Monday, June 18, 2012

PRIME-RIB and RINGO STARR





PRIME RIB



and RINGO




RINGO STARR



Prime-Rib and Ringo! What you say? Yes I say "Prime-Rib and Ringo."
What the Hell do they have to do with one-and-other? Isn't Ringo a Vegetarian? Yes? But isn't he English, Prime Rib Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding? Yes? Ringo is a Vegetarian, but he probably ate and loved Prime-Rib Roast Beef before he stopped eating meat, no? Yes, we thinks so. Question to you Ringo, "Did you eat and like Prime-Rib of Beef before you became a vegetarian?" We'd love to know. Please.
So, what the Hell does Ringo have to do with Prime-Rib you want to know. OK, I'll tell you. Number one, I've loved Ringo way before I ever loved or ate my first tasty piece of Prime-Rib way back when. I've loved and known Ringo and The Beatles ever since I was 4 or 5 years old. Yes I did. I grew up with Ringo and The Beatles. They were the biggest thing on Earth, practically any ways. "Love Me Do," I Wanna Hold Your Hand, "She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah," The Beatles, Fab Four, John, Paul George, and Yes RINGO. And yes this was the order you would say their names when saying them one by one; first John, then Paul, George 3rd, and then at The End, for the Grand Finale "Ringo."
OK so you love Ringo, you grew up with him and The Beatles you, "But What the Hell Does Ringo have to do with a juicy piece of Prime-Rib of Beef that he probably wouldn't or couldn't even want to eat?"
OK so as you all know by now, I love Prime-Rib, I love The Beatles, I love Ringo, so what does one have to do with the other? Where's the tie-in?
Mr. Ringo Starr, some years ago put together a band called The All Stars. Being a Beatle, a drummer, musician, and performer Ringo as it so happens still loves playing drums and performing live.
Lately I have been thinking and dying for me a nice "Juicy" Piece of Prime-Rib. Dam they're so yummy, so tasty. Having grown up in Jersey, I love me a nice piece of Prime-Rib of Beef every now and then. Prime-Rib of Beef is a big item in restaurants in Jersey, and many will have once a week Prime Rib Night where you can get yourself a nice piece of Prime Rib, a salad, vegetables, and potato, and maybe even some desert and or soup to start or a All-You-Can-Eat "Salad Bar" all for one nice very affordable price, somewhere around $19.99 to $24.95, whatever.




.


"PEACE & LOVE"


I've lived in the great city of New York for more than 25 years now, and if there's two things a former Jerseyite can't get in New York, it's Taylor Ham a good piece of reasonable priced 
Prime Rib. Two things people in Jersey really love. You just can not find Taylor Ham in New York anywhere. Taylor Ham is a Jersey thing.
Now your'e talking about Taylor Ham you say? What the Hell? Real quick for those who don't know, Taylor Ham is a commercially made pork-product similar in taste to "Spam" only better that was created in 1856 in Trenton, New Jersey by John Taylor. It's yummy, and Jerseyites love it. It's in there blood. Taylor Ham is sliced and pan-fried and usually goes on a plate with eggs for breakfast or in its most famous way with scrambled or fried eggs on a Taylor Ham & Egg Sandwich. Yumm! My mouth waters just thinking of one.
OK so that's the quick skinny on Taylor Ham, along with Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, and yes Prime Rib, the most beloved of Jersey Eats. So to Prime Rib and New York City. Well Prime Rib is no where near as big, popular, or beloved in NY NY they way it is New Jersey, but you can get it here, and another "but," but for a "Price." And a big price at that. Pretty much the only place more or less that you'll find Prime Rib in Manhattan is at any one of New York's great Steak Houses. Yes, besides Sirloin Steaks, T-Bones, Porter House Steaks, Filet Mignon, and Jumbo Lobsters, you can get a nice piece of juicy Prime Rib of Beef at any Steak House in New York.
A Prime Rib dinner at a New York Steak House? What's it gonna cost? Be prepared to dish out about a Hundred Bucks, maybe a little less depending upon if you go for lunch or dinner, lunch being a bit cheaper of course. Let's take Smith & Wollensky one of New York's great and most icon steak houses. At lunch you can get a nice piece of juicy Prime Rib for $36.50 .. You do mot get any vegetable or potato on the plate so add $6.50 for a baked potato. You have to have a least one drink, a beer, or glass of wine, add another $12.00 and your sub-total is $55.  You gotta pay tax and leave the waiter a good tip, so your grand total is gonna be about $72 for a bare minimum Prime Rib lunch, at dinner your gonna be around a hundred bucks. No thanks unless you are rich or have a rich friend picking up the tab. Oh yeah I can afford this, but not very often, as most of us out there in the year 2012, 11, 2010, we hope 2013 will be better and 2014, the U.S. economy booming or near to it once again. "Hope and Pray my friends," all of us 99%ers.
OK so I been dying to have me some Prime Rib of late. Even thinking of taking a trip out to Jersey to get one in one of the World's Prime Rib meccas. Yes.
I have also been wanting to see Ringo and His All Star Band for some years now. Every time I'd see his name up on the Radio City Marquee, I'd say to myself "Self, one of these days you just gotta go see Ringo." Yes.
So it's June 2012 and I see Ringo is playing at the Jones Beach Theater and I might want to go. He's not playing Radio City this year and getting to Jones Beach from Manhattan without a car can be though not impossible, a bit difficult it is, especially as compared to jumping in a cab or hopping a Subway up to Radio City, easy and just a matter of minutes. Well I started doing some research and went on to good ole Ringo's website at RinogStarr.com .. As I browsing through I see Todd Rundregn is in this years (2012) All Star Band ... This seals the deal for me. Todd is awesome. I continue to look on the website and see the schedule for the whole concert tour. Ringo is playing The Mohegan Sun Casino Arena on June 17, a Sunday and my day off. Perfect. It's my day off and it will be easier to get to the Mohegan Sun than to Jones Beach, and cheaper too with all the casino bus discounts and special offers. "I'm in." I go on line and buy some tickets. Yee-Ha I'm all set. Gonna go see Ringo, finally, and this will complete me see each and every Beatle in person. I went to a George Harrison Concert at Madison Square garden when I was just a teenager. My first Beatle. Second was John Lennon as I saw him walking down West 72nd Street one day. Quite a thrill. Even more of a thrill was when I was the Maitre'd at Da Silvano Restaurant and met Paul McCartney twice. One of those days, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and the great Bozz Scaggs just happened to be dining at Da Silvano as well. Paul chatted with both of them for several minutes. Quite exciting. So that's three Beatles down, John, Paul, George, and now Ringo. I can't wait, and there's going to be a bonus, my Prime rib Dinner, and it's almost for free.








A free Prime rib Dinner you say? Where? At the Mohegan Sun Casino at their buffet restaurant Seasons. Well I got on the Casino Bus, rode up there to Connecticut to the casino. The bus trip is only $15 round trip and when you get to the casino and get off the bus you get two $20 betting vouchers and the all important $20 food voucher good at any Mohegan Sun Restaurant. Yeah Babee! I did as most people do opt for the big Buffet Dinner, just $24 and all the Spare Ribs, Oysters, Clams, Fried Clams, Fried Chicken, Pasta, Stir Frys, Fish, Roast Turkey, Salads,  Veggies, "PRIME RIB" and tasty deserts you can eat. And believe me people eat.
So I get there, get on line, then pay just $4 after giving them my $20 food voucher. Awesome! We sit down, and I go up for my first bit of food, the appetizers. I get 1 piece of fried chicken, 2 Spare Ribs, and some Fired Clams. Yumm! Dam the Barbecued Spare Ribs are some of the tastiest I've ever had and if it was 2 or 3 years previous and I wasn't eating healthier, I swear i would have eaten at least 8 or 10 of these Tasty Little Bad Boys. They were so dam tasty that I was seriously tempted to go get a couple more, as opposed to getting 6 or 8 more which I would have done a few years back. I'm proud of myself I had will power, I did not get any more Spare Ribs that I desperately wanted. good boy.
After I finished that 1st plate it was time to go up and get the Main-Event, the Prime Rib. As I approached the Prime Rib Roast Turkey Carving Station i noticed the carver guy was cutting the Beef kind of thin, especially for Prime Rib, "Man Prime Rib Has Just Gotta Be Thick!" You can't eat it any other way. So I approached the guy cutting the Prime Rib and said nice and friendly like and with assertion, "Hey Buddy Give Me a Nice Thick Slice of That Prime Rib Please." And he did, twice the thickness of others I'd seen him slice. Thank You Sir! I appreciate that. As you know, the Prime Rib has just Got To Be Thick.  
Yes, the Prime Rib was Excellent, nice and Juicy, Dam tasty, just like the Pork Spare Ribs. Yummm!!!! We had a few deserts and it was off to see Ringo.
Needless to say, the concert was great. Ringo, Todd and the rest of the Band were absolutely Awesome.  The All Star Band also had in it Steve Lukather of Toto (Friggin GREAT Guitarist), Rochard Page of Mr. Mister, and founding Santana keyboard player and lead singer Greg Rolie, aka  "The Duke" of Santana.  Todd did Hello It's Me, a "Rockin" rendition of Bang The Drum, and my favorite Rundgren song "I Saw The Light." Love it! The Band led by Santana keyboardist Greg Rolie did awesome renditions of "Black Magic Woman," Everbody's Everything, and Evils ways and former Toto guitaristist Steve Lakather was every bit Carlos Santana's equal in lead guitar roll for the Santana songs along with Lakather playing guitar and lead vocals for Toto Monster Hits done by Ringo and The All Stars, which included the iconic "Roseanna" (written about actress Roseanna Arquette, along with "Africa." Awesome Show and it exceeded our expectations. 
 I Loved it, "Prime-Rib and Ringo." a Tasty Combination to say the least...




Daniel Bellino Zwicke

a Lover of Prime-Rib, The Beatles and Ringo Starr






The BEATLES




















RINGO STARR

And HIS ALL-STAR BAND

TODD RUNDGREN  "I SAW THE LIGHT"

MOHEGAN SUN CONCERT

with RINGO STARR

GREGG ROLIE - Keboards (SANTANA)

STEVE LUKATHER - Guitarist (TOTO)

RICHARD PAGE - Bass (Mr. MISTER)






Friday, May 11, 2012

ANOTHER GREAT BRUNELLO TASTING ... BACK To BACK BANNER VINTAGES 2007 and 2006 BRUNELLO RISERVA .... New York ..May 2012




VINCENZO ABRUZZESSE
with a Bottloe of His Great Brunello
CALDCAVA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2007





GIACOMMO CASANOVA
with a Bottle of His Famed
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO TENUTA NUOVA 2007





 Well I was wondering what to expect when my cousin Joe asked me if I wanted to go to Brunello tasting at City Winery with him. He said it was with James Suckling (a Top guy at Wine Spectator and # 1 with Italian Wines for WSp) and David Suckiling.. Joe didn't give me details so I figured it was a Wine Spectator Event which is usually more about a lot of BSing making Money for the Wine Spectator and Markin Shanken as well as sucking up than anything else. Well me being in the wine and restaurant industry for more than 20 years, I go to a multitude of industry Wine Tastings, Wine Luncheons and Wine Dinners along with other events of the highest caliber. this tasting was geared toward retail buyers and novice wine enthusiast, a pay to go to event. Not the kind I usually go to, mine are more of the insider type. Well my cousin Joe wanted to go, so I went along for the ride. The day of the event I went on line to see what it was all about. It was not a Wine Spectator Event but one held and organized by James Suckling and David Sokolin. Ok. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary. My cousin drove in from Long island and met me at my house (apartment in Greenwich Village). We walked over to City Winery. I saw my friend Marco poring a wine and went over to his table. It was the Brunello Normale 2007 from Fabio Tassi. Wow! It was great and a precursor of things to come. The Tassi Brunello 2007 was outstanding. i couldn't beleive my eyes. My tastebuds. This wine was a perfect textbook Brunello, perfectly balance, correct in weight, not too heavy not too light but full of wonderful and perfect Sangiovese Grosss taste. The tasi Brunello Franci Riserva 2006 was equally good. Excuse me great! oh and by the way, this tasting was one special one as the wines being tasted, the Brunello di Montalcino 2007 and Brunello Riservas 2006 where two back to back vintages where of the highest caliber of ratings of mid-90s fro each vintage as a vintage overall. Outstanding, the pair of 2007 Normale and 2006 Riserva Brunellos. It's hard for me to remember back when I tasted so many great wines at one tasting. I was shocked. when after wine, Brunello after marvelous Brunello were oustanding. I couldn't believe it. they were almost all good. "Excuse me, Great!" All except for those offerings of Capanna and Uccelliera fo which neither of these producers thrilled me with their offerings as almost all others did.
   As I stated, pretty much all the the Brunello on hand were outstanding, well balanced, tasty and indicative of what great Brunello should taste like. 


Here is a list of the standouts:

Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino Del Piano Riserva 2006
Carpzao Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Carparzo Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva
Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
 Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva
Lisini Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Livio Sassetti Brunello Di Montalcino "Pertamali" 2007
Tassi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Brunello Di Montalcino Castello Banfi 2007
Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara 2006





Daniel Bellino Zwicke








Wednesday, April 25, 2012

WHO'S PLAYING THE SHITTY MUSIC MUSIC? THE CHEF !!!




BAOHAUS CHEF EDDIE HUANG
JUST WHAT WE NEED
GUYS LIKE THIS with HORRIBLE TASTE in MUSIC P
PLAYING THEIR CRAPPY PLAYLIST 
of  SHITTY MUSIC LIKE PRODIGY AND MOBB DEEP
WHILE WE TRY TO ENJOY OUR MEAL
WHAT'S THE WORLD COMING TO ???
FOR ONE THING
THE MUSIC KEEPS GETTING SHITTIER and SHITTIER



You may have have recently seen a article in The New York Times weekly dining section titled "Who's rocking The Music? The Chef" about many of New York and the countries young chefs blaring their playlist and music on the restaurants sound system. If it was good music being played  as with chef Emma Hearst of Sorella who likes Jimmy Paige and Neil Young and plays 
Led Zeppelin and other great Classic Rock Bands things would be fine. "But No" most of the chefs like most among their generation like and are in to the most "Horrible Music Ever Created in The Entire History of The World." Fact as has been proven by the likes of chef Eddi Huang who plays and subjects his customers to such awful artist as Prodigy and Mobb Deep. This is what the world has come to. Isn't it bad enough that half the retail stores you go in to, the kids working there are playing the World's Worst Music Ever, Hip Hop, Rap, and other so-called music of such horrible nature and tone.  Must customers who pay quite a bit of money eating at restaurants in New York be subject to the horrible noise blaring out of restaurant systems? Whether you are in a bar, a restaurant, at a club, or someones house dinner party, everything might be absolutely perfect, good company, nice surroundings, and delicious food, but if there is horrible music playing like some sort of Hip Hop Crap or Heavy Metal, it can completely destroy the whole feeling of a dinner and turn the feel and ambiance of a place into a mean and cruel Torture Chamber. This is what the young chefs do when they blare out any kind of awful Rap Crap and other music that is not condusive to dining out, sitting down to a meal where you hope to feel relax, enjoying the food, company, and ambiance. But such awful music can immediately and completely destroy a good mood in an instant. This is wrong.
In the NY Times article Who's Rocking The Music? The Chef, here is a statement 
Recette Chef  Jesse Schenker makes that was quoted in the article, quote; "There’s just one thing you don’t want to interrupt. 
If a server needs something from me, and I’m in the middle of an air-guitar lick,” he said, “I’m going to finish it before I respond.”

   Yeah that's just Great Jesse, let someones $35 plus tax and tip (= $46) piece of fish get "OVercooked" because you're in the middle of an Air Guitar Lick that must be attended to before you attend the range. that's just Brilliant.


    Why is it that this generous doesn't make any good music? Well almost none at all. Yes there may be a few things here and there, yet 90 % plus of it is pure unadulterated "Crap" as in mainly "Rap."  This is not a generational thing. I love any good music no matter if it is of my generation, previous generations, or the younger generation if they are capable and or have any good taste to do so, and occasionally they do, but in comparison to the whole pictures, this phenomena of the current generation producing any great music the likes of which you saw and heard on a tremendous scale in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and a bit in the 80's and 90's as well, but since the early 90's the state and quality of Musical Recordings has gone serious down as if being obliterated into extinction. The younger generation for the most part, has horrible taste in music and this current generation of musical artist for the most part lack talent in creating beautiful and tasteful music. They just don't have it, and now, we who dine in restaurants are sometimes subject to loud horrible tasteless music of young ego maniacal chefs with "Horrible Taste in  Music." Stick to the cooking    
boys (and Girls), "You're Music Sucks."







Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Friday, April 6, 2012

JAMES BOND TO DITCH MARTINI For HEINEKEN
















Yes Bond Fans, it's True. Agent 007 James Bond will be trading in his beloved Trademark Shaken Martini for a Greeny, a bottle of Heineken  ...  Why? Well it  seems as though The Mega Dutch Brewery is throwing a lot of Green Bonds way. Green as in Green Heineken Bottle, Broccoli Money Green, producer Barbara Broccoli is not about to turn her nose up at 45 Million in green. That's 45 Million Dollars that Heineken International is dishing out for Brand placement in The 23rd Edition of James Bond 007 of Skyfall do out November 2012 ... Forty-Five Million Dollars is nothing to sneeze at and will probably cover 1/3 or more of the productions cost of Skyfall. Never the less, this move is sure to piss off many a Bond fan, but in the end Money Talks and Heineken is putting their money where their mouth is.
in other Bond News, the New Bond Girl has just been cast in the form of the beautiful Greek born actress Tonia Sotiropoulou . Tonia is quite happy to be have chosen the New Bond Girl and stated, "This is the happiest Day of My Life," while Bond fans may not feel the same at the loss of The Beloved Martini.







Daniel Bellino Zwicke
















Thursday, April 5, 2012

HUMP-DAY HAPPY HOUR at THE MERMAID INN















$12.00 For A DOZEN OYSTERS
JUST A BUCK A POP





Had another great Happy Hour at The Mermaid Inn yesterday. Awesome. Had a couple noice Cocktails made by the awesome Bartender Kelly. She Rocks ! A spicy Bloody Mary followed by a Dark and Stormy (Dark Rum and Ginger Beer) along with a little Fish Taco and 8 succulent Widows Hole Oysters. Yummm !!!  And then a complimentary nice little Demi Tasse Cup of Chocolate Mousse for desert.
The place was Rockin for this Hump-Day Happy Hour and I was lovin it. The Mermaid Inn is a lovely little place nestled in a southern most corner of Greenwich Village. It is on the block of Macdougal Street between Bleecker and Houston Street just a half block North of the Houston Street Soho Greenwich / Village Border. The Mermaid Inn has been a welcome addition to the neighborhood, especially with the great Happy Hour they have, it's quite popular, and people love it, especially in this day and age when many need nice affordable places to unwind after work. Places we they don't have to pay the Arm and a Leg cocktail prices of $12 to $16 for a measly cocktail.  At the Mermaid Inn Happy Hour you'll get great cocktails for just $7, Beers are $5.00, and succulent briny East Coast Oysters just a Buck a Pop. No wonder people love it so much, and with the wonderful ambiance, attention to detail and great bartenders like Kelly, "What's not to like?"







THE MERMAID INN
MACDOUGAL STREET
GREENWICH VILLAGE





Daniel Bellino Zwicke


Sunday, April 1, 2012

The SCORSESE FAMILY BUTCHER

. .

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ALBANESE MEAT MARKET 

Elizabeth Street ..NEW YORK  NY



 


OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN BUTCHER

SCORSESE FAMILY BUTCHERS





photos by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
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Catherine and Charles Scorsese

as they Appear in Son Martin Scorsese 's Film "ITALIAN AMERICAN"


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CATHERINE SCORSESE Making SUNDAY SAUCE ITALIAN GRAVY 


For The Shooting of ITALIAN AMERICAN




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GRANDMA BELLINO'S SICILIAN COOKBOOK


RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA



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CHARLIE SCORSESE Making SUNDAY SAUCE GRAVY

In The Prison Scene with Paul Sorvino , Ray Liotta , and Frank Pelligrino Sr

In Martin Scorsese 's GOODFELLAS

Screenplay Martin Scorsese and Nick Pileggi

based on Nicholas Pileggi's Book WISEGUY


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Catherine Scorsese with JOE PESCI   RAY LIOTTA   and ROBERT DiNERO

In MARTIN SCORSESE'S GODDFELLAS

"The Hoof The Hoof"



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The SCORSESE FAMILY

Marty Charlie and Catherine

In Their  ELIZABETH STREET Apartment

ITALIAN AMERICAN


.
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SUNDAY SAUCE
WHEN ITALIAN AMERICANS COOK

INSIDE


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ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP





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The Albanese Meats and Poultry Market had its humble beginning in New York City's famous "Little Italy" in 1923.

Started by Moe-the-Butcher's father and mother, Vincenzo and Mariannina (Mary), the Albanese Family has been serving the very finest meats and poultry for nearly 85 years.

In a part of the city overrun with butchers, pork stores, and Italian deli's, Albanese Meats and Poultry distinguished itself by catering to their customers and exclusively serving many of the specialty meats and holiday favorites desired by the mostly Italian immigrant community at that time. Then in the early 50's, Moe, after finishing college, joined the family business, as the success of the store on Elizabeth Street allowed them to expand their footprint on the Lower East Side with another store near the Williamsburg Bridge.
With his father close by his side, this is where Moe learned the trade and honed his skills as a Master Butcher- excelling in the art of skinning and butchering while formulating a keen eye for buying only the finest cuts of meat.
Then with the untimely passing of Vincenzo in 1954, the new shop was closed and Moe put aside his aspirations of attending medical school to join his mother on Elizabeth Street. He's been there ever since. Mary and Moe worked together on Elizabeth Street for nearly 50 years until her passing at the age of 97 in 2002. Now, Moe carries on the business and the great family tradition- serving only the finest cuts of meat with the same enjoyment and enthusiasm as the old days.






ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP

The MOVIE








MOE THE BUTCHER


ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP


ELIZABETH STREET

NEW YORK NY

.




















LITTLE ITALY TOUR


VINNIE VELLA


The Un-OFFICIAL MAYOR of ELIZABETH STREET




.


THE RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

by DANNY BOLOGNESE


.






PICTURE of SINATRA

with TONY

owner of The Marechiare Bar

aka TONY'S NUTHOUSE

on MULBERRY STREET

Now it's The MULBERRY STREET BAR

.





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.
        .

Thursday, February 16, 2012

ITALIAN AMERICAN ... WHAT IS IT?


There has long been a debate, fights, and Mud-Slinging in regards to Italian and Italian-American
food served in restaurants in New York and the rest of the U.S.. Culinary Snobs, people who "Think" they know what they are talking about and what not. I can set the record straight, being an
 Italian-American who has been eating Italian and Italian-American food for more than forty years, who has been professional Chef and someone who has eaten all over Italy on some 15 trips to the great peninsular. In addition to studying Italian Food in Italy for some 25 years, I am constantly reading all sorts of articles , cookbooks, and historical facts on this subject, in addition to being one of the countries foremost authorities on Italian Wine.
   Anyway, let me tell you. I myself was once a uninformed Food Snob who badmouthed and was slightly disdainful of unauthentic Italian food being served in restaurants all over the city. That's just in restaurants. Of course I Loved eating Sunday Sauce, Eggplant Parmigiano, and Meatballs that my aunts made at our frequent family get together s. And on the occasions that we weren't at one of the family's homes but in an Italian restaurant in Lodi or Garfield, I usually ordered Chicken  or Veal Parmigiano. Yes I loved it, but these dishes, for me at the time (1985-1993) had their place, and it was not in the kitchen or on the plates of any serious Italian Restaurant in Manhattan.
   Eventually as I learned more of the history of food in New York, Italy, and the World, I realized that there was actually a real true Italian-American Cuisine and that it was completely valid.
  Do you realize that if you think there is not a true valid Italian-American Cuisine, then you also must concede that there is No True French Cuisine, because the origins of what we now know as French food and Cuisine is really Italian. Yes, I said Italian. For the food and cuisine of French was quite primitive and did not begin to form into what we now know as French Food and French Cuisine until Caterina Medici of the Noble Florentine Family of the Medici married the King of France and brought her Florentine Chefs with her to the French Court way back in the 15th Century. So there. Many dishes which most people think of as French in origin, like Duck ala Orange, Bechamel, and others, are really Italian. "So there!"
   Anyway, back to Italian-American food. Food and cuisines are constantly changing and evolving. This is how Florentine Chefs of Italy, went to France with the newly crowned French Queen who was of the Italian Peninsular in one Katherine Medici  and taught the French how to cook. Thus Italians immigrating to the United States in the early 20th Century brought their ingredients and techniques from mother Italy to cook the dishes from their homeland, with some modifications do to financial issues (being poor) and the unavailability of certain ingredients, and started forming what would one day be known as Italian-American  food (Cuisine).




"to be Continued"


Daniel Bellino Zwicke









FRANK SINATRA
ONE of THE GREATEST
ITALIAN AMERICAN'S of ALL