Grocery Shopping With Nonna

Most people may dread grocery shopping, but when you go with Nonna it is always a blast. Nonnas always seem to have a plan of attack when stepping foot into a grocery store and have multiple stops along the way. It always amazes me how my Nonna, in particular, does not get as tired as she when going grocery shopping.

Normally, Nonna goes to Shaws then Stopping then Russos (a local grocery store).  During this process, she also finds time to return soda bottles and sometimes make a stop at Family Dollar. Nonna clearly has this down to an art.

When Nonna goes grocery shopping, it seems like she is preparing for the end of the world sometimes. It seems like she is always buying food to add to the stock pile she has. For the grandkids, this is not a problem at all because we get food out of the deal!

Natale

Christmas can be exciting for many reasons. The presents, the family time, waiting for Bubba Natale (Santa) to come, and so much more. But for me, Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday just for the food! It is an Italian tradition to have the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, which is why I love it so much.

It is an Italian tradition to not eat meat on Christmas Eve in order to honor Jesus Christ. Instead, fish is eaten. Generally 7 fishes are supposed to be eaten in order to represent the 7 sacraments.  It is very clear that Italians are very religion oriented and it can be seen specifically during Christmas. While religion is key, more focus is put onto cooking rather than going to church. In my 20 years of existence, I do not think I have gone to a holiday Mass more than 5 times.

Holidays are always great to get the family together and be grateful for what you have. But there are always funny jokes, a lot of naps (generally the men fall asleep on the couch), traditions and so much more that make it even more special.

The World of Soccer

Even though some may say soccer is not a real sport, in Europe soccer is the most popular and most played sport. Italians take their soccer very seriously. There are many different regional teams that are followed and when the national competitions come around Italians are glued to the TV to watch their home country play.

In my house, there is almost always a soccer game on the TV. You can hear it from anywhere in the house and also hear whoever is watching it yelling at the TV. When the big games are on and a loss happens, its best to just stay far away.

In addition to watching the game, there is some superstitious acts and back talking that are done in order to ensure a win for Italy. During the world cup, my dad had to wear the same underwear while watching each game.  When the game went into overtime, everyone was on the edge of their seats. My father, however, was yelling from the other room. He couldn't see the TV but was yelling about everything the coach decided on. He then was standing in the doorway and would walk away. He did this for at least 5 minutes. He not only did that but was yelling about the choice the coach made in players for the penalty kick. He said that "Why would he put that idiot in?!" But when  the idiot won the game for us, he was singing a different tune.

Italians are passionate about many things, soccer included. If you ever have the opportunity to watch a soccer game with an Italian, it could be the funniest thing ever or a scary site to see.

Can you hear me now??

Calling long distance can be a tricky thing to do something's. it can be expensive, hard to hear, and sometimes hard to remember time differences.  In an Italian home, you can tell when Italy's being called because you can hear the conversation from three blocks away.

For the longest time I couldn't figure out why my grandparents used to yell at the phone. Then as time go on I found out that one relative was hard of hearing so they felt the need to yell. But it still applied to everyone else they talked to as well.

The Italian comedian Joe Avati believes that when they are on the phone they yell in order to make up for the distance. Which in actuality would make the most logical sense if you don't know the anatomy of a phone.

Homemade Goodies

When you think about something homemade, normally the first thing to comes to mind is something along the lines if chocolate chip cookies. However, in an Italian  household, this term can include many different things. From blankets to cheese, almost anything can be homemade.

When I walk into my nonno and nonnas house, I am offered homemade cheese, home cured meats, homemade bread, and sometimes even homemade wine. It always amazes me just how much is made  from scratch.  Everything is made with such ease and precision. Both my grandparents have mastered these skills and have made their homemade treats into an art.

The joy they get on their face while sharing their creations is the same as watching a child get excited when they show their parents their art work. In all honesty, they love making and well everyone around them love receiving the fruits of  their labor.

Did you say Nutella??

I am sure most people know about the chocolate spread called Nutella. If you have not, drop what ever you are doing, go to the grocery store, and buy 10 jars of it  (you will eat all 10). Growing up Nutella was a special treat to have. It was very hard to find but now you can find it almost everywhere.

In my house, we buy the jumbo size of Nutella. I swear it is like bringing crack into a crack house. It is spread onto anything that it can be spread on. In less than a week, it is either gone or close to it! My dad will eat it till the sun goes down (and probably even after as a midnight snack).  He is normally the one to polish off a jar. When this happens, it is so depressing!  Nothing is more upsetting than when you get a craving for it and go to have some and find an empty jar.

While some people may think Nutella is the hip new trend, it is something that I grew up with. For instance, Nutella is more used in Italy than peanut butter.

The Pope and The Church

We all know that Catholicism is very prominent in the Italian culture. Growing up there was always an endless supply of holy water and rosaries in the house.With Easter approaching and the importance of the pope election, religion has been a hot topic. 

Picture from Nonna Maria

If you go in to my nonnis (grandparents) home, you can find many religious artifacts all over the house.  From candles from religious ceremonies, holy water, palms, paintings of angels or saints, and so on are everywhere! You can't really escape without finding some sort of religious object in the house. 

For a brief amount of time I lived at my grandparents house. I remember when it was time for bed, the religious paintings used to scare me to no end! Even though my grandmother would tell  me it was a type of "protection and safety" it still used to scare me in the middle of the night when you would look up and see a pair of eyes looking down at you!

Home Remedies Galore

Whenever we were sick growing up, Nonna always seemed to have some sort of trick to help us out. Whether it be a tooth ache or a head ache, she always had some trick up her sleeve. Nonna would never pop a Tylenol in your mouth and tell you to "Vai a dormire" (go to sleep).

Whenever there was a sore throat, trouble sleeping, or just trying to wind down after a long day she would suggest Chamomile tea. When she said the name, however, it sounded like she was saying "gagumila". This got me very confused when I was older when people would talk about this kind of tea since I was so used to how Nonna would say it. I'm sure I still slip and say it according to how Nonna would say it.

Oil, plants, and alcohol were the next tools used by Nonna.  For ear aches she would suggest heating up a spoonful of olive oil and pouring the hot liquid into the affected ear. It was the most uncomfortable feeling, but worked! Got a sun burn? No problem! Just go into Nonna's porch where she has an Aloe Vera plant year round. This was very useful in the summers. The next useful tool was putting some sort of alcohol on a tooth ache. I think that the only way this helped was by intoxicating the child to make them forget about  the pain.

Nonna was very resourceful on what she could use to make us feel better.  I guess when you grow up on a hill in Italy, you have to be resourceful in the remedies you use. There was no "dottore" (doctor) you could see easily.

Who needs a farmers market?

Picture from Nonna Maria's Facebook Page

For some people a garden might consist of grass, some flowers, and maybe a few shrubs. In an Italian household, however,  the garden is really a farm. When it comes to a garden we don't mess around.

As a child, I used to love going to my Nonnos garden. It was like a jungle to explore in. As time has gone on, the garden has not lost its integrity and still amazes me even as an adult. There are tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, herbs, beans, figs, the list could go on forever.

In order to keep the garden running, my Nonno has a specific system. He uses spare wood to make stands to tie the vines against in order to make sure they don't fall over. He uses recycled water to water the veggies. Everything he needs is lined up and ready to use when it is needed. He has taken caring for his garden as an art.

Nonno takes a lot of pride in his garden. There are so many vegetables that sometimes we have to get creative on what to make or he pawns them off to people that live around him.  If people go to visit his house, they leave with a doggie bag of produce from the garden.

Diet? What's a Diet?

In the Italian household, keeping a diet is a very hard thing to do. According to Nonna, there is no such thing as a diet. The word is not even in their vocabulary.

With all the meat, cheese, pasta, and bread, a diet is close to impossible. I remember one time I told my Nonna she was feeding me too much and she was going to make me fat. She was not too happy with me after that comment.

Joe Avati, an Italian-Australian Comedian, pokes fun at the idea of a diet during a comedy show he had. He talks about this while describing the use of a George Forman Grill in an Italian household can be an attempt at a healthy choice gone bad.

La Cantina

If you go into most Italian homes, there is always a room in the basement called the cantina.  The cantina is a cold room where everything is stored. You can find sausages hanging from a broom balance between shelves, sauce, homemade wine, and God knows what else.

I tend to think of this room as a black hole . If you need something, chances are its in the cantina.  When we rebuilt my house we made sure to add one. They are not only useful for storing food, but in the summer they are a perfect place to hide to stay cool!

A group of Canadian comedians talked about the cantina on their online show "Nonna Maria". This video is  spot on in talking about what can be found in there and what it looks like. Chances are they probably went into their Nonna and Nonno's cantina's to get the full affect!

How many Italians does it take to plow a driveway?

Within many Italian families, most of the men either work as landscapers or own their own landscaping company.  When planning family get together or parties, Saturdays are always out of the question since most of the men are doing the landscaping rounds on Saturdays.

Even in the winter, it can be crazy. Since winter time is the off season, many landscapers plow for extra cash. While the money pays well, the mental stress that the rest of  us have to endure is not so great. But the perks to having a landscaper (or ten) in the family means you will never be snowed in!

I give the guys a lot of respect. They work hard day in and day out. From working in the 100 degree weather to below freezing to plow, they somehow always keep going.  For instance, today I am sure many of my relatives have already prepped the plows, stocked up on salt, and have the espresso ready to go once Nemo fully hits.

Nonno and Nonna

In my opinion, if you don't have an Italian Nonno or a Nonna (grandfather or grandmother), you are missing out!  My grandparents are the most hilarious people I have ever met. Half the stuff they say and do shocks me on a day to day basis.

With Nonna (grandmother), the conversation is almost always about food. Whenever she calls the first thing she asks is always "Maria, hai magiato? You eat?" From there the conversation will then go to what did you eat, what time did you eat, who's home, where is everyone, and then she will say the reason she called.  Its a process, but I know she genuinely cares and wants to make sure I am not dying of starvation. I could only imagine what she would do if I said I didn't eat and that I was hungry.

Nonno is the most independent person you will ever meet. He is always up and out of the house going all over. His English is very limited, but  he always manages to get himself to and from Boston on the bus. He knows how much the T costs, where he has to switch buses, what time the bus comes, and so much more. It amazes me on how much he has done with so little English to communicate with others.

They are both very set on their ways and when something  needs to be done they need to do it their way. For example, during Hurricane Sandy part of a tree fell down in front of their house. It was a little tree and it landed on part of their lawn. Instead of letting the storm pass to take care of this small issue, my grandfather went out that exact minute to cut the tree down.  Within the family, we were not surprised at all on his actions. He wanted to get it done right then and there.

This is how they are and at times all we can do is laugh at their actions.  But at the same time, it is something to look up to (well not the part about going out in the middle of a hurricane). They have a drive that sets them apart from others and that keeps them going. Without that drive, they would not be the people they are today. Luckily with this drive, it keeps them young, lively, and full of humor for the rest of us to enjoy.

Benvenuti

Many people that say they are Italian, never know the true meaning behind the culture.  I am the complete opposite of those people. I come from a family that immigrated here during childhood and in adulthood. Both my parents are "fresh off the boat" as I like to say. 


My whole life I have been very proud of being Italian. It can be loud and sometimes crazy, but I would not change it for anything. In this blog, I will talk about the crazy things that we say, do, and some cultural beliefs we have.