In the City of Alexandria and the surrounding area, there are several well-established Bolivian restaurants. Not only do these restaurants provide excellent food and service to the surrounding Alexandria community, but also they serve as meeting spaces for the local Bolivian American community, who–as noted by Tom Gjelten in A Nation of Nations, came to northern Virginia for economic and educational opportunities starting in the 1980s.[1] Yelp Reviews has compiled a list of the top 10 Bolivian restaurants in the Alexandria/Arlington area with Sibarita’s comes in at the top of the list as a family-style restaurant serving “Fresh, Healthy, and Delicious Traditional Bolivian Food.” The restaurant was opened by Bolivian immigrant and first time restaurateur Jorge Alberto and his sister, in Arlington in 2011.[2] Residents from all over Virginia and the Washington Metropolitan Area have traveled to the family owned restaurant. Customers have raved about the wonderful service and delicious food, with one customer leaving a 5-star review saying, “The best Bolivian restaurant ever. Delicious, authentic food. Great service.”[3]

Pan American Bakery is also an Alexandria community favorite with their customers loving the restaurant’s famous salteñas. Pan American Bakery was started by Bolivian-born Genny DeFoor and her husband Romero in 2003. Their first location was near Columbia Pike in Arlington and the couple later opened another location in Alexandria in 2008.[4] One customer even said Pan American Bakery’s salteñas “have a special, unique place in my heart.”[5] The Washington Post included the Pan American Bakery as a must-stop place to eat in a 2007 article by Nancy Lewis, “Places to Eat That You Should Know About,” praising the restaurant’s salteñas, “a beef stew in a savory pie that is a Bolivian specialty.”[6] In addition to Pan American Bakery, neighboring Bolivian restaurant Pike Pizza also made Lewis’ article as well as the top 10 list on Yelp Reviews.

Pike Pizza is another Bolivian restaurant and once again is a community favorite. Family run and co-owned by Bolivian-native Guillermo Molina, this restaurant located on Columbia Pike in Arlington attracts Bolivian food lovers and those such as how one customer stated, “I don’t know the first thing about Bolivian food, but I do know this place serves some mean dishes.”[7] Other customers have praised the restaurants salteñas, “I recommend the salteñas to everyone I meet that wants to try some or are looking for some.”[8] Pike Pizza serves a variety of authentic Bolivian food which some customers felt “transported [them] back to South America.”[9] Tim Carman, a writer for the Washington City Paper, penned an article in December, 2008, dedicated to the delicious authentic Bolivian food served in the Alexandria/Arlington area, titled “Do You Bolivian Love?” In his article, Carman discussed how he visited El Pike (another name for Pike Bolivian Restaurant/Pike Pizza), but was disappointed as their ever-so-popular salteñas were sold out. He explained, “Not only is El Pike known for this braided, Bolivian equivalent of the empanada, but the savory pastry is also the national dish of the South American country.”[10] Carman went on to explain that although the restaurant is gaining popularity, it is not as well-known as the Ethiopian restaurants on Ninth Street in D.C. and Pickett Street and Duke Street in Alexandria, or the Vietnamese restaurants on Eden Center in Falls Church, VA, because Bolivian restaurants “don’t have a centralized location to draw patrons and repeated media attention.”[11] However, despite this fact, Bolivian restaurants spattered throughout Alexandria and Arlington are community favorites as they provide family-friendly environments, great service, and delicious, authentic food.

1. Tom Gjelten, A Nation of Nations (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015): 20-27.
2. Tim Carman, “In Bolivian Cuisine, Meat Matters,” The Washington Post, October 10, 2014.
3. Sibarita Restaurant, “Reviews” facebook.com. Accessed November 9, 2016.
4. “Pan American Bakery in Arlington,” The Washington Post, December 10, 2008.
5. “Pan American Bakery,” Yelp Reviews, yelp.com. Accessed November 9, 2016.
6. Nancy Lewis, “Places to Eat That You Should Know About,” The Washington Post, April 27, 2007.
7. “Pan American Bakery,” digital image, ARLnow.com. Accessed November 9, 2016.
8. “Pike Pizza,” Yelp Reviews, yelp.com. Accessed November 9, 2016.
9. Marissa S., “Pike Pizza,” Yelp Review, yelp.com. Accessed November 9, 2016.
10. Tim Carman, “Do You Bolivian Love?” Washington City Paper, December 5, 2008. Washingtoncitypaper.com.
11. Carman, “Do You Bolivian Love?”

With the political upheaval in Ethiopia in the 1970s, many Ethiopians fled the country in search of safety. Several came to the United States, and as a result, the decades of the 1980s and early 1990s saw an increased number of Ethiopian asylum-seekers.[1] The majority of these migrants settled in the Washington Metropolitan Area, creating the “largest subset of immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in the region.”[2] Living in a new country that spoke a different language was not easy, and many feared how or even if they could fit in. Though forced to adapt to their new surroundings, Ethiopians still maintained their cultural heritage through many means, such as celebrating holidays and especially food.

The City of Alexandria embarked on an oral history project in which members of the Alexandria community were asked to share their personal stories and experiences. Four Ethiopian immigrant women were interviewed and all of these women commented on the importance of food and maintaining their cultural heritage. Rhoda Worku, a restaurant owner, discussed how “doro wats are very traditional” and are cooked around big holidays such as Christmas and Easter.[3] Worku explained that doro wat is a chicken dish that is very spicy. It is made with caramelized onions, berbere (a spice mixture), butter, and served with a boiled egg. Zion Bezu, a mother who also teaches Amharic (one of the main languages spoken in Ethiopia) to the community, also mentioned doro wat saying, “my kids—they love doro wat,” but stated she would rather go out and eat it because it takes a long time to cook.[4] Afomia Wendemagegon, at the time of the interview a senior in high school, raved about her mom’s doro wat saying “doro wat is probably like one of the top things” she loves to eat.[5]

 

Another food which all four interviewees discussed was injera, a staple in the Ethiopian diet. Injera is a sourdough flatbread with a spongy with a spongy texture made from teff flour. It is used as an eating utensil to scoop up stews and meats.[6] Aida Abdul-Wali, a computer engineer, described injera as a bread that is eaten with the hands.[7] Zion Bezu also described injera as a bread and laughingly said “everything comes with the bread.”[8] Since injera is a staple for the Ethiopian diet, it can be found in Ethiopian grocery stores. Bezu also commented on the popularity of injera saying, “you can find it in gas stations and in 7-eleven.”[9] Rhoda Worku described injera as “a spongy bread…it looks like pancake.”[10] Worku originally did not make injera in her restaurant but her customers begged her to make it so she did. Afomia Wendemagegon also discussed injera and the different dishes it is served with such as kitfo a “ground meat, fried a little bit, with some spices on it. And you eat it with injera.”[11]

Ethiopian foods, such as doro wat and injera help migrants connect to their native country. In addition, cooking these foods also provides a means of maintaining cultural heritage as generations are educated in Ethiopian cuisine.

1. Elizabeth Chacko, “Identity and Assimilation among Young Ethiopian Immigrants in Metropolitan Washington,” Geographical Review 93, no. 4 (2003): 491-92.
2. Elizabeth Chacko, “Ethiopian Ethos and the Making of Ethnic Places in the Washington Metropolitan Area,” Journal of Cultural Geography 20, no. 2 (2003): 21-22.
3. Rhoda Worku, “Interview with Rhoda Worku,” interviewed by Krystyn Moon transcribed by Adept Word Management. Caboose Café, Alexandria, VA. September 10, 2015. 7.
4. Zion Bezu, “Interview with Zion Bezu,” interviewed by Krystyn Moon, transcribed by Roberta L. Chew. Alexandria Archaeology Museum, Alexandria, VA. July 23, 2015. 21-22.
5. Afomia Wendemagegn, “Interview with Afomia Wendemagegn,” interviewed by Krystyn Moon, transcribed by Kim Janoff, Adept Word Management. Alexandria Black History Museum, Alexandria, VA. June 4, 2015. 25.
6. “Ethiopian Recipes Doro Wot Wat Wet,” Ethiopian Recipes, digital image, accessed October 24, 2016. Howtocookgreatethiopian.com.
7. Aida Abdul-Wali, “Interview with Aida Abdul-Wali,” interviewed by Apasrin Suvanasai, transcribed by Adept Word Management. Aida Abdul-Wali’s home, Alexandria, VA. August 25, 2015. 9.
8. Bezu, 21.
9. Bezu, 22.
10. Rhoda Worku, “Interview with Rhoda Worku,” interviewed by Krystyn Moon. Transcribed by Adept Word Management. Caboose Café, Alexandria, VA. May 20, 2015. pg. 13.
11. Wendemagegn, 26.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Italian immigrants traveled to the United States in search of work. Many of these immigrants found jobs as manual laborers in mines and on railroads.[1] However, as time progressed, many of these immigrants became artisans, craftsmen, and professionals. When looking at records such as the 1920 and 1940 U.S. Censuses, you can see how many Italian immigrants transitioned to better paying, more stable jobs and established families.[2] Such is the case with Tony Guiffre, a beer distributor in Alexandria, Virginia. Tony was born January 17, 1882 in Italy. According to the Kelly Long family tree on Ancestry.com, Gaetano Antonio Guiffre or “Tony” was born in Palermo, Sicily to Gaetano and Giuseppa Guiffre.[3] Tony is listed as “Tony Queffra” in the 1920 U.S. Census and he stated he immigrated to the U.S. in 1887.[4] However, according to the 1930 U.S. Census, he immigrated to the United States in 1883.[5] Unfortunately I could not find any travel documents on when his family came the America. Nevertheless, after looking at the Kelly Long’s family tree, I believe the Guiffre family migrated sometime around 1887 because his sister Agostina was born in Italy in 1884 and his brother, Michael, was born in 1888 in Washington, D.C.[6]

It appears that Tony resided in the Washington Metropolitan Area for much of his life. Tony married U.S. citizen Theresa Casassa on July 22, 1902 in Washington D.C.[7] She was born on July 22, 1882, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[8] In the 1920 U.S. Census in the column “Naturalization” Tony is listed as “Un” or not naturalized.[9] In both the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Censuses, he is listed as being naturalized [10] so I presume he was naturalized sometime in the years between 1920-1930, though I could not find any naturalization papers to support this claim. Later, he registered for the draft in Montgomery County, Maryland, on September 11, 1918.[11]

Unlike other Italian immigrants in Alexandria, he was not a laborer on the railroad like many others did in Alexandria during this period. One explanation for this occurrence is the fact that Tony arrived in the United States as a very young child and was educated in the U.S. and could pursue different skills.  In 1905, the Washington, D.C. City directory listed Tony as a carpenter.[12] However, only a few years later, he and his wife moved to Alexandria where Tony worked as a shoemaker. All throughout the year of 1912, ads for his shoe making and repair business in Alexandria can be found in the Washington Herald.[13] Tony was apparently successful in the shoemaking and repair business because, as seen in the Alexandria city directories from 1928-1934, he progressed from being a shoe maker to a department store owner.[14] What I found to be most intriguing about Tony Guiffre is that in the 1934 Alexandria City Directory he was listed as store owner of Del Ray Department Store.[15] However, two years later, in the 1936 Alexandria City Directory, Tony is listed as a beer distributor. According to later records such as the 1940 U.S. Census and the 1942 Alexandria City Directory, he was a beer distributor for the remainder of his life. It is possible, with the end of Prohibition, that Tony found a niche market in beer, although the exact reason is not known.[16] What is interesting about Tony is that on the 1940 U.S. Census, he is listed as owning a home valued at $3,000 yet he has no income or salary.[17] It is probable that since he owned his own business at the time he did not give himself a yearly salary but instead just kept the profits from his business.

The Guiffre family did not move much around the city. In the 1938 Alexandria City Directory, Tony was listed as residing at 101 West Peyton Avenue.[19] Two years later Guiffre family are listed as living at 116 East Peyton Avenue, which was later renamed Del Ray Avenue.[20] Tony lived the remainder of his life at this residence, where he passed away on June 25, 1943, from coronary thrombosis (blood clot in the heart).[21] He is buried next to his wife in Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery.[22]

By studying archival records such as U.S. censuses and city directories, one can gain a better insight into the individual lives of immigrants. These documents demonstrate that some immigrants are able to move beyond the low wage manual labor jobs of their parents and become successful professionals, artisans, and businessmen.

 

1. Donna R. Gabaccia, Italy’s Many Diasporas, (New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, 2003), 61.
2. Ibid., 64-65.
3. Gaetano Antonio Guiffre, Kelly Long family tree, accessed October 23, 2016, Ancestry.com.
4. 1920 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Queffra, digital image, accessed October 23, 2016, Ancestry.com.
5. 1930 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
6. Gaetano Antonio Guiffre, Kelly Long family tree, accessed October 23, 2016, Ancestry.com.
7. Tony Guiffre, District of Columbia, Select Marriages, 1830-1921, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
8. Theresa Guiffre, Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
9. 1920 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Queffra, digital image, accessed October 23, 2016, Ancestry.com.
10. 1930 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com. and 1940 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
11. Tony Guiffre, S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
12. 1905 Washington D.C. City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
13. The Washington Herald. (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, January through August 1912, images provided by Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.   loc.gov.
14. 1928, 1932, 1934 Alexandria City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
15. 1934 Alexandria City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, com.
16. 1940 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
17. 1940 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
18. 1936 Alexandria City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
19. 1938 Alexandria City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
20. 1942 Alexandria City Directory, Tony Guiffre, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, com; Tony Guiffre, Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014.
21. Tony Guiffre, Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014, digital image, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
22. Tony Guiffre, S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, accessed October 8, 2016, Ancestry.com.
23. Tony Guiffre, image provided findagrave.com, accessed October 8, 2016.

As Charlotte Erikson discusses in her book, Invisible Immigrants: The Adaption of English and Scottish Immigrants in Nineteenth Century America, mostly English immigrants with professions or artisanal skills settled in cities.[1] According to the 1860 U.S. Cenus, William Cogan was one such immigrant who made a life for himself in Alexandria, Virginia. Cogan was listed as a twenty-nine year old gas fitter, with a property value of $4,500.[2] He was married to twenty-three year old Virginian named Virginia Barton with whom he had three children: Virginia, John, and William.[3] In addition, according to Don DeBats’s Voting Viva Voce project, Cogan was an independent head of household owning his own home, and was financially well-off.  His household was in the next to top category for both declared and taxable wealth[4].

Upon further research, Cogan was named on the passenger manifest list for General Victoria (unable to determine if the ship was British or American) for the departure leaving London and arriving in New York City on May 28, 1845.[5] He was 15 years old at the time. Cogan does not show up in many archival records until his marriage certificate to Virginia Barton on October 4, 1853, in Alexandria.[6] Cogan and his wife remained in Alexandria through the duration of their marriage although they moved around the city. What is interesting is that in different censuses and city directories, the family was listed as living at different addresses. According to DeBats’s Voting Viva Voce project, they lived at 38 South Pitt Street.[7] In 1880, they lived on 115 East Royal Street.[8] In 1900, Virginia was a widower; however, she and her eleven children lived on King Street[9].  In 1912, according to the city directory, Virginia and her children then lived on 1012 Prince Street[10]. One possible explanation for the family’s constant moving could be that the family was continually growing and was looking for more adequate housing or improved housing.

The most intriguing aspect of the Cogan family’s lives gleaned from the census data and other archival sources was that the Cogans did not lose money during the American Civil War. Instead, Cogan actually increased his wealth by a significant amount. As mentioned previously, the 1860 U.S. Census listed him as having a property value of $4,500[11].  Adecade later, Cogan had a property value of $10,000.[12] His increase in wealth could have been the result of many factors, such as he did not own any slaves and therefore did not lose property during the war; however, after some digging, I believe that William’s wealth increased because he was a successful business man.[13] Cogan’s Gas and Steam Fitter Establishment appeared to be a well-established company and was advertised throughout the 1860s in both the Local Paper and the Alexandria Gazette. The Cogan’s wealth may have also been an additional reason the family moved around throughout Alexandria.

The following images are samples of William Cogan’s advertisements in the local papers.

 

 

 

 

[1] Charlotte Erikson, Invisible Immigrants: The Adaption of English and Scottish Immigrants in Nineteenth Century America (Coral Gables: University of Miami Press, 1972).

[2] 1860 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, William Cogan, digital image, accessed September 15, 2016. Ancestry.com

[3] Ibid.

[4] ”William Cogan,” Voting Viva Voce. http://sociallogic.iath.virginia.edu/node/14?name=William%20Cogan&sex=1&race=1&bg=4&dta_set=alex_people&contains=1. (accessed September 21, 2016).

[5] General Victoria Passenger Manifest; Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957,  William Cogan, digital image, accessed September 15, 2016. Ancestry.com.

[6] 1853 Marriage Certificate; Ancestry.com. Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940.  William Cogan and Virginia Barton, digital image, accessed September 16, 2016. Ancestry.com.

[7] 1860 U.S. Census, Alexandria; and DeBats, Voting Viva Voce

[8] 1880 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, William Cogan, digital image, accessed September 15, 2016, Ancestry.com.

[9] 1900 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia Cogan, digital image, accessed September 15, 2016, Ancestry.com.

[10] 1912 Alexandria City Directory; U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. Virginia Cogan, digital image, accessed September 16, 2016.  Ancestry.com.

[11] 1860 U.S. Census, Alexandria

[12] 1870 U. S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria, Virginia, William Cogan, digital image, accessed September 15, 2016, Ancestry.com.

[13] DeBats, Voting Viva Voce.

[14] “William Cogan’s Gas and Steam Fitting Establishment,” The Local News [Alexandria, VA], January 24, 1862, 1; Image provided by: Library of Virginia;  Richmond, VA. Accessed through chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. (Accessed September 21, 2016).

[15] “Gas and Steam Fitting,” Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA), January 05, 1866, 1; Image provided by Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA. Accessed through chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. (Accessed September 21, 2016).