(photo: by Piero Morello. getting confirmation on the body of water, but I believe it’s the Stretto di Messina) One of the most satisfying moments associated with the warm weather months is the immense existential euphoria or perception of sun (temperature and sight), wind (hearing and touch), and scent (smell).   Take today, for example, it’s 83°F and sunny in the northeastern […]

(photo: Columbus Artisan hot sopressata sliced by hand) Peperoncini and Salumi If there’s one food item that the southern province of Calabria is famous for it would be peperoncini (or red chili peppers). Peperoncini are used in pasta dishes (Penne all’Arrabbiata, for example), cured meats and vegetables (including the trendy salumi spread, ‘Nduja), soups, and an eggplant stew dish called […]

How the Physical Environment Can Influence the Quality of Life I remember the first time I visited my then girlfriend at her college campus in the state of Indiana and the thought of my lovely sweetheart in all of her collegiate glory is still vivid in my mind’s eye.  However, I also remember the vast flatness of northern Indiana (specifically, […]

  (photo: left to right: Creminelli felino, sopressa,mocetta, Calabrese, Milano) The Working Life and the Italian Deli I’ve held many odd jobs as a young lad including garbage man, janitor, landscaper, handy man assistant, electrician’s assistant, travel agent, HTML editor, maintenance man at a women’s clothing shop, and, my personal favorite, salumi slicer / panino maker at Zia Teressa’s beloved […]

(photo: red and yellow peppers fried along side red onion and potatoes, including plenty of hot peppers) The region of Calabria, and the birthplace of my parents, is widely known for its variety of peppers, including the hot and sweet variety such as peperoni di Senise red peppers and corno di toro yellow peppers.  Calabria also boasts a reputation for […]

By now you know of our connection to Calabria and our familiar, immigrant, story. You know, for example, that our parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970’s from a tiny hilltop village in southwest Calabria called Pellegrina and that we’ve been influenced greatly by the traditions found in the region (located in southern Italy).  However, we’ve never told our loyal […]

Pennsylvania Salami Makers: Homemade Soppressata or “Soupie” In Calabria, the salumi sopressata (see my guide to salumi) enjoys PDO or Protected Designation of Origin status meaning any salami labeled as Sopressata di Calabria must be entirely manufactured (prepared, processed AND produced) within the specific region according to traditional methods.  Sopressata received its name from the practice of pressing the salami […]

For as long as I can remember my father has foraged for wild mushrooms both here in the United States and, of course, in Calabria.  And while my mother would use the mushrooms in pasta sauces and fried with bits of tomato and garlic it was the pickled mushrooms that drove (and continues to motivate) my father to acquire as many prized […]

Zeppole Recipe The word zeppoli is Italian dialect for zeppola (the plural is zeppole).  Zeppoli are deep fried dough balls or fritters that can be made savory or sweet and are often made on Saint Joseph Day in various parts of Italy (made specifically as as sfinge or a cake on March 19th). Our family, which hails from Calabria, prepares zeppoli […]

Tucked neatly in the upper left hand corner of the above photo is the Sfalassa Bridge in Bagnara Calabra, Calabria.  The Sfalassa Bridge crosses both the Lucanian and Calabrian Apennines mountain range in southern Italy and is part of the the Autostrada Napoli-Reggio Calabria or A3 highway. As HighestBridges.com writes: With dozens of tunnels and towering bridges, it is a showcase of Italian […]