Feast of 7 Fish & LUCA BRASI

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Sonny "  "What the Hell is this?" !!!!

 

 

Clemenza :   "It's a Siciian Message ... It means Luca Brasi swims with the Fish"

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IT'S A SICILIAN MESSAGE

"LUCA BRASI SWIMS With The FISH"

 

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CARBONE OPENING IN GREENWICH VILLAGE

 

Welcome "Carbone" with No Regrets to Rocco's ...  Yes, this is what I for one am hoping to say after the most anticipated new New York Restaurant "Carbone" has opened and is in operation, which is supposed to be this coming Friday, March 9, 2013  ...  We have already said goodbye to an old friend, Rocco's .. Well, me for one, as I am certain that of all the throngs of followers who are sure to pack into Rocco's from day 1 (Friday 3/913) it is also almost certain that I will amongst the very few, 1% of the total who will pack Carbone and have eaten at its predecessor Rocco's. Yes, I enjoyed eating at Rocco's a number of times over the years. Rocco's was one of just a few Old School Red-Sauce Italian Restaurant left in New York. I dying breed, much loved but going the way of the DoDo Bird. Rocco's was solid, old school Italian New York, decor, food, and service.
    Well the guys who have taken over the old Rocco's space, Chef/Owners Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi it so happens are the new keepers and reviver's  of the so-called Red-Sauce joints. Restaurants that have become a dying breed and much maligned, it now seems is the hot new thing in Italian eating in New York. First spawned by The Two Frankies, Frank Castronovo and Frank Facanelli .. The two Frankeis were the first to do it back in 2006 by opening a Old School Italian Red Sauce Restaurant in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn. A casual Italian Restaurant that featured Red-Sauce Italian American favorites like; Meatballs, Braciole, and homemade Cavatelli. The restaurant with a nice casual decor, good service, tasty old New York Italian Food favorites at fare prices and the passion of the two Frnakies proved to be a winnining combination and instant hit at Frankies Spuntino which with a few short years gave birth to two more Frankies restaurants in Manhattan's lower East Side and in Greenwich Village.
  Shoot ahead about four years and we have Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi opening a great little Italian Trattoria that operates as a very-casual sort Italian Deli serving Meatball Parm Sandwiches, fresh Roast Turkey Sandwiches, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches, Soup, and a few pastas by day and a 5 Course Set Menu as a restaurant my night. This little Italian Deli/Trattoria that featured Italian and Italian American Food with a bit of a modern twist and the Carbone-Torrisi touch. And quite a good touch at that. Torrisi was wonderful executed by Torrisi and Carbone and their place Troorisi Italian Specialties was pretty much a well deserved instant success. With this quick and wonderful success of Torrisi Italian Specialty it wasn't long before the boys opened their second restaurant to be called PARM which featured Updated Red-Sauce Italian-American Food. The restaurant Parm was opened right next door to Torrisi. Parm was even more of an instant success than Torrisi Italian Specialty and from day # 1 has been packed day and night every single day, and i do man packed and I do mean every single day. A huge Success!
  Now we come to the unfortunate demise of Rocco's, of which the owner was unable to support a huge jump in his Rent once his old lease was expired. he decided to throw in the towel, and close Rocco's ... A sad day in Greenwich Village, and a sad day for me. But when I heard that Torrisi and Mario Carbone who I had worked with at Del Posto would be opening a new place in the old Rocco's space, my sadness quickly waned. These guys do things right. I really like Torrisi Specialties and Parm and was excited at the prospect of Mario opening a new place around the block from my apartment.
    Funny thing, when you go into this new restaurant that used to be Rocco's, you are most likely to see many dishes that you would have seen at Rocco's. Dishes like Baked Clams, Lobster Fra d'Avlo, Spaghetti or Linguine Vongole, Veal Picatta, Braciole, and such.

 "You’re seeing more protein at the table now, because they can afford it. They’re becoming more American. They’re embracing what it means to be American. They’re like: ‘I’m going to have protein for days. I’m going to show off. We’re going to have meatballs tonight, and they’re huge!’ ” 
         .......    Mario Carbone ...... 

“It’s midcentury, Italian-American fine dining,”  “When you look at the menu at this restaurant,” he said, “it’s going to look very familiar, which is the goal.” 
“The table should be covered with food,” Mr. Carbone said. “If we do this right, you should not be able to see the cloth.”  says Mr. Carbone 

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    So yes, we Welcome Carbone. I do for one, and one who has actually eaten at Rocco's numerous times over the years. I loved Rocco's and was sorry to see them go. But they are gone and nothing I can do about that. I can turn my back against Carbone, but knowing Mario and what a fine Chef and restauranteur he is, I'm certainly not going to do that. I will welcome Carbone, both the restaurant and Mario into my neighborhood and I spotted I enjoyed over the years, Rocco's. And I'm looking forward to having many fine meals and wonderful times at Carbone over the years to come. "I'm sure I will."



Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Un BACIO "A KISS In POSITANO"

POSITANO

"It's Like HEAVEN on EARTH"

My Most Memorable BACIO

It Was One Night in Positano, Italy

There Was One Atop My Pillow

When I Returned Back to My Hotel Room

NEW YORK'S MOST IMPORTANT ITALIAN WINE EVENT of The YEAR

TRE BICCHIERI 2013

Most Important Italian Wine Tasting of The Year

Yes, the most important Italian Wine Event of the Year is upon us, The 2013 Tre Bicchieri Tasting of Gambero Rosso is tomorrow (Domani) at The Metropolitan Pavillion. All the Big Guns of Italian Wine will be in attendance, including New York's Top Italian Wine People and many of Italy's top-producers (Italian Wine Estate Owners and Winemakers) will be on hand.
  This tasting, the Tre Bicchieri is of Italy's Top Wines as voted by Gambero Rosso, The Wine Spectator of Italy. Will be tasting many great Italian Wines, like; Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Taurasi, and the top White, Dessert, and Sparkling Wines. Oh happy day. Along with tasting all the great Italian Wine, really my favorite aspect of this tasting is a chance to see some of my good friends (Wine Producer), taste their wines and chat a little bit. Always quite a lot of fun.

Stay tuned for tomorrows Report of my favorite wines of the day and who I ran into. Caio for now, Daniel.

SASSICAIA 2009 BEST ITALIAN RED of YEAR 2013 Tre Bicchieri

SASSICAIA 2009 Wines Tre Bicchieri BEST RED WINE of The Year

TENUTA SAN GUIDO

TIME To TASTE WINE "Italian Wine" Brunello Chianti And ?

MY FAVORITE BRUNELLO of ALL

Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

  Time to taste Wine? Italian Wine in particular. It's always time to taste wine. Well there are times in the year when you drink and taste wine (Italian Wine) more than others. Times that is. If you happen to be in the wine or restaurant business, you know these times. September is big, with most large importers and distributors of wining having there Grand Portfolio Tastings in this month, the month of September, Summer is over, it's not only back to School it's back to business fro many, and for the people in the wine or restaurant businesses, September to the end of December is the busiest time of the year. In this month I will go to the large Portfolio Tasting of Martin Scott Wines, Winebow, Vias, and others. October and November will find a couple big Tastings of The Italian Trade Commission.
    As far as wine tastings go, things slow down for the month of December (all Business) and January. January, well that's all till the last day of January this year, as one of mine and other Italian Wine Lovers favorite tasting of the year will be, "The Brunello Tasting" and of one of my own personal favorites along with Chianti, is Brunello. They are both Sangiovese based wines. Brunello produced only in the famed wine town of Montalcino, "The Home of Brunello," the only place of Brunello for those who might not know. The also make Rosso di Montalcino in Montalcino. Both wines are made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, also known as "Brunello," that's the name of the grape. They also produce one of the World's great dessert wines in Montalcino, of which is Moscadello. And of fourth not as far as Montalcino wine production is concerned, some properties make proprietary wines that you will know as Super Tuscans, which are made throughout all of Tuscany. 
    So The Brunello Tasting. Along with the Tri Bicchierri Tasting of the Best Wines from the whole of Italy. Anyway the BrunelloTasting. I just love it. And it will be back to just tasting the latest vintages of Brunello the 2008 Brunello's and the 2007 Brunello Riservas. Wow! There will be Brunello to taste of course, along with Rosso di Montalcino from each producer as well, and maybe a Moscadello and or some sort of Super Tuscan. Not every Brunello producer makes the later two wines.
    Now, how bout my favorites. Well, on the top of the list is the are the Brunello's from my friends the Colombini family, the normale and the Riserva of Fattporia Barbi are always amazing. The wines are always in perfect balance and true to what real Brunello should be. Other favorite Brunello's would be the Castel Giacondo Brunello from my good friends the Frescobaldi's who make superb Brunello as well as fine Chianti Rufina and some Italy's top Super Tuscan Wines.
    One big not on the Brunello Tasting of New York is that it started out as just that Brunello. For the past three years or so, The Brunello Tasting include Prosecco, Chianti, and Vino Nobile as well. This year The Brunello Tasting is back to just Brunello and other wines produced on Brunello properties. I'm glad for that. I love those other wine, especially Chianti, but myself and many others prefer the pure Brunello Tasting. And I love when they have a pure Chianti Tasting as well, which they don't do every year, but when they do, it's one of my faves.
    So yes, a big time for Italian Wines and their tastings. On February 15th 2013, the biggest and most important Italian Wine Tasting of the year will take place, it is The Tri Bicchierri Tasting of Italy's Top Wines from around the country, as rated by Gambero Rosso "The Wine Spectator" of Italy. Many great wines, but my favorite aspect of the Tasting is seeing and socializing with my many Italian Wine Friends, the Proprietors and Winemakers of Italy's greatest wines. People like the affable and talented winemaker for the famed Sassicaia Mr. Sebastiano Rosa, as well as his cousin Piero Incisa Rochetta of Tenuto San Guido, the estate where the grapes for Sassicaia are grown and Sassicaia is made into  Italy's Most Renowned and Prestigious Wine. Well there are many, including Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Emanuella Stucchi of Badia Coltibuono, the beautiful Sicilian lady Francesca Planeta of Planeta, Giovvani Folnari of Nozzole, Gianpauolo Venica who makes along with his father and uncle some Italys finest white wines at Venica. And yes, many more wonderful Italian Wine people, too many to name. Yes it's great fun at the Tri Bicchierri Tasting to see my Italian friend and taste there great wines. 
  And so ladies and gentlemen, the Hieght of The Italian Wine tasting Season is upon us with The Brunello tasting on January 31 followed by The Tri Bicchierri Tasting February 15th, the day after Valentines Day, and Love will be in the Air. The Love of Love and Italian Wine, "Mangia Beve Amore"



Article:  Daniel Bellino Zwicke

ME & THE MARCHESE

THE ESTEEMED

MARCHESE FERDINANDO FRESCOBALDI

Sebastiano Rosa of Sassicaia

Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Giovanni Folanari of Nozzole

10 FAVORITE BRUNELLO'S

of Recent Tastings

Fattori dei Barbi  2007

Angelo Sassetti 2007

Fattoria dei Barbi Reserva  2006

Casanova Neri  2007

Frescobaldi Castel Giacondo  2007

Lisini "Ugolaia" 2006

Conti Costanti  2007

Val d' Cava 2006

Livio Sassetti "Pertamali" 2006

Castello Banfi "La Morra" 2006

Castel di Argian0 2007

My 10 Favorite Brunello's of All-Time

That I Drank

1. Angelo Sassetti 1990 (at Del Posto, NY)

2. Fattoria dei Barbi Riserva 1995 (at Barbi Estate)

3. Biondi Santi Riserva 1988 (at a friends House in New York)

4. Fattoria dei Barbi 1997 (at The Barbi Estate)

5. Biondi Santi Riserva 1997 (with Jacopo Biondi Santi, Dinner at Spark's, New York)

6. Cal d' "Madonna"Cava 1990  (at Babbo, NY)

7. Casanova Neri "Tenuta Nuova" 1993 (at Barbetta, New York)

8. Castel Giacondo, Frescobaldi 1993 (at Barbetta, New York)

9. Conti Costanti 2001 (at Macari Vineyards, North Fork, LI, NY)

10. Lisini "Ugolaia" 1995 (at Estate in Montalcino)