This past Friday was my birthday, and it was the first one I’ve experienced with one of my grandparents deceased. I am sure that most people wish they could say that at 38 years old, but regardless, it doesn’t necessarily make the loss any easier. We lost my grandfather Serafino “Sal” Piraneo …
Family
Summer’s gift: The jarring of tomatoes as ritual and tradition
“I have two things I care about - love and work. And to me they are very Italian and very enduring themes.” – Adriana Trigiani, The Italian American Podcast, Episode 7 And then late August comes, full of its heat and humidity, and we know it’s time to pull out the wide steel drums, the …
I hit the ancestral research jackpot in Italy. Here’s my story…
As I sat in the small Fiat, next to a distant cousin from my paternal grandmother’s family line, there were about 10 different feelings running through me. Among them were excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and disbelief. I am currently in the midst of an extended trip through Italy with my …