Saturday, April 10, 2021

6 Popular Italian Pastas Recipes

 




Stanley Tucci "BIG NIGHT"

The TIMPANO



# 3 Rigatoni Amatriciana




PAST AMATRICIANA

1¼ pounds rigatoni pasta (or bucatini)
120g / 4½ oz guanciale (cured pork jowl)
6-7 San Marzano tomatoes
100g / 3½ oz grated pecorino romano cheese
½ glass dry white wine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

PREPARATION : 
Fill a large pot with water, add salt and bring it to the boil.
In the meantime, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Chop the guanciale into thick strips, add it to the an and cook until crispy. Add the white wine, cook for a minute to reduce, then remove the guanciale from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add six or seven San Marzano tomatoes to the pan with the remaining oil and fat from the guanciale. Use a wooden spoon to flatten the tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.
Cook the rigatoni in the pot of boiling water until al dente, add the crispy guanciale back into the pan of tomatoes then drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.
Toss everything together well then divide into portions and serve with a sprinkle of grated pecorino and a crack of freshly ground black pepper.


The WORLD'S TASTIEST RECIPE ?
RAGU BOLOGNESE



# 1 FAVORITE PASTA RECIPE EVER !

PASTA BOLOGNESE

BEST RECIPE EVER !!!





The WORLDS TASTIEST RECIPE 

RAGU BOLOGNESE

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

aka "Danny Bolognese"






Spaghetti Nerano alla Bellino

Honorable Mention



SPAGHETTI NERANO – Recipe

Spaghetti is one of the most famous dishes of the Amalfi Coast. The dish comes from the town of Nerano on the coast of the Sorrento Peninsula just across from Capri. The dish was created by Maria Grazia at her trattoria in Nerano. The primary ingredient of the dish is Zucchini with Povola or Caciocavallo Cheese grated into the pasta. Many restaurants on the Amalfi Coast and Capri serve this dish, and most locals know how to make it, and cook it at home, especially if they happen to have a little garden growing Zucchini, Tomatoes, and other vegetables. It’s easy to make and soul satisfying. If you’ve been to the area you may have already eaten it, and so know you can make it back home. Enjoy.

Ingredients :

3 medium sized Zucchini, washed

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Butter

3 cloves Garlic, peeled and cut in half

¼ cup fresh Basil, washed and leaves torn in half

¾  cup of grated Caciocavallo Cheese

1 pound imported Italian Spaghetti

Sea Salt and ground Black Pepper

Slice the Zucchini into ⅛” rounds.


Fill a large pot ¾ full of water, with 2 tablespoons salt and bring to the boil.

Place the Olive Oil  in  a large frying pan, and turn heat to a medium flame. Add the Zucchini and start to cool. Sprinkle the zucchini with about ½ teaspoon each of salt and Black Pepper. Add the butter and garlic and cook the zucchini for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

Add about a ¼ of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the zucchini, turn the heat to low and cook for about 6 minutes on low heat. Stir the zucchini with a wooden spoon as it is cooking.

Put the spaghetti into the rapidly boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package and the spaghetti is al dente (slightly firm to the bite) usually about 10-11 minutes.

After the zucchini has cooked for a total of about 11 minutes. Turn the heat off. add the Basil and stir. Taste 1 piece of zucchini for seasoning to see if you want to add any more salt or pepper.

When the spaghetti is cooked, turn the heat off and drain the spaghetti into a colander, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water in case you need to add to the sauce.

Return the spaghetti to the put that it cooked in. Add all zucchini and all the juices from the pan in the pot with the spaghetti and stir.

Add half of the grated Caciocavallo cheese and stir. The consistency should be just slightly loose. If it is too tight, add a little pasta cooking water and stir. 

Plate the spaghetti on 4 plates, giving each person an even amount of zucchini. Drizzle a little olive oil over each plate and serve.

Note :  It’s best to make the dish with Caciocavallo Cheese, but if you can’t find, a combination of half grated Pecorino and half of Parmigiano Reggiano is a good substitute, or just Parmigano or Pecorino on their own.

Note II : Once you know how to make Spaghetti Nerano, you can make little variations, simply by adding one other ingredient that marries well with the dish. A great addition to this dish is to make Spaghetti Nerano just as above, and to add 4 or 5 pieces of sauteed shrimp on to each plate. Just have the shrimp ready and cook them in a little olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper, and cooked for about 2 minutes on each side. Turn the heat off and add 4 or 5 pieces of shrimp to the plate with the Spaghetti Nerano and enjoy.

This Recipe complements of Best Selling Italian Cookbook AUthor DBZ from his latest book

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK & TRAVEL




POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE






# 2  SPAGHETTI CARBONARA










WATCH SPAGHETTI CARBONARA 





SPAGHETTI VONGOLE

# 4 FAVORITE ITALIAN PASTA DISH

"SPAGHETTI with CLAM SAUCE"

RECIPE Courtesy of BEST SELLING ITALIAN COOKBOOK AUTHOR





Spaghetti Vongole at Da MARINO

NAPLES, ITALY

Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke says that this is the single best plate of
Spaghetti Vongole he has ever had in his life, and he has had many. He took this picture of
his plate of Spaghetti Vongole at Ristorante / Pizzeria Da Marino in Naples one day. Daniel says that it was one of the most memorable meals of his life, "I Loved it," he said. He had a Insalata Frutta di Mare ( recipe ) for antipasto, which he said was as good as can be.

Daniel says that he was just planning on a plate of Spaghetti Vongole and a stater, but when he saw the pizzas coming from the oven and how good they looking, he couldn't resist. He ordered a 
Pizza con Salame thinking he would eat just half. "It was so good, I ate the whole thing. One of the best pizzas I've ever had in my entire life, and much better than ones I've had at Da Mateo and other much more famous Pizzerias of Napoli," stated Daniel.



RECIPE - SPAGHETTI VONGOLE

1 lb. Imported Italian Spaghetti (or Linguine)

1 pound Cockles or Manila Clams

18 Littleneck Clams

12 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, peeled. Cut 3 cloves into thin slivers, keep one garlic clove whole.

1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

12 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

Salt & Black Pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley

¼ cup Water

 Place Littleneck clams in a medium size pot with a lid. Add Water and clams with 1 whole garlic clove, cover pot. Turn heat up to high and cook clams until they just open. Turn flame off. Remove clams from pot and reserve the cooking liquid.

Put a large pot of water on stove and bring to boil for cooking the pasta. Add Spaghetti or Linguine to pot of rapidly boiling water with salt and cook according to directions on package.

Sauté Garlic in Olive Oil in a large sauté pan over medium until garlic just starts to brown, lower heat to low and add Red Pepper. Cook 1 Minute.

Add Cherry Tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add Cockles (or Manila Clams) to pan with garlic and olive oil. Add cooking liquid from larger Cherry Stone Clams to pan. Put cover on pan and turn heat to high, and cook until the Cockles (clams) just open.

Remove cooked Cherrystones from shells and chop each clam into about 6 pieces or so. Add the Chopped Cherrystone Clams and Parsley to pan with Cockles. When pasta is done cooking, drain it and add to pan with clams. Using a pair of tongs, mix pasta with clams, and cooking liquid.

Divide Pasta into 4 to 6 equal portions on plates or pasta bowls. Divide all cooking liquid and Clams over each portion of pasta on the plates. Sprinkle on some more Olive Oil once Pasta is plated. Enjoy.

 RECIPE excerpted from POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK / TRAVEL , courtesy of author Daniel Bellino Zwicke ....


# 5 - SPAGHETTI POMODORO


SPAGHETTI POMODORO
TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE



FAVORITE ITALIAN PASTA RECIPES

# 6 PASTA al NORMA

From SICILY



Ingredients SPAGHETTI al NORMA




GRANDMA BELLINO'S COOKBOOK
CAPONATA - MEATBALLS 
SOUPS - PASTA
PASTA al NORMA
And More ...




"USE The BEST TOMATOES" 




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Saturday, April 3, 2021

Marsala Wine

 







A BIT ABOUT MARSALA


For centuries, Sicily’s most famous wine has been Marsala. You may be more familiar with chicken marsala than high quality Marsala wine, but there was a time when this wine produced on the west coast was the equal of Sherry and Madeira, and maybe even Port.

The history of Marsala wine begins with John Woodhouse. In 1770 the English merchant from Liverpool arrived in Sicily on business, looking for products such as almonds, honey, oil and tuna salami. One day, while he was sailing to Mazara for a load of soda ash, a storm forced his ship to find shelter in the port of Marsala. Here he found refreshment in a tavern and was impressed by the local wine; a wine of high alcohol content produced by the farmers of the area, which he found similar to the already famous Port and Madeira.

He changed his mind, loading his ship with Marsala wine instead. To prevent the wine from spoiling on the long journey, he fortified the wine with a little brandy. He transported it to Liverpool and sold it, making a huge profit in an English market already addicted to fortified wine from Spain and Portugal.

John Woodhouse established his winery at Marsala in 1796. Benjamin Ingham founded a competing firm in 1812, followed by two Sicilians, Vincenzo Florio in 1832 and Paolo Pellegrino in 1880. Woodhouse was a supplier to the British navy under Horatio Nelson, who selected Marsala as the wine ration for his sailors. The British Monarch added Marsala to its cellars, leading the popularity of the wine to skyrocket across Britain. These wineries produced vast quantities of Marsala wine for export to England, and later America and Australia.

The original DOC production rules were very relaxed, allowing excessively high yields. At the time, the Italian government was also incentivising farmers to increase yields, which led winemakers to replace the higher quality Grillo and Inzolia varieties with the more prolific but lower quality Catarratto. This both reduced the concentration and changed the taste of the resulting wine. Winemakers also starting adding cane sugar, coffee or chocolate to replace the sweetness lost, further disguising the wine and relegating Marsala to use in the kitchen. When asked about Marsala, most people think of chicken marsala.

The DOC rules were changed in 1984, reducing yields and prohibiting blending with sugar or other additives. Winemakers have turned back to producing high quality Marsala with Grillo and Inzolia. Thirty years later there are glimmers of recovery, but Marsala has a long way to go to once again sit alongside Sherry and Madeira.

Marsala is made in three colours: Oro (gold), Ambre (amber) and Rubino (ruby). Gold and Amber marsala are the traditionally high quality wines, with Ruby being of lower quality. Like Sherry and Madeira, Marsala is an oxidised, fortified wine. What makes Marsala unique is the use of only native varieties. Gold and Amber Marsala is made using Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico and Damaschino. Ruby Marsala is made using Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato and Pignatello (aka Perricone).

Following grape pressing, the wine is fermented to dryness, fortified with neutral grape spirit then aged in old oak barrels filled only two thirds full with wine, and the remainder air. The bung, or the plug which seals the top of the barrel, is also left only lightly inserted, meaning that air can gradually circulate as the wine ages.

Oxidation is fervorously avoided by winemakers in the production of normal table wine, but in the case of Marsala, it’s part of the appeal. Once a wine has oxidised, it’s stable, and can be transported long distances (think sea transportvto England) or left exposed to air for long periods of time without any further spoiling. The price you pay for this is the bitter taste that an oxidised wine takes on. If you’re familiar with dry sherry, you understand the bitter aftertaste of Marsala.

This dry, fortified wine is Oro Marsala or Gold Marsala.

This is where things get interesting: To produce Amber Marsala, winemakers add a cooked grape must called mosto cotto to Oro Marsala. Mosto cotto (literally cooked must) is made by taking the the residual grape skins and flesh from pressing and cooking it for 36 hours to concentrate the residual sugars and the phenolic and colour compounds in the skins. When this is added into dry Oro Marsala, the residual sugar balances the bitterness from oxidation and the wine takes on its amber colour. The result is a wonderfully complex and rich wine with some sweetness. Different producers add varying amounts of must, and so produce wines of varying sweetness. Sweetness designations indicate the amount of residual sugar in the finished product. These are secco (dry, at 0-40g/l), semisecco (semi-sweet, at 40–100g/l) and dolce (sweet, at more than 100g/l).

Marsala wine without mosto cotto is known as vergine (or virgin) Marsala. This shouldn’t be considered lower quality, just a different style. High quality Oro Marsala is aged for decades or is made using the solera system made famous in sherry production. This fractional blending system combines wines produced from different vintages, producing a non-vintage wine that tends to be very consistent year-to-year.

Marsala is classified into different quality levels, based on how long the wine matures in barrel. Fino (one year aging) and Superiore (two years) are frequently used for cooking and aren’t worth sipping. Superiore Riserva requires four years of ageing, but Amber Marsala is frequently released under this designation with significantly more age as this is the highest quality indication for Amber Marsala. Vergine Solera Oro Marsala requires an average age of five years, and Vergine Riserva requires 10+ years. These last two quality levels require vergine wine and so exclude amber marsala.

Marsala has a typical flavour profile of apricot, vanilla, tamarind, brown sugar and tobacco, honey and maple syrup. Older wines can take on additional flavours of dried fruits, morello cherry, walnut and licorice. If the wine is dry, then it will have a bitter flavour, which tends to be balanced by the residual sugar in Amber Marsala.

When you leave a normal table wine exposed to air, it oxidises and takes on a bitter taste. Fortified wines tend to last better, but still not forever. Marsala wine, on the other hand, can last for years, even decades. This is because it is purposely oxidised in the production process, so there’s no spoiling left to happen!

Marsala wine pairs very well with chocolate, as well as some other hard-to-match foods like asparagus and brussel sprouts.





Cantina Florio
Marsala, Italy
SICILIAN



Old Vintages

FLORIO MARSALA




RECIPES From My SICILIAN NONNA

UNCLE TONY'S VEAL MARSALA - Recipe

And More ..





Old School Marsala

Uncle Tony's Veal Marsala RECIPE








FLORIO

SWEET MARSALA


Sicily represents Italy’s most exciting winemaking frontier. After a long period of stagnation and over-production, this gorgeous Mediterranean island is making waves. It has attracted investors like Andrea Franchetti – the owner of Tenuta di Trinoro in Tuscany – who seek growing conditions unlike anywhere else in Europe. Sicily is as rich and diverse culturally as it is viticultural – the sheer variety of terroirs and micro-climates suggests a continent, rather than an island. It offers unparalleled opportunities, although the full realization of Sicily’s potential is only just beginning.  Yet, in a sense, the island’s status as a leading producer of fine wine is old news. For centuries, Sicily has been making a distant cousin of Sherry. It is made in the town of Marsala in western Sicily, which gives its name to this unique wine style. Capable of aging for many, many decades, Marsala [pronunciation: maar·saa·luh] has been famous since the days of Admiral Nelson, the 18th-century British sailor who made Marsala an obligatory part of the Royal Navy’s cultural framework. An invitation to the officers’ mess could not be refused; neither could a glass of pungent fortified wine from Italy’s most enchanting island. Taste this wonderful wine on a Private Luxury Wine Tour of Sicily.

Marsala owes much to the entrepreneurial spirit of British merchants in the 1700s. In that century, Liverpool-born John Woodhouse was the UK’s most famous wine merchant. He was responsible for popularizing fortified wine icons like Sherry and Port in the UK, ensuring that the upper classes regarded a glass of Port as an essential hallmark of sophistication. In 1773, Woodhouse discovered a powerful wine style being made in the town of Marsala. He decided that this could become a lucrative money-spinner and so purchased several barrels. However, for the wine to survive the long journey to England, the wine was fortified with brandy. And so a legendary style was born.

Napoleonic Wars that kick-started the international demand for Marsala wine

However, until the British arrived, Marsala would have never contained spirit. The next generation of the Woodhouse family made a return visit to Sicily in 1787, determined to expand the market for this delicious wine style. Yet, it was the Napoleonic Wars that kick-started the international demand for Marsala wine. After Lord Nelson purchased a large quantity of Marsala, it inevitably became associated with naval tradition. This custom spread to wealthy households in the UK, and before too long, Port and Sherry had a serious rival.

Sadly, Marsala’s reputation hit rock bottom in the 20th century. Although Port and Sherry have both suffered from changing habits and evolving fashions, Marsala has struggled to regain its former cachet. The style was awarded its own DOC (appellation) in 1969, but unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Today, even aficionados of Port and Madeira regard Marsala as little more than a kitchen standby.

So what happened? As is so often the case, Marsala was no longer in vogue by the mid-20th century. Growers responded by cheapening their product; higher yields; less care in the winery; large amounts of chaptalization with cane sugar before bottling. As a result, Marsala’s new image was forged: heavily-sweetened plonk suitable only for cooking. A few quality-minded producers attempted to fight back and remained determined to make traditional Marsala for discerning palates. Nevertheless, their efforts were not generally recognized.

But there is hope. In the 20th century, Marsala seemed to be in the deepest of doldrums, but enthusiasts are slowly waking up to its charms. The top brands continue to release bottles of Marsala, which pay homage to this wonderful fortified wine style. Yet what ends up in your glass can vary enormously.

In fact, not all Marsala is made as a fortified wine, although most are. There is no catch-all definition of fortified wine, except that the alcoholic strength was increased by the addition of grape spirit at some stage in its creation. In Sicily, this usually happens after fermentation has occurred. Growers have up to ten grape varieties at their disposal, including the ubiquitous Catarratto, Grillo, Inzolia, Nerello Mascalese, and Damaschino. These are grapes that will probably never leave Sicily – save occasional experimentation – imbuing Marsala with a flavor profile that cannot be replicated. After fermentation and blending, the wine is fortified with spirit – and quite often sweetened – either with partially fermented grape juice or heated must. After that, the winemaker has numerous possibilities open to them. However, some owners prefer to fortify during the fermentation process. Others refuse to sweeten their wines before bottling.

Indeed, Marsala comes in all shapes and guises, ranging from relatively young wines to bottles released after more than 25 years. Some growers prefer to market young wines, known as fine (one year) or Superiore, which are matured for two years before release. Others specialize in making superior riserva styles (four years age) and vergine/soleras, which are matured for a minimum of five years in wood barrels. The top category is vergine or solera stravecchio. These beautiful examples will have been aged in barrel for at least a decade.

Classification System

Marsala is also subject to a curious classification system not seen in other fortified-producing regions. The color and sugar content will be graded as ‘oro,’ ‘Ambra’ and ‘Rubino’ respectively, which describes the wine’s hue, ranging from deep golden to pinkish red. Like German and Austrian wine culture, Marsala’s producers also grade their wines according to sugar content. The categories are; secco (dry), semisecco (semi-sweet), and dolce (sweet).

Contemporary versions of this noble fortified wine can be magnificent, or they can be a depressing reminder that lazy outfits still churn out overly-sweetened, boring wines. In that sense, Marsala is arguably the most polarized of all the great Italian wine styles. Leading firm Buffa has shown a remarkable commitment to promoting high-quality Marsala, as has Pellegrino and Bartoli. The latter prefers to work outside of the DOC framework for some of its top labels, including Vecchio Samperi and Vigna la Miccia. Vecchio Samperi is probably our favorite example of Marsala. It is a love letter to the styles of wine made before the practice of adding grape spirit became commonplace. A racy and complex unfortified wine, its heady aromas are exquisite and addictive. Aged in soleras for a long period of time, Samperi offers up notes of almonds, orange blossom, cinnamon, chocolate, and damson in the glass. Full-bodied and complex, it could occupy any space left by the best Port and Sherry wines. The sons of the former owner, Marco de Bartoli, also make a fantastic label called Ventennale, which is a blend of young and old vintages. Their DOC Marsalas are no less impressive. For a time, though, Bartoli almost stood alone.

Thankfully, a growing firmament of winemakers are now following suit. Marsala does not yet have a critical mass of high-quality labels; however, the situation is much improved compared to 15 years ago. If it is intelligently marketed and promoted, then Marsala’s astounding diversity of styles should find a welcome home in households again. At the very least, we implore you to experiment with different food pairings. Marsala is seldom outmatched at the dinner table.

Dry Marsala, served chilled, will really help your meal sing. Particularly if you’re serving both hard and soft cheeses – Parmesan and Stilton are our top personal choices. It’s the combination of rich texture and racy acidity, enabling Marsala to bring out the best in salty cheeses and foods like olives, nuts, and cured meats. But the possibilities are almost endless: Marsala is one of those wonderful wine styles which rarely clashes with gastronomy. Dry Marsala could match nearly any meat or fish, although we prefer the wine as an aperitif or post-dinner libation.

However, sweeter styles of Marsala will succeed where late-harvest Riesling wines and Sauternes can fail. A sweet bottle of Marsala can match any dessert, no matter how unctuous or decadent. Chocolate-based desserts are always a premier choice, simply because the pairing never fails. Sauternes tends to be overwhelmed by heavier sweet delicacies, but not so Marsala. We’ve seen gastronomes pair Tiramisu with sweet old Marsala and still come up for air. It is never outclassed.

The style also continues to thrive as an essential component of local gastronomy. Aficionados may regard this as sacrilege, but many of the world’s top chefs still consider Marsala an indispensable element in classical dishes. Who could resist poultry slowly cooked in Marsala wine, with shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and herbs providing the supporting act? After the sauce reaches a syrupy consistency, you add cream and all that’s left is a velvety, swarthy delight. The recipe also works well with pork tenderloin and fennel – braising a whole chicken in Marsala for hours provides a very sumptuous Sunday lunch. You’ll probably need two bottles: one for cooking, one for enjoying. Other recipes braise veal loins in Marsala, while we enjoy cooking fresh courgette and mushrooms in the wine before adding al dente penne pasta. Quick, simple, and to die for.

Marsala’s other famous contribution to Italian cooking is Zabaglione. It has perhaps fallen out of high fashion today, although we still see the dessert on restaurant menus across Italy. The beauty is its simplicity; Zabaglione brings together just three ingredients: egg yolks, caster sugar, and Marsala. All you need is a bowl, whisk, and some serving dishes. The end result is utterly delicious – both rich and refreshing. Zabaglione probably has Marsala to thank for that.








Marco De Bartoli

MARSALA SUPERIORE 





Marco Bartoli

"The MASTER of MARSALA"








Friday, March 12, 2021

Books by NY Italian Wine Guy Daniel Bellino DBZ

1f705-screen2bshot2b2017-10-312bat2b4-36-402bpm
Daniel in SICILY
2017
 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke? Who is he? He's a Best Selling Cookbook Author and one of New York's Big Dogs of Italian Wine, a former Chef of such restaurants as; Woods, Corrado, and Bar Cichetti ... Daniel studied Hotel / Restaurant Management at New York Technical in Brooklyn .. Besides being the chef at the previous named restaurants, Daniel worked with Michel Fitoussi at the famed Palace Restaurant in the late 80's as well as at the Odeon under the great Patrick Clarke.
 
Daniel got out of the kitchen in the late 90's to become The Maitre'd at the uber hot # 1 Celebrity Hot Spot in New York at Da Silvano Ristorante where he took care of people like; Keith Richards, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere, Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, Calvin Klein, Nick Pileggi, Nora Efron, Graydon Carter, Gwyneth Palthrow, Madonna, Lucy Lui, and-on-and-on, the list is way to long to name them all.
 
Daniel took care of the high-flying clientele an Top People in The Worlds of Fashion, the Record Business, Publishing, along with Movie Stars and Rock Stars . Daniel is known for his easy going ability of taking care of all the big stars needs in a casual attentive manner without being intrusive in any way, and are the reasons he is well-known to so many Movers & Shakers of  these high-profile business fields. 
 
Daniel had made quite a name for himself as the creator and Executive Chef / Wine Director and Managing Partner of Bar Cichetti, the 1st ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) in America, which was Daniel's proud creation. As Chef / Wine Director of Bar Cichetti, Daniel firmly established himself as one of New York and America's Top Italian Wine Guys .. He is personal friends with most of Italy's top wine producers, the likes of; Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Sebastiano Rosa winemaker of Sassicaia, Marchese Piero Antinori of Antinori Wines, Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole, Gianlucca Grasso, Gianpaolo Venica, Cavalier Luigi Cappellini of Castel Verrazzano, and-on-an-on, just like all the Movie Stars & Rock Stars that Daniel knows, the list of Italian Wine Luminaries is even greater.
 
As we've already stated, Daniel left restaurant kitchens behind to become a noted Italian Wine Guy and Maitre'd who has a reputation of dealing with a  high-profile clientel. But not only them of course, there's everyone else, shall we call them the regular folk? Hey, they make up the bulk of any restaurant business, not the celebs, though celebrities help to draw in everyone else. Daniel will take good care of you as a number of his clients we have interviewed will tell you. He friendly and quite personable and really knows his stuff. Daniel has such a great passion for the food and wines of Italy that's almost impossible to duplicate. Frankly, Daniel is one of the best. He can tell you wonderful stories about the wine you are drinking; its history, who the owners and people who make the wine are (his Friends). His trips to all these Wine Estates all over Italy have given him the experiences that he conveys to his many clients. And Daniel's knowledge and passion for the food is equal to that of his vast knowledge of Italian Wine. Often you'll be drinking a bottle of Italian Wine that Daniel suggests and he'll pull out his iPhone and show you pictures of the people who own the estate and make the wine. One example would be Daniel's good friend Luigi Cappellino who owns Castello Verrazzano in Greve in Chianti (Tuscan) Italy. He'll show you pictures of him and his cousins Anthony & Joe at Verrazzano when Daniel took them there and they stayed on the property and ate breakfast and dinner in the castle, while drinking the great wines of Castello Verrazzano.
.
 
 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
with Luigi Cappellini
of Castelo Verrazzano
 
 
After 5 years at DaSilvano, Daniel went on to become the Wine Director of Barbetta Restorante on West 46th Street in New York to head up the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America. Daniel says, "the cellars are amazing." Places like Babbo and Del Posto get more press for having great Italian Wine Lists, which they do, but Daniel says, "The Wine List of Babbo & Del Posto are awesome, but in comparison to Barbetta, they are akin to Childs-Play." No exaggeration, merely fact Daniel says. And within that Wine List which is the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America, is the Barolo / Barbaresco section of which Daniel says is the greatest Barolo list in the World with it many Verticals of all the great Barolo Crus, like, Vietti Barolo Brunate and Lazarito, Cerretto Bricco Roche Bricco Roche, Marcarini Brunate, Michele Chiarlo Cerequio, Aldo Conterno Grand Bussia, Giacomo Conterno Barolo  "Monfortino" Giacamo Conterno "Francia," Mauro Veglio's Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata, Contratto Barolo "Cerequio," Elio Grasso Ginestra and more ...
 
Daniel said he was quite fortunate in his job as Wine Director of Barbetta for 5 years as he was able to taste and drinks so many of these great Barolo Crus of various vintages, as well as all the multi vintages of  Barbaresco, Amarone, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Champagne, and the all the top California Cabernets and Meritage Blends such as Opus One and Insignia.
 
Daniel had been writing for years, mostly essays, articles, and short stories. He wrote his first book La TAVOLA while he was at Barbetta in 2006 .. He said that 85% of the book was written in about 6 weeks time (quite fast), however he edited, polished it up and worked on it for another year before trying to get it published, which took five years. Actually La Tavola was published in June of 2012, followed by The FEAST of The 7 FISH which is the top selling cookbook of its genre. Daniel published Got Any Kahlua? The Collected Recipes of The Dude in the Summer of 2013, followed by SUNDAY SAUCE which has been a # 1 Best Seller Italian Cookbooks on Amazon for 5 months ... Daniel published another # 1 Best Seller in June of 2014 with SEGRETO ITALIANO / Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes ..
 
Daniel says he's currently working on a book on Chianti one of his great passions, as well as another Italian Cookook and an American Cookbook, all yet to be named ..
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INTERVIEW by Michael Roma
.
Marchese lamberto Frescobaldi
with
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
and Lamberto's Father
Marchese Leonardo Frescobaldi
 
 
 
 
Sebastiano Rosa (Winemaker of SASSICAIA)
Daniel and Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole
 
 
 
BOOKS by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 
 
 
SEGRETO ITALIANO
 
Secret Italian Recipes
Screenshot 2021-03-05 at 11.30.10 AM
POSITANO
The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK
And TRAVEL
Positano The AMalfi Coast Cookbook / Travel Guide is the latest by Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke. It was just published on February 11th 2021 and is already a Best Seller in Italian Cookbooks and Travel Books as well. Author Daniel said that he is quite happy of the early success of the book POSITANO and hopes it continues and grows, and Daniel asked us to say hello and thank all of his loyal readers both old and new.
Daniel has mad a companion Website to POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK & Travel. The website is called
Positano-Amalfi-Coast and can be reached by clicking this Link @ Positano-Amalfi-Coast.com
Daniel said he made the website as he realizes that people love pictures in books, and as his books normally do not contain pictures, he made the site to fulfill this need, as the website has hundreds of beautiful pictures of Capri, Positano, Naples, Minori, Ravello, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy. As well as having these pictures, excerpts and recipes from the book at the publication of the book, the website will be ongoing and will continue to have new pictures posted to it, along with articles, news, and ongoing pertinent information on Naples, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast of Italy.
Note : If you are on the Kindle Edition of Positano The AMalfi Coast Cookbook / Travel , you will be able to reach the website Positano in a Link inside the Kindle Book
 
 
 
The Feast of The 7 Fish
 
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS
 
 
 
 
 
 La TAVOLA
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK
 
GOT ANY KAHLUA ?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Drinking The Amalfi Coast

 




Vineyards on The Amalfi Coast




DRINKING The AMALFI COAST

WINE, ESPRESSO, LEMONADE, LIMONCELLO, CAMPARI, and ?


"ROME 1st" !!!



Piazza d' Popolo

Roma 




Drinking the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Positano, Napoli, what do you drink? Well there’s always wine. Yes wine, Campari, an Aperol Spritz, Prosecco, Mineral Water, Cappuccino, Espresso, and you must drink some Lemonade, for after all, you’re in The Land of Lemons of the Devine Coast of Amalfi. Or if you’re on Capri, Ischia, Sorrento or Salerno, or the Capital City of Napoli, it’s all the same. All the same of what you might drink, what the locals drink, business men, travelers, tourists, whoever.

    Yes, you will drink Cappuccino and Espresso, it’s good all over, and every Barista takes pride in his coffee making skills and prowess. And when it comes to Espresso, the Neapolitans are the World Champions of making it and drinking it. Espresso that is.

   And if on your trip to Positano, Capri, Sorrento, wherever your destination is down there, if you’re in Napoli, try and go to the Gran Caffe Gambrinus for one of the great cafe experiences of your life. The Gran Caffe Gambrinus is heir to the great Neapolitan coffee tradition, for coffee and the art of making and drinking a proper Espresso, is at its highest level in Gambrinus. Espresso in Napoli is rooted in ritual and the habits of each social class. There is a phenomenon in this habitual ritual that makes the simple moment of refreshment an opportunity for culture and socializing. You will experience a moment of great pleasure as you partake in this esteemed ritual known as espresso. But not just any Espresso, but a Neapolitan one. And while at Gambrinus, drinking your Cappuccino, Espresso or Special Gambrinus Caffe, why not treat yourself to a Sfogliatelle as well? 

   All over the Amalfi Coast, in Naples, and especially popular on the Isle of Capri are Lemonade Stands. It stands to reason that with all the Lemon Groves you find on Capri, in and around Sorrento, and in Minori, Maiori, Atrani, and Amalfi, that they’d be serving that refreshing lemon based drink, Lemonade, yes they do. Though lemons are grown all over the coast and on the islands, there seems to be two places that you see Granita and Lemonade Stands more than in other parts of Italy,  and those two places are in Napoli and on the Isle of Capri. And when it comes to me personally, I always remember that first Lemonade I ever had there, and that was the Lemonade Stand on the Piazzetta of the Piazza Umberto that’s right there before you, when you get off of the Funicular of Capri, if you happen to be taking it. And if you do take the Funicular from the bottom at Marina Grande, once up are at the top and your ride is over, the first thing you’ll see when you exit the Funicular is that Lemonade Stand that is so very inviting on a hot Summer day. So, just as I did on that day in the Summer of 1988 when I had my first, I got a glass of Lemonade. I got off of the Funicular, saw the Lemonade Stand and I couldn’t resist. I got myself a nice cold refreshing Lemonade made with the Lemons of Capri. Later on, in the trip (1988), I’d have my first Limoncello, that hugely famous after dinner drink made with the local Lemons. So, you see, it’s usually the littlest things that I love most when I travel. Like that lemonade on Capri in the Summer of 1988, my first Campari, Aperol Spritz, and most recently a lovely liquor made in these parts called Finochietto (Fennel Liqueur), that the waiter brought for me and my cousin Tony, after dinner at Z’Antonino one night in Sorrento. Wow, I went nuts when I tasted this wonderful liqueur for the first time. It was a revelation. I never had it before, and I absolutely loved it. So much so that when we finished dinner and took a little walk, as we passed by a Salumeria that sold Limoncello, Amari, and other liqueurs, including Finnonchietto, I just had to get a bottle, and so I did (8 Euros).

   So, now as we talk of drinking on the Amalfi Coast, we come up to the subject of the Aperitivo and Aperitivo time on the Amalfi Coast or anywhere in Italy for that matter. Well, what is Apertivo anyway you say? Aperitivo is a drink that you have before dinner, and is meant for socializing as well as getting your palate going for the meal to come. Most often when you go for Aperitivo (aka Aperitif) and order a drink at the traditional aperitivo time (late-afternoon & early-evening), the waiter will bring you some little snacks along with your drink (Aperitivo). The snacks might be as simple as a bowl of Potato Chips and Olives. In addition, some places might serve canapes (crostini) with various toppings, all for the price of the drink. The most popular forms of Aperitivo drinks are anything made with Campari or Aperol, such as Campari & Soda or OJ, a Negroni, or Aperol Spritz. Prosecco or any wine at the aperitivo hours are also considered as aperitivo drinks. You can get any other cocktails made with Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey or other forms of alcohol other than Prosecco, wine, Campari, or Aperol, but these cocktails may be quite a bit more expensive than the traditional Aperitivi.

   On a recent trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast, I partook in the delightful ritual of Aperitivo on numerous occasions. It was quite wonderful sharing this ritual with my cousins Tony, Mimmo, Marta, and friends in Salerno, Sorrento, Positano, and Vietro Sul Mare. My trip started off in Rome for a day before I hopped on the high-speed train to Napoli the next day. After landing in Rome, checking into my hotel, I took a shower and then a nap. Well, more than a nap, I fell asleep for 6 hours. I finally awoke and hopped in the shower again.

  Once I showered and got dressed for one more evening out to my beloved Roma, I had a plan. My plan was to walk over to the Metro stop and take a train to near the Piazza Spagna where I would go walk around and enjoy a bit of time at this one of Rome’s most popular spots. I walked up The Spanish Steps, taking pictures along the way and enjoying the scene before me; the people and that view from atop the Spanish Steps is absolutely magnificent. I stayed there to enjoy it for a little while. So, now onto the second phase of the plan.

   After spending a half-hour enjoying the Piazza di Spagna, my plan was to walk over to the Piazza di Popolo from there, a short 8 minute walk away. Yes, my plans included going to Piazza di Popolo to see the beautiful little twin churches of Santa Maria Maracoli and Santa Maria Montesanto and to have an Aperitivo at Rosati afterwards. After that, I’d go on to dinner. So after leaving the Spanish Steps behind I made my way along to the Via Babuino leading me to my destination of the Piazza di Popolo and all its offerings.

  When I arrived about 10 minutes later, I walked towards the Fountain of Neptune to get a good view of the Twin Churches. I took a few pictures of the churches, then asked a couple if they would take a picture of me in front of them. They took a couple nice pictures that are now part of my wonderful memories of that day, and even back to 1985 and 1986 in Rome. After taking pictures of the two churches and the Piazza and myself, I went over to the churches to go inside. The Chiesa Santa Maria Miracoli was closed, but the doors to Santa Maria Montesanto were open, and there was a Mass being conducted. I went in and sat down to relax there. I listened to the priest and parishioners as they responded to the priest. I said a few prayers for my sister Barbara, myself, my Brothers Jimmy and Michael, and their loved ones, and then I left the church.

  After my time at the churches I walked across to Rosati for my little aperitivo. I took a seat at a table outside to watch the World go by the Twin Churches and life on the Piazza Popolo. I ordered a Campari Soda and the waitress brought it to me along with Olives, Potato Chips, and Canapes. And yes, I sat back, sipped my Campari and watched the World go by. I had quite a nice little Aperitivo Time at Rosati and then it was on to dinner.

  Drinking? You can’t talk about drinking in Italy without talking about wine. On this recent trip I was briefly in Rome where I drank Frascati with dinner that night, followed by an Amaro of Capo di Stato digestive from Calabria.






Atrani / Amalfi



"Now The AMALFI COAST"


   Now, down to Campania and the Amalfi Coast and the wines down there. This area has some wonderful wines that are sure to please all. There are a lot of very good white wines, as there should be with all the wonderful seafood available and simply for the fact of the heat and being on the coast in Summer, for many people, white wine is the way to go. The White Wines of the area are some of the finest in Italy, in wines like; Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino, Coda, Falanghina, Biancolella, and a few others, with these being the main ones as well as being the most popular. When it comes to reds, Aglianico is King, especially in the form of “Taurasi” the most prestigious red wine in all  of Southern Italy. The red grape Palumbo, also known as Piedirosso which makes up the local wine that is called Lacryma Christi, meaning “The Tears of Christ.” This grape makes wonderful fruity wines as is in the case of Lacryma Christi. Yes, Aglianico is the most renowned red grape varietal of the region, but the grape Piedirosso and the wines that it makes up, they are not far behind in stature. The more famous wines are made with Aglianico, the grape that makes up the famed Italian wine known as Taurasi.

   There is a most lovely legend that goes along with the wine Lacryma Christi, which can be found as either white or red wine. As the legend goes, when Saint Lucifer (the Devil) was cast away, he took a piece of Heaven with him. When Christ first saw the Bay of Naples, he recognized it as the stolen piece of Heaven and he wept over its loss. It’s said that as Christ wept, where his tears landed on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius is where the grapes that make up Lacryma Christi first sprang up from, and these are the grapes that sprung from the Tears of Christ. So the legend goes, and it’s quite a lovely one at that.

   After dinner, many people will have a Limoncello, a liquor that is synonymous with Capri and The Amalfi Coast of Italy. This liquor made with the abundant Sfusato Lemons of the Amalfi Coast is a long standing after dinner ritual on the Isle of Capri, in Sorrento, and all along the coast, however, some as myself prefer to have an Amaro Lucano or Rucolino which I recently discovered on my stay in Ischia this past Summer, and just fell in love with this unique Amaro made with Rocket (Arugala) as the main ingredient, along with lemon peels, and various roots and herbs, as all amari have their very own, highly guarded “secret recipes.” Amaro Rucolino has been made on the island of Ischia by the Savastano family since 1880. I just  love it. The previous year, while having dinner at Trattoria Antonino in Sorrento one night with my cousin Tony, the waiter brought us some nice after dinner drinks when we were finished with our meal. First he brought us each a Limoncello which everyone drinks after dinner in Sorrento. And after that, the kind sir brought us something I’ve never had before. He gave Tony and I each a little glass of Finocchietto liqueur made from wild fennel. Not nearly as famous as Limoncello, Finocchietto is better known to locals, and is just one more wonderful thing about the area. It’s quite tasty, and a delightful way to end any meal on the Amalfi Coast. And I say that it’s always wonderful to make another nice new discovery, isn’t it?

  So you see, drinking in Napoli, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, is a very pleasant pastime, whether drinking Cappuccino in the morning, Espresso later in the day, Lemonade, or Limoncello, local wine, a Negroni, Campari, or Aperol Spritz, you’re going to have a good time. You have to? You’re in Amalfi so enjoy it.




EXCERPTED From POSITANO The Amalfi Coast Cookbook & Travel


Daniel Bellino Zwicke







POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

READ of FOOD WINE

SWIMMING SIGHTSEEING

And The ART of DOING NOTHING

In BESTSELLING AUTHOR DANIEL BELLINO'S LATEST

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK / Travel Guide











Me and Vincenzo

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

with Vincenzo Manzo

VILLA MARIA

MINORI, ITALY