IL PENSIERO “THE THOUGHT”
Office: 10001 Stonell Drive
Member of FUSIE (Federazione Italiana Stampa Unitaria all’Estero)
Ottobre 2022 THE ONLY ITALIAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI
An Italian American Publication
NUMERO 10
Italian Heritage Month by Courtney Kamm
October is Italian Heritage Month. The national holiday is celebrated on the second Monday of the month — landing this year on Oct. 10. Italian American Heritage Month is celebrated every year to honor and recognize the centuries of achievements, successes, and valuable contributions of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans. A few ways to celebrate Italian Heritage Month: - Host an Italian potluck with friends and family. - Learn how to make a new Italian dessert. - Try an aperitive: a pre-meal drink specifically meant to stimulate your appetite.
Ravioli: A STL Legacy by Courtney Kamm
Brittany Abernathy and Matthew Fuller didn’t know what to expect when they started a food business in May of 2022, but after just four short months they have been met with immediate success and are ready to take their ravioli to the next level. 2020 was a hard year for a lot of people including this husband and wife team. Matthew Fuller was the victim of a serious car accident causing him to pivot career paths, which is when the duo decided to create STL Toasted, a St. Louis
ravioli brand located in a food stall at City Foundry. Within their first year of business, they are outgrowing their small space and have decided to make the leap to something bigger. The couple has signed a lease on the building at 2201 Macklind Avenue which formerly housed Mama Toscano’s on The Hill. This comes at the perfect time as the Toscanos are stepping away for retirement and decided to close after 100 years. With their current lease at City Foundry, they are unable to open a second space right away, but the couple is okay with that arrangement. They plan to use the building as a production space for their current stall and hope to eventually include a retail market and continue serving the St. Louis ravioli legacy.
NIAF Recognized as the Italian American Organization of the Year in Boston
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) was honored to have been recognized as the Italian American Organization of the Year by the Madonna Del Soccorso Society, the organizers of Boston’s Fisherman’s Festival. The annual award is presented to an organization that demonstrates efforts to preserve and support the Italian American heritage and culture. The ceremony took place on the first day of the 112th Annual Fisherman’s Feast
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in Boston on Thursday, August 18. “I’m thrilled to be here to receive this award on behalf of the National Italian American Foundation at this iconic feast which is so representative of what makes Italian culture great: food, family, friends and faith,” said NIAF President Robert Allegrini. “You are very fortunate in Boston to have this North End which remains one of the few intact, vibrant Italian neighborhoods left in the country.” Boston’s mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts State Representative Paul Donato and City Councilor Gabriela Coletta attended the ceremony. In order to further support the local Italian American community in Boston, NIAF used the occasion of the award ceremony to announce a new $5,000 scholarship for the 2023 academic year to an Italian American college student who is specifically a resident of Massachusetts. For more information on how to apply visit niaf.org. The Fisherman’s Feast is Boston’s oldest continuous Italian festival. Since 1910, the festival takes place in the city’s historic North End. The Feast is based on the devotion of the fishermen from Sciacca, Sicily to the Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help). NIAF is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and protecting the Italian American heritage and culture. To learn more and become a member, visit niaf.org.