Sinatra Bellino Luciano n Cappuccino New York

 

Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke and Frank Sinatra

FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA

ROOTS Are From LERCARA FRIDDI, SICILIA, ITALIA

Best Selling Cookbook author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke has some things in common with the late-great Francis Albert Sinatra and famed Mafia Kingpin Charles "Lucky" Lucciano ... What? Their families all hail from the town Lercara Friddi, Sicily in the Provence of Palrermo in Italy ... Lucciano was born there in 1897 and immigrated with his parents in 1907 to New York and the United States. Sinatra's father Martino Sinatra was born in there in 1892 and his parents immigrated to New York in 1903 ... Bellino's maternal grandparents Josephina and Philipo Bellino were born in Lercara Friddi and immigrated to the United States to New York City in 1904, and later settled in the Italian Conclave of Lodi, New Jersey where Daniel's grandfather set up a Shoemaker shop on Main Street ... Take note that Sinatra's grandfather was also a shoemaker in Lercara Friddi, and it is certain the these two grandfathers must have known each other in the small Sicilian town.

More on LERCARA FRIDDI

Lercara Friddi is a commune (municipality) in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily , located about 45 kilometers (28 mi) southeast of Palermo . Founded in 1595 by local feudataries, it is on the slopes of Madore Hill, between the valleys of Fiumetorto and Platani rivers. In the past it was an important mining center, the only one in the province of Palermo where sulfur was excavated. On December 25, 1893, eleven people were killed in the massacre Lercara Friddi During The Fasci Siciliani uprising after a rally of peasants and sulfur miners That asked for the abolition of taxes and better working conditions.

Andrea Finocchiaro Aprile (1878-1964), politician

Mauro Picone (1885-1977), mathematician

Anthony Martin Sinatra (1892-1969), professional boxer and father of singer, Frank Sinatra (1915-1998)

Lucky Luciano (1897-1962), gangster

Pietro Scaglione (1906-1971), magistrate

Nicolo Nicolosi (1912-1986), football player and manager

Pietro Lo Forte (1920-2004), musician

Frédéric François (b. 1950), singer-songwriter

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke (b. 1958), cookbook author

GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

RECIPES From My SICILIAN GRANDMOTHER

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Based on Sicilian Recipes from Daniel's Maternal Nonna Giuseppina Bellino .. 

The Recipes are mostly Sicilian as well as Neapolitan dishes from Giuseppina's friends who hailed from Napoli, Salerno, and the surrounding cities and towns of Naples.

RECIPES : ARANCINI (Sicilian Rice Balls), CAPONATA, STUFFED ARTICHOKES, BRACIOLA, ZUPPA LENTICHE (Lentil Soup) SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS, PASTA LENTICHE, and More ....

CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO

Charles "Lucky" Luciano, born Salvatore Lucania November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an Italian-American mobster and Crime Boss. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for the establishment of the first Commission. He was the first official boss of the modern Genovese crime family. He was, along with his associates instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States. Luciano was tried and successfully convicted for compulsory prostitution in 1936 after years of investigation by District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey. Luciano was given a thirty-year prison sentence, but was allowed to live his life freely outside the United States when he struck a deal with the government during World War II still imprisoned.

       

Sunday Sauce

When Italian-Americans Cook

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Recipes :

SINATRA SUNDAY SAUCE

PASTA FAZOOL

SPAGHETTI MARINARA

and More ...

SOPHIA LOREN

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Capogatto Boreaux in Tuscany

CAPOGATTO

From Vittorio Fiore

PODERE SCALETTE

GREVE, ITALY

Reporting from the Winebow Annual Grand Portfolio Tasting.

As usual a great event of a couple thousand fine wines from around the World. This guy always focuses primarily on the Italians with a few French, Ports, Champagne, and a few others thrown in here and there. The tasting did not disappoint and one big surprise from some friends in Greve, the Fiore Family led by father and famed wine maker Vittorio Fiore, son Jyuri (Vineyard Manager and co/Winemaker), and brother Roberto who was my first Wine-Salesman from Winebow when I had my Bacaro Bar Cichetti back in the late 90's. Well, I spotted Vittorio doing some tasting on his own and started up a little chat. Asking him how his sons Jyuri and Roberto are doing and he said his son Robert whom I haven't seen in years was at the tasting and was manning their table.

    So I went over to the table with Vittorio and said hello to Roberto. Of course I tasted their famed Super Tuscan wine Il Carbionone. Awesome as always. I spotted another wine on the table and as I looked at it, it seemed to have a typical Bordeaux labeling to it. But I also noticed the Podere Scalette log on it so I knew it was one of the Fiore wines. After tasting the Il Carbionone I asked Roberto if that was a new wine the had. He said, "Yes it's a special project form Jyuri (brother who is vineyard manager and c0-winemaker along with father Vittorio). Roberto said that Jyuri was a bit tired working with just Sangiovese and wanted to make a Bordeaux Style wine. So the Fiores planted some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petitie Verdot. The wine, called Capogatto is make from equal parts of these 4 grapes. Well, let me tell you. The wine blew my mind. Awesome and perfect in every way. This wine had some nice flavor of all sorts of mixed berries both red and black and was in "Perfect Balance" of Acid, no harsh tannins, fruit flavor and nice medium weight. I loved it and told Roberto and Vittorio with all sincerity. And in the end, after tasting wine for another two hours, it was this wine that won top prize in my book for the best wine of the day, and I would give it a score of 94 on a 100 point scale. Absolutely marvelous.

And speaking of marvelous, I've just to mention the dessert wines of Fausto Maculan, who makes arguably, Italy's best dessert wines of all, and they are his specialty. When I came upon the Maculan table I spotted Fautos's daughter Angela, said hello and asked her if I could try the Brentino which has a special memory for me, as I always remmeber when my cousin Joe and I drank it one night back at the Hotel after a long day of flying from New York to Milano, grabbing a car at the airport and driving to Bardolino to spend the night before heading to Verona and Vinitaly the next day. Anyway, it was Joe's first trip to Vinitaly and our cousin Tony was along with us as well. After we checked into our hotel, we went out for lunch, then went to a nice litle Enoteca where we had a couple glasses of wine with some Salumi and cheese. In Italy, in a wine bar (Enoteca) you can buy bottles of wine to take home as well as consuming in the wine bar. Something you can not do in the states. This place had some really fine wine and Joe bought a bottle of Brentino, along with a bottle of Guado al Tasso, and a bottle of Sassicaia. After lunch and the wine bar, we all went back to the hotel to rest-up before going out to dinner. We had a nice dinner, went to another Enoteca after that and drank a great bottle of Amarone Brigaldara. "Awesome." We then went to some little cocktail lounge and had a couple drinks before heading back to the hotel.

We were back at the hotel for about 25 minutes when I heard a knock on my door. It was cousin Joe with a bottle of Brentino in hand. We popped the cork. We drank the Brentino and chatted about the day and the rest of the trip to come. It was just one of the great unplanned little time that you never forget. We had a great time drinking the Brentino and chatting at a hotel in Bardolino on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda 45 minutes from the Lovely little city of Verona. Just Great! So that's how I go off on a tangent about Brentino and drinking a bottle of the stuff in Bardolino at Lago de Garda.

After tasting the Brentino, which was nice, but could never taste as good as the one in the Valpolicella Classico area of Italy with cousin Joe. "No way!"

So I moved on to the renowned dessert wines of Fausto Maculan. I spot this wine Madoro and ask Angela if it's in the style of Recioto, the celebrated dessert wine of Valpolicella Classico and older brother of Amarone. Angelo said, yes it was in the same style but instead of Corvina, Rondenella, and Molinara, the Maculan "Madoro" is made from 80% Marzemina grapes and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. I tasted it and absolutely adored it. Near perfection. The wine had a bit of sweetness but not too much. Just the right amount in fact. It was rich and full, and in perfect balanced. I Loved it, and put this in my top 6 wines of the tasting along with the Capogatto from the Fiore's, a tasty Cote de Broilly from Chateau Thivin, Maculan Dindarello, and Maculan Torcoloto. All fabulous, outstanding wines. Wines to get excited about. Anyway, it was on to tasting the Maculan "Dindarello" made from 100% Moscato grapes. The wine was in perfect balance and tasting of Orange Blossoms, Honey, and Apricots. Yummy, to say the least as was the famed Maculan "Torcolato" made from 100% Vespaiola and tasting of Peaches, Honey, and Wild Flowers. Again, ummy and close to perfection. Wow!

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

ROBERTO & VITTORIO VIORE

at WINEBOW PORTFOLOIO TASTING

MEW YORK

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Tre Bicchieri New York 2017

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BIG DOGS of ITALIAN WINE

Famed Winemaker SEBASTIANO ROSA

with Author DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE

and GIOVANNI FOLNARI of NOZZOLE, Greve Italy

TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK

 

 TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK

 .... Most important Italian Wine Tasting of the Year Tomorrow 

SASSICAIA 2009

WINE of THE YEAR

at 2013 TRE BICCHIERI

also BARUA 100% Carrignano 

Lambrusco Grassparossa di Castelvetro

And a Pretty Italian Girl

SEBASTIANO ROSA

Famed Winemaker of SASSICAIA and BURUA

with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Tre Bicchieri is the most improtant Italian Wine Tasting of the year for people like me, New York Italian Wine People, including; restaurantuers, Wine Directors (Me), Wine Jounalsit (Me), and lovers of the grape of Italy .. In Italy the magazine Gambero Rosso is the equivalent of Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate combine .. Gambero Rosso publishes each year an extensive and exhaustive book Vini Italia every year and rates practically all of the wines of Italy, from North to South East to West .. Gambero Rosso unlike Parker, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiaist rates the wine tasted and reviewed with 1, 2, & 3 Glasses (Bicchieri) as oposed to Parker, WS, and WE ... The Tre Bicchieri Tasting are of all the 3 Glass Winners (Tre Bicchieri) of the year, and these tasting are held around the World in appointed cities like; New York, Milan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Sna Fransisico, Chicago, and others ... For me, yes the annual New York Tre Bicchieri Tasting is a great wine tasting, but for me it's more of a "Social Event" were I get to see many of my friends from Italy who are in town with their wine. As well as seeing my Italian friends, all the New York Italian Wine People are on hand, so you see a lot of people in one shot and accomplish quite a bit in a few hours time .. Anyway, I will sign off for now, go up to the tasting in an hour, taste wine, take notes, visit with friends, have a good time, and tomorrow or the next day I will report back on my findings, stories of friends, of Italy and my favorite wines of the day. All Italian. Basta !

REPRINT of 2014 TRE BICCHIERI .... (below)

The Big Guns of Italian Wine were out at the annual Tre Bicchieri Tasting held at the Metropolitan Pavillion on West 18th Street yesterday. M. Rallo of Fiarrato was on hand with 3 Glass Winner Rebecca 2010 as was famed wine-maker Sebastiano Rosa who makes a great Sardenian Wine based on 100% Carrignan. It's called Barrua and a joint venture with Cantina Santadi and Mr. Rosa. Sebastiano just so happens to be the winemaker of Italy's most prestigious wine "SASSICAIA" which won Red Wine of The Year this year for the 2009 Vintage at the 2013 Tre Bicchieri. Wow, this is the "Best Vintage of Sassicaia" that I've had in the last 10 years. The wine is perfectly balanced, and when a wine is in perfect balance, there's nothing else to say except that "It's as Good as It Gets." Bravo Sebastiano! Sebastiano Rosa is a member of the Incis Rochetta family who own the famed Tenuta San Guido Estate that makes Sassicaia in Bolgheri on the Tuscan Coast. Sebastiano's cousin (Cujino) Piero Incisa Rochetta, who is usually on hand at the Tre Bicchieri Events was nowhere to be seen today. No matter, I had a nice little chat with the affable Sebastiano before I went on to taste more wine.

More wine yes. And if I was to pick out just two wines on the day that really blew me away, it was the Sassicaia 2009 and a great Barolo from my friend Giuseppe Vjra and his offering of Barolo Cerretta Luigi Baudana 2008. This wine was amazing and a perfect example of what a great and classical Barolo should taste like, with wonderful Earth, Mushroom, and fruit. The wine, if I must use the phrase again, was in perfect balance and a text-book Barolo. So if you know Barolo, you know what I'm talking about, it is a great wine. Basta!

So another Tre Bicchieri in the bag, my 17th, and as usual a great day to drink great italian Wine, but even more so, see and hang-out with a few Wine-Making friends from Italy and fellow New York Italian Wine Guys. A great day.

Giuseppe Vajra

with a Bottle of His

BAROLO CERRETTA LUIGI BUADANA 2008

"Bravo Giuseppe" !!!

Raffaele Cani

of SANTADI

with

Antonio D'Ambrosio

MARCO De BARTOLI

Trapani, Sicily

Whose Family The De Bartoli's and Rallo's

Make The World's Greatest Marsala and Other Wines

Like Donnafugata Mille Una Notte (Cousin Antonio Rallo) 

and Ben Rye Passito D' Pantelleria

Marco Holds a Bottle of His Ribecca Here

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SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

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Chianti Brunello in TUSCANY

 

TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE

Just Beautiful

A Scene in TUSCANY

Toscano

Tuscany

Girasole

A FIELD of SUNFLOWERS in TUSCANY

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

DANNY BOLOGNESE

Bridge

Tuscan CountrySide

Vines of Castel Verrazano

Greve in Chianti

A CAT & CHIANTI

Castello Verrazzano

Greve, ITALY

Italian Cookbook Author DANIEL BELLINO Z

with good friend CAVELIERE LUIGI CAPPELLINI

the owner of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

Greve ITALY

The CELLARS

CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

"There's a lot of Tasty CHIANTI in those BARRELS" !!!

Large Slovenian Oak Cask in the Cellars of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

My Favorite BRUNELLO of ALL

BRUNELLO Di MONTALCINO FATTORIA Dei BARBI

In the Cellars of FATTERIA Dei BARBI

"Drink some Brunello" !!!

SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

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Daniel 's Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe

RECIPE : MINESTORNE GENOVESE

Ingredients :

1/4 pound Cannellini or Borlotti (cranberry) beans, soaked overnight

3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 leeks, washed and chopped, white part only 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), peeled and diced 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 2 ribs celery, sliced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 2 cups hot chicken broth 4 cups hot water, plus extra if needed 1 cup chopped raw spinach 1 cup diced zucchini 1 cup shredded green cabbage 1/4 pound vermicelli or stelline pasta 3 tablespoons Basil Pesto Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION 

Drain the beans from the overnight soaking water, place them in a pot, cover with water, cook about 30 minutes or until still quite al dente, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, leeks, eggplant, carrots, celery and potatoes and sauté for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables just begin to exude their juices.

Add the tomatoes, hot broth, hot water, beans and additional hot water to just cover the mixture. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for about 30 minutes.

Add the spinach, zucchini, cabbage and pasta and cook another 20 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

  BASIL PESTO for MINESRONE GENOVESE and to Sauce the PASTA of Your Choice

Who doesn't Love Pesto ? Well I guess there may be some, but for the most part, just about everyone loves this wonderful no-cook Italian Sauce that highlights some of Italy's most iconic ingredients which include ; fresh garden Basil, Italian Olive Oil, garlic, Pignoli Nuts, and Parmigiano Reggiano . In Genoa and Liguria where Pesto was first born and is famous for there, there are primarily two ways to use this wonderful cold sauce, number one is to coat any one of a variety of pasta shapes to make a tasty pasta dish of Maccheroni & Pesto or pesto's second most important use is as the main flavor enhancer of Minestrone Genovese, the greatest vegetable soup of all.

RECIPE : BASIL PESTO

• 3/4 cup pine nuts (6 ounces)

• 5 cups basil leaves, chilled and very dry

• 6 small garlic cloves, quartered

• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for sealing

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Toss in the nuts, Parmesan, if using, pepper and salt and chop until the nuts are finely crushed, about 1 minute. Add the basil, oil and lemon juice and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. 

2. To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.

  . .  

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

LEARN HOW to Make SUNDAY SAUCE, 

Minestrone, Marinara, and More ...

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Tasting Chianti in New York

   

Castello Verrazzano

Chianti Classico

Greve , Italy 

 

The Italian Wine Masters met at the New York Hilton for their Annual Chianti Brunello Tasting on Tuesday, February 8th. Many fine wines where on hand, including a Prosecco Tasting with many producers on hand including from Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consorzio along with numerous Vino Nobile, Chianti, and Brunello estates on hand. The stars of the show were of course the wines of Brunello di Montalcino. Not to take anything away from the zones of Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, Chianti, or Prosecco that wonderful refreshingly light bubbly from the Veneto and the Wine Bars of Venice, Prosecco.

I must say, as being a great lover of Chianti and one of its Biggest Advocates in all the United States as well as being one of the country's top authorities on the subject, I was a bit disappointed with the Chianti offerings on hand. Two of my favorites in Fontodi and Vignamaggio from Panzano and Greve respectively were present, such notables and top producers as : Villa Calcinaia, Monsanto, Badia Coltibuono, and Castello Verrazzano were not where in sight. Si La Vie.

Let's get to Brunello. The tasting was of the latest vintage on release. This being the 2006 vintage Brunello and 2004 and 2005 Brunello Riserva. There were some solid offerings with favorites of the tasting going to Fattoria Barbi, Frescobaldi, Col d'Orcia, Livio Sassetti, and Tenuta Greppone Mazzi.

Favorite of all were the normale Brunello 2006 by both Fattoria Barbi and Brunello Castelgiocondo from Marchese Frescobaldi of whom my good friend the Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi was on hand, and as always great to see. The Rosso di Montalcino of which the 2009 vintage were shown at the tasting were a wonderful surprise. Most were drinking beautifully, medium in body, full of flavor, and just pleasantly enjoyable drinking wines. I particularly loved the Barbi Rosso and Frescobaldi Rosso di Montalcino Campo ai Sasso 2009, of which I could have sat there drinking and chatting all day with the Marchese Frescobaldi. Quite a wonderful experience.

My favorite Brunello of the day was the Brunello Riserva 2005 from Fattoria Barbi. A awesome wine that was absolute perfection. And for overall the best table that just edged out Barbi by a hair was the table of the Noble Frescobaldi Family, with the lovely Rosso Campo ai Sasso, the Brunello 2006, and the Brunello Riserva 2005. The only disappointment on the table was the Brunello Luce della Vite 2006 Of Castelgiocondo of which was quite tannic and lacking in overall balance.

I pleasant surprise was from Castello Romitorio, who was showing a wonderful wine in the San'Antimo Ross 2006.

This wine was a real winner and a joy to drink. Made up

made up of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Canaiolo, and 20% Cabernet of Sauvignon, perfectly balance and a joy to drink.

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

GREVE in CHIANTI

Daniel Bellino with Cavalier Luigi Cappellini

of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

GALLO NERO

CHIANTI

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE

POSITANO - AMALFI - RAVELLO - MINORI

CAPRI - SORRENTO - NAPOLI

AMAZON.com

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Drinking Brunello Barolo Barbaresco

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Produttori Barbaresco

Argiano Brunello

Barolo "Cannubi" Damilano

Planeta Chardonnay

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With Cousin Eddy

TOMMY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

 

Dinner Brunello Barolo & Barbaresco

 

Williamsburg Brooklyn

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY SAUCE

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Look for My New Book

 

 

MANGIA ITALIANO