Italian Catholics Share Your Memories Here!

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Ciao! all Italian Cattolico and Italian Catholic wannabees!
I am starting this thread for all to share memories about Italian Catholic experiences. Include your good holiday memories too.

**I have a hunch many memories will be centered around food! **

My grandparents were wonderful hardworking people. Both sets were from Sicily. My best memory was simply sitting sandwiched between my grandparents on a pew at church. Wow! I felt special! I won’t ever forget the cookie tray from the Italian Bakery every Easter.

What good memories can you add?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y188/ginnyroc/papalflag.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/y188/ginnyroc/th_italianflag.jpg
 
Hello

One of my memories is actually going to Italy with my mother to see her brother and sister and rest of the family I was 10.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.
 
Saint Andrew:
Hello

One of my memories is actually going to Italy with my mother to see her brother and sister and rest of the family I was 10.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.
Click to expand...
You haven’t returned? Oh no!
How long ago did you go?
I have never visited but hope to within the next year or two. My husband and I have been dreaming about this for quite awhile. We just aren’t sure if we should go with a tour group the first time or wing it on our own.
 
This wasn’t really a big catholic event, but a few days ago most of my family all got together for a suprise party. We had it catered, and the caterer’s brought in a pan and go “Here’s a dish of Swedish Meatballs!” My uncle yelled “Swedish? We’re all 's here! Wheres the Italian Meatballs?”
Humourous at the time 👍
 
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CatholicCid:
This wasn’t really a big catholic event, but a few days ago most of my family all got together for a suprise party. We had it catered, and the caterer’s brought in a pan and go “Here’s a dish of Swedish Meatballs!” My uncle yelled “Swedish? We’re all 's here! Wheres the Italian Meatballs?”
Humourous at the time 👍
Click to expand...
Any Italian family get together is a holy event!?!

Swedish Meatball?!! Fire that caterer!!!
 
Last summer I attended a wedding of a relative on my father’s side of the family. The church was full beyond belief. They were all Italians and they were rocking with prayer and song. I could not believe the roar when everyone responded. We all blew the priest away and believe me when I say the priest was a strong magnificant opera quality tenor with a mammoth voice.
 
Woohooo! Viva la sicilia e tutti siciliani!!! Bravi sono! Bravi! :dancing: 👍

We lived in Sicily for three years - about a third of the way up the side of l’etna, above a beautiful church, Santa Maria della Guardia in the suburb north of Belpasso. On feast days, there would be fireworks going off right at the level of our balcony from the small piazza in front of the church.

There are a couple of pictures of the church in this photo album. sicily-photos.com/citta.cfm?citta=Belpasso&StartRow=1

Across the street from the church was Condorelli’s - a snack bar and candy/pastry store. At feast times, the Condorelli windows would be full of amazing displays of the miniature fruits and vegetables made from pasta di mandorle - almond paste. This included the usual apples and oranges and pears, but also prickly pears - the ubiquitous “ficchi d’india” brought by Arab conquerors.

During the patroness’s feast days - Santa Lucia - the main street downtown would fill with vendors - toys and fireworks and food.

“Crispelli di riso” - an orange-rind flavored, pasty dough made with rice and formed into fingers which are then deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar (lo zucchero a velo) and drizzled with honey. Another version leaves out the sugar and orange rind and the dough is formed around a salt-preserved whole anchovy and then deep fried.

Another festival-time rice confection is “arancini” - they resemble little oranges. A rice mixture is formed in the hands with a small depression into which is poured a meaty red sauce. More rice covers the sauce and an “orange” is formed, rolling it into an egg wash and then seasoned bread crumbs and deep fried. Delicious!

Then there are “cornetti” - little tubes of pastry filled with chocolate or vanilla or lemon crema and topped with powdered sugar.

I was lucky to have a wonderful friend who taught me how to cook. I still use a cookbook - “La Cucina Siciliana” - full of fabulous recipes. I have to resort to an online translator, these days - my fluent Italian is more or less gone - but the food comes out well!

Oh dear… now I’m hungry and “homesick.” :crying:

We’re hoping to go back in about two years - and next time, I will be a pilgrim, too! :love:
 
Italian American Catholics - Italian Cattolico!

Più!
Più storie!

More!
More Stories!
 
everybody is Italian on August 15 in Cleveland for “Feast” the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption on Murray Hill, the old Italian neighborhood. Procession, street fair, and omigosh the food. I’m crying, no cannoli in sotex
 
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puzzleannie:
no cannoli in sotex
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Don’t cry!
You can order shells online if you don’t want to make them yourself.

If I can’t get to an Italian bakery I go to the many grocery stores in my area and buy boxed ready made shells. I have made my own shells too. I use aluminum tubes. Some use thick wooden dowels.
 
St. Joseph’s feast day March 19th! Food, food, food and rosary in Italian!
 
–San Gennaro festival in Little Italy in NYC in Sept!
–Grilled Italian sausages with peppers and onions
–Homemade pasta–fettucine and lasagne
–The perfume of grandma’s spaghetti sauce (no oregano or bay, just basil)
–The Italian grandmothers in their black dresses and black lace scarves at Mass
–Pictures of the Pope on the wall at Nonna’s house
–Viva le Marche! Viva i Marchegianni!
 
Hello Comtempative

I been to Italy in 1983 (4 weeks), 1993 (4 weeks) and 2001 (2 weeks) to see relatives and to Rome in 2000 for 5 days.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.
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contemplative:
You haven’t returned? Oh no!
How long ago did you go?
I have never visited but hope to within the next year or two. My husband and I have been dreaming about this for quite awhile. We just aren’t sure if we should go with a tour group the first time or wing it on our own.
Click to expand...
 
contemplative said:
Ciao! all Italian Cattolico and Italian Catholic wannabees!
I am starting this thread for all to share memories about Italian Catholic experiences. Include your good holiday memories too.

**I have a hunch many memories will be centered around food! **

My grandparents were wonderful hardworking people. Both sets were from Sicily. My best memory was simply sitting sandwiched between my grandparents on a pew at church. Wow! I felt special! I won’t ever forget the cookie tray from the Italian Bakery every Easter.

What good memories can you add?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y188/ginnyroc/papalflag.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/y188/ginnyroc/th_italianflag.jpg
Click to expand...

Hopefully when you say Italian you mean those actually BORN on Italy??? I do know a few friends who have been here a few years, and were BORN there. They are very nice. Sometimes the second or third generation (some don’t even speak italian) change and loose the welcoming kind, and graciousness that distinguishes Italians from Italy. Over there they are soooooo kind and welcoming of everyone.
 
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misericordie:
Hopefully when you say Italian you mean those actually BORN on Italy???
Click to expand...
Ooops!
American Italian Catholics & Italian Catholics
 
I’ve noticed a difference between East Coast/ Midwest American Italians and West Coast Italian Americans…Or maybe it’s the period into which they were born.

My husband’s father wants to be the All-American Boy (he’s in his 80s). He was born and raised in California. He doesn’t eat a lot of Italian food. His father was born in California, was a combination fisherman and carpenter. Nonno went to Italy to get Nonna. His great-grandparents were born in Sicily and came over to work in what is now the suburbs of San Fancisco.

His sisters, excepting one, seem to bend over backwards NOT to be Italian.

They don’t seem to make gravy with a braiscole, and they put netmeg in the tomato gravy.

A restaurant (Italian Chicago-style) in Northern California didn’t have cannoli. They said that it wasn’t catching on there, people couldn’t figure it out.

My husband was unaware of St. Joseph’s Day- one of his own patrons!- until I introduced him to it. He does remember his Nonna making ravioli during Lent that contained only scrambled egg.

In the Midwest and on the East Coast, what’s not to like? Being Italian is like…breathing, if you’re Italian. It is almost a favor God has bestowed upon one, an Italian heritage!

I DO keep up some of my husband’s traditions, the ones I could extract from the one aunt. I make sure we have homemade ravioli on the table for Christmas. I guess Nonna used to dragoon “the girls” (my husband’s aunts) into creating piles upon piles of ravioli for Christmas. She had a production line, with boards spread on saw horses in the attic. I also make biscotti and all the little cookies by hand- at Christmas time.

During the rest of the year, I cheat. We have more than our fair share of grocers that carry Italian imports and Italian goods here. My granddaughters and I take a walk through one popular supermarket that has all the best Italy has to offer. The only Italian food those girls (preschool and early elementary age) won’t try is squid salad. “How do you KNOW it’s octopus?” the younger asked the elder. “Are you BLIND? Don’t you see all those octopus arms in it? And look, under the onion- there’s a poor little baby octopus! Nonnie, can we have confetti instead?” replied the elder one. “I want cannoli,” replied the younger.

Annie, my best friend lives outside Waco. How far south are you talking? I lived in San Antonio and Houston, and I can understand. Dowels will work for cannoli rods, but I know you can order stainless steel rods.
 
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OutinChgoburbs:
I’ve noticed a difference between East Coast/ Midwest American Italians and West Coast Italian Americans…Or maybe it’s the period into which they were born.

My husband’s father wants to be the All-American Boy (he’s in his 80s). He was born and raised in California. He doesn’t eat a lot of Italian food. His father was born in California, was a combination fisherman and carpenter. Nonno went to Italy to get Nonna. His great-grandparents were born in Sicily and came over to work in what is now the suburbs of San Fancisco.

His sisters, excepting one, seem to bend over backwards NOT to be Italian.

They don’t seem to make gravy with a briscole, and they put netmeg in the tomato gravy.

In the Midwest and on the East Coast, what’s not to like? Being Italian is like…breathing, if you’re Italian. It is almost a favor God has bestowed upon one, an Italian heritage!

I DO keep up some of my husband’s traditions, the ones I could extract from the one aunt. I make sure we have homemade ravioli on the table for Christmas. I guess Nonna used to dragoon “the girls” (my husband’s aunts) into creating piles upon piles of ravioli for Christmas. She had a production line, with boards spread on saw horses in the attic. I also make biscotti and all the little cookies by hand- at Christmas time.

During the rest of the year, I cheat. We have more than our fair share of grocers that carry Italian imports and Italian goods here. My granddaughters and I take a walk through one popular supermarket that has all the best Italy has to offer. The only Italian food those girls (preschool and early elementary age) won’t try is squid salad. “How do you KNOW it’s octopus?” the younger asked the elder. “Are you BLIND? Don’t you see all those octopus arms in it? And look, under the onion- there’s a poor little baby octopus! Nonnie, can we have confetti instead?” replied the elder one. “I want cannoli,” replied the younger.
Click to expand...
Againb, funny though how much of a difference there is between real Italians, for example the ones who are born and raised in Italy, and maybe come here to visit, and those who are wanabees.
 
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OutinChgoburbs:
I’ve noticed a difference between East Coast/ Midwest American Italians and West Coast Italian Americans…Or maybe it’s the period into which they were born.

This difference in association to Italian heritage is apparent from town to town where I live. Much has to do with the population of Italians. I grew up in a small town dominated by Irish and Germans. Keeping my Italian heritage was more difficult than my husband who grew up in a predominately Italian neighborhood. I really learned about Italian foods after I married him! I will never forget my husbands grandmother teaching me how to cook stuffed artichokes.

My husband’s father wants to be the All-American Boy (he’s in his 80s).

His sisters, excepting one, seem to bend over backwards NOT to be Italian.

I understand. My husband’s grandfather dropped the ‘Di’ from his name! Too bad!

In the Midwest and on the East Coast, what’s not to like? Being Italian is like…breathing, if you’re Italian. It is almost a favor God has bestowed upon one, an Italian heritage! True
Click to expand...
 
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