TV Time

The nonnas can’t quite believe that television is coming to their neighborhood. From their vantage point on the stoop, they begin tsk-ing whenever they see another antenna attached to a tenement chimney. “I don’t like that at all,” a nonna says.

“It might fall when I’m on the roof hanging the laundry,” another says. “And it’s electric—who knows what it’s going to do in a thunderstorm.”

“Eh — a television set— it’s just another thing to dust and keep clean. But my daughter tells me Perry Como has a little show,” she says. “Maybe some night we go visit and take a look.”

On a Tuesday evening, they make their way to the daughter’s apartment. The living room is crowded with people — on the sofa, on the chairs, and on the floor. The crowd spills over into the dining room, where chairs face the television, theater-style, so latecomers can look out over the heads of the crowd seated on the floor.

Grandchildren come forward to kiss and greet the nonnas. Young fathers vacate chairs directly in front of the set and insist the nonnas sit. They sit and cross their legs at the ankles because their feet don’t reach the floor. The crowd, the hubbub, and the offering of drinks from a neighbor they hardly know make the nonnas shy. But people continue to fill the room. There’s no getting out.

The daughter enters the room, tells the nonnas she’s so happy to see them, and begins passing around a tray that holds a bowl of freshly popped corn and several small bowls. “Everybody,” she announces, “there’s red pepper, Parmigiano, brown sugar, and cinnamon to top the corn. Help yourselves.”

The nonnas look at one another. “What are we doing here?” one whispers.

“The food, popcorn!” another mutters. “Where’s the taralli?” The clink of bottles of soft drinks passed from person to person drowns out any further complaints.

At eight o’clock, the daughter turns on the set. The crowd is silent at first, but as Milton Berle, Mr. Television, begins his monologue, everyone laughs, not the nonnas. Still, they mind their manners and keep their seats. As the show progresses, the nonnas begin to smile. At one point, they laugh at a doctor joke. By the time Uncle Miltie — wearing lipstick and a riotously flowered dress — faces the camera, the nonnas are in stitches.

As the show closes, the nonnas assume their poker faces. They make their way out of the living room, stoppping only to kiss the grandchilden and the hostess good night.

“Ma, you liked the show?” the daughter asks.

“It wasn’t what we wanted to see,” she says disappointed. “We thought Perry Como was on.”

“He’s on Mondays.” The nonnas look at one another. What to do? Uncle Miltie was, after all, pretty funny. Excuses burble out “I have to visit Aunt Tessie on Monday,” one says. “Your father works late Monday,” another says. ‘Monday, I always babysit for my daughter.”

The nonna, the mother of the hostess says, “I guess that means we’ll see you next Tuesday night, okay?”

Popcorn

Serves four

• 1/2 cup white or yellow popping corn
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, not extra virgin
• Salt to taste
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Mixture brown sugar and cinnamon
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chili Powder

1. Pop corn in olive oil according to package directions.
2. Transfer popcorn to a large bowl; sprinkle with salt.
3. Pass remaining ingredients to sprinkle on popcorn.

Taralli

Serves six

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Have ready a deep pot of boiling water.
3. In an electric mixer, combine all ingredients, except 1/2 cup flour and boiling water.
4. Dough should be soft; add additional 1/2 cup flour gradually if needed.
5. Divide the dough into walnut-size balls.
6. Form each ball into a long strip by rolling in the palms of your hands.
7. Form the strips of dough into circles (about 11/2 inches around), knotting the ends.
8. Drop the rings a few at a time into the boiling water.
9. Remove them when they rise to the surface.
10. Allow to dry for a few minutes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
11. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.
12. Place rounds on sheet; bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.