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equalled eleven shiUings and a half day six shillings,^' This practice was followed by a
number of Italian speakers, suggesting the bartering tradition was maintained into the
early twentieth century as much through tradition as economic need, Isidoro may also
have traded his home-made cheeses (which were placed to mature in a turmel on the
westem bank of the creek at Hepbum)'" or the bullboar sausages for which the
Rodoni family was famous,'* The Rodonis used only the best cuts of pork and beef in
their bullboars, leaving the poorer quality meats for traditional cudeghini — referred to
in the Rodoni household as cordic.^^ Like other families, the Rodonis' sausages
(according to a family recipe) combined a delicate blend of beef, pork, wine, garlic,
spices, white, black and red pepper and salt. Connoisseurs were said to have been able
to identify the produce of different families by holding a thin slice up to the light,
announcing with confidence, 'this is by Rodoni', or 'this is by Lucini',"
The making of bullboars provided the Rodoni family, not only with an
important source of protein, but also with an opportunity for socialising. It was not
uncommon for Isidoro to invite several families to his home for a traditional 'pot
night', including among them members of the English-speaking community. He would
send out word whenever he was preparing to make a batch of 'salsicce' (sausages),
inviting people to a meal of simple peasant fare, Italian music and dance. Prior to the
festivities, the bullboar-md^ng would have begun with the killing of the animals at
'sunup' some days eariier. Two pigs and a couple of steers would have been
slaughtered, their throats cut and the blood allowed to slowly drain away (a practice,
as noted in earlier chapters, thought to enhance the flavour of the meat). The Pvodonis
usually considered the pigs ready for eating at eight months of age or when they
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