At the start of the 20th century, large groups of Italians emigrated to America in search of better pay, healthcare, and greater opportunities for their families; they built tight-knitted communities within the city. For work, immigrants opened a series of storefronts ranging from butcher shops to fish stores, many located on a group of blocks in the Belmont area, particularly Arthur Avenue. Arthur Ave. has long been a hotspot for Italian culture ever since. On Friday, Dec. 6, the Italian 2 Honors and Regents classes took a trip to this cultural epicenter and visited many landmarks.
The students boarded the bus around 9:30 AM and headed out to the city. Upon arrival, Italian teacher Leonard Bruno announced when and where they were going to visit before leading everyone off the bus to their first stop, Addeo & Sons Bakery. Addeo’s is one of the many family-owned shops on this street, having been in operation for over 80 years. Upon entering, the Addeo employees were kind enough to bring the students a plate filled with a variety of breads. “When we first walked into the bakery, they gave us breadsticks that were so fresh and made us feel so welcome,” said freshman Violet Buccino.
After Addeo’s, the students headed over to another famous storefront called Egidio’s. This pastry shop is the oldest bakery on Arthur Ave. and has been around since 1912. When the students arrived at Egidio’s, the management invited students to the kitchen and showed them how to make one of their best-selling pastries for the holidays: cannoli. After a demonstration of how to pipe the cream into the shells, the baker allowed students to try and pipe their own cannoli, which many happily consumed afterwards. “It was so cool to learn how they made the cannoli,” expressed freshman Victoria Coniglio.
Later, students made their way over to the most famous church in Belmont, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, which opened its doors on June 13, 1907, in a storefront on 627 E.187th St. This basement church was established to help immigrants assimilate in their new homes. As visitor numbers continued to increase, the community raised funds for an upper floor that was built 10 years later, making it the church it is today.
Lastly, everyone stopped for a sit-down lunch at Emilia’s at 2331 Arthur Ave. The students had a three-course meal that included antipasto, a small serving of penne with marinara sauce, and a choice of either osso buco, chicken parmesan, or eggplant parmesan. The students loved the food. Freshman Arianna Lanzello said, “I loved the food at Emilia’s! I would recommend it to anyone who likes Italian food.” Ultimately, the Arthur Ave. trip illuminated the history of Italian immigration and the significance of preservation of culture.
