As the title of her new book, “Product of Italy, Made in Canada: An Immigrant’s Love Letter to Food, Family and Resilience,” indicates, Sudbury’s Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli is shaped by her roots in both countries.
Battigelli moved to Canada from Italy with her family at the age of three, and when she started kindergarten in Sudbury at the age of five, she spoke only her Southern Italian Calabrese dialect.
As a teacher for more than two decades, she saw things from the flip side, as she sometimes had students who were learning English as a second language.
“There's a whole set of challenges as an immigrant,” she said.
“Starting school and not knowing the language, growing up as an Italian, but also learning how to be Canadian and growing up with two cultures.
“An immigrant, I believe, always feels that duality, because you can't just be one or the other. You will always have your heritage, your love of your country, or at least I do, and then your appreciation and love of your adoptive country.
“So I feel blessed to have both cultures and some of my stories speak to that feeling of growing up, and then appreciating both cultures.”
Battigelli said “Product of Italy,” which is being put out by Sudbury publisher Latitude 46 Publishing October 18, is a work of “creative non-fiction.”
While some have described it as a memoir, Battigelli said it’s really just a collection of stories about her life, and not a complete memoir where she shares everything about her life.
“It's basically a snapshot of different parts of my life and experiences as a daughter, granddaughter, mother, sister, teacher and writer,” she said.
A retired teacher, Battigelli is already the author of several books, including a historical fiction novel, a book of short stories, two children’s books and six Harlequin Romance novels.
Yes, she writes Harlequins, with her latest offering entitled “Reunited with the Tycoon Next Door.”
Details on all of Battigelli’s publications are available through her website.
In “Product of Italy,” Battigelli writes about poignant moments in her life, including her father’s Parkinson’s disease, as well as funny moments, like shopping with her Italian mother, who couldn’t resist on-sale olive oil.
“I also talk about food,” she said. “How could I leave out the importance of food and family in our Italian family, growing up? The themes in my book are universal. It doesn't matter what culture you have, there's something important about celebrating together, eating certain kinds of foods together and passing that on to your children and grandkids.”
Speaking of that food, Sudbury.com asked Battigelli if she has any special family recipes, and she spoke of her mother’s lasagna that she now makes, which involves meatballs and sliced boiled eggs.
“When it's my turn to host Christmas, I'll make the lasagna,” said Battigelli. “And everybody is, ‘Oh, this tastes just like Nonnina’s.’ My mother was Nonna, right, and Nonnina is the affectionate form of the word Nonna.
“And they just love it. I have them rolling the meatballs, because it takes a long time to have these tiny little meatballs for every layer. It's amazing. Everybody who's ever tried it just loves it.”
Battigelli said she’s thrilled to have the book published by Latitude 46. She said she previously had some of her work published in a Latitude 46 anthology.
While more details are to come, Battigelli said she will be having a book launch on Oct. 23 at, fittingly, the Caruso Club.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.