Nathan Orsi3/27/2012MET ML 701 Theory and MethodologyLiterature Review: Italian-American Relationships with Food

This literature review focuses on Italian-American food as

it relates to a sense of self and family, togetherness, and the

connection to the social fabric of society that people are

intrinsically bound to. Food is a way of life for Italian people

and they used it as a way to preserve their culture when they

immigrated to America. Of course moving to a new country is life

changing, but in many ways the identity of Italian-Americans has

remained intact because of this strong bond between food,

families and culture. Food for them is far more than the act of

sustenance, because it represents a lot of what Italian culture

stands for. This literature review draws from works by scholars

from various disciplines to garner a better understanding of the

social and historical importance that food has played in Italian-

American Culture.

I have broken the review down into three main sections. The

first section is primarily concerned with cultural and family Nathan Orsi Page 1

attributes of Italian-American food experience. In the second

part of the review, the focus shifts to take a look at how

immigration patterns plays into the construction of Italian-

American food focused identity. In the third segment, the

literature concerning Italian immigrant enclaves in cities is

assessed. By compartmentalizing the information I hope to make

it easier to understand the research on Italian-Americans and

food.

There is a lot of literature regarding the importance of

food and Italian-American identity. The following literary works

are a good representation of the types of texts available on the

role of food in Italian-American families. I have included

several works on foodways of Italy, to give a frame of reference

for the traditional types of food that were brought over.

In South Italian Folkways Williams (1938) takes a social

anthropology approach that clearly lays out culturally

significant diet related information of southern Italians, and

this information makes it easier to understand the Italian and

Italian-American way of life as it relates to food. Many of the

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dishes that were brought over are reflected in this style of

eating, with meat eaten sparingly. Peasant fare was brought over

to the United States, so diets became Americanized while still

retaining some of their original qualities. In Carol Counihan’s

(1988) work on Italian women, she delves into the role of women

in Italian families in Post WW II Florence, Italy. In her work

she discovers that the traditional roles of Italian women are

changing, and because of increased responsibilities outside of

the home, they are unable to continue their dominant roles as

arbiters of family values and home dynamics.

The importance of food in the Italian-American way of life

is supported by Juliani (1998) because he goes in depth with his

discussion of how Italian food was a major contribution to the

American way of life. Food not only made it easier for Italians

to adjust to America, but it allowed them to provide for their

families through food industry jobs. This preserved their

cultural affiliations through their foodways.

Even though dishes were not always traditional fare in

Italian-American households, on special occasions they were

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prepared, preserving the old ways through holiday meals (Brown

and Munsell 1984; Kalcik 1984; Kitts 2002; Raspa 1984). In this

manner, future generations carry on the traditions. Swiderski

(1970) focuses on fishing as a livelihood and way to keep

cultural affiliations strong in the Italian-American enclave of

Glouster, MA. He takes an anthropological approach and

highlights how the fishing industry gives Italian immigrants a

sense of pride though the annual Italian festival of St. Peters,

which is a day of feasting and

celebration.

Carol Helstosky (2004) provides an interesting perspective

on Italian food in the political realm. She points out that

what is now known as Italian cuisine is a relatively recent

phenomenon. Traditionally, a subsistence lifestyle was

commonplace in Italy due to harsh economic and political factors.

DeAngelis and Anderson (2005) discuss the importance of Italian-

American food in film and literature and intergenerational

tension within Italian-American Life.

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Johnson (2011) ties in interviews and oral traditions in It’s

Only Words on Paper: The Recipe in Italian American Culture to show the

importance of recipes and food in Italian American way of life.

She takes oral history and frames it in the context of

understanding recipes, family history, and the bonds that are

formed through generational culinary interaction. With her use

of interviews, Johnson is able to frame her research on history

and identity more succinctly. Johnson references Janet Schenon’s

The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken (2008). In Schenon’s quest to track

down an old family ravioli recipe, she tackles complex issues of

cultural identity, family history, and food as it relates in an

Italian-American context. She also uses oral histories to

identify her heritage and the source of the ravioli recipe. This

paints a picture applicable to Italians because of their

oratorical and boisterous nature.

As Gambino (2000) discusses in The Family System, food is

integral to the structure and worldview of Italian immigrants.

Family is of the utmost importance, and sitting down to

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a meal is directly related to hard work and sweat. Having enough

food for everyone to eat is

representative of a strong family. However, showing off one’s

wealth is not done, because it is important to be humble (19).

Once again taking the idea of food as it relates to the creation

of Italian identity, Rolle (1980) points out the importance of

the family basis for Italian cuisine. It

was a cultural shock to Italian immigrants exposed to stores

where food was prepackaged. The new diet affected everything

from what was eaten to health. Traditional foods and their

preparation were altered, but the customs remained.

Fred Gardaphe’ is a professor and the director of the

Italian-American Studies program at SUNY Stonybrook. In The

Italians and the ‘Mericans: Myths and Metaphors of Becoming American, Gardaphe’

(2006) asserts that Italian-American culture has been bombarded

by media and outside sources, so much so that festivals are not

enough to keep the traditions of winemaking and culinary

heritage, along with other aspects life alive. He emphasizes the

importance of preserving Italian heritage so that future

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generations can carry on the traditions. Giovine (2010) uses an

ethnographic approach to highlight the importance of seafood in

“La Viglia”, the Italian-American Christmas Eve dinner. The

point of the meal is to keep traditions alive while at the same

time recognizing the new aspects of culture from the United

States. Lorraine Caputo (1994) takes the approach of how food is

a way in which Italian-Americans express their identity.

Creating a unique identity is plausible because of cooking and

the kitchen.

In looking at the culture of Italian-Americans it is

necessary to understand how the

process of immigration transpired, because it is difficult to

comprehend an immigrant experience

through one lens. The immigration of Italian-Americans has a lot

of literature associated with it,

and much of this is food related. Of course it is unfair to say

that the all Italian immigrants’ lives were relegated by food,

but it is hard to discount food as a prevalent part of their

acculturation.

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Early sociological studies such as Mondello’s (1980, 1)

indicate that 408 Italians came to the United States between 1821

and 1830, and the numbers progressively increase from there. His

work, The Italian Immigrant in North America, goes on to highlight the

agricultural work

done by rural Italian-Americans on farms and vineyards across the

nation. He also delves into population and immigration specifics

of Italian-Americans that resided in urban communities and

nationwide.

In La Storia, Mangione (1993) writes about the Italian-

American immigrant experience, focusing on the period of most

intense immigration from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s.

The transition to a diet not based on bean soups and bread is

discussed as Italian-Americans adjusted to life in the United

States. Bread was extremely revered. Before the bread was cut,

the knife was kissed and people would make the sign of the cross

on the bottom of the bread. Levenstein (1987) gives a

comprehensive historical synopsis of the integration of Italian

food with American culture and processed foods. This hybridization

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and creation of Italian-American cuisine led to a new genre of

cooking and eating. He also discusses Italian-American foods’ rise

in popularity and how Italian immigrants slowly warmed up to the

ways in which their food was being altered.

The origins of Italian-Americans are broken down in

Gardaphe’s work (2004) and he gets

into great detail about the attitudes Americans had towards

Italian Americans when they first arrived in the United States.

Gardaphe’ notes that the role of food in the culture of Italian

Americans has been approached in historical, anthropological, and

sociological ways. He delves into the relationship between food

and sex and what it means to be Italian American. The Italian

custom of eating at home as opposed to out at a restaurant is

emphasized.

Daniels (2002) touches on agricultural workers that came

over from Italy during the late 1800s and early 1900s. They

gravitated to the western United States, introduced new

farming techniques, and made valuable contributions to the wine

industry. He goes into detail about where people were migrating

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to and when they came over. Daniels paints a good picture of the

diaspora of Italian immigrants within the United States.

Ferrero (1909) writes about a communal living situation that

was established in North Carolina for Italian immigrants. It was

successful in that it re-created an Italian community in the

countryside, with agriculture as the focal point of life. The

importance of the wine industry in California and feasting in

Little Italy were also discussed, furthering the links between

Italian-Americans and their tight knit relationship with food,

drink, and social activities.

Diner (2002) lays out the complexities with the immigration

of Italians and their ability to break away from an oppressive

system in Italy where poverty was widespread. Italian-Americans

were able to create and serve traditionally elitist food as a way

to succeed and keep their culture alive in the United States,

albeit a slightly different one. Jeffery Kallen (2004) takes

issue with Diner’s (2002) work, because of the lack of specific

information about meals. This is relevant, because you would

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want to be able to analyze what was being eaten to get a good

idea of Italian-American immigrant consumption patterns.

According to Klein’s sociological study (1990), in the early

1900s Italian-American college students were at a low risk of

alcohol abuse. They had less alcohol related problems

because of the permissive nature of responsible alcohol

consumption in the family setting. But with a slow acculturation

into the American way of life, alcohol abuse became more common

place with Italian-American college students, possibly due to a

loss of traditional ways.

The role of polenta in immigrant households is discussed by

Maloezzi and Williams (2005) in The Gentrification of Polenta. It was not

eaten by immigrants who first came over

because of its link with poverty, but as time went on, Italian-

Americans wanted to connect with their ancestors, so cornmeal

mush came back into favor. La Sorte (1985) goes into great

detail about the Italian immigrant experience. He discusses the

social structure and job market, along with the stress and mental

strain put on immigrants with the separation from their families.

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In the early 1900’s the fruit industry was dominated by Italian-

Americans, along with other merchants who sold food stuffs.

According to Foerester (1919), Italian-Americans had many food

industry jobs such as baking, cooking, fishing, winemaking, and

food sales. For instance, the San Francisco seafood business was

dominated by Italian-Americans in the late 1800s.

The sociologist Castiglione, (1905) writes about the

conundrum that urban Immigrants faced in that they were basically

forced to do manual labor even though many came over as expert

farmers and vintners. The poor living conditions were

exacerbated by the high cost of living in a city environment.

Castiglione makes the case for settlement in the countryside,

where Italian Americans can use their skills to prosper and make

a better life for their families.

In looking at the role of material culture and foodways, an

archaeological perspective is gained from Kitts (2002) on how

assimilation into an American way of life transpired for New York

City immigrant Michael Pette. Mr. Pette came to the United

States as a young man in 1885, so the timeframe is relevant to

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the literature review (4). The remnants left behind indicated

the Mr. Pette was eating a middle class, Americanized diet.

Taking a look at the literature focused around urban

Italian-Americans, it is evident that there is a deep rooted

cultural presence within cities. There is much written about

city life and

how urban conditions impacted Italian immigrants. The article

written by Gabaccia and Pilcher (2011) discuss the Italian-

American eateries known as tavernas from the 1870s to the 1940s

in New York City. They discuss southern Italian migrants and the

public food cultures that developed during that time period as a

result of immigration.

In her book, 97 Orchard, Jane Ziegelman (2010) writes about

the importance of food in

Italian American Culture in New York City, and uses primary

sources to show the details of Italian immigrants’ lives. She

highlights the importance of food in their lives. She shows how

bread, pasta, and sauces influenced Italian identity. Cinotto

(2004) delves into the issues associated with the desire to hold

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on to Italian culture in Manhattan and East Harlem while being at

odds with American culture in the early 1900’s. The foods eaten

in the household were still Italian, but at school and out in

public there was pressure to conform to homogenized American

fare.

During the Great Depression, one Italian-American who helped

those in need was Al Capone (Opey 84-5). Of course Capone was an

infamous criminal mastermind, but he distributed food to needy

people in Chicago, regardless of ethnicity, once again tying the

sense of community and food together. In this same vein, Immerso

(1999) writes that Newark was a thriving area during time of

Italian Immigration. During the 1930’s people flocked there

because of the Italian-American culture. It was a place where

people from all walks of life could mingle and interact, and a

landmark of Italian-American food and culture up until it was

torn down in the early 1950’s.

Exchange and the structure that food gave Italian-American

women of Marytown, PA

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was the focus of the study conducted by Curtis and Theophano

(1991). Through a system of reciprocity, dishes were made for

one another and a communal balance was struck through the medium

of food, instating a sense of continuity in the cultural

landscape. The study was carried

out in the late 1970’s. A comprehensive overview of Italian-

American family structure and food

tradition was written by Bonocore (2005). He focuses on the

importance of food and feasting to Italian-American culture, and

highlights the community bonds that are fostered by foodways in

the cities across the United States.

Utica, NY is featured in Gastronomica (Guttman, Krueger

2009) with an article focused on the foodways of Italy brought

over in the late 1800’s by Italian Immigrants in upstate New

York. Utica Greens are now served in restaurants throughout

Utica, but originated in family kitchens with vegetables and

simple ingredients reminiscent of small villages in Italy. The

foodways are still evident today and thriving, which is a

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testament to the cohesive power of food in Italian-American

communities. In this instance, home cooking is translated into a

restaurant setting. And while it no longer holds the same

meaning, the knowledge of its history gives meaning and depth to

the dish, along with the construction and support of the Italian-

American way of life, even in a smaller city such as Utica.

Barkan (2007) writes about how Italian-American food was an

important part of the community in burgeoning Cortland, NY,

because of the cohesion it brought to the community. Italian-

American migrants took up boarding in Italian homes in Cortland.

This bolstered the community by creating strong cultural bonds

and perpetuating the foods that important to the culture.

Bielinski (2004) discusses the significance of the Italian

immigrant community from 1886 to the 1926 in Turber, TX. He

discusses the foods that were of importance to the men that lived

in boarding houses there.

One of the gaps I found was the lack of literature available

on everyday life of rural immigrants. It would have been

interesting to get more information on the culture shock

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experienced by Italian immigrants. This is an area of research

that could be addressed in the future for more in depth analysis.

Literature focused on thick description of rural towns would be

telling of the way generations of Italian-Americans have adjusted

to life in the United States. It makes one wonder how possible

isolation impacted their sense of self and cultural identity.

There was very little on specific lives of farmers and laborers

outside of the urban areas, the information that could be gleaned

from such sources would be valuable in constructing a more

complete picture of the Italian-American culinary experience.

Much of the immigration was to urban areas, so it is not

surprising that more information is readily available regarding

city life.

It is possible to get a sense of the struggles that Italian

people went through and the new-found culinary possibilities they

had when they arrived in the United States, but more first-hand

accounts are necessary for a better understanding.

Another area of literature that was lacking was the

perspective of women in Italian-American communities. Of course

Nathan Orsi Page 17

by no means was it non-existent, but this is another genre that

could be explored further. There is always a biased approach

when writing, and personal anecdotes enter the realm of

literature more often than not. A feminist or female voice would

create a more balanced picture of the Italian-American

experience. The Milk of Almonds, edited by Louise Desalvo (2002) is a

comprehensive compilation of Italian-American experiences from a

female perspective.

In closing, there are many texts that have been written

concerning Italian immigrants and their close connection to food.

There is so much more at play than food specifically.

I can identify with much of what I read, because I come from an

Italian family on my father’s side. Eating at home in a familial

setting was always emphasized. Going out was a special treat.

I have a great appreciation for eating with relatives and close

friends. Throughout the literature this is a common theme. The

idea of family as more than just the immediate members spans

throughout the articles and books. It is evident from the

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literature that for Italian-Americans, food and wine are much

more than just sustenance. Italian-Americans have used their

culinary proclivities to preserve their culture and practices.

Food for them is a cohesion of family, values, and heritage that

cannot easily be forgotten.

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Works Cited

Bielinskio, Leo. “The Italian Presence in the Coal Camp of Thurber Texas,” West Texas Historical Association Yearbook, no. 80 (2004), 33-40.

Brown, Linda and Kay Munsell eds., Ethnic and Regional Foodways in the United States (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1984).

Caputo, Lorraine. “Gender, Food, and Loss,” Studies in Gender and Sexuality, no. 12 (2011): 195.

Castiglione, G.E., “Italian Immigration into the United States 1901-4,” American Journal of Sociology no. 11 (1905): 183-206.

Cinotto, Simone. “Leonard Covello, the Covello Papers, and the History of Eating Habits among Italian Immigrants in New York,” Journal of American History 91 no. 22 (2004): 497-521.

Foerster, Robert F. “Coming of the Italians in the Italians: Social Backgrounds of an American Group,” in The Italian Emigration of our Times, edited by Francesco Cordasco and Eugene Bucchioni (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1919), 33-73.

DeAngelis, Rose and Donald R. Anderson. “Gastronomic ‘Miscuglio:’Foodways in Italian-American Narratives,” Italian Americana 23, no. 1 (2005): 49-68.

DeSalvo, Louise ed., The Milk of Almonds: Italian American Women Writers on Food and Culture. (New York: Feminist Press, 2002).

Di Giovine, Michael. “La Vigilia Italo-Americana: Revitalizing the Italian-American Family through the Christmas Eve Feast

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of the Seven Fishes” Food and Foodways 18, no. 4 (2010): 181-208.

Diner, Hasia, Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001).

Ferrero, Felice. “A Farm Colony in North Carolina,” in A Documentary History of Italian Americans, edited by Wayne Moquin and Charles Van Doren (New York, Washinton: Praeger, 1974), 81-81.

Gabacchia, Donna R. and Jeffery Pilcher, “’Chili queens’ and Checkered Tablecolths,” Radical History Review, no. 110 (2011): 109-26.

Gambino, Richard. “The Family System” in The Review of Italian American Studies, Translated by Richard Gambino, Edited by Frank Sorrentino and Jerome Krase (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2000), 7-40.

Gardaphe', Fred. “The Italians and the ‘Mericans” in ‘Merica: in Merica' A Conference on the Culture and Literature of Italians in North America, edited by Aldo Bove and Giuseppe Massara, (Stonybrook, New York: Forum Italicum Publishing, 2006).

Gardaphe’, Fred, Leaving Little Italy: Essaying Italian American Culture (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2004).

Guttman, Naomi and Roberta Krueger. “Utica Greens: Central New York's Italian American Specialty,” Gastronomica: The Journal of Foodand Culture 9, no. 3 (2009): 63-9.

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Kellen, Jeffery. “Review of Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration,” The Journal of American Folklore 117, no. 463 (2004): 113-4.

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La Sorte, Michael, La Merica: Images of Italian Greenhorn Experience, (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1985).

Levenstein, Harvey. “The American Response to Italian Food, 1880–1930” in Food and Foodways 1, no. 1(1985): 1–23.

Maloezzi, Frances M. and Willia M. Clements. “The Gentrification of Polenta,” Italian Americana 23, no. 2 (2005): 133-44.

Mondello, Salvatore, The Italian Immigrant in Urban America, 1880-1920, as Reported in the Contemporary Periodical Press (New York: Arno Press, 1980).

Opey, Frederick Douglas, Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America (New York: Columbia University Press, 2008), 84-5.

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Rolle, Andrew, The Italian Americans: Troubled Roots (London: The Free Press, 1980).

Schenon, Laura, The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family(New York: Norton & Company 2008).

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