Fleeing fascism and corruption in Sicily, Grandpa Joe Vaccarino entered the US through Ellis Island. He lived on Mott Street in New York's Little Italy. Back in the day, Grandpa Joe hung out on the street. He played kick-the-can and bocce ball. Eventually, he moved to the Bronx and later to Yonkers. He was a money lender, a spalloni, one of those who moves money.  A man of honor.  La Stessa Cosa. Today, he would simply be called a hedge...

I was sixteen when I arrived with my parents to New York from Eastern Europe, via Italy. All our possessions filled two suitcases—we were not allowed to bring any money or jewelry with us. (Years later, I went for a vacation with my wife to Italy and the airline lost our luggage. I called up my mother and said to her jokingly, “Here I am again, back to having nothing just like when I was 16.”) 

One of my first memories in the USA...

Thomas and Helene Stohr came to North America from Switzerland a decade and a half ago. They first lived in Canada with their two sons, then moved to New England. Their Swiss bakery in Massachusetts serves authentic, all-natural Swiss foods, just like those families in Switzerland enjoy.

The Stohrs began their bakery as a home-based business in 2006. They baked all day and Thomas delivered the ultra-fresh foods in the evenings....