Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Italo Stupino The KING BARBARESCO

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke (R)
with
ITALO STUPINO  "The KING of SANTA STEFANO" BARBARESCO
at
WINEBOW PORTFOLIO TASTING 2014
New York, NY


CASTELLO di NEIVE BARBARESCO 
From ITALO STUPINO


I drank trhough and tasted all of Italo's phenominal Barbarescos as well as his; Dolcetto,
Pinot Noir, and Barbaresco Santa Stefano ... Italo is The King of Santa Stefano .. He has the only vineyard. He used to sell fruit to Bruno Giacosa, but the contract is up and Italo will be the only one in the World making narbaresco Santa Stefano from now on. We drank the base Barbaresco Castello del Neive 2009 and the Barbaresco Santa Stefano 2009, both awesome, but the Santa Stefano had a slight edge of awesomeness. But not by much, both are great wines, perfectly balanced with fine fruit, and perfect examples of what a great Barbaresco should be. They are Textbook. It was great to see Italo again. He is the man! I just love that guy, and would rather drink his Barbaresco over anyone else's. ANd this of course includes Angelo Gaja, who makes some great Barbaresco, but the prices are through the roof, and dollare for dollar I'd put Italo's up against Gaja's any-day-of-the week .. You can't do any better ... Although I must say, I really enjoyed Anjelo's offerings last year when I tasted the wines at a tasting in New York with Anjelo and daughter Gaia ..



Daniel Bellino Z with Alessandro Mori of Il Maronetta Brunello

at The WORLD TRADE CENTER
New York, NY
Montcalm Wines Portfolio Tatsing

Alessandro tasted me on his latest vintages of his estates awesome Brunello ..
I really loved the 2008 Brunello Normale and the Brunello Reserva Madonna del Grazia 2008 was off the charts awesome .. The 2009 Brunello and Brunello Ros. Madonna del Grazia where awesome as well ... Alessandro let me have a taste of the Brunello 2010, which was a bottle tasting and has not been released.. The 2010 Brunellos, by law cannot be released to January 2015 and this was a nice suprise advanced tasting of a 2010 Brunello .. Alessandro was beaming. He is very proud of the wine and he said the vintage is one of the best. "I wouldn't disagree."

ZENATO AMARONE





M ARIOLAS
with His Families
 TURIGA


56dfe-sundaysauce-small-new-cvr 
SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA


SEGRETO ITALIANO, THE LATEST FEM DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE .. AMAZON.COM    
SEGRETO ITALIANO
THE LATEST FEM DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE ..

AMAZON.COM

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Johns Italian Restaurant New York



JOHN'S of 12th STREET
The MOVIE
WORLD PREMIER
SPECTACLE THEATER
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
New York
JOHN'S
East 12th Street
New York, NY
John's is one of the last of a dying breed of Old School Italian Red Sauce Joints .. John's has been a beloved East Village Italian New York Instituion since 1908, making it one of 
New York's oldest Italian Restaurants of which only a few of many remain. John's is one of them.
John's serves classic Old School Italian American food, including classics like; Clams Posillipo, Baked Clams Oreganata, Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Manicotti, and more, including now rare items such as Speedino alla Romano and Veal Sweetbreads.
The wonderful Turn of The Century decor of John's has been lovenly and painstakingly preserved with its 1908 decor still intact. John's is lively and the old school waiters help round out the total picture of Italian Food with great old 1908 decor and animated service from the Black Bowtied Waiters.
Over the years John's has seen the like of; John Lennon, Joe Jackson, Ray Davies, Carol Burnett, Montgomery Clift, Ron Silver, Rockets Redglare, Tom Crruise, Mimi Rodgers, and many other celebrites pass through its doors. Why don't you pass through too? It's great old Italian New York experience.


LUCKY LUCIANO
LUCKY LUCIANO

SUNDAY SAUCE
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES
SEGRETO ITALIANO
 

JOE MASSERIA HITS VALENTI

LUCKY LUCINIO Does The DIRTY WORK 
Outside JOHN'S of 12th STREET
Smarting over the recent attempt on his life, which had left two bullet holes through his hat and another two holes through his coat, Joe Masseria plotted bloody revenge in epic Italian Renaissance fashion.
Chief Assassin
The target of his wrath was Umberto Valenti, a seriously wily character who had blasted those bullet holes through Masseria’s hat and coat. According to the New York Times in 1915, Valenti was:
A former Black Hand extortionist, it was rumored that Valenti had killed over 20 men, a number of whom had been Masseria’s closest advisors. The thirty four year old Valenti was the chief assassin of Salvatore “Toto” D’Aquila, the New York Mafia’s supreme ruler, a Mafioso who was locked in vicious mob war with Masseria and his chief strategist Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello.
However, Masseria’s seemingly supernatural bullet dodging powers had given the hard noised, but superstitious, Valenti second thoughts. Second thoughts that had him suing for peace and walking into an ambush in one of New York’s most storied Italian restaurants, John’s of 12th Street, on August 11, 1922, a restaurant that has been used as a set on Boardwalk Empire and the Sopranos.
Well Dressed Gunmen 
Whether or not Valenti sampled the chicken parmigiana before being croaked has been lost to the winds of history. However, some time around noon, Valenti and six laughing companions emerged from their luncheon. Walking eastward, smiles turned into frowns. Suddenly, Valenti spooked and bolted towards Second Avenue as two slick, well-dressed gunmen whipped out revolvers and fired. Gangland legend holds that one of the shooters was none other than Charley “Lucky” Luciano, Masseria’s newest protégé (the other shooter was probably Vito Genovese).
The FEAST of The 7 FISH
Italian Christmas
Pandemonium on 12thStreet
As the shots flew, pandemonium broke loose on 12th Street. Whirling around, the feared assassin drew a revolver just as a bullet flew through his chest.
A teenage witness told the New York Times:
Luciano’s Escape
Despite Valenti’s death, the friendly Luciano and his pals weren’t done yet. A crowd formed to block the gunmen’s escape so the mobsters opened fire, hitting a street sweeper and a little girl visiting from New Haven Connecticut. The shots dispersed the crowd, and the hitmen disappeared into a nearby tenement.
Should I Bring Pajamas? 
Masseria was arrested for the murder.  During his arrest, he supposedly grinned and asked the police:
… whether he would need a nightshirt remarking, that the last time he slept in the station house they forgot to give him a pillow or pajamas.
For a job well done, Joe Masseria elevated Luciano to a leadership position at his headquarters in the Hotel Pennsylvania. All murder charges were eventually dropped, and Masseria, on his way to becoming Joe the Boss, set his sights on Valenti’s overlord, Toto De Aquila, New York’s boss of bosses.
However, John’s of 12th had another infamous last meal lined up twenty years later. The victim would be Carlo Tresca.
BASTA la PASTA !!!!
 

Monday, November 10, 2014

NEW YORK ITALIAN WINE GUY

     
ITALIAN WINE CULTURE NEW YORK
  Screen Shot 2013-10-26 at 3.52.07 PM  

Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke and Marchese Leonardo Frescobaldi
in
NEW YORK

Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 1.33.15 PM
SASSICAIA Winemaker SEBASTIANO ROSA
with Friends Daniel Bellino-Zwicke and GIOVANNI FOLNARI of NOZZOLE
in
NEW YORK


  Marchese Piero Antinori with Writer Daniel Bellino-Zwicke in NEW YORK

Marchese Piero Antinori
with Writer
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
in NEW YORK
Marchese Piero Antinor with New York Writer Daniel Bellino-Zwicke


Ferdinando Frescobaldi  and Daniel Bellino Zwicke in NEW YORK 

Ferdinando Frescobaldi
and
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
in
NEW YORK


MARCHESE FERDINANDO FRESCOBALDI Meets With Friend DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE at BRUNELLO EVENT 
in 
NEW YORK

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke & Calvalieri Luigi Cappellini at DeGrezia Restorante NEW YORK 


Daniel Bellino-Zwicke & Calvalieri Luigi Cappellini at DeGrezia Restorante NEW YORK



LUIGI CAPPELLINI  (L) the Propritor of CASTELO VERRAZZANO in GREVE in CHIANTI
Meets with Friend and Wine Director of DeGrezia Restorante DANIEL BELLINO ZWIKCE 
at DeGrezia in NEW YORK




Screen Shot 2014-08-03 at 10.31.38 PM

Count Francesco Muroni Cinzano (R) Propietor of Col D'ORCIA
Meets with DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
at DeGrezia Restorante in NEW YORK


63099-sunday-saucesmall1



SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES

SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES

Monday, November 3, 2014

The Feast of The 7 Fish is Getting a New Cover

The FEAST of The 7 FISH
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
New Cover
 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke's book THE FEAST of The 7 FISH is getting a New Cover ... The Feast of The 7 Fish, Italian Christmas by Daniel Bellino Zwicke is the # 1 Best Selling Book on Amazon of this genre of The Feast of Seven Fish Italian ritual Christmas Meal, known in Italy as La Vigilia or Feste di Sette Pesci .. 
The Feast of The 7 Fish is a wonderful Italian Christmas Tradition wereby you sit down to a meal (Feast) of 7 different fishes that represent The 7 Sacraments of The Holy Roamn Catholic Church .. This is a wonderful old tradition of The South of Italy which has been carried on by many Italian-Americans with Southern Italian roots, in particular families whose ancestry is from Naples (Napoli) and its invirons of Benevento and Avelino, as well as those Americans with Sicilain roots in their ancestry.
Yes, some have caried on this great tradition. Some make seven fish for the feast while some may make Baccala for the main course, and maybe some Baked Clams or Stuffed Calamari for an apetizer (antipasto). Some may just make the Baccala or some other fish for the main course and no other fish. Some make the whole seven fish fish, and some even make up to 11 different fish, though this is a rare meal. And it's perfectly fine to make just once fish, as long as you are having fish, you need not make a big elaborate meal but whatever you like, as long as you have a good time. And Daniel gives hints on how to make an easy seven fish feast without going through so much work, unless you really want to. It's all up to you.
 
 
BAKED CLAMS OREGANATA
Baked Clams are an All-Time Italian-American favorite, and for good reason, they are tasty as can be. There are two different styles of Baked Clams that we Italians love to eat, mostly at restaurants but at home as well. The two most famous baked clam dishes are; Clams Casino that have bacon, butter, garlic parsley, and minced Bell Peppers baked on top and Baked Clams Oreganata. The Clams Casino are quite good, but we will include the other Baked Clam dish, Baked Clams Oreganata for the Christmas Eve Fish Dinner as they do not contain any meat.
INGREDIENTS:
2 dozen Littleneck Clams
1 cup Bread Crumbs
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons dry Oregano
1/8 Olive Oil
¾ cup water
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, washed, dried, and minced fine
 
 
1. Wash Clams in cold running water. Place in a large pot with water and 2 of the garlic cloves. Turn heat on to high. When water comes to the boil, add clams and cover pot. Let cook about 3 minutes, just until the clams start opening. We do not want the clams to cook here, but just to open.
2. Remove clams from pot and let cool, reserving the cooking juices.
3. In a mixing bowl, add all remaining ingredients and stir to mix. When the clam cooking liquid has cooled down, add little by little to breadcrumb mixture which should already by slightly moist from the olive oil. Add clam broth a little at a time. You want the breadcrumbs to be moist, but “Not Watery.”
4. Pry the top half-shell of the clam off, leaving the calm in the bottom shell and discarding the top shell. Place about 1 tablespoon of breadcrumb mixture over each Clam covering them all completely with the bread-crumbs.
5. Place the Clams on a sheet-pan and bake in a preheated 400 Degree oven for 6 or 7 minutes. Then place calms under a broiler for 20 to 30 seconds being careful not to let the breadcrumbs burn. They can have a slight char but not burned. The Clams are now ready for serving.
 
 
Note: Two to three clams will be sufficient per person if serving the full Seven Fish Dinner. If you are making this for another meal and serving as an appetizer, 5 to 7 clams is the preferred serving size. At a cocktail party, two clams per person is good.  
PS.. You can also make Mussels Oreganata in the same exact preparation, substituting Mussels for the Clams.
 
 
 
 
OLD COVER
 
 
 
 
SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES
 
SEGRETO ITALIANO
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE