Many of us take other cultures for granted not out of ignorance but because we have and are a wealth of it around us but imagine seeing gelato for the first time!
Hull's Streetlife museum is exhibiting
Italian connections and invites you to join in, visit and enjoy.
Take a look at the virtual information of Hull's Museum Quarter.
For those of you new to my blog, welcome and thank you for reading and being part of my world.
I have been blogging now for around four years.
My name is Sydell, I write but I am a chef currently a baker.
My roots are food, grandad had a trawler and I grew up with a wealth of food and the kitchen felt where I should be.
No, not because I am a woman and all that back in the day stuff but because it felt right.
This is me
I am proudly from Hull, I love Hull and I love who and what we are.
I saw an amazing little photo on facebook and I can't help but feel a nostalgia if a word could inculpate me I think that would suit well.
Sydell is nostalgic, that will do.
What's the photo, yes I knew you'd thought it
This is the sweetest image I have ever seen of Hull.
The shop was located near Hull's famous Minerva Pub, on the marina.
When I saw this photo, I couldn't believe it was there let alone that it was owned by an Italian.
I wish it had been there when I was a child, I spent so much time around there as a child.
Sadly the shop is no longer there but there is a saving grace it now sits in the Streetlife museum in the Museum Quater
I couldn't think of anything more adorable than that window being lifted up and the man standing there handing out ice cream.
The window serving area is carved out, I wish with all sincerity that I had of been the age to enjoy this place.
The imagery in my mind is of lots of people who've never seen anything like it really excited.
The imagery in my mind is of lots of people who've never seen anything like it really excited.
You can go inside the shop within the Museum, it feels haunting, it feels like it was loved and cared for, proud and stocked.
Opening August bank holiday's 1922 open on the weekends for impending feet hitting Hull from the ferry.
The frontage seen in the images was added in the 1930's onto a mainly wooden structure.
Back then they didn't have cones, see the small glass?
That's what the gelato was served in, imagine that one scoop!
Steven's ice cream may not sound Italian but Stefano was asked to wrtite down his name and he'd written it the Italian way with his surname first Guazelli Sefano and the name G.Stevens stuck.
Down on the marina there's a horsewash which still can be seen today, back in the day a horse got stuck and Guazelli calmed the horse and save it from getting introuble.
In return for his kind help he was asked if there was anything they could do to repay him and he decided to ask for a piece of land to open a shop and that's how the above shop became a a fixture if the openeing of the marina on the August bank holiday 1922.
Not just history but a really lovely gesture!
My question is why can't we go back to this old-school look? Why I want it not through generification or hipsters but through pure joy.
I was invited by Sarah, a lady who I met I believe a few years ago to come view the exhibition and learn to blog about it all.
I was enthralled and excited by the prospect of even getting to see the shop so the rest was a total joy and pleasure to learn about.
I was, of course, aware of George Norris' photos, George is an avid photographer and his work is a totally synonymous projection of Hull past and present.
A looking glass to his life, so it was great to see his visions presented amongst the space.
Photo credit
Geroge Norris
This is Ann and Frank Penna
An adorable couple, native to Italy
Still serving ice cream in Pearson park
A park well loved by its community
I believe Frank got deluged by people wanting to talk to him, so I respectfully didn't both him but thought his legacy and strength shows pride and a devout love to this routes of Italian life and culture
The Pennas arrived in 1889 trading in Ice cream
Originally of Mariner, Francesco Penna was in Brooklyn, NY where he learned about Ice cream. Returning to Italy and then making the move with his family to Hull.
Setting up in business in Hull on 28 North Street he sold to vendors, hired out barrows they ran a steady and successful company. Fifteen barrows, three tricycles, and three horse-drawn ice cream carts!
By 1911 the family was well integrated and the eldest son adopted the name Frank, Graziahas become Grace and Pietro, Peter.
Leading onto the further children taking on English names.
Eventually, with the clearance of the slums, they relocated to St Georges Road.
All was well until Mussolini declared Italy allies to Hitler though.
Churchills reaction was to return all Italians to Italy and leave.
Frank Jnr took the place of his father but was later returned as a naturalized citizen, fighting for the East York Corps in WWI he was then not considered a threat.
Then rationing came in and the family could no longer trade in ice cream so started to work with wood.
1944 proved to be the turnaround and all the things needed to make their ice cream became readily available again.
Mile-long queues began at the Penna factory and they worked day and night to provide ice cream!
1969 Frank Penna, grandson of the first Francesco Penna was now head of the family.
Hence the kiosk in the park now.
The Penna's story is just one, the Streetlife Museum has many more to share.
After the event on the 7th I intend to re'release this blog with some more photos and images from the day.
The Penna's story is just one, the Streetlife Museum has many more to share.
After the event on the 7th I intend to re'release this blog with some more photos and images from the day.
Geroge's images go on to show the roots
This is an image is of
St Anthonys of Beverly Road
I am hoping to visit here soon, I want to see this is all its splendor for myself.
Photo Credit
George Norris
The Burtons tiles are next to empress pub and Marks and Spencers, this was the original opening to there shop leading onto Whitefrigate
Photo Credit
George Norris
Many trades arrived including Toffolo in 1904
Their trade was Mosaic and Terrazzo
These can still be seen at House Of Fraser, Tower nightclub and Napa which sit alongside each other at the top of Anlaby Road
and at Hull and East Riding Museum.
Personally I love the mosaic tiling, when I am around Hull and see it I wonder how many people have stepped over it, how many have looked at it and loved it just like myself.
You can see more of George's work here
On the 7th of April celebrity, Joe Hurd will be cooking
The event is proving to be a bustling event described The City Of Culture team as below.
Dig up your own Italian family history with this family friendly event, delving into Hull’s Italian cuisine and heritage. Bring along photos and heirlooms to our photo booth and share your family stories to add to the story of Italians in Hull.
Come along to see TV chef Joe Hurd share his love of Italian cuisine and family stories in free cooking demonstrations throughout the day, or try your hand at being an archaeologist and dig up roman and Italian artifacts and treasures in our interactive archaeology activity.
Step into the past and experience a renaissance artist’s studio with the launch of Hull School of Art & Design’s virtual reality world.
Live music, craft activities and more throughout the day exploring and celebrating Italian culture running alongside Streetlife Museum’s Italian Connections Exhibition.
You can also see me cooking at
12- 12.30
Sydell Brigden
talking about my visit to one of the islands near Venice and sharing the recipe for the best carbonara I've ever eaten
This blog was brought to you in collaboration with
Hull Streetlife Museum
The Early Bird Eater
Credit to
George Norris-Images and Bio's
After the DIG IN event, I wanted to do a follow-up and share the day for those there and those who didn't attend.
The day of the DIG IN event arrived
The day started out gloomy and cold I'd headed to the town to meet my son and arrived at The Streetlife Museum.
Families were coming and going, children running around and there was a great vibe about the day.
I headed to the back of the marquee, I have never done a cooking demo before and really didn't know how it would work out.
Joe Hurd, who's a "celebrity chef" and often can be seen on
Saturday Morning Kitchen on BBC1
was there and Rosaria Penna, a wonderful woman with the most lovely of smiles
was there also.
Lot's of City Of Culture helpers smiling and saying hello, it was really lovely and actually very calm and wonderful.
Stage set Joe started to cook, Penna family watching and some very very eager faces.
The event turned into something very special, children came on stage and helped Rosaria make pasta by hand ready for Joe to cook and use in his dish.
Joe started with a fragrant Lamb dish of
Lamb cutlet Camponata following with the pasta that had been made on stage tomato and pesto.
All served and plated beautifully.
Then I was on stage my dish was a traditional carbonara.
No not with cream, that ruins a perfect dish so I made it with eggs.
Thankfully my first ever cooking demo went without a hitch, Joe kindly took to the mic and spoke to me through the cooking.
My son was there and we spoke about my mam's very own carbonara, Joe had asked various questions and of course, my mums cooking got mentioned.
I was nervous as the Penna's are the root of all Italian in the city, I joked (softly and with love) the Rosaria was watching me, she giggled which was warming. I loved that moment!
Thankfully my dish went down well, I worried there would not be enough seasoning or too little.
As a chef, I am often caught putting
"too much cracked black pepper"
Joe understood that statement and feeling though and if I was at home I'd of put more and Joe said he'd of put more which was definitely a relief.
For those not in the know cracked black pepper is the most widely used spice on earth.
So, when I got home I wanted to do a step by step
Enough for two
Three eggs (whole)
A good handful spaghetti
Pecorino grated 100grms
Sea salt & cracked balck pepper
Pancetta lardons
Grate the pecorino, I added the cracked black pepper to it add a little sea salt but remember the cheese is salty so need to add too much
I went to Princes Ave Butchers to buy my meat and recommend them
T.L Norman
72 Princes Avenue
Tel 01482 342026
Calling ahead is always great that way you will not be disappointed
Put a pan of water on to boil and add some water
The salt brings the water to the boil faster
(Do not throw away the water after the pasta boils)
In another pan add a little oil and pepper
with the lardons and let them sizzle.
At this point, Joe smiled and said
"now that's the sound we hoped for"
Joe came up tot he pan and put the mic to it, isn't it such a satisfying sound that sizzle and then the aroma.
When the pasta is just cooked
Al Dente meaning
To the tooth
use tongs and the pasta directly to the pan with the lardons.
Don't be frightened its great fun,
if a little water gets in the lardon pan don't worry it's all good a little will help the end dish.
The final stage is to mix the cheese and eggs, beat them with a small balloon whisk and take the pan of lardons etc etc off the heat.
Add the egg to the pan, and stir and serve.
Yes it's that easy but remember this dish is probably the most controversial of dishes of Italy so enjoy it
Details
Italian Connections explores the links between Hull and Italy – from a medieval trade, the reformation and subjugation of Catholics, the First World War as allies and the Second World War as the enemy, POWs, the tragedy of the Arandora Star and the immigration of Italians to Hull between 1830s and 1920s.
The Toffolo and Penna families’ relationships with Hull stretch back more than 100 years with their businesses growing to be some of the most recognizable in the city. Their incredible stories chart business highs and lows, and even internment during the Second World War when Winston Churchill ordered that the head of every Italian family living in Britain be interned following Mussolini and Italy declaring their allegiance to Germany.
Please note the exhibition will be closed 10am-11.30am on Monday mornings during term time and all day on Friday 23 March, Friday 27 April, Friday 25 May, and Friday 29 June.
The Toffolo and Penna families’ relationships with Hull stretch back more than 100 years with their businesses growing to be some of the most recognizable in the city. Their incredible stories chart business highs and lows, and even internment during the Second World War when Winston Churchill ordered that the head of every Italian family living in Britain be interned following Mussolini and Italy declaring their allegiance to Germany.
Please note the exhibition will be closed 10am-11.30am on Monday mornings during term time and all day on Friday 23 March, Friday 27 April, Friday 25 May, and Friday 29 June.
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