For those on mobile Timestamps 1:47 - Calandra's Cheese 8:10 - Arthur Avenue Retail Market 9:45 - Mike's Deli 21:36 - La Casa Grande Cigars 23:12 - Discussion of Italian-American Invented Dishes 25:20 - 187th Street & Arthur Avenue 25:45 - Luna Cafe 26:50 - Delillo Pastry Shop 34:25 - 187th Street & Hughes Avenue 38:25 - Three categories of Italian Restaurants 40:30 - Is Egg Pasta a better quality pasta than Dried Pasta? 43:25 - Crescent Avenue & 187th Street 44:24 - Does it snow in Italy?
Italian Americans like the Chinese Americans were very inventive with creating dishes that the American customers would enjoy. Yes, you won't find Spaghetti and meatballs, or Chicken Vesuvio, Chicken Parmesan etc. in Italy, but in the US it is about paying the rent and giving the customer what he/she wants. The wonderful cuisine in Italy is a result of fresh ingredients. Farm to table is a lifestyle in Italy not a marketing term.
thowe624 Here in Italy it’s fairly impossible to find a bad meal and usually it happens only in and around train stations and airports. For the average US or northern European palate even that is pretty good and impressing... and I speak as a native italian that has lived years in Germany, the US and France (plus travelled for business/pleasure worldwide for over 30 years). :-)
Before the tenements in New York’s little Italy, there was no Italian food. Much like Germany, which also didn’t become a nation until the 19th century, there was no Italian culinary identity. That was all developed in Manhattan where migrants from all over the Italian peninsula where piled on top of one another, and local restaurants developed a pan-Italian style the appealed to all of their palates and took advantage of the local foodstuffs. Many of these dishes, like Pasta alla Carbonara, made their way back to Italy and became popular there.
Thank you for putting the legendary Mike's picture on this video. We New Yorkers miss him. He was like a father to me every time I stopped by the shop there on Arthur Avenue. He son is just as kind and he is continuing the legacy of his father perfectly. I'm very proud of him.
@@jschmidt1460 I've only seen it happen once and I'm 57. I lived in metro Denver, Colorado from 1984 to 2012 and visited a local Sicilian bakery/delicatessen that was owned by a Sicilian family using family recipes five generations old. They encouraged me to sample their pastries and made a cappuccino for me. They were very friendly and made me feel like part of their family. Very sweet people !
I love how Italians take their food VERY seriously, even the way they cut their food has to be done a certain way! Italian food is always cooked with love. That's the secret ingredient :) ❤
And her English is flawless..... I remember when the Italian exchange students came to Fordham University, down the street. Their English was better than ours...
@@PaulGarthAviation Yes, because Italy is no longer that poor and underdeveloped country that 'our grandparents left'. Italy has developed, westernized and changed over the years. Most of us can speak English, we might not acquire fluency in it but what I am noticing is that we Italians generally express ourselves quite well (especially the younger generations like mine). Furthermore, many people have a high level of education.
In 2020 thanks to the web, TV and social media all the Italians have a bit of knowledge about the traditions in other regions of Italy at least. Moreover, with the developement of our internal market and the large increase in domestic consumption (Italy is a country that got richer over the past 50 years), you can find all the products of different Italian regions thoughout Italy
These are the experiences I think I took for granted pre-Covid. I’m hoping they will be decorating for Christmas this year. My friend took me to Mike’s last year. Great people.
My Italian niece was 5 years old and she was asking to speak to the chef about his Tiramisu, giving him instructions! Italians have an innate sense of food.
as an italian living abroad, Im really glad to see people like MaryJane. she is friendly, smart, she speaks fantastic english, she goes against all these annoying stereotypes about us being superloud or dancing tarantella all the time...
Great Job and enjoyed both of you Guys working together. Learned info from this young Lady about the Italian foods and well done by both. Need to have her on future videos.........
Actually, Italy’s Little America was in Spain. That’s where Sergio Leoni shot his “spaghetti westerns” with Clint Eastwood etc. So Native Americans could visit those locations and possibly feel a little at home 🤷🏻♂️
There are actually three neighborhoods in Milan where mostly live English speakers. In one of these neighborhoods, Magenta, live almost only American people. It's not like a 'little America' but it's cool
Kenny your tours/follow me videos are the best I've seen. I feel like I'm right there with you both. Mary Jane is so informative and sweet. Great video!
First time seeing your videos. I really enjoyed the laid back ramble through the Bronx. It felt very similar to my own experiences in NYC just exploring and taking things in, discussing history and meeting birdman. It was fascinating to me that you both are RU-vidrs but neither of you seemed in a rush to make a big impression and instead let us just enjoy it along with you. Classy. Stay classy ActionKid. This is an underappreciated style of content and it takes some skill to keep things mellow and yet interesting. Very nice.
Great Video ActionKid, Thank You For The Walk Down Arthur Ave And The Little Italy Section In The Bronx. Great Seeing Mary Jane Again With You! I'm sure there are more foods that are more Italian-American here than in Italy. But I also learned that many foods from Italy are regional and not many regions are recognized in Italy. Wishing You Both A Merry Christmas, Buon Natale, And Happy Holidays!
@AA Sharp From a certain point of view. When reproduced or appreciated, yes; when it simply is denaturalised while voluntarily considered truthful to the original... we aren't that happy about that.
@@gs7828 Well, sorry to hear that! These neighborhoods were created by immigrants who settled there and adopted their original region's culture to what was local, thereby creating their own culture. They were NOT replicating Italy (non-Italians branded these neighborhoods "Little Italies"), as they left it behind forever for a better life!
Watching on January 7, 2022! Lovely knowledgeable young lady, a very educational tour, very impromptu tour of a piece of this region. Thank you Kenneth for enlightens us with such a wonderful guest, much appreciated. Everyone needs to experience Italy 🇮🇹 once in a lifetime! Ciao! ♥️
All your videos with Mary Jane is just so much fun to watch especially this one. It's like I don't want them to end. I was really hoping to see you 2 eat inside Emilia's.
What a good video here Kenneth and Mary Jane, such an easy vibe between you two friends. Many memories for me, special times out to Italian restaurants in The Bronx with my parents and siblings. Ha, fun to see the sign for Heroes. Remembering sneaking heroes into movies with my friends. Happy Holidays, Happy Holydays.
John, it's one awesome looking neighborhood ! I live in Texas, I'm 57, sadly have never been able to visit NYC, absolutely love Italian food and things Italian and can't wait to visit NYC with Little Italy neighborhoods on Arthur Avenue and Manhattan. I lived in metro Denver from 1984 to 2012 where I got completely food spoiled by a Sicilian bakery/delicatessen that was owned and operated by a Sicilian family. They were so friendly, made all their customers feel welcome and like a part of their family. They were proud of and passionate about their pastries, gelato, coffee and food so they would ask you to sample them. I miss them so very much and the Texas city I live in is a true culinary desert.
She is definitely NOT familiar with Sicily. I'm from Buscemi and it just snowed last week. The whole region was covered in the stuff. When I was living there full time, it snowed... not too often but it snowed.
Sorry sorry sorry you're so right!!! Sicily has lots of elevation so of course it may snow. But let's be honest: does it snow lower than 500 meters high?
@@WhatashameMaryJane yeah only the mountainous areas get snow..but that's very much it..it goes as fast as it comes...it's not the alps over there or anything lol my parents live at 750m elevation so and their village is near the coast and it's practically early summer over there
Don't give misleading infos, scamorza is a different kind of cheese, and it can be normal or smoked, mozzarella can be smoked too, but it's not so common to find all over Italy, or in the big distribution, and that's why probably she hasn't heard of it. I myself might have eaten it twice in my life.
Excellent video !! The two of you were absolutely teasing me with that beautiful food, pastries and peach prosecco. No fair !! I eant to go ! I want to go !
I love regional Italian cuisine. NYC area having many Italians of Sicilian ancestry, I am shocked how very few restaurants have authentic Sicilian foods on the menu, Arancini and Panelle
Well I know where I’m going next Christmas... it’s so nice to see culture and tradition preserved... we need to spend time and money to help preserve it and in exchange you get good food and charm
In south of Italy there is snow on the mountains. Up to 800 meters on sea level there is always snow during the winter. In Sicily mount Etna is higher than 3300 meters, so... lots of snow.
This was just delicious...in every sense of the word! Great 👍🏻 video!!!! Thanks 🙏 to both of you for such a fun, informative and wonderfully filmed video.
Still hungry Ken ? 🤣 The Christmas crib is very lovely. I knew about that man in the picture..... :( Well done nice tour but we miss Taiwan and your mask 🤣 👍👍🏆💯 K soon
Glad I found this video. I grew up in the Bronx (182nd St and the Concourse). Every Saturday, my dad and I would walk to Arthur Ave to buy food for the week. Mike's Deli was always a stop for us in the Market for delicious cheeses and cold cuts. I'm talking back in the early 1960's and he had all his sons working behind the counter. It was always a busy place and everything was always fresh and delicious. I see he's in the same spot as he was 50 years ago.
31:43 Croissants are actually Austrian, born in 1683 to celebrate victory of Austria on the Othmans sieging Vienna. Two Austrian Queens introduced Croissants in France (Marie Antoinette) and in Naples (Maria Carolina). 😀😎😘
Good historical point especially since Austria (Hapsburg Empire) controlled parts of northern Italy ! The croissants symbolized the Islamic crescent ! Notice the similarity in spelling ! The bakers (up early) alerted the Austrian Army of the invasion because they were up very early in the morning (baking) when the Muslims striked. So you see how a pastry representing a crescent came to be called a croissant !
@@michaelloglio3365 In Italy is called "cornetto" not "crescent". It means "little horn" not "crescent moon". It causes no relation with Islam. And perhaps in 1683 the enemy was mainly imperialism of Turkey, and marginally the Islam. 🤔
@@raffaeleirlanda6966 Sure it's imperial Turkey using Islam as a cover for their expansion but it still remains under the standard of the Crescent Moon . Battle of Hattin (Place of the Horns) ... Saladin and company....threw crusaders out of Holy Land ! Sicilian curse...giving someone the horn (horn worn as jewelry to warn off a curse ) !
True. She doesn't really look italian though, more of a southern german look. My guess would be she is from northern italy, a region that was ruled and partly settled by germanic people for a long time.
Italian American food is uniquely American. Same as Chinese American food being American. I don't follow Jordan Schransky's purist theory. All food good in their own ways. People did what could with local ingredients. They don't have to be pure or "authentic"
George Lucas no one does call them that. italian american is different than italian. why wouldnt it be? even calling it italuan is too broad, the food is regional. thats why for example mex food generally sucks in nyc. the immigrants mostly come from puebla, the blandest area of mexico.
As an Italian, thanks for showing a different image of Italian people. It's just, whenever I look for some videos about the Italian culture, I find the classic stereotypes... People thinking that we speak like Super Mario, people thinking that we always scream, people thinking that we live like in 1900, people thinking that we are a little ignorant (or at least, rube), people thinking that we are latinos (WTF) Mary is the opposite... Thanks 😂
Yes I totally agree with you. Lovely girl, great video. As an Italian of the North (Lombardy) I always have " to fight " with foreigners (Americans in particular) saying that there are hundreds of thousands of Italians who don't scream, who never use hands when they are talking, who ARE NOT catholics and hate priests and do are from northern regions not only from the South. And I am one of them!!
@@ivalable come on ivan, i'm a southern guy that lives in the north from more than 4 years now, and people talks loudly and use hand gestures almost in the same way we do in the south. Way less in the small towns around the alps, but using hands and talking loudly isn't a stereotype, it's just how the majority of italians are and it's our culture too. Certainly it changes from region to region, but mostly is like that and no, it's not a bad thing.
@@gabriele476you're perhaps referring to southern guys living in the North.... Stop thinking that the only image of Italy must be that of the south or the Southerners. What you have just written are your fantasies
@@ivalable Berlusconi is the classical italian stereotype and he's from the north, precisely from Milan. Same with Matteo Salvini. Please stop saying bullshit about this amazing difference between northerners and southerners. You need to go abroad to understand how similar we are in terms of hand-gesture and loud talking.
Brings back memories. I lived at 23:47 Lit doorway by the red car. That market you were in has had a major makeover. I lived there from 1990 to 1996. The market was more of a traditional setup back then with stalls. I would always come home (across the street) and find "additional" items in my bag -- the sales-ladies took care of me. Glad you enjoyed your visit. The smell of bread at 3AM.... Arggh..... When you made a right on 187 and then crossed the street to look at desserts, there was a pasta store nearby that would cut the exact millimeter width you requested. At 26:50 there was a storefront back then, that was probably not a good idea to "film inside" - LOL! 27:40 - Sicilian Cannoli is basically part of the 6th food group... 38:39 - Church across the street. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, I think. 39:00 - Borgatti's is the pasta store I mentioned about cutting to order. LOL. I just heard him say, "They have very fresh pasta, made to order". Guess I did remember it correctly! 42:00 - When they do the annual Feast of St. Anthony's, that church has a big role in it with a procession. 43:20 - If you keep turning right, you'll be back on Arthur Ave. You're heading here more into residential. 43:50 - I was getting a bit concerned here, but it's obvious the camera guy knows the area... 44:00 - Walk faster here - it gets dark... You're looking too much like a tourist now... 44:56 - I think if you make a right here, there's a library on the left, and then you're back on 186th to Arthur Ave. 45:25 - Interesting the fusion of Albanian and Italian at the restaurant with red awning. By the mid 90's, there was a drop in Italian residents and an increase in Albanian. 46:29 - I think you passed by 186th back there, so when you turn right on Arthur Avenue up ahead you can work your way back. You mentioned Hispanic restaurants -- you're now in an Hispanic residential area. Trying to do laundry was a challenge to compete for machines, so I waited until they were likely in church!! Sorry - that's just a fact... 48:22 - And now you're back on Arthur. Let me guess. You'll cross the street and go down to Rigolettos... 49:00 Guess not... LOL! Thanks for visiting my old stomping ground. 50:20 - Let's go! Translation: Camera guy is frozen!!!!
exactly. its all great down there as well. the pizza in uruguay and bs as is a bit different style too. italian food is flexible and good everywhere italians go.
Fettuccine Alfredo actually do not exist in Italy as long as gravying pasta with just a nut of butter melted in it and grating parmesan on fettuccine, rigatoni or spaghetti, is a very common way to garnish any kind of pasta, but it was made famous in US as long as the chef Alfredo from Restaurant Alfredo alla Scrofa in Rome made this kind of dish for Mary Pickford travelling in Italy who had a stomachache. The actress enjoyed so much this dish that was very digerible and made it famous in US where it became a gravy sauce full of cream, as long as there were no simply original Italian ingredients in US in the 1920s, just some imported Olive Oil.
Hey there ActoinKid so glad that you made it to Little Italy in the Bronx with Mary Jane, and delighted to see that in the years since I've been gone that the culture has prospered and there are many changes and new things happening for the better. Thanks for bringing back fond memories of health and happiness frequenting the old neighborhood in years gone by. Looking forward to viewing more of your videos I see in the sidebar.
Indeed, cheese that is strong in flavor is due to the "aging" of the cheese. Parmigiano-Reggiano (aka Parmesan) is a hard cheese, which is aged to a minimum of 12 months and to a maximum of 36 months.
Terrific Video! I had heard about Arthur Avenue when I first visited NY. When I come back this December I am for sure going to that market place. You guys make a great team!!!
Thank you, Action Kid, for the fantastic memories. Their is no place like New York..... it is very Heart Breaking that New York is not the state it used to be sad. Action Kid May your move to Miami Florida be Prosperous for you in every way, Thank you again for your fantastic channel
Oh wowwww!!! I'm currently living in Germany but I grew up near little Italy in the Bronx and I know this area... I miss the stores and I miss Artuso they make the best Cheese cake in New York City.
There are similar dishes with peculiar recipes, but only in some regions and they aren't usually consumed every day, but only on special occasions. Nationally, spaghetti and meatballs don't exist.
Actually spaghetti with meatballs does exist in Italy. Mostly in the South (not all over Italy), and mostly the meatballs are smaller than what is served in the United States. Italian good is very regional so if Mary Jane is from the North she wouldn't eat it.
When i first asked for spaghetti bolognese here in Bologna, the waiter looked confused, i later found out that it doesn't exist in Italy. It's an American dish. However some restaurants in very touristy areas do it because of the high demand from tourists.
The most similar thing we have is spaghetti alla bolognese (it has ground beef/pork, tomato sauce, fried onion,carrots and wine) but you probably have it too in the us
These guys are like "Will you buy some cheese already!" Out of respect you should have at least bought a 1/4 lb of some sort of cheese. You bought nothing. Cheap skate! If you are going to film in the local mom and pop shops you should budget a little money before you film; like 50 buck and buy something small at each establishment. Just common courtesy. I mean they are giving you free samples!!
Personally I find your transactional narrative a bit demeaning to everyone involved. Sometimes it's just nice to relax and accept hospitality as a human experience. These aren't hustlers on the street but people with proper shops. When you run a real place you don't need everything to be nickel and dime because you're building and resting on your reputation, which was enhanced many times by the video.
Agree that the first shop visited did receive free advertising, and not every sample demands a purchase, but these two should have arrived on Arthur Ave at least an hour earlier to show the area when it's open for business and customer-rich. Starting one's video ten minutes before closing was kinda sloppy and disrespectful.
Italians don’t live on Arthur ave anymore. They just do business there within a couple of blocks radius. It’s now a place for hipsters and the university students to visit.
There is no Italian look. She looks like any European white girl. South Italians and Sicilians have distinctive looks, they are darker and shorter and louder....:)) North Italians are nothing special if they speak another language its impossible to guess where they came from.
@@zsoltpapp3363 Kind of, I have been to France and Italy , Austria and Switzerland many times. The French and Italians look pretty much the same. However been to Silcily once and saw a lot of Redheads.