There are bakeries, and then there are Italian bakeries. Jersey has plenty of super sweet and legendary spots, but one bakery, in particular, is getting national attention. What makes an Italian bakery the real deal? Cannolis are number one in my book. If you walk into an Italian bakery and there aren't plenty of fresh cannolis, turn around and lea...

The Somerset Patriots will celebrate Italian Heritage Night at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater (NJ) on Tuesday, August 27th. The Patriots take on the Reading Fightin' Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) at TD Bank Ballpark at 6:35 pm. The night will now include a postgame fireworks show, along with an assortment of Italian American-themed music and food...

Fifty years ago, Espo’s was a neighborhood Italian joint, tucked between modest homes a block from downtown Raritan Borough. Its dark, wood-paneled interior was lit by the roaring laughter of locals, who came in one, two, three times a week for red sauce dishes like stuffed shells, chicken cacciatore and stuffed peppers listed on a chalkboard menu....

Members of the Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean (IAATO), an organization that has a long history of supporting The Unterberg Children’s Hospital and the community it serves, went to Monmouth Medical Center to deliver proceeds from their annual car show fund-raiser. The highly successful event, which was held June 9th and exceed...

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Chapter of UNICO, in collaboration with St. Bartholomew's Church and St. Bartholomew's Academy, announces the milestone return of the 50th Annual Italian Festival. The vibrant celebration of community, culture, and culinary delights is set to take place from August 30 to Sept. 2, 2024, at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church...

The Amerigo Vespucci Society (AVS) of Long Branch New Jersey has announced the recipients of their annual academic scholarships. This year's scholarships, to be applied for the upcoming Fall semester, have been awarded to two New Jersey high school seniors. The first recipient, Ashley Rescinio, is a graduate of Monmouth Regional High School. She wi...

During and post-COVID, many from this newspaper’s readership started using their Shore homes throughout the year leading to more year-round restaurants and businesses. Added to the Urban Dictionary in 2010, “shoobie” began as slang for a New Jersey, Delaware or California seashore day-tripper, and evolved to refer to someone with a summer beach hom...

The Ocean County Columbus Day Parade Committee is proud to announce that they have chosen Stephanie Mongiello Wauters of Toms River to be Grand Marshal for the 33rd Annual Celebration. Each year the selection is difficult because there are several worthy individuals nominated and reviewed by the search committee. After carefully reviewing each of t...

Although most Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries settled in the nation’s large cities to meet the demands of industry, many others had a different experience, settling in rural areas to work in mines and quarries, build railroads and to farm. Each of these experiences were likely unique due to differences in time, industry...

Before he was an FBI agent, Joe Pistone was a wise-guy-in-training in his native Paterson, New Jersey, hanging out in after-hours gambling joints, with Mob ties NOT optional. “I grew up in an all-Italian neighborhood and didn’t know gambling was illegal until someone told me,” Pistone says. “Everyone had a bookie.”  The experience came in handy whe...