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Ingredients Chicken Broth
Directions o Make home-made chicken broth (For recipe see "Brodo di Pollo")
Notes Prior to World War II it was the custom to prepare chicken soup on the day of a funeral. Generally, the soup was prepared by close relatives of the bereaved family. However, as chicken meat was relatively expensive at that time, not everyone could afford to make it and offer it to their loved ones. According to my mother those who could not afford to make chicken soup with flaked chicken breast meat (considered the best part of the chicken) and store-bought pastina (Back then store-bought pasta and store-bought pastina had more status than those made at home; so for a funeral, a special event, a home cook would add store-bought pastina rather than make it herself.), added beaten egg to the broth rather than meat from some other part of the chicken (see Version II). Using meat from the thigh or leg of the chicken would have been O.K. to make the broth, but it would not have been O.K. to serve it, as that meat, which was not as tasty as breast meat (and not as easily flaked) would have been seen as disrespectful. At that time eggs had more status than dark chicken meat. Nonetheless (again according to my mother) the poorest of the poor (especially those relatives that were not next of kin) would offer the bereaved any food they had on hand -- including "pasta e fagiole" (any food was better than none). It was assumed that the family that experienced a death of a loved one should be given food for obvious reasons -- firstly, because they understood that if a family had to take care of a funeral they would not have the time or energy to cook, and secondly, it was a way to show their love and support in a time of sorrow.... Photo: Mary Melfi. |