• A Letter from the Editor, Truby Chiaviello
• Travel/Hidden Treasures
• Italian Language
• Readers’ Corner
• Reviews
• Wine and Spirits
• Food
  

First Edition 2025 also includes:

• Loreto - City of Soul
• Ghirardelli - San Francisco’s Sweet Sensation
• Ed Marinaro - From the NFL to “Hill Street Blues”
• Oscars Snub Jimmy Darren and Other Deceased Italian American Actors and Actresses
• Frolla Bread - A Journey, in America, to Find The Delectable Treat of Campania
• Food for Thought: Seafood Stuffed Shells, Steak Florentine, Garlic Mustard Potatoes, Roasted Carrots Gremolata, Budino, Strudel di Mele

COVER FEATURE - GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI
Risorgimento Redentore

In 1861, Garibaldi was dubbed the “Washington of Italy” after his conquest of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. His battlefield exploits caught the attention of the U.S. president. That year saw an exchange of letters with Abraham Lincoln seeking Garibaldi to fill the position of commander of the Union army.

FEATURE ARTICLES

LORETO - CITY OF SOUL
Pilgrims Flock to The City That Hosts The House of The Virgin Mary
The story of the cittadina of Loreto, begins and ends with the looming basilica, Santa Casa Delle Vergine Maria. Here resides the holy house of the Virgin Mary, a modest one-room structure.

GHIRARDELLI
San Francisco’s Sweet Sensation
Born in Rapallo, 1817, Domenico Ghirardelli spent much of his life making candy. In 1849, however, he sailed to California with hopes to strike it rich in the Gold Rush. Instead, he established a tent store in Stockton, before moving to San Francisco to begin his chocolate empire.

ED MARINARO
From the NFL to “Hill Street Blues”
He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up. He played in two Super Bowls. He chummed around with Joe Namath. He played Officer Joe Coffey in “Hill Street Blues.”

OSCARS SNUB ITALIAN AMERICANS
Is This Merely a Matter of Limited Time, as The Academy Often Claims? Or, Is There Something Deeper at Play?
Among the many stars who passed away in 2024, one name was noticeably absent in the Oscars’ tribute montage - Jimmy Darren. Darren’s omission from the Academy’s tribute is a glaring oversight, but it is far from the first.

FROLLA BREAD
A Journey, in America, to Find the Pastry of the Campania Region
A frolla, a type of Italian short crust pastry, is a staple in many traditional desserts. New York is known for its vibrant and diverse food scene; however, finding authentic frolla is more difficult than one might imagine.

Recipes featured are Seafood Stuffed Shells, Steak Florentine, Garlic Mustard Potatoes, Roasted Carrots Gremolata, Budino, Strudel di Mele

 

• A Letter from the Editor, Truby Chiaviello:The Mangione Family - From Humble Sicilian Roots to the Top Tier of Maryland Society to Luigi Mangione, Accused of Murder and Domestic Terrorism
  
• Hidden Treasures - Where Death is Beautiful - La Specola Is Florence’s Fascinating, Gruesome Museum
  
• Language: D.H. Lawrence - What Was It About The Ancient Etruscans The Author Admired?
  
• Wine & Spirits: Ratafia - Italy’s Sweet Offering Comes to America
• Readers' Corner: “A Boy, A Woman, And A War,” by Arlene Spagna
• Readers’ Corner: “The Saints of Cambridge,” by Salvatore Alloso

And...Book Reviews in this Edition…

“The Love of San Demetrio,” by Louis G. Bruno, Jr. A poignant exploration of family, heritage, and self-discovery.
“The Case of the Amorous Caddy,” by Anthony Celano. The novel is a gripping plunge into obsession, deception, and murder, all set against the unlikely backdrop of a Staten Island country club.
“NCIS Agent Jerzy Shore,” by George Vercessi. The author blends the intrigue of a military cold case investigation with the layered introspection of a seasoned sleuth.
“The Italians,” a film directed by Michelle Danner. The film is a comedic take on an Italian American family, the Vitalis, in present-day California.

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Italian pride never looked so beautiful. Our earrings are handmade, right here in the USA, from the finest material: Sterling silver, beads of jade, carnelian and agate - in the colors of the Italian flag – red, white and green! Buy them today! Just $14.95; the price includes shipping and handling.

 

 

 

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