Sunday Sauce Still The Best

 

The following 3 paragraphs are excerpted from a piece by EATER, titled The RED SAUCE JOINT in a Jar ... October7, 2022

The RED-SUACE JOINT, in a Jar

Rao’s, the century-old 10-table Italian restaurant in New York City, is one of those places where most people, myself included, need not bother trying to get a reservation. (It is, by many reports, a challenge.) Despite that, Rao’s has succeeded in becoming a known name in far more homes than its capacity would allow, thanks to the pasta sauces it started selling in 1992. As of August, Rao’s Homemade, a line that sells sauce, frozen meals, and pizzas, is reportedly on track to become a billion-dollar brand.

Given Rao’s success, the only surprising thing about Carbone, the perpetually buzzing NYC Italian American restaurant, creating its own line of pasta sauces was the fact that it took so long to do so. Carbone, the crown jewel of the Major Food Group restaurant empire, opened in 2013 and became “an impossible reservation almost instantly,” Helen Rosner wrote in the New Yorker. In the years since, Carbone has grown into “the most celebrity-studded restaurant on Earth,” according to Vanity Fair; an NYC export; a singular example of the whimsies of the elite; and a social media phenomenon (the search term has over 1.4 billion views on TikTok). Rao’s and Carbone aren’t just any restaurants; they’re restaurants that make lists for Celebrity Sightings and where the powerful share meals.

“The sauce category is a crowded one, but what it is lacking is a premium product that can stand up to what’s served in restaurants,” CEO of Carbone Fine Foods Eric Skae claimed — perhaps boldly, in the purview of Rao’s fans — in a press release at the line’s launch in March 2021. Now, that premium sauce category expands further: This month, Rubirosa — another of NYC’s hot-table Red-Sauce Joints,

... excerpted from EATER, October 7, 2022

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You read the previous 3 chapters? OK, all this being said, jarred Italian Pasta Sauce might be OK for those who can't cook, and those who aren't of Italian-American ancestry, but no "Self Respecting Italian" would ever dream of buying Sauce in a jar. "No way, no how." We grew up with our nonna's and mothers making the tastiest Italian Sunday Sauce Gravy just about each and every Sunday of our lives. It's a right of passage and weekly ritual of practically anyone who counts themselves as Italian-American of this great country of America. 

Each Sunday our family would gather at one of my aunts and uncles houses in Lodi, New Jersey, and my aunts Fran and Helen would make our beloved Sunday dish of Sunday Sauce, aka as Gravy. The sauce was laden with Meatballs, Sausages, and Braciole that slowly simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and basil. First we'd have a little mixed Antipasto of Salami, Provolone, Roast Peppers, and Olives, preceding the main event, the Sunday Sauce Gravy with Maccheroni. We'd dig in and get our fair share, then relax a half hour or so, before we started on coffee and dessert, which conisted of Cannoli, Sfogliatell, assorted Italian Cookies and Cakes, and Espresso with Anisette for the adults.

They were warm and wonderful times at the Bellino's as we all gather with my mother (Lucia), her brother Jimmy, Tony, and Frank, aunts Wanda, Helen, and Fran, and my cousins Anthony, Phylis, Connie and JoAnne, and my brother Jimmy, Barbara, and myself. My aunt and uncles friends like, Charlie Palumbo, Jimmy Scarlotta, Alice Foggi, and other would stop by for coffee and dolce as well. These were and still are the most beautiful times of my life, those memories of Sunday meals with our Italain family. And of course we weren't the only one. These Sunday rituals of Sunday Gravy, maccheroni, Cannoli, friends, and family were practiced by a couple million Italian families all over America. We grew up with the most tasty Italian foods. We were the envy of our Irish and Polish friends, and we would never dream of buying and eating sauce from a jare. We always make it homemade (recipe ), "never ever store bought from a jar. Never" !!!

DBZ

AMERICA'S LEADING BOOK

On SUNDAY SAUCE ITALIAN GRAVY

SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

STORIES - RITUALS & RECIPES

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

AMAZON.com

Bellino Makes New York Best Burger Burgers

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MINETTA TAVERN

Good Burgers, but Far From The Best

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New York's Best Burger Who makes it? Or who makes, plural, New York's Best Burgers. Well first off, Minetta Tavern does not make the Best Burger in New York. Far from it. And of the Burgers at Minetta Tavern, forget the highly overrated Black Label Burger, the Minetta Burger has it beat, though there are better Burgers in New York. For, one, the Burger I make at my house in Greenwich Village, just two blocks away from Minetta Tavern is far superior, a buch tastier burger than you'll get at Minetta Tavern., but there's one thing we have in common when making New York's best burger. And the Burger I make in my house is way Better than the Burgers at Minetta Tavern.

So what's the difference you ask? And you want to know what it is I have in common with the Burgers at Minetta Tavern? The thing I have in common with Minetta Tavern when making my Burger that is without question one of the Best in New York, and for a whole lot less money (about $3.10). Yes, thing that Minetta Tavern has in common with me, in our Burger making, is that we both buy our meat from pat LaFrieda, it's just that I use the better blend than Minetta Tavern. The Black Label Burger Blend by Pat LaFrieda is made with Dry Aged Beef, which though people would want you to think otherwise, dry aged beef is one of the worst things you can use to make a burger. Dry Aged Beef is old meat, and is actually meat that is deteriorating. It's much better to use fresh beef when making a burger, and that's all their is to it, and Minetta Tavern uses Dry Aged Beef for its Black Label Burger. Not good.

I have in the past year used numerous sources to buy ground beef for my burgers. I buy meat from one of the best Butcher Shops in New York, which is Florence Prime Meat Market on Jones Street in Greenwich Village. I've been buying Sausages, and Steaks from this great old Italian Butcher, which to me is the best butcher shop in all of New York. I mostly bought steaks here, and it's relatively recently that I started buying ground beef to make burgers with. I was there buying myself a Newport Steak (Specialty of The House) one day, when I watched an elderly neighborhood lady getting individual Hamburger Patties made for her. I started chatting with here about the burgers, and she said she loved them, so I said I'd get some of them, my next time at the butcher shop, and so I did a couple weeks later. I've tried both the chuck and the sirloin ground beef from the market. They both made fine burgers.

Trader Joe's recently opened in my neighborhood, and I've tried a couple different types of their ground beef (80/20 and 85/15 ratios), and they both made pretty good burgers.

Today, I wanted to get a couple burger patties from Florence Prime Meats, but they were closed when I got there, so I made my way over to Grestide's. I went to the meat counter and spotted Pat LaFrieda's Burger Blend made with Beef Brisket, Chuck, and Beef Short Ribs. There were 4 Patties in the package, for $8.99, at $2.25 a Burger, it's more than I normally spend, but if I can get a better burger it will be well worth it. I'm still trying to get a Burger to taste as good as the ones I made from the meat that my cousin Joe gave me, that was a pacckage of 4 Black Angus Burger Patties from Wayside Market in Southhold, New York, on the North Fork of Long Island. The Burgers I made with that meat, may very well be the Best Burgers I've ever had in my life. "I kid you not," and I have witnesses to back me up on this. Anyway, I wanted to see if this Burger Blend from pat LaFrieda could come close, or dear I say, be better than those Burgers made with the Black Angus Patties from Wayside Market.

So I bought the burger blend and headed on home. I got my stuff ready. I sliced some New York Cheddar Cheese, and sliced some onions. I toasted and buttered an English Muffin, heat my pan, poured in a bit of oil, and threw my burgers in to cook. As the burgers were cooking, I put a little dijon Mustard on one side of the Muffin. I seasoned the burger with salt, and flipped it over to the other side. Then I seasoned the top side with salt and black pepper. The Burgers cooked another 4 minutes, and then I turned the heat off and let the burger rest for 3 minutes before putting it on top of cheese on on side of the muffin. A put a little nob of butter on top of the burger, then a little Ketchup before topping the Burger with the other half of the bun. I put it on the plate and brought it to the table. I grabbed the burger, bit into it, and from the very first bite, I htought "Wow," it was a dam good burger, and better than any of the meat I'd bought in the past year, including Florence Prime Meat. Wow, this was impressive, and the Pat LaFrieda meat was well worth the bit more than I paid for it, and a real bargain when you consider that a McDonald's McDouble cost about $2.69, and a superior burger like this, with more meat, cost just about .35 Cents more than the inferior McDonald's Cheeseburger. Dam!

Yes, I loved the burger. This Burger that I just made at my house was without question better than almost any burger I've had in New York. my Cheeseburger was better than The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern, or the Minetta Burger, it's better than the Shake Shack Burger which I normally love but wasn't that happy with their burgers the last two times I was at Shake Shack (Mine is Better). My Burger tasted better than the JG Melon Cheeseburger (I Love), but not better than the Burger I had at Charle's Prime, which was the only Burger I've had in New York City that was better than the Burger I made at home.: But as good as this burger I made at home with the Pat LaFrieda Burger Blend, "it was Dam Good, but not as Good as the Burger that I made at home with the burrgers from that box of 4 Black Angus Patties from Wayside Market of Southhold, NY.

MINETTA BURGER

GOOD, But Not The BEST

"THAT GOES to BELLINO"

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The BEST BURGERS I'VE HAD in NEW YORK

Cooked by Me at my Home in GREENWICH VILLAGE NYC

with BLACK ANGUS BEEF PATTIES 

from WAYSIDE MARKET SOUTHOLD NEW YORK

NORTH FORK of LONG ISLAND

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BELLINO MAKES NEW YORKS

BEST BURGER

Recipes

READ BELLINO virsus OZERSKY

BLACK LABEL versus MINETTA BURGER

MINETTA TAVERN

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#BestBurgerNewYork by #BELLINO

#DanielBellinoZwicke

#BestBurgersNewYork

#BellinoMakesNYbestBURGER

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The Worlds Best Breakfast - Amalfi Coast

 

"The WORLD'S BEST BREAKFAST"

VILLA MARIA LEMON FARM

MINORI, ITALY

On The AMALFI COAST

CLICK HERE !  To READ ABOUT IT

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ALpha Donuts Sunnyside Queens NYC

Under The  "7 TRAIN"

ALPHA DONUTS

And DINER

SUNNYSIDE, QUEENS

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUTS

ALPHA DONUTS

QUEENS, NY

The BOSS MAN

ALPHA DONUTS

French Crullers 

Alpha Donuts

45-16 QUEENS BOULEVARD

718-472-4725

Open 24 Hours

FULL IRISH BREAKFAST for The IRISH COMMUNITY

SUNNYSIDE, QUEENS

NEW YORK

Alpha Donuts is totally cool. It's true authentic, no-nonsense bullshit New York type of place. New York City Guide said, "It's the type of place that Travis Bickel (Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver)  would go to. Good Diners, Burger Joints, and on the money Donut Shops are among our great treasures in this life, and Alpha Donuts is two of those. It's both a great Donut Shop and a Diner, serving satisfied customers good dam Coffee, yummy Donuts, and Breakfast around the clock (Open 24 Hours). And though the owner is Greek, he knows his business and he knows his customers, so her serves and awesome Full Irish Breakfast catering to the many Irish Immigrants living in the neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens. "What more can anyone ask for?"

AMERICA'S FAVORITE FOODS

And SECRET RECIPES

The BADASS COOKBOOK

STEAK - SOUPS - BURGERS

CHILI - TACOS - BURRITOS

BONE SUCKING BBQ SAUCE

FRIED CHICKEN

MOM'S MEATLOAF

And Much Much More ...

EVERYTHING YOU NEED 

to MAKE IT THROUGH LOCK-DOWN

AMAZON.com 

SOME TRIPADVISOR CUSTOMER REVIEWS of ALPHA DONUTS

5 STAR REVIEWA

Brilliant... Let the good times roll

This is awesome eatery. Anytime of the day or night, we have called by many times and always a friendly welcome and great coffee and mouth watering food. This establishment is historical and should be preserved.

says James K.

Way more than donuts

What a great experience. I had been walking past this place for a month because I didn't want a donut. A dumb move. I finally learned there was food, and plenty of it, and I stopped in. As good a Greek omelet as I have ever had, and superb home fries. Coffee a cut above most diners. Friendly and competent employees who recognize you when you come back, and an expert grill man. And the ambiance! A throwback, in the best way. These places need to be patronized and saved. I will be back to eat my way through the menu. This is the kind of place that makes Sunnyside special.

.. says Tom N.

Good, classic diner. Great breakfast!

I travel often to NY and this is one of the spots that I MUST visit on every trip.
This is as classic as you can get when it comes to old-school donut shops and breakfast joints. Greasy flat-top grill, very old cash register and very friendly service. You just can't beat that.
The donuts are great, the breakfast portions are very adequate and the prices are very reasonable.
Give this little hole-in-the-wall a visit and hopefully you will like it as much as I do.

... says Jaguar 0177

Hurricane Sandy Odyssey NewYork

Base of The FLATIRON BUILDING

NEW YORK

Aftermath of HURRICANE SANDY

October 2012

I'm walking up 5th Avenue, just south of the Flatiron Building in New York, the day after Hurricane Sandy hit New York around 8 PM the previous night. The storm knock-out all Electricity below 26th Street in New York, which included my apartment in Greenwich Village.

I knew they had electricity above 26th street so I went on a quest in search of  Coffee, food, and electricity to charge the batteries in my Laptop Computer, my tablet, and Cel Phone.  I thought I'd be able to fulfill these requirements at a Starbucks somewhere, but Star Bucks failed me and all of New York by not being able to pull together crews to open at least 2 or 3 of their stores in Midtown Manhattan. Starbucks Failed New York and the people of the city of NY at a time when we needed them most, during Hurricane Sandy. Satrbucks SUCKS ! And they do not have an excuse that because of the hurricane, they couldn't open any of their locations, McDonald's did, and if they did, Starbucks should have been able to and they didn't. They probably didn't even try, they Suck. I've never really liked Starbucks, and I don't support them, and this I will never forget or forgive Starbucks for not helping New Yorker's when we needed it most, during Hurricane Sandy. If McDonalds was able to open some of there locations and they did and I went to one and had a large coffee and a Black Angus Cheeseburger and used the Wifi and that really helped me out, and helped the people of New York, so once again I want to say STARBUCKS SUCK, you Failed the people of NEW YORK when we needed you most.

So anyway, I couldn't find one dam Starbucks open. Those SOBs. I did find a McDonalds and had a nice time there. Before I went to the McDonald's in midtown, I went up to The Waldorf Astoria Hotel and plopped myself down in the lobby of the Waldorf for a couple hours, hung-out,and charged my batteries and had a great time there.

I left the Waldorf and as I was walking from east to west, I came upon a McDonald's that was open, so I went in. I ordered a large Coffee and a Black Angus Cheeseburger and I was in business. I sat down and enjoyed my coffee and burger, and I was happy.

Calm Before The STORM

HURRICANE SANDY

ONE MANS ODYSSEY

FRANKENSTORM

NEW YORK CITY

October 2012

And WHY STARBUCKS SUCKS !!!!

COFFEE

Most peopel probably don't think about it, but for many of us (Millions) Coffee is one of the most important and loved things in all our lives. It's almost a necessity to many. We all must air to breath, and water, and food to survive, clothing, and the shelter of a home and roof over our heads, and after these absolute necessities to actually staying alive, to live, Coffee comes right after these things taht are an absolute must to staying alive. Yes, Coffee is an option, but the # 1 most popular, "Must Have" options to living a happy life, "We've got to have IT." We gotta have our Coffee in the morning, and thorughout the day, but we have to have tht first cup to get us going in the morning, and if we don't, we're not happy campers.

The day Hurricane Hit New York, we (New Yorker's) wanted food, shelter, we wanted Electricity, some of us had it, and some  didn't. I for one was one who didn't have electricity, and we were without it for 5 days, but I for one made due. Well, not just me, a few million of us in the New York Metropolitan area. Anyway, again, I must reiterate, Starbucks failed us on this day when they could have and should have served us well. They didn't, and for this, I say again, STARBUCKS SUCKS ! Do you hear me Starbucks? You SUCK !

So, I walked from my home in Greenwich Village. I walked up Sixth Avenue in search of Coffee, Food, and Electricity. I did find all 3 eventually, but not at Starbucks, do you know why? Starbucks Sucks, that's why. McDonalds managed to open a couple locations, but Stabucks didn't, they were all closed. Starbucks didn't serve New Yorkers coffee when they needed it more than ever, they Suck.

Anyway, I wanted to go to The Ace Hotel to get coffee and electricity, but they weren't letting anyone other than guest to go into the hotel, so I continued on looking for a Starbucks, which I found, but they were all closed, Starbucks couldn't manage to at least open a couple Starbucks, the way the McDonald's Corporation did, serving New Yorker's when they needed it most, McDonald's came through, Starbucks didn't. Starbucks SUCKS !

World's Best Breakfast on The Amalfi Coast

My Breakfast at Villa Maria Agroturismo, Minori

"Yes the Breakfast was amazing and trully the best of my life. How can it not be, look where I was sitting."  Perched hi atop the town of Minori on the beautiful Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy, "My God!" I had the most beautiful view imagineable on the terrazzo at Villa Maria Agroturismo looking down on the lovely seaside town of Minori with Ravello higher up the mountian and to the right. My breakfast, The BEst in The World. Well the best breakfast I've ever had; nice hot Coffee, Amalfi Lemon Cake, fresh Sfogliatelle, fresh fruit, toast and 10 different Homemade Jams made my Vincenzo and Maria with fruit from there farm. What could be better? Not much I tell you!

The World's Best Breakfast? Yes, well maybe. Or maybe not, but for me, the best breakfast I've ever had in my life. I came across Villa Maria Agroturismo when I was watching vidoes of Sicily and The Amalfi Coast on Youtube one night. I was getting ready to go on my trip and I was just looking for inspritation and a way to psych myself for my upcomong vacation. I just happened upon this video made by David Rocco. David Rocco is a Celebrity Chef from Toronto and he had done a series of food & wine videos on Italy. This particular one that I came across was about this wonderful little agroturismo Lemon Grove Farm in Minaori Italy on The Amalfi Coast called Villa Maria Agroturismo. Well I loved the video and fell in love with this place and the people who run it, husband and wife team Vincenzo & Maria. Vincenzo tends to his farm which is mainly a wonderful Lemon farm, but Vincenzo also has a good number of Olive Trees to make olive oil, he has grapevines from which he gets grapes to make a wonderful red wine and a white as well, he grows all sorts of fruits and vegetables, he has chickens for eggs and meat, as well as pigs so he can make his own homemade Salami and Prosciutto.

Yes Vincenzo takes care of the farm and he also runs his little inn agrosturismo that has 6 lovely little rooms way up in the mountain top of Minori. They also have a nice little restauarnt that you eat, yes the world's best breakfast and a marvelous 4 Course Dinner every night made my Maria with all the food made from products from their farm; Salami, Wine, Olive Oil, fruits and vegetbles, Pork Chops, Frittata (eggs) etc.. You'll not get a better meal anywhere, I promise you.

View of Minori From VILLA MARIA

Lemon Grove, Villa Maria Agroturismo, Minori Italy

Pacceri Frutta di Mare  .. My Lunch Vilal Maria, the day I arrived ...

Me & Vincenzo

Agroturismo Villa Maria

Minori ITALY

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NEW YORK BEST COFFEE

NEW YORKS BEST COFFEE 

JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE

at

MISS LILLY'S

GREENWICH VILLAGE

NEW YORK

NEW YORK'S BEST COFFEE

Only $2.50 a CUP

"For JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN, That's SUPPER CHEAP"

&

The BEST COFFEE DEAL in TOWN

At

MELVIN'S JUICE BOX

MELVIN

Mis Lilly's

JAMAICAN

BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE

The WORLD'S BEST

The BLUE MOUNTAINS

of

JAMAICA

Where The Worlds Best COffee is Grown

MELVIN'S JUICE BOX

BEST JUICE BAR

in 

NEW YORK

 

Power Breakfast at Balthazar New York

BALTHAZAR

Noho NEW YORK

NEW YORK 'S # 1

POWER BREAKFAST

The PERFECT BREAKFAST

BAGELS & LOX

COFFEE

FRESH ORANGE JUICE

& 

The NEW YORK TIMES

Balthazar New York

NEW YORK BEST COFFEE

PORTO RICO COFFEE

Bleecker Street

Greenwich Village

NEW YORK

The BEST COFFE BEANS In TOWN

COFFEE LOVERS REJOICE "COFFEE Is GOOD For YOU" !!!

COFFEE LOVERS REJOICE !!!

COFFEE MUG

COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOU !!!

Yes Boys and Girls, all you Coffee Lovers out there, it's True, Coffee is Good for You. Ye-Ha! Don't you just love it. You might have heard from time-to-time that coffee is not good for you, bad for your health. Not So, but just the opposite, Coffee is Good for you. Coffee is High in Antioxidants, which can protect against damaged cells and  reduce your risk of chronic disease including Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Strokes. 

Now this is really good news, Great News in fact, the prevention and reduced risk of getting Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Stoke is major, and anything any sane person should be ecstatic and rejoice over, "I am." Coffee can help prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson Disease. Awesome!

Just remember, moderation is the key, too much coffee can cause nausea, jitters, and a rapid heart beat. It is safe to drink up to 5 cups a day, if you start getting over 8 cups you may have problems and adverse side affects. So remember, enjoy your coffee, you can love it, but stay moderate and it will love you back. As for me, I just love and adore my morning coffee. I usually have a second cup in the late afternoon, but hardly ever after 4 PM and I'm finished for the day, until my next glorious morning cup to start another day, my Coffee, in the Cafe, the newspaper and I'm set, Buon Giorno!

 

 

THIS ARTICLE FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE POSITIVE BENEFITS OF DRINKING COFFEE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE DRINKING COFFEE CAN BE BAD FOR YOU, SUCH AS PEOPLE WITH ANXIETY OR SLEEPING DISORDERS.  IN TERMS OF HEALTH, COFFEE IS BEST DRUNK WHEN IT'S BLACK OR WITH VERY LITTLE SUGAR AND MILK ADDED. DRINKING A VENTI MOCHA WITH WHIPPED CREAM FOUR TIMES A DAY ISN'T GOOD FOR ANYONE. 

DUDES GOT COFFEE !!!

"Drinking My COFFEE"

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

How to Make a WHITE RUSSIAN COCKTAIL

And Other Recipes Using KAHLUA Coffee Liquor

CHILI  BURGERS STEAKS

And All of The DUDES FAVORITE RECIPES

NOTHING LIKE a NICE CUP of JOE

"I LOVE COFFEE"

NewYorkFoodie.com

BEST NEW YORK FOOD BLOGS

FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE

EXPEDIA.com

CLASSIC GREEK DINER COFFEE

NEW YORK

HOTELS WORLDWIDE

BOOKING.com

GOING To The AMALFI COAST ?

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST 

TRAVEL GUIDE - COOKBOOK

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT !

AMAZON.com