| General Non-Fiction posted February 6, 2016 |
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Italian Sunday dinners...
Cena de la Domenica
by jmdg1954
The Enjoyment of Eating! Contest Winner
Hai fame? E la domenica. Andiamo a la casa de la Zia o Zio per la cena.
(You hungry? It's Sunday. Let's go to our Aunts or Uncles house for dinner)
Sunday dinners, remnants of old world togetherness was a time for family, for an endless feast of food and wine. The more at the table the merrier. Aunts, uncles and cousins. Paisanos (friends) and Father Philippo, a longtime family friend who let his collar down and loved his wine.
Dinners would rotate households. One Sunday we'd be at Zio Tulio's in Yonkers, N.Y., a second floor apartment overlooking the Hudson River. Another Sunday we'd adjourn at Zia Nerina's home in Rego Park, Queens just beyond the overhead, noisy, rickety train tracks. Finally the patriarchs home in Astoria, Queens, Zio Oliviero. We all would eat outside under the trestles of grapes and enjoy his backyard, about the size of a number seven size shoebox.
"Smettere di saltare a dentro. Andare a giocare fuori, ¨ bello," Zia Nerina would yell. She was telling to us to stop jumping in the house and go play outside where it's beautiful.
At that point we cousins knew better then to remain inside. Wooden spoons had a distasteful stinging affect. Outside we went, running, jumping, sweating and hollering.
Later...
"Mangia, mangia! Bambini andare lavarsi le mani. Cena stato pronto," Zia Paulina yelled with her head out the window. (It's time to eat. Kids go wash your hands. Dinners ready).
Dinner began with a toast. Glasses of homemade wine raised and clinked with each others saying, "Cin, Cin," pronounced, 'Cheen, cheen." A toast for good health. After that, the wine kept on pouring.
I often reminisce about those good family times and hearing the Italian language spoken, loudly. How I wished those traditions continued.
Hai fame? E la domenica. Andiamo a la casa de la Zia o Zio per la cena.
(You hungry? It's Sunday. Let's go to our Aunts or Uncles house for dinner)
Sunday dinners, remnants of old world togetherness was a time for family, for an endless feast of food and wine. The more at the table the merrier. Aunts, uncles and cousins. Paisanos (friends) and Father Philippo, a longtime family friend who let his collar down and loved his wine.
Dinners would rotate households. One Sunday we'd be at Zio Tulio's in Yonkers, N.Y., a second floor apartment overlooking the Hudson River. Another Sunday we'd adjourn at Zia Nerina's home in Rego Park, Queens just beyond the overhead, noisy, rickety train tracks. Finally the patriarchs home in Astoria, Queens, Zio Oliviero. We all would eat outside under the trestles of grapes and enjoy his backyard, about the size of a number seven size shoebox.
"Smettere di saltare a dentro. Andare a giocare fuori, ¨ bello," Zia Nerina would yell. She was telling to us to stop jumping in the house and go play outside where it's beautiful.
At that point we cousins knew better then to remain inside. Wooden spoons had a distasteful stinging affect. Outside we went, running, jumping, sweating and hollering.
Later...
"Mangia, mangia! Bambini andare lavarsi le mani. Cena stato pronto," Zia Paulina yelled with her head out the window. (It's time to eat. Kids go wash your hands. Dinners ready).
Dinner began with a toast. Glasses of homemade wine raised and clinked with each others saying, "Cin, Cin," pronounced, 'Cheen, cheen." A toast for good health. After that, the wine kept on pouring.
I often reminisce about those good family times and hearing the Italian language spoken, loudly. How I wished those traditions continued.
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Writing Prompt The enjoyment of eating! Yes, the contest entries can be about eating enjoyment, but they can also be about enjoyable times that happened while eating. Topic does not have to be addressed directly, but must be incorporated into piece. Readers should be able to laugh at the entries! Any type of submission, poetry, non-fiction, fiction, etc., is welcome. Works must be 300 words or less. Word count must be listed in author's notes. |
The Enjoyment of Eating! Contest Winner |
298 words
This is my first posting since last July or August. I'm sure there are quite a few errors throughout.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. This is my first posting since last July or August. I'm sure there are quite a few errors throughout.
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