Italian Ice-Creams and Fish Suppers in Scotland

I have just read Mary Contini’s book Notes to Olivia about her Italian family’s early days in Edinburgh. She is the owner of the famous deli, Valvont and Crola. Scotland's oldest Delicatessen and Italian Wine Merchant and one of Europe's most original Specialist Food Shops. I will come back to the story of this a bit later.

Scotland has long enjoyed an affiliation with Italians since the first immigrants arrived in the late 1800s. It is estimated there are tens of thousands of Scots of Italian heritage, including high profile figures. Italian immigration into Scotland forever reshaped the country's culinary and social landscape.

Interestingly, post Brexit in 2016 there was the biggest surge in immigration in 100 years. One thing that makes it similar to the first phase of immigration from Italian is that large numbers are fleeing due to the lack of opportunity often in Puglia, Calabria and Sicily.

From the late 19th century, Scotland saw an increase in Italian immigrants. At this time, many Italians experienced poverty. Men fled to Scotland to make money to support their families in Italy, sending for them later. For some, it was seen as a stopping point en-route to America. Initially, they came from northern areas such as Tuscany, but emigration spread to the south by the 1900s. When America changed its immigration policy and closed the door of opportunity for many of the poorest Europeans, Scotland saw a further increase in Italian immigrants. The main reasons to seek a new life was as a direct result of economic conditions. Living conditions were harsh, with famine and sometimes droughts. Furthermore, Italy had an agricultural-based economy that was experiencing severe hardships and industrialisation was slower than in other European nations.  Many saw an opportunity to go elsewhere to earn a better living. After a slow start, in which the Italian immigrants failed to make any real economic progression, the Italians seized the opportunity to move into the catering world. Initially working as ‘hokey pokey’ men, selling ice cream from barrows, these men had been recruited in London and then sent to Scotland. They quickly moved into working-class areas, combining ice cream making with selling fish and chips. Restaurants and takeaways were established and sold food made using ingredients widely available in Scotland like fish and potatoes. To this day most Scottish towns still have an Italian chippy.

Fish and chips became essential to the diet of the ordinary man and woman, through the latter part of the 19th century and well into the 20th century. The fish and chip trade expanded greatly to satisfy the needs of the growing industrial population of Great Britain. In fact, you might say that the Industrial Revolution was fuelled partly by fish and chips! Nobody, however, could dispute the Italian influence after they had spotted the business opportunities to be had north of the border by selling pesce e patate. Stuart Atkinson, Scottish executive councillor with the National Fish Friers Federation, said their role was significant. As large numbers of Italian immigrants entered the Scottish fish and chip trade from around 1890 by 1914, they dominated the trade and opened many shops throughout Scotland.

From humble beginnings, by the 1920s these barrows had been transformed into luxury establishments in the city centres via working class areas. There are many famous Italian businesses in Scottish society like Nardini’s which boasted a beautiful Art Deco tearoom that became an key attraction. There was a greater degree of acceptance from the Temperance Movement as the cafés chose not to sell alcohol. Cafés such as these were as much an assertion of an identity in a new land as they were a business as a means of breadwinning. Helping to integrate the new arrivals into the communities of Scottish towns and cities. They were popular ventures for immigrants, and locals took very quickly to the idea. 

In Glasgow, police statistics show that in 1903 there were 89 ice cream shops in the city. A year later that number had nearly doubled, reaching 184, and by 1905 there were estimated to be 336 ice cream shops in the Glasgow area alone. Many made a living from the Scottish sweet tooth. ITally is slang for Italian and the title refers to both Italian blood and to the raspberry sauce added to ice-cream. It is fair to say that Italian cafés were at the heart of Scottish culture, but the question remains as to whether Italians were fully accepted in Scottish society. Their cafés were often the scene of unruly behaviour. This led to cries that the Italian cafés were morally corrupt, articles appeared in newspapers reporting the ‘ice cream hell’. Their popularity wasn’t universal and they did encounter some hard times along the way, which most likely strengthened the ties of the growing Italian community, who helped one another when needed. Immigrants can enrich and bring a new dimension and flavour to the customs and culture of their adopted land. And I am sure that the colourful Italian community must have added character to the dour cities, towns and villages in Scotland. 

What whetted by interest in this subject was the story of brothers Alfonso and Vittorio Crolla who emigrated to Scotland and established a small ice-cream and confectionery in 1906. They were to team up with Raffaele Valvona in 1934, by that time an elderly shopkeeper who was thought by the Italian community to need the acumen of the Crolla family. They sold easily affordable food, mainly to the Italian immigrant community. This succeeded brilliantly, helped by the fact that a lot of returning troops after the war, who had fought in Italy, had acquired a taste for the Italian meats, cheeses and olives.  Having concentrated on inexpensive produce, Valvona & Crolla made the shrewd decision, as supermarkets began to undersell local businesses, to specialise by importing the best Italian food and drink. They were to be a pioneer of healthy food, never failing to point out the virtues of low-cost tomatoes and packets of spaghetti. Alfonso died in the war, but Alfonso’s son, Vittorio continued to work with his uncle, taking over the business in 1945 with his brother-in-law, Carlo Contini.

For 40 years Victor Crolla, was the head of the family at Valvona & Crolla.  His Italian delicatessen was famous not only in Edinburgh but among tens of thousands of festival and other visitors to the Scottish capital. The language in the shop was sui generis (a hybrid between Leith Scots and High Neapolitan) It speaks volumes for the family's relationship with the Scots that during the Second World War the shop's loyal staff continued to keep it open so that there was a business to return to. Victor Crolla, stepped down in 1985, but in the words of his nephew Philip Contini who ran the shop, he continued to be the spiritual head of the store. In 2019 Philip and his wife Mary, handed over the reins to their eldest daughter, Francesca Contini Mackie, Alfonso’s great-grand daughter making this a fourth- generation family business which brings a little bit of Italy to Scotland.

I wish them a continued success; I am a great believer in family and local businesses. I also think it shows how important it is to mix cultures by immigration and hope this does continue as it enriches all our lives for the better!

An Evening of Art and Culture

 

When we go on our holidays it's all to easy to sit by the swimming pool or on the beach, never really venturing out very much beyond the nearest bar. Now whilst I fully understand that most of the time you want and need a relaxing break and to get a bit of sun, which doesn’t always happen in the UK. But you know many resorts have a huge selection of art galleries and museums to visit. At some parts of the day or on certain days of the week these can be free to visit or have a reduced entry cost.  Even if you had not planned on fitting some Art and Culture into your holiday, if you do make the effort to do this you will be in for a big reward. On Sunday afternoons and evening many of the leading galleries can be free. The most popular ones can have big queues, so see if you can pre-book or arrive early. One of my favourite art galleries also has a great bar with sea-views perfect for relaxing afterwards so you can have the best of both worlds.

If you do a bit of research before you go away, you will be surprised at how much there is to do and there really is something for every taste. One of my favourite events is the Nit de l'Art in Mallorca, hosted every year in the middle of September. This is Mallorca's Mediterranean version of the Nuit Blanche concept, which originated in Paris and many cities worldwide celebrate.

In Palma, for only one night a year, many of the art galleries and museums join together to celebrate the autumn arts and culture season and the inauguration of their exhibitions by transforming the city's historic old town into a treasure trove for art lovers on Saturday night. The event started in a small way in 1997 and has grown and grown ever since. Here's what they say about it;

La Nit de L'Art is a unique event which fuses the characteristic spirit of the traditional Spanish fiestas (where people of all ages get together in public squares and picturesque streets) to celebrate, the eclectic buzz of gallery openings and the excitement of a treasure hunt mapped out within the medieval walls of one of the most beautiful historic enclaves of the Mediterranean. Throughout a single evening, the historic quarter is taken over by the art world, with tens of thousands of visitors spilling out onto the pedestrian streets and alleyways to explore some of the most exciting exhibitions, performances and installations of the year.

If this is of interest to you can download a full programme with maps of all the galleries and museums taking part by clicking the link from the website. All the main museums and galleries take part; Solleric, Baluard, Miro, Misericordia, Sa Nostra and The Caixa forum. These are all open for free as well as performances and exhibitions in public spaces and squares like La Rambla, Plaza del Mercado, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Porta de Santa Catalina. The old town is transformed into an enormous open-air art exhibition. Bright young talents and seasoned professionals from the artistic community take advantage of every corner to show their work to the public. Bars, cafes, studios, rooftops, facades of historic buildings, shop windows and balconies. Many hotels get involved to and its great to have a wander through these too. it’s a wonderful opportunity to see inside buildings that are out of bounds like the City Hall. Some events take part on the same night in other parts of the island like in culture- loving Pollenca, so if you are not in Palma you still may be able to see events on a smaller scale

You can even enjoy a glass or two of Cava as you peruse the art. The event starts from 7:00 pm and the galleries will remain open until midnight. You can pick up a list and map of participating galleries throughout Palma in the tourist information or the galleries themselves. It’s a fun, busy night and very well-attended by the locals and visitors alike. You have to walk a bit, so not wearing heels is a good idea. But it’s a must for art-lovers and if you don’t know much about art it’s a great way to gain insight into the art world. And wonderful for people-watching, as there are some very interesting outfits and sights to see on the night.

Fiesta- A Good Reason To Have A Party

The one thing that I remember most from my travels were the sheer amount of Fiesta’s everything from parties in a private house to street parties to fiestas or fetes involving the town or city. Although religious events are often celebrated the biggest been Semana Santa at Easter, overall, any excuse seems to be a good reason to hold a party for the fun-loving Spanish.

Fiesta or Fete translates to a party, holiday or feast and usually its a mix of all three. The verb is festejar which is to celebrate, and this certainly the case from what I has seen.

In Barcelona in August, the neighbourhood of Gràcia explodes into celebration. The Festa Major de Garcia lasts a week, in the day and evening. Taking part in over 20 streets in Gràcia. Although drinking, dancing and partying dominate the evening, the festival also features cultural activities and a fire run (correc) as well as activities for children during the day.

I feel that certainly the street events brought the communities together much more than in the UK. Both young and old taking part. Although the recent pandemic has affected this and people in Britain are now more community- spirited than previously. I spent several months working in a rural location in Andalusia and the nearest small village held fiestas regularly with everyone in the village attending. Every village, no matter how small, has its own, unique celebrations.

Whilst thousands of festivals are celebrated all over Spain throughout the year there are only a few that bring overseas visitors specifically for the event. In mid- March the Falles Festival takes place. It’s a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain. The term Falles refers to both the celebration and the monuments burnt during the celebration. It has been declared an event of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The whole of the city becomes an enormous street party, with parades, paella competitions and bullfights. Each night there is a firework display culminating in La Nit de Foc on the 18th March. The following night la Cremà takes place when all the ‘ninots’ which have been stuffed full with fireworks are burnt.

The official focus for the festival is San José, the patron saint of carpenters. Starting in the Middle Ages, carpenters hung planks of wood called ‘parots’ in the winter to support their candles whilst working. In spring these pieces of wood were burned as a way of celebrating the end of winter. After a while they began to put clothing on the ‘parot.’ These became the forerunners of the contemporary ‘ninots’ the enormous papier-mâché figures of today. It’s a loud, busy, colourful festival, not for the faint-hearted but a wonderful experience.

Medieval history is celebrated in many of the festivals in Spain. The annual Medieval fair in Capdepera, in Majorca, is set in the streets leading up to the Medieval castle that overlooks the town and is a popular event for adults and children alike. Blacksmiths, silversmiths, carpenters, shoemakers and ceramists are among the long list of artisans who offer Medieval inspired products to sell. Expect to see jousting, jugglers, falconry displays, stilt-walkers and fire-eaters. Traditional food and drink stalls are scattered throughout the event selling all kinds of Medieval fair. It wouldn’t be a Spanish fair without an excessive amount of food! The finale is a walk up to the castle by candlelight, which was atmospheric and an unforgettable memory.

 A similar festival takes place in Ibiza. To celebrate the declaration of Ibiza's Dalt Vila as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, every May the old- town hosts vibrant celebrations including three days of street parties, musical performances, artists and medieval re-enactments. As an added bonus, entry to all galleries and museums in Dalt Vila is free during the festival.

If you are planning a holiday do look in the local guides and see what is going on as not only is this great, often free entertainment it’s a wonderful way to see the culture and understand the history of the area.Many festivals have been cancelled for 2020 but I am sure they will be back with a great big bang in 2021.

Solo Travel

When I decided to set of on my solo journey a few years ago, this was seen by some as a slightly odd thing to do. But I didn’t have a partner in crime to travel with and too be quite honest although I was a bit nervous about travelling alone, I was also excited by my solo trip. Travelling solo is a huge opportunity to see the world on your own terms without having to compromise with someone else’s plans. Your schedule is entirely yours to decide. Solo travel is something everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. There's no better way to get to know who you are as a person than by spending time with yourself away from the distractions of everyday life. Whilst It does take a certain amount of confidence to find your own way and engage with strangers, the good-points definitely outweigh the bad. So go on, embrace your inner Shirley Valentine.

Surprisingly, one in three Britons will now set off on holiday alone this year. Companies organising small-group adventure tours and escorted journeys report that as many as half of their customers now travel on their own. In part this is due to the fact that a quarter of all adults have never married or are now divorced or widowed. Many keen travellers have partners who either cannot or will not travel with them. I am not saying that travelling with family and friends cannot be incredibly rewarding and enjoyable, because it can be a wonderful experience this is just a different way of travelling. When you are away with people you know well, you can find yourselves talking about the usual things like work or people you have in common etc. Also, a solo traveller, can also seem more approachable. If you’re with a partner or friend, it’s tempting to talk mostly with each other, and outsiders might not want to impose. But if you’re by yourself, it’s often easier for someone else to strike up a conversation with you or vice versa. If I stopped for a coffee or something to eat, I often found myself sharing a table with stranglers and I met some lovely people from many different countries and had some very interesting conversations.

Travelling alone makes remaining in your own comfort zone impossible, which can lead to a more intense travel experience. You have to turn to the locals more for human interaction giving you more opportunities to learn a different language or improve your language skills. I made friends with a few locals and this gave me the chance to really see what it was like to live in a different country and I have remained friends. Travel offers you the chance to make friendships that may last a lifetime.

The biggest problem with solo travel is finding suitable accommodation as most travel companies usually offer rates based on at least two people travelling. The single supplement charge added to rooms for single travellers can be very high and can make travel for singles too expensive. However, due to the demand, tour operators and cruise lines are finally starting to cater for single people. There are also many specialist singles tour operators offering a wide range of trips like short breaks in Europe to Trip-of-a Lifetime destinations around the world. On a personal note, I use Airbnb and Homeaway and have had great experiences, both renting small apartments on my own and renting a room in a shared house. I prefer this as I don’t enjoy staying in hotels all that much. If you do like hotels, larger tour operators like TUI offer a range of hotels with single rooms to suit every kind of budget. I found their website their bit difficult to navigate as it kept taking me back to booking for two adults. I think a good travel agent can probably offer you assistance in booking your holiday.

If you are travelling alone for whatever reason and would prefer to go on an arranged trip or holiday, there are quite a few companies about that offer this service. I researched this market and found one of the best to be One Traveller, which is an online company.

One Traveller was founded in 2007 by Ian Darkin. Having worked as a Tour Manager for ten years, he saw that single travellers often felt marginalised or awkward when mixing with the couples who usually made up most of his tour groups. Eventually, Ian began organising excursions for these individuals within the holiday’s free time and from there, the idea of what would later become One Traveller emerged. One Traveller was founded as a specialist holiday company specifically for mature single travellers. The principle of their holidays is that guests are made to feel welcome and included, with nobody left on their own, unless they wish to do so. There is no stipulation of marital status, however no couples are allowed either. Guests simply need to be travelling alone. There is a wide selection of cruises, train tours and bus tours. Taking into account its more mature market these are cultural, scenic or classical cities. It would be a great way to see how you like travelling alone but with company on hand if you felt you needed it.

Overall, I found solo travelling a very positive thing, you need to take some simple precautions in order to keep yourself safe. I left an itinerary with a family member with contact details so I could always be traced. Use some common-sense, by being cautious when out alone after dark and researching unsafe neighbourhoods. I was due to visit Barcelona and a work colleague told me she had been mugged in the daytime. Now this was alarming but she advised me to wear my handbag, across my body, and to put a scarf over the top to hide it and stay alert. This also works for markets and other busy areas. One downside of travelling alone for longer periods of time with no constant routine in your life is that it can be draining and you may struggle with issues of loneliness. I did encounter this a little bit, from time to time. Homesickness is something every long-term traveller must deal with. But you know, I just told myself how lucky I was to be able to go on such a wonderful trip. Finding something to do that makes you happy like going to an art gallery or the beach can help. Reading is great and learning the language keeps your brain active. I taught myself how to cook local dishes, eating and drinking, not to excess, is a wonderful way to really absorb the culture.

By being able to sort out problems or figure out where you are when you’re lost can give you a new sense of confidence and faith in your own resourcefulness. My map-reading skills started at a poor 2/10 now I am a solid 8/10. I learnt the bus and timetables so well I helped out other tourists too.

When you venture out into the world on your own, you eventually need to face who you are, what you care about, and what you want to do with your time. For me this carried not only into other trips but also into my life at home too. It was a journey of the mind as well as the body.

I wouldn’t have missed my trips for the world. I can fully understand why a journey is at the centre of many of our greatest and most significant myths, novels, and memoirs. Travel changes you forever….

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tapas- a Taste of Spain

I think one of the things which best sums up the Spanish social life for me is Tapas or Pinchos. (A piece of) Appetizers or snacks which are often given free with a glass of wine or beer. These may be only small but are big on full of flavour.

 Life without tapas is like a heart without love

  B K S Iyengar- The foremost yoga teacher in the world during his lifetime.

 Drinking and eating with family and friends plays such a large role in the lives of my Spanish friends, meet you in the Plaza or square, is really just meet you in the bar. Now pubs and bars play a role in the UK too but in a very different way. In Spain, its more about the whole family meeting and eating and drinking, even children and grandparents are included. I think that is why the heavy drinking culture of young British and German holiday makers has grated so much on the locals of late. I can fully understand this myself. The Spanish government has had a crackdown on Alcohol- fuelled tourism with new alcohol and behavioural rules. Which hopefully will improve the night life of both the locals and other travellers.

Tapas, uses many of the ingredients Spain is famous for and is a good way to try local dishes: Small cubes of Tortilla, stuffed cherry tomatoes, olives, padron peppers, sardines, croquetas, patatas bravas and Jamon Serrano with melon. Full of vibrant colour and taste and very filling. 

Traditional bars have plates of tapas lined up and you choose a selection, often the choice is overwhelming. These are one or two mouthfuls on a cocktail stick. If you are eating out with friends several sharing dishes- Raciones- are left on the table with bread and olives (it is considered polite to always leave one olive in the bowl). Fish and seafood are popular especially on the coastlines: sardines, garlic prawns- Gambas al Ajillo, Calmares- battered squid and octopus are all great choices. Chorizo sausages, and thinly sliced serrano ham, which has been cured and dried are sold in the bars, you can see many of these hanging up. Images of these feature in many Instragram feeds.

Often cities and towns have a special weekly night for tapas- a bit like a bar crawl. In Palma, in Majorca, this is Ruta Martianas, every Tuesday night in the Old town/Sa Gerriana, these are smaller bars where the locals go, it can get very busy as its only a few euros for a drink and tapas. But it’s a great way to see the local culture and have a memorable cheap night out.

 Coca pizza a la Mallorquina is another good snack to have and differs from Italian pizza as it has no cheese. It is a flatbread using olive oil dough with seasonal vegetables, often sundried tomatoes and peppers and can also be made as a sweet version with fruit and nuts. It is cooked in a flat tin and cut into squares, been sold in Tapas bars or bakeries. It is very much part of Catalan cuisine; it was served at Festas like Easter but is now available all year round. It is one of my personal favorites so do try if you get the chance.  

Many local cookery schools offer courses on making tapas and food tours of local eateries and markets which are a wonderful way to spend a few hours and learn a few new things.