L'Italo-Americano

THURS DAY,   MARCH  14,   2013 L'Italo-Americano PAGE  17 Nel Vecchio Vicinato NICKOLAS MARINELLI Unlike the Italian community of Southern california, the Italian community of San Francisco doesn't celebrate La Festa di San Giussppe (Saint Joseph's Day) with the same gusto as its southern neighbors. This is primarily because in the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, Italians are mainly the descendants of Italians from the mezzogiorno who escaped poverty by riding their donkeys to naples before spending weeks or months in the steerage compartments of old wooden vessels. They arrived at Ellis Island, and then slowly filtered across the country before settling in the southland. Italians in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the other hand, are mainly the descendants of upperand middle-class Italians from Liguria, Tuscany, and other northern parts of the boot. They came with money in their pockets and business acumen in their blood. Being the pioneers of San Francisco's Italian community, they set the standard for what are—and aren't—Italian traditions in The city. of course, the Sicilians were also somewhat early arrivals in San Francisco, as were the calabrese, but the former were confined pretty much to the fishing trade, and the latter were relegated to illustrious careers as boot blacks. Being the more colorful—and more religious— members of the early Italian community, Sicilians brought religious festivals with them from the old country. Try as they might, the prevailing distaste for such celebrations— clearly stated by Ettore Patrizi, publisher of Il Giornale L'Italia—did not dissuade the southerners from continuing some of the more important traditions brought with them from the old country. Patrizi and other northern-Italian leaders of San Francisco's ruling elite had to content themselves with eliminating most of these celebrations. Patrizi was, however, successful in eliminating the organ grinders and their performing monkeys. Besides the annual Madonna del Lume events that have endured as stalwarts of the community's annual celebrations, the other yearly event is small by comparison, but legendary. Each year on Saint Joseph's Day, charles Farruggia invites i prominenti della comunità to his home, where an Italian mass is celebrated in his living room by one of the Italian Salesians down the street, after which lunch is served on a scale that would put the folks at Saint Peter's Italian church in Los Angeles to shame. The elbow-to-elbow guests in every room of the house don't complain about being crowded, even though the sardines in the pasta have more room that they do. This year's event continues a multi-generational celebration started decades ago. It is at once religious and delicious—and the hottest ticket in the Italian community. next week, we'll take a closer look at how this quintessential Sicilian celebration came to be, the history and traditions it commemorates, and the man that keeps it going three generations after it was started. Sustenance by Elizabeth Wholey An interesting book presentation will be hosted at the Italian cultural Institute on Tuesday, March 19. In her work "Sustenance. Food Traditions in Italy's Heartland", Elizabeth Wholey speaks about her life experience in the region "green heart of Italy", Umbria. Elizabeth explores the Upper Tiber Valley and the ways in which its peasants fed and sustained themselves throughout history. Their ancient food traditions are still alive today, often with a modern twist, and are accessible to visitors as well as to the local populace. It is truly a unique opportunity to eat and travel your way through the enchanted hills of Umbria, thanks to the secrets of "Sustenance", a Guide to Farms, Markets, and Fairs in the Upper Tiber Valley, a self-published book and finalist in the travel category for the IAcP (International Association of culinary Professional) award. Highlighting sixteen farmers and food producers who share their stories and treasured recipes, Wholey guides your way to the farms, markets and fairs where these traditional products are sold. Fifteen towns near the Tiber River-from its source on Monte Fumaiolo to Umbertide-are introduced, along with their yearly celebrations, markets and fairs, as well as important sites and monuments. This book is a must for the tourist who seeks a fuller experience than the usual by delving into the history, agriculture, and culinary practices of this beautiful and fertile valley. Elizabeth Wholey is a transplanted californian who has lived and worked in Umbria for over 20 years. After a career in art and graphics, she visited A view of Val di Niccone, Umbria Italy and never looked back. She renovated the home in which she now lives and manages Altabella, a cluster of casa colonica guest villas on the border of Tuscany and Umbria. Elizabeth also teaches cooking classes and caters for Altabella guests through her Amore Sapore venture. Elizabeth has cooked with Amore Sapore since 1996, enhancing her skills with classes in France, Sicily and Emilia Romagna, and with Walter Zanoni at the Italian Institute for Advanced culinary and Pastry Arts. She is an avid vegetable and fruit grower - expect fresh zucchini flowers, tomatoes, figs and other treasures from her garden. A long time resident of Umbria, she enjoys sharing her knowledge of Tuscany and Umbria with guests, and when not cooking, conducts culinary and craft tours, introducing visitors to the many artisans who still work in time-honored ways in the Upper Tiber Valley. A culinary Trust Julia child Scholarship for Research in Italy resulted in her book "Sustenance". "What holds me here? certainly the beauty of the place, so much like the napa Valley of my childhood fifty years ago, with its well-tended fields and small villages, the vineyards in the foothills and the forest rising up behind them. Unlike napa Valley, the niccone Valley has castles, several of them. I love the clean air and the quiet, but also the sounds of the countryside as the seasons unfold. The breeze provides the background for spring birdsong and unfamiliar calls from forest creatures, in summer there are farm sounds from tractors and barnyard animals, and the fall colors herald the harvest and the hunt. And then, before you know it, winter has brought a light snowfall and parents and children are outside, delighting in snowball fights". The event at the Institute will feature a conversation between the author, a native San Franciscan who lives in Umbria, and Italian cooking instructor Viola Buitoni, a native Umbrian living in San Francisco. Elizabeth and Viola will read from the book and compare notes on their opposite experiences. The evening will end with a tasting of artisanal products from Umbria paired with regional wines. Sustenance. Food Traditions in Italy's Heartland by Elizabeth Wholey Tuesday March 19, 6:30 pm Italian cultural Institute of San Francisco CONSOLATO GENERALE D'ITALIA SAN FRANCISCO console Generale: Mauro Battocchi Segreteria: Anna clara Maselli (segr.sanfrancisco@esteri.it) 2590 Webster StreetSan Francisco, cA 94115 Telefono: (415) 292-9200 Fax: (415) 931-7205 E-mail: it.sanfrancisco@esteri.it ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURA Direttore: Paolo Barlera 814 Montgomery Street San Francisco, california 94133 Tel.: 415 788 7142 Fax: 1 415 788 6389 Email: contact.sanfrancisco@ esteri.it COM.IT.ES. - COMITATO DEGLI ITALIANI ALL'ESTERO President: Romana Bracco 870 Market Street, Suite 815San Francisco, cA 94102 Telephone: (415) 398-5312 Fax: (415) 398-3345 Email: SanFrancomites@aol.com MUSEO ITALO AMERICANO Managing Director: Paula Bagnatori 204 Bay St # c, San Francisco, cA(415) 673-2200 Phone: (415) 673-2200 Fax: (415) 673-2292 E-mail: sfmuseo@sbcglobal.net ITALIAN AMERICAN SOCIAL CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO Manager: Julie clima 25 Russia Ave.San Francisco, cA 94112 Phone: 415.585.8059 Fax: 415.585.8060 Email: info@iascsf.com SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN ATHLETIC CLUB President: Al cipollina Administrator: Rich Baldoni-Denney 1630 Stockton St., San Francisco, cA 94133 General Information: (415) 781-0165 Fax: (415) 781-0167 office: (415) 781-0166 (office hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F, Pacific Time), email: administration@sfiac.org ORDER SONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA State President: Maria Fassio Pignati State Recording Secretary: Arlene nunziati (Rlene49@pacbell.net) 5051 Mission Street San Francisco, california 94112-3473 Phone: (415) 586-1316 Fax:(415) 586-4786 Email: sonsofitalyca@aol.com IL CENACOLO - ITALIAN CULTURAL CLUB President: Jim Boitano Membership chair: Ronald Derenzi (membri@ilcenacolosf.org) Post office Box 475119 San Francisco, cA 94147-5119 Email ilpresidente@ilcenacolosf.org ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION President: Ken Borelli 425 no. Fourth StreetSan Jose, cA 95112www.iahfsj.org Phone: 408-293-7122. Fax: 408-293-7154. Facebook: Italian American Heritage Foundation ITALIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES President: Luigi E. Pinotti Executive Director: Anna Maria Pierini (ampierini @italiancs.com) 678 Green Street, San Francisco, ca 94133 Tel. (415)362-6423 Fax (415) 362-6423 E-mail info@italiancs.com - www.italiancommunityservices.org ITALIAN AMERICAN FEDERATION OF THE EAST BAY President: Vince cortese 5321 claremont Ave. oakland, cA 94618 Tel. (925) 679-1047, (650) 222-6641 Financial Secretary: Richard J. Vannucci 5072 Elrod Dr. castro Valley, cA 94546-2418 Tel. (510) 581-9139

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