Monday, February 16, 2015

Caffe Dante Closing After 100 Years

MY BELOVED CAFFE DANTE to CLOSE
Yes I'm afraid it's most likely true, my beloved Caffe Dante to close this month (February 2015) after 100 years in business in New York's Greenwich Village. It's rumored that Mario Flotta the long time owner of Caffe Dante will be selling the caffe to a Australian Corporation and it was reported on 1010 WINS Radio News this morning that Dante will be shuttering its doors in 10 days time. This is very sad, especially for me and longtime regulars who have been going to Caffe Dante for 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years for New York's most authentic Espresso and cups of Cappuccino. I myself have been going there since the Summer of 1985 when I came back from my first trip wonderful trip of many to my ancestral homeland of Italy .. As i've been going to Caffe Dante almost evry single day siance 85, I've become good friends with the Flotta Family over the years especially Mario Sr. who is almost like a second father to me.
This is such sad news, and all I can say is something I know that most do not, is that Mario bought a building around the corner on Bleecker Street for just such a situation. That being that the landlord would one day raise his rent beyond reason (the Landlord did in 2013), and Mario would just pack up his caffe and move it around the corner. Mario is Caffe Dante, his loves the place like one of his own children, and I know this is the reason he bought the building on Bleedker. Mario told me himself what he would do, and he always wanted the Caffe to continue and for there to be a place for Caffe Dante for his sons, Mario Jr., Anthony, and Peter.
I hope everything all works out, I love Caffe Dante more than I can ever express, it's without question my second home, and a Greenwich Village without this wonderful Caffe would be that much less of the Greenwich Village that we residients, visitors and tourist from around the country and around the World know.
 
 
 
Story & Photos by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Tre Bicchieri New York 2015

Yes Italian Wine mavens. It's that time of the year again. Wow, another year gone by. It's the 2012 Tre Bicchieri Tasting New York, the years most prestigious Italian Wine Event of all. It is this friday February 17 at the Metropolitan Pavillion on West 18th Street and if you don't have an invite or in, forget about getting in. Security is tight at this one, sponsored by Gambero Rosso the Wine Spectator/Robert Parker of Italy and Italian Food and Wine all rolled into one. What is Tre Biccieri? Well first off it translates to Three Glasses., and this is the system for rating the top wines in Italy by the famed Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri Italian Wine Guide compile and published each year by Gamabero Rosso Publications. Italy's top wines are here. Gambero Rosso rates the wines on a 1, 2, and 3 glass system as opposed to others like Robert Parker and WIne Spectator which uses a 100 Point System. So at the Tre Bicchieri Tasting, all of the Tre Bicchieri (3 Glass Wines) Wines will be on hand.    For an Italian Wine Guy like me, this is my favorite event of the year and although I love and enjoy all the great wines, it's actually more of a social event for me. I get to see my many friends from Italy, winemakers, but mostly the proprietors of the many wine estates on hand. It's just great!    Needless to say there are going to be many great wines on hand including; Sassicaia 2008, Turiga 2007, Donnafugat "Ben Rye" 2009 from good friend Antonio Rallo, Barolo "Monfortino" Riserva 2004 from Giacomo Conterno (Considered by many Thee Top Dog of All Barolo), Vietti Barolo Villero Riserva 2004, Mastroberadino Taurasi Radici 2007,  Rosso del Conte Tasc d'Almerita 2007 from good friend Conte Giuseppe Tasca, Masi Amrone "Vaio" 2006, Planeta's "Plumbago" (Nero d'Avola), and many more. To many to mention here. Yes a lot of great wines, looking forward to tasting as many as I can, but even more so, seeing the many friends who make these wines, especially, Francesca Planeta, Sebastiano Rosa of Sassicaia fame, Merielisa Allegrini, Antonio Rallo, Giampaulo Venical with his great Sauvignon Blanc "Ronco de Mele," Rafaella Bologna with her renowned Barbera "Bricco dell' Uccellone 2009 and many more.As always, this is going to be a great event, Great Wines and Great Friends from the whole of Thee Italian Peninsular. Can't wait!
SEBASTIANO ROSA (Winemaker SASSICAIA)
with
DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE (Author)
and
GIOVANNI FOLNARI (Proprietor NOZZOLE in Greve)
at
TRE BICCHIERI  - New York
 
 
 
TRE BICCHIERI  WORLD TOUR
 
NEW YORK
 
 
 
Will be attending the Gambero Rosso TRE BICCHIERI Tasting in New York tomorrow. Tthat goes without saying, as this is the single most important Tasting of the year for anyone into Italian Wine, as am I .. Did The Brunello Tasting 2 weeks ago, the 2nd most important tasting of the year .. I always look forward to both these tasting, and the tre Bicchieri Tasting in New York tomorrow is no exception ... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
La TAVOLA
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
"IT'S NEW YORK ITALIAN" !!!
 
MANGIA BENE !!!
 
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK
 
Available on AMAZON.com