I can see it now.
Millie was little old lady with a full head of the whitest hair imaginable. Always using a tortoise comb holding her hair in place.
She was dressed for work, but unlike others in the same business; she was dressed very well.
Always stylish, neat and clean.
Millie Candadao owned the neighborhood food shop where I grew up – Millie’s Sugar Bowl.
Grand Avenue is one of the main streets in my old neighborhood in Chicago – Grand Avenue. It ran from downtown to Franklin Park; a wesern suburb. And Millie’s was a focal point of the neighborhood.
When you entered the smell of oragno was thick in the air.
On the left side of the store was a counter with all types of candies; especially Italian varieties not found today.
Further down the aisle was the Italin Bread then the counter where all the action took place – check out and sandwich making. Straight ahead was the meat cooler. You’d find any type of salamis, hams, cheeses, fresh, homemade mozzarella and Italian Sausage.
On the right side were shelves from floor to ceiling with all the canned goods and basics any Italian Family needed for cooking.
But Millie was known far and wide to her “railroad” sandwiches.
They were named railroad becuse early in the morning the men going to work on the railroad would come to buy their lunch for the day.
She used fresh bread from Gonnella’s Bakery; just down the block, the finest lunch meats and cheeses. She would start by taking a long loaf of French Bread, cut it in half, using the big butcher knife with a black handle; drizzle both halves with with Fillipo Berio olive oil, liberally sprinkle with oregano (crushed red pepper if you asked) then start applying slices of provolone, ham, mortadella, and Genoa salami.
The size was meaure by the length of the knife. Three knife lengths was a whole loaf of French Bread.
When you looked beyond the meat counter there was an archway with a curtain. Beyond the curtain was Millie’s apartment. It was a modest place to live; one bedroom with kitchen, living room and most of all a huge organ. Millie was an accomplished organist. If you were a specail friend you’d get invited, after hours, for something to eat and an organ recital.
Those are fond memories of a time gone by. When people held a deep concern for neighbor and a neighborhood was more than people living in the same area.