ANOTHER GREAT BRUNELLO TASTING ... BACK To BACK BANNER VINTAGES 2007 and 2006 BRUNELLO RISERVA .... New York ..May 2012

VINCENZO ABRUZZESSE

with a Bottloe of His Great Brunello

CALDCAVA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2007

GIACOMMO CASANOVA

with a Bottle of His Famed

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO TENUTA NUOVA 2007

 Well I was wondering what to expect when my cousin Joe asked me if I wanted to go to Brunello tasting at City Winery with him. He said it was with James Suckling (a Top guy at Wine Spectator and # 1 with Italian Wines for WSp) and David Suckiling.. Joe didn't give me details so I figured it was a Wine Spectator Event which is usually more about a lot of BSing making Money for the Wine Spectator and Markin Shanken as well as sucking up than anything else. Well me being in the wine and restaurant industry for more than 20 years, I go to a multitude of industry Wine Tastings, Wine Luncheons and Wine Dinners along with other events of the highest caliber. this tasting was geared toward retail buyers and novice wine enthusiast, a pay to go to event. Not the kind I usually go to, mine are more of the insider type. Well my cousin Joe wanted to go, so I went along for the ride. The day of the event I went on line to see what it was all about. It was not a Wine Spectator Event but one held and organized by James Suckling and David Sokolin. Ok. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary. My cousin drove in from Long island and met me at my house (apartment in Greenwich Village). We walked over to City Winery. I saw my friend Marco poring a wine and went over to his table. It was the Brunello Normale 2007 from Fabio Tassi. Wow! It was great and a precursor of things to come. The Tassi Brunello 2007 was outstanding. i couldn't beleive my eyes. My tastebuds. This wine was a perfect textbook Brunello, perfectly balance, correct in weight, not too heavy not too light but full of wonderful and perfect Sangiovese Grosss taste. The tasi Brunello Franci Riserva 2006 was equally good. Excuse me great! oh and by the way, this tasting was one special one as the wines being tasted, the Brunello di Montalcino 2007 and Brunello Riservas 2006 where two back to back vintages where of the highest caliber of ratings of mid-90s fro each vintage as a vintage overall. Outstanding, the pair of 2007 Normale and 2006 Riserva Brunellos. It's hard for me to remember back when I tasted so many great wines at one tasting. I was shocked. when after wine, Brunello after marvelous Brunello were oustanding. I couldn't believe it. they were almost all good. "Excuse me, Great!" All except for those offerings of Capanna and Uccelliera fo which neither of these producers thrilled me with their offerings as almost all others did.

   As I stated, pretty much all the the Brunello on hand were outstanding, well balanced, tasty and indicative of what great Brunello should taste like. 

Here is a list of the standouts:

Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino Del Piano Riserva 2006

Carpzao Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

Carparzo Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva

Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

 Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva

Lisini Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

Livio Sassetti Brunello Di Montalcino "Pertamali" 2007

Tassi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

Brunello Di Montalcino Castello Banfi 2007

Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara 2006

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

WHO'S PLAYING THE SHITTY MUSIC MUSIC? THE CHEF !!!

BAOHAUS CHEF EDDIE HUANG

JUST WHAT WE NEED

GUYS LIKE THIS with HORRIBLE TASTE in MUSIC P

PLAYING THEIR CRAPPY PLAYLIST 

of  SHITTY MUSIC LIKE PRODIGY AND MOBB DEEP

WHILE WE TRY TO ENJOY OUR MEAL

WHAT'S THE WORLD COMING TO ???

FOR ONE THING

THE MUSIC KEEPS GETTING SHITTIER and SHITTIER

You may have have recently seen a article in The New York Times weekly dining section titled "Who's rocking The Music? The Chef" about many of New York and the countries young chefs blaring their playlist and music on the restaurants sound system. If it was good music being played  as with chef Emma Hearst of Sorella who likes Jimmy Paige and Neil Young and plays 

Led Zeppelin and other great Classic Rock Bands things would be fine. "But No" most of the chefs like most among their generation like and are in to the most "Horrible Music Ever Created in The Entire History of The World." Fact as has been proven by the likes of chef Eddi Huang who plays and subjects his customers to such awful artist as Prodigy and Mobb Deep. This is what the world has come to. Isn't it bad enough that half the retail stores you go in to, the kids working there are playing the World's Worst Music Ever, Hip Hop, Rap, and other so-called music of such horrible nature and tone.  Must customers who pay quite a bit of money eating at restaurants in New York be subject to the horrible noise blaring out of restaurant systems? Whether you are in a bar, a restaurant, at a club, or someones house dinner party, everything might be absolutely perfect, good company, nice surroundings, and delicious food, but if there is horrible music playing like some sort of Hip Hop Crap or Heavy Metal, it can completely destroy the whole feeling of a dinner and turn the feel and ambiance of a place into a mean and cruel Torture Chamber. This is what the young chefs do when they blare out any kind of awful Rap Crap and other music that is not condusive to dining out, sitting down to a meal where you hope to feel relax, enjoying the food, company, and ambiance. But such awful music can immediately and completely destroy a good mood in an instant. This is wrong.

In the NY Times article Who's Rocking The Music? The Chef, here is a statement 

Recette Chef  Jesse Schenker makes that was quoted in the article, quote; "There’s just one thing you don’t want to interrupt. 

If a server needs something from me, and I’m in the middle of an air-guitar lick,” he said, “I’m going to finish it before I respond.”

   Yeah that's just Great Jesse, let someones $35 plus tax and tip (= $46) piece of fish get "OVercooked" because you're in the middle of an Air Guitar Lick that must be attended to before you attend the range. that's just Brilliant.

    Why is it that this generous doesn't make any good music? Well almost none at all. Yes there may be a few things here and there, yet 90 % plus of it is pure unadulterated "Crap" as in mainly "Rap."  This is not a generational thing. I love any good music no matter if it is of my generation, previous generations, or the younger generation if they are capable and or have any good taste to do so, and occasionally they do, but in comparison to the whole pictures, this phenomena of the current generation producing any great music the likes of which you saw and heard on a tremendous scale in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and a bit in the 80's and 90's as well, but since the early 90's the state and quality of Musical Recordings has gone serious down as if being obliterated into extinction. The younger generation for the most part, has horrible taste in music and this current generation of musical artist for the most part lack talent in creating beautiful and tasteful music. They just don't have it, and now, we who dine in restaurants are sometimes subject to loud horrible tasteless music of young ego maniacal chefs with "Horrible Taste in  Music." Stick to the cooking    

boys (and Girls), "You're Music Sucks."

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

JAMES BOND TO DITCH MARTINI For HEINEKEN

Yes Bond Fans, it's True. Agent 007 James Bond will be trading in his beloved Trademark Shaken Martini for a Greeny, a bottle of Heineken  ...  Why? Well it  seems as though The Mega Dutch Brewery is throwing a lot of Green Bonds way. Green as in Green Heineken Bottle, Broccoli Money Green, producer Barbara Broccoli is not about to turn her nose up at 45 Million in green. That's 45 Million Dollars that Heineken International is dishing out for Brand placement in The 23rd Edition of James Bond 007 of Skyfall do out November 2012 ... Forty-Five Million Dollars is nothing to sneeze at and will probably cover 1/3 or more of the productions cost of Skyfall. Never the less, this move is sure to piss off many a Bond fan, but in the end Money Talks and Heineken is putting their money where their mouth is.

in other Bond News, the New Bond Girl has just been cast in the form of the beautiful Greek born actress Tonia Sotiropoulou . Tonia is quite happy to be have chosen the New Bond Girl and stated, "This is the happiest Day of My Life," while Bond fans may not feel the same at the loss of The Beloved Martini.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

HUMP-DAY HAPPY HOUR at THE MERMAID INN

$12.00 For A DOZEN OYSTERS

JUST A BUCK A POP

Had another great Happy Hour at The Mermaid Inn yesterday. Awesome. Had a couple noice Cocktails made by the awesome Bartender Kelly. She Rocks ! A spicy Bloody Mary followed by a Dark and Stormy (Dark Rum and Ginger Beer) along with a little Fish Taco and 8 succulent Widows Hole Oysters. Yummm !!!  And then a complimentary nice little Demi Tasse Cup of Chocolate Mousse for desert.

The place was Rockin for this Hump-Day Happy Hour and I was lovin it. The Mermaid Inn is a lovely little place nestled in a southern most corner of Greenwich Village. It is on the block of Macdougal Street between Bleecker and Houston Street just a half block North of the Houston Street Soho Greenwich / Village Border. The Mermaid Inn has been a welcome addition to the neighborhood, especially with the great Happy Hour they have, it's quite popular, and people love it, especially in this day and age when many need nice affordable places to unwind after work. Places we they don't have to pay the Arm and a Leg cocktail prices of $12 to $16 for a measly cocktail.  At the Mermaid Inn Happy Hour you'll get great cocktails for just $7, Beers are $5.00, and succulent briny East Coast Oysters just a Buck a Pop. No wonder people love it so much, and with the wonderful ambiance, attention to detail and great bartenders like Kelly, "What's not to like?"

THE MERMAID INN

MACDOUGAL STREET

GREENWICH VILLAGE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The SCORSESE FAMILY BUTCHER

. .

ALBANESE MEAT MARKET 

Elizabeth Street ..NEW YORK  NY

 

OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN BUTCHER

SCORSESE FAMILY BUTCHERS

photos by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Catherine and Charles Scorsese

as they Appear in Son Martin Scorsese 's Film "ITALIAN AMERICAN"

CATHERINE SCORSESE Making SUNDAY SAUCE ITALIAN GRAVY 

For The Shooting of ITALIAN AMERICAN

GRANDMA BELLINO'S SICILIAN COOKBOOK

RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA

CHARLIE SCORSESE Making SUNDAY SAUCE GRAVY

In The Prison Scene with Paul Sorvino , Ray Liotta , and Frank Pelligrino Sr

In Martin Scorsese 's GOODFELLAS

Screenplay Martin Scorsese and Nick Pileggi

based on Nicholas Pileggi's Book WISEGUY

Catherine Scorsese with JOE PESCI   RAY LIOTTA   and ROBERT DiNERO

In MARTIN SCORSESE'S GODDFELLAS

"The Hoof The Hoof"

The SCORSESE FAMILY

Marty Charlie and Catherine

In Their  ELIZABETH STREET Apartment

ITALIAN AMERICAN

.

SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN AMERICANS COOK

RECIPE For GOODFELLAS PRISON SAUCE

INSIDE

ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP

The Albanese Meats and Poultry Market had its humble beginning in New York City's famous "Little Italy" in 1923.

Started by Moe-the-Butcher's father and mother, Vincenzo and Mariannina (Mary), the Albanese Family has been serving the very finest meats and poultry for nearly 85 years.

In a part of the city overrun with butchers, pork stores, and Italian deli's, Albanese Meats and Poultry distinguished itself by catering to their customers and exclusively serving many of the specialty meats and holiday favorites desired by the mostly Italian immigrant community at that time. Then in the early 50's, Moe, after finishing college, joined the family business, as the success of the store on Elizabeth Street allowed them to expand their footprint on the Lower East Side with another store near the Williamsburg Bridge.

With his father close by his side, this is where Moe learned the trade and honed his skills as a Master Butcher- excelling in the art of skinning and butchering while formulating a keen eye for buying only the finest cuts of meat.

Then with the untimely passing of Vincenzo in 1954, the new shop was closed and Moe put aside his aspirations of attending medical school to join his mother on Elizabeth Street. He's been there ever since. Mary and Moe worked together on Elizabeth Street for nearly 50 years until her passing at the age of 97 in 2002. Now, Moe carries on the business and the great family tradition- serving only the finest cuts of meat with the same enjoyment and enthusiasm as the old days.

ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP

The MOVIE

MOE THE BUTCHER

ALBANESE BUTCHER SHOP

ELIZABETH STREET

NEW YORK NY

.

LITTLE ITALY TOUR

VINNIE VELLA

The Un-OFFICIAL MAYOR of ELIZABETH STREET

.

THE RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

by DANNY BOLOGNESE

.

PICTURE of SINATRA

with TONY

owner of The Marechiare Bar

aka TONY'S NUTHOUSE

on MULBERRY STREET

Now it's The MULBERRY STREET BAR

.

.

.

        .

ITALIAN AMERICAN ... WHAT IS IT?

There has long been a debate, fights, and Mud-Slinging in regards to Italian and Italian-American
food served in restaurants in New York and the rest of the U.S.. Culinary Snobs, people who "Think" they know what they are talking about and what not. I can set the record straight, being an
 Italian-American who has been eating Italian and Italian-American food for more than forty years, who has been professional Chef and someone who has eaten all over Italy on some 15 trips to the great peninsular. In addition to studying Italian Food in Italy for some 25 years, I am constantly reading all sorts of articles , cookbooks, and historical facts on this subject, in addition to being one of the countries foremost authorities on Italian Wine.
   Anyway, let me tell you. I myself was once a uninformed Food Snob who badmouthed and was slightly disdainful of unauthentic Italian food being served in restaurants all over the city. That's just in restaurants. Of course I Loved eating Sunday Sauce, Eggplant Parmigiano, and Meatballs that my aunts made at our frequent family get together s. And on the occasions that we weren't at one of the family's homes but in an Italian restaurant in Lodi or Garfield, I usually ordered Chicken  or Veal Parmigiano. Yes I loved it, but these dishes, for me at the time (1985-1993) had their place, and it was not in the kitchen or on the plates of any serious Italian Restaurant in Manhattan.
   Eventually as I learned more of the history of food in New York, Italy, and the World, I realized that there was actually a real true Italian-American Cuisine and that it was completely valid.
  Do you realize that if you think there is not a true valid Italian-American Cuisine, then you also must concede that there is No True French Cuisine, because the origins of what we now know as French food and Cuisine is really Italian. Yes, I said Italian. For the food and cuisine of French was quite primitive and did not begin to form into what we now know as French Food and French Cuisine until Caterina Medici of the Noble Florentine Family of the Medici married the King of France and brought her Florentine Chefs with her to the French Court way back in the 15th Century. So there. Many dishes which most people think of as French in origin, like Duck ala Orange, Bechamel, and others, are really Italian. "So there!"
   Anyway, back to Italian-American food. Food and cuisines are constantly changing and evolving. This is how Florentine Chefs of Italy, went to France with the newly crowned French Queen who was of the Italian Peninsular in one Katherine Medici  and taught the French how to cook. Thus Italians immigrating to the United States in the early 20th Century brought their ingredients and techniques from mother Italy to cook the dishes from their homeland, with some modifications do to financial issues (being poor) and the unavailability of certain ingredients, and started forming what would one day be known as Italian-American  food (Cuisine).




"to be Continued"


Daniel Bellino Zwicke

FRANK SINATRA

ONE of THE GREATEST

ITALIAN AMERICAN'S of ALL

TRE BICCHIERI ITALIAN WINE TASTING 2012 NEW YORK

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!

MY DAYS WITH REUBEN ...The SANDWICH by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

A CLASSIC REUBEN SANDWICH

The BOWERY DINER

NEW YORK, NY

Wow, The Reuben Sandwich is The Hot new food Item 2012. This is great. The Reuben is one of my All-Time Favorites. So why haven't I had one in ages, I wonder? And why if I haven't had one in ages, that it's one of my All Time Faves? Well I'll tell you. Number one, when made right, it's "Dam Tasty." And I say made right, cause if you don't have the right person or right place makin them, "a lot can go wrong."
    So why is it one of my Favorites you ask, aside from it being so delicious? Well, The Reuben Sandwich takes my back to my youth, to my wonderful days at High School where I first discovered, made, and eat this wonderful thing. Wait a minute. No that's not where I discovered and first ate it, that's where I first made it, I'll tell you about that in a moment. Where I first discovered and ate it was at a restaurant I worked in as a busboy back in High School. It was the Moonraker Restaurant in Paramus New Jersey. Yeah, that's the place. I was working at this restaurant, the Reuben was on the menu and was one of the items we were aloud to order and eat for employee meal. How could I forget?
Well back to high School and making the Reuben. Me and a few of my buddy's loved food. OF course. Now there was a Cooking Class in our High School that only girls took. Guys were never in eat. Never ever! Now me and my buddy's as I've said love food and tow of us work in restaurants. Now we figure if we could get into this Cooking Class we can get to eat a lot of good food, learn to cook, and be a hit with the girls. We didn't care that no guys ever took this class before, just girls, we had "Balls" we didn't care what other people thought, we wanted to eat and we wanted to learn to cook. We signed up for the cooking class and we got in.
    Anyway, one day the teacher asked us if there was anything we wanted to learn how to cook. A few things were thrown out there, I don't remember the other items, but i threw out The REUBEN and guess what, that's what we all decided on that we were going to make. The teacher researched the Reuben. She gave us printed han outs on the Reuben. All ingredients were assembled; Pastrami, Rye Bread, Sauerkraut, Mustard and Swiss Cheese. We were ready to go, me my buddy John P. and this girl Debbie P that my buddy John P couldn't stand. She was skinny as hell but ate a lot of food, more than her fare share and it drove Johnny Boy crazy.
   Anyway, all ingredients were ready, we read the hand out instructions and went to town making our Reubens,. Exciting! I must say, they came out pretty good. We loved them and subsequently I made them a couple times at home. But guess what, I haven't had one of these lovely morsels of a sandwich in years. And guess what. Yeah, I saw the piece in Neww York Magazine this week about "Reintroducing The Reuben." It caught my eye. Especially the great pictures of Juicy Reubens. Dam it got me going. I wanted one. I read the article and decided I had to go. Go get a Reuben that it. Two things appealed to me as to the place I was going to get my Reuben Fix. Number one, I want a real classic Reuben, not some dumb alternative version of one, like a dumb ass Turkey or Chicken Reuben. Hey that's not a Reuben. I want the Real Thing, one on grilled Rye with either Pastrami or Corned Beef, both exceptable meats for the Reuben, although I lean more towards one made with Pastrami.


Daniel Bellino Zwicke




MY REUBEN at The BOWERY DINER

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke



Had a REUBEN SANDWICH at the new Bowery Diner yesterday. Yumm, it was Dam Good. Succulent and tasty as I could have hoped for. Saw the piece in New York Magazine this week reintroducing the Reuben. There were some really juicy pictures that got my juices going and yearning for one of these tasty baby's. I had to get one, and I chose the recently opened Bowery Diner for four reasons. Number one, I'm an old diner from way back. Two, I had read about the Bowery Diner a few weeks ago and because as I said I'm a Diner lover from way back, I wanted to check it out. Three, it's in walking distance from my apartment, and four, the price, it wasn't $15 and up, not like some of the other ones, although it is more than $15 on dinner menu at The Bowery Diner, but at lunch it's just $8.75. Let was the deal closer. And there is actually a fifth reason, as I saw in the picture in NyMag and read about it, it was a Classic Old School Reuben, not some Dumb Ass version of a Reuben made with Chicken or Turkey. The Reuben at the Bowery Diner was Classic and Old School and really looked mouthwatering in that picture.
     So after my morning Coffee and reading the papers on Monday morning, I left the Cafe and started heading east on Prince Street and over to The Bowery, the street that is, of which is the namesake of the Diner. it was a nice brisk Winter's day. The Sun was out and it wasn't too cold, so I had a nice little walk.
   So I get over there and take a peek inside first. It looked pretty cool and it was kind of dead, I was a bit surprised. Thought it would be a little more lively. Maybe at night? One good thing about it not being busy, although I was by myself i should have any problem of getting a nice booth, cause when I'm in a diner, I just gotta sit in a booth. If not a booth, then at the counter but not a regular table. So I walked on in and was greeted by the hostess. I asked for a nice booth and she gave me on. Excellent. The waitress brought me a menu and asked if I wanted anything to drink besides the water. A Coffee please? She brought me a nice Cup of Joe and asked if I was ready to order. Ready to order? I new what I wanted two days ago. So I ordered my Reuben, and oh by the way, I'm hoping and wondering if this baby is going to be as good as it looked in the picture and of how I had been hoping in anticipation that it would. It arrived arrived ten or twelve minutes later and guess what? Hell Yeah! My Reuben Sandwich was every bit as succulent Tasty and Marvelous as I was dreaming it would be. It was downright "Outstanding," nice and juicy and succulent, perfectly toasted Rye Bread, nice melting Gruyere Cheese, Sauerkraut and most important of all a nice thick pile of Succulent Tasty Slightly Smokey, Just about perfect Pastrami. "I Love it." I was in 7th Heaven and ectsty with my Bad Ass Tasty Reuben.
     Well i gotta say, The Bowery Diner and new York Magazine with their little piece on the Reuben and the picture of the Bowery Diner's Reuben met my high expectations. So many times you get disappointed, but here I was thoroughly pleased, a Great Reuben, nice ambiance, and a real nice waitress taking care of me. Great service. And one other happy discovery I made on my way to the laboratory, they got a Cool Old Seeburg Jukebox. it's beautiful. i wanted to play a few tunes, remembrances of my childhood but the hostess said it wasn't hooked up yet. Let's hope it will be, cause it's always a lot of fun throwing quarters in those old baby's, watching your records picked from the pile, put on the turntable ans spun. Love It!
  So, it was quite a nice lunch at The Bowery Diner with My Reuben, the booth, a Cup of Joe and a Cool Old Jukebox, Check it!

SEEBURG JUKEBOX

THE BOWERY DINER

NEW YORK, NY

NyFoodee FIRST To PROCLAIMS PERCY's PIZZA BEST $1.00 SLICE in NEW YORK ..Now The NY POST is JUMPING on The BAND WAGON

  Yes The New York Post is jumping on The Band Wagon proclaiming Percy's Pizza The Best $1.00 PIZZA in New York, and yes this is true. And I don't blame The Post for writing this piece and I'm glad they did, as let's face it, they have a lot more power and exposure than I, just let's not forget who "Discovered" this Gem first and who was the First to write about it and Proclaim It
"New York'S best $1.00 Pizza." ? Mwha! Yes I. Me writing the piece and making the proclamation way back in December 2011, more than 2 months before the New York Post's piece.
      For those of you who may have forgotten here it is, my Proclamation that Percy's Pizza is The Number One Undisputed Champion King Best $1.00 SLICE of PIZZA in New York. Look below.

Post in NyFoodee    ....  December 10, 2011 by Daniel Bellino Zwicke


PROCLAIMING  PERCY'S PIZZA BEST $1.00 PIZZA in NEW YORK




The latest entry into the DOLLAR a SLICE PIZZA "PERCY'S PIZZA" on Dollar Slice is phenomenal. It's Top Notch and Superior to the likes of JOE'S PIZZA just a mere 200 feet away from this wonderful new establishment.

The Pizza at Percy's is just about absolute perfection. The way real pizza should be, perfect dough that is cooked to crisp perfection with just the right balance of tomato to cheese ratio. This slice is tasty, and at a Dollar a pop, one of New York's greatest culinary deals. And as for the other Buck a Slice guys, they just don't measure up. They're pretty good for a Dollar, but the slice at Percy's is Superior, even up against $2.75 a Slice joints like the famed Joe's Pizza just feet away. Percy's blows them away. They have a couple great Pizzaiolos, one from Sardegna, the other from Cairo of all places. Percy's is a simple unassuming place, that's nice and comfortable and serves up some of the Best Pizza in town, and at a Buck a Pop, you just can't beat it. I Love it, and hope it last.




Daniel Bellino Zwicke

PICTURE of PERCY'S PIZZA

Posted by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

on NyFoodee on Dec. 10, 2011

Pre Awning Picture of PERCY'S

phot0 Daniel Bellino Zwicke

A PLAIN and A PEPPERONI SLICE

BEST DOLLAR SLICE in NEW YORK

photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke

ITALIAN WINE MASTERS

  Well, I went to the Italian Wine Masters Tasting at The Metropolitan Pavilion (New York, NY) yesterday. The Italian Wine Masters Tasting, better known to New York Italian Wine Guys like myself, as the Brunello Tasting, for this is thee Brunello Tasting of the year and second most important of the year after the Tre Biccheri next week. "The Brunello Tasting. Once Upon a time, not too long ago there was a tasting soley of Brunello. The past 3 years has seen the Brunello Tasting paired up with Chianti and Vino Nobile. Sadly this has brought the prominance and overall quality of Thee Brunello Tasting, way down. Not that I'm against drinking Vino Nobile, Prosecco, and Chianti which is now tagged on to The Brunello Tasting, no, but I can drink these wonderful wines at another tasting. And I do. With the Brunello's coupled with these other wines, instead of getting about 150 Brunello producers, you get just 38. Thirty-Eight
      Great Brunello's of the day were: one of my All-Time Favorites, Fattori Barbi Brunello Riserva 2006 "Awesome," the Brunello Castelgiocondo 2007 from friend Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi of The Nobel Florentine family The Frescobaldi's, This wine was quite tasty, also from the Frescobaldi Family their Brunello Di Montalcino "Luce della Vite" 2007 is absolutely "Superb,"
    The Conti Cinzano who owns the Col D'Orcia Estate in Montalcino had the most amazing line-up of the day as he brought a Vertical of multi vintages of Brunello of which the Brunello Poggio Vento Riserva 1995 won my prize of Most outstanding Brunello of the day. Absolutely "Amazing" and I didn't want to put my glass down after taking three wonderful mouthfuls. Outstanding! Thank You for the special treat oh Conti. And I msut point out that this was a special tasting from the Count Cinzano as this was the release of the 2007 Brunello's and 2006 Riserva counterparts, the 1995 Brunello Poggio Vento was outside the box of the tasting. Of the released date Brunello's the Frescobaldi CastelGiacondo Brunello 2007 gets my vote for Best Normale and top Prize riserva goes to Fattoria Barbi for their Riserva 2006.
  A lot of lovely wines on the day, and looking forward to next year as i received some inside information yesterday that The Brunello tasting is going back to the format it is best at at most loved for, solely Brunello.
 


Daniel Bellino Zwicke

MARCHESE LAMBERTO FRESCOBALDI

with HIS BRUNELLO

CASTELGIOCONDO 2007

Best in SHOW

GIANTS VICTORY PARADE and BRUNELLO TASTING ALL in ONE DAY ! WoW !!!

Italian Wine Masters "Brunello Tasting" in New York today, February 7, 2012. Today we get to taste one of the greatest Brunello Vintages ever, the 2007 Brunello di Montalcino's are being released and shown at The Italian Masters Tasting in New York. The may very well be one of the greatest tastings ever, with those of us fortunate enough to be at this tasting, we will be drinking the great 2007 Brunello along with the Brunello Riserva's 2006 which are also released and shown today. Wow! And if that wasn't enough we will also be tasting Vino Nobile and some wonderful iconic Chianti as well. That's a lot of Sangiovese. This guys favorite grape. And what's more,
The New York Giants just won their Fourth Super Bowl Victory and are having a Victory
Ticker-Tape Parade in Lower Manhattan at The Canyon of Heroes as we speak. Excuse me, Write.
   What a day in New York.
      Well, heading up to the Brunello Tasting in about an hour. Will report back tomorrow.


Daniel Bellino Zwicke

GIANTS VICTORY PARADE

2007 VINTAGE BRUNELLO TASTING

ALL IN ONE DAY

WOW !!!

BRUNELLO .. The PROOF is In The PUDDING !!!!!

Had a couple good Brunello's last night, a 2006 Piancornello and from one of Brunello's great vintages the 1999 La Poderina "Poggio Banale" Brunello Di Montalcino, a single vineyard Brunello.
Well the 1999 vintage Brunello's is one of the most famous and one of my favorites. The 99 Banale was quite nice and really full of life. i was suprised at it's power at this point in time, being about 12 years old. I liked the wine, but it didn't really knock me out of my socks, quite good but not memorable, missing that perfect or near perfect balance that makes a wine extra pleasurable and a joy to drink. The Brunello "Poggio Banale" 1999 just din't have it. "Don't get me wrong, the wine was good, just not thrilling" as I hope and thought it would be as we pulled it and anticipation of drinking it. Our anticipation was high, but the wine though very good, "did not delivery on our high expectations of #1 a Brunello of a Great Vintage, #2 A Single Vineyard, and #3 that it was 12 years old, a perfect age for drinking great Brunello's."
     Now the Brunello Di Montalcino Piancornello 2006 on the other hand was a suprise. A nice surprise. This wine was perfectly balance and a pleasure to drink, and I definately enjoy it more than the more esteemed Poggio Banale 1999. A lesson to be learned. Though "On Paper" one wine may appear great, wonderful, whatever, that might not be the case. The only way to tell, is, to Tatse It, "The Prood Will Be in The Pudding."










Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

BRUNELLO

La PODERINA

"POGGIO BANALE"

1999

photo  Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

NO TROTA in BARDOLINO ..QUINTARELLI Dies Age 84 and Why "ROBERT CHADDERON Is An ASSHOLE"

GISSEPPE QUINTARELLI in His CELLAR ...NEGAR, ITALY

Passes Away Age 84 R.I.P.

The Maestro of Amarone, Prince of Negar, the great Giuseppe Quintarelli died at his home in Negar, Italy on Sunday at the age of 84. A very sad day in the World of Italian Wine. Mr. Quintarelli was the Maestro of Amarone. Many would say he alone sat at the top of the Throne of this, one of Italy's greatest wines. Yes there are other great producers of the esteemed Amarone, producers such as Masi, Serego Alighieri, Bertani, Sergio Zenato, and others, but it was Giuseppe Quintarelli who was considered the King. These sentiments felt by his aforementioned peers, wine writers and publications, Sommeliers, collectors and all who were seriously into great Italian Wine.
      I know a good many of the people making the most renowned Amarones in and around Lake Garda in the Veneto, people like Marilisa Allegrini, Sergio Zenato, the Basciani's of Masi and others. I never did have the good fortune to meet Mr. Giuseppe Quintarelli, though I drank his wonderful wines on numerous occasions and I did try to meet him one day. The day in question was one fine April day in 2001. It was right after the famed Italian Wine Exposition of Vinitaly (in Verona every April) had ended.
    As is my custom when I attend Vinitaly, I go to verona and the show for 2 or 3 days, see my friends (Italian Wine Producers), Eat Drink Eat and Drink and make plans with some of these friends to visit them at their wine estates in Valpolicella Classico, Peimonte, Montalcino, and or Chianti Classico the days following the ending of Vinitaly. So the day directly after Vinitaly ended in 2001 my friend Jimmy and I went off to Lago De Garda to see some producers on their estates.  We check out of our hotel in Verona (The Arena) went to a Salumeria and picked up a 6 pack of Aqua Mineral and Salami for the road. We got into the rented Scotto Fabia and made our way toward Lake Garda and the region of Valpolicell Classico, the region where they make Bardolino, Valpolicell, Amarone, and Valpolicella Recioto.
   We pulled into the town of Garda directly on the lake and had breakfast in one of the large caffes on the lake. We discussed what we would do, and I said I just have to meet The King of Amarone Giuseppe Quintarelli. We would go to th town of Negar and look for him. I never met him as for several reasons, the biggest being that the man who represents him Robert Chadderon is one of the "Biggest Assholes in The World of Wine," and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Look in biography of Robert Parker "The Prince of Wine" ask anyone in the business and the will tell you the same "Robert Chadderon
Is An Asshole" plain and simple. Being in the business, at numerous tastings, Wine Luncheons and Dinners and doing business on a daily business, whenever you bring up Chadderon's name, eyes roll and you find out another who can't stand the guy.
   So some of the reasons I had never met Mr. Quintarelli, and I know just about everyone in the Italian wine business, is mainly that Robert Chadderon imports imports and distributes Quintarelli Wines and as for myself and numerous others we do not do business with that Ass, Quintarelli or not.
     So we were in Valpolicella Classico, and I tell my buddy Jimmy, we have to go to Negar, go to the Quintarelli Estate and meet the man. Well easier said than done. We finished our breakfast, went next door and bought some Speck and Garda Olive Oil (the most Northern produced olive oil in the World), we jumped in our rented car and it was off to Negar a few miles away. We got into the center of town. We asked one person after the next where Quintarelli was? Evryone said they didn't know. One after the other. We drove around and drove around. We drove up into the mountains. We came upon a rural bar way up into the mountains, clouds all around. We walked in. I'm sure we were probably the only Americans ever in this bar. In the sticks, a hamlet. We had a glass of Tocai each. We asked for Quintarelli, like tight lips hiding a Mafiosa know one knew.  Ok, "we give up." Finding Quintarelli was not to be.
     We drove to the estate of Serego Aligheri were they produce, in my mind thee best Amarones around. The estate is beautiful, we walked among the vines, toured the ancient Cellars which are one of the few left to have large Cherry Wood Cask, and the wine age just amazingly in these vessels. They are like no other wood at all. The pores of the wood are large than those of oak wood, thus the wine is able to age a little faster in the same amount of time. The wines are absolutely wonderful. We had a little tasting at the cellars, picked up a couple bottles each, then headed  to the town of Bardolino. Earlier Jimmy asked me what was the best thing to eat while in Garda. I told him the only thing to get was some fresh lake trout (Trota). By the time we had driven all around Garda, wnet way up into the mountains, almost to Trentino, then went to Serego and back to the shores of Lake Garda we were both quite hungry and ready for our Trota, but it was not to be. When we got to Bardolino, we couldn't find one restaurant or trattoria open for business. We had to settle for Gelato at a Gelateria. There was to be no Trota in Bardolino. Jimmy was quite mad, so when we jumped in the car to drive down to Bologna and as we drove threw the town, Jimmy shouted out the window "No Trota." Yes, we couldn't find Quintarelli and there was "No Trota" as well.




Daniel Bellino Zwicke