The Godmothers 1, 2, and 3

What do you associate with Sicily? The Godfather? Hollywood has significantly influenced the image of this island as dangerous, but the era of Dons and Mafiosos is long past.

When Sicilians first moved to the USA in the late 1800s, only 56% were literate. As they settled in Boston and New York City, they passed their Italian slang to their children. Surprisingly, every Italian-American I've encountered over the years doesn't speak Italian, only a few curse words. These new Americans believed they were now in America and would only speak English. Yet, slang words remain common in the USA.

For instance, the Italian word for mistress is comare (one who takes care of you). In Sicilian slang (as in The Sopranos), it is pronounced gomah (the letter "c" in Italian is pronounced slightly at the back of the throat).

Still on my bucket list, I plan to visit my father's homeland, Pachino, Sicily, located on the southeast tip of the island, famous for its cherry tomatoes. From reading about the Mediterranean's largest island, I've learned that the people are known for their hospitality and are incredibly welcoming. Unlike most European countries, English isn’t widely spoken, so I will need to brush up on my Sicilian.

Side note: There are over 300 dialects spoken in Italy today.

What about Sicilian pizza?

I recall my dad taking me to the Sicilian neighborhood on Common Street in Lawrence, MA, where there were several salumerias and bakeries offering their version of pizza topped with creamy and rich buffalo mozzarella, and pastries like delectable pastaciotti and sfogliatelle; memorable treats with flaky crusts filled with real ricotta, custards, or cream. Today, that area has been re-gentrified with Latinos and Asians, but an old standby, Tripoli's Bakery, remains, though they have altered traditional recipes to suit local tastes. However, if you visit Hanover Street in Boston's North End today, you'll find Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry, which still maintain the old-world foods and ingredients.

My dad was a great storyteller, and I remember some of the tales he would tell about his godmother, Adelina, being a fantastic cook, much better than his own mother, my nonna, who was not skilled in the kitchen and very jealous of her sister's cooking. After school, whenever my nonna would mind me, she would serve her marinara sauce over spaghetti. I can still see her long glare and how she scowled as I spent 10 minutes picking out all the onions she had put in it. She would yell "Mangia! Mangia!"

I imagine I inherited my culinary talents from Adelina since my own mother disliked cooking and only prepared meals for our survival, not out of genuine love.

As a child, I was a picky eater, disliking most of what my mother made. She would chase me around the table with a spoonful of her latest concoction, yelling, "Try it! Try it!" She worried because I was so skinny. Whatever happened to that girl?

After I got married, whenever I visited the family, mom would ask me to prepare some of my gourmet dishes. She never commented or complimented my efforts, but her plate was always empty. My dad? Well, there's no need to explain how he felt about my cooking; watching my mom’s deadpan expression whenever he lifted his head from his dish, he would look up with wide eyes and reach for a third helping. We would all sit in silence without talking.Then my mom, unable to stand it any longer, would ask for his opinion by saying, "Well, do you like it?" I remember my dad, with his head down into the plate, lifting only his eyes and replying, "I'm eatin', ain't I? If I didn't like it, I'd tell you."

For authentic Italian recipes, visit my website at www.theitaliandiva.com. You will learn how to cook without using premature aging chemicals or preservatives.

Side note: It is commonly believed that one must cook tomato sauce for hours and hours. Some even cover it, which gives the sauce a boiled taste. My experience has shown that to give your sauce a fresher taste, simmer it for just 45 minutes. Longer times bring out the acid in tomatoes, leading some to add sugar to sweeten it. Instead, try adding a teaspoon of instant coffee. (For more info on that, see the blog: You Put Coffee in Marinara Sauce?)

Below is an old photo of my Sicilian family and the Godmothers 1, 2, and 3. My mom is seated third from the left with her arm around her sister-in-law. My dad is standing directly behind her. I sure miss them. Fun people!