By: Michael Affuso, NJBankers President & CEO
My name is Michael, named after the Saint. If my father had his way it would have been Columbo for Christopher Columbus, since I was born on October 12 (thank you, Mom). The month of October brings some great delights as a proud Italian American from New Jersey.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Food – The garden is almost done, but there are still a few tomatoes, eggplants and hot peppers that can be salvaged into a great fall meal. The figs are still ripe – a grilled fig with gorgonzola wrapped in prosciutto with a drizzle of balsamic is a nice start to the last fresh pasta of the year. Homemade pasta is a delight, my mother and I have a tradition to make it together from the recipe written in my grandmother’s hand with the old fashioned crank machine. I always marvel at the strength that a 5-foot-tall wisp had to knead the dough as my 6ft and 230lbs struggles through it.
Sports – Who doesn’t love when October means the Yanks, Mets, Giants and Jets are still in contention – not to mention the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Many a tailgate promises sausage and pepper sandwiches, and a venetian table after the game. New Jersey Italian Americans have much to be proud of when it comes to sports. Vince Lombardi began his coaching career at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, his name is now on the trophy awarded to Super Bowl Champions. His motto to pursue perfection and catch excellence is one that we should all strive to live by.
Arts – While most may think of the Florence of the 1500s, I’d rather focus on New Jersey of the 1900s. Frank Sinatra hails from Hoboken and got his first gig down the road from Lombardi at the Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs. A short ride down the turnpike will take you to Newark and the iconic sound of Jersey Boys Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and a little further down in my neck of the woods, the sounds of the Jersey Shore and Bruce Springsteen. Any of this music would be the perfect soundtrack for the Food and Sports section.
Thought – While Italian Americans from New Jersey have become cultural icons, revolutionary thinkers also have trod ground in the Garden State. Enrico Fermi escaped Fascist Italy with his Jewish wife and lived in Leonia (stone’s throw from Englewood) while working on a scientific experiment called fusion. He soon created the first nuclear reactor, which would revolutionize international diplomacy and energy production. Antonin Scalia was born in Trenton, and became a Supreme Court Justice, serving for 30 years on the high court. His legal thinking – originalism – has become the keystone of conservative constitutional analysis and has been generally accepted by the liberal wing of the court when it comes statutory analysis. His writing was sharp, as was his wit, but he was beloved by colleagues who did not espouse his views. If you’d like see how to disagree without being disrespectful, take a look at videos of Justice Scalia and Justice Breyer, or Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsberg, or even Justice Kagan’s dedication speech.
Traditions – like every culture, we have distinctions as well as commonalities. Spending time doing the aforementioned with family and friends is paramount. Food and drink with sports or debate are always in the mix. While we take pride in the achievements that we have made in America, we remember our humble beginnings and take pride in that, too. I’m proud that my grandfather passed down his construction skills to his son. While it diminishes over the generations, I’m proud to live in a 120-year-old house that me and my family rebuilt by hand. I’m proud that they passed the horticultural and agricultural green thumb. I’m delighted to follow both of my grandmothers’ lead with cuisine.
Cent’anni – I wish everyone “one hundred years of good fortune.”
