San Francisco holds no more interesting district
than that lying around the base of Telegraph Hill, and
extending over toward North Beach,
AROLND even as far as Fisherman's Wharf.
LITTLE ..Here is the part of San Francisco
ITALi ^Y^ryi fjrst felt the restoration impulse,
and this was the first part of San
Francisco rebuilt after the great fire, and in its rebuild-
ing it recovered all of its former characteristics, which
is more than can be said of any other part of the re-
built city.
Here, extending north from Jackson street to the
Bay, are congregated Italians, French, Portuguese and
Mexicans, each in a distinct colony, and each main-
taining the life, manners and customs, and in some in-
stances the costumes, of the parent countries, as fully
as if they were in their native lands. Here are stores,
markets, fish and vegetable stalls, bakeries, paste fac-
tories, sausage factories, cheese factories, wine presses,
tortilla bakeries, hotels, pensions, and restaurants; each
distinctive and full of foreign life and animation, and
each breathing an atmosphere characteristic of the
country' from which the parent stock came.
Walk along the streets on the side of Telegraph
Hill and one can well imagine himself transported to a
sunny hillside in Italy, for here he hears no other lan-
guage than that which came from the shores of the
Mediterranean, Here are Italians of all ages, sexes and
conditions of servitude, from the padrone to the boot-
black who works for a pittance until he obtains enough
to start himself in business. If one investigate closely
it will be found that many of the people of this part of
San Francisco have been here for years and still under-
stand no other language than that of their native home.
Why sliould they learn anytliing else, they say. Every-
body around them, and with whom they come in con-
tact speaks Italian. Here are the Corsicans, with their
66
SAN FRANCISCO
peculiar ideas of the vendetta and the cheapness of life
in general, and the Sicilians and Genoese and Milanese.
Here are some from the slopes of
Vesuvius or Aetna, with inborn knowl- AROUND
edge of the grape and of wine making. LITTLE
All have brought with them recipes ITALY
and traditions, some dating back for
hundreds of years, or even thousands, to the days be-
fore the Christian Era was born. It is just the same to
them as it was across the ocean, for they hear the same
dialect and have the same customs. Do they desire
any special delicacy from their home district, they need
but go to the nearest Italian grocery store and get it,
for these stores are supplied direct from Genoa or
Naples. This is the reason that many of the older men
and women still speak the soft dialect of their native
communities, and if you are so unfortunate as not to
be able to understand them, then it is you who are
the loser.
Page 35
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
San Francisco holds no more interesting district
than that lying around the base of Telegraph Hill, and
extending over toward North Beach,
AROUND even as far as Fisherman's Wharf. LITTLE Here is the part of San Francisco ITALY ^Y^ryi fjrst felt the restoration impulse,
and this was the first part of San Francisco rebuilt after the great fire, and in its rebuilding it recovered all of its former characteristics, which is more than can be said of any other part of the rebuilt city.
Here, extending north from Jackson street to the Bay, are congregated Italians, French, Portuguese and Mexicans, each in a distinct colony, and each maintaining the life, manners and customs, and in some instances the costumes, of the parent countries, as fully as if they were in their native lands. Here are stores, markets, fish and vegetable stalls, bakeries, paste factories, sausage factories, cheese factories, wine presses, tortilla bakeries, hotels, pensions, and restaurants; each distinctive and full of foreign life and animation, and each breathing an atmosphere characteristic of the country from which the parent stock came.
Walk along the streets on the side of Telegraph Hill and one can well imagine himself transported to a sunny hillside in Italy, for here he hears no other language than that which came from the shores of the Mediterranean, Here are Italians of all ages, sexes and conditions of servitude, from the padrone to the bootblack who works for a pittance until he obtains enough to start himself in business. If one investigate closely it will be found that many of the people of this part of San Francisco have been here for years and still understand no other language than that of their native home. Why sliould they learn anything else, they say. Everybody around them, and with whom they come in contact speaks Italian. Here are the Corsicans, with their
peculiar ideas of the vendetta and the cheapness of life in general, and the Sicilians and Genoese and Milanese. Here are some from the slopes of Vesuvius or Aetna, with inborn knowl- AROUND
edge of the grape and of wine making. LITTLE
All have brought with them recipes ITALY
and traditions, some dating back for hundreds of years, or even thousands, to the days before the Christian Era was born. It is just the same to them as it was across the ocean, for they hear the same dialect and have the same customs. Do they desire any special delicacy from their home district, they need but go to the nearest Italian grocery store and get it, for these stores are supplied direct from Genoa or Naples. This is the reason that many of the older men and women still speak the soft dialect of their native communities, and if you are so unfortunate as not to be able to understand them, then it is you who are the loser.