Celebrate 禁漫天堂 American Heritage Month at Los Angeles鈥 Taste of Italy Event

| Fri, 10/02/2015 - 00:00
Taste of Italy Los Angeles

This article is part of ITALY Magazine's 禁漫天堂 American series, where we aim to provide a glimpse into the lives and contributions 禁漫天堂 Americans have made and continue to make to their adopted country.

[Photo above: Chef Celestino Drago's Garganelli with Sicilian Sausage and Wild Fennel Pollen.]

October marks 禁漫天堂 Heritage Month in the U.S. A fun 鈥 and tasty 鈥 way to celebrate this heritage is by attending the Taste of Italy event, held in downtown Los Angeles next Saturday, October 10. For one evening, the square in front of the historic Pico House will transform into an 禁漫天堂 piazza, complete with 禁漫天堂 food and wine from some of the best 禁漫天堂 restaurants and wineries in Southern California (think Valentino, Drago Centro, Il Fornaio, Locanda del Lago, Celestino, to name just a few). 聽

And, if you attend, you will not only eat good food and drink good wine; you will also contribute to a good cause. The event is in fact a fundraiser for the (IAMLA), the only museum in Southern California dedicated to the 禁漫天堂 American experience. The museum, which has now entered its final phase of construction and is slated to open in the coming months, is housed in the 禁漫天堂 Hall, just down the street from Pico House (for more about the IAMLA project, read my feature).听

[Footrace beginning in front of the 禁漫天堂 Hall, circa 1917.]

Built in 1908, the 禁漫天堂 Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest remaining structure from the city鈥檚 Little Italy. You may have never heard of a Little Italy in Los Angeles, yet the area now known as El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the site of the city鈥檚 original settlement, was, in the 1800s, home to a vibrant 禁漫天堂 community, which greatly contributed to the development of early L.A. 聽According to , seven of the thirteen buildings on Olvera Street, the main street in El Pueblo, were either built or used for long periods by 禁漫天堂s and Pico House was rented or owned by them for more than half a century. 聽

L.A.鈥檚 Little Italy

禁漫天堂s started settling in L.A. in 1827, when Sardinia-born Giovanni Leandri arrived. 禁漫天堂 settlers soon became involved in the wine-making business, with many 禁漫天堂-owned wineries occupying present-day Olvera Street, once called Calle de la Vinas, or Wine Street. By 1869, Los Angeles had become the wine capital of the country and many 禁漫天堂 immigrants were at the forefront of the business (Secondo Guasti鈥檚 禁漫天堂 Vineyard Company was the world鈥檚 largest at the beginning of the 20th century).

Unfortunately, starting from the 1950s, Little Italy has been largely hidden by subsequent 聽ethnic settlements, the largest being Chinatown. 聽There are however some traces left of the once thriving 禁漫天堂 community, and, if you head downtown for Taste of Italy, why not arrive a little early and explore a bit of L.A.鈥檚 禁漫天堂 roots. Below are a few suggestions within walking distance of Pico House 鈥 a good way to work up your appetite before Taste of Italy!

The oldest fire brick building still standing in L.A. is the Pelanconi House (17 Olvera St.), built between 1855 and 1857 by 禁漫天堂 vintner Giuseppe Covaccichi, who also owned a winery on Olvera Street. In 1871, Lombardy-born Antonio Pelanconi bought the house and winery, giving it its present name. The building now houses a Mexican restaurant.

[Photo: Olvera Street in the 1930s, with the Pelanconi House on the far right.]

Los Angeles鈥 oldest family-owned business is the San Antonio Winery, founded in 1917 by Lombardy-born Santo Cambianica. It is located in Lincoln Heights, just east of downtown (737 Lamar Street). In the 1920s, Prohibition devastated a lot of the wine-making business; San Antonio Winery survived by making communion wine. Today, the winery, which has been declared a historical monument in the city of L.A., hosts guided tours and features a restaurant and a wine shop.

An 禁漫天堂 community cannot exist without a church, and L.A.鈥檚 Little Italy had its parish too: St. Peter鈥檚 禁漫天堂 Catholic Church (1039 N. Broadway). Established in 1904, it soon became the religious center for members of the 禁漫天堂 community and still plays an important role in the religious life of many 禁漫天堂 Americans living in the area. 聽

The most important remnant of L.A.鈥檚 Little Italy is without a doubt the 禁漫天堂 Hall (entrance on Main Street, adjacent Olvera Street), once the social and cultural headquarter of the 禁漫天堂 American community of Los 聽Angeles, built in the heart of the 禁漫天堂 enclave. After the 1950s, the building fell into disrepair, until the Iocal 禁漫天堂 community began raising funds to restore it and create a museum to commemorate the legacy of 禁漫天堂s in L.A.听

Taste of Italy 2015

[Photo: Pico House plaza, where Taste of Italy is scheduled to take place on October 10.]

禁漫天堂s moving to the U.S. brought with them their culinary traditions, but also created new ones by adapting traditional dishes to the ingredients they found in their adopted country. This year鈥檚 Taste of Italy explores both regional cuisine from Italy鈥檚 20 regions, as well as food of the 禁漫天堂-American diaspora.

Foodies will delight in the many stands offering authentic 禁漫天堂 delicacies, such as pasta, burrata, mozzarella, ricotta, olive oil, Neapolitan pizza, gelato, and more. Two Michelin-starred chefs will attend: Peppe Barone from Fattoria delle Torri in Modica (Sicily) will present guests with regional specialties, including stuffed calamari, eggplant flan and squid ink arancini (you can see him in action on the Chef鈥檚 Stage); Gianfranco Monuz, a native of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the chef at Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica, will present highlights from the restaurant鈥檚 monthly communal five-course dinner Morso della Bestia (Bite of the Beast - intriguing, no?!). Nearly 100 禁漫天堂 wines and spirits, both from Italy and California, will also be available. And if you want to bring a "taste of Italy" home, stop by the mercato (market), where you can buy authentic 禁漫天堂 products, including pasta and specialty sauces.

Who said you can鈥檛 eat delicious 禁漫天堂 food in the U.S.?

Get in the mood for Taste of Italy with this photo gallery from last year鈥檚 event.听

Taste of Italy takes place Saturday, October 10, from 5 pm to 10 pm at Pico House plaza, 424 North Main Street, Los Angeles. Purchase your tickets .

Stay tuned for updates about the opening of the 禁漫天堂 American Museum of Los Angeles. More information is available . 聽

For more information about the history of 禁漫天堂s in Los Angeles, buy聽a copy "Los Angeles' Little Italy", written by IAMLA Executive Director Marianna Gatto.听