When I told you about the grape stomping contest, the story of which became my first published essay in Ovunque Siamo, some of you asked: But did this really happen?
Yes. It really did. And, as promised, here’s the video proof.
That day at St. Thomas of Savoy Italian-American festival in Avon, Connecticut, I climbed into a barrel of grapes and stomped with everything I had. My daughter, cleared the spout, with an innate know-how I can’t explain. Could it be genetics? The crowd cheered, the juice flew, and — believe it or not — we won.
In the video you’ll see us overcome technical difficulties, hear the theme from Rocky, see Lucia clear the spout like a boss and feel my joy at the end when we are announced the winners! Hopefully the joy is contagious!
But seriously, there was something about this moment that felt big. It’s tradition, joy, and identity all mixed together. And it’s exactly the kind of story that became my Italian American memoir essay published in Ovunque Siamo. Tell me in the comments if you see it.
If you haven’t read the essay yet, you can find it here: CRUSHED IT: LESSONS FROM A GRAPE STOMP
Thanks for sharing the joy with me — I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Oh yes and please sign up for the mailing list for this Substack. It is FREE! Click here:
— Julianna
