By Ryan Deuel
Press & Sun-Bulletin
August 5, 2005
Who really deserves credit for introducing Spiedies to the Triple Cities?
Well, most people would agree that spiedies were brought to Endicott by one of two brothers. Both grew up in Italy’s Abruzzi region, both immigrated to The United States in the 1920s, and both worked at the Endicott-Johnson shoe factory.
But was it Camillo Iacovelli or his younger brother, Agostino, who first served spiedies?
In a 1958 Sunday Press article, Eleanor Coleman romantically wrote: “It all started back in 1920, when Camillo Iacovelli sailed from his native Italy to seek his fortune in Endicott as a restaurateur. The following year, he proposed by mail to his childhood sweetheart in Civitella, a village in Casanova in the province of Pasacara. Young Josephine said “yes”, and soon came to the States for her wedding – bringing with her a cherished family recipe of spiedis (sic): cubed, marinated, broiled lamb, served on long metal skewers. Today, in Endicott, they call Camillo the “spiedie king” and his specialty is a picnic favorite throughout the area.”
A 1991 New York Times article by Mike Moore, however, gives all the credit to Agostino (Augie) and never even mentions Camillo.
“By 1939,” Moore wrote, “ he opened Augie’s Restaurant on the north side of Endicott. Mr. Iacovelli grilled his spiedies on a porch that faced a park. The smells drifted over during fireworks displays and picnics, the story goes, and the smitten crowds flocked to Augie’s.”
Many readers say they remember eating their first spiedie at Camillo’s Restaurant, which was located on the George F. Highway in Endwell. Others say the true spiedie was served at Augie’s Grill located on Oak Hill Avenue in Endicott, which later moved to 113 Nanticoke Ave. – currently Hurricane Riley’s.
Anthony Iacovelli, Agostino’s son, says both men deserve the credit.
“Back in the 1930s,” he said, “Camillo owned a restaurant called The Parkview Terrace on Endicott’s North Side. My father (Augie) worked there. He was the one who prepared the spiedies and cooked them on the stove. They sold them for a dime a piece. It wasn’t until later that my uncle (Camillo) opened Camillo’s on the George F. Highway and my father (Agostino) opened Augie’s.”
For those who may be from out of town, or for those who have still not yet made it over to Lupo’s S&S Char Pit, Spiedie & Rib Pit, or Sharkey’s, here’s a little spiedie trivia.
The word spiedie – sometimes spelled spiedi – came from either the Italian word spiedino for skewer, or spiedo for spit. It’s believed spiedies date back to days of Roman Legions, who ate the meat enroute to battle.
However, several cultures have something similar. Most out-of-towners would look at a spiedie and call it shish kebab, Armenian for small pieces of skewered grilled meat. During last year’s Spiedie Fest cook-off, Angela Quintarilla brought a spiedie recipe from her native Peru, where the skewered meat is called anficucho.
Traditionalists say the only spiedie is made from lamb. But type “spiedies” into Google, and you’ll find recipes using pork, chicken, sausage, shrimp, rabbit, and octopus. Quintarilla said the Peruvian spiedie is traditionally made with cow hearts and served with potatos. Sam Lupo, owner of Sam A. Lupo & Sons Inc., says he sells three times more chicken than anything else through his mail-order service.
In Italy, herbs and spices were mixed together and rubbed into lamb. The meat was then placed on wooden skewers and grilled over an open fire. Just as the meat was finished, a finishing sauce called zuzu was sprinkled on top.
“Many years ago in Italy, they carved skewers out from the branches of a certain kind of tree. They say even the wood gave the meat a specific flavor.”, said Thomas Iacovelli, Agostino’s grandson and Anthony’s nephew. Iacovelli owns The Plantation House restaurant in Vestal, where spiedies are not featured on the menu.
On Wednesday, the Press&Sun-Bulletin ran a guest column by Frank Zedik of Vestal. Zedik told the story of how his father, Frank J. (Zeke) Zedik, bought Gene’s Bar and Grill on Oak Hill Avenue and got Camillo’s (or Augie’s) original spiedie recipe from the previous owner, Gene Krauwinkle. He told of a dry rub seasoning consisting of salt, black pepper, fresh garlic, dried parsley, and fresh mint that was used to cover lamb – the only meat ever used. The meat was diced, placed on skewers, and cooked over charcoal in a steel stove with a built-in fan.
Anthony Iacovelli said that Zedik’s account was pretty close. But before it was Gene’s it was the Parkview – the original home of the spiedie. That how the recipe was passed down, he said.
Anthony may know better than anyone alive what went into making the original Endicott spiedie.
“There was a bocce court set up behind the Parkview Restaurant,” he said, “I’d have to run out to the court with 10 skewers loaded up with spiedies. I had to use my other hand to wrap the bread around the meat, hand it to the men and take the money, too. If I didn’t go fast enough, I’d get a little ‘whack’ from my father. That was pretty hard work for a little kid.”
Several stories continue to swirl around the Southern Tier’s culture of spiedies. But for Iacovelli, setting the record straight is a matter of family tradition, reputation, and pride. “I’m proud of my family,” he said.
Last Sunday, members of the Iacovelli family gathered together to celebrate what would have been Augie’s birthday. Wanna guess what they ate?