Click here to join our Facebook group I was asked to research the Picena by a member in my Facebook Group. I never heard of this tribe, so I thought let’s go for it! There is not a lot written about them, as they were a small tribe and not around for a very long time. What I did find was that they lived in a small area near the North Adriatic Sea ( see Pice on the map ). They were in the area from the 9th through the 3rd Centuries BC  and reached there peak during the 5th and 6th Centuries BC. Over the centuries they mixed with the Celts from the north, the maritime Siracusani of Dionisio and the Etruscans. They had fully developed agricultural system and commercial economy. They were also very good artisans. Eventually, Rome took them on in battle in 268 BC. The mythology around them is that a woodpecker ( picus lat. ) led them to the land Picenum. Thus they are known as those of the woodpecker. Men and Women dressed in wool. Men had weapons and ornaments of bronze and iron and women had bracelets, girdles and ornamental pendants. There are people today with the name Piceni. One has to think that they may be descendants from this ancient tribe. musan.it

Ferdinand J. Visco MD is the author of the critically acclaimed book “Growing Up Italian-American: The Memoirs of Ferdinand Visco & The Stories of Two Immigrant Italian Families.” He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., grew up in College Point, Queens, went to college at Fairfield University in Connecticut, and graduated from the University of Padua School of Medicine in Italy. Currently, he is Chief of Cardiology at Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan. Dr. Visco lives in New York City and his passion is the study and preservation of Italian-American history, tradition, and culture. About the Book Dr. Visco’s book contains the stories of three generations of Italian-Americans, told by those who lived them in their own words and placed in historical context. Profusely illustrated, with maps and photographs on almost every page, this 452-page book explores Italian-American history, values, and culture. It also contains Italian proverbs, offers sage Italian-American advice, and features a glossary of Italian-American words as well as recipes from Padula and Vico Equense. From the Author Writing this book was a labor of love and stems from my belief, best expressed by a Neapolitan proverb which says, “Pe ssapé chi si’, hê ‘a sapé ‘a ro’ viene”  (To know who you are, you need to know from whence you came). While researching material for the book, I tried to find information I thought our immigrant ancestors would want us to know. My goal was to create an entertaining text that contributes to the body of resources available to those Italian-Americans who wish to explore their heritage. To find videos that supplement the book, please visit Facebook.com/GrowingUpItalianAmerican. Please also join our group on Facebook: Growing Up Italian American Podcast Video Dr. Visco   Visit our recipe page here Click here Click here to join our group on Facebook

Great conversation with Robin Foster from Genealogy Just Ask. Robin gives some super tips for beginners and common mistakes that they make.  Let the Research Wiki Be Your Guide – YouTube  How I Use FamilySearch org to Search Ancestry – YouTube  My Best Genealogy Tips: It’s Time to Start! |  Italy Genealogy • FamilySearch – Family historians just need to know the province. They click on the province and find historical records.  Italy Online Genealogy Records • FamilySearch Italian Genealogical Word List •  FamilySearch Genealogy! Just Ask! Beginning Genealogy! Just Ask! |  Facebook Italy Genealogy! Just Ask! Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

  Eggplant Parm The Smells and Tastes Without question I think we Italians were blessed with some of the best smells and tastes in the world.  Whether it be the Italian bakery, Salumeria or the Italian restaurant.  All contributing to the sensory overload in a very special way. Who can forget walking into the Italian bakery and the aroma of fresh baked cookies, bread and pastries. What do you select?  My favorites were pinogli cookies, the rainbow cookie, fresh filled cannoli and sfogliatelle. How about the great smell entering the Salumeria.  Fresh cheeses, dried meats and sausage the best.  Cammerati’s up the block from my grandmother’s house would grate the cheese on demand.  What a party for the nose. There were no chain Italian restaurants back in the day.  Most were mom and pop with home style cooking.  We had a favorite in Flushing Queens, DiMaggio’s.  Dad was friends with the owner and we went there often. Nothing beat the smell of the ( sauce/gravy ) taker your pick, cooking on the stove early in the morning!  The garlic, frying meatballs and later the pot boiling for the pasta.  By the way, did anyone call it pasta back then, we knew it as macaroni. We had a favorite lemon chicken dish to go with the homemade ravioli or manicotti.  Let’s not forget the endless parade of food from noon to 6 on the holidays. Here’s the link to some of my favorite recipes. Recipes Click here to join Italian Genealogy Group on Facebook The Sights We all had some interesting and unique sights I believe that led to sensory overload growing up Italian.  For one, the Madonna, on the front lawn.   Ok, maybe everyone didn’t have one, but there were a lot.  I also remember the crucifix in the bedroom.  Not too many pope photos, but they were around. Now don’t try to tell my that you didn’t not have at least one aunt that had the plastic covers on the sofa, that you would stick to in the summer.  My mom had at least one sofa.  And the plastic runners to protect the carpet.  You guys under 50 have no idea! The Italian feasts hit all the senses, sight, sound, smell and taste.  What a party.  The smell and taste of sausage and peppers, the zeppole frying, the games.  We had one right on the block in the summer. The best sight of all was seeing all the aunts, uncles and cousins gather in my grandmother’s yard for an all day feast! Uncle Tom (sans beer)   Grams smiling The Sounds So I don’t think anyone can dispute the fact that Italians can be a little load.  For a culture known for talking with their hands we do pretty well with the decibel level.  That being said it was mostly all in good fun. Of course we had the best singers too.  At every party my aunt Mary would break into Mama or Che La Luna in Italian and my aunts and uncles would join in.  My uncle Tony was great on the harmonica and would always do some solos, and his Charlie Chaplain routine ( which was the silent part of the party ). Please comment with your interesting Sensory Overload experience.

Uncle Frank in the Luncheonette Don’t Sit On The Ravioli Some of the best times growing up Italian, were the holiday’s.  Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving were always special events, along with my grandmother’s birthday.  Besides getting to see all the aunts and uncles…  “don’t forget to kiss your aunts”  mom word warn us before we left the house and on the way in to my grandmother’s house, the food was the best. We would always spend Easter at my maternal grandmother’s, where she lived with my mom’s brother uncle Frank and aunt Dolly ( real name Italia ) but that was off limits.  Aunt Dolly would always make a coconut cake in the shape of a lamb, Aunt Mary would make the “gravy”  or sauce for you purists, and uncle Frank would make home made ravioli.  It was quite amazing to watch uncle Frank roll out a perfect 3’ by 3’  sheet of pasta using a wooden dowel.  Always the perfect thickness.  He would spoon on the filling an make about 24 at a time, and in the end make about 10 dozen or so, and with the scraps hand cut linguini preferred by grandma. But that’s not the story!  As uncle Frank would finish each batch, one of us would run them over to the sofa covered in sheets so that they could dry out for an hour or so before they went into the pot of boiling water.  One year, my cousin Frank, who was about 16 at the time, dressed in his Easter finery, plopped right down on the couch.  Needless to say, several Italian women screamed, Frank you sat on the ravioli.  He jumped up, ran out the door, saying “You are all crazy, who puts ravioli on the sofa”! Almost 50 years later I wrote and recorded the Ravioli song in honor of my cousin Frank and all the good times we had. Click here to join Italian Genealogy on Facebook