AMERICAN PICNIC 2005
Yesterday we had our end of the summer American picnic for all the neighbors. We figured between 30 and 40 people, and we were not far off. The weather was perfect (in fact, it was clear hot and humid and this morning it is 100 degrees in the sun) and despite the lack of chairs, everyone crowded together to eat together and have a good time.
People here love these chances to see American things and taste American food that they have only heard about. I try to change the menu every year. For me, it is such fun to analyze how things are different between Sicilians and Americans. On both sides, you can try to change ideas, but old traditions die hard. For example, I mentioned that all of the food was American so dont bring anything. There was no one who listened to that, so we received bottles of wine, liquors, a ceramic key holder, and enough sweets to keep us in hypoglycemic shock for a good while. Some are pictured, but the freezer is full of specialty gelato too. Yum!!
Because I remembered the interest from last year, and so that I would not have to repeat myself many times, I translated the menu items and ingredients ahead of time and put them up for all to see. Everyone seemed to like that but there are always things that happen that remind me of how many little habits we take for granted about eating American style. For example, we set the table up inside in anticipation of double the crowd from last year. I walked outside when the table was ready to call people to eat, only to find everyone was already eating a hamburger or hotdog without a plate. In Italy, you eat meals in courses, and they must have figured that was the first course. Also, on a hamburger it is customary in the states to put on ketchup or mustard or onions or relish or all of them. Mayonnaise is not normally a big item. Here there is no relish, and everyone naturally puts mayo on hot dogs and hamburgers when presented with one in a bun. Steve tells me that Emilio asked specifically how to fix an American hamburger, and so Steve told him how (minus the mayonnaise). From that point on, Emilio took it upon himself to instruct people on how to fix their hamburger American style.
And wouldnt 60 and 70s US hits be suitable for an American picnic? Yet after I put one CD of oldies hits on, the kids found a rather pathetic cheap CD mix to try, and then a pushy parent came in and asked where the Italian music was and selected last years Sciacca Carnavale CD and instructed me to put it on. Bye-bye American music! This was the same person who informed me that you have the dolci (sweets brought from the bakeries, tied up as a present) and espresso before the watermelon was cut. Silly me, selecting the music and the order of the desserts for my own picnic!
Other examples with the food-there is the matter of the salt potatoes, those little potatoes in skins cooked in salt water and served with melted butter. The food line got held up because everyone had to meticulously remove the skin from each potato before putting butter on (no one wanted to ladle butter with the gorgeous wooden ladle from Woodduflo, so they went off and got a plastic spoon for the butter). Then they would add salt from my salt grinder even when I said they were cooked in salt (just like my dad!). And then some could not rotate the top to use the grinder. For the deviled eggs, it had to be explained that it was not peppericino but paprika sprinkled on top. The real hit was the baked beans. I made Wendys baked bean rarebit casserole, and despite its directions to bake in the oven and without the key ingredient of cheddar cheese, it came out very tasty in the microwave using half provolone and half mozzarella.
On to entertainment. One of the normal forms of silliness with this crowd is pretending it is someones birthday or name day, singing to them, and blowing out a lighter. That is what Steve and Angelo are doing in the picture between the food tables. Roasting the marshmallows was a ball for me and a big hit, although unfortunately, we only got rid of a few packages of our stash. The April crew brought over tons of marshmallows and I am trying hard to get rid of them to get myself some space, which is always at a premium here. Almost no one knew what a marshmallow was and no one knew an Italian name for it. So I stood near the fire with a bunch of shish-ka-bob sticks and loaded marshmallows on them and gave directions. I watched the crowd get excited and one by one and in groups come over to roast their marshmallows. It was better than a parlor game and seeing the excitement over such a blasé thing, I cannot wait till I introduce SMores to the boys next door, Giacomo and Vincenzo. Yes, I have some Hershey bars and graham crackers stashed away, but only a few for the selected privileged ones, the kids!
The other big entertainment was throwing the ice that was in the tubs for the watermelon and drinks down each others backs (it was a hot day). The little boys started it, but the worst offenders were the men, and Steve finally took the whole container and emptied it on 12 year old Giacomo. Of course, Giacomo came back with the garden hose on him! It cooled them both down-some people never grow up.
Tonight the boys went to Sciacca and bought a rabbit and came over and told us about it-how it is different from a wild one, how big it will be, etc. Tune in later for the name, and more bunny antics.
People here love these chances to see American things and taste American food that they have only heard about. I try to change the menu every year. For me, it is such fun to analyze how things are different between Sicilians and Americans. On both sides, you can try to change ideas, but old traditions die hard. For example, I mentioned that all of the food was American so dont bring anything. There was no one who listened to that, so we received bottles of wine, liquors, a ceramic key holder, and enough sweets to keep us in hypoglycemic shock for a good while. Some are pictured, but the freezer is full of specialty gelato too. Yum!!
Because I remembered the interest from last year, and so that I would not have to repeat myself many times, I translated the menu items and ingredients ahead of time and put them up for all to see. Everyone seemed to like that but there are always things that happen that remind me of how many little habits we take for granted about eating American style. For example, we set the table up inside in anticipation of double the crowd from last year. I walked outside when the table was ready to call people to eat, only to find everyone was already eating a hamburger or hotdog without a plate. In Italy, you eat meals in courses, and they must have figured that was the first course. Also, on a hamburger it is customary in the states to put on ketchup or mustard or onions or relish or all of them. Mayonnaise is not normally a big item. Here there is no relish, and everyone naturally puts mayo on hot dogs and hamburgers when presented with one in a bun. Steve tells me that Emilio asked specifically how to fix an American hamburger, and so Steve told him how (minus the mayonnaise). From that point on, Emilio took it upon himself to instruct people on how to fix their hamburger American style.
And wouldnt 60 and 70s US hits be suitable for an American picnic? Yet after I put one CD of oldies hits on, the kids found a rather pathetic cheap CD mix to try, and then a pushy parent came in and asked where the Italian music was and selected last years Sciacca Carnavale CD and instructed me to put it on. Bye-bye American music! This was the same person who informed me that you have the dolci (sweets brought from the bakeries, tied up as a present) and espresso before the watermelon was cut. Silly me, selecting the music and the order of the desserts for my own picnic!
Other examples with the food-there is the matter of the salt potatoes, those little potatoes in skins cooked in salt water and served with melted butter. The food line got held up because everyone had to meticulously remove the skin from each potato before putting butter on (no one wanted to ladle butter with the gorgeous wooden ladle from Woodduflo, so they went off and got a plastic spoon for the butter). Then they would add salt from my salt grinder even when I said they were cooked in salt (just like my dad!). And then some could not rotate the top to use the grinder. For the deviled eggs, it had to be explained that it was not peppericino but paprika sprinkled on top. The real hit was the baked beans. I made Wendys baked bean rarebit casserole, and despite its directions to bake in the oven and without the key ingredient of cheddar cheese, it came out very tasty in the microwave using half provolone and half mozzarella.
On to entertainment. One of the normal forms of silliness with this crowd is pretending it is someones birthday or name day, singing to them, and blowing out a lighter. That is what Steve and Angelo are doing in the picture between the food tables. Roasting the marshmallows was a ball for me and a big hit, although unfortunately, we only got rid of a few packages of our stash. The April crew brought over tons of marshmallows and I am trying hard to get rid of them to get myself some space, which is always at a premium here. Almost no one knew what a marshmallow was and no one knew an Italian name for it. So I stood near the fire with a bunch of shish-ka-bob sticks and loaded marshmallows on them and gave directions. I watched the crowd get excited and one by one and in groups come over to roast their marshmallows. It was better than a parlor game and seeing the excitement over such a blasé thing, I cannot wait till I introduce SMores to the boys next door, Giacomo and Vincenzo. Yes, I have some Hershey bars and graham crackers stashed away, but only a few for the selected privileged ones, the kids!
The other big entertainment was throwing the ice that was in the tubs for the watermelon and drinks down each others backs (it was a hot day). The little boys started it, but the worst offenders were the men, and Steve finally took the whole container and emptied it on 12 year old Giacomo. Of course, Giacomo came back with the garden hose on him! It cooled them both down-some people never grow up.
Tonight the boys went to Sciacca and bought a rabbit and came over and told us about it-how it is different from a wild one, how big it will be, etc. Tune in later for the name, and more bunny antics.
posted by Sicilian Mama at 5:31 PM
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