My name is Joe from the US. I hope to visit Italy someday. More specifically Cittanova in Calabria. That is the home town of my grandparents.

Dear Joe, welcome to the forum!

I look forward to your posts. And I certainly wish you luck in executing your dream of visiting your grandparents home town in Italy.

what do you do? do you speak Italian?

Benvenuto! Thanks for joining our community! I am sure that you will learn a lot about Italy on our forum. Good luck with your goal of visiting Calabria someday. If you are interested, there is probably an article written on Calabria on the site which will be very informative for you. When you are on the home page simply click on travel near the top of the page (under where it says Life in Italy.com) then click on Regions and then Calabria. Buona Fortuna!

Here is a picture of the entrance to "Villa Carlo Ruggiero" which is found in Cittanova, the hometown of your grandparents!

__________________
Dimmi con chi vai e ti dirò chi sei.

Grazie The Russian e Giacomo,
Io parlo un piccolo Italiano...but not as much as when my grandparents were alive. I listen to Italian radio daily while working and look for websites such as this to better learn the language and expose myself to Italian culture.
I do graphics work for a printing company in NC and have lived here for 11 years after moving from NY.

Che bella! Grazie Giacomo! I have a few photos from my Godmother who visited Cittanova a couple of years ago. I didn't see this in their pictures but they were sitting in a park that resembles the one you have posted.
Thanks again for this photo!
Joe

You're very welcome! Here is another Calabrese specialty that you may be interested in learning about:



Nduja is a creamy and extremely spicy pork sausage mainly produced in Calabria.

The name derives from the French andouille, a coarse-grained smoked meat made using pork, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings. Nduja is made using meat from the head (minus the cheeks, which are used for guanciale), trimmings from various meat cuts, some clean skin, fatback, and roasted hot red peppers which give 'nduja its characteristic fiery taste. Nduja originates from the southern part of Calabria, namely from the small town of Spilinga and its neighborhood.

Nduja is mainly served over bread slices or coupled with ripe cheese. Its particular taste make it suitable to a variety of dishes. It can for example be added to tomato sauce to prepare pasta.

__________________
Dimmi con chi vai e ti dirò chi sei.

Interesting. I think I'd like that.

I have never had it but I know that it is extremely spicy!! It is so spicy in fact that they actually make a special nduja just for tourists because they wouldn't be able to eat the original authentic version.

__________________
Dimmi con chi vai e ti dirò chi sei.

This is a photo of the church that my Grandmother's attended with her 4 sisters (I hope I attached it properly).

Attached Images

2007_1016Italy0018.JPG (63.6 KB, 3 views)

Sounds like I'd better have the Brioschi at the ready!