A Volontà: Blog

1. Un regalo

   September 14, 2020
   The woman who runs Trattoria Al Sasset in Niguarda, Milan, where I eat lunch every Friday, is an excellent Italian teacher, as well as a great cook. Cleta is originally from Calabria, and her formal Italian is clear and direct. She corrects me without any judgment. Today she told me: …

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2. Come si fa i pittuli

   August 5, 2020
   “I just want to show my granddaughter how to make pittuli, ok?” my mother said. “I want to be with Julia [the granddaughter], my daughter [me], my sisters [Carmela and Crair] and that’s it. When the men are around it’s too difficult.” My cousin Paul was allowed to stay,…

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3. In praise of tramezzini

   July 21, 2020
   Piazzale Roma, Venice. Even quicker tramezzini. When I first laid eyes on tramezzini as a student in Padua, I thought I was missing something. I almost wanted to point, and say, “Does anyone realize these sandwiches are raw?” Typically found tucked under damp tea towels in bar display cases, tramezzini…

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