Tutto Italiano

Benvenuto a Tutto Italiano

For many, a trip to Italy includes visiting Venice, a city built on almost 120 islands connected by more than 400 bridges. Two of the most well known bridges are Ponte di Rialto, which crosses the Grand Canal, and Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), crossing the Rio di Palazzo (adjacent to Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica).

Visitors from the mainland have the option to arrive by airplane, train, car, or boat; with each mode of transportation – except by air – ending on the west side of the island. Those who land at the Marco Polo Airport (on the mainland) can charter a helicopter to Lido, a barrier island separating the lagoon of Venice from the Adriatic Sea. (Helicopter tours are also available.)

Last April, the People Mover, a railway shuttle, started operating between the “parking garage” on the manmade island of Tronchetto, the Marittima cruise and ferry terminal, and Piazzale Roma, the transportation terminal on the Grand Canal. From Piazzale Roma, visitors can take a boat ride – in a gondola or vaporetto (water bus) – to travel throughout Venice.

Venice for Visitors (Excellent source of information.)

Virtual Tours of Venice

Venice City Guide

Venice’s Palazzo Hotels

Venice Slide Show (YouTube)

Waving the Flag

Sbandieratori, flag wavers, are a popular tradition in Italy performing at festivals and other events in medieval or Renaissance costumes, depending on the history of the region. Flags are often hand painted and – with some groups – hand woven. The pole of the flag has a lead weight to balance it during tossing and landing.

While sbandieratori perform throughout the country, groups in Tuscany have a strong presence online. Check out the websites below for history, costumes, beautiful photographs, and videos. The last link is to an Easter 2011 performance.

Flag Wavers Association of Arezzo

Flag Wavers from Castiglion Fiorentino

Sansepolcro Sbandieratori

Sbandieratori dei Borghi e Sestieri Fiorentini

Sbandieratori dei Borghi e Sestieri Fiorentini (YouTube)

The Italian flag, Il Tricolore, dates to 1796, and is sometimes carried by a flag waver during a performance; however, following flag protocol, it is not tossed into the air. Each region in Italy has a flag, as do many provinces; but some provinces have a gonfalon – a banner or pennant that hangs vertically from a crossbar. Many flags and gonfalons include a coat of arms.

In January 2003, the Italian government announced the official textile colors of the flag. A controversy over the colors erupted when a flag displayed at the Rome office of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was said to be in different shades or green, white, and red.

History of the Italian Flag (In Italian) Scroll down for photos of the evolution of the flag from 1796.

Italy’s Regional Flags (Scroll down and click on each region.)

Wave of the Future

From television shows to concert halls, three teenagers from Italy are introducing an old style of music to a young generation of American music lovers. The trio, Il Volo, recently completed a tour of America and has left its mark – its music – in the States.

Introducing Il Volo (You Tube)

Il Volo on American Idol (YouTube)

Buon anno, buon tutto, buona vita,

Janice Therese Mancuso

Author of Con Amore

Thirty-One Days of Italians

Support Italian American History in America's Schools

Make a donation for Italian American Education

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Important note: Your email address is never distributed, and I do not send any unsolicited or forwarded email. Likewise, I do not accept forwarded emails and I do not open attachments unless from a certified source.

Please Note: On the date of publication, the links in this newsletter were current. In older newsletters, some links may be inactive if the URL has changed or is no longer available.

Notice About Links: If your copy of Tutto Italiano does not include active links, please go to the website of the Italian Historical Society of America at http://www.italianhistorical.org/page4.html to read the online version. Tutto Italiano is usually posted on the IHSA within a week or so of being emailed to all readers.

To Unsubscribe: Send an email with Tutto Italiano as the Subject and the email address that it was delivered to, along with the word “unsubscribe” as the message.

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©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission except when quoted for promotional purposes. Publish with this credit: Excerpted from Tutto Italiano ©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. www.jtmancuso.com

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Tutto Italiano

Benvenuto a Tutto Italiano

One hundred and fifty years ago, the United States was at war, a war within the boundaries of the country. At the same time America was fighting to divide, Italy had won its fight to unite, a fight that also took place within its boundaries. With a few battles to be fought before the entire country was unified, in 1861, Italy became a united kingdom.

While many lost their lives for Italy’s freedom from foreign rule, three men took the lead for the cause. Italian patriot Giuseppe Mazzini, Prime Minister (of the Kingdom of Sardinia) Count Camillo di Cavour, and revolutionist Giuseppe Garibaldi brought freedom to Italy; but of the three, Giuseppe Garibaldi became a national and world hero. He was in exile from Italy when he fought for freedom in South America (1834-1848), and – in exile again – he lived on Staten Island for a while.

In 1860, with his 1000 Red Shirts, Garibaldi overthrew the Kingdom of Naples, and this important event in Italian history was being watched from across the Atlantic Ocean. A year later, Garibaldi was offered a position as major general in the Union Army. He declined, remained involved in other revolutionary causes, and spent the later years of his life and died on Caprera, a small island located off the northeastern coast of Sardinia.

Garibaldi was the subject of a painted panorama that measures 273 feet long. Noted as a precursor to motion pictures, panoramas were unrolled before an audience. The Garibaldi Panorama (Previously mentioned in the June 2008 issue of Tutto Italiano.)

The Italian Unification

Giuseppe Garibaldi Collection

Caprera e Garibaldi (YouTube)

Bully for Garibaldi (Article about the Civil War; New York Times)

Italian American Heritage

October is Italian American Heritage Month, or Italian Heritage Month, or Italian Culture Month, or Italian Heritage and Culture Month, or Italian History Month, or …

To celebrate the contributions made to America by Italians and Italian Americans, organizations throughout America have given it many titles. Currently, proclamations for Italian American heritage month have been officially acknowledged by bills passed only at the state level; but a bill has finally been introduced to U.S. Congress to permanently decree October “Italian and Italian American Heritage Month.”

The organization behind this national movement is UNICO. In previous newsletters dating back to 2008, information has been provided to support UNICO by contacting your state representatives and urging them to pass a bill recognizing October as “Italian and Italian American Heritage Month.”

Below are just a few links to organizations that work to promote and honor our heritage and culture.

UNICO

The Italian Heritage and Culture Committee of New York

Italian American Heritage Month Committee

American Italian Heritage Association

Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans

Thirty-One Days of Italians

Celebrate each day in October by learning about a person of Italian heritage who has made a significant contribution to America. The 2011 List of Thirty-One Days of Italians is now available.

In September 2006, while researching for the October issue of Tutto Italiano, I found very limited information about Italian American Heritage Month and thought that something had to be done to not only preserve our heritage, but also to educate others about the extraordinary contributions those of Italian heritage had made to America. Thinking about Black History Month, I thought that each day should honor one person and Thirty-One Days of Italians was born.

Based on my research, I compiled an initial list and soon realized there were many more accomplished Italians and Italian Americans than days in the month. I created a List of Honorary Members – those who must be on the List every year, and for the remaining days, decided that to get others involved and keep Thirty-One Days of Italians interactive, an annual vote would be held.

Now in its fifth year, Thirty-One Days of Italians has evolved to provide numerous resources for those of Italian heritage who have made significant contributions to America. This year Ernest and Julio Gallo; John N. LaCorte; and Sabato Rodia have been voted onto the List.

Frank Capra, Fiorello La Guardia, Mario Lanza, and Giovanni Verrazzano have been voted onto the list each year since its inception. Those making repeat appearances in 2011 include Helen Barolini, Giovanni Caboto, Geraldine Ferraro, Daniela Gioseffi, Lee Iacocca, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. View the complete 2011 List of Names at Thirty-One Days of Italians and learn more about each person by going to the Index of Names.

A PDF of the 2011 List, courtesy of the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey, is posted on the website of the Italian Historical Society of America. The List is a single page formatted into three columns and includes photographs. It’s eye-catching and informative. Download and print to distribute to businesses (especially Italian restaurants and pizzerias), schools, and local clubs. Help spread the word about Italian and Italian American Heritage Month.

Con Amore

“The East End of Long Island sets the scene for a group of chefs attending a weeklong conference on Italian food. Food journalist and cooking instructor Janine Fiori is thrilled to be invited, but her enthusiasm fades as she encounters a series of puzzling events. Romance, a bit of suspense, the history of Italy, and numerous recipes combine to create a story about love, food, and life.”

Con Amore is now an ebook. It can be downloaded for Kindle, Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and other formats. The electronic version includes a linked table of contents (with chapter recipes) that allows the reader to navigate through the book by chapter. Some minor changes were made to the text for clarity and to bring the story up to date. The ebook also has color photographs of some of the recipes. If you don’t have an eReader, you can read ebooks on your computer with EPUB. Download the software free from Adobe Digital Editions.

A new website for Con Amore is also in the works. The website will feature step-by-step color photographs of many of the recipes (see Chocolate and Almond Stuffed Pears); discussion guides for reading groups; reviews; and author’s notes about the characters, setting, recipes, and other aspects of the book.

To sample (read the first six chapters) or purchase Con Amore visit my page at Smashwords. (http://smashwords.com/b/88866) For purchase, the ebook is regularly $3.99, but for the month of October, it is offered at a 25 percent discount, for a special price of $2.99. This offer expires October 31st, and must include coupon code UN48P. Share this offer with family, friends, and co-workers.

Read about the adventures of Janine Fiori, learn about the history of Italy and Italian food in America, try some great recipes, and enjoy a story of romance touched with suspense. Download Con Amore here.

Italians and Wine

Italian immigrants greatly influenced the wine industry in California. Read my article “Robert Mondavi: A Passion for Wine” on the website of La Gazzetta Italiana.

Buon anno, buon tutto, buona vita,

Janice Therese Mancuso

Author of Con Amore

Con Amore Ebook

Thirty-One Days of Italians

Support Italian American History in America's Schools

Make a donation for Italian American Education

*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*~<>~*

Important note: Your email address is never distributed, and I do not send any unsolicited or forwarded email. Likewise, I do not accept forwarded emails and I do not open attachments unless from a certified source.

Please Note: On the date of publication, the links in this newsletter were current. In older newsletters, some links may be inactive if the URL has changed or is no longer available.

Notice About Links: If your copy of Tutto Italiano does not include active links, please go to the website of the Italian Historical Society of America at http://www.italianhistorical.org/page4.html to read the online version. Tutto Italiano is usually posted on the IHSA within a week or so of being emailed to all readers.

To Unsubscribe: Send an email with Tutto Italiano as the Subject and the email address that it was delivered to, along with the word “unsubscribe” as the message.

Reminder: Changing your email address? To continue receiving Tutto Italiano, email changes to jtmancuso@earthlink.net, providing both previous and current address. Please mention that you subscribe to Tutto Italiano.

©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission except when quoted for promotional purposes. Publish with this credit: Excerpted from Tutto Italiano ©2011 by Janice Therese Mancuso. www.jtmancuso.com

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Last Day

Our last day in Orsara was filled with laughter, good food and excellent company.

We all went to St. Nicholas for mass.  This helped start our day off.  

It is always hard on the last day of such an amazing trip.  But Peppe outdid himself!

We enjoyed a 5 hour lunch, a true "Abbaffata"... those long leisurely meals Italians are noted for.  We feasted and tried to soak up all we could on this very last day.

Each participant gave us such insightful comments and thoroughly enjoyed their visit.  What a treat to share this experience with those who came.  Our relatives of Orsara embrace us and those we bring every year with open arms. Such blessings.  

We will be home before we know it... Arrivederci Family, new friends, Peppe, Orsara and Italia!   May we see you again and share more lovely moments over a good meal and nice glass of wine. 

Tours of Orsara

Today we toured the vineyards at Peppe Zullo!  Over the past 3 years, Peppe has been working on a museum and vine tasting area.  It is amazing to see how his projects are coming to fruition and the dream is now more and more a reality. We were able to enjoy a wine tasting as well.

We also took a tour to the gardens, once more, to see the layout of his plantings.  Peppe also has livestock, swans, pigs, ducks and more.  So very interesting to see how this truly is a sustainable farm, supporting the restaurant, cooking school and reception hall.  Which there was a wedding this evening, complete with fireworks!  Such a splendid night for an outdoor reception.  They celebrated well into the night and wee hours of the morning.

After our farm and vineyard tours... we made our way into town for lunch at the restaurant Medina.  This is the same place we ate last year and met more relatives.  They were happy to see us again and of course the food was bounissimo!

Then we were treated to a tour of St. Michael's Grotto.  This grotto was a popular pilgrimage in the 18th century.  As the town's patron Saint, one never has to fear for St. Michael is always near!
 
Being in town is always a sweet surprise, because we never know which relative we will meet!   We were able to meet up with some of our family and truly it is a special event for all.

Tomorrow is a last day.. so much to be grateful for this year on our trip. 

Trulli, Olive Oil and the Forno

Yesterday we enjoyed a trip to visit the Trulli.  This was in the Apuglian Town of Alberobello.  Some people have called this town a little hobbit town with little hobbit houses.  Certainly one can see why as they are such an interesting architecture! 

Many theories about why they are built in this fashion.  Some are due to the tax collectors... as they were built with dry stone, they could be dismantled easily and when the tax collector was gone, they could easily reassemble. 

After this town, we went to visit Masseria Cusmai, where they produce, bottle and distribute Olive Oil.  This olive oil is a brand that is carried and sold from La Campagna.  In fact, we saw our order being packaged up and ready for shipment to the states!   We were also treated to a special processing of the olive curing process.  This is where they take the ash from the olive trees to cure the olives the old fashioned way; such an interesting process to see and experience. 

We continued to the town of Cisternino for dinner.  The type of cooking we observed is called Forno, where they take a roast and put it on the spit, but instead of roasting it on the fire, they actually put it into a wood oven. 

Our days are starting to come to a close... soon we will be back in the states.  As with all returns home we are happy to be home, excited to share our experiences and yet we find we long to return a little bit sooner that we had planned to this beautiful place! 

A Day of Flour

Today was our day to experiment with flour.  Flour is such a staple to most Italians, as it helps to make the bread, dough for pizza, desserts for feast days and of course pasta. 

Pasta is staple to most Italians and come in many shapes and textures.  We were able to get our hands in the flour and experiment with various types.  The fun of course came when we were able to enjoy our edible creations and eat! 

It seemed all day to day was focused on pasta and we ate until our hearts were content.  Each pasta was accompanied by its own sauce. 

A day of flour and pasta, what more could one want to warm the heart and fill the belly? 

The Gargano Pennisula

Yesterday we enjoyed a full day from 7 am to 9 pm!  The weather was beautiful and the tour of the Gargano Peninsula breathtaking.  In the picture to the right it is that piece of land that juts out into the Adriatic Sea.

Our tour took us to see the Trabuco fishing that is done in the area.  The fisherman cast out the nets and whatever is caught is served.  Of course we ate some of the best appetizers imaginable.  From razor clams, to sea urchin, shrimp, etc.  

Afterwards we drive around the coastal shores observing the people and the way of life.  This is how you understand the food when you see the land and sea, you know why they do what they do to their food.  It is this connection to our food source and our table that we honor on this trip.


On our journey we continued to the
Porta di Bosso Restaurant.  Food and Wine Magazine have hailed this chef for his culinary mastery and we were so honored to be able to meet him and enjoy his interpretation of what food means to him.  If you click the link above, it will take you to his site to see where we ate and what type of culinary masterpieces he served us.  This was an outstanding meal, from the squid ink ravioli stuffed with branzino, the white fish topped with potatoes, the monk fish bruschetta, the red snapper with honey, the blue fish cigadelli pasta... well a treat for certain to savor the bounty of the sea. 

To paint the picture of his restaurant... we were 90 meters high off the cliffs overlooking the Adriatic Sea.  We watched the scuba divers, the boats and the swimmers enjoying nature as it was intended.  The fresh sea air just transported you to another dimension of appreciation for what we experienced.  To say we all enjoyed ourselves is an understatement.  To end such a wondrous experience, we sipped on limoncello.   


Our tour continued on and took us to see the coastline once again around the town of Manfredonia.  Then we ventured back to Orsara.

This trip is memorable in many ways, the new friends we have made that chose to travel with us from Cleveland to the family connection between our mother and her youngest brother.  To see them laugh, enjoy in the land and town of their parents is so remarkable. The years seem to fade away and those family bonds are ever present. 

Orsara our Home Base

The past couple of days we have been enjoying the lovely hospitality of Peppe Zullo.  He has created for us a most memorable experience, as we are eating the produce grown from his own gardens and drinking the wines from his vines. 

The beginning of the week, we enjoyed a unique opportunity.  We were part of a documentary looking at the phenomena of American's traveling to Italy to learn about the food cultivation.  A Professor of Roma, and his camera man, took film footage of us out in the gardens picking the elderberries that would later be made into a marmalada.  We also helped select the figs and fresh herbs that would later be used in our meals that evening. 

Our meals have been so carefully crafted to provide for us a true taste of the earth.  Each item is hand picked fresh that day and used in a manner that showcases its essence.  Truly this is a culinary tour like no other and we are blessed to be here. 

Some of the meals include, fresh greens over freshly made pasta, potatoes that are boiled, peeled and then baked with herbs and sea salt, which create a most unique type of french fry!  Rabbit and lamb roast with a fresh vegetable stew alongside garden greens were enjoyed another night.  Each meal is an event itself as we hear the story of the ingredients and their journey to our plate.  This is what slow food and earth to table really are!

It has also been an interesting time watching our American relatives interact with the Italian ones they have never met.  We all got a great big chuckle to watch our uncle talk politics with the locals.  This was a favorite pastime growing up and over the years it has disapated.  To witness this type of discourse was thrilling and brang back so many memories when we were children. 

We also met some cousins that we have not met before.  These meetings are so full of joy.  If you have ever met long lost relatives, you know this feeling of embrace and knowing that exits. 


All of us are having a wonderful time enjoying the weather, the food and the companionship.  A blessing most definitely! 

Meeting the Cheese Master

Sunday we visited the Vatican, and for some it was their very first experience.  This was such a blessed experience to witness the grandure of Rome through the eyes of others. 

After, we started our journey to Peppe Zullo's in Orsara, but with a stop along the way to visit with a Master Cheese Maker.  This time of the year, they are making the herbed cheeses with various cows, sheep and fresh herbs.  It was wonderful to see how the different varieties were changed with the diet of the animals.  There were two colors to the milk, pure white and more of a yellowish tint.

To sample all of these cheeses were a real treat.  What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. 

Then we continued on our journey to Peppe Zullo's for our evening meal.  Wood fired pizza with scamotz and of course wine.  So nice to see our dear friend once again. 

Arrived in Rome!

Today was our first day in Italia.  We left yesterday around noon with a connection in Philadelphia.  As the past couple of trips didn't afford us any time in Roma, this trip we decided it was time to make it part of the itinerary.  We are lucky to be traveling not only with our Mama, but with her brother and our nephew.  For them it is their first trip to Italia.  We are excited to see what our Uncle thinks of the "old country" as he grew up hearing the stories from his parents.  We are also excited to see what our nephew thinks of his heritage.

Taking trips like this to the home country, is so special.  It is a joy to bring new people here to share our heritage, customs and culture.  Of course, my brother, mother and I are so happy to see our relatives once again and share the events that have transpired over the past year.  Family bonds are close ties that bind us all together.

Later on we will head to Orsara and begin our culinary tour!

Wish you were all with us on this splendid journey.