Spicy Pickled Plums

At one point 10 percent of Odesa’s population were Italians, who had come here during the wheat boom to make their fortunes and to enjoy the climate. At the time, many Italian theater and opera companies were touring in and around Odesa. The melody of the classic Neapolitan song “O sole mio!” was written by the composer Eduardo di Capua, while he was staying in Odesa, a city he came to love. There were also lots of factories making makarony (a word we use to mean all kinds of pasta),