Rodolfo Valentino Lodge #1449

Spaghetti & meatballs, so Italian, but not so in Italy. This dish is truly an American development, curtesy of the Italian immigrants of the late 1800s. The meatballs existing in Italy (called polpetta), are smaller than their American cousins, and are usually eaten as a dish of their own. However, when my dad did the cooking during The Great War (now, WWI), his family recipe included meatballs and other meats in the ragu (sauce). The meatballs were golf ball sized and tossed into the sauce raw to cook.

Last month August)) we met at Luna’s with an expanded group. Also, the Fresno lodge (Stella-Colombo), the California state mother lodge, celebrated their 100the anniversary at the Fresno Fair grounds; this gave the crowd the chance to visit the Fresno County Museum on the premises and view the “Italian Display”, which impressed those that saw it. A good time was had by those that attended the party, including the Clovis delegation.

For the kids: Cats go to school so they can become litter-ate.

Italians in the late 1800s immigrated to all the Americas. Approximately 13,000 went to Mexico, but half returned to Italy or went on to the United States. National Scholarships are again being offered; check this issue of Il Leone for details. Also, the University of California in Fresno offers students Italian-oriented scholarships … call them for details.

Say it in Italian: Il mattino ha I’ro in bocca – “The early bird catches the worm”.