Mary Contini - Dear Alfonso: An Italian Feast of Love and Laughter

Dear Alfonso

Cavaliere Alfonso Crolla (18891940)

First published in 2017 by

Birlinn Limited

West Newington House

10 Newington Road

Edinburgh

EH9 1QS

Copyright Mary Contini 2017

ISBN 978 085790 943 5

The right of Mary Contini to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Designed and typeset by Mark Blackadder

Printed and bound by Gutenberg Press, Malta

For Philip,
my personal consigliere,
with my love,

and to my dear daughters,
Francesca and Olivia

To my dearest father-in-law, Carlo Contini. In many conversations and during so many feasts of laughter and love together with family in Scotland and in Italy I learned so much about life. Carlo also wrote a manuscript which has so many details in it that he had never told us before, about his younger years, the hardships during the war and the drama of his immigration. He wanted his story to be told, and would have been thrilled we have had this opportunity to publish his letter to Alfonso, the father-in-law he never knew.

My thanks to my editors Helen Bleck and Andrew Simmons who helped with a brilliant edit, and to Professor Emeritus Joseph Farrell. My sincere thanks to Hugh Andrew and all the team at Birlinn, especially Jan Rutherford and all the sales and marketing team. And to Jim Hutcheson for the perfect cover design.

Un ringraziamento di cuore to Zia Rita, Nunzia, Carla and Luigi Silni for the secrets of Annunziatas recipes.

Warm wishes and thanks to all our team, customers, suppliers and family at Valvona & Crolla for sharing the daily drama and deliciousness of the shop.

Eternal love and thanks to the women who led me to my mans heart through his stomach and taught me to cook: my mother, Gertrude Di Ciacca, my paternal grandmother, Marietta Di Ciacca, my mother-in-law, Olivia Contini and the best cook of us all, Annunziata Conturso, Carlos mother.

Mary Contini, September 2017

Pozzuoli

Carlos Italian family

Nonna Marianna and Nonno Ernesto (paternal grandparents; lived with Luigi and Annunziata)

Nonna Minicuccia and Nonno Vincenzo (maternal grandparents; lived beside the port at Pozzuoli)

Luigi 190175: Carlos father

Annunziata 190289: Carlos mother

Carlo Contini, 19252008

Ninuccia, 19292005

Rosetta, 19302009

Annetta, 1932

Antonietta, 1934

Vincenzo, 19371997

Ernesto, 1939

Peppino, 1946

Zi Alf, Carlos uncle, the shoemaker

Zi Antonio, Carlos uncle and hero

Edinburgh

The Crolla family

Alfonso Crolla, 18891940

Maria Crolla, 18881964

Domenico, 191383

Margaret, 191499

Vittorio, 19152005

Olivia, 19242015

Gloria, 1926

Phyllis, 192778

The Di Ciacca family

Cesidio, 18911940

Marietta, 18951980

Lena, 19172004

Johnny, 191995

Anna, 19222013

Alex, 19232013

Where a birth date only is supplied, date of death is not known. A dash but no death date means the person is still alive.

My name is Carlo Contini. I was born at 7.30 a.m. at the Istituto Annunziata in Napoli on 1st May 1925. I grew up in Pozzuoli, an ancient fishing town just north of the city. My family are carpenters.

When I came to Edinburgh to study English in 1952 I fell in love with and married your wonderful daughter, Olivia. When we first met, she was still very broken-hearted that she had lost you, her darling father, in the dreadful tragedy of the sinking of the Arandora Star.

She has told me all about you, thought about you every day, and our constant regret is that you were not with us as you should have been on our lives journey.

Olivia and I are so grateful that fate guided us to be together; our lives have been wonderful, with many blessings, especially our two sons Philip and Victor, and our beautiful grandchildren. Your great-great-grandson is called Alfonso in your honour.

Your loving family welcomed me as a son and brother and I have made it my own. We have had so many happy times, survived so many set-backs and come through it all with our lives still blessed.

With your brilliant and kind-hearted sons, Vittorio and Domenico, I have helped build up the business, Valvona & Crolla, that was your vision.

Together we have brought the sunshine and the flavours of the south of Italy to the Scots.

Caro Alfonso, my only regret is that I did not have the honour of knowing you and asking your permission to marry Olivia. With all humility, I wish to present my story so you can know who I was and who I became. In it you will learn of the challenges and excitement I have lived through. It has been a blessed life; a feast of love and laughter.

If only you could join us now. Lunch is at one.

Un abbraccio, tuo caro genero,

A warm embrace, your loving son-in-law,

Carlo

Carlo Contini aged seven.

Carlo! Carlo! Aspetta! Wait for me!

Ninuccia sounded slightly distressed. Carlo glanced back to see where his little sister was. He caught sight of her far below, the parcel wrapped in newspapers tightly grasped to her chest as she lifted her short legs to climb each step. Her dark curls were dripping with sweat. She called again, louder.

Carlo!

He waved to her, frustrated, encouraging her to hurry. Ninuccia! Forza! Hurry!

Two women scrubbing clothes at the water fountain watched the scene unfold. They reproached him, laughing. Carlo! Wait for her! Shes only three. Poverina! Poor thing!

Carlo shrugged his shoulders, flashed an amiable smile and ran barefoot up the steps. Ninuccia would take too long to climb them to get home. Shed arrive when she did. He couldnt wait; he was too hungry. His sisters calls faded into the distance.

Everyone knew Carlo in Rione Terra. He was Luigi and Annunziatas son, a good-looking boy, taller than average for his seven years, fair-skinned with thick blond hair. His large, dark, almond-shaped eyes illuminated his aquiline face; his sweet cherub lips charmed when he smiled.

Everyone knew Carlo because Carlo knew everyone. He never passed without a call of greeting, a quick word of encouragement or a nod of interest. He had the uncanny knack of seeing everyone as a person, an individual: a fortunate talent. The two women at the water fountain had known him since he was born, but it was as if he had known