PAGE 7 WINTER 2020 Italian American Digest wardrobe . He claimed to have bought his first diamond for $ 5 when he was 8 or 9 years old . In his heyday , he wore up to 425 diamonds at one time , including in his teeth .
A longtime horse racing fan , Moran ’ s wardrobe of colorful suits , fur hats , coats and mink ties , would turn heads during annual visits to the Kentucky Derby .
" I ' ve got suits that would rival some of the coronation robes in England ," he told reporters at Churchill Downs one year . " I ' m so loaded with jewelry , pal , I don ' t know where I ' m going to hang most of it ."
In 1954 , Moran bought La Louisiane , the Iberville Street restaurant with roots in the 1800s . He added to the menu the Italian specialties he had become known for .
His wife Mary contributed a signature dish : meatballs and spaghetti . “ Through this door pass the most delicious meatballs in the world ,” read a sign over the dining room .
Mrs . Moran would prepare the meatballs at the family home at Esplanade and Royal . They would be delivered by cab to the restaurant to protect her secret recipe .
She is said to have inadvertently given him the gimmick for which he is still remembered . She once lost a diamond ring while hand-mixing a batch of meatballs . She discovered too late and the jewelry-filled meatball was served to a customer , who was surprised but fortunately didn ’ t swallow .
Diamond Jim acted like the whole thing was planned , then realized its promotional potential . Once it became his trademark , a 1956 newspaper article said Moran was rumored to have given away two diamond rings a week . Much better than finding a tiny pearl in a raw oyster , one customer said .
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Just in time for the holidays , you can give the gift of travel with the American Italian Cultural Center ! We have our Opera Lovers Northern Italy Tour and our Magic Sicilian and Amalfi Coast Tours 2021 ! You can view the full trip itineraries at americanitalianculturalcenter . com ! Call the AICC to Reserve your spot today ( 504 ) 522-7294
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