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LOL, I know a woman from an Italian family who always tells her husband he is such a Medigan. I had no idea what she meant, but she 'splained it to me.
LOL, I know a woman from an Italian family who always tells her husband he is such a Medigan. I had no idea what she meant, but she 'splained it to me.
Lol, we call my dad that all the time.
I know people who refuse to answer if they say sauce or gravy, because they don't want to get involved in the little war we're all having.
Oh gosh. I don't have any children, but I am Italian-American and do have nieces and nephews. I don't know whether it's about passing things down, or a general way that you tend to look at life.
For instance, I will immediately feel a sense of horror if I'm at a party and the host has not accounted for enough food. Worse, if people are standing there hungry while the food runs out, I'll bury my head in a pillow even if it's not my party. Shame by association.
I can only speak for myself and my own family, but there are things that were instilled in me that I will never let go of. How I look at loyalty, honor, how I remember people who have helped me in life (always) and those who have turned their back (they cease to exist.) Food... Love... Generosity... Family... Fights. You can have a whopper of a fight with a family member one day, and act as though nothing happened the next. Or you can hold a grudge for ten years. Both happened with the same frequency.
But mostly I remember laughter. I think the reason there is such a surge in Italian-American popularity in the media these days - and unfortunately a lot of what the media focuses on are these poorly behaved bafoons, who do NOT represent the vast majority of us in this country - is because Italian-Americans as a whole are very entertaining people. Friendly and funny. Sunday dinners at my house were a sitcom in and of itself. My friends used to love to come over for some live dinner theatre.
I also love how Italian-Americans can speak shorthand to each other without missing a beat. The phrases, the terms, the expressions. Sometimes you can carry on an entire conversation with just a wave of the hand. My absolute favorite were the nicknames though. Oh how I would laugh. Everyone and anyone had a nickname. Many times it was an honorific. And it came in extremely handy when gossiping about someone. Need to tell your mother that you saw your cousin Anthony out with his girlfriend, but the table is full of eavesdroppers? No problem...just tell her you saw "the provolone out with his goumah" and she'll get the message.
It was a lot of fun.
Last edited by Matterofopinion; 04-22-2011 at 05:52 PM..
C'mon, paisanos - would you say "spaghetti gravy" or "spaghetti sauce"?
You wouldn't say "spaghetti gravy" but in my household, the "gravy" was cooking for Sunday dinner. It just was what it was. And you didn't ask when to put in the "pasta"... you put the "macaroni" in to cook.
So..."should I put the macaroni in yet? is the gravy almost ready?"
I ate at Nonna's in Florham Park a couple nights ago. Most of the menu mentions 'marinara SAUCE', 'meat SAUCE', 'white wine SAUCE', 'light brown SAUCE', but I noticed an item listed under 'Pasta Specialties' called 'NONNA'S SUNDAY GRAVY'...this dish was described as penne with red GRAVY, sausage, meatball, etc. etc.
Oh gosh. I don't have any children, but I am Italian-American and do have nieces and nephews. I don't know whether it's about passing things down, or a general way that you tend to look at life.
For instance, I will immediately feel a sense of horror if I'm at a party and the host has not accounted for enough food. Worse, if people are standing there hungry while the food runs out, I'll bury my head in a pillow even if it's not my party. Shame by association.
I can only speak for myself and my own family, but there are things that were instilled in me that I will never let go of. How I look at loyalty, honor, how I remember people who have helped me in life (always) and those who have turned their back (they cease to exist.) Food... Love... Generosity... Family... Fights. You can have a whopper of a fight with a family member one day, and act as though nothing happened the next. Or you can hold a grudge for ten years. Both happened with the same frequency.
But mostly I remember laughter. I think the reason there is such a surge in Italian-American popularity in the media these days - and unfortunately a lot of what the media focuses on are these poorly behaved bafoons, who do NOT represent the vast majority of us in this country - is because Italian-Americans as a whole are very entertaining people. Friendly and funny. Sunday dinners at my house were a sitcom in and of itself. My friends used to love to come over for some live dinner theatre.
I also love how Italian-Americans can speak shorthand to each other without missing a beat. The phrases, the terms, the expressions. Sometimes you can carry on an entire conversation with just a wave of the hand. My absolute favorite were the nicknames though. Oh how I would laugh. Everyone and anyone had a nickname. Many times it was an honorific. And it came in extremely handy when gossiping about someone. Need to tell your mother that you saw your cousin Anthony out with his girlfriend, but the table is full of eavesdroppers? No problem...just tell her you saw "the provolone out with his goumah" and she'll get the message.
It was a lot of fun.
This sounds like my mother's side of the family. I love going to event's on my dad's side, and being "those ethnic relatives". I also love how my friends (almost all of us are Italians) and I have the same kind of shorthand and conversations like a family gathering.
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Italian Traditions
