Over the last few months of writing consistently, it’s been amazing to see more & more people subscribe to read my thoughts on Italian-Canadian and Molisan culture, heritage, food, and folklore. I wanted to take a moment to, firstly, thank all of you for your interest in my work and for helping me build this space. And second, I wanted to introduce myself and why I do what I do on here. If we don’t know each other “in the real world,” feel free to reach out anytime - I would love to connect with folks who have shared interests and musings about food, identity, and history.
Who am I?
I’m a public historian with a specialization in oral history and a background in fine arts. Sometimes (thanks, precarity), I teach history at the college-level. For the moment, I am trying to “make it” by doing what I love: writing, reading, thinking. And turning those things into projects about food, folklore, and traditions of the Italian-Canadian and, specifically Molisan, communities here in Montreal. I also embroider, make digital drawings, collages, and paintings. Since the days of my fine arts degree, I have been drawn to textile art and dream of having my own small loom to weave on.
Art is a space in which I have explored themes of memory, nostalgia, identity, and autobiography. My work as a public historian is inspired and informed as much by these explorations as the theories and methodologies of historical work. My practice is multi-disciplinary, bringing together my training as an oral historian, with installation art and digital media.
What is a crivello,anyway?
I wrote about it here.
What will you read on Crivello?
Though the main thread of this Substack is Molisan history, food, and folklore, I am also interested in:
kitsch in Italian-Canadian culture
autobiographical writing
the “hyphenated” identity and how it emerges through food and traditions
For now, my main newsletter comes out on the last Friday of every month. Here, you can expect the Molisan deep dives: each post includes a list of resources, both academic and non; extensive footnotes with lots of extra info; and a tarot pull related to that month’s topic.
Every other Sunday, I publish shorter posts on themes, topics, and issues that are on my mind or have come up in recent research. Each Sunday Story ends with a few questions. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or via message!
Why did I start Crivello?
As I started researching and writing Dalla valigia alla tavola: A journey through Molisan culinary heritage, I wanted a place to share my thoughts and reflections. I was (and am) learning so much. I knew not all of it would make in into the book, but I still wanted to write and read more. I created this newsletter without many expectations. I figured my mom would follow me (hi, mom!) along with a handful of my friends.
Over the last few years after finishing my MA, due to the shattering of my dreams to teach history, I’ve felt lost and divorced from the work that fulfills me. I wasn’t sure how to proceed, not seeing what opportunities could both make me happy and financially stable in our current economy. I had drifted away from goals and passions. In December 2023, after taking a long hiatus from Crivello due to said drifting, I made some choices about what I wanted this year and my future to look like. Taking my writing seriously is one of them.
Knowing you are here following along means a lot to me.
Cass