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SusanJ
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| Posted: Aug 15 2009 at 10:28am | IP Logged
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Our new neighborhood in New Jersey is quite a place. Lots of very strong ethnic communities--almost no one speaks English--and eight different parishes serving all the different groups. We go to the Italian one because it is the most English but, even then, the main Mass is in Italian. Fun.
Around the corner from us is an Italian bakery that has been in business for 101 years--all the same family. Sadly there is no one to take over for the current owner who is 59 years old.
Anyway, my husband went yesterday to get something to go with eggs for breakfast and came back with oddly-shaped loaves. They were small and made with white flour. They are oval-shaped but fairly flat with a dough "knob" on either end of the roll. The assistant was there yesterday and told my husband, "I don't know. The Catholics, they make these twice a year for some feast. I don't know. I'm not Catholic." We called it Assumption bread and went back for more this morning. The owner says you make eggplant sandwiches (maybe--his English is a little spotty) with the rolls. Anyone know more about this bread?
The baker says he used to sell thousands of these rolls every year but not anymore. We're excited to see what other liturgical goodies he has through the year and also hoping that the dying CAtholic culture in the neighborhood can hold out a little longer . . .
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JennGM
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| Posted: Aug 18 2009 at 2:12pm | IP Logged
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Susan, You have me intrigued. I don't know off the top of my head. Sometimes there are "liturgical" foods and it turns out they were just the fancy or favorite things of the heritage to serve on big feasts, so nothing liturgical really, just became a tradition attached to the feast.
I'm going to search through my books, but I doubt I'll find anything. You need to become good friends with the family. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Maryan
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Susan, when you posted -- I thought: Hmm... "I don't know of anything." I even looked in my books too... but Jenn has WAY more. So I thought Jenn probably knows.
I grew up with tons of Italians, but I don't remember anything for the Assumption. If you get a picture, post it for curiousity's sake!
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Maryan
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JennGM
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The oral tradition of festive and festival foods is much bigger than what's written down. I have a few books on Italian festival foods, but now you're in NJ, so who knows how the tradition has transformed?
Can you find out which part of Italy are they from? They would help narrowing down the type of bread.
Was it sweet? To make with eggplant sounds like it wouldn't be.
And Erin and AussuieAnnie, perhaps your friend Anna might know.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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momwise
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| Posted: Aug 18 2009 at 5:25pm | IP Logged
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I'm writing my Italian DRE at our parish to ask. I'll let you know if I find out anything.
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amyable
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I'll ask my MIL too - she grew up not far from where Susan is living now in a first generation immigrant Italian family.
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momwise
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 11:10am | IP Logged
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Sorry, I couldn't get much help. They must be from the South (see below)though, that's a lead.
Here's what my friend said:
I'm sorry to say, I don't know anything about that bread. Since the owner says it's used to make eggplant sandwiches, it's obviously from the South (in the North, we make ham and/or cheese sandwiches, not vegetable ones). I'm not familiar with the traditions of Sicily and the rest of the South. The only "Liturgical" food that I know of in my area is a cookie made for Lent which is called "Oss di mort" (Bones of the dead).
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: for all you liturgical food experts
