Thursday,
May 08, 2008
The Bardi/Parma,
The
ANNOTICO Report
The first
Italians in great numbers came to
Despite their
modest circumstances and brutal working conditions, the Italians still
managed to hold onto many of their traditions, including culinary delights like ice cream, which they made in
their kitchens and backyards.
In the early
years, the ice cream was then wheeled around the streets on an ice cream cart
or barrow, which later developed their own premises across the
Many Italians in
* Bardi
is a comune (municipality) in the
CynonValleyLeader,
by Gary Marsh,
May 8 2008
SINCE its
formation in the early 1920s, Cwmbach Male Choir has
performed all over the globe.
But the
forthcoming tour to
Many people from Bardi left their homeland behind in the 1920s to make a
living in the
We really
are looking forward to the whole tour, but a major highlight will be our
performance at the Bardi Music Festival on May
31, said Cwmbach Choir spokesman Norman Blacker.
The response
we have already received from the people of Bardi has
been tremendous."
Italian cafes
appeared in most towns across the
The first
Italians came to
Many Italian
immigrants lived in very overcrowded conditions, but they still managed to make
the ice cream in their kitchens and backyards.
In the early
years, the ice cream was then wheeled around the streets on an ice cream cart
or barrow.
The ice cream
carts and barrows came in many varieties and forms, all handmade and decorated
by the ice cream sellers themselves.
The ice cream
business proved a very lucrative activity for the Italians and many decided to
open their own premises across the
By the 1920s
there was scarcely a village that did not have its own Italian cafe - many
still have them to this day.
The Italian cafes
provided many people with somewhere warm and friendly to go - in fact,
many young couples did their courting in the cafes.
Among the first
migrants to
They opened their
first cafe in
Various members
of the Rabaiotti families also had cafes
and ice cream carts on the streets well before 1907.
And many pioneers
including the Sidoli Brothers were recruiting workers
from
Other families
soon followed them to
There are
still many Italian cafes and ice cream parlours
across the
Some also
remain unchanged since the 1920s, with their marble and brass fittings, while
others have been refurbished and modernised.
However,
there are many sadly now closed, but the Italians will always have a special
place in the hearts and memories of the people of
The
ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed (With Archives*) on:
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Italia
Italia Mia: www.ItaliaMia.com *
Topix.net:
www.topix.net/world/italy
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