Italian Traditions
Credit: @JoeyatNorthend on Twitter
italian culture on salem street
By the 1930s, Italian culture had become a prevalent influence in the commercial district of Salem Street. Located at 50 Salem Street, and a staple in the community, was Giuffre's Fish Market. Owned by Joseph Giuffre of 32 Saint Andrew Road, East Boston, the Fish Market was popular across the city.
Christmas Tradition
"A walk on Salem st is as absorbing as a visit to an aquarium," claimed a writer for the Boston Globe, in the December 23, 1933 edition. Tubs of water filled with live fish, eels, squid, and sea eggs lined the streets. Bostonians of Italian heritage would typically visit Salem Street on Christmas Eve to purchase live eels, a Christmastime delicacy. Thousands of eels are caught in the St. Lawrence region in late October, kept alive on barges and brought to Boston to be purchased for Christmas Eve dinner. It is customary to buy the eels while they are still alive; the fresher the eel, the more flavorful. Eel vendors in 1933 claimed they sell between 75 and 100 pounds in eels during this time. Typically, an Italian shopper would go to a fish market, Giuffre's, or another Salem Street market, and pick out an eel. Then, the fish dealer will skin the eel, and the shopper can take the fresh eel home and prepare it for dinner. The most popular eel, the "capitone", which ranges from 1.5 to 6 pounds in weight, and was sold at a price of 40 to 60 cents per pound in 1942. Capitoni is a cherished Italian dish, which consisted of fried eel, fried cod, and squid. Italians on Salem Street and of the North End had many recipes for their eel; however, they all seemed to agree that eel pairs best with red wine.
Easter Tradition
It was not just around Christmastime that Salem Street was teeming with live animals to be purchased. Around Easter, lambs and goats would be tethered outside meat markets for purchase. Passersby would stop to pet the young animals, blocking foot traffic on the street. The lambs were typically around a month old, and went for 70-80 cents per pound. In April of 1936, it is estimated that around 5000 goats and lambs were purchased across the North End to be prepared for Italian Easter dinners.
Whether it be Easter, Christmas, or any other time of the year, Salem Street was teeming with commerce and a center for Italian culture from the early 1930s onward.
References
Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
"EELS FOR CHRISTMAS AMONG STRANGE FOODSTUFFS ON SALE ALONG SALEM ST." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), Dec 23, 1933. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/eels-christmas- among-strange-foodstuffs-on-sale/docview/758244074/se-2?accountid=11456.
Ford, Loretta. "Fried Eels Italy's Popular Christmas Dish." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), Dec 21, 1958. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login? auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/fried-eels-italys-popular-christmas- dish/docview/845659006/se-2?accountid=11456.
King, Padraic. "Eels Arrive and Hub's Italians Prepare for Gay Christmas Eve." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), Dec 22, 1942. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/eels-arrive-hubs- italians-prepare-gay-christmas/docview/820833186/se-2?accountid=11456.