By Luigi Diotaiuti
Chef/Owner Al Tiramisu Restaurant – Washington, DC – Ambassador of Italian Cuisine & The Cuisine of Basilicata in the world- Founder: Basilicata: A Way of Living – Certified Italian Sommelier

June is National Dairy Month, and there is no other month that brings my beloved homeland of Basilicata to mind more than it does. When I think of dairy, my mind immediately drifts back to my childhood and our farm. My food education was especially rich when it came to cheese-making, due to the constant supply of fresh milk from our herds. As a boy, I watched in fascination as my mother and father turned milk into caciocavallo, mozzarella, ricotta, and scamorza. My father expertly worked with cow’s milk to make products like butter, caciocavallo, treccie calli (braided cheese), and mozzarella. He was a master at shaping the caciocavallo into delightful designs like roosters for us kids. My mother prepared goat’s milk cheeses, churning out more than a dozen round wicker baskets of ricotta every day.

For me, cheese was more than just an amazing culinary ingredient, it was also a main source of our livelihood and currency. I actually paid for my tuition to culinary school with my father’s cheese. Nowadays, as the fifth most expensive cheese in the world, caciocavallo padolico does a great deal to boost my home region’s economy. Making it in the same artisan way preserves, just as the Italian language and our dialects do, our culture.

For this reason, I decided to start a non-profit organization in Italy called Basilicata: A Way of Living. My mission is to maintain the local traditions of the region while creating jobs, supporting sustainable agriculture, and promoting tourism. Two of our organization’s main projects, Pasta Lab and Sirino in Transumanza have garnered national and international media attention.

La Transumanza

One of the activities that I enjoy most in life is to travel to Basilicata in June to take part in a 3,000 year-old tradition. It’s called la transumanza (“crossing the land”) and refers to the process of moving cattle from the lowlands to their summer pastures in the mountains, and then back again. I put on my cowboy hat, pack my back sack, and accompany my brother Antonio, as on foot we move nearly 120 cows through gorges, glens, rural villages, even across a few paved roads, until we finally arrive at the summer pastures in Monte Sirino, a popular ski resort in the winter with an altitude of more than 4,000 feet. The 75-mile trip takes us three to four days – depending upon how many calves are in the herd to slow us down.

I am thrilled to make the journey and not just for the pleasure of walking through breathtaking scenery accompanied by the ancient sound of cowbells. Participating in this ritual fills me with joy because I am able to help my brother Antonio carry on our family legacy. During the transumanza, I feel so deeply connected to the land, that it’s almost as if I never left. I also make the trip to help publicize a tradition that’s in danger of dying out. When I take part in the transumanza, word spreads, and I am able to voice the importance of this tradition through the Italian media. They ask me why a busy chef from Washington D.C. takes time to participate in the ancient tradition. My response is that everyone benefits from keeping the transumanza alive. Cows have access to good grazing pastures and therefore produce superior milk. Farmers use the milk to make top-quality cheeses, such as the famous local Caciocavallo Podolico, scamorza and ricotta. The high quality of these products makes them attractive on the world market, which ultimately gives a huge boost to the local economy of my native region.

We shouldn’t stop walking in the footsteps of our ancestors and by participating in the transumanza I am literally doing my part to perpetuate the tradition. It’s my declaration that ancient practices and harmony with our environment produce superior food and happier, healthier communities. I am honored to have so many residents and community leaders take part in this time-honored ritual and that Basilicata: A Way of Living is an official sponsor.

Our “Sirino in Transumanza” project is already in its’ 6th edition and was adopted by students at George Washington University who helped me monitor the success of the project and transformed it into a global model to promote responsible agriculture, hospitality, and tourism in various locations in the world. I am proud to say that our event continues to grow in content, visibility, reach, and attendance each year. Its’ mission is to share the rich history of Basilicata while demonstrating how the local culture developed its daily living arts through sustainable methods which are perfectly suited for future generations. The organic reach of the events covered on Facebook was over 94,254 people, many of which were outside of the region and Italy – not bad for an area that is home to only 5,471 people! In 2020, we also created a Premio Sirino in Transumanza event which was a competition for all of the region’s culinary schools to highlight the best usage of local products and practices.

Pasta Lab

At Al Tiramisu, my team and I hand-make dozens of kinds of pasta for their dishes, and as an enthusiastic fan of pasta, I promote Pasta Lab which pairs professional chefs with talented home cooks, mainly grandmothers, who are often the custodians of cooking traditions. In accordance with Basilicata: A Way of Living’s philosophy, the mission of Pasta Lab is to help preserve the region’s distinctive pasta-making
customs. It provides the perfect platform for artisan pasta shapes such as orecchiette, tagliarine, strascinate, manate, raschiatelli, scorze di mandorle, fusilli al ferro, cavatelli, foglie d’olive, from Basilicata to be preserved. In DC, I teach the students in the culinary program at DC Central Kitchen to make the same time-honored recipes – creating a culinary bridge between the two cultures.

It is my hope that by adopting practices like these, all of Italy’s regions, and even the world will be able to keep their rich agricultural, linguistic, and culinary practices going strong into the future. In addition to preserving the legacy of our lineage, a commitment to this type of lifestyle is better for our environment, our health, and our economies as well. I wish everyone a wonderful month of June!

By Joanne Fisher exclusively for ILF

Joanne is a Canadian-Italian-American author who is renowned for her steamy romances, her historical fictions and her murder/mysteries. She loves writing Christmas novellas and she gives them an Italian flair since she has espresso running in her veins. She has also penned two non-fiction travel guides titled “Traveling Boomers” along with the corresponding website www.TheTravelingBoomers.com She has also participated various Space Coast Writers Guild anthologies and she’s written one of her own, “Baker’s Dozen Anthology” which is free on Kindle Unlimited. She is the President of the Space Coast Writers’ Guild and she lives in Central Florida with her hubby, Dan and two Dachshunds, Wally and Madison.

Over 2000 years ago, the Ancient Romans invented cheese presses to press cheese curds and transform them into cheese. They were also the first to experiment the process of aging cheese under different conditions in order to produce diverse flavors, textures and aromas. The Romans even created separate cheese kitchen called Caseale and some areas were dedicated to smoking home-made cheese. The Roman Empire continued to refine the cheese making process while dispersing and assimilating their techniques throughout the Empire which covered a vast amount of Europe as well.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, many of these techniques were largely abandoned, only to survive in isolated areas such as in the mountains or monasteries, where monks created monastery cheeses based on the Roman innovations. Individual Italian states developed their own identities and traditions which resulted in cheeses unique to each region of Italy. Local ingredients and customs would play a large role in the types of Italian Cheeses produced throughout the Italian peninsula.

There are hundreds of varieties of Italian cheeses that are produced in each region. We are going to cover the most popular ones below. There are many consortiums or quality control organizations created to protect and oversee production of protected Italian cheese types in Italy. Many Italian cheese types have been awarded PDO (protected designation of origin) status. PDO status establishes traditional methods for the production of an Italian cheese and ensures that it is made with local ingredients within only proscribed regions of Italy.

• Mozzarella di Bufala – legendary cheese made from the milk of the water buffalo.
• Parmiggiano Reggiano – most popular hard aged cheese awarded PDO status by the EU.
• Pecorino – hardened aged cheese made from sheep’s milk. Almost every region of Italy has its own version of Pecorino and each one is more exquisite than the other.
• Provolone – is hung in caves and aged from 3 to 12 months. It is sometimes smoked. Excellent choice for sandwiches or panini.
• Ricotta – means “re-cooked” is a fresh, soft, spreadable cheese which is mild and creamy. It is used in sweets and main course dishes.
• Asiago – a Venetian PDO cheese that comes in soft and hard formats. It is ideal for hot panini and sauces.

These are by far the most popular but dig deeper into the Italian cheese section of your supermarket; you’ll be amazed at what you find for your culinary delights.

Written by Margo Sorenson, author of over thirty traditionally-published books for young readers. Margo Sorenson spent the first seven years of her life in Spain and Italy, devouring books and Italian food and still speaks (or tries!) her childhood languages. Her most recent Adult/YA novel, SECRETS IN TRANSLATION (Fitzroy Books, October 2018), takes place in Positano, with many special Italian connections forged between people, especially because of their ability to speak Italian and to deeply appreciate the culture. www.margosorenson.com

“Once you open your mouth, and people hear your (Southern Italian) accent,” my parents told me, trying to be helpful, “people are going to think you really speak fluent Italian, and they’ll speak really fast, expecting you to understand.” Sure, I told myself. “Parents.” It was my very first trip back to Europe with my husband since I’d grown up there as a kid, so, even though I still studied and spoke Italian infrequently as an adult, I hadn’t been surrounded by a lot of people actually speaking Italian for years. I had no idea that my parents might be right. Because it was a trip with my husband’s company, our trip itinerary was primarily Germany and Austria, and a side-trip to Switzerland, so, to my disappointment, I didn’t think I’d have a chance to be speaking much Italian, anyway.

After being in Germany and Austria for a week, we had just left Lucerne, where everyone spoke Swiss-German. When we first arrived in Bellinzona, Switzerland, for the day, our tour guide gave us free reign and suggested we find the town’s medieval walls. Being a medieval history major, no one had to suggest that to me twice, so my patient husband and I took our tourist map and went off.

As luck would have it, we became lost almost immediately. I had forgotten that where we now were was Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland., so, when we found people who seemed to be locals, we tried to ask directions, first in English (I don’t speak German). That didn’t work, but they smiled and looked encouraging. Then, I tried my French. That didn’t work, either. Finally, in desperation, I tried Italian. Allora! The smiles broadened and they were delighted! My husband and I were delighted in turn—a language in common! Those of us who have had this happy circumstance occur know the feeling of joyful relief that flooded my husband and me. Yes, they spoke really fast, but after I used my “Mi dispiace—il mio Italiano non é buono,” they were more than helpful and even escorted us personally to our destination, chatting away. Being able to speak Italian had saved us again and helped us make a special connection. The warmth and generosity of Italian-speakers was confirmed for us, once more, and I felt at home.

That evening, in Lugano, when our tour group all walked into the hotel bar together, I saw several men look at us and say, “Ah, le donne americane vengono – che belle!” Then they kissed their fingertips (Italian men can be such flirts!). I started to smile to myself and looked at our tour group friends—and suddenly realized none of them could understand a word of what the men were saying: “Ah, American women are coming – how beautiful!” Not only that, the men speaking Italian had no idea that I could understand everything they said, either. Because I looked so obviously American and was with a group of other Americans, no one could even begin to imagine that I could understand the Italian language. Again, another language connection created a memorable encounter.

Besides the humorous connection, that moment illuminated for me, as an author, the typical question that authors love to ask themselves—”what if?” My “what if” question was, “What if you could understand and speak a language, but no one else knew you could? What if an American girl was fluent in Italian and could understand everything Italians were saying, but they didn’t realize she could—and because she could speak both languages, she solved a dark mystery involving limoncello producers and sabotage?” After many revisions, and lots of research and help from my Italian friends, SECRETS IN TRANSLATION was finally published and is now in the hands of readers. I am very grateful to those convivial men at the bar in Lugano who unknowingly began the whole process.

Italy is a beautiful country and the people are warm and generous, a perfect place to make the kind of heartwarming discovery that my heroine Alessandra is finally able to make in the book, and I hope SECRETS IN TRANSLATION resonates with readers of all ages. My wish is that readers will celebrate Italy, its beautiful, melodic language, and its special culture that has created so much of Western civilization’s precious legacy of artists, architects, composers, writers, musicians, and designers.

Speaking Italian enables us to tap into its precious culture and be more empathetic, something that is always a positive. Because Italy is near and dear to my heart (il cuore é italiano)—I am thrilled that SECRETS IN TRANSLATION is not a “secret” any longer, thanks to being able to understand and speak Italian.

Joanne Fisher

Oltre 2000 anni fa, gli antichi romani inventarono i torchi per formaggio per pressare la cagliata e trasformarla in formaggio. Sono stati anche i primi a sperimentare il processo di stagionatura del formaggio in condizioni diverse per produrre sapori, consistenze e aromi diversi. I Romani crearono persino una cucina casearia separata chiamata Caseale e alcune aree furono dedicate all’affumicatura del formaggio fatto in casa. L’Impero Romano continuò ad affinare il processo di produzione del formaggio disperdendo e assimilando le loro tecniche in tutto l’Impero che copriva anche una vasta parte dell’Europa.

Dopo la caduta dell’Impero Romano, molte di queste tecniche furono in gran parte abbandonate, per sopravvivere in zone isolate come in montagna o nei monasteri, dove i monaci creavano formaggi basati sulle innovazioni romane. Dopodiche, ogni stato italiano ha sviluppato le proprie identità e tradizioni che hanno portato a formaggi unici per ogni regione d’Italia. Gl’ingredienti e le usanze locali hanno giocato un ruolo importante nei tipi di formaggi italiani prodotti in tutta la penisola.

Ci sono centinaia le varietà di formaggi italiani che vengono prodotte in ogni regione. Di seguito tratteremo i più popolari. Ci sono molti consorzi o organizzazioni di controllo della qualità creati per proteggere e controllare la produzione di formaggi italiani protetti in Italia. Molti formaggi italiani hanno ottenuto lo status di DOP (denominazione di origine protetta). Lo stato della DOP stabilisce i metodi tradizionali per la produzione di un formaggio italiano e garantisce che sia prodotto con ingredienti locali solo nelle regioni italiane originali.

Mozzarella di Bufala – leggendario formaggio fatto con il latte di bufala.
Parmiggiano Reggiano – formaggio a pasta dura più popolare premiato con lo status di DOP dall’UE.
Pecorino – formaggio stagionato a pasta dura prodotto con latte di pecora. Quasi ogni regione d’Italia ha la sua variazione di Pecorino e ognuna è più squisita dell’altra.
Provolone – viene appeso nelle grotte e stagionato dai 3 ai 12 mesi. A volte è affumicato. Ottima scelta per panini.
Ricotta – significa “ri-cotta” è un formaggio fresco, morbido, spalmabile, dolce e cremoso. Viene utilizzato in dolci e primi piatti.
Asiago – un formaggio veneto DOP che si presenta in formati morbidi e duri. È ideale per panini caldi e salse.

Questi sono di gran lunga i più popolari, ma se scavi a fondo la sezione dei formaggi italiani del tuo supermercato; rimarrai stupito da quello che troverai per le tue delizie culinarie.

Written by: GiovannaNicole Lacerra, School of the Holy Child. Rye, NY
7th grade student

I am a first generation Italian-American, and my heritage is very important to me. My Nonna, on my mother’s side, came to America when she was just twenty four years old. Her husband was in Venezuela, so she was all alone except for her two children. A son who was seven and a daughter who was four. She was also pregnant with her third child. It was ten long days of rough waters and seasickness. When she did reach America it was very hard for her. She was too old to go to school and she could not find a job. Eventually, she found a sweatshop that hired her. They did not pay well, but most of her coworkers spoke Italian so it was easier for her to communicate. Finally, it is time for her to give birth to her third and final child. It was November 24, 1963 and it was 2 days after President John F. Kennedy’s assasination. So the day after my Nonna gave birth to her child was the funeral, but she did not know this and she was very confused when everyone was talking about it. My Nonna did the best she could to make everything as easy as possible for her and her family.

My family has a lot of traditions that have been passed down for generations. For example, for Christmas we make fried dough balls with honey and sprinkles on top. They are called struffoli. My Nonna has been doing it the longest so of course she is the boss. All of the women will come together and spend about 2 hours making these delicious treats. The men don’t like to make them, they only like to eat them. Another example is pasta a mano, or homemade pasta. My Nonna has taught everyone how to make it, and it is way better than store bought. We also have some Italian nursery rhymes that we always sing to the kids. I love to sing them to my niece and nephew, even though sometimes I don’t know what I’m saying. We also make fresh homemade tomato sauce every September. We make 300 jars of sauce for 6 different families. Last but not least, my favorite tradition is the tarantella. The town from where my mother is from is very small so they use the tarantella from the town next to them, Montemarano. La Tarantella Montemaranese is 15 minutes long. Every party that we go to my Great Uncle Salvatore brings a CD of the tarantella so he can give it to the DJ and we can dance the night away. We rarely ever do the full 15 minutes because most of the people dancing are older and don’t have enough stamina. My family and I still keep these traditions going no matter what.

As I have talked about her through this essay you have most likely come to notice that my greatest influence is my Nonna Anita. My Nonna is the one that has shown me every possible tradition and detail about my heritage there is to know. She taught me to be proud of my Italian roots and to showcase it. My Nonna Anita has made me realize how great it is to be Italian. It was October 2018 and I was getting ready for my Christmas concert. This year was especially exciting because the concert would be at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Columbus Circle, New York City. It was only a little more than a month away so it was time for me to pick a song. My mother really wanted me to do one song in English and one in Italian, but I didn’t want to do that. Even though I didn’t want to sing an Italian song my mother still made me. My Nonna Anita was very proud that I was going to sing in Italian so she helped us pick the song. She also helped me pick the American song which was The Little Drummer Boy, because that song is very important to my family and my ancestors. Eventually, we choose the Christmas song Gésu Bambino. At first I was frustrated that my family was making me sing this song, but once it was time to actually perform I was excited. I am not sure if you have ever been to Jazz at Lincoln Center but where I was performing the background of the stage was glass, so you could see all on Columbus Circle. It was so beautiful, and it just so happened that it started snowing. Before my performance I was so nervous, but when I got onto that stage and sang Gésu Bambino I did not care about all the people watching, I just wanted to make my family proud. It was as if I had my own personal spotlight shining just on my family, no one else mattered. I just looked at them and smiled. Afterwards everyone congratulated me and said I did a great job, but the best part was when my Nonna came up to me and gave me the greatest, biggest hug ever imaginable. When I realized how that song made my family feel I knew that singing an Italian song isn’t frustrating, it’s home.

This picture is from July 2019. In this picture, my family is dancing the tarantella. The family was at a restaurant at the top of the mountain for the Festa di Sant Antonio. In this picture dancing there is my Nonna Anita (of course), My Great Uncle Salvatore, my cousin Anthony, my mother’s cousin Teresa, and my mother’s cousin Daniel.

This picture is from December 2019. Here we are making struffoli for Christmas Eve. In the front to the right is me, then behind me is my sister Maria, next to her is my sister Daniela, then my cousin Deana, then my Nonna Anita, and lastly my mother’s cousin Maria.

This picture is from September 2020. In this picture we are sorting out the good tomatoes from the bad tomatoes. In the front is me, then behind me are some family friends that like to make the sauce with us.

This picture is from February 1990. This picture is from Carnivale. I was not born yet in 1990. To the right there is my Nonna Anita, then her mother my Great Nonna Teresa, then her sister my Great-Great Zia Filomena, and then my sister Maria. My mother is taking the picture, but including her that was 4 generations, hence the sign.

This picture is from May 1965. This is from right after my mother was born. To the right is my Nonna Anita holding my mother, then the little girl in the front is my Zia Luisa, then next to her is my Great Nonna Teresa, and all the way in the back is my Zio Mimmo.

This picture is from December 2018. This is me performing at Jazz at Lincoln Center when I sang Gésu Bambino. Next to me playing the piano is my piano and singing teacher Mr. John Senakwami.