Showing posts with label Cannoli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cannoli. Show all posts

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Sunday Sauce Still The Best

 







The following 3 paragraphs are excerpted from a piece by EATER, titled The RED SAUCE JOINT in a Jar ... October7, 2022



The RED-SUACE JOINT, in a Jar



Rao’s, the century-old 10-table Italian restaurant in New York City, is one of those places where most people, myself included, need not bother trying to get a reservation. (It is, by many reports, a challenge.) Despite that, Rao’s has succeeded in becoming a known name in far more homes than its capacity would allow, thanks to the pasta sauces it started selling in 1992. As of August, Rao’s Homemade, a line that sells sauce, frozen meals, and pizzas, is reportedly on track to become a billion-dollar brand.

Given Rao’s success, the only surprising thing about Carbone, the perpetually buzzing NYC Italian American restaurant, creating its own line of pasta sauces was the fact that it took so long to do so. Carbone, the crown jewel of the Major Food Group restaurant empire, opened in 2013 and became “an impossible reservation almost instantly,” Helen Rosner wrote in the New Yorker. In the years since, Carbone has grown into “the most celebrity-studded restaurant on Earth,” according to Vanity Fair; an NYC export; a singular example of the whimsies of the elite; and a social media phenomenon (the search term has over 1.4 billion views on TikTok). Rao’s and Carbone aren’t just any restaurants; they’re restaurants that make lists for Celebrity Sightings and where the powerful share meals.

“The sauce category is a crowded one, but what it is lacking is a premium product that can stand up to what’s served in restaurants,” CEO of Carbone Fine Foods Eric Skae claimed — perhaps boldly, in the purview of Rao’s fans — in a press release at the line’s launch in March 2021. Now, that premium sauce category expands further: This month, Rubirosa — another of NYC’s hot-table Red-Sauce Joints,


... excerpted from EATER, October 7, 2022

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You read the previous 3 chapters? OK, all this being said, jarred Italian Pasta Sauce might be OK for those who can't cook, and those who aren't of Italian-American ancestry, but no "Self Respecting Italian" would ever dream of buying Sauce in a jar. "No way, no how." We grew up with our nonna's and mothers making the tastiest Italian Sunday Sauce Gravy just about each and every Sunday of our lives. It's a right of passage and weekly ritual of practically anyone who counts themselves as Italian-American of this great country of America. 

Each Sunday our family would gather at one of my aunts and uncles houses in Lodi, New Jersey, and my aunts Fran and Helen would make our beloved Sunday dish of Sunday Sauce, aka as Gravy. The sauce was laden with Meatballs, Sausages, and Braciole that slowly simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and basil. First we'd have a little mixed Antipasto of Salami, Provolone, Roast Peppers, and Olives, preceding the main event, the Sunday Sauce Gravy with Maccheroni. We'd dig in and get our fair share, then relax a half hour or so, before we started on coffee and dessert, which conisted of Cannoli, Sfogliatell, assorted Italian Cookies and Cakes, and Espresso with Anisette for the adults.

They were warm and wonderful times at the Bellino's as we all gather with my mother (Lucia), her brother Jimmy, Tony, and Frank, aunts Wanda, Helen, and Fran, and my cousins Anthony, Phylis, Connie and JoAnne, and my brother Jimmy, Barbara, and myself. My aunt and uncles friends like, Charlie Palumbo, Jimmy Scarlotta, Alice Foggi, and other would stop by for coffee and dolce as well. These were and still are the most beautiful times of my life, those memories of Sunday meals with our Italain family. And of course we weren't the only one. These Sunday rituals of Sunday Gravy, maccheroni, Cannoli, friends, and family were practiced by a couple million Italian families all over America. We grew up with the most tasty Italian foods. We were the envy of our Irish and Polish friends, and we would never dream of buying and eating sauce from a jare. We always make it homemade (recipe ), "never ever store bought from a jar. Never" !!!


DBZ



AMERICA'S LEADING BOOK

On SUNDAY SAUCE ITALIAN GRAVY



SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

STORIES - RITUALS & RECIPES

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE











Tuesday, February 26, 2013

DON'T Forget The CANNOLIS CLEMENZA




"Leave The GUN, Take The CANNOLIS" Clemenza (Richard Castellano of Jersey) tells Rocco who just "Made His Bones" whacking Paulie who set up Don Corleone ...  Sonny finds out and this Clemenza he doesn't want to see him any more (WHACK Him "Kill")

This is a Classic scene in the Mario Puzzo - Francis Ford Coppola classic "The Godfather"
We see Clemanza holding the box of Cannolis for his wife who was the one who told Clemenza when he was leaving their house "Don't Forget the CANNOLIS"
This is One of The Most Famous and most-quoted lines in movie history.






ROCCO'S PASTRIES

BLEECKER STREET

GREENWICH VILLAGE



Yes, "don't Forget The Cannolis," Clemenza's wife tells him as he leaves the house. And if you've ever tried the Cannolis at Rocco's Pastries on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village New York, you won't want to forget thes tasty Sicilian Specialties either. Yes Cannolis are Sicilian. And speaking of Sicilian Pastries, fi you don't already know, Sicily is renowned for having both the Best Gelato and best pastries in the whole of Italy. I'm Sicilian American and I was practically weaned on these tasty little treats. And Rocco's around the block from my apartment (Lucky Me) makes the best in The City. Believe me! Rocco's is a truly wonderful Pastry Shop that makes all sorts of amazing Italian Cookies, Cakes, and Pastries like Cannoli, Sfogiatelle, Eclairs, Rhum Baba, Lobster Tails and much more. 
When you walk into the place, you'll just love it. It's absolutely wonderful, with showcases that stretch about 30 feet, filled with Rocco's Mouthwatering Cookies, Cakes, and Pastries. They've got Coffee and Italian Ices too. The ambiance is wonderful, and you can sit down at the caffe tables for an Espresso, Cappuccino, and whatever marvelous sweets you decide to eat. They are all quite Irresistible.  You are sure to have a little quandary as you try to decide which of the huge selection you will take home. But it is quite a good Quandary to be in. Enjoy!






The Best Cannolis in Town
Rocco's Pastries
Greenwich Village, New York




Daniel Bellino-Zwicke


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SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA

Learn How to Make CLEMENZA 'S GODFATHER SUNDAY SAUCE

Recipe in SUNDAY SAUCE  by Daniel Bellino



mrnewyorkny_grandma

RAGU BOLOGNESE SECRET RECIPE

by Danny Bolognese

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

BUTCHER the BAKER

The BUTCHER The BAKER The CANDELSTICK MAKER



In earlier times up until the beginning of the last century, The Butcher, The Baker, and The Candlestick Maker
were some of societies most respected and needed citizens. These artisans provided light, bread, poultry, meat, pastries, and cakes to the local citizenry. Even far into the twentieth century there were still many small villages in Italy and allover Europe where there were still families who did not have an oven To cook in so they would bring things such as casseroles, pans of lasagna, and stews to the baker for him to cook their food inside the bakeries ovens.
Since the advent of electricity the candlestick maker is no longer a necessity to everyday life. Because of convenience foods and supermarkets neither are the butcher and to some extent the baker. In this day and age the baker is still important for holidays and special occasions like birthdays and weddings. The butcher however is used by a very small percentage of the total population.
For those of us of Italian ancestry the butcher is of extreme importance, especially in the areas of fresh pork sausage, Braciole, and properly cut veal scaloppini.
There are usually two different types of butcher shops that we deal with. There is the very personalized tiny butcher shop that usually just sells fresh cut meat and poultry as well as fresh made sausages. Pino’s on Sullivan Street next to St. Anthony’s and Florence Prime Meat Market
also in Greenwich Village are two good examples of the small neighborhood butcher shops of which most spots in Brooklyn, The Bronx, and small towns and cities around the country still possess in the form of the local butcher. These shops are run by master meat cutters who will cut your steaks, chops, and cutlets to order, just the way you like it.
The other type of butcher shop of which are frequented by Italian-Americans is the Pork Store. Pork Stores have master butchers the same as the Butcher Shop, but in addition to purveying fresh meat, they sell many other food products such as items imported from Italy like; Imported Pasta, Prosciutto di Parma, olive oil, vinegars, porcini, Salami, Italian Cheese, Mortadella, cured olives, and numerous other precuts.
If you were ever pressed to pick one item sold at a
Italian Pork Store or butcher shop that is most important to Italian-Americans, it would have to be without question, fresh pork sausages. To most Italians it is like a religion and of great importance. There are not many self-respecting Italian-Americans who would ever even think of buying mass-produced sausage at a supermarket. Every true Italian has their own favorite Butcher Shop or Pork Store that makes the sausage just the way they like it. As for me, the “Best,” hands down, would have to be Florence Prime Meat Market on Jones Street in The Village. Their sweet sausage is perfectly seasoned with garlic, salt, and black pepper. I love it, as well as their tasty lamb sausage which not every butcher makes. Faiacco’s Pork Store around the block from Florence is also the other local favorite were I can get many of the items necessary to cooking a proper Italian meal.
If you want to make Braciola, whether it is of beef or pork, the butcher is of great importance. You need to have your meat cut and pounded in a specific way to make the braciola. Also, if you’re in a pinch for time to make the braciola yourself, most good Italian butchers make very nice braciola that are all tied-up and ready for cooking in your own sauce.
Also of great significance to Italians is good quality veal, especially when it comes to the subject of scaloppini’s and cutlets for making dishes like; Veal Picatta, Saltimbocca, veal and peppers, Veal Parmigiano, and Veal Milanese.
Now to the baker and I think we’ll forget the candlestick-maker, although if you want to get the most beautiful hand-dipped candles you’ll ever see, I can tell you where to get them. There is a wonderful little shop in the tiny village of Sugarloaf, New York, about a hours drive north of New York City where you can get the most beautiful Candles in the world.
Back to the baker. In many of our wonderful Bellino Family dinners over the years, my aunts would make delicious cakes and cookies sometimes but not always. It is more than enough just to prepare the antipasto, pasta, and main course if there’s one other than the pasta. You don’t always have all the time it takes to make desert as well. This is where the baker comes in.
At any of our family meals or ones with friends, desert and coffee is extremely important, for after we are finished eating the previous courses we usually sit around the table for another two to three hours drinking coffee and Anisette along with some sweets, Italian Pastries and cookies. We chat and tell stories, especially Uncle Frank. One or more guests would stop at the Italian Bakery and get all sorts of goodies to munch on with coffee. Things like; Cannoli, Sfogiatelle, Eclairs, and assorted Italian cookies, so the baker was and still is of extreme importance to us all year long, not just at the holidays and birthdays but practically every Sunday when we had the famed “Bellino Sunday Supper” at Aunt Fran and Uncle Tony’s house in Lodi.
I know that many people all over the country get together and have the same type of big wonderful family meals as our family does. Sadly I know that there are some people who never have. I hope this book will inspire people to get together with friends and family to share a beautiful meal and happy moments, whether you have never had the opportunity before or if you have not done so for a while, may you be sparked to organize a festive dinner for the first time or to renew a old tradition.