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For many of us who are active in the Italian American community, there exists a common, existential fear, a constant refrain that can be heard at Lodge meetings and Sunday dinners alike… “The young people aren’t interested in being Italian!” But we decided to challenge this terrifying assumption by providing an opportunity for Italian America’s mos...

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Panic has beset the Italian American Community!! Pastina — the ultimate Italian American comfort food  — has gone the way of the Dodo!!!  Only… it hasn’t! When an Italian American thinks of pastina, especially during these cold winter months, it brings one back to the comforts of childhood, a cozy day in bed, and Nonna’s healing touch. But this wee...

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Close your eyes and try to rate it.  That crunchy, sticky, subtly sweet cloud of confection… The pillowy perfection known as torrone candy… Whether at the holiday table, a wedding or feast, or on the ball top at a summer feast, it’s a taste that every Italian American knows. This week’s guests are responsible for bringing that taste to paesani near...

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Christmastime in Italy (and, of course, in Italian America) wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of the Presepio, the lovingly crafted Nativity Scene. And for centuries, generations of artisans in the city of Napoli have been heralded for creating the world’s finest Presepi. But, in the heart of Brooklyn’s famed Dyker Heights neighborhood, th...

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Are YOU part of the Struffoli Squad? These beloved Neapolitan confections, deep fried and coated in a sticky sweet sheen of freshly warmed honey, are often considered an essential part of an Italian American Christmas, but for this week’s guest, they’re special enough to earn the title of “show stopper.” Annie Petito is one of the incredibly talent...

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Music always plays an outsized role in getting us in the “Holiday Spirit,” and this year, Christmas in Italian America will have a distinctly Sicilian sound thanks to one very devoted Sicilian American songstress. In this conclusion of our two-part episode with special guest Michela Musolino, we learn more about her new Christmas album, “La Notti T...

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For many of us, the music of the motherland and the songs that Italian Americans have contributed to the American soundtrack serve as a way to reconnect to our heritage.  But for this week’s guest, preserving and sharing that music isn’t just a passion; it’s a mission she has given her life to. Michela Musolino grew up in a household where Sicilian...

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Deep into a successful career in the exhilarating world of auditing, Italian American serial-achiever Michele Di Pietro decided she needed more out of life.  And so, at nearly double the age of most entrants, this life-long lover of the art of “feeding others” decided to head off to culinary school. Today, Michele is an entrepreneur, classically-tr...

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It’s one of the most polarizing delicacies in Italian America. Loved my many, loathed by others. But no matter how you slice it (pun intended) there is nothing quite like TRIPE…the “Queen of the Offal Meats”! And for those who can’t get enough of this oft-misunderstood treat, or even one who is interested in trying their first-ever plate of gourmet...

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In a celebration of migrants and their contributions to the fabric of American society, an immigration think tank honored a group of people who championed the cause. One of the honorees was a nonprofit organization founded by a Brooklyn family whose ancestors came to the U.S. from Italy. The Viola Foundation, on Wednesday, Nov. 9, received the Immi...

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