Video of the view from Sonnino (click twice to play)

This is the view from the backside of Sonnino. You can see the sea and the town of Terracina in the distance.

My first batch of pasta

Inspired by Lydia and Annunciantina Bernardini, I tried my hand at making fresh pasta last week. I went on a website called Craigslist.org where people buy and sell things they don’t want or need. I was able to pick up an Atlas pasta machine for $25. The women who sold it to me even threw in a ravioli attachment. With help from my wife Margherita and friend James, we were able to make some delicious artichoke ravioli and tagliatelle. Margherita made a white wine sauce with butter and garlic that was fabulous. I’ve never had so much fun or had such fresh ravioli. On top of that, the pasta machine gave me quite a workout. I’m hoping that as I get better at making the pasta, I’ll be able to cut down on the time.

All this leads me to a request or a request for recipes. I would love to create a place on this blog where family recipes can be shared…so start sending them in. You can even take a picture of the dish! My next batch of pasta is this weekend, wish me luck.

Sonninese Word of the Week

Since I come from a family of butchers I figured this would be a good one to add to our Sonninese dictionary:

Butcher in standard Italian: Macellaio

Butcher in Sonninese: Maceglio

Thoughts and Prayers please

My grandfather, Angelo Bernardini, starts chemotherapy tomorrow. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. On a happier note, I was able to do some oral history recording with my grandmother and him over Christmas. Once I figure out how to post audio clips, I'll post samples.

Me and Giovanni with "pertecas"

 

This is a picture of Giovanni and me shaking our "pertecas". As I learned during my last trip to Sonnino, a perteca is used to knock the ripe olives out of the tree. Giovanni and Anunciantina were nice enough to take my wife Margherita and me to the campania (countryside). Each family has a plot where they grow olives, lemons, oranges, figs, pomegranates, etc. Giovanni and Annunciantina have a beautiful plot and a great outdoor brick oven.

Christmas gift from Sonnino

This is a picture of my grandfather, Angelo Bernardini, holding some soppressata that his cousin Tonino from Sonnino sent to him. It was his favorite Chistmas gift. I'm glad customs didn't check my bags on the way back!

 

Want to look at posts from past months?

It's easy. Just click on black arrows next to the months on right side of the page. This will show you all the posts for that month. Check them out!

Refurbished church in old Sonnino

This is the church right across from the Castle in old Sonnino. It was recently refurbished and looks great. I was told it was built in the 12th century. Anybody know the name? As we were leaving the church my cousin Graziano pointed to the man in the picture who takes care of the church and said "that's another one of your relatives. I seem to meet new relatives each time I visit!

Look up where your last name is found in Italy (or the USA)

This is such a great site. You can type in you last name and the the website will show you where people with you last name live and the concentration. You can run the same search for the US as well. Apparently there are on Bernardinis in and around Sonnino. Enjoy!

- L'Italia dei Cognomi

Photo of the castle taken from the piazza in Sonnino. The photo was taken by Bob Frateschi of Syracuse, NY

Pitcure of the "torre di Antonelli"

Sonninese Word of the Week

So I've started to keep a little Sonninese dictionary (the dialect of Sonnino) and add new words each time I visit. My relatives in Sonnino will often say "It's great that you're learning Italian, now when are you going to learn Sonninese!" Maybe they don't realize there are only 6,000 or so Sonninese speakers in the world. So here's the first word...please write me with any Sonninese words or sayings that you know:

Ihoni = Oh God!

"Ihoni" is very similar to the Jewish "Oye Vey!"

Video of Roccagorga (a small village across the valley from Sonnino)

Olive Festival in Sonnino coming up

Here's a link to the Olive Festival coming up in a couple of weeks. I saw big signs for it when I was in Sonnino last week. I used a translator on the page so it reads a little strange.

Translated version of http://www.eventiesagre.it/index.php?id=1425

This is a funny picture from my most recent trip to Sonnino. My wife and I got back two days ago! The picture was taken in my family's butcher school right off the piazza. 

Going to Sonnino!

My wife Margie and I are going to Sonnino in November for 4 or 5 days. Once again, if anyone submits something to the Blog I'll bring them back a present from Sonnino. Pictures, stories, recipies....they are all great. Look for more posts soon. I'm also willing to look for your relatives in Sonnino.

Giro di Lazio Bike Race

Daily Peloton - Pro Cycling News

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN IN ITALY, 'BOSS' SOLD OUT

Ok, so this isn't about Sonnino but I love Bruce and am glad to see that our fellow Italians do as well.

(AGI) - Rome, July 7 - Bruce Springsteen is on his way to Italy and all the tickets for his concerts have already been sold out. The public's response to the beginning of selling of tickets for the first four concerts of the boss's Italian tour was unbelievable, according to organizers. The Ticketone circuit, in 10 hours, has practically sold out all of the tickets at its disposal for the 4 concerts on sale at the moment (Bologna,Turin, Verona and Rome). Between Friday and Saturday sales will begin by way of the other circuits, in particular for Springsteen fans in Rome, and tickets will be found in Feltrinelli Libri e Musica, Messaggerie Musicali, The Ticket Net, Win alla Romanina and other centres specialized in concert ticket sales. (AGI) -
071817 LUG 06

Latina lessons

A nice article about the sights of Latina above and beyond Rome. I'm going to check some of the out when I visit Sonnino in November.
Scotsman.com Living - Latina lessons

Video of the backside of Sonnino (other side of the mountain)

Another video we took in January can see Terracina in the distance.

The Giro d' Italia...an amazing bike race

The Giro d'Italia bicycle race has just started up and this sight has some of the best coverage I have seen. The Giro is the second biggest race after the Tour de France. The link is below:
Cycling - Eurosport