• For some, the label may be a stereotype.

• For others, the label may be an adjective.

It means something different to everyone…

The Mariani’s

• Originally from the Marche province in Italy.

The Mariani’s

• In Marche, they lived in the capital city of Ascoli Piceno.

Marche• The people of Marche place an importance on

home-style cooking. • The Marche region is known for consuming more

meat than other regions of Italy.• Dishes such as: grigliata mista di carne (charcoal

grilled meats), antipasto (with mountain salt-cured ham and lonza: salt-cured fillet of pork), and ciauscolo (a soft, spreadable pork salame) are a mere sampling of popular dishes commonly found in restaurants across the region.

Immigration

• The Mariani family immigrated the United States for better economic opportunity in the early twentieth century.

Immigration

• After a brief stay in New York City, they moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania.

New land, same traditions

• When able, the Mariani family would purchase familiar ingredients from a local deli or butcher.

• Much of their food was slaughtered by the men of the family.

• All parts of the animals were used.

• Adjustments were made to traditions and dishes based on availability of ingredients.

They stayed true to their roots…

• The Marche tradition of meat eating did not change, but was modified based on what they could hunt in the new land.

Food habits

• In order to stretch the life of available meat, it would usually be served with pasta.

Pasta

• There are over well over 100 varieties of pasta noodle shapes, each with a different name.

• Traditional Italian pasta dishes emphasize the pasta, noodle by itself, not what is served with it.

• Until recently, the Mariani family would call it “macaroni”, until Easy Mac was invented and the term macaroni came to mean something different.

A heated debate…

Some call it

gravygravy,

The only thing that is certain,

At least the name doesn’t affect the taste!

Others call it

saucesauce.

is that no one can agree on what it should be called.

• ““According to Mario Batali, "It's what Italians do when According to Mario Batali, "It's what Italians do when they say they're fasting." More precisely, the Feast is a they say they're fasting." More precisely, the Feast is a meal served in Italian households on La Vigilia meal served in Italian households on La Vigilia (Christmas Eve). In many parts of Italy, the night is (Christmas Eve). In many parts of Italy, the night is traditionally a partial fast, during which no meat traditionally a partial fast, during which no meat should be served. But in true Italian style, this should be served. But in true Italian style, this proscription has morphed into something very proscription has morphed into something very unfastlike indeed: course after course of luxurious unfastlike indeed: course after course of luxurious seafood dishes, often as many as 7, 10, or even 13. "No seafood dishes, often as many as 7, 10, or even 13. "No one's quite sure of the significance of the number," one's quite sure of the significance of the number," says Batali. "Some families do seven for the says Batali. "Some families do seven for the sacraments. Some do ten for the stations of the cross. sacraments. Some do ten for the stations of the cross. And some even do 13 for the 12 apostles plus Jesus." And some even do 13 for the 12 apostles plus Jesus."

Food Habits: Quirk

• Like many, the Mariani family has a tradition of eating their salad after the rest of the meal.

• are more than just stereotypes.

The Mariani’s, like many similar Italian American families, have had to adapt to new and unfamiliar lifestyles and changes from what they were used to in their mother land. But with these changes, they have also introduced a new variety into their customs and evolved as a communal whole into what many know Italians as today. It is important to note that stereotypes are stereotypes and many Italians are not pasta eating, singing chefs as television commercials would make them appear to be, but are instead like persons from every other culture: people who enjoy eating and coming together as a family to enjoy food prepared in a traditional and familiar way.

Works Cited

• http://www.italiamerica.org/id20.htm

• http://history.gsmrrclub.org/history1.html

• http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/kbennett/Mona%20Lisa/PastaMona2.jpg

• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uvy9T4D3b8k/SMEIPOWJuGI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/URUKHmu-_F0/s400/italian4.gif

Works Cited

• Kagan, Sarah. “Mario Batali’s Feast of the Seven Fishes.” Epicurious. N.p, n.d. Web. June 30, 2010. <http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/christmas/batalisevenfishes>

• Kittler, Pamela Goyan, Kathryn P. Sucher. Food and Culture, Fifth Edition. Belmont, California: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008, 2004. Print.

• Lip, Tony, Steven Priggé, Danny Aiello. Shut up and Eat!. New York, New York: Berkley Trade, 2006. Print.

• Marche Voyager. Marche Region Tourism Department. “Eating in the Marche: Food Notes.” n/p. Web. 30 June 2010.