Comments on: ‘Sparaggi http://almostitalian.com/sparaggi/ Recipes and Stories from the \'Little Italy\' Communities Across America: An Online Book-in-Progress Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:56:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Skip http://almostitalian.com/sparaggi/comment-page-1/#comment-340 Skip Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:32:11 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/sparaggi/#comment-340 Hi Brian, Thanks for your note. I have the same dandelion-foraging memories, but I went--as about a ten year-old--over to the campus at Wesleyan University with my grandfather and great uncles. My grandfather's name was Sebastian although, as you might imagine, it said Sebastiano on his birth certificate. In Sicilian dialect, it's Sebastianu, for which the nickname is 'Iannu.' One day, we'll have a chat about o's turning to u's in Sicilian, then double l's turning to double d's...etc. Ciao, Skip Hi Brian,

Thanks for your note. I have the same dandelion-foraging memories, but I went–as about a ten year-old–over to the campus at Wesleyan University with my grandfather and great uncles.

My grandfather’s name was Sebastian although, as you might imagine, it said Sebastiano on his birth certificate. In Sicilian dialect, it’s Sebastianu, for which the nickname is ‘Iannu.’

One day, we’ll have a chat about o’s turning to u’s in Sicilian, then double l’s turning to double d’s…etc.

Ciao,
Skip

]]> By: Brian Fitz-Harris http://almostitalian.com/sparaggi/comment-page-1/#comment-339 Brian Fitz-Harris Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:08:08 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/sparaggi/#comment-339 Skip, when you mentioned foraging I recall around this time of year when I ived in New Haven venturing onto the banks of I-95 to gather the first shoots of dandelions often to find the local Italian grandmothers doing the same thing. They were always good in salad and sautéed with garlic on pizza. The asparagus with scrambled egg recipe looks wonderfully elegant. So, how does your grandfather get to be called Iannu? It almost sounds Romanian. I've never heard it before.. All the best, Brian Skip, when you mentioned foraging I recall around this time of year when I ived in New Haven venturing onto the banks of I-95 to gather the first shoots of dandelions often to find the local Italian grandmothers doing the same thing. They were always good in salad and sautéed with garlic on pizza. The asparagus with scrambled egg recipe looks wonderfully elegant.

So, how does your grandfather get to be called Iannu? It almost sounds Romanian. I’ve never heard it before..

All the best,
Brian

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