Cooking from the Italians of Newark New Jersey An Ethnic Experience

<P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags /><st1:City w:st=on>Newark</st1:City> <st1:State w:st=on>New Jersey</st1:State> was a thriving Italian American community with ties to southern <st1:country-region w:st=on>Italy</st1:country-region> and <st1:State w:st=on><st1:place w:st=on>Sicily</st1:place></st1:State> with waves of immigrants coming from 1870 -1950.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>According to <st1:State w:st=on><st1:place w:st=on>New Jersey</st1:place></st1:State> census data from 2000 Italian Americans are the largest ethnic group in the state.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>There are two million citizens in the state that claim Italian descent.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>Many of these residents have ancestors who lived in <st1:place w:st=on><st1:City w:st=on>Newark</st1:City></st1:place>'s First Ward.</P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office /> </P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify>The purpose of writing this book is both biographical and cultural and also the need to preserve recipes as a link to the history of a neighborhood that vanished five decades ago.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>Many recipes have been verbally passed down and the primary focus of the book is to preserve them for future generations. Although the book is original to a specific geographical area the peasant food described in the recipes has become very popular in upscale Italian restaurants.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>The food is healthy and delicious.</P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify> </P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify>The old neighborhood was teaming with specialty shops including grocery stores cheese shops bread stores bakeries meat markets a chicken market and colorful peddlers. There was a pizza parlor that always used linen tablecloths and napkins.</P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify> </P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify>Every house had a stoop (colloquial name for small front porch) and on every stoop was a favorite chair often carried down several flights of stairs and a Nona or Zia would be seated watching over the neighborhood. These immigrants took great pride in their homes and community and knew everyone on the block and provided an informal but effective neighborhood watch.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>When they were not sitting on the stoop they could be seen sweeping the sidewalks.</P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify> </P><P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify>One ritual that has faded from the experience of Italian Americans is Sunday Dinner with Sunday Gravy.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>It was a time when families sat and ate at a leisurely pace with grandparents aunts uncles and cousins gathered in one home.<SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>It is hoped that <I style=mso-bidi-font-style: normal>COOKING FROM THE ITALIANS OF <st1:City w:st=on>NEWARK</st1:City><SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes> </SPAN>NEW <st1:place w:st=on>JERSEY</st1:place> - AN ETHNIC EXPERIENCE</I> will provide each reader with the collective memories of sitting at the table with family.</P>