May 2010

Next Lodge Meeting! Tuesday, May 25 • American Legion, Hagerstown, Md. • Dinner 6pm; meeting 7pm

Andiamo!Dan Di Mucci Lodge of Order Sons of Italy in America May

10

VENICE’S HOPES DIM TO HOST OLYMPICSMay 17 - Although it can match the capital in regard to political clout, romantic appeal and symbolic landmarks, it looks like Venice may lose out to Rome to be Italy’s candidate to host the 2020 Olympic Games Venice, sources close to the national Olympic committee CONI said on Monday.Venice’s main attraction, its location, appears to be also its greatest handicap given the logistical difficulties of organizing the games by the lagoon, especially in consideration of post-9/11 security demands, the

ITALIANS SKIP SLEEP FOR PRIZED PLACE OF ETERNAL RESTMay 18 - While some Inter Milan fans spent nights outside last week to buy Champions League final tickets, four Italians have followed their lead with a far less fleeting prize at the queue’s end - their tomb.Officials in Palosco near the northern city of Bergamo were astounded to discover some locals were so keen to buy one of the six tombs to have come available in the town cemetery that the line started to form at 4.30am Monday.

AFGHANISTAN: ITALY DOING ‘EXCELLENT JOB’ SAYS NATO CHIEFMay 17 - Italian troops are doing an “excellent job” in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after two Italian soldiers were killed Monday.“The Italian soldiers are doing an excellent job in Afghanistan and NATO greatly appreciates the Italian contribution to the mission, as well as the solid political commitment which (Italy) has always shown,” Rasmussen told ANSA.

News From the Mother Country

From the Dan DiMucci Archives...

Many of the Dan Dimucci Lodge members met at

Carmine’s recently for dinner and friendship.

News compiled by John Cangemi

Attentio

n!

Election Tim

e

Ever sit around wondering if you could walk into an Ital-ian 7-11, what would it look like? I do it all the time. Well, throw away your Big Gulp and click your way on over to: www.grancaffevuotto.com!I’ve been buying from them for years. Whenever my Italian platelets get low on caffeine or Pavesi cookies I can rely on these Italian-only merchants to fill my needs. Care to start

your baby on polenta asap? They’ll just love all the baby food products waiting for them. When my friend Roberto from Bar Cruciano in Rome gave me a kilo bag of his best coffee beans, the only place I could buy them in the USA was at Gran Caffe Vuotto. Next month I’ll show you where you can find great espresso/ cappucino machines to extract your favor- ite coffee’s flavor.

Shop Italian!

In 1992 I took my dad to Florence to experi-ence the greatness of the renaissance. The time leading up to our departure I had little knowledge of Italy at all, but I knew that with him and I travelling together, we’d figure everything out okay.We got there in one piece, and to our surprise, the city was not only beautiful, but laid out in an easy to follow plan. The amateur photog-raphers that we were, lead us to many of the top artistic treasures you’ll want to see when you go. Don’t let the statue of David, standing out in the Piazza Signoria fool you...it’s not the real one. It is close by though in the Galleria dell’Accademia, where you can also see un-finished sculptures by Michelangelo, thereby understanding his creative mind when he

said, “I look at a piece of marble, and I foresee the image of the finished piece, struggling to get out.”Take a short step into the Uffizzi Gallery and you’ll be amazed at the

vast collection of masterpieces by Boticelli, Michelangelo, Raphaello, Rubens and count-less others. Got the stair climbing fever? Well I did, and when Joan and I revisited Florence with cousin Carlo, I walked up the 467 steps to the top. The cool part was toward the top you had to lean in the shape of the roof’s curve to continue upward. The view from the top was breath-taking. Florence is known for their beef, so along with your visit, be sure to try their world fa-

mous, tender, melt in your mouth beef. Also, are some very good cafeterias, gelaterias and pasticerias. Make sure you don’t fill up

so much that you can’t catch the train back to where you came from...like we did. No worry, the Italian train merchants are flexible and in no time we were on a Rapido back to Rome. Florence is filled with days worth of sites. Make sure you plan for at least a two day stay in this marvelous city.

Lodge ElectionsAndiamo a Firenze (Florence!)By John Cangemi

This month’s meeting will be dedicated to the elections for new officers. Will you exercise your right as an outstanding member of our club, and come out and vote? Thank you!Persons nominated for office are:President–Victor TrioloVice President–Nick SiricoTreasurer–John CangemiOrator–Maria-Luisa WilkesFinancial/Corespondent Secretary–Anna CiampaRecording Secretary–Evelyn LePoreTrustees– Marco Capone, Tony Dattilio, Bob Rizzo, Angelo Ciampa, Bill LePoreContact: Glenda Bonfili 304-263-5004, or Susan Sirico 301-432-7653 with any questions prior to Tuesday’s meeting. Thank you.Tina Martin, PresidentCorrection: Last month’s photo submitted by Bob Rizzo was of his family, not cousin’s as previously reported. Thank you Bob for this correction.

Triolo’s Gossip CornerHappy Mother’s Day to our Lodge Mom’s–Looking for a Day Trip? Try Gettysburg, Pa. John Cangemi and Victor Triolo rode motorcycles there to enjoy history, good food and a mighty fine cappuccino at the Ragged Edge Coffee House–Biaggio Dimercurio has a new kitchen floor, ceramic tiled with Angelo Ciampa’s help–The Vinny Ciampa family and the Mark Wenner family have new homes–Congratulations go out to Nick Sirico for installing an additional parking space in his driveway...thus increasing his overnight guest capacity by one carload, so get your reservations in early–Tina Martin was seen in Annapolis–Shelly Stull and Deb Lupis went to Earth Day Shepherdstown, Tom Wenner attended his Mt. Clair N. J. High School Reunion.–John Salvatore appeared on TV news–Benito Vattelana and his wife Deborah invite us to join them on “Wind-Down” Fridays, held at the Maryland Theater on South Potomac street in downtown Hagerstown.

Recipe of the month

honoring the past

Amerigo Vespucci

Palermo70/61/3

Venice70/54/13

Rome71/54/8

Milan70/49/5

Italy’s Average TemperaturesMay

(°F) Day/Night/Rain days

Ricotta Frittata

• TherearemanydialectsoftheItal-ianlanguagespokenthroughoutItaly.TheofficiallanguagespokentodayoriginatesfromtheTuscandialect(ofLatin).

• SPQRstandsfor“SenatusPopu-lusqueRomanus”andmeans“ThesenateandthepeopleofRome”.You’llseethesymbolalloverRometodayespeciallyonmanholecovers,andJohnCangemi’spizzaoven.

• OperaisanItaliancreation.

Ingredients1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

plus more for drizzling

1medium onion, thinly sliced

1tablespoon marjoram leaves

8 eggs-get fresh from a farmer

1 cup ricotta impastata

3 tablespoons freshly grated

Parmigiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

The great thing about frittatas that most people fail to do is the second stage of putting the pan in the oven to finish. This way the frittata will raise up and give you a sensational masterpiece!Preheat the oven to 375°. Coat the bottom of a 12- to 14-inch cast-iron skillet with the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the onion and marjoram and cook over moderate heat until the onion is trans-lucent and very aromatic, about 7 minutes.In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the ricotta and Parmi-giano and season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir to incorporate the onion. Cook until the eggs begin to set. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the frittata is set.Turn the frittata out onto a serving platter and let cool. Driz-zle the frittata with olive oil and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Lodge Meeting– Tuesday May 25, Dinner 6pm

Meeting and Elections begin at 7:00pmJoin us Tuesday, May 25, at the American Legion in Hagerstown; Elections and meeting 7:00pm

Celebrate Italian culture at the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County!

Friday, May 21 • 6 to 8 p.m. • 909 Fairfield RoadFeaturing: • Panel discussion with your Italian-American neighbors • Delicious cuisine • Folk music by Marino • Children’s activities • Outdoor bocce court • Marionette creator Keith McCleary • And more!The event is free and the public is invited. No registra-tion required!

Calendar

Birthdays & Facts

Amerigo Vespucci was born and brought up by his uncle in the Republic of Flor-ence in what is now Italy.

He worked for Lorenzo de’ Medici and his son, Giovanni. In 1492 he was sent to work at the agency of Medici bank in Seville, Spain.Columbus never thought Vespucci had tried to steal his laurels, and in 1505 he wrote his son, Diego, saying of Amerigo, “It has always been his wish to please me; he is a man of good will; fortune has been unkind to him as to others; his labors have not brought him the rewards he in justice should have.”In 1508, after only two voyages to the Americas, the position of chief of navigation of Spain (pi-loto mayor de Indias) was created for Vespucci,

with the responsibility of planning naviga-tion for voyages to the Indies.In 1508, King Ferdi-nand made Vespucci chief navigator of Spain at a huge salary and commissioned him to found a school of navigation, in order to standardize and modernize navigation techniques used by Iberian sea captains then exploring the world.The continent of America is popularly believed to have derived its name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.

Day Our member’s birthdays in May

1 Mary Capone

2 J. Casey Cordell

3 Lisa Willard

4 Tony Dattilio, Nick Sirico

7 Dick Burns, Ryan Caponi

19 Reynolds Parziale

20 Elizabeth D’Amico

24 Dr. Robert Cirincione

26 Frank Fargo, David Russo

27 Carl Santamaria

Born: March 9, 1454 Died: February 22, 1512

May 20101 Euro equals $1.21 U.S. -.22/ yr.

Day Year Famous Italian May Dates in History10 1497 Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for 1st voyage to New World19 1900 World’s longest railroad tunnel (Simplon) links Italy & Switz, opens2 1945 German Army in Italy surrenders

10 1946 Umberto II succeeds Victor Emmanuel III as king of Italy17 1444 Sandro Botticelli, Italian painter (Birth of Venus), born9 1265 Dante Alighieri, Italian poet, born

Dan Di Mucci Lodge #2465

12628 Trinity Church Drive

Martinsburg, W.Va. 21772

Juliet’s Italian Market and Cafe, Juliet Kaufman9 East Church Street, Frederick, Md.301-620-0077 Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30am-6:30pm

BCT – Bank of Charles TownMartinsburg, Kearneysville, Hedgesville,Harpers Ferry304-725-8431

Masterpiece Painting & Home ImprovementsFree Estimates Insured, MHIC # 79358 Joey Sottile, Hagerstown, Md. 301-797-8238 – Cell 301-988-2290

Lawn Medic Tom Wenner Shepherdstown, W.V . 304-876-2494 – Cell: 304-279-4563

Dr. Robert Cirincione, Orthopedic Surgeon 1120 Professional Court, Hagerstown, Md. 301-739-7900

Frank Fargo, Insurance Agent 500 Williamsport Pike, Martinsburg, W.V . 1-800-283-4915

Brown Funeral HomeMartinsburg, Inwood,Ranson, Charles Town304-263-8896

Bank of Charles Town Martinsburg: 304-262-0089, Hedgesville: 304-754-0000, Charles Town: 304-725-8431, Kearneysville: 304-876-2563, Harpers Ferry: 304-535-6336 – www.mybct.com

John Salvatore Attorney-at-Law 82 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, Md. 301-739-3600

Petrucci’s Country Market & Ice and Fruits Storage Anthony & Raymond Petrucci Route 9, Martinsburg, W.Va.

Broccoli Hall Antiques, Gifts, Crafts Elsa Burns 4505 Williamsport Pike, Williamsport, Md.

Tony’s Italian Ristorante New York Pizza 14224 Pennsylvania Avenue, Hagerstown, Md. 301-739-TONY

Salvatore Di Mercurio, M.D. Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Center FREE CONSULTATION 11110 Medical Campus Road, Suite 241, Hagerstown, Md. 301-714-4460

Appraisal Associates Frank & Dodi Bradley P.O. Box 1206, Martinsburg, W.Va. 304-263-1167

Guy’s Buick, Pontiac, GMC Guy & Gary Chicchirichi Charlestown, W.V . 304-725-3448

Edward Jones® Benito Vattelana 301-733-9465 Stonehouse Square, Hagerstown, Md. Retirement (IRA, 401Ks) Estate Considerations, Educa-tion Savings, Insurance

Triolo Real Estate & Construction “From Tepees to Mansions” Victor Triolo 304-876-2985 – Cell: 304-676-2950

Sycamore Pottery Reynolds & Paela Parziale 5210 Paynes Ford Road, Kearneysville, W.Va. 304-725-4251

Karen’s Kraft’s Specialty Crocheted Baby Apparel Karen J. Santamaria Designer & Creator 304-267-1455

Cecil’s Building Supply, Inc. 210 Adams Street, Martinsburg, W.Va. 304-263-5442

Rosedale Funeral Home Joseph R. Spewock 917 Cemetery Road Martinsburg, W.Va. 304-263-4922

Russo’s RX Family Pharmacy & Natural Concepts 25 N. Cannon Avenue Hagerstown, Md. 301-791-5220 Mon.–Fr. 9:00am–5:30 pm, Sat. 9:00am – 1:00pm, Closed Sun. & Holidays

Joseph B. Cordell, Lawyer 115 1/2 W King St, Martinsburg, W.Va. Md: 301-745-6464, or W.V: 304-263-3377 Practicing in Maryland and West Virginia

Apple Ridge Counseling Assoc. 2914 Hedgesville Road, Martinsburg, W.Va. 304-754-8495 Andrea Petrucci-Kackley, MA, LPC, NCC Licensed Professional Counselor

Knights of Columbus–Pangborn Council No. 1365Bingo every Tuesday night 6:45pmDoors open at 5:00pmHagerstown, Md.–301-714-0909

Graphic Design and Video ServicesJohn Cangemi240-291-0741

Di Parma Spinoni Italian Dogs for Hunting, Conformation and Companions D. Katherine Cooker & Dorothy B. Davis 301-582-2788 – www.diparmaspinoni.com

C & O Tile Showroom & Design Center 10226 Governor Lane Blvd., Suite 4004, Williamsport, Md. 301-223-1717 – Toll Free: 1-866-663-0567

Tina M. Mussolino Certified Public Accountant 714 Potomac Street, Hagerstown, Md. 301-714-2047 Email: [email protected]

Cafe’ Italia Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, Hagerstown, Md. Antonello Scotto, Proprietor 240-420-6677