52 Ancestors Week 2: A Record That Adds Color

 From Amy Johnson Crow: The theme for Week 2 is “A Record That Adds Color.” Our ancestors were more than names and dates. This week, tell about a record that added color or context to an ancestor’s life. What did it tell you about that person that made them feel more “alive”? Or maybe you found something literally colorful, like a painting. Remember, there’s no wrong way to interpret the weekly theme!

Taste the rainbow

    I love records that really bring people to life. Newspaper articles and even census records can give anyone reading them a real sense of who a person was as well as what kind of a person they were.  As a genealogist, we all have to remember that these were all just people and not just stats we're adding to our favorite family tree maker. These were living breathing people who walked the earth long before we were even a gleam in our parents' eyes. Photos also add color. If you look at one of the pictures I have of my second great-grandfather Joseph Laplante, you can definitely see what kind of a person he was. Don't believe me? Look at this picture of him, his wife and her sister at the beach and get back to me. I'll wait.

    Of course those aren't the only records that add color. Draft cards can add color and also serve to tell a story.....especially if someone filled out two cards.

Paolo and his first wife Lena.
Circa 1917.

    Enter Paolo Coppola, the brother of my second great-grandmother Caterina and national detective based in the city of Haverhill. Long before he ever decided to become a detective he was drafted into the service twice and the registrar even made a note of it on his second card. Whether or not he actually served overseas is not known at this time.

   

    In any event, he was first attempted to be drafted at the age of 29 on June 5th, 1917. The actual date is unfortunately not listed on that card. It's mentioned on his second card. On the top of the card, it says that his draft card was cancelled for undisclosed reasons. However, it did give the following facts:

Address: 26 Grove St, Haverhill Mass

Birth date: 7 Aug 1886

Bogus birth place: Naples, Italy

The card also listed his wife and four children as next of kin should anything happen to him as well as a physical description. Apparently, he was of a medium build and his hair was starting to turn gray....At the age of 29?! Dude needed to either stop stressing out or try ye olde "Just for Men Hair Color".

    Normally, this would have been the end of it. Paolo was denied entry into the US forces serving in the first World War.  When I found the card, I naturally added it to my sources and thought that was it. Little did I know that Paolo here had a second card! This card, you have to see to believe.

Second draft card

    On September 12th, 1918 Paolo went back to the registrar and again attempted to be drafted into the service. This time, the clerk made a note stating that he was the same man who attempted to be drafted on June 5th, 1917 and even gave the card number and everything.

    Paolo tried to be a little sneaky with his second card because he changed his birth date to May 31st, 1886. Not only that. He changed his profession, age and where he worked.

    The only thing that remined the same on Paolo's card was his wife Lena being his next of kin and his address. His physical characteristics were the same. This guy clearly wanted to go off to war. I was able to figure out that he was the same person just from the note alone. I mean....What other proof do you need, right? The clerk said it was the same guy from card #466. I'm inclined to believe them! It also helped that the addresses were the same and everything.

first draft card

    This whole adventure told me a lot about Paolo. Before he became a detective, Paolo was the kind of guy who'd be willing to stretch the truth a little bit. It remains to be seen which birth date is actually accurate. As I alluded to earlier, the birth place of Naples on his first card was completely bogus. He was born in San Pietro a Maida along with his sisters. Why he didn't put that down I'll never know. Thankfully, his daughter Beatrice set the record straight in the 1950 census and of course my cousin Caterina told me. I know that's a weak explanation. She talked to her grandmother Caterina about him and her sister Concetta. He was definitely born in San Pietro.

    These documents also tell me that while Paolo liked to stretch the truth he was determined to serve America in a time of war. Whether or not he was successful is to be determined. I have a feeling he did not serve as children were born to him and his first wife during the closing months of the war. World War I ended in November of 1918 and his last child with Lena was born in December of 1918.

    It's hard to say if he did serve and it's a discussion best left for another day. Either way, it's clear that Paolo was not above stretching the truth. I imagine a lot of people weren't truthful in their draft cards. I mean, I have a few soldiers of the American Civil War who definitely lied on their cards. It was something people did back in the day and we shouldn't judge them for their actions. 

    It is funny to think about the clerk's reaction, though. Can you imagine? "Oh. This guy again?! Didn't we ship you out before? Oh...right. Never mind. Okay. Let's try this again...."

    Draft cards and other documents definitely have a story to tell and sometimes you have to read between the lines to see what was really happening at the time. Sometimes people will be truthful. Sometimes people will lie. Does it tell you about their character? A little. And hey even if they lied, they still give you a great story to talk about at parties!

See ya next time!

52 Ancestors Week 1: An Ancestor I Admire

From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 1:

The theme for Week 1 is “An Ancestor I Admire.” Many people begin their family history journey in order to feel more connected to their ancestors. Who is someone in your family tree you admire? It could be a parent, grandparent, or someone further back in the tree. This is a week to tell their story.

How is this a free image for "admire"? Ask Google.

    Normally, I don't like putting an ancestor on a pedestal because he or she might be different from the image you have in your head. There's an old saying that says "You should never meet your heroes" as they'll sometimes disappoint you. Thankfully, most of the cast of every "Star Trek" series to date have been truly awesome people worthy of admiration. As for family? I would say there are a few people I admire. I'm going to keep it simple for this first week of the 52 Ancestors for 2026 and talk about my grandfather Robert Hamel and why he was basically Captain America.

Robert, Clara and Alfred junior (I think?)

    Robert may not have taken part in a top secret government program to create America's first super-soldier. However, he at least knew who Cap was! When I was a kid, I was reading a comic starring the first Avenger and he looked over my shoulder and said "Hey! I know that guy! I'm glad he's still around."

    That made sense. Captain America debuted in the 1940s and was very popular among US soldiers fighting in a conflict you might have heard of called World War II. It wasn't just kids who read comics in those days. Superheroes were popular with everyone. Not just with the kiddies.

    Robert was one of the many who enlisted to serve his country in its time of need and even though he was never a general or anything he served a very important function. My grandfather was a staff sergeant in the Air Corps, the organization that gave rise to the United States Air Force. He worked on planes and even flew on more than one occasion. The birth of my mother clipped his wings and he eventually took jobs that took him all over the country and even to places like Italy, Japan and Saudi Arabia once the war was over. To say he was worldly is a bit of an understatement. He loved to travel and tell people about the people he met in far away places and how we had to respect the people there. If that doesn't sound like Captain America I don't know what does!

    As I've said before, my grandfather was a bit of a shutterbug. He took pictures of anything and everything. He even took pictures during the war. He showed me several of his pictures and yet he never showed the wartime pictures to me as they were quite graphic. My aunts and my mother told me he was likely protecting me and I can see why. When you're a kid, you really don't need to see the images of war. Especially before bedtime.

    In all honesty, he never really talked about the war that much. He said where he was stationed, of course. He talked about the people that he met and how nice they were. He just never talked about the actual conflict like most soldiers do. I can understand that. I never pressed him on any of the details. You just never did that with him.

    What really surprised me is that he never talked about the awards he won or any of the promotions. So, imagine my surprise when I searched for him in the Newburyport Public  Library's newspaper archive  and found article after article about my grandfather getting promoted, sending letters to his mother Clara and getting awards from Uncle Sam. He got these awards and never talked about them! That's how humble he was.

    He'd probably say that it didn't really change anything and he was probably right. A medal on your tunic, while cool, doesn't always reflect the kind of person you are.  A decorated five-star general could still be a jerk regardless of how many medals he/she has. It's all about what's in your heart.

    I think that the modesty is what all ten of us grandkids remember about him. To us he was just grandpa or Pepe/Papa. And for Jim and I he was really the only grandfather we had growing up since we lost our other grandfather Marco while we were young. He never tried to replace him. He just treated us like any of his other grandkids.

    He never really yelled at us or anything. He just would tell a story, talked about his family history or just talked about fishing, golfing or any of his other hobbies. He was just that easy to get along with and because of that everyone who knew him liked him.

Totally not sus, Papa.

    It was actually very hard for us to keep a secret from him believe it or not. When we planned his surprise party for his 90th birthday, I thought I would record things for posterity. <cough>For Facebook</cough>. I had the camera out for the big reveal and he turned to me and asked "What are you doing?" My dad tried to save face and said "We're just taking a picture of you." I don't think he ever realized that I had a small camcorder.

    He just smiled, went with the flow and we had a great time. Though, in order to keep the surprise going I had to dress in normal clothes while the rest of my cousins were wearing nice clothes. Did I stick out like a sore thumb? You betcha!

 

    I like to think that he thought I was taking up a photography hobby like he did. He never knew I filmed parts of his surprise party. I don't think he'd have cared either way. I have the video clips saved to a jump drive and on a dvd so they won't be lost any time soon. Now that's forward thinking! I have videos of him at the party and at my cousin Kristyn's wedding. Both parties were great. I do feel bad, though. He never quite understood Bruno Mars and "Uptown Funk".

 

    Papa was admirable because he was just always modest and never let his medals go to his head. Lord knows he had tons of them! He was a kind man who loved his family and we loved him for it. He never really asked for much at Christmas, either! I guess all he really wanted was family and that's probably the best gift anyone can ever give someone. 

    That's why he was like Captain America to me. He never asked for much. He never waxed poetic about the hardships of war. And when you needed advice he would always lend an ear and we'd talk about what was bothering you. He was just that kind of guy and at the end of the day he was someone a lot of people should strive to be like. 'Nuff said!

See ya next time!

    

Not pictured: Jim and Brianna

52 Ancestors Week 52: Memorable

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 52:

The theme for Week 52 is “Memorable.” Who is memorable in your family? Who do you want to make sure isn’t forgotten? 

That nose is certainly memorable....considering I have it.

    In my family tree there are so many people who are memorable in their own way. My grandmother Ollie often gave people the shirt off her back and a warm meal. My grandfather Bob liked to tell stories about growing up in Newburyport and teach people how to improve their golf game. My grandmother Natalie loved to emborder various things and knit sweaters that honestly could compete with the Weasley sweaters from Harry Potter. The list goes on and on. However, there's one guy who was always memorable to everyone who knew him. That was definitely my grandfather Marco.

SUCH an adorable baby. ;) 

    Marco passed away in 1983 when I was just four years old. I sadly don't really have memories of him like my brother does. Jim remembers the two of them drinking water out of wine bottles. I can only picture my mother's reaction when she saw the two of them together on the couch with what looked like a bottle of vino. It was only water.....in a wine bottle!

    As you can probably guess by now he was quite the character and even though he passed away I was told so many stories about him that it didn't make his absence feel so bad. He wasn't totally missed because he definitely left a mark on his friends and family and that's the kind of legacy you want to have.

    I guess maybe dying relatively young impacted people in such a way that people don't want to forget a guy who made people laugh and made it a point to keep the family together. That was his whole deal. He was the one who started the famous Christmas Eve parties.

    He was born in San Pietro a Maida in 1925 to Vincenzo Ferraiolo and Maria Tedesco and came to America in 1929 with his mother and his sister.  When he left Italy, he left tons of cousins in Europe behind and his father really wanted to keep in touch with the family there no matter what. That determination was seemingly passed down to Marco and as a result a lot of people ended up having great memories of him either helping them out at home or just talking to them. Letters were sent back and forth and sometimes Marco and Nicolina would visit them.

    In fact, the house I grew up in is a true testament to his memory. He and my father built the house and even though there are some odd construction choices it's still a place I'm proud to call home. Still, I do have questions. Questions that not even my parents can answer. Why would someone willingly construct a way into the attic where you'd have to be Spider-Man to get up there?  Why would you make stairs to the basement a hair shorter than normal feet? The mind boggles. At least it's a conversation starter.

    Luckily, we got the basement stairs replaced. A new way into the attic is to be determined.  I hope it's soon. I may like Spidey, but, I was never bitten by a radioactive spider.

    Odd construction choices aside Marco was a good man according to my other grandfather and virtually everyone who knew him. He was the kind of guy that actually complimented my grandmother's giving nature. While she made sure you were fed, he was the one who invited you over! Talk about a couple meant for each other! 

    Whenever I asked my grandmother or my father to tell me a story about Marco they never really dodged the subject with a deflection or two. They were always more than willing to share what they knew.  

    They all knew him to be the kind of guy who made friends with people easily and would stay in contact with relatives no matter how distant they were genealogically or geographically. By the time I started really getting into genealogy, I found stories about him in the most random places.

    These weren't news stories mind you. These were actual random stories someone would share with me. For example, cousins in Italy would say "Yes, I remember Marco well when he visited San Pietro in 19XX" and just go on from there. They might have been referring to the trip he and others in my family took to Italy when they went to a wedding.

    Of course that wasn't the only time someone randomly had a story about Marco. In the first message I ever got from genealogist Mary Tedesco, she said that her grandfather remembered my grandfather quite well and told interesting stories about him to her. These are stories that stay internal. I was blown away at the time because I didn't know who Mary was and here she was telling me stories about my grandfather, a man I only ever heard about in stories and saw in photographs! She introduced herself as a cousin and that her grandfather knew mine very well. And that was true. He was my father's godfather and they were paisans.

Jim. LOOK AT THE CAMERA!!!!!!!!!

    That was random, right? Well, it's about to get even more random. When grandma Ollie passed away in 2002, she had a very large funeral in Haverhill. Everyone came from all over to say their goodbyes. It was wonderful.  I remember sitting down and this guy in a dark pin striped suit, scarf and a fedora came up to me. His skin was very dark and he looked like a very old man.

    He was accompanied by two other men who also had olive colored skin. He started talking to me and he had this very thick Italian accent. He sounded like he just got off the boat. Here's what he said to me. I'll never forget it.

"I knew-a your grandfather....a Marco. He was....He was a good man. He and Ollie were nice people. Take care of your father, okay?"

    I was like "Umm...Sure." He replied saying, "That's a good kid" And he took off. I watched him leave and I was left wondering who that guy was. I need to go back and look at Ollie's funeral guest list and find the most Italian name there. Chances are that was him! To this day I have no idea who he was. My parents had no idea. It was just so random.

    The man was obviously one of Marco's friends. How he knew him remains a mystery. Was he from San Pietro a Maida like Mary's grandfather? Was he a friend who grew up in Haverhill and never shook the accent? All I need is a name and chances are I can find something in Haverhill about that guy.  I'm sure I can find something about him.

    Grandpa Marco seemed to know everyone and everyone seemed to know him. He invited all of the Italian cousins to my parents' wedding. He visited with countless cousins who knew him quite well. I guess you could say he was a social butterfly. He was likeable and that leaves a lasting impression on everyone you meet. Growing up without him around didn't seem so bad because there were always people around who kept those memories alive and as long as people told those stories it didn't feel like he was gone.

See ya in 2026!

52 Ancestors Week 51: Musical

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 51:

The theme for Week 51 is “Musical.” Band geeks, unite! Who in your family makes you think of music? Whether it’s someone who made their living through music or who just really enjoyed listening, this is the week to sing their praises. (See what I did there? 😉)

Blues riffs in "B". Watch me for the changes and try to keep up!

    

    Who in my family makes me think of music? There's a lot of people I can talk about for this week's prompt. Let me pick a name out of a hat. One moment. And the winner of the 2025 Musical blog is.....

My brother Jim? Okay. I guess I can work with that. I mean I did write a blog about his wife Kathleen earlier this year. Fair is fair, right? Let's go!

Jim, Kat and me

    My brother and I are like night and day when it comes to our hobbies. He collects records and plays guitar. I read comic books and create my own webcomics. Don't get me wrong. We have many similarities. We both grew up in the '80s and '90s and can quote whole scenes of movies if we so desired. It makes playing games like charades fun. And it kind of annoys the nephews. So, that's a bonus! That pop culture is forever ingrained in our heads.

    Jim has always had an ear for music and for as long as I can remember he was interested in music. I would be minding my own business playing with my toys and suddenly Twisted Sister became the soundtrack of the Autobots' battle with the Decepticons. I'd have gone with Stan Bush. But, that's a little on the nose.

    I didn't appreciate it back then but now I do! 

    Hair metal isn't the only genre he listened to....Thank God.  Jim has a very refined taste and tends to listen to various forms of music from every genre. I think our parents were the reason for his taste in music. When we were growing up, our dad would play various oldies on the radio to and from the marina where we had our boat. Usually it was either the Beach Boys or Elvis Presley's greatest hits. When we were in the car with our mother, she would play contemporary music. As a result we got to listen to a little bit of everything.

    Things changed a bit as we got older. He started playing the guitar and while I tried my best to mimic his play style, I never quite GOT it. Jim definitely got the music gene. I just play "Rock Band" on easy mode. It's true. He has tried to teach me how to play and sometimes it didn't turn out well.

    A family friend once gave us her electric keyboard and for years I'd "jam" with Jim using it. It was okay. I got about as far as "Stairway to Heaven". Look, we all can't be Sir Elton John! I tried my best and Jim did teach me how to play somewhat. The trick was having the patience to tickle the ivories, ya know.

Work station or music haven?

    Over time my brother began collecting records and has displayed a select few in his office at home. Whenever he visits he habitually brings his guitar case along for the ride. And no it doesn't have a machine gun in it! Those are specifically for violin cases!

    Whenever we visit, he would sometimes put a record on for our enjoyment or during a meal. If we are preparing food for Thanksgiving or some other meal, he'd toss on an Elvis record or a Beach Boys record for my father. The last time he did that I asked him if it reminded him of going down to the boat. He laughed and said "Yeah." Those songs are never leaving our heads!

    When I learned that several of our cousins in Europe were musicians, I showed him their songs and I think he was impressed by them. Their style differed from his and he tends to appreciate all forms of music. Though, I'll never forget the time I gave him a joke present for Christmas.

    He was talking about Taylor Swift and was honestly a little iffy about her music. As a joke I bought him a Taylor Swift CD. To say he was unimpressed was a bit of an understatement. Though, ironically he bought one of her more recent albums a while ago. Huh. I guess times and attitudes toward certain musicians change. However, he does have a few singers he does not like and never will like! To gift him something from someone like Pitbull would have been a cardinal sin.  Never go against the family!

    

    Jim is just one of the many musically inclined people in the family and his taste kind of influenced my own. I suppose it could have been worse.  And looking back I probably should have appreciated the soundtrack to my activities in my room. It was pretty fun to be honest.

    The next generation of musicians in our family have started to take off as one of my nephews has shown himself to be just as musically inclined as Jim. Will he collect records and play music? That's to be determined. Though, he likes playing the keyboard!

    As for Jim, he still plays his music and I do love listening to him play. And before anyone asks....yes. I have tried to play his guitar on several occasions. Even when he was playing a computer game or something. I had to try it out. Why not? Was I good? Nope. Again. this is why I do Rock Band on "easy mode".

      Our father once told us that his favorite music style was here to stay. And I agree some songs are good and stand the test of time. Other songs? Not so much. My brother and I have a very eclectic taste in music. We like a little bit of everything. I think that if you truly appreciate music you need to listen to everything that's out there. Rock, Jazz, Rap, Country. Everything. Music let's people share what they want to say and it's something to be cherished.

See ya next time!

    

P.S. This is my 350th blog! WOOHOO!

52 Ancestors Week 50: Family Heirloom

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 50:

The theme for Week 50 is “Family Heirloom.” Heirlooms don’t have to be expensive to be valuable. Grandma’s mirror that she kept on her night stand? The milk bottle from the dairy where Uncle Harold worked? This is a good week to write about it and the person it’s associated with. 

I would ask Amy "Who keeps a milk bottle around?".  However, we still have my grandfather Robert's copy of "Golf Funniest Moments" in our archive. Who am I to judge? It's still in a box in the basement and I still don't have a device to play it on. I really don't need it and I honestly don't think it would fetch a decent price on eBay unless there are some seriously hardcore golf fans out there who wanted to see people crash out on the golf course.

    I can't say everything my grandfather left behind has been bad or suspect. He's left behind some pretty cool things and it honestly got me wondering what kind of stuff I'll leave behind. I have a ton of collectibles, comics and all that stuff. I shouldn't judge someone based on a VHS tape. Then again, perhaps it's a cover and he really recorded something awesome over it like some movie! Nah. My grandfather wouldn't have done anything that cool. Or did he? Hmmm....

    One of the cool things we do have in the box is this pair of stylish glasses that were once worn by my great-grandfather Alfred Hamel. My mother found them in a pouch near the bottom of the box and to our surprise the lenses were popped out. The ear hooks were also really sharp.

    As someone who wears glasses regularly, these old timey glasses were a surprise. I know glasses designs have changed over the years. But, those things could NOT have been that comfortable. At least to me. I suppose Alfred got used to them over time. There is a question I have to ask. How did my grandfather get them?

    I think the answer to that is pretty obvious. His father passed away in 1962 and those glasses were in his possession ever since. That's a pretty open and shut case right there. I think I understand why the lenses were removed, too. Glasses break and in my great-grandfather's day they were a lot more fragile than the ones we have these days. Then again not everyone has lenses that are very thick like mine are.

    The sad thing is that the ear hooks are out of alignment. It makes me wonder if I can get them fixed at a present day office. I'm sure they wouldn't mind fixing up antique glasses. 

    I also wonder when he got the glasses. Obviously he got them when he was much older. Every picture I've ever seen of Alfred had him without glasses and he was a young man at the time. He's the odd one out though because virtually every ancestor of mine on my mother's side had glasses at one point.

    My mother explained to me that it came with old age and she has a point. When you get older, your eyesight tends to go south and you need a way to correct your vision. 

    With that in mind, those glasses look very uncomfortable. At least they're in decent shape and can likely be repaired. Once repaired, I might see about putting them in a special case. I'm not sure about getting lenses for them. They'd have to be specially made and lenses can cost a pretty penny these days.

    I do have to wonder what he looked like with his glasses on. I'm almost positive Alfred would have had the same swagger as he does in the the picture in the blog. 

    That kind of swagger doesn't go away when you put on glasses! It's all about attitude and confidence! Alfred definitely had that in spades!

    Alfred's glasses are just one example of a few personal effects we have around the house. We have so much stuff like this it's not even funny. I should open a museum and charge admission!! I picked the glasses to talk about because not only do we see what glasses were like in ye olden times. We get an item that he actually used throughout his life. Picture it! Through those lenses he could have fixed engines on boats! If those glasses could talk, they'd definitely tell stories. Then again if your glasses talked, they might be the sign of a bigger problem!!

     As far as the glasses go, they're in a safe place  in a pouch next to pictures of my Italian great-grandparents. I have a little display called "The great eight" and it seems to fit in there. The next step is to print out the pic of Alfred to go with it. That'd be a nice touch! It's cool to have personal effects on display so you can admire them. Though, I still draw the line at "Golf's Funniest Moments".

See ya next time! Heh. See what I did there? =D Come on! You all knew a glasses joke was coming!!

52 Ancestors Week 49: Written

From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 49:

The theme for Week 49 is “Written.” Who is the writer in your family (besides you 😉)? Did they write books, keep a diary, or have a habit of sending letters to the editor? What about someone who had lovely handwriting? This is their week. 

Sounds better coming from Samuel L Jackson.

     Long time readers have always said that I should write a book about my family history. The only problem is finding a place to start. I have stories from all of the branches of my family tree and I feel like if I ever wanted to do it justice I'd have to put out at least three to four books or focus on one branch at a time. There's a lot of stories to tell and to be honest a blog is a easy way to get those stories out there!

    Thankfully, a cousin of mine is a ahead of the game since she has published quite a few books in the last year. Her name is Caterina Aleardi and she has written a book about her family recipes, a book about wine, a book about the history of Calabria and a few other books.  That is very impressive and naturally I grabbed one of the books the first chance I got. 

Caterina's mother, Concetta.

        You remember me talking about Caterina, right? I may have mentioned her a few times!  Let me bring you up to speed if you don't. She is a niece of my great-grandfather Vincenzo Ferraiolo. Her mother Concetta was his sister. I met her back in 2021 when she emailed me on Myheritage. 

    We exchanged stories back and forth and she even showed me a letter her mother received from a cousin in Argentina.  For details on that letter, please check out this blog and be sure to grab some tissues. 

    Caterina also confirmed a few old family stories of my own. I could honestly write a book about how my grandfather, grandmother, Vincenzo and my great-aunt went to Italy and eventually went to Switzerland to attend her wedding. The story was not only confirmed, but, I got a picture or two to go with it. That is awesome and it's a gift I'll always treasure!

    One day Caterina told me that she was planning on writing a book. She told me she wanted to write down her family's recipes and talk about a few things that were near and dear to her heart. Naturally, I supported her endeavors since I have no Calabrian recipes and I want to learn as much as I can about Calabria. You can only learn so much online. It means more when you hear the stories from the people themselves.

Book one!

    In no time at all Caterina published her first book in Italian. I told her about my plan to purchase it on Amazon. She told me to wait for her to translate it into English so that I could understand everything better. You got to love how she was looking out for me. She knew Italian isn't my first language and that I wanted this book.

    So, I waited and waited. Eventually, the book was released in English and my parents purchased the book. Inside, I found a lot more than I expected! Not only were there great Calabrian recipes inside. There were a few stories in the book, too. To say that this book is a jewel in my collection is an understatement.

    Caterina did an amazing job with her first book. My father wants to try out her recipes some day. I can't wait to try them because the food looks so good! Of course, now I have a dilemma. Do I buy her other books once they come out in English? That's a silly question. Of course I should! Just as long as I have shelf space. Then again space may be limited. I might have to make a bookcase just for her books!

    In any case, her books are definitely a must-have. Why? Because not only do they have Calabrian recipes that I lack, they provide a history of the region my Calabrian ancestors came from. The next book I intend to purchase is likely going to be her history of Calabrian towns. I'm certain her home town of San Pietro a Maida will be mentioned in those pages!

Marco and Caterina

    Caterina dedicated her books to "All Calabrese across the ocean whose hearts still beat to the rhythm of the waves that caress our shores. Though distances may divide us, memories and tradition unites us."

That is a powerful statement right there and it's true. The food of your ancestors will put you in touch with your heritage. It doesn't matter if it's homemade or from some random restaurant. Though, I do prefer homemade food over certain restaurants that will remain nameless.

     No matter how much time as passed you still have ties to the countries of your ancestors.

    Looking through the book now, I can see how amazing the food looks. It's not all just various types of pasta. There are other dishes like fried dough that I'd love to try. Some of these dishes you would not be able to order at a restaurant in America and that's why I am anxious to try these recipes out! 

    Caterina is an excellent writer and she too has said that I should write a book myself. Perhaps I will one day. I just need to figure out where to begin. Though, I'm sure she'd say the beginning is a very good place to start. I could start in San Pietro, Gesualdo, Newburyport or Haverhill. The possibilities are endless. For a writer like me it's tough to decide just where to start! That's why this blog comes in handy. I can organize my thoughts and tell stories whenever the moment arrives.

    I'm forever grateful to Caterina and her books as they give me an insight into Calabria that I probably wouldn't have gotten from an article on Wikipedia. Because of her I have a greater understanding of what life was like in Calabria when she was growing up and what life is like there today. As long as she keeps on writing, I'll be there cheering her on! Those books are awesome and are a definite must-have for anyone interested in Calabria! You can buy them now on Amazon's Italian and US websites. Check them out!

See you next time!

 "Sapori e profumi di Calabria" is property of Caterina Aleardi.

In italiano:

Da Amy Johnson Crow: Settimana 49:

Il tema della settimana 49 è "Scritto". Chi è lo scrittore nella tua famiglia (oltre a te 😉)? Scriveva libri, teneva un diario o aveva l'abitudine di mandare lettere al direttore? E qualcuno con una bella calligrafia? Questa è la sua settimana.

I lettori di lunga data mi hanno sempre detto che avrei dovuto scrivere un libro sulla storia della mia famiglia. L'unico problema è trovare un punto di partenza. Ho storie da tutti i rami del mio albero genealogico e sento che se volessi rendergli giustizia dovrei pubblicare almeno tre o quattro libri o concentrarmi su un ramo alla volta. Ci sono molte storie da raccontare e, a dire il vero, un blog è un modo semplice per farle conoscere!

Per fortuna, una mia cugina è un passo avanti, visto che ha pubblicato diversi libri nell'ultimo anno. Si chiama Caterina Aleardi e ha scritto un libro sulle ricette di famiglia, un libro sul vino, un libro sulla storia della Calabria e altri ancora. È davvero impressionante e naturalmente ne ho preso uno alla prima occasione.

Ti ricordi che ho parlato di Caterina, vero? Potrei averla menzionata un paio di volte! Lascia che ti aggiornerò se non te ne sei accorto. È una nipote del mio bisnonno Vincenzo Ferraiolo. Sua madre Concetta era sua sorella. L'ho incontrata nel 2021 quando mi ha scritto un'email su Myheritage.

Ci siamo scambiati storie e mi ha persino mostrato una lettera che sua madre ha ricevuto da un cugino in Argentina. Per i dettagli su quella lettera, consulta questo blog e assicurati di prendere dei fazzoletti.

Caterina ha anche confermato alcune mie vecchie storie di famiglia. Potrei davvero scrivere un libro su come mio nonno, mia nonna, Vincenzo e la mia prozia siano andati in Italia e alla fine siano andati in Svizzera per partecipare al suo matrimonio. La storia non solo è stata confermata, ma ho anche scattato un paio di foto a corredo. È fantastico ed è un regalo che custodirò per sempre!

Un giorno Caterina mi disse che aveva intenzione di scrivere un libro. Mi disse che voleva scrivere le ricette della sua famiglia e parlare di alcune cose che le stavano a cuore. Naturalmente, ho sostenuto la sua iniziativa, dato che non ho ricette calabresi e voglio imparare il più possibile sulla Calabria. Online si può imparare solo fino a un certo punto. È ancora più significativo ascoltare le storie delle persone stesse.

Primo libro!

In pochissimo tempo Caterina ha pubblicato il suo primo libro in italiano. Le ho parlato della mia intenzione di acquistarlo su Amazon. Mi ha detto di aspettare che lo traducesse in inglese così da poter capire meglio tutto. È stato fantastico come si è presa cura di me. Sapeva che l'italiano non è la mia lingua madre e che volevo questo libro.

Così ho aspettato e aspettato. Alla fine, il libro è uscito in inglese e i miei genitori l'hanno acquistato. Dentro, ho trovato molto più di quanto mi aspettassi! Non solo c'erano delle fantastiche ricette calabresi, ma c'erano anche alcune storie. Dire che questo libro è un gioiello nella mia collezione è un eufemismo.

Caterina ha fatto un lavoro straordinario con il suo primo libro. Mio padre vuole provare le sue ricette un giorno. Non vedo l'ora di provarle perché il cibo sembra così buono! Certo, ora ho un dilemma. Compro gli altri suoi libri quando usciranno in inglese? È una domanda stupida. Certo che dovrei! Finché avrò spazio sugli scaffali. D'altronde lo spazio potrebbe essere limitato. Potrei dover costruire una libreria solo per i suoi libri!

In ogni caso, i suoi libri sono decisamente un must. Perché? Perché non solo contengono ricette calabresi che a me mancano, ma forniscono anche una storia della regione da cui provengono i miei antenati calabresi. Il prossimo libro che intendo acquistare sarà probabilmente la sua storia delle città calabresi. Sono certa che la sua città natale, San Pietro a Maida, sarà menzionata in quelle pagine!

Marco e Caterina

Caterina ha dedicato i suoi libri a "Tutti i calabresi d'oltreoceano, i cui cuori battono ancora al ritmo delle onde che accarezzano le nostre coste. Anche se le distanze ci dividono, i ricordi e la tradizione ci uniscono".

È un'affermazione potente, ed è vera. Il cibo dei tuoi antenati ti metterà in contatto con le tue radici. Non importa se è fatto in casa o di qualche ristorante qualsiasi. Tuttavia, preferisco il cibo fatto in casa a certi ristoranti che rimarranno senza nome.

Non importa quanto tempo sia passato, hai ancora legami con i paesi dei tuoi antenati.

Sfogliando il libro ora, mi rendo conto di quanto sia straordinario il cibo. Non si tratta solo di vari tipi di pasta. Ci sono altri piatti, come la pasta fritta, che mi piacerebbe provare. Alcuni di questi piatti non si potrebbero ordinare in un ristorante in America ed è per questo che non vedo l'ora di provare queste ricette!

    Caterina è un'eccellente scrittrice e anche lei ha detto che dovrei scrivere un libro anch'io. Forse un giorno lo farò. Devo solo capire da dove cominciare. Anche se sono sicura che direbbe che l'inizio è un ottimo punto di partenza. Potrei iniziare da San Pietro, Gesualdo, Newburyport o Haverhill. Le possibilità sono infinite. Per una scrittrice come me è difficile decidere da dove cominciare! Ecco perché questo blog mi è utile. Posso organizzare i miei pensieri e raccontare storie ogni volta che arriva il momento.

Sarò eternamente grata a Caterina e ai suoi libri perché mi hanno dato una visione della Calabria che probabilmente non avrei ricavato da un articolo su Wikipedia. Grazie a lei ho una comprensione maggiore di com'era la vita in Calabria quando lei era bambina e di com'è la vita lì oggi. Finché continuerà a scrivere, sarò lì a fare il tifo per lei! Questi libri sono fantastici e sono assolutamente un must per chiunque sia interessato alla Calabria! Potete acquistarli ora sui siti web di Amazon in italiano e negli Stati Uniti. Dategli un'occhiata!

Alla prossima! 

"Sapori e profumi di Calabria" è di proprietà di Caterina Aleardi.

52 Ancestors Week 48: Family Recipe

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 48:

The theme for Week 48 is “Family Recipe.” Who made the dish that made holiday meals “complete”? Who was the best cook in the family? (Or who was the worst?) This would also be a good week to write about a favorite family recipe and the memories you have surrounding it. 

I think you can see where this is going.

I’m not about to throw anyone who has ever cooked for me under the bus. Why would I? Everyone in my life has been a great cook! Even my dad! Though, he has experimented with a few oddities over the years. I still can’t stomach liver and onions and I’d like to meet someone who can eat that dish!

My mother has always been the one who made holiday meals complete. She would make lasagna for us for Thanksgiving and the dish just makes the holiday meal complete. I honestly can’t imagine Thanksgiving without it, meatballs, sausage and braciole. I usually have that after a little bit of a turkey appetizer. Sure it’s heavy, but, the food coma is so worth it!

I bet you’re all stuffed looking at that image to your left. The recipe is prettily simple. You take the noodles and add layers of sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheese and bake it in the oven. Many Italian families usually put in meat in between the layers of pasta. For some reason we’ve never used meat. This is probably because we had meatballs and sausages as a side dish.

Seeing pans of lasagna now often brings back memories of prior Thanksgiving feasts. Long before we ever had Thanksgiving in Virginia with my brother and his family we would have Thanksgiving at our house in Salem and our guests of honor would be my grandma Ollie and her sisters from time to time. Usually it was just Ollie because she lived in the next town over in Haverhill. Can you say convenient? It sure was! I loved having grandma Ollie nearby since my other grandparents were far away.

Now, you might think Ollie would be skeptical of someone who wasn’t Italian making lasagna. She never said anything bad about the cooking. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Ollie would give you the shirt off of her back! She would comment on my mom’s cooking and maybe offer a tip or two. I’m not even sure what prompted my mother to start making it all those years ago. Perhaps she just wanted to try it out.

The “worst” thing she probably ever did was talk to my mom about her mom Clementina’s cooking and how she prepared certain dishes. I remember asking her about certain recipes and she always smiled and said “It was always a pinch of this or a pinch of that. We used whatever was available.” That was true. I mean the Carrabs clan had five daughters to feed. Who had time to write things down? Don’t worry. She did! Some recipes are in the family. They’re just with various cousins at the moment.

While cousins had the recipes, we had Clementina’s rolling pin and ravioli cutter. My father once put both to good use when he made cheese ravioli. They turned out so good! The only problem was that it took so long to make! I know good food takes time to make. I just wouldn’t use it for Thanksgiving unless you start making it that Tuesday!

Anyway, seeing the dishes bring back a lot of memories of previous holiday dinners with the family. Ollie and my dad would talk about her parents, who he and his cousins called Nonmie and Nona. Oddly, they never really talked about Thanksgiving at their house.  Believe me, I’ve tried asking how they celebrated Thanksgiving and I never really got a solid answer from anyone. Maybe some things are best left to the imagination.

I do recall someone saying that  Giuseppe would use the holiday to test out his homemade wine. Giuseppe and his brothers Rocco and Pasquale had their own wine cellars and would make wine from the grapes they grew in their yards. My father and his cousins always told me Giuseppe’s wine was very sweet and that his brothers had very strong wine. I wonder if that was because my great-grandfather grew his grapes in the lush Merrimack valley. Or maybe he just picked them at a better time.

Either way, Thanksgiving was usually a time where we’d swap a lot of the family stories. My brother and I would just eat the lasagna and listen to our parents and grandma entertain us with stories from their youth or something Ollie remembered from the past.

The one thing she never did was criticize my mom’s cooking. Before we started eating she’d say “This looks so good, Diane!” She then looked to my brother and I tell us to “mangia”. 

She didn’t have to tell us twice! We were more than happy to dig in. My favorite part has always been the middle side. My brother on the other hand preferred the corners and the crunchy pasta. You can tell a lot about a person from which part of the lasagna they take!

Even today seeing a pan of lasagna brings those memories back to me. I close my eyes and picture my grandmother cooking alongside my mom in the kitchen. They’d be laughing and swapping stories and I’d come in for a visit. For the record, I was never hit by a wooden spoon for sneaking a peek or getting a snack. I wasn’t that naughty! I did, however, try to sample the banana crème pie a few times. Hey! It was good! It’s the perfect dessert to go with a meal like this!

Though, you won’t be able to move after eating. 

See ya next time! And if you’re in America, have a great Thanksgiving!