Your tales are always touching, but this one is extra special. I'm fascinated by the way family traditions evolve and intertwine through the years and the generations, and it sounds like your family has an excellent (and tasty) tradition to continue in the years ahead.
Great tale. I love hearing family traditions and how they came about. America is indeed a melting pot. We don't care where someone is from. We care about who they are, and each adds flavor to the pot. (pun intended. :-) )
Yes, I've heard of Bagna Cauda and love it. I first tried it in a great little restaurant in Yellow Springs, Ohio (home of Antioch College). I could swear they make it with at least some olive oil... Never had it from my father's Italian family, though...
I grew up having it served at our dinner table without any cream but it was made with olive oil. The first time I had it with cream I thought this couldn't be bagna as I had never heard of this variation. Well, now it's the only way we eat it. It's heavy whipping cream that we use. We do drain the anchovies though. Just had it New Years Eve. In fact, it's served Christmas Eve when we go to my brother's home to celebrate Christmas. Then there is Tuma Brusca--we'll save that for another day!
It is not at all surprising that a Croatian family became acquainted with an Italian dish.
As you noted, the Austro Hungarian Empire controlled Croatia. (Actually, it was called the Austrian Empire for centuries; it was renamed the austro Hungarian empire in the 1860s or 1870's as Germanic Austria decided to elevate the position of the Hungarians as they needed a partner in suppressing the slavic minorities under their rule)
The Austrian Empire also controlled much of North Eastern Italy. (The French, in the mid to late 1800's, played an invaluable role in creating the modern Italian State and freeing it from the Austrian yoke).
Since the Austrian Empire at one time ruled both Croatia and a huge hunk of Italy it may have become a conduit for the transmission of foods and other phenomena across its far flung empire.
While I considered that someone in what is today Croatia, so close to Italy, could have picked up a dish from the Piedmont region of Italy — in the early 20th century the region was very rural and isolated. It seems much more likely that they learned about it when living in a city filled with Italians (my dad said Italian was the dominant language back then), especially as the family weathered the Depression better than many and would have had the resources for what must have been a relatively extravagant dish for the holidays. I can't prove it, but it seems more likely.
My grandmother and step-grandfather lived in Benld and had a tavern there. It too in the early days before grandma met grandpa, his was a brotherl too! Almost every corner had a tavern and my husband counted 44 at one time in that small town. Yes most were northern Italians and bangna was always served on New Year's Eve! The Coliseum burned down but the antique store that was in it had left before the fire. It isn't much of a town now but when I was a kid in the 60"s it was a fun place to be! And yes Italian was spoken by many in the town when I was a kid.
I’m from Benld and live in Gillespie now (2 miles away). My family all still live in Benld and own a liquor store on the same property where my grandfather had a Tavern in Benld’s glory days. Benld may be a fleeting memory for some but some of us are still here!! Alive and well, and the local market uptown (Fema’s) sells Bagna to go!
Yes, some of us are still hanging around! Your papa and I go way back as you well know and I still remember playing pool on grandpa's tavern pool table that now resides in your dad's basement. I'll bet some day, it may just find its way to yours! Never thought about it being "Bagna-to-go"! Ha!
That's so interesting. I am descended from the Bellovich clan descended from John "Yanko" Bellovich, and they lived in Benld from 1919 to the 1950s. My dad doesn't know of a Peter and Dena but they could have been related somehow.
Great story. Bagna is amazing, indeed! I grew up in Benld and still remember businesses on Main Street. It was a nice place to be a kid and by the 80's it was well past the days of mafia shootings, boot legging and brothels. In the late 80's/early 90's the Coliseum operated as a skating rink. After it burnt the remnants were torn down, as there wasn't anything left to turn into shops. It was very sad for my whole family, as my parents had seen many great acts there, including one where Fats Domino broke his chair during his performance and just kept on playing. Dion (of Dion and the Belmonts) kissed my mom on the cheek and she still talks about it. My great grandfather owned a bar in Benld. My great grandmother never learned to speak English and only spoke Italian. A lot of parents would speak in Italian if they didn't want their kids to know what they were saying. Though many families were from Northern Italy (but not all), there were still different Italian dialects spoken. My Italian grandparents who lived in Livingston (nearby) used to argue about which words were correct because they spoke different dialects. My Benld family spoke Piemontase. My grandfather delivered raw materials to the still (aka - fake mine) until it got raided by the feds. After his brush with the gangsters/feds and his boss was found in the Sangamon River wearing a new pair of concrete sneakers, he turned his ice truck business into a successful beer distributorship that was headquartered in Benld for nearly 80 years. During the 80's/90's Benld had two successful beer distributorships and many other businesses like banks, construction companies, oil company, a lumber yard, salons, bars, a dime store, doctor's office, insurance agencies, tv/appliance store, furniture store, a movie theater and others. D&A Corvette is still one of the premier Corvette restoration businesses in the country. Benld is also home to a beautiful Russian Orthodox church.
Italians and Croatians mingled nicely in Benld and surrounding areas. Fun fact: One of the largest Croatian Fraternal Union lodges (Heart of Jesus - 217) is centered in Benld and contains both Croatian and Italian members. The lodge became so large because of the Italian relationship with the Croatians in town. Benld still hosts Italian American Days each Memorial Day Weekend (though, it's been cancelled the past 2 years due to Covid) and has a WONDERFUL catering company called Fema's where you can purchase MANY Italian specialties. They are open daily. Benld is still worth a stop to pick up a fresh salami at Fema's and I'd highly encourage it to any foodies. Poke some holes in it, wrap it in foil and pop it in the oven at 350 for an hour. You'll be back for more. Italian American Days features a bocce (pronounced "boh-chee" or "boh-cheh"....if you call it "bah-chee" you may get slapped and everyone in town will immediately know you are not Italian and/or potentially a fool) tournament on the Sunday of the festival. Try the bagna recipe. You won't regret it.
There is also a great museum in nearby Gillespie (Illinois Coal Museum). They have a great section on Benld and also the coal mining industry. It is very cool and also worth a stop. They'd love a visit and can inform you on the fact vs fiction of Benld. Unlike so many places with infamous histories, most of what you hear about Benld will likely turn out to be true. If you've ever heard Benld was hit by a meteorite, that is also technically true. A very small meteorite (maybe a couple inches across) fell from the sky, went through someone's garage roof and car roof then lodged itself in the back seat springs. It is now housed in Chicago's Field Museum along with the car seat and section of garage roof.
Thanks for writing this story and I hope some readers pay Benld a visit! My whole life I could tell people where I was from by mentioning Benld. If I mentioned a larger town that I thought may be more recognizable, people didn't have a clue. As soon as I mention Benld there is almost always a familial/friend connection or at least an acknowledgement based on the stories. It's amazing.
What great memories! I bet my dad will love reading this. Honestly I knew zero about Benld until we started talking about it at Christmas and then drove through the town last week. It's been a really fun journey learning about it and hearing from others who were from there or whose families were.
I want to go back during the day sometime once Covid settles down, and I will check out Fema's and the Coal Museum if I can!
If you visit the coal museum, tell them Stacey Baima Hessler sent ya! LOL. Benld is like a rabbit hole. Once you start hearing stories, more just keep popping up. Another fun bagna story: There was a bar in Gillespie called Jack Brown's Tavern. When the owner's wife (Brenda) was still running the place, there were nights when we'd all still be hanging around in there at 2 a.m. Every now and then Brenda would ask who wanted bagna and she would go to the back kitchen and whip up a pot to disperse among whomever was still left drinking. One of my husband's favorite memories from when we were dating was Brenda dragging him to the back kitchen to help her make the bagna. She also handed out biscuits and gravy from time to time.
Stacey - Loved reading your posts about our wonderful small communities. I started out in Wilsonville which also has a rich history-Progressive miners sitdown strike in May, 1937: Superior Mine Number 4 - 540 miners occupied the mine and remained underground in a nine-day “stay down” strike and attracted substantial media attention. And in 1975, the mining site again was in the headlines as "The Little Town That Roared" took on Earthline, a waste processor, when the residents discovered barrels of hazardous waste were being buried on the site. A lengthy court battle saw the Village victorious and all materials were removed and residents were financially compensated. Wilsonville was also where Fema's originated-owners were 2 Wilsonville men of Italian descent. During my high school years, I spent almost every Saturday night at the Coliseum or "Tarro's" as it was more commonly referred to at the time. Jim Marcacci, a classmate, produced a documentary about The Coliseum.
Linda, your mother was SO instrumental in the effort to get that "Little Town" to roar! Thank God for Gwen Molinar! Never before or since has any town of any size ever been able to sley the giant (EPA)! Well done, Wilsonville, Illinois! That is a story all unto itself! Your mom was a fascinating lady. I'd had the occasion to visit with her in her Mt. Clare/Benld apartment. She was quite the gal!
Hi! I know Jim pretty well. He does so much to keep the history alive. I was born in 1980 and the Earthline stuff was still talked about a lot when I was a kid. The two Fema founders were Ferrari and Manalia, right? Hence FE-MA. That's interesting info about the mining strike. I didn't know about the Wilsonville one!
Jan 13, 2022·edited Jan 13, 2022Liked by Jackie Dana
You're correct about the FEMA name. Both my grandfathers were working in the Wilsonville #4 mine at the time of the strike. My Mom, Gwen Molinar, was the leader of the citizens' group that sued Earthline. Do you remember me as Mrs. Sarti & Mrs. Henderson's teacher's aide?
Stacey (I know you!), great piece you wrote! Regarding your meteorite story, it had been claimed that it is the only meteorite to have ever hit a human-made structure. Of course, that was years ago when I read it, but it still could be true!
I grew up near Benld and was introduced to Bagna during our HS Chemistry class Christmas party. I've been a fan ever since! Still a holiday favorite among my coworkers at our local hospital, where many a new convert to the deliciousness has occurred.
We make Bagna every major holiday, and sometimes in between too, when the craving comes up (anytime anyone mentions it lol) I can’t remember a single family Christmas or New Years Eve growing up (Benld/Gillespie) that we didn’t have bagna cauda in my 48 yrs of living. I’ve kept the tradition going with my kids & their friends and pray they keep it going for generations as well!
I was born and raised in benld, and im also croatian. And bagna has always been a holiday tradition, we love it and everyone one i know around this area loves it. thanks for the story.
Very interesting story. I grew up in Litchfield, IL and saw all those stars except Lawrence Welk. We spent a lot of time in Gillespie and Benld. It was a wonderful time a d place to grow up!
I love Bagna Cauda! My mother had an Italian friend who made it all the time. We would drive over to their house and could smell it cooking as we pulled into the driveway. So yummy!
I love that you are taking the time to hear the stories of your family history. I'm a Croat who grew up in Mt. Olive and now living in St. Louis. Many great memories of the Coliseum, too.
This was a fun story to dig into. I had no idea where it was going - or that I would connect with so many people - just by wondering why my family made bagna cauda!
Thank you so much!
Your tales are always touching, but this one is extra special. I'm fascinated by the way family traditions evolve and intertwine through the years and the generations, and it sounds like your family has an excellent (and tasty) tradition to continue in the years ahead.
Yeah - family traditions rarely ever or as simple as they seem, are they? 😄
Great tale. I love hearing family traditions and how they came about. America is indeed a melting pot. We don't care where someone is from. We care about who they are, and each adds flavor to the pot. (pun intended. :-) )
I like your use of melting pot, which is literally accurate in this case!
That dish sounds amazing. A whole stick of butter and Anchovies AND a full head of garlic? Count me in!
Right? It’s amazing, though a little goes a long way.
Yes, I've heard of Bagna Cauda and love it. I first tried it in a great little restaurant in Yellow Springs, Ohio (home of Antioch College). I could swear they make it with at least some olive oil... Never had it from my father's Italian family, though...
Yes, some versions do use olive oil. Just not my familiy’s!
It's fabulous either way, I'm sure. What a neat thing to write about! And thanks for the correct pronunciation...
I grew up having it served at our dinner table without any cream but it was made with olive oil. The first time I had it with cream I thought this couldn't be bagna as I had never heard of this variation. Well, now it's the only way we eat it. It's heavy whipping cream that we use. We do drain the anchovies though. Just had it New Years Eve. In fact, it's served Christmas Eve when we go to my brother's home to celebrate Christmas. Then there is Tuma Brusca--we'll save that for another day!
A fascinating story. Especially interesting to me as my mothers family also came from Croatia (and we still have family there).
How cool is that! ❤️
It is not at all surprising that a Croatian family became acquainted with an Italian dish.
As you noted, the Austro Hungarian Empire controlled Croatia. (Actually, it was called the Austrian Empire for centuries; it was renamed the austro Hungarian empire in the 1860s or 1870's as Germanic Austria decided to elevate the position of the Hungarians as they needed a partner in suppressing the slavic minorities under their rule)
The Austrian Empire also controlled much of North Eastern Italy. (The French, in the mid to late 1800's, played an invaluable role in creating the modern Italian State and freeing it from the Austrian yoke).
Since the Austrian Empire at one time ruled both Croatia and a huge hunk of Italy it may have become a conduit for the transmission of foods and other phenomena across its far flung empire.
While I considered that someone in what is today Croatia, so close to Italy, could have picked up a dish from the Piedmont region of Italy — in the early 20th century the region was very rural and isolated. It seems much more likely that they learned about it when living in a city filled with Italians (my dad said Italian was the dominant language back then), especially as the family weathered the Depression better than many and would have had the resources for what must have been a relatively extravagant dish for the holidays. I can't prove it, but it seems more likely.
Wow, that is a speedy response. I thought I was the only one awake at such an ungodly hour.
My grandmother and step-grandfather lived in Benld and had a tavern there. It too in the early days before grandma met grandpa, his was a brotherl too! Almost every corner had a tavern and my husband counted 44 at one time in that small town. Yes most were northern Italians and bangna was always served on New Year's Eve! The Coliseum burned down but the antique store that was in it had left before the fire. It isn't much of a town now but when I was a kid in the 60"s it was a fun place to be! And yes Italian was spoken by many in the town when I was a kid.
Yeah that checks out with what my dad said about being there in the 50s.
I’m from Benld and live in Gillespie now (2 miles away). My family all still live in Benld and own a liquor store on the same property where my grandfather had a Tavern in Benld’s glory days. Benld may be a fleeting memory for some but some of us are still here!! Alive and well, and the local market uptown (Fema’s) sells Bagna to go!
Yes, some of us are still hanging around! Your papa and I go way back as you well know and I still remember playing pool on grandpa's tavern pool table that now resides in your dad's basement. I'll bet some day, it may just find its way to yours! Never thought about it being "Bagna-to-go"! Ha!
My mom and her husband at the time also owned a Tavern called Petes Place. Pete and Dena Bellovich. The building is still there.
That's so interesting. I am descended from the Bellovich clan descended from John "Yanko" Bellovich, and they lived in Benld from 1919 to the 1950s. My dad doesn't know of a Peter and Dena but they could have been related somehow.
Thank you for responding! I will add more information to this story on my computer tomorrow the 24th. You my find very interesting!
Great story. Bagna is amazing, indeed! I grew up in Benld and still remember businesses on Main Street. It was a nice place to be a kid and by the 80's it was well past the days of mafia shootings, boot legging and brothels. In the late 80's/early 90's the Coliseum operated as a skating rink. After it burnt the remnants were torn down, as there wasn't anything left to turn into shops. It was very sad for my whole family, as my parents had seen many great acts there, including one where Fats Domino broke his chair during his performance and just kept on playing. Dion (of Dion and the Belmonts) kissed my mom on the cheek and she still talks about it. My great grandfather owned a bar in Benld. My great grandmother never learned to speak English and only spoke Italian. A lot of parents would speak in Italian if they didn't want their kids to know what they were saying. Though many families were from Northern Italy (but not all), there were still different Italian dialects spoken. My Italian grandparents who lived in Livingston (nearby) used to argue about which words were correct because they spoke different dialects. My Benld family spoke Piemontase. My grandfather delivered raw materials to the still (aka - fake mine) until it got raided by the feds. After his brush with the gangsters/feds and his boss was found in the Sangamon River wearing a new pair of concrete sneakers, he turned his ice truck business into a successful beer distributorship that was headquartered in Benld for nearly 80 years. During the 80's/90's Benld had two successful beer distributorships and many other businesses like banks, construction companies, oil company, a lumber yard, salons, bars, a dime store, doctor's office, insurance agencies, tv/appliance store, furniture store, a movie theater and others. D&A Corvette is still one of the premier Corvette restoration businesses in the country. Benld is also home to a beautiful Russian Orthodox church.
Italians and Croatians mingled nicely in Benld and surrounding areas. Fun fact: One of the largest Croatian Fraternal Union lodges (Heart of Jesus - 217) is centered in Benld and contains both Croatian and Italian members. The lodge became so large because of the Italian relationship with the Croatians in town. Benld still hosts Italian American Days each Memorial Day Weekend (though, it's been cancelled the past 2 years due to Covid) and has a WONDERFUL catering company called Fema's where you can purchase MANY Italian specialties. They are open daily. Benld is still worth a stop to pick up a fresh salami at Fema's and I'd highly encourage it to any foodies. Poke some holes in it, wrap it in foil and pop it in the oven at 350 for an hour. You'll be back for more. Italian American Days features a bocce (pronounced "boh-chee" or "boh-cheh"....if you call it "bah-chee" you may get slapped and everyone in town will immediately know you are not Italian and/or potentially a fool) tournament on the Sunday of the festival. Try the bagna recipe. You won't regret it.
There is also a great museum in nearby Gillespie (Illinois Coal Museum). They have a great section on Benld and also the coal mining industry. It is very cool and also worth a stop. They'd love a visit and can inform you on the fact vs fiction of Benld. Unlike so many places with infamous histories, most of what you hear about Benld will likely turn out to be true. If you've ever heard Benld was hit by a meteorite, that is also technically true. A very small meteorite (maybe a couple inches across) fell from the sky, went through someone's garage roof and car roof then lodged itself in the back seat springs. It is now housed in Chicago's Field Museum along with the car seat and section of garage roof.
Thanks for writing this story and I hope some readers pay Benld a visit! My whole life I could tell people where I was from by mentioning Benld. If I mentioned a larger town that I thought may be more recognizable, people didn't have a clue. As soon as I mention Benld there is almost always a familial/friend connection or at least an acknowledgement based on the stories. It's amazing.
What great memories! I bet my dad will love reading this. Honestly I knew zero about Benld until we started talking about it at Christmas and then drove through the town last week. It's been a really fun journey learning about it and hearing from others who were from there or whose families were.
I want to go back during the day sometime once Covid settles down, and I will check out Fema's and the Coal Museum if I can!
If you visit the coal museum, tell them Stacey Baima Hessler sent ya! LOL. Benld is like a rabbit hole. Once you start hearing stories, more just keep popping up. Another fun bagna story: There was a bar in Gillespie called Jack Brown's Tavern. When the owner's wife (Brenda) was still running the place, there were nights when we'd all still be hanging around in there at 2 a.m. Every now and then Brenda would ask who wanted bagna and she would go to the back kitchen and whip up a pot to disperse among whomever was still left drinking. One of my husband's favorite memories from when we were dating was Brenda dragging him to the back kitchen to help her make the bagna. She also handed out biscuits and gravy from time to time.
Stacey - Loved reading your posts about our wonderful small communities. I started out in Wilsonville which also has a rich history-Progressive miners sitdown strike in May, 1937: Superior Mine Number 4 - 540 miners occupied the mine and remained underground in a nine-day “stay down” strike and attracted substantial media attention. And in 1975, the mining site again was in the headlines as "The Little Town That Roared" took on Earthline, a waste processor, when the residents discovered barrels of hazardous waste were being buried on the site. A lengthy court battle saw the Village victorious and all materials were removed and residents were financially compensated. Wilsonville was also where Fema's originated-owners were 2 Wilsonville men of Italian descent. During my high school years, I spent almost every Saturday night at the Coliseum or "Tarro's" as it was more commonly referred to at the time. Jim Marcacci, a classmate, produced a documentary about The Coliseum.
Linda, your mother was SO instrumental in the effort to get that "Little Town" to roar! Thank God for Gwen Molinar! Never before or since has any town of any size ever been able to sley the giant (EPA)! Well done, Wilsonville, Illinois! That is a story all unto itself! Your mom was a fascinating lady. I'd had the occasion to visit with her in her Mt. Clare/Benld apartment. She was quite the gal!
Thanks, Jim. I'm very proud to be her daughter.
Hi! I know Jim pretty well. He does so much to keep the history alive. I was born in 1980 and the Earthline stuff was still talked about a lot when I was a kid. The two Fema founders were Ferrari and Manalia, right? Hence FE-MA. That's interesting info about the mining strike. I didn't know about the Wilsonville one!
You're correct about the FEMA name. Both my grandfathers were working in the Wilsonville #4 mine at the time of the strike. My Mom, Gwen Molinar, was the leader of the citizens' group that sued Earthline. Do you remember me as Mrs. Sarti & Mrs. Henderson's teacher's aide?
I hope to visit the museum soon, and I'll remember to do that! Thanks.
Don’t forget Benld bakery who made the best Italian bread ever!
I know! Unfortunately, I don't remember it much because I think I was too little. You always said no one could replicate it, though!
Stacey (I know you!), great piece you wrote! Regarding your meteorite story, it had been claimed that it is the only meteorite to have ever hit a human-made structure. Of course, that was years ago when I read it, but it still could be true!
I grew up near Benld and was introduced to Bagna during our HS Chemistry class Christmas party. I've been a fan ever since! Still a holiday favorite among my coworkers at our local hospital, where many a new convert to the deliciousness has occurred.
Hah, that's great.
Wife, daughter & I came to the Bend area in the early 1970s...I taught in Mt.Olive & lived in Gillespie.
🎉First New Years Eve......Introduction to Bagna ❤❤❤❤❤
Amazing! It definitely sounds like Bagna Cauda was the top Benld dish!
We make Bagna every major holiday, and sometimes in between too, when the craving comes up (anytime anyone mentions it lol) I can’t remember a single family Christmas or New Years Eve growing up (Benld/Gillespie) that we didn’t have bagna cauda in my 48 yrs of living. I’ve kept the tradition going with my kids & their friends and pray they keep it going for generations as well!
It's amazing that you have kept the tradition alive all this time!
I was born and raised in benld, and im also croatian. And bagna has always been a holiday tradition, we love it and everyone one i know around this area loves it. thanks for the story.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting story. I grew up in Litchfield, IL and saw all those stars except Lawrence Welk. We spent a lot of time in Gillespie and Benld. It was a wonderful time a d place to grow up!
It definitely sounds like an interesting place back in the day.
I love Bagna Cauda! My mother had an Italian friend who made it all the time. We would drive over to their house and could smell it cooking as we pulled into the driveway. So yummy!
It's pretty tasty stuff for sure!
I love that you are taking the time to hear the stories of your family history. I'm a Croat who grew up in Mt. Olive and now living in St. Louis. Many great memories of the Coliseum, too.
This was a fun story to dig into. I had no idea where it was going - or that I would connect with so many people - just by wondering why my family made bagna cauda!