In the insular, cheek-by-jowl world of the market, where disagreements can turn operatic and rumors morph with each retelling from stall to stall, the question of what motivates this dispute is more easily asked than answered.
Morello maintains it is the fallout of a political feud between supporters of City Councilman Frank DiCicco, including herself, and backers of Vernon Anastasio, who tried to unseat DiCicco in last year's Democratic primary, and whose brother Anthony runs a coffeehouse and chocolate shop amid the spice and spectacle of the historic market. Anthony is also an officer in one of the market's business-owner associations.
The Anastasios say that there is no political feud with DiCicco, and that they have had nothing to do with the rise or fall of the book.
"There is no controversy. You are responding to a fabricated story," Anthony Anastasio said.
"One colossal misunderstanding," said Vern Anastasio, who as a lawyer represented his brother in a recent exchange of letters with Morello's lawyer, each side accusing the other of defamation.
An Aug. 4 letter from Morello's lawyer, H. Adam Shapiro, threatened legal action for alleged interference in Morello's business. On Aug. 15, Anthony Anastasio countered with a "civil action/defamation," docket No. 001788, filed in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Last week, Morello was served with a complaint signed by Vern Anastasio alleging that statements she had made amounted to "intentional infliction of emotional distress" on his brother.
"If there is anything going on in the Italian Market regarding her book, it has zero to do with politics," Vern Anastasio said. "As far as Anthony is concerned, he never told anyone not to carry her book."
Speaking for DiCicco, his legislative aide Brian Abernathy said he knew of the cookbook imbroglio but was not familiar enough to comment in detail. "Certainly, Celeste is a friend" of DiCicco's, he added, "and Anthony and Vernon are not."
