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ancient times. The pasta meal was often eaten on Friday nights since meat, according
to the traditions of their Catholic faith, was forbidden. Loretta continued to prepare
other traditional peasant foods, Inchiding polenta, risotto and gnocchi, and to maintain
potatoes as a staple part of their diet. Bread was purchased from Vanzettas' bakery
(see Vanzetta section). At night the children were still given small amounts of wine
although, according to one of the daughters, '[they] were not mad about it' and 'used
to prefer mineral water'."** It served, however, as a warmer during the winter months
and was, no doubt, a custom transferred from Switzerland, As the daughter explained:
'In the winter, mum used to heat up the wdne for us when we went to bed. Hot water
botties were unknown then'.
Making clothes for herself and her family, Loretta was fortunate to save a
Singer sewing machine, one of the few mechanised items in her house. She delighted
in producing colourful and pretty clothing for her children, especially the two youngest
girls who, because they were similar in height, could be dressed as twins.'*^ Making
Uttle sailor suits decorated with braid and pretty yellow dresses with matching hats, she
might have been compensating for the toys and outings which poverty denied her
children. The colourful outfits, despite charming many of the tourists then flocking
into Daylesford, could not, however, hide the Gaggionis' financial need nor their
awareness of belonging to a low socio-economic group. Even within the ItaUan-
speaking population, class distinctions had begun to emerge, families, such as the
Borsas (who ran Bellinzona) being seen to ride around in carriages and dress in
expensive clothes. To Leila they were 'like aristocratic ladies [and] they kept apart'."*'
While Leila's comment can be viewed in the context of the resentment expressed by
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