa from PopeJohnPaulII’s exclamation, (Bagproduzioni)Oro takesitstitle ed-edition 2011documentary, Sembra Antonio D’Aquila’s beautiful limit- festival ends. day afterthecurrent next year’s festivalbeginsthe smooth transition,sinceplanningthe before takingofficetoensure a 30-50 membersare electedayear Italian anddialect.TheCommittee’s school ofwagons,andsonglyricsin features aschoolofbraiding, Sant’Anna Committee’s website eco-museum onitswebsite.The and degree educationallaboratory” Festival ofJelsi,callsitself“a360- Community MuseumoftheWheat throughout Jelsi:theMuFeG,or “but wehavealittleflavor!” like inJelsi,”Cappucciaacknowledges, Campobasso-born filmdirector Campobasso-born Festa ingredients are woven

throughout theworld.” children andcitizenscanbefound a communitywhosechildren, grand- “These accompanythedailylivesof andprotection,” saysValiante.survival can besummarizedintwowords: through thegrainandSt.Ann,that cultural imprint,inclusiveandshared, at 1,775,“there isahumanmatrix, village withapopulationestimated like gold,”recounts D’Aquila. on theglisteningwheat,anditlooked watching thelightofsunbeaming the festival2000.“Hefeltlikehewas Door ofSt.Peter’s Basilicacreated for wheat sculpture inJelsioftheHoly tor toAmbassador magazine. contribu- andisaregular can FilmForum 2017ItalianAmeri- in theRussoBrothers Washington, D.C.Shewasasemifinalist writerbasedin Kirsten Keppelisafreelance From thissun-drenched Molisani Decked outin wheat inJelsi Ambassador

Angelica Valiante 43 WWW.NIAF.ORG 44 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador

NO PIPE DREAMErben Organ Historic 19th-Century Saving NewYork’s The MasterOrganist O the 20-ton pipe organ builtbymastercraftsman the 20-tonpipe organ conductingthechoir,services, andcaringfor are choosing the musicforallofchurch’s church, andamonghismanyresponsibilities 30pedals. instrument’s the sametimethathisfeet danced across the on round knobsaboveandbesidethekeys,at keyboards or“manuals,” twicepausingtopull hands begantosweepacross theorgan’s three Suddenly,took hisplaceatthepipeorgan. his Lower Manhattanbasilica,Ilookedonashe forJared Lamenzo. my apartment—and halfthesize of the choirloft,toaninstrument me unprepared forthewindingstaircase upto the subwaytoSt.Patrick’s OldCathedral,left occupied withthesethoughts,asIwalkedfrom thantobeenvelopedbymusic?Pre - harmony sion ofnearbyfireworks. Whatbetterfeelingof itisliketheexplo- presence ofapipeorgan, the body. us,asinthe Andwhenitsurrounds Lamenzo isMusicDirector attheNolita inthe afternoon On thatfrigidJanuary listens with the heart. Musicisfeltin listens withtheheart. no sophistication,astheuntrainedear musicalonerequires forms, f alltheart and that’s what we’re hearingnow. Very few Lamenzo says. “Thiswasdone150years ago soundsinthe room,” to produce particular resonance. “The builderregulates the pipes overall of eachpipebutalsotheinstrument’s “voicing,” thesound refer totheinstrument’s because itpossessesitsoriginalacousticsbase.” Lamenzo says.“TheErbenhasauniquesound components. “That’s acurseandblessing,” 1860s, theErbenhasnearlyallitsoriginal listening tothepast.” Lamenzo says,“youare you hearthisorgan,” in LatinAmericaandacross Europe. “When ondozensofhistoricpipeorgans performed Italian Americanmusicianrecalls. Hehas andbeautiful,”theaccomplished was different “The momentIgothere, Iknewthisorgan quirks, itishard toimagineitasinanimate. The soundissublime. expandinginwinter.wooden parts Nomatter. zo explains,issensitivetothechillyair, its Erben(1800-1884).TheErben,Lamen- Henry When describing an organ, musicians When describinganorgan, built inthe Unlike otherpipeorgans Listening tohimspeakabouttheErben’s St. Patrick’s OldCathedral. acoustic spaceattheBasilicaof 1868 pipeorganinitsoriginal Jared Lamenzopracticesonthe

Courtesy of Jared Lamenzo Courtesy of Jared Lamenzo

Joshua South/Sidewalk Productions nave where worshipers are seated. gan becausethey are bestheard inthechurch’s pipesinthefacadeofor uses stopsforlarge be heard orfeltintheroom. Lamenzooften ments, andotherscontrol where thesoundwill - mimicthesoundoforchestral instru organist (like blowingintoawhistle); somestopsletthe a stopclosesoropenspipestopressurized air timbre. Pullingon each possessingadifferent tocontrol the“ranks,”orsetsofpipes, organist vocalandgrand.” gan, andtheErben’s iswarm, oftheor of stops.Stopsare theprincipalchorus without afullplenum,complement organ thing inhimthattoldyoucan’t havean for thetime,”Lamenzosays.“There wassome- Erben’s designwasconservative because Henry plicate. “IcanplayBaroque musiconthisorgan Erben produces asoundthatisdifficulttodu- andthe says theblendingofthatlongertrumpet paniment oftheErben.Askedwhy, Lamenzo totheaccom- to rehearse hisBaroque trumpet ofitssize.” is theonlyintactErbenorgan from thatcentury, andthis survive instruments

(College), with students Shannon Murphy and Hannah Lingen Chen. (College), withstudentsShannonMurphyandHannahLingenChen. Nagem, InstructorofOrganImprovisation/Literature/ServicePlaying of Music:AndrewHenderson,OrganDepartmentChair, andRaymond Jared LamenzohostspipeorganvisitorsfromtheManhattanSchool Lana Krakovskiy/Friends of the Erben Organ Stops are theknobsandleversthatallow aEuropean musicianarrives That afternoon, - - family’s parish. Thebasilicaanditsgrounds 1940s, whenSt. Patrick’s OldCathedralwashis called listeningtotheErben asaboyinthelate since the1860s. Street, asithas the lovelycathedralonMulberry ment that,despiteitscondition, ringsthrough - raise $2milliontocleanandrepair theinstru Thenon-profit’sthe ErbenOrgan. goalisto which isthereason heco-foundedFriendsof needed repairs, bothexceedLamenzo’s talents, attended. attheConnecticutchurch hisfamily the organ from theageof4.Hefirstbecameenamored of a boy,” saysLamenzo,whohasplayedpiano was tinkeringoncarswithmydadwhenI neering degree from Harvard. repairs madebyLamenzo,whoholdsanengi- in workingcondition,andsomehavetemporary cracked. NotalloftheErben’s are otherparts is “windchest,” onwhichthepipesare arrayed, has about2,500pipes,manycoatedindust.Its At arecent fundraiser, Scorsesere- Martin As fortheErben’s dustyinterior, andits “My degree helpsalittlebit,butmostlyit theErben Originally amechanicalorgan,

Lana Krakovskiy/Friends of the Erben Organ

Cathedral. of St.Patrick’s Old cathedral, theBasilica New York City’s first Background: Inside with ivorycoveredstops. the 1868pipeorgan manual consoleof The originalthree- Lamenzo pullsthestops. U.S. tourwhileJared Erben organonhis2019 Donner performsonthe Austrian recitalistStefan Lana Krakovskiy/Friends of the Erben Organ Ambassador 45 WWW.NIAF.ORG was at Antietam, and probably was a different man afterward.” Charles’ signature is visible on some of the Erben’s pipes. “There is a magnif- icence to this instrument, a trium- phalism and sophistication, and then there is its unmistakable melancholy sound.” No visit to the Erben is complete without inspecting its pipes that are housed in a space of about 500 square feet behind the facade. Fifty Lana Krakovskiy/Friends of the Erben Organ thousand visitors have peered inside Jared Lamenzo with summer music campers. the organ in the last year. Lamenzo climbs up several steps in the dimly lit interior and points to a spot on one I love the Mendelssohn and Brahms of the taller pipes. “That is wax from . I just love early music,” the people who used to go up there to says Lamenzo. “As a child, music was tune it by candlelight,” he says. “Just connected for me to the voice of the like listening to the past when I play, divine. That has remained—I think I encounter it every time I have to music itself is divine.”

Joshua South/Sidewalk Productions adjust something.” To donate to Friends of the Erben View from the church floor: The three-story-high pipe Just then, there is a fleeting Organ, please visit https://erbenorgan.org/. organ, its 2,500 hand-crafted wood and metal pipes glimpse inside this husband and signed by the immigrant craftsmen who made them. father of two of the boy who was first Maria Garcia is a New York City-based captivated by the beauty and symme- author, writer and Ambassador magazine’s served as settings in three of his films. try of pipe organs—and classic cars. Cinema columnist. Her reviews and feature Celebrated for his film preservation As he brushes off dust from the articles also appear regularly in the Los work, Scorsese serves as honorary pipes, Lamenzo talks about his favorite Angeles Times and Cineaste. Her book, chair of Friends of the Erben Organ. pieces of classical music. “It’s hard to Cinematic Quests for Identity: The Cleaning and mending a pipe get started because, for me, this goes Hero’s Encounter with the Beast, was organ are tasks not easily undertaken. back to my dad,” he says of his beloved published in 2015. Visit her Facebook page, While all of these instruments have father, who died recently. “We used MariaGarciaNYC. See Maria’s Cinema components in common, in terms of to listen to Bach’s Magnificat in the column Four New Films by Italian sound design, no two are alike. “We car. We listened to a lot of Bach, but Directors, on page 56. want to conserve the organ, so first we need to do forensics when it is taken apart to learn how the builders did what they did,” Lamenzo says. Altogether, Lamenzo estimates that the Erben has 100,000 compo- nents. “A restoration like this means that the organ gets moved to a facility outside the city,” he says. “After spe- cialists do the cleaning, the organ is reassembled. It’s all very expensive.” For Lamenzo, who has played the Erben for the past 17 years, the instru- ment possesses a particular character. “The beautiful thing about this organ is the way it’s voiced, and it was voiced for this space,” he says. The Erben was built shortly after Jared Lamenzo speaks the Civil War, and Henry’s two sons, to children from Henry and Charles, the latter an or- St. Brigid’s School gan builder, fought in that war. “They about the Erben organ. were saying something with their WWW.NIAF.ORG

craft,” Lamenzo explains. “Charles Lana Krakovskiy/Friends of the Erben Organ

46 Ambassador At Bristol-Myers Squibb, employees like Mina Chaudhry and Austin Thekkumthala are passionate about turning scientific insights into new At Bristol-Myers Squibb, we are therapeutic options for many patients in need. working together for patients

Our mission is clear — we discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. Our sense of urgency is real — we work every day to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. We are committed to developing a 21st century work-force that is powerfully diverse and broadly inclusive, capable of discovering and developing 5asd important new medicines for patients around the world. It’s what we do. It’s why we do it. bms.com

© 2019 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. 48 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador

THE NORTH END Keith J Finks/shutterstock here’s whattoseeanddo: year.visitors walkthis wayevery Ifyou’re amongthem, as wellthe city’s LittleItaly. An estimated3.2million Boston’s iconic2.5-mileroute leadingpast16historicsites, ofthehistoricFreedom Trail,captures boththeheart along theway. hours strolling andstoppingat the shopsorhistoricalsites End’s “MainStreet” where youcaneasilyspendseveral 100 restaurants andbakeries.HanoverStreet istheNorth Endto eatatitsmore than flocktotheNorth Visitors neighborhood ishometoapproximately 10,000residents. St. AnthonyofPaduathelastSundayinAugust. feastofall,dedicatedto thisyearofthe largest anniversary 8. Inbetweenare otherfestivities,includingthe100th endedthe seasononSeptember Santa RosaliadiPalermo thefestivitiesonJune2and Maria diAnzanokickedoff and religious processions. Thisyear, thefeastofSanta street vendors,foodstalls,facepaintingforyoungsters, accompanied bymusicalbandsplayingoldItaliantunes, like onegiantstreet party. Thereligious celebrationsare Endare and festivals.SummerweekendsintheNorth Endin1912bythree Sicilianimmigrants. North Company, onPrinceStreet inthe forinstance,wasborn and otherfoodestablishments.ThePrinceMacaroni their ownbyopeningbusinesses,restaurants, bakeries makingit and started the 20thcentury, Italiansarrived Jewish immigrants,allhavecalledithome.Butthroughout neighborhoods inMassachusetts. move tothesuburbs,itisnowoneofmostsought-after Once hometoItalianimmigrantswhocouldn’t waitto neighborhood, oneoftheoldestinUnitedStates. go-to destinationforItalianimmigrantsinNewEngland. spent thenext15yearsorsolivinginwhatwasonce she movedtoBoston’s Endattheageof8.She North inItaly,visit wasnostalgiaforherownupbringing.Born needed suchatrip,butIthinkwhatprompted mymom’s Boston. found itfittingtotakeusforavisittheItaliansectionof of 1988.SinceIhadjustmovedhere from Italy, mymother By FrancescaMontillo VISITING BOSTON’S LITTLEITALY Today, Endisavibrantneighborhood the North that anddensestreets, theone-square-mile itsnarrow With Italians alsobrought withthemtheirreligious customs and Originally thePuritans,thenIrish,Portuguese EndisBoston’sThe North oldestresidential I wasn’t yetfeelingnostalgicenoughforItalythatI Endcameinthespring My firstexposure totheNorth

in theBoston area. living inspired byHolocaustsurvivors on theground, thememorialwas steamrisingfrom metalplates With of JewskilledduringtheHolocaust. in 1995,paystributetothe millions the HolocaustMemorialPark,erected EndandtheFreedom Trail,North a fewstepsfrom themainstripof PARK: Locatedat98UnionStreet just THE NEW ENGLANDHOLOCAUST MEMORIAL been restored severaltimes. (90 percent isoriginal),thoughithas ride,anditsstill standing legendary his wooden housewhere hestarted Square istheactual vere at19North the homeoffamousPatriotPaulRe- THE PAUL REVEREHOUSE:Builtin1680, led byaguide. can optforaself-guidedtourorone a halfmillionsightseersannually, you Freedom Trail. bymore Visited than and isoneofthemajorstopson Church datesto1723 Old North most visitedsitesinBoston.The Street, thisisoneoftheoldestand OLD NORTH CHURCH:At193Salem NORTH ENDLANDMARKS ited byvisitorsfrom nearandfar. remodel, thechurch isfrequently vis- just completedamultimillion-dollar idents cometogetherweekly. Having EndItalianres- is where manyNorth Church atHanoverandPrincestreets Maurice a.m., SaintLeonard ofPort Sundayat10:30 Mass inItalianevery ST. LEONARD’S CHURCH:Celebrating still beread. marked graveswhosenamesonecan hassome1,200 Street. Thecemetery settler whomadehishomeonPrince Copp,an early named afterWilliam by thousandsyearly, Copp’s Hillis on theFreedom Trail andvisited for more than10,000people.Astop Copp’s Hillisthefinal resting place inBoston, second oldestcemetery COPP’S HILL BURYINGGROUND:The Paul RevereStatuewithOldNorthChurchSpire

Jon Bilous/shutterstock Church St. Leonard’s gardens at Statue and Ambassador

Matt Conti Nina Deuterio 49 WWW.NIAF.ORG 50 WWW.NIAF.ORG Ambassador hundreds ofItalianproducts here. Italian packagedcookies,youcanfind tomatoes, tunapackedinoil,and such assalumi,cheeses,canned products imported hours. Carrying limitedpaniniduringlunch offers An all-around smallItaliangrocer, it Endresidents andvisitorsalike. North 151 RichmondStreet isastaplefor Freedom Trail, SalumeriaItalianaat SALUMERIA ITALIANA: few selecthotitems. alley, deliciouspanini,anda itserves afewtableshiddeninthe toes. With Italian ,oilsandcannedtoma- of pasta shop,salumeriaandimporter netteria isacombinationbread shop, Endeateries,BriccoPa- ous North numer Pasquale, whoownsandruns native Italianrestaurateur FrankDe- without knowingit’s there. Ownedby might walkpastBriccoPanetteria Hanover Street at11Board Alley, you BRICCO PANETTERIA: Hiddenbehind thewait. are worth pizza, calzones,aranciniandpanzerotti moves quicklyandUmberto’s pan the outside.Don’t letitscare you;it around noon,alinewillwraparound berto’s at289HanoverStreet. Ifit’s stop atwhatlocalssimplycallUm- End wouldnotbecompletewithouta a plasticcup.ButvisittotheNorth winein sell out.Andyou’llbeserved a.m. to2:30p.m.,orwheneverthey best, andit’s openonlyfrom 10:45 and cashonly. at Thedécorisrustic GALLERIA UMBERTO: Itsmenuislimited LUNCH Galleria Umbertoon HanoverStreet,knownlocallyasUmberto’s, isalunchtimemustin Boston’s NorthEnd Nina Deuterio

Located on the Located onthe - DINNER . neck clams,andtunaarrabbiata puttanesca,explodinglittle of theseafoodfavoritesinclude variousselections,some menu offers around sevenyearsold.Whilethe Endrestaurant at the newestNorth typical Siciliancuisine,it’s oneof na’s at307HanoverStreet. Serving craving spicy,- headovertoCarmeli CARMELINA’S: Ifyourtastebudsare , seafoodandgrilledmeats. dinnermenuwithhandmade a large fine-dining experiences,Luccaboasts ties. HailedasoneofBoston’s best companies hostingcorporatepar among locals,touristsandlocal at 226HanoverStreet isafavorite Italiandelights, Lucca Northern LUCCA RESTAURANT AND BAR:Serving eater.most discerning hails from, Prezza issure topleasethe er AnthonyCaturano’s grandmother villagewhere own- after theAbruzzese from more than600labels.Named appreciate the6,000bottlesofwine Street, wineaficionadoswillcertainly to prompt avisittoPrezza at24Fleet and braisedmeatsweren’t enough homemade meatballs,creamy polenta PREZZA: Asifthehandmadepasta, Hanover Streetin Boston’s - North End

Sasha Fenix/shutterstock Crowd gathersinfront Mike’s PastryonHanoverStreet Joseph Sohm/shutterestock DESSERT Visit www.thelazyitalian.com.Visit tripstoItaly. culinary-themed whichhosts Adventures, Italian Culinary cookbook authorandtheownerofLazy Francesca MontilloisanativeItalian good company. else.You’ll bein almost everyone Street eatingrightoutoftheboxlike and makeyourwaydownHanover quickly, sograbsomegoodiestogo ample seating,butthoseseatsfill parigini andsfogliatelle.Mike’s offers find Italianclassicssuchastiramisu, menu overtheyears,butyou’llstill hasAmericanizedits 1946, thebakery native ItalianMichaelMercogliano in visitors from outoftown.Foundedby is thego-toshopforalltouristsand at300 HanoverStreet Mike’s Pastry boxes, blue-and-white carry-out MIKE’S PASTRY: itsunmistakable With espresso orcappuccino. matchtoyour here are aperfect cookiesandbiscotti ioned Italiandry its breads andpastries,theold-fash- Street since1926.Equallyfamousfor 24-7 allyear. Ithasbeenat 134Salem Endinstitution,Bova’sNorth isopen in luxury, itmakesupforintaste.A BOVA’S BAKERY: Whatthisshoplacks enough tobeshared byatleasttwo. Or itsever-popular lobstertail—large iature oftheirbest-sellingricottapie. andricottapasticciotto,amin- miss indulginginitsfilled-to-order authenticItaly.a tasteoftrue, Don’t any otherspecialtycakethatrequires cakesor for theirweddingcakes,rum Italian andAmericansgoto at 257HanoverStreet iswhere all Pastry End forover70years,Modern MODERN PASTRY: AstapleintheNorth

Courtesy of Di Majo Norante Winery

the wines of Molise ontheeconomicfront—or anyotherfront forthatmatter. est region inItaly. Thejuryisstilloutwhetherthesplitbenefited distinct regions, makingMolisetheyoungestandsecondsmall- called AbruzzieMolise.In1963,thetwoareas separatedinto portionofaregion been Molise isthesouthern thathadformerly As itisinlifeandpolitics—inwine,geographydestiny. Molise By DickRosano easier todrinkthanfind vineyards Di MajoNorante

them locally.” in gotosomeone’s houseanddrink local—as Italiano , mostare “truly Vino intheirseminal work, warn Lynch ever, asJosephBastianichandDavid , andSangiovese. How- the mostattentionare theAglianico, these areas, thethree grapesthatget andMolise.Within d’Isernia, Pentroinazione diOrigineControllata: systemofcontrol, Denom- ernment’s acquired statusundertheItaliangov- eled winethemesofAbruzzo. the region wouldfollowtheless-trav- it wasnotunexpectedthatthewinesof veloped auniqueculture internally, so ridge oftheApennines,region de- Roman influencebythetowering regions? Walled from thehistoric off that issqueezedinamongthese co from thelatter. andAgliani- Primitivo from theformer histories ofwinemaking,including , havemore highlyregarded Molise’s otherneighbors,Puglia and tonnage thatissoldawayforblending. with thewineslistedabove,plusgreat the region managestodoagoodjob Despite themountainousterrain, the sandybeachesofAdriaticSea. ridge oftheApennineMountainsto stacks inyourfavoritewinestore. orsearching the touring Abruzzo  made from theMontepulciano iosyncratic wines,principallythereds Itisrenowned forafewid- the north. d’Uva! Mostarda once…as aningredient inadishcalled RegionofItaly,onlymentionswine cret inItalyMagazinetitledTheSe- article seldom givenmuchcredit. Alengthy region,” Moliseis as the“forgotten to prospects forwine?Oftenreferred Three sub-regions inMolisehave But whatcanbesaidaboutMolise slopesdownfrom the Abruzzo liesto sibling,Abruzzo, Its former So, whatcouldbesaidofits esting wine worth pursuingwhile esting wineworth Montepulciano. Eachisaninter Cerasuolo madefrom thered , andarosé called was commonasfarbackthe from Trebbiano, avarietalthat grape,whitesmade d’Abruzzo Ambassador - 51 WWW.NIAF.ORG 52 WWW.NIAF.ORG

Ambassador thesearch tostores closest Narrowing tle ortwo;somehadthree orfour. States, wefoundshopswithabot- the site’s filterfortheentire United where Molisewinesare sold. Using we usedWine-Searcher.com tofind widely availableintheUnitedStates, the Italiancategory.” optionsin sell steadilyasaffordable in andaskforaMolisewine,theydo “While it’s rare forsomeonetocome inWashington,ley Wines D.C.,says, Woodwho nowconsultsforCalvert - columnist forTheWashington Post Courtesy of Di Majo Norante Winery Di MajoNoranteWinerynearCampomarinoLido Since winesfrom Moliseare not wine former Ben Giliberti, a renowned merchant intheEast York &Spirits, City(e.g.,AstorWines wines from MoliseinplaceslikeNew Not surprisingly, wefoundmostofthe statestofindsimilarwork. eastern areas ofAmerica’s towns andrural mostly laborers whosettledinsmall ed States,from 1863to1963,were totheUnit- from MoliseandAbruzzo tion toavailability. Earlyimmigrants early 20thcenturiesshowsaconnec- in thedecadesfrom thelate19thand whichclustered immigration patterns pickings gotslimmer. to us(Washington, D.C.,area), the A closerexaminationofMolise the U.S.wine-buyingpublic. Molise andmakingthemavailableto a betterjobseekingoutthewinesof andwinestores shoulddo importers notes prove there are, andthat those hiddenshelves?Ourtasting thewineinvariousvintages. carry ognize thequalityofthisestateand more limitedinventoriesstillrec- & More aswellsmallershopswith house winestores suchasTotal Wine Terre ware- degliOsci.Manylarger especially theestate’s 2017Sangiovese and NewYork isDiMajoNorante, through and northward Molise winesinthemid-Atlanticarea the CampiValerio inIsernia. winery ries fourvarietiesofMolisewinesfrom In Elkton,Md.,StateLineLiquorscar another 12availableonspecialorder. four from DiMajoNorante)andlist Molisewines(including have carried Pa.,area quor stores intheHarrisburg, explain whystate-operatedwineandli- kept upthedemand,whichmay NewJersey,Village), andConnecticut. So, are there hiddengemson One ofthemostwidelyavailable Later immigrantsfrom Molise - TASTERS Tasting NOTE Notes

Ruslan Semichev/shutterstock RED the preceding wine. out to chase theimpression of glass, swirling it,thenpouring it pouring atiny amountinthe subsequent winesafter first refers to servingasecond and glass withthenext wine,” and German. Itmeansto “rinsethe equivalents inEnglish,French or the Italianlanguage, withno Avvinare isaword peculiarto 88 (Importer: Winebow) and forward, superbbalance. Score: licorice, smoke, andblackcoffee, soft Coffee andslight tobacco onnose; Terre degliOsci($15) Di MajoNorante 2017 Sangiovese finish. Score: 87 (Importer: Winebow) plums onpalate, fades abitnearthe fruity, cherries,blackand forest flooronnose; forward and grapes, darkfruit,tobacco leaf, and From Montepulciano andAglianico Biferno Rosso ($18) Di MajoNorante 2014 Ramitello in theEast Village, New York City) bust. Score: 90(Astor Wines &Spirits, pery, blackfruitflavors, meaty and ro- of deepforest andblackfruit;pep- Rich deepred color; pungentaromas Molise ($32) Cianfagna 2012 Sator Tintilia del (State LineLiquors,Elkton, MD) cranberries andraspberries. Score: 89 robust richlytextured wine, dried fruit aromas; denseandchewy, a Deep coloration; smoke anddense Del Molise($20) Campi Valerio 2015 OpaliaTintilia (Calvert Woodley, Washington, D.C.) with littleearthy structure. Score: 84 blackberry flavors, fresh andfruity aromas; mediumbody, cherryand purple red, coffee beananddarkfruit From Montepulciano grapes, rich del Molise($11) Campi Valerio 2015 CalidioRosso the East Village, New York City) Score: 86(Astor Wines &Spirits,in low inacidity, thinsoutabitonfinish. smoke onmid-palate, hintofclove, richly textured, blackcherryand smoke onnose;soft,forward and Deep, purplered, toast andlight Cantine Salvatore 2015 Rutilia($22) Score: 82(Unwined, Alexandria, Va.) mushroomy anddense, notright. Medium red, too smoky onnose; Tintilia DelMolise ($23) Tenimenti Grieco 2016 200Metri in theEast Village, New York City) ate. Score: 90(Astor Wines &Spirits, tured, blackfruitandraisined onpal- Rich, darkfruitaromas; highlytex Rosso ($17) Cantine Salvatore 2015 Biberius Score: 92 (Importer: Winebow) dark red fruit,longlingeringfinish. richly textured, bigandforceful, tobacco leaf, toasty oakonnose; Aromatic andforceful, coffee, Riserva ($39) Luigi Montepulciano delMolise Di MajoNorante 2013 Don Score: 87 (Importer: Winebow) tannins, longfinish,approachable. erate textures, red fruitflavors, soft fruit onnose;mediumbody, mod- Smoke, slightlycharred wood, dark delMoliseRiserva ($20) Di MajoNorante 2014 Contado in thewinterissue ofAmbassador. Connection, his newnovel,The Vienna To of Love.Seeareview Rome,With in Positano,HuntingTruffles , and The Secret ofAltamura,ALove Lost Vivaldi’s Girls,A DeathinTuscany, andtraditionsofthepeople,include tory theflavorsofcuisine,and his- try, thebeautyofcoun- Italy andcapture setin publications. Hisnovels,oftenare The Washington Postandothernational in Dick Rosano’scolumnshaveappeared WHITE Line Liquors,Elkton, Md.) refreshing. Score: 85(State Honeysuckle, floral, brightand enough to pass asawhite. Listed asarosé butpale Campi Rosato ($14) Campi Valerio 2018 Rosa Dei Elkton, Md.) Score: 85(State LineLiquors, touch ofapricot onfinish. freshing aromas, peach,slight Bright brilliantfruitandre- Falanghina delMolise($12) Campi Valerio 2017 Fannia Ambassador - 53 WWW.NIAF.ORG MANGIA QUI

GRAN CAFFÈ L’AQUILA EAT LOCALLY, SUPPORT ABRUZZO By Kirsten Keppel

This November and into “It’s the next step in our philosophy famous sheep’s’ milk as an act 2020, Philadelphia’s of recovering from the earthquake,” of solidarity. Gran Caffè L’Aquila will says co-owner Riccardo Longo, a Phil- In the Forza L’Aquila Forza Abruz- adelphia-based award-winning restau- zo initiative, you'll also find Abruzzese offer diners the chance rateur who emigrated from Italy at age arrosticini with a savory mustard to enjoy award-winning 5. “We want to focus on the future of whose cooling properties counter the cuisine locally while L’Aquila and Abruzzo and what we can heat to leave your palate awash in flavor, supporting Abruzzese do to promote all the great artisans.” along with peperoncino. Classic pastas like

producers. The Forza Innovation and combinations of pappardalle al ragù l’aquilano and chitarra Photos courtesy of Gran Caffe L’Aquila L’Aquila Forza Abruzzo unlikely pairings define Gran Caffè follow delectable L’Aquila L’Aquila’s ethos, born from an unex- cheese paired with Abruzzese prosciutto. initiative will promote pected partnership formed in 2011 be- Abruzzo’s sugar-covered almonds, con- Abruzzese products used tween Longo and L’Aquila-based gelato fetti, torrone nougat and chocolate tempt in dishes from the menu master and coffee roaster Biasini, and your sweet tooth. Four blends from Italy as well as sold retail. fellow coffee roaster Michele Morelli. highlight regional differences in Italian In the restaurant, you’ll The restaurant honors the legacy coffee: lighter northern style Torino, find signature delights of its namesake, the original Gran central Italian coffee L’Aquila, natural Caffè L’Aquila, in Abruzzo, that in 2007 decaf Roma, and strong, dark Napoli. like saffron-and-ricotta won Caffè of the Year for all of Italy. In Italy’s prestigious Gambero Rosso gelato—a succulent 2008, it was recognized for the “Official dining guide honored Gran Caffè confection blending Coffee” of the G8 summit in Italy. Then, L’Aquila in March with its Restaurant the famous zafferano the devastating 2009 earthquake that Excellence Award, making the estab- dell’Aquila celebrated in killed 309 people and injured more lishment the first in Philadelphia’s the film Ratatouille and than 1,500 others also destroyed the to be named one of the best Italian original Gran Caffè. In 2016, another restaurants in the world. ricotta from Amatrice, major earthquake hit the area devas- Destiny’s hand seems written all created by co-owner tating much of the town of Amatrice, over Longo’s first visit to L’Aquila. He and International Gelato about 30 miles north of L’Aquila. travels to Italy every three months to Champion Stefano Biasini. In 2017, Longo and his wife, Dawn tour seven cities in 10 days, researching Tancredi, joined Morelli, who had culinary history and meeting with local since returned to Italy, and his father, chefs and winemakers. His first visit to Pasquale, to present a check to Ama- L’Aquila was a fluke daytrip resulting trice Mayor Sergio Pirozzi for $12,710 from an unexpected free day. In L’Aq- for the Amatrice Disaster Relief Fund. uila, a local gentleman urged Longo WWW.NIAF.ORG Above from left: Gran Caffè L’Aquila in Philadel- At their Philadelphia restaurant, to visit the local Basilica di Santa Maria phia; Gran Caffè L’Aquila owners Riccardo Longo and Stefano Biasini; Making Sunday Sauce at Gran Biasini and Longo decided the relief di Collemaggio and do something in Caffè L’Aquila initiative would feature Amatrice’s America to remember L’Aquila. Inside

54 Ambassador Photos courtesy of Gran Caffe L’Aquila phia Area Concierge Association; phia Area Concierge rant inPhiladelphiabythePhiladel- inItaly;BestRestau- award forcoffee Tre Cicchi(Three, thehighest Beans) Rosso awards, includingtheGambero L’AquilaGran Caffè haswonmultiple house Square onChristmasEve2014, the experiencewecreated.” Italian culture through educationand sion, ofjoy, ofexpoundingauthentic money,” hesays,“butaproduct ofpas- budget. “Thiswasneveraboutmaking tocode,doubledthe conformed everything contractors tomakecertain American architect andPhiladelphia if itwere inItaly. That,andaddingan as L’AquilaCaffè todesigneverything architect whobuilttheoriginalGran datesfrom 1997. Abruzzo withtheRegionof partnership formal City ofBrotherly Love.Philadelphia’s L’Aquilato recreate GranCaffè inthe to Philadelphia,where theydecided Morelli inL’Aquila andinvitedboth flight.HemetBiasiniand return ny. Heimmediatelyrescheduled his the Basilica,Longohadanepipha- Five yearsafteropeninginRitten- hired theItalian The partners PHOTO

NIAFCONTEST

can have,”saysLongo. can be,andofwhatkindimpactit an authenticrepresentation ofItaly an exampleofthepossibilitieswhat piece ofItalyhere thatwe’vedoneas their mission. and D.C.,tostayclosethesoulof cisco, Miami,NewYork, LosAngeles fers toopenrestaurants inSanFran- Longo andBiasinihavedeclinedof- a logofedoraandkitchenapron. glasses, chocolate,oliveoils,andeven subscriptions, Italian-madecupsand online, products willincludecoffee initiativegoeslive Abruzzo uila Forza Award. the FilitaliaItalianEntrepreneurship Philadelphia Style“BestofStyle”;and cellence inpromoting Italianculture; Gelato”; Eccelenzeitalianeaward forex- “Best ItalianRestaurant”and Food Culture Award; BestofPhilly Biasini; ItalyAmericaSocietyItalian to atWorld Cup ofGelatoStefano Champion; BestGastronomic Gela- Press GelatoWorldInternational SpectatorAward ofExcellence; Wine “Gran Caffè L’Aquila“Gran Caffè isourlittle This winter, L’Aq whentheForza -

atwww.niaf.org/photocontest

Deadline: October7 Read Contest Rules before entering that promise. Longo andBiasinicontinuetofulfill L’Aquila wouldnotbeforgotten, him todosomethinginAmericaso gentleman inL’Aquila whotold ture, it’s thesameforus,”saysLongo. you’re passionateandloveItaliancul- “We lookatourselvesasafamiglia–if isItalianandtherest loveItaly.staff experience…,”shesays. and different taken withtheelegance,highquality, year.L’Aquila every “Theyare really bringsstudentstoGranCaffè Murray long hotsmeanshotpeppers.” says. “InSouthPhiladelphialanguage, that’s notauthenticallyfrom Italy!”she rino. “I’mtheonlythingonmenu development consultantCarol Tambu- is namedafterPhiladelphiabusiness Its popularTambo LongHotsdish roots, andItalophiles. with Abruzzese Philadelphia’s manyItalianAmericans andmix ofItalians, community affair https://grancaffelaquila.com/. Seven yearsafterLongometthe About 25percent oftherestaurant Local ItalianteacherAnnaMaria L’AquilaGran Caffè remains a Visit the Gran Caffè L’Aquila theGranCaffè websiteat Visit enter today! Ambassador 55 WWW.NIAF.ORG MANGIA QUI New Films by Italian Directors By Maria Garcia

CINEMA Reporting from the Toronto

our films by Italian and Italian Amer- ican directors screened at the 2019 4 FToronto International Film Festival (TIFF)in September: ’s The Traitor, Giuseppe Capotondi’s The Burnt Orange Heresy, Pietro Marcello’s Martin Eden, and Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers. Winning a place on the festival’s slate of 245 fea- ture-length films (chosen from nearly 8,000 submissions in all categories) immediately Giuseppe Capotondi’s The Burnt Orange Heresy confers prestige on the filmmaker and guar-

Toronto International Film Festival Toronto antees a broader audience for the movie. Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers Each of the four films may be under- stood as a contemplation of “character as fate,” or the ways in which the protagonists’ personalities and the circumstances of their birth determine their destiny. The belief in il destino and the fated life is often expressed in Italian folklore, although not always with a sense of doom. This may account for a distinctive quality of Italian cinema: dramas are frequently tinged with wry humor, and commedia all’Italiana always possesses a touch of the tragic. STX Entertainment Bellocchio’s Italian-language dra- Marco Bellocchio’s The Traitor ma, the standout among the four films, screened in TIFF’s Masters category, re- served for the world’s most influential art- house directors. The eponymous traitor is Sicilian Mafia turncoat Tommaso Buscetta, who died in 2000 in the United States. He was granted U.S. citizenship after the “pizza connection” case in the 1980s, when he assisted authorities in identifying members of organized crime who were smuggling

Toronto International Film Festival Toronto heroin into the country. The Traitor chronicles Buscetta’s efforts Pietro Marcello’s Martin Eden to leave the Cosa Nostra, and his testimony in Italy’s “” in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That trial sent hundreds of Mafiosi to prison. In a beautifully calibrated perfor- mance, the Roman-born actor Pietro Favino plays the man the Bobbio-born filmmaker views as the consummate “man of honor.” Buscetta plays by rules that he claimed, in WWW.NIAF.ORG confessions to the famed Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone (Fausto Russo Alesi),

Toronto International Film Festival Toronto became outmoded when the various Italian 56 Ambassador who workina NewYork Citystripclub. about agroup ofprostitutes Magazine story characters. Itis inspired by a 2015NewYork mercial films,alsocentersonworking-class forhigh-profile, com- thatisreserved ry Hustlers, whichscreened intheGalacatego- the staticnarrative. failstorescue nelli’s brilliantperformance than itsprotagonist’s emotions.EvenMari- fueled bytediouspoliticaltheoriesrather Edenislengthy,ing nightfilm,Martin and TIFF’sthe audienceoutofstory. clos- position oftheworkingclassesandtakes thehistoric footagethatmourns mentary ofarchival docu- because oftheinsertion the movieflagsafterthispromising start sister. BasedonanovelbyJackLondon, asdoestheboy’s Martin, older charming family isgratefuland,atfirst,embracesthe away.and thetworun Theboy’s affluent easilyovercoming theattacker,intervenes, man beingbeatenonanearbypier;he spyingayoung The filmbeginswithMartin cation whoaspires tobecomingawriter. andlittleedu- Marinelli) ofhumblebirth thatfollowsamariner(Luca fateful story Eden , isanequally ian-language film,Martin Italiandialetti. and southern forspeakersofstandard Italian reserved sublimely litframe.Touches ofhumorare tor’s statusasmaestro is asprawlingthrowback, thewriter-direc- while someaudiencesmayfeelthemovie is reminiscent of1970scrimedramas,and ing withtheCosaNostra.Bellocchio’s style Prime MinisterGiulioAndreotti forcollud- Salvatore Riina,aSiciliancapo,andformer sions toFalconeledtheconvictionsof Buscetta’s confes- given toMafiainformers. prominent tality, hedoesnotexaggeratehisstatusasa - understates Buscetta’s bigamyandhisbru destined toregret andguilt. reads thatpersonalityassingle-mindedand trade.Bellocchio mobs entered thedrug Writer-director Lorene Scafaria’s movie Pietro Marcello’s Ital- Caserta-born While the80-year-old writer-director (penitent), the moniker pentito (penitent),themoniker is apparent in every is apparent inevery

Heresy The BurntOrange Capotondi’s Giuseppe Pietro Marcello’s MartinEden Pietro Marcello’s MartinEden Pietro Marcello’s MartinEden Ambassador

Toronto International Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival 57 WWW.NIAF.ORG CINEMA 58 WWW.NIAF.ORG CINEMA Ambassador well attheboxoffice.Itsrathersuper andlikelytodo Hustlers isentertaining ofworking-classtriumph, dercurrent leading uptotheapocalypse. bors whofindfriendshipinthedays and SteveCarell astwolonelyneigh- KeiraKnightley (2012). Thatstarred Seeking aFriendfortheEndofWorld feature, highly originalnarrative a film, andnomatchforherfirst, writer-director’s first Hollywood-style out theircredit cards. Hustlersisthe ers toabar, them,andthenmax drug custom- and Destinylure theirformer a richclient.Working asateam,she her luxuriouslifestyle,oncefundedby the ultimatehustleinorder tosustain ent Wall Street businessmen. clients,afflu- of manytheirformer they scrambleforworkintheabsence market crash,itfollowsthewomenas Rich Asians).Setafterthe2008stock (up-and-comer ConstanceWu ofCrazy, eyes oftheclub’s newcomerDestiny although eventsunfoldthrough the mance asthemature dancerRamona, this cynicaldramainacredible perfor With itsglitzyveneer,With and itsun- Ramona, asinglemother, hatches Jennifer Lopezleadsthecastof Do youqualifyforItalianDualCitizenship? Bring Do youeverimagineyourItalian Ancestors? Call usat1-888-472-0171 togetstarted! For moreinformation, visitwww.myitalianfamily.com

- -

Appl that v less seriouslapseofmorality, sherather from a Berenice. Awomanwhosuffers sive newcomerElizabethDebickias Mason oppositetheequallyimpres- , resembles abroodingThe Square James Ruben Östlund’s Palmed’Or winner role asaviolentmuseumcuratorin starin2017forhis an international 52-year-old Danishactor, whobecame collectors andmuseumcurators.The money leadshimintoshadydealswith Claes Bang,whoselustforpowerand by critic, JamesFigueras,portrayed is shotfrom thepoint-of-viewofanart also screened It intheGalacategory. genre thriller,, OrangeHeresy TheBurnt nomination forJLo. spotlight andmightleadtoanOscar world. independence inamale-dominated their lineofwork,inorder toachieve of are forced toengagein,irrespective “hustle” that all women gests the larger a livinganyotherway. Themoviesug- that prevent thedancersfrom earning class andlackofaccesstoeducation ofgender,touches onthebarriers is balancedbyaweightysubtextthat ficial messageoffemaleempowerment Capotondi’s English-language will put Scafaria in the Hustlers willputScafariainthe y through ust i s ion to l ife with oda

y ourre Facebook page,MariaGarciaNYC. her Beast, waspublishedin2015.Visit tity: TheHero’s Encounterwiththe Her book,CinematicQuestsforIden- andCineaste. International Film Journal in alsoappearregularly articles feature and Ambassador magazine.Herreviews author, contributorto writerandfrequent Maria Garcia isaNewYork City-based males. destiny, theuniqueprovince ofwhite againstJames’s no onewouldargue ofmoraldecay—although portrait skillfully directed filmapredictable unexplained, audiencesmayfindthis of hissociopathicpersonalityare left unlikeable protagonist, andtheroots in Debney. BecauseJamesissuchan and thereal reason forhisinterest nature Berenice realizes James’s true withimprobability after tor againflirts writer-direcwith him.TheRoma-born - fire, livesthere andmayagree tomeet land), whoseworkswere destroyed ina iconic, agingpainter(DonaldSuther estate. JamesdiscoversthatDebney, an collector’s end atanart (MickJagger) improbably findsthecriticirresistible. The two are soon off toaweek- The twoare soonoff

search NIAF m fr on allourser om a10%discount (sin embers ben

ce 2007!) s e vices rvi efit ces - ©2019 IMPORTED BY BIRRA PERONI INTERNAZIONALE, WASHINGTON, DC • BEER

W153634_PER_Umbrella_2019_8_375x10_625_NIAF_Magazine_JC.indd 1 2/4/19 11:44 AM THE

AutumnITALIAN AMERICAN

BETWEEN THE PAGES Reader

With Summer rowing up in an Italian American changing into family, Stacy Adimando learned Stacy Autumn, we decided to cherish the value of togeth- Adimondo a seasonal change in erness, which, of course, was on a this issue’s Between cemented around the table. Food and culinary Gfamily have been the staples of her life. trip to the Pages section Her grandparents instilled in her a love Puglia was in order as well. for cooking and Italy. So, instead of a book Now Adimando, who until recently review, we’re leading was executive editor at Saveur magazine, with an insightful, continues to be inspired by her Italian entertaining interview heritage. Her latest cookbook, Piatti that writer and (Italian word for “plates”) originates from frequent Ambassador her fondness for Italy’s abundant platters of regional antipasti (appetizers), which contributor Silvia she came to appreciate during frequent Donati conducted with trips to Italy, especially when visiting her author Stacy Adimondo, relatives in Reggio , the town in whose new cookbook southern Italy her great-grandfather left to would make a tasty emigrate to America. addition to anyone's Piatti is a fun, unfussy blend of Italian, cookbook shelf. American, Italian American, and family recipes and ingredients. It features 90 The rest of the section, dishes, organized by the season and rang- as always, is filled with ing in size and variety. Its beautiful photos Eva Kolenko reviews of books—some will make you drool. critically acclaimed, It includes useful Antipasti Building How did the idea for Piatti originate? some under the radar, Blocks and Antipasti Pantry sections, and Adimando: When I was visiting my relatives in Reggio insights into Italian food culture and but all written by Italian Calabria, during one of my first meals with them, they traditions throughout, such fun facts as: American or Italian had put out a huge amount of food, like sausages, “In parts of Italy’s sun-bleached south, it is eggplant , all kinds of salumi, bread, and I ate authors, or otherwise rare to visit a country house that does not and ate and ate. Then they took that away and brought are of interest to Italian have a string of peperoncini hanging outside the primi, and I thought, oh my gosh, that was just the American readers. the door to dry.” antipasti and I ate too much! Based in the Red Hook neighborhood Besides the review, we In America, when we entertain we put out little snacks, of Brooklyn, where she grows food in her like crackers and cheese, or chips and dip, and to me provide book covers backyard, including her favorite, broccoli that’s so much less satisfying than these beautiful and a sample sentence rabe (rapini or friarielli), Adimando has platters of fresh ingredients, of vegetable antipasti, or two to give you some actually and virtually traveled to lands near seafood antipasti, room-temperature meats, and that sort idea of what you’ll find and far, learning about the cuisines of the of thing…. I wanted to share that tradition, abundance inside their pages. world, and examining food through the and creativity with American cooks. I also have a special

WWW.NIAF.ORG lens of culture, identity and traditions. love for that feeling of just grazing a little bit and picking Buona lettura! We caught up with Adimando just on everything to make a whole meal. — Don Oldenburg ahead of the release of her new cookbook.

60 Ambassador as manyrecipes aspossiblefrommygrand- wanted toholdon toit.So,Istartedlearning how preciousmyItalianheritage isandIreally When Igottoacertainage,started torealize the othertraditionswerelost. stayed alive,butalotofthelanguage and grandparents cooked. Thefoodtraditions of thesamemealsthattheirparentsand not speakingItalian,buttheycooked many Little ItalyinNewYork. Allofthemgrewup Mulberry Street,whichisthecenterof in America,andmyfathergrewupon Adimando: Mygrandparentswereborn describe yourrelationshipwithItaly? culture wereyougrowingupandcan How immersedinItalianlifestyleand that aresortofeffortlessbutbeautiful. uses seasonalingredientsandmakes things tion isthewayoflifeItaliancook,who more Italianthanothers,butthemaininspira- an Italianlens.Someoftherecipesaremuch get excitedabout,andlookatthemthrough farmers’ markets, theingredients thatthey the thingsthatAmericanshaveattheir to thatconcept.So,Iwantedincorporate thought Ishouldmake abookthatfeelstrue wherethetruetraditionscomefrom.I that’s that theyhaveavailableinthearea,and Italy, isverymuchbasedontheingredients was thinkingthatantipasti,oranycoursein Adimando: did youselectwhichdishestoinclude? cooking, andyourowncreative spin.How recipes, elementsofItalianAmerican but alsoincorporatessomeofyourfamily’s Piatti isinspiredbythecuisineofItaly, Chronicle Books What ended up inspiring me What endedupinspiringme

to get a little bit closer to my family’s food food to getalittlebitcloser tomyfamily’s But Ialsohavemy eyeonsouthernItaly, just pastas like theamatricianaandcarbonara. antipasti ofRome, thecarciofi. love thespiritoftrattorias Rome, the I lovehowrusticitis,comforting itis.I and willalwaysreturntoisRoman cuisine. Adimando: food andwhy? yourfavoriteregioninItalyfor What’s some ofmyfoodtraditionshavecomefrom. of Italyandrealizethatisdefinitelywhere experiencetogothesouth eye-opening did withherescarolepie."Itwasareally reminds meofwhatmygreat-grandmother my grandmotherdidwithhereggplant,this ly, andsaying, "oh,thisremindsmeofwhat and findingitinsomepartsofsouthernIta- identifying thefoodthatmyfamilycooks beenreallyfunhas One thingthat’s different partofItaly, Ilearnsomethingnew. Adimando: Yes, everytimeItravelto a surprised youordidn’t know about? er anyaspectofItalianfoodculturethat During yourtravelstoItaly, didyoudiscov- neverforgottenthroughmylineage. that it’s me tokeep asmuchofmyheritage aliveso the hillsofCalabria.Itbecameamissionfor wasbornandhishousein great-grandfather which wassospecial.Igottoseewheremy of mydistantrelativesinReggio Calabria, family IdidhaveleftinItalyandmetsome regions asIcould.alsotracked downwhat once ayear, tryingtosee asmanydifferent parents, andIstartedtotravelItalyatleast 224 pages;$29.95hardcover Chronicle Books Photographs byLindaPugliese By StacyAdimando for Sharing,Inspired byItaly Piatti: PlatesandPlatters The one region I know and love The oneregionIknowandlove I love their Ilovetheir

—SilviaDonati http://stacyadimando.com Visit StacyAdimando’swebsite at: Italian stubbornness,Idon’t thinkiteverwill. and thankstotraditionloyalty andsome nection. Itjustneverlosttouch with itself, before meandexperienceanamazing con- really holdhandswithallthegenerations And, whenI’mcookingit,Ifeelasifcan invigorating andmakes youfeeltransported. combination offlavorsisalsofreshand rustic andfamilialcomforting, butthe so commands respectandgratitude;it’s so muchprideandsuchalaboroflovethat simpleiningredientsbuttakes of traits:it’s But Italianfoodhastheperfectcombination ation withsomuchofItalianculturenow. around itorbecauseIjusthaveaninfatu- not sureifthatisaproductofgrowingup food thattrulydoesreachmysoul.I’m Adimando: culture ofItalyunique? What doyouthinkmakes thefood that theywillbepreservedforever. family whowasabletodothat.NowIknow feel honoredtobethefirstpersoninmy recipes, andI down someofourfamily’s is that,forthefirsttimeever, we’rewriting that hasbeenspecialtomeaboutthisbook quently andmoreconsistently. Something American traditionsintomyworkmorefre Adimando: IwanttoincorporatemyItalian nextforyou? What’s Italy Iwanttoexplore…. traditions. Andthere’ssomuchofnorthern There is something about Italian There issomethingaboutItalian

Ambassador -

Chronicle Books 61 WWW.NIAF.ORG BETWEEN THE PAGES 62 WWW.NIAF.ORG BETWEEN THE PAGES Ambassador undoubtedly outweigh itschallenges. hasbenefitsthat sine andcountryside, nity, byItalian cui- beingsurrounded rewards oflivinginanItaliancommu - and willingnesstoadaptprove that the being atourist.However, hispositivity than living inItalyisvastlydifferent and humbleaccountofrealizing that anewlanguage. culture andlearn ty, LaSignora,andadapttoaforeign with thedifficultownerofproper asabedandbreakfast, deal property the ropes ofmanaginganoldfarm signed himselfupfor. Hemustlearn . small villageinNorthern a ofFarnese, months ontheoutskirts anagriturismoforsix wife, Laura,torun new adventure withhisItalian-born tional retired lifeandembarksona Coen avoidssuccumbingtoconven- ly retired businessexecutive,Terrence moving toItaly. Asa70-year-old, recent- something new—especiallyifitinvolves notion thatit’s nevertoolate tostart tive onlifethisplanet.” newperspec- in Italygavemeanentirely eyes ofItalians…Talking withpeoplehere ently. the Ibegantoseemyworldthrough - is thatyoubegintoseeyourworlddiffer “One thingaboutlivinginanotherland $12.99 paperback 198 pages Donaldson Bain By Terrence Coen Misadventures inaForeign Country Retirement Italiano:Adventures and Coen’s memoirtellsahumorous Coen underestimates theworkhe Italianoencouragesthe Retirement - inspired! Italianoandget ture. ReadRetirement don’t waittobeginyourownadven- ed byCoen’s wife.Lessonlearned: authentic Italianrecipes contribut- engaged.” we were truly tourists lookinginfrom outside,but We livedFarnese. truly were notjust Fornearlyhalfayear,Farnese. wehad about howwehadnotmerely visited “…I foundmyselfreflecting again dispatch her to rival Villa Triannidispatch herto rivalVilla ina Angelitoprosper,allow Villa then of anheirthatwill through thebirth Rubino. ThetrioguideHortensia Maria, cookAnna,andestate manager sia israisedbythree peasants:midwife - mother joinedthebutterflies, Horten ascension. andsocial young woman’s survival bangles andbutterfliesinataleof and oliveoilwithclairaudientbracelet mingles postwarTuscan Sangiovese taught metodotheimpossible. Mariahad thestart, able, butrightfrom oftheimagination,inconceiv - stretch What Ihadaccomplishedwas,byany $18.99 paperback 437 pages Jacqueline Falcomer By JacquelineFalcomer Love MeNot As abonus,thebookincludes As hewriteslaterinthebook, Orphaned atage3whenher In LoveMeNot,magicalrealism — NatalieWulderk watering as you turn the final page. thefinalpage. watering asyouturn Lovers trilogy. Your mouthwillstillbe ond ofJacquelineFalcomer’s Tuscany the firstchapter. LoveMeNotisthesec- printandaudioversionsof page offers scribes delectabledishes,whileanother from theauthor’s website.Itsblog de- this book.You mayfindinspiration vant tosignora. talents tomoveherselffrom maidser andother-worldlyrelies onearthly peppers andgoatcheesecanapés,she co orbeguilesthemayorwithroast - navigatestheshrillsciroc marriage, plot tolinkthetwoproperties. for thiscookbook, shetraveledto regions. InParla’s researchsouthern often-overlooked cuisinesofItaly’s Food oftheItalianSouth—anodeto with Katie Parlahasnowreturned of RomancuisinetoAmerican tables, book Tasting Romebrought the gospel now, anyway. far. totravelvery Notuntil opportunity the Italiansouththattheyhaven’thad in sodeeply anchored thatare and recipes I wanttospotlightthepeople,ingredients, $30 hardcover 255 pages Clarkson PotterPublishers By KatieParla Classic, Disappearing,andLostDishes Food oftheItalianSouth:Recipesfor You’ll wanttoeatwhilereading acceptsloversand As Hortensia Three yearsafterherdebutcook - — KirstenKeppel - traditional recipes, whichare quickly itsmostancientand but alsopreserve Italiancooking, of simple,Southern aims tonotonlyhighlightthebeauty chocolate, nutsandcandiedoranges. made offriedeggplantsmothered in nativetotheAmalfiCoast, a dessert Molise, andMulignanac’a’Ciucculata, hills oftheApennineMountains foot- with red grapesintheeastern Spezzatino all’Uva,porkstewcooked nuts. Othernotablerecipes include and made witholives,driedfruits small townnearMountVesuvius, pasta”)—a Christmasspecialtyofa (roughly translatedto“garbagecan dishes, suchasSicchied’aMunnezza she mostlyfocusesonmore unique loved recipes likepizzamargherita, cookbook. WhileParlafeatures well- onthesetraditions. still carry cheese-makers andfishermen—who Italians—butchers,nonnas, everyday Italyaswellthe sines ofSouthern cui- books, showcasingtheforgotten places rarely mentionedinguide- In FoodoftheItalianSouth,Parla This isnotyourstandard Italian al cuisines. - most vibrant—andforgotten—region readers atasteofItaly’sSouth offers , Parla’s FoodoftheItalian anecdotes ofherownItalianroots in each dish,stunningphotographyand travel stories,historicinsightsinto tables. Interspersedwithpersonal Italian disappearing from Southern — DanielleDeSimone 1940s tolivingandworkingin New childhood daysin Illinoisduringthe describes hislifeandcareer from his missteps packthepages. Hevividly ries. Humor, sadness,triumphsand combined withwittyandlivelysto- cadence withanenergetic in thearts roots, family, relationships andlife Cancelose) writes abouthisSicilian Life inMusicTheater. SideoftheRoom:A ography The Wrong Mathews’autobi- subtitle toNorman again,”couldbethe succeed, try, try the movies. told inatheater. Ilovedbeing takento about ourfamily, aschoolmate,orone myearliestyears,whetherayarn from rivetedmyattention Good storytelling 324 pages;$18paperback BookBaby Mathews By Norman A LifeinMusicTheater The Wrong SideoftheRoom: (born Ignatius Norman IgnatiusNorman Mathews (born The proverb “Ifatfirstyoudon’t Ambassador 63 WWW.NIAF.ORG BETWEEN THE PAGES 64 WWW.NIAF.ORG BETWEEN THE PAGES Ambassador W.W. &Company Norton Jamie McKendrick(Translator) Bassani By Giorgio The NovelofFerrara applies tolife—nevergiveup. arts constant pursuitforsuccessinthe memoir, you’ll realize thatMathews’ signing acontract. Afterreading his on the“wrong side”oftheroom for was notamanofmyowntimes.” Here wasthenascentindicationthatI a fadthatwillfadeinyearortwo.... sions” inrock music:“Surely, it’s just progres - lack of“elegantharmonic roll, Mathewscommentsaboutthe songsandchambermusic). art wrong eraforhismusicstyle(think inthe Mathews, whofeelshewasborn writes late bloomerateverything,” while reinventing himself. playwright, composerandpianist,all ney, stepbystep,tobecomea dancer, York City. You’ll alsofollowhis jour He alsodescribeshowheendsup of rock ‘n’ theemergence With “All mylife,I’vebeenavery — Robert Fanelli Bartus Jr. FanelliBartus — Robert - aristocrat’s socialpositionevaporates. tolerated untilheisexposed.AJewish homosexuality goesundiscussedand occurs likeaslowriptide.Adoctor’s tellsofexilethat Salò. Eachstory fortheSocialRepublicof overnight middleclassdumpsfascism scurrying long afterthewar, asafrightened, lingering unease andlostwarmth communities reject theirown. examines themyriadwaysinwhich volume.Eachstory in thisonelarge gets unifiedbytheauthor’s revisions separately between1952and1956, lection ofworks,originallypublished Bassani’s col- and inonemasterwork, Published inEnglishforthefirsttime during andaftertheWorld War II. being JewishandItalianmeantbefore, what wasithewantednow? whennooneexpectedhim: Returned awaythanhehadactuallycome. further faraway,He camefrom much from $39.95 hardcover 800 pages serves asbackdrop of serves Ferrara addresses what The NovelofFerrara by allforhumanexclusion. butofthepricepaid of ItalianJewry notonly isastory The NovelofFerrara and centralItaly.controlled northern when theSocialRepublicofSalò assumed namesinFlorence andRome he wrote: heandhiswifelivedunder critic, Bassaniknewtheexileofwhich find himselffêted,thenforsaken. to ofNazicampsreturns A survivor The renowned Italianauthorand — KirstenKeppel

Diversity Ads 2015_Ambassador 1/28/15 2:31 PM Page 1 N RNG

Te nations remier urban ubi universit eomes ou to onsider a areer in e or it at Te it niversit o e or ecome at of a vibat a talete commuity of faculty a taff at collee i e ok City eicate to evi moe ta tuet o ail fom moe ta coutie a eak moe ta lauae. mloymet ootuitie a a ie ae of buie tecical a tuet evice aea a ell a faculty oitio i may acaemic icilie. o moe ifomatio o CU a emloymet ootuitie leae viit .cuy.ob.

e ae committe to eaci ou ivee acaemic commuity by actively ecouai eole it iabilitie mioitie vetea a ome to aly. At CU talia Ameica ae alo iclue amo ou otecte ou. All ualifie alicat ill eceive coieatio fo emloymet a ill ot be icimiate aait o te bai of ay leally otecte cateoy. NOW IN AMERICA.

parmacottousa.com M the detached frescos were installedin walls theywere painted on.In1998, lously removing themfrom therock painted circa 30-20 B.C.bymeticu- decision wasmadetosavethe frescos Due toitsstateofdisrepair, adrastic but imminentlyimperileddiscovery. painted paradisewasanastonishing clinium’s (diningroom’s) luxuriant in 1861;thetri- finally unearthed umented byPlinytheElderandwas ofLiviahadbeenwell-doc- the Villa the Emperor . wifeof Dining RoomofLiviaDrusilla, most sublimelybeautiful:TheSummer known andleastvisited,perhaps antiquity isprobably theleastwell- A bitlostinthatincredible shuffleof andmonuments. ancientart preserved Dining RoomofLivia The Summer The existenceandlocationof extraordinary andwell- extraordinary Rome ishometothemost ore thananyothercity, tridges andgold finchestakeflight improbably blossoms asdoves,par spell ofenchantment.Alush Eden immersed asLivia’s garden castsits vista. open, airy walls seemtodissolveintoa serene, ing anysenseofconfinement asthe spreads outandencircles you,remov- the stunningillusionistgarden that of coolnessbythemoodcreated by rendered. You can feelthesensation summer oasisoftheimaginationwas , aserene In lieuofdiningalfresco in thescorching summermonths. common settingforrooms used dining room wasdugintorock, a summer. Livia’s semi-subterranean to staycoolduringthedogdaysof to thedimensionsoforiginal. ical Museum,inaspecialroom built Palazzo Massimo,Rome’s Archeolog- Allow yourselftobecompletely Evidently, theRomansknewhow - next timeyouvisitRoma! frescoes andcoins; anabsolutemust tensive collectionofstatuary, mosaics, chamomile, andmore! rel, acanthus,rose, poppy, iris,violet, oleander, lau- datepalm,strawberry, pomegranate, fig,orange,myrtle, pine, oak,red fir, cypress, quince, of vegetation,includingumbrella Scholars haverecognized aplethora of someanddarkertopsideothers. underside you canseeboththesilvery trees, well-rendered that,incertain a gentlebreeze through leavesso of You canalmostheartherustling a mesmerizingatmosphericeffect. in skywhosecolorvariationscreate and www.postcardsfromtheboot.com. herwebsites atwww.ladolcevitau.comVisit University. and authorofLaDolceVita Carla Gambesciaisawriter, photographer Palazzo Massimoalsohasanex- By CarlaGambescia Ambassador 67 WWW.NIAF.ORG ROOMS WITH A VIEW

S to becomefamiliar withtheHallofFame around age11, ple andendlesslygivingback. goal wasalwaysthesame.It wasalwaysabouthelpingpeo- the foodindustry, andcorporatebusinesses,butthe end politics, mademanyfriendsinsports, to dothat.George He wantedtoteach,andhe usedtheNIASHFasavessel the typeofpersonthatwas alwayslookingoutforothers. and howfartheycouldtakeyou. values ofdiscipline,hard work,commitment andfaith-- athletic achievementbuttosignifyandeducateabout the tions. Theseitemswere displayed,nevertosolelyshowoff received asdona- thatGeorge merable pricelessartifacts were justafewoftheinnu- ItalianArmy Franco Harris’s Manager oftheYear Award, andahelmetthatrepresented Trophy, MattBiondi’s Olympicmedals,Tommy Lasorda’s est treasures protected inside.AlanAmeche’s Heisman hood onTaylor Street. smack dabinthecenterofChicago’s LittleItalyneighbor Colangelo, to amulti-levelshrineinthenameofJerry Fame from thebackofalawofficeinElmwoodPark,Ill., tooktheHallof step,hardship andvictory, George every hiswife, Linda,byhissidefor American athlete.With properly valuethestrength andcourageoftheItalian to onwhatwouldbecomea42-yearjourney and started so strong thathequithisdayjobasabuyerforMotorola chose todevotemostofhisadultlifehonorthem. not onlylookeduptobutfeltinspired bytothepointthathe Pepwere menthat George andWillie ziano, PrimoCarnera American boxersofhisyouth.RockyMarciano, RockyGra- keeping tabsonallofhischildhoodheroes, thegreat Italian panded from ahobby. Helovedcollectingphotographsand in theChicagosuburbsatage77. HallofFame(NIASHF),passedawaysuddenly can Sports friend, mentorandfounderoftheNationalItalianAmeri- Wardazzo, Vietnam veteran,husband,father, grandfather, Ran- had tosaygoodbyeoneofitspurest icons.George albeitnecessary. that mostfinduncomfortable, for eternity. ofsadnessandreflection Itbringsthesorts aperson’sdeath loomsthelargest, lifeandworkcastaside By Wayne Randazzo George George wasmygrandfather’sGeorge firstcousin. Istarted That’s Randazzowasallabout.He whatGeorge auniqueplacewithsomeofsport’s great- It wastruly George’s inspirationandpassionforthisproject was theNIASHFin1977asavisionthatex- started George On July29,2019,theItalianAmericancommunity mere thought of it. In goodbye’s various formations, mere thoughtofit.Ingoodbye’s variousformations, less songswrittenaboutit,novelspennedatjustthe aying goodbyeisnevereasy. There havebeencount- - forever. HallofFame,willliveon National ItalianAmericanSports it hasonother lives.” except intheimpact some solace:“A lifeisnotimportant However, thewords ofthegreat Jackie Robinsonprovide with asidedishofbeingsimplyunready.ticularly hurtful and hundreds ofotherswere similarlyimpacted byGeorge. fortheHallofFameaswellaround thetimeIdid, terned Angeles Angelsdirector ofminorleagueoperations,in- became titansinChicagonewspapers.MikeLaCassa,Los Rozner, JohnKass andDanPompei,whoall cluding Barry launched thecareers ofseveralinthemediaindustry, in- professorial grips.Red,White&Green powerful, a seriouspassionintheirlivesandthatcameacross his related. Hewaslikethatwithallyoungpeoplefound moving upinthebroadcasting industry. mentor, who wasnotafraidtoboastaboutthewayI standingalongsidemeasadoting of allthatwasGeorge emceed manyoftheirinductionceremonies. Inthemidst written andeditedtheirofficialmagazine,havenow andtheNIASHF.around George forthem, I’veinterned in methen,andasIgotolder, Ispentalotmore time nized itasawaytohonorourheritage.Itwasinstilled Danza, SalBando,butevenmore importantly, Irecog- ceremony withmyfather. ImetMikeDitka,Lasorda, Tony myfirsttimeattendinganinduction and I’llneverforget and the longtime sports columnistforAmbassador magazine. and thelongtime sports sion play-by-play announcer for FS1, ESPN and Big Ten Network, televi - onWCBSNewsradio880.He’salso afreelance broadcasts Wayne Randazzoisaplay-by-playannouncerforNewYork Mets George Randazzo In that case, George Randazzo,hislegacyandthe In thatcase,George It’s withinallofthatwhichmakesthisgoodbyepar He wasn’t justlikethatwithme becausewewere Ambassador Magazine Magazine - 69 WWW.NIAF.ORG ON SPORTS 70 WWW.NIAF.ORG PENSIERI and TheOpioidEpidemic T Ambassador dinner tableis adailycelebrationof a focalpointof gettingtogether. The and community thatextrasmile.Itis food isthegluethatgivescelebration ceived byallfamilyandpaesani . And, sacramentre- forevery get theparties the FeastsofSaints,and don’t for prayers eachnight,celebration ofall community, Sunday, withMassevery from inSicily. Communityatitsbest. from thesametownmymomcame not really myauntandunclebutcame that UncleTommy andAuntTina were It wasquitedisappointingtofindout tious familymembersforthefunofit. by thedozens,wethrow intheficti- enough withaunts,unclesandcousins munity. Asifourfamiliesare notlarge loosely intheItalianAmericancom- Family, Friends, FaithandFood.” FourF’s…sum upthisculture as“the community. Likesomanyothers,I and the necessitytostayclosefamily Faith is an integral part ofthis Faith isanintegralpart used Family andfriendsare terms for support and sense of andsenseof paesani forsupport ican. It’s aculture derivedfrom Amer Italiannortruly not truly he ItalianAmericanculture is - - water withmorphine. Thesecond one containing plainwater, theother single ratina cagewithtwobottles-- ments. Thefirstenvironment wasa evaluated thehabitsoftwo environ- “Rat Park,”publishedin1981, that consider aCanadianstudy known as addictioncrisis. current of culturalandsocialvaluesthe betweenloss recognize acorrelation of culture andcommunity, itiseasyto how wegrew up,withastrong identity ful relationships. Whenyouthinkof to hard workandcultivating meaning- gratification derivedfrom dedication gratification insteadofthedelayed Weand drugs. selfishlycraveinstant apps, the24-hournewscycle,porn device phones, videogames,portable addiction atwork,Netflixbinging,cell unhappy. Nowmore thanever, wesee made iteasierforustofeelaloneand and lesscommitmenttofaith.Thishas given waytoalackoffamilystructure industrial societyanddigitalagehave how-was-your-day time. tohavefamily life andanopportunity To inperspective, putthistheory Unfortunately, thenewpost-

taking opioids as a cool way to party taking opioids asacoolwaytoparty Some people, youngandold,start someone becomes addictedtoopioids. of communityisnottheonly reason for theescape. like howtheyfeelwhileothers look who takeaprescription opioid do not There isareason whysomepeople ality experiencedwhileontheopioid. much betterreality thanthefalsere- community andwilltothrivewasa the absenceofisolation,sense toit. bottle andneverreturned only oncefrom themorphine-laced cy. InRat Park,mostoftheratsdrank daily activitiesoffood,funandintima- bythe rat communitywassurrounded ly overdosed. InRatPark,however, the the morphine-laced water and eventual- developed apreference, overtime,for ratintheothercage food. Thesolitary with spinwheels,ballsandabundant ment. RatParkhoused16to20rats and onewithoutmorphine. contained twowaterbottles--onewith environment, called“RatPark,”also I want to be clear that the lack I wanttobeclearthatthelack Researchers concludedthat,in wastheenviron- The difference NIAF Board Member NIAF Board By Dr. JohnRosa

Kimberly Boyles with youwhich,sadly, onlyscratchthe to share somethoughtsandadvice addiction prevention, soIwouldlike Myspecialtyisin federal government. sult forlocalmunicipalitiesandthe ture, writepositionpapersandcon- over theyearsandcontinuetolec- angleofthiscrisis others from every tient base.Ihaveeducatedmyselfand of theOpioidCrisisthrough mypa- experienced firsthandthedevastation pain medication.For20years,Ihave to helpingpeopleavoidtheneedfor have dedicatedmyprofessional life inthisfield,I agement. Asanexpert ginia thatconcentrateonpainman- andVir Medicine ClinicsinMaryland vulnerable toaddictionwebecome. that themore isolatedweare, themore ramp uptheaddictiveprocess. tive opioidstostreet-sold products that add muchstronger andmore addic- dealers resulted inaddiction.Drug for acuteandchronic pain,whichhas doctors haveover-prescribed opioids become addicted.Formanyyears, or gethighand,asaresult ofoveruse, I ownandmanage14Integrative The pointIwouldliketomakeis - •  •  •  ofthiscomplexproblem: surface therapist oracupuncturist. and agoodchiropractor, physical managed withanti-inflammatories trauma thatcouldhaveeasilybeen ailments andminor-to-moderate have beenwrittenforcommon tion. Millionsofopioidprescriptions meds butthisshouldbetheexcep- such severe traumawillwarrant Insomecases, ask foranalternative. pain, for non-cancerornonsurgical If yourdoctorprescribes anopioid use beginathome. recreational of children whostart unused medications.Ninetypercent medicine cabinetsanddisposeofall in mind,immediatelygointoyour not meanit’s this okaytotake.With friend’s householdbyadoctordoes to someoneintheirhouseholdora death. Justbecauseitwasprescribed ationally isapathtoaddictionand recre - opioid prescription drugs Make children aware thattaking dinner withyourfamily. Whether work atwork,andsitdownto tablet andcomputer, leaveyour the off Put thephonedown,turn or [email protected]. visit Dr. Rosa’s websiteatDrjohnrosa.com, ontheOpioidCrisis, information For more Administration andotherfederalagencies. Enforcement ofJustice,theDrug partment White House,HomelandSecurity, theDe- consultant toOpioidTask Forces andtothe Dr. John Rosa isastateandnational come. Itwillmeanoursurvival. Faith, andFoodtothegenerations down theFourF’s ofFamily, Friends, to ourheritageandcontinuepass American playbook.Let’s holdon be totakeapageoutoftheItalian would has noeasyfix.Butagoodstart ed problem wecallthe“OpioidCrisis” and onSundaysinchurch. day,every whileinprayerathome bestowed uponyouandthankGod the treasure oflifethathasbeen the onesyoulove.Bethankfulfor notalonebutwith turn, at every bors forsomepasta.Celebratelife to invitefamily, friendsandneigh- how tomakeit,andenough you callit“sauce”or“gravy,” learn This multifacetedandcomplicat- Ambassador 71 WWW.NIAF.ORG PENSIERI Insider CELEBRATE NIAF’S 44 YEARS NIAF WITH US!

It’s that time of year again! Walter Mondale, and 150 Members of NIAF’s Anniversary Gala! the Gala black-tie receptions that ThePlease join us November 1-2 for the Congress. Anniversary Washington Post columnist GalaMeanwhile, the GalaPreview Weekend lead into the centerpiece of the entire National Italian American Founda- Mary McGrory attended that bench- schedule is filled with events and Gala weekend—the NIAF 44th An- tion’s annual weekend celebrating mark event and wrote, “Never before festivities, distinguished honorees niversary Gala Awards Dinner where our shared heritage and culture, and in history” has there been a meeting and memorable moments! For two the Foundation will celebrate the Italian American pride! with more political power. days, Italian Americans and our 2019 NIAF Region of Honor, Molise, Our 44th Anniversary Gala Since then, NIAF has grown friends from Italy will take over the and recognize distinguished honor- Weekend takes place at the Omni in so many ways! We invite you to Omni Shoreham Hotel. We’re kicking ees. On the menu? A Molise-inspired Shoreham Hotel, in Washington, join us during the first weekend in off the weekend on Friday with NIAF dinner and plenty of live entertain- D.C. If you have attended any of our November to salute 44 years of ful- Aperitivo! for young professional Ital- ment! As the evening winds down, Anniversary Galas in recent years, you filling our mission as the only national ian Americans and Italophiles. Friday some guests who are just getting know these are heartfelt, life-chang- organization dedicated to preserving evening also features “An Evening started head to the infamous NIAF ing events you will never forget. and protecting the Italian American with Mary Ann Esposito”— a special, After Hours Party featuring Italian In 1975, a visionary group of heritage, culture and language; elegant dinner created and hosted by music, sing-alongs and dancing that dedicated leaders came together educating tomorrow’s leaders of the our favorite Celebrity Chef! goes late into the night! to create a national organization Italian American community; advo- On Saturday morning, the So, don’t miss out this year’s designed to serve and represent the cating on behalf of Italian Americans hugely popular Expo Italiana, the Gala Weekend events! Buy your Italian American community. The initial in the Nation’s Capital; promoting a largest annual Italian festival in the tickets today! Corporate and personal NIAF Gala Awards Dinner took place at positive image of Italian Americans; Nation’s Capital, opens its doors to the tribute sponsorships are available. For The Washington Hilton and attracted and serving as a bridge for cultural, public. It’s free and it’s fun! Last year more information, contact Jerry Jones more than 2,000 guests, among them commercial and governmental ties the Expo attracted more than 2,500 at 202-387-0600 or [email protected]. such notables such as President Ger- between the United States and Italy. guests, so get there early and stay For the Gala’s complete sched- ald Ford, presidential candidate Jim- That’s what you support when you the day! ule of events and to register online, my Carter, vice-presidential candidate donate to NIAF and when you attend Saturday evening starts with visit www.niaf.org/gala. WWW.NIAF.ORG

72 Ambassador Russo Brothers ItalianAmerican FilmFo- view thetopthree finalists’films for The the ItalianCultural SocietyofWashington; brush upyourItalianlanguage skillswith Bianco, chiefcarverofMount Rushmore; watch apresentation aboutLuigiDel Italian languageandtravelprograms; cigars, andsomuchmore! ian Vespas, curatedtoursofItaly, Tuscan free beveragesandespresso, iconicItal- and samplesofItalianculinaryartistry, the bestItalianwines,demonstrations and culture, thisyear’s Expowillfeature plus liveentertainment! Italian andAmericanexhibitors, commercial offerings andsamplesfrom showcase entertaining,educationaland 9 a.m.–4p.m.,whenExpoItalianawill crowd onSaturday, November2,from cord-breaking, fun-loving,Italophile came tolastyear’s Expo! tire EastCoast!More than2,500guests Capital andamongthelargest ontheen- annual ItalianfestivalintheNation’s Expo Italiana—Free!OpentothePublic! www.niaf.org/gala.visit your network.Opentothepublic.Fortickets, community. It’s aprimoopportunitytoexpand mingling withleadersoftheItalianAmerican complimentary aperitivobiteswhilemixingand fessionals willfeature Italian-stylecocktailsand for youngItalianAmericanandItalophilepro- November 1,from 6–8p.m.Thisspecialevent Weekend withourNIAFAperitivo!onFriday, NIAF Aperitivo! Throughout theday, about learn While emphasizingMoliseproducts We’re preparing foranotherre - NIAF’s ExpoItalianaisthelargest Young professional? Kickoff theNIAFGala bloodline pulsing through your veins! up andenjoy!You willfeelyourItalian registration, noticketstobuy, justshow event isFree andOpentothePublic!No easy go-toplacealldayonSaturday. This Shoreham HotelwillfindExpoItalianaan the free andfunNIAFphotobooth! ensack, N.J.!Anddon’t forget tostopby by ClementeBakeryfrom SouthHack- Italian Americanexhibitors.Lunchserved Lavazza, amongmanyotherItalianand of thefamousMeatballMartini?)and DelGrosso Foods(willthere beareturn ners, includingPeroni Nastro Azzurro, the 2019NIAFPhotoContest. and seethewinningphotographsfrom Landor, Italian; founderofLiveandLearn tion ofMolise’s “hiddengems”byJenifer wine andcuisine;drop inonapresenta- Iuliano foravirtualtourofMoliseculture, Experience’s chefandSommelierAntonio and chefAmyRioloItalianSensory Dolci Gelati;joinaward-winning author anluigi Dellacio,owneroftheD.C.-based tasting withWorld GelatoChampionGi- rum; headtoGelato101foralessonand An Evening with Mary An EveningwithMary Ann Esposito Gala guests staying at the Omni Gala guestsstayingattheOmni Come meetourspecialExpopart- Reserve your seats (or entire table!) now to experience a Reserve yourseats(orentire table!)nowtoexperiencea now atwww.niaf.org/gala. memorably delectable evening with Celebrity Chef memorably delectableeveningwithCelebrityChef Mary Ann Esposito as she takes you through an Mary AnnEspositoasshetakesyouthrough an elegant,three-course dinnerinspired bythecuisine ofMolise,theNIAF2019RegionHonor. Ciao Italia nationally televisedPBSseries,CiaoItalia , now celebrating AnnEsposito,nowcelebrating with Mary its 30thyear, makingitAmerica’s longest- running TV cooking series. She is also the running TVcookingseries.Sheisalsothe author of 13 cookbooks. Each ticket purchased author of13cookbooks.Eachticketpurchased includes a signed copy of her latest cookbook, includes asignedcopyofherlatestcookbook, . Seating is limited, so buy your tickets Italy. Seatingislimited,sobuyyourtickets in Ciao Italia:MyLifelongFoodAdventures Mary Ann is the creator and host of the Mary Annisthecreator andhostofthe

Your RoomNow! Reserve Foundation” roomblock. Foundation” andaskforthe“NationalItalianAmerican call:1-800-THE OMNI(843-6664) Forreservations, theclassyballroomandspaciousexhibitionarea! experienceaweekendattheseaccommodations, 2500CalvertStNW, inWashington,D.C.Come capital,locatedat thepremierhotelsinnation’s GalaWeekendattheOmniShorehamHotel,oneof Insider NIAF will be hosting its 44th Anniversary NIAF willbehostingits44thAnniversary Ambassador Ambassador 73

WWW.NIAF.ORG

74 ? WWW.NIAF.ORGWWW.NIAF.ORG Introducing Fox NewChannel and SundayMorning Futures on Street onFoxBusiness Network, Maria andBartiromo’sWall and anchorofMorningswith Two-time EmmyAward winner, Maria Bartiromo during theGalaAwards Dinner. Endgame). Thewinnerwillbeannounced America: CivilWar andAvengers: Marvel seriesofblockbusters(thinkCaptain directors ofthebox-office record-breaking the Russobrothers, they’re theHollywood American experience.Ifyoudon’t know makers depictingandexploringtheItalian Film Forum,aninitiativethatfundsfilm ists forTheRussoBrothers ItalianAmerican free screenings ofthe2019topgrant final- Film ForumFinalists Italian American Brothers’ Screening the2019Russo Ambassador

UPDATES Gala. Anniversary of NIAF’s 44th and becomingpart sponsoring theGala on purchasingtickets, moreinformation and for theGala,attending guests andcelebrities honorees, special on updates for www.niaf.org/gala Visit For abouttheNIAF44th moreinformation Gala,Anniversary contactusat202-939-3107

During the Expo Italiana, sit in on the During theExpoItaliana,sitinon

Insider

NIAF's experiences and luxury items. experiences andluxuryitems. the LiveAuctionfeaturingelitetravel standing ovations!Anddon’t forget tainment toamazeyou.Prepare for to bememorable,andtheenter to flow, theMolise-inspired dinner be ItalianAmerican,expectthewine make youstandupandbeproud to honorees whose personalstorieswill endary. Besidesalineupoffantastic Gala Dinner Saturday Night Commission of theU.S. Semiquincentennial Real estateinvestorandChairman Daniel DiLella NIAF’s GalaAward Dinnerisleg-

2019 Honorees 2019

grandfather’s storyatthisspecialpresentation. American history. Nowyoucanhearhisand for recognition ofhisgrandfather’s contributionto . Loufoughtforyears Unsung RoleasChiefCarver –AnItalianImmigrant’sThe LuigiDelBiancoStory Del Bianco,authorofOutRushmore’s Shadow: thanks tothetireless workbyhisgrandson,Lou recognized asMt.Rushmore’s chiefintagliatore Wait, Who BuiltMountRushmore? Washington, D.C. 595 3rd StN.W., Holy RosaryChurch, at November 3,atthe of the morning conducted inItalian, with aSundayMass, Finish GalaWeekend Mass inItalian Sunday Morning Italian immigrant Luigi Del Bianco has been Italian immigrantLuigiDelBiancohasbeen and Company CEO ofBecton,Dickinson Forlenza Vincent A. -

or visitwww.niaf.org/gala

sing-alongs, and dancing! Lots sing-alongs, anddancing!Lots featuring livemusic,spirited famous ItalianPartyinAmerica, night begins!Joininthemost After theGalaends,more late- that gown,letyourhairdown! Untie thatbowtie,changeoutof The NIAF After HoursParty!

American achievement atits highest levels! This year’s honorees exemplify Italian andItalian President oftheAFL-CIO TrumkaRichard L. today! today!  the GalaAwards DinneronSaturday. with MaryAnnEsposito”onFridayand entertain guestsduring“AnEvening songwriter ChiaraIzzi(from Molise)will Italiana. SpecialguestItaliansingerand i-Talians bandplayingduringtheExpo up everywhere! Don’t missthepopular public. Plus,liveentertainmentwillpop community are free andopentothe topics ofinterest totheItalianAmerican workshops andseminarsexploring Live Entertainment! There’s More!

Throughout theGalaWeekend, Christina Carlucci! Christina Carlucci! as willactress andsinger anticipated returnengagement, The SicilianTenors makeahighly just sayyouwere there! classics! Ifyoumissthisparty, Frank SinatraandDeanMartin of today’s tophitsalongwith be playingamix band i-Talians will of dancing!The of Companies The AmeriHealthCaritasFamily Chairman andCEOof Paul Tufano A.

Insider Mission to Italy 2019: Molise and Rome From June 23-28, members of NIAF’s Board of Directors traveled to Italy’s Region of Molise and to Rome for the 2019 Mis- sion to Italy, NIAF's annual visit to strengthen political, economic and cultural ties between the United States and Italy. While in Molise, NIAF Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrison, along with the delegation, visited Campobasso for the celebration of I Misteri, a religious procession comprised of 13 allegoric floats parading through Campobasso’s streets. On June 24, the delegation met with the Vice President of the Region of Molise Vincenzo Cotugno, followed by a lunch NIAF Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Senator Basilio Giordano, President of hosted by NIAF’s corporate sponsor, Colavita S.p.A., at St. Colavita S.p.A. Enrico Colavita, Vice President of Molise Vincenzo Cotugno Francis Convent in Sant’Elia a Pianisi. The delegation then vis- ited the convent and the Colavita facility before enjoying a wine tour and dinner at the Cantine Di Majo Norante in Campomari- no, hosted by Berardi. On June 25, in , the delegation visited Neuromed, a center specializing in neurosurgery, neurology and neurorehabil- itation, and met with its founder Aldo Patriciello. Later that day, NIAF Board members traveled to , where they met with Agnone’s Mayor Lorenzo Marcovecchio and toured the Marinelli Pontifical Foundry, Italy’s oldest family business, known for manu- facturing bells, bronze portals, bas-reliefs, and church artifacts. That evening, in Campobasso, NIAF Board members met with the 19 students participating in the 2019 Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery program for dinner. On June 26, the delegation traveled to Rome and attended the Secretary of State of the Vatican Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s pri- NIAF Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrision, Molise Vice President Vincenzo Cotugno, NIAF Sec- vate Mass in the ’s Basilica, followed by an exclusive retary Linda R. Carlozzi, NIAF General Counsel Joseph D. Lonardo, and NIAF Board Member dinner in the Vatican Gardens. Anthony S. DiSandro Jr. On June 27, NIAF Board members had their annual Board meeting in Leonardo S.p.A.’s headquarters in Rome. That eve- ning, Chairman Emeritus and Chairman of NIAF Italia Joseph V. Del Raso hosted a dinner for the delegation and other NIAF friends in the beautiful venue of the Mirabelle Restaurant at the Hotel Splendide Royal. — Carlo Piccolo

Former NIAF Pres- ident John M. Viola, NIAF Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Owner of Princess Beatrice, Colavita S.p.A. Enrico Colavita, and NIAF Secretary NIAF Chairman Emer- Linda R. Carlozzi itus Joseph V. Del NIAF’s Voyage of Discovery Raso, and NIAF Vice at dinner with the Mission Chair Anita Bevacqua to Italy delegation McBride at Mirabelle Restaurant in Rome

Photos by Carlo Piccolo

NIAF Mission to Italy delegation inside Saint Peter’s Basilica

The delegation at Neuromed in Pozzilli WWW.NIAF.ORG

Agnone Mayor Lorenzo Marcovecchio and wife with the NIAF delegation

76 Ambassador Insider

Princess Beatrice, John Viola (center at back) and the NIAF delegation in the Vatican Gardens

NIAF Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrison address the Mission to Italy delegation during its dinner with the students in NIAF’s 2019 Voyage of Discovery trip.

Italian American Congressional Delegation Dinner Former Congressman and NIAF Board Member Mike Ferguson, Speaker On July 11, NIAF hosted a reception and of the House , and dinner at RPM Italian in Washington, D.C., hon- Jeff Paravano, Tax Group Chair and oring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Managing Partner at BakerHostetler, the Italian American Congressional Delegation which sponsored the dinner. (IACD). Between courses of authentic Italian fare, Rep. Bill Pascrell, the 15 Members of Congress in attendance – co-chair of the Italian American including IACD Co-Chairs Rep. Bill Pascrell and Congressional Rep. Mark Amodei – gave remarks on their Italian Delegation, heritage, and what it means to them. NIAF also with NIAF welcomed two keynote speakers from either side General Counsel of the political aisle to speak on the current politi- Joseph D. Lonardo cal landscape. Attorney and RNC Committeeman Bill Palatucci represented the Republican Party, Co-chairs of the Italian American Congressional while former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Delegation Rep. Mark Amodei and Rep. Bill Obama and current CEO of the Messina Group Pascrell, with NIAF Co-Chair Gabriel A. Battista Jim Messina represented the . The evening was a wonderful way for NIAF to celebrate Italian American culture alongside Italian American public servants and thought leaders. — Phillip Donofrio

Kraig Siracuse, Rep. Brian Higgins and Rep. Mike Doyle NIAF Vice Chair Robert E. Carlucci and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Photos by Carlo Piccolo Front row: NIAF Chair Gabriel A. Battista, NIAF Vice Chair Anita Bevacqua McBride, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Bill Pascrell, NIAF Chairman Emeritus Joseph V. Del Raso and former Congressman Mike Ferguson; Back row: NIAF Vice Chair Robert E. Carlucci, NIAF Vice Chair John F. Calvelli and Rep. Mark Amodei

NIAF Executive NIAF Vice Chair John F. Calvelli, Vice President Frank former Congressman Rick Lazio, Giordano, Rep. John and CEO of the Messina Group Jim Larson and NIAF Messina Vice Chair Anita WWW.NIAF.ORG Bevacqua McBride Rep. Virginia Foxx, former Congresswoman Connie Morella, Rep. Doug LaMalfa and Rep. Rosa DeLauro Photos by Don Oldenburg

Ambassador 77 Insider NIAF Hosts White House Staff Dinner On July 30, NIAF hosted a dinner honoring the Italian American White House Staff Association (IAWHSA) at Aperto, in Washington, D.C. Guests enjoyed an authentic four-course meal prepared by Chef Luigi Diotaiuti. Present at the dinner were several Italian American White House staffers, including Public Liaison Assistant Andrew Giuliani, who leads IAWHSA. The dinner’s special guests included Caroline Casagrande, deputy assistant secretary for Academic Programs at the State Department, as well as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires Maurizio Greganti of the Italian Embassy. Guests enjoyed a four-course meal which included the deli- Top: Richard Chalkey, cious Cacio e Pepe as and Chef Diotaiuti’s flavorful tiramisù. Steven Munistieri, — Phillip Donofrio Dr. John Rosa, and Joseph Bottari; Right: Andrew Giuliani, Phillip Donofrio, and John Calvelli; Left: Anita Bevacqua McBride, Dino LaVerghetta, and Embassy of Italy Deputy Chief of Mission Maurizio Greganti Photos by Natalie Wulderk

Capitol Hill Wine Tasting Which are better wines, Italian or American? On July 25, at NIAF’s “VinOff” on Capitol Hill, more than 150 congres- sional staffers and NIAF friends sampled sparkling, white, and red wine wines from the United States and Italy and voted on which they preferred. NIAF Board Member and NIAF Government Affairs Committee Member Christopher Berardini welcomed the crowd and explained NIAF’s mission and involvement with the Italian American Natalie Wulderk Amanda Shaffer Congressional Staff Association (IACSA). Natalie Wulderk and Dennis Hull He also thanked A. Latteri, Beni di Bata- siolo, Colavita, Liber, Rodman’s, RWK IACSA Executive Board: Aaron Bill, Carla DiBlasio, Imports, Schneider’s, Sogno Toscano, Lauren Amendolara McDermott and Michael DeFilippis Valdo, The Wine Institute, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America for their gener- ous donations for the evening’s tasting. New IACSA President Lauren Amen- dolara McDermott welcomed new IACSA members while IACSA vice presidents Aaron Bill, Carla DiBlasio and Michael DeFilippis mingled with IACSA members Congressional Staffers and congressional staffers. Stephanie DeMarco, The evening was full of energy and Angela Herron and excitement. At the end, NIAF Govern- Noah Sadlier ment Affairs Manager Phillip Donofrio

WWW.NIAF.ORG tallied the votes and announced that the Italian wines won! — Natalie Wulderk Natalie Wulderk Francesco Portello

78 Ambassador fundraising event. fundraising event. Tournament proved tobeanothersold-out cational programs atNIAF’s 15thAnnual to benefitNIAFmembershipand edu- Club inWestbury, N.Y., Golferstee’dup of his1969winattheIndianapolis 500. reer. Thisyearmarkedthe50thanniversary and hisremarkable six-decaderacingca- spoke ofhisfamily’s emigrationfrom Italy with Andretti onstageinwhichAndretti pose. HelaterconductedaQ&Asession scholarships program totheevening’s pur young ItalianAmericansthrough itsrobust and connectedNIAF’s missiontoempower ber NicholasCaiazzowelcomedguests, City skylineontheHudsonRiver. enjoyed cocktailsandviewsoftheJersey vintage classicsdazzledguestsasthey Technology. Shinyluxuryracecarsand student attheMassachusettsInstituteof scholarship toTrevor Tesoriero, agraduate ed aNationalItalianAmericanFoundation racecar driverMarioAndretti whopresent- Kick Off Reception hosted legendary in NewYork, N.Y., NIAF’s NewYork Golf Golf TournamentNIAF —GabriellaMileti Sant’Elia aPianisi. andavisittotheoriginalColavitafactoryin procession. The tripwrappedupwithawinetastingin and witnessedCampobasso’s annualFestadeiMisteri abouttheancienttraditionofbagpipesinScapoli, learned how tomakecaciocavallocheeseatasmallartisanshop, visited Italy’s oldestfoundry, FonderiaMarinelli,learned recognized as “Borghi piùbellid’Italia.”InAgnone,they andFrosolone,like Sepino,Oratino, allnationally beauty withdaytripstotownsthroughout theregion—towns rest ofthetripwhere thestudentsdiscovered Molise’s raw capital cityofCampobassoservedasourbaseforthe American heroes ofWorld War IIatMonteCassino.The and quietatHadrian’s Villa andVilla d’Este. crowds foradaytriptoTivoliwhere theyfoundpeace City hastooffer. Thestudentstookabreak from the history andwalking—visitingallthemajorsitesEternal financial supportofAmbassadorPeter F. Secchia. the country, culture andheritageofItaly, allthankstothe American identitybybondingyoungItalianAmericansto all-expenses paidtriptoItalyhelpsstrengthen theItalian Rome andMolise,NIAF’s 2019RegionofHonor. The Discovery sent19ItalianAmericancollegestudentsto Voyage inRomeandMolise ofDiscovery On August 19, at the Glen Oaks On August19,attheGlenOaks The evening’s hostNIAFBoard Mem- On June18,attheClassicCarClub On theirwaytoMolise,theypaidhomagethe The two-weektripbeganinRomewithfourdaysof In June,theAmbassadorPeterF. SecchiaVoyage of - Cammarata andJoseph Tranchina New York Gala HonoreeAnthony Bruce Arella,Steven Markowitz,former and MarioAndretti` Tesoriero, NIAFBoardMemberNicholasCaiazzo, At thetournamentkickoffinJune,Trevor

Gabriella Mileti Julia Streisfeld Rome wherethe2019tripkickedoff. The studentsattheColiseumin eo-Perez onaprivatetouroftheColavitagrounds. Alessandra Mitrano,MikeFraioli,JackEnglehart,AlexAron- President ofColavitaSpAEnricotakesVODstudents Josiah LaRocco,GabriellaSantucci, Nathaniel Hirschmanduringan Sabrina Sales,JoelWalleyand espresso breakinOratino.

Howard Wechsler Natalie Wulderk

Biondi, SalMazzeo and ChrisVitale Caiazzo, ScottDiSarno, JosephTranchina, Antonio DePicciotto, EnzoPaternostro, JosephBellina,Nick Frank ,JamesHalpin,SusanPaolercio, Kevin Howard Wechsler Howard Wechsler Caravella andScottDiSarno Event ChairandNIAFBoard Member NickCaiazzowith scholarship winnerFrank

Julia Streisfeld Insider Gabriella Mileti Sant’Elia aPianisi. headquarters in group atColavita Voyage ofDiscovery Peter F. Secchia The 2019Ambassador Nick Caiazzo and EventChair Christian DeBiasi, scholarship winner Chris Vitale; Howard Wechsler Ambassador 79 WWW.NIAF.ORG Italian Musical Terms CROSSWORD

123

456

7

8

9

10 11

12

13

14 15 16

17

18 19

20

21

22 23

24

25

by Leon J. Radomile www.leonradomile.com

ACROSS DOWN SOLUTION

2 A drama set to music for 18 Second-highest vocal line 1 The highest vocal line 13 A stringed instrument Orchestra 25 22 Grave 22 Basso Profondo  Basso 24

20 Presto 20 singers 19 Leading male role 3 A tiny woodwind instrument in the arm Libretto 23

17 Fortissimo 17

and instrumentalists 21 Sung with no instrumental 5 Moderately slow walking 16 Leading female role Capella A 21

Prima Donna  Prima 16

4 Excited and fast accompaniment pace 17 Very loud Uomo Primo 19 Viola da Bracco da  Viola 13 18 Alto 18

11 Aria Aria 11 7 A keyboard instrument 23 A work containing the 6 Very slow 20 Very fast Timpani 15

10 Poco a Poco a Poco 10

9 A one-act comical words of an opera, 8 A vocal register right above 22 Slow and solemn, Fuoco Con 14

8 Falsetto 8

12 Genre of with musical or to modal voice range slower that largo Verismo 12 6 Pianissimo 6 9 Farsa 9

5 Andate 5 storylines based on 24 Very deep bass voice 10 Little by little, 7 WWW.NIAF.ORG

3 Piccolo 3

everyday life 25 An ensemble of slowly but steadily Agitato 4

1 Soprano 1

14 With fiery manner instruments 11 Piece of music, Opera 2 DOWN

15 Large drums usually for a singer ACROSS

80 Ambassador Ambassador Magazine is made possible with funding provided by the

Victoria J. Mastrobuono Fund supporting the National Italian American Foundation's initiatives and programming in education, the performing arts, literature and music. Ambassador National Italian American Foundation 1860 19th Street NW Washington, DC 20009-5501

202-387-0600