Served with FAGIOLI (Beans) & PATATE (Baked Potato)
CHIANTI
OLIVE OIL CAKE & VIN SANTO
“ALL For ONLY 50 EUROS”
OUR TUSCAN STEAK FEAST
I have known Dario Cecchini since 2001. That was the first time I went to his macceleria in Panzano. I don’t know him very well, but I have been to his butcher shop a few time, and said hello. Since the last time I was in Panzano, and at Dario’s butcher shop (Macelleria Cecchini) Dario has opened a restaurant, Officina Bistecca in Panzano, across the street from his famous butcher shop. Ever since I heard I was dying to go there. At Officina Bistecca you are treated to an amazing Tuscan Steak Feast by Dario. The feast incudes several courses of Prime Beef Steak in numerous forms – Carne Crudo (Steak Tartare), Carpaccio di Culo which translates to Carpaccio of the Ass, “Haha.” Just a little joke. The Carpaccio is made from Beef Rump (Culo). Then you move on to Tagli Cecchini, then Bistecca Panzanese (T-bone Steak), and then Crostata di Fiorentian (Ribeye Steak), alls served with Fagioli (Tuscan Beans) Roast Potato, Tuscan Butter (Lardo), and all the Chianti you can drink. You finish the meal with a tasty piece of Olive Oil Cake and Vin Santo Dessert wine, all for only 50 Euros. “Quite a Deal? And we Loved it”
The we? Me, and my cousins Tony & Debbie. We had a hard time convincing my cousin Tony. He didn’t want to go, but his wife Debbie loves Steak better than anything, and I love steak as well, and had been yearning to eat there, ever since I heard about it. I had to go. I told Debbie, “come on Debbie, we Gott go.” She agreed, and talked Tony into it. So on Tuesday March 3rd (2026), we drove down there. To Panzano and to the Macceleria Cecchini, for an amazing Tuscan Beef Feast at Dario’s Officina della Bistecca (Office of Florentine T-bone Steak). We were not to be denied, cousin Debbie and I. And so we arrived. It was quite exciting. When we arrived, and parked our car in the adjacent parking lot, we walking in through the maccelleria which was already abuzz with people meeting Dario and getting ready for the steak feast of their lives. The Antica Macelleria Cecchini has been in Dario’s family for many years and Dario is the 8th Generation of his family to run this butcher shop. Dario and the macelleria became famous, a couple years after Dario took over the shop. Dario would often quote the famed Florentine poet – Dante Alighieri, and that’s how he started gaining notoriety and thus became famous, along with the butcher shop. It didn’t hurt that Mario Batali became good friends with Dario, and author Bill Buford apprenticed with Dario and wrote about him in his Best Selling book “HEAT,” which is almost like a biography of Batali, with parts about Dario, and Buford’s experiences apprenticing with both Dario at the macceleria and with Mario at Babbo.
Anyway, back to me and my cousins, and our Tuscan Steak Feast. We had a wonderful time. The dining room is quite convivial, festive, and it’s loads of fun. Needless to say, everyone is happy and in high-spirits. It all starts with Dario making a speech to charge everyone up before we go into eat. Dario blows his bus horn and welcomes everyone to the Maceelleria & Officina dell Bistecca for the Feast to come. “Carne Diem !!! Carne Diem,” Dario shouts, and the crowd outside repeats his chants. Everyone is all charged-up and ready to go.
Anyway. We had the Steak Feast. We Loved it, and all agreed that it was a very special thing to do, and a day we shall always remember. And needless to say, “Cherish,” always.
After we got back home in the USA, me in New York, and Tony & Debbie down in Florida, I gave Tony a call one day, and we talked about the trip, (a Week in Tuscany). We talked of Lucca, going to Villa Santo Stefano Wine Estate (Lucca), our day in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan Coast, and our day at Dario’s, and Tony said to me, “You know, the Best Thing we did, was going to Dario’s (Macelleria Cecchini & Officina Bistecca). I agreed, and was quite happy to say that. Happy that he didn’t just agree because that’s what Debbie & I wanted to do more than anything, and Tony was going along. No Tony loved it just as much as we did. And so, that was our day with Dario. I chatted a bit with Dario and I shot some video to make a little film (video) of Dario, the famous butcher shop, and our “Wonderful” Tuscan Steak Feast. Yes a day to remember, and one I hasn’t forget. It was so very cool.
Daniel Bellino and Dario Cecchini share a deep connection rooted in a mutual passion for traditional culinary arts, particularly celebrated through Cecchini’s legendary Tuscan butcher shop.
The CONNECTION
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke is a prominent New York-based Italian-American cookbook author, wine educator, and food writer. He has frequently documented his travels to Italy and his high-profile culinary encounters, notably featuring Dario Cecchini across his social media platforms, blogs, and videos as a supreme “Master of Meat”.
Acclaimed Restaurants: He runs three specialized dining concepts directly attached to his shop: Officina della Bistecca (famous for its 8-course Florentine steak progression), Solociccia, and Panzanese.
Theatrical Flair: Dario is famous for his rock-and-roll attitude, energetic hospitality, and shouting his signature catchphrase, “To Beef or Not to Beef!” while passionately reciting Dante’s Divine Comedy to his guests.
Daniel Bellino’s Perspective
Bellino-Zwicke first visited Cecchini’s butcher shop in 2003 before the attached restaurants were open, and has since returned to experience the full communal dining feasts. Through his books (like Sunday Sauce) and food tours, Bellino bridges the world of authentic Greenwich Village New York-Italian food with the ancient, soulful culinary traditions kept alive by masters like Cecchini in Tuscany.
“CARNE VINO e ROCK N’ ROLL” says DARIO
MACELLERIA CECCHINI
PANZANO, ITALY
DARIO
“The KING of BEEF”
ETRUSCACAN STEAKS & MORE !
BELLINO & CECCHINI
Bellino & Cecchini refers to the renowned Italian Cookbook author – Daniel Bellino Zwicke and his travels to visit the famous Italian Butcher Dario Cecchini [1,2]
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke is a New York-based Italian food historian, wine expert, and the bestselling author of several Italian cookbooks, including Sunday Sauce and Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook. He is well-known in the Greenwich Village food and wine scene and previously created America’s first Venetian wine bar, Bar Cichetti. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Dario Cecchini is an eighth-generation, world-famous butcher from Panzano in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. He is globally celebrated for his philosophy of utilizing every part of the animal and his theatrical butchery, where he pairs premium cuts with poetry and rock-and-roll. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The two crossed paths when Bellino visited Cecchini’s renowned butcher shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini, and attended the legendary Tuscan steak feasts at Officina della Bistecca in Panzano. [1, 2, 3, 4]
If you are interested in their work, you can:
Explore Daniel Bellino’s authentic Italian recipes on Amazon.com or check out his latest updates on ThriftBooks and Instagram.
Read about Dario Cecchini’s butchery philosophy and history on his official website Macelleria Cecchini
features Joe DiMaggio and his family’s culinary traditions in his Italian-American cookbook, SUNDAY SAUCE. The book highlights recipes like “Mamma DiMaggio’s Sunday Gravy,” honoring the mother of the legendary Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio.
Connection: Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, a cookbook author and former restaurant professional, highlights Joe DiMaggio as a key figure in Italian-American culture in his books.
“Sunday Sauce”: In his bookSunday Sauce, Bellino-Zwicke includes recipes for classic Italian-American dishes, featuring stories and recipes from famous figures, including Joe DiMaggio.
“Mamma DiMaggio’s Gravy”: The book specifically includes a recipe for “Mamma DiMaggio’s Sunday Gravy,” which is a nod to Joe DiMaggio’s mother, Rosalia, and the traditional Sunday meals of Italian-American families.
Other References: Bellino-Zwicke often highlights famous Italian-Americans like DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett in his work, celebrating the culture and food of Italian New York.
Daniel Bellino Zwicke (also known as Danny Bolognese) is a prominent New York City – based author, wine professional, and former chef specialising in Italian-American Cuisine and clutlrue. With over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he is recognized as a leading authority on Italian wine and the creator of America’s first Venetian wine bar, Bar Cichetti.
Professional Background
Zwicke has held various roles in renowned New York City establishments, including:
Chef & Wine Director: Worked at acclaimed restaurants such as Da Silvano, Del Posto, Barbetta, and John’s of 12th Street.
Restaurateur: Founded Bar Cichetti in 1997, credited as the first Venetian-style bacaro (wine bar) in the United States.
Influencer: Runs the successful Instagram page @newyork.italian, which has over 500,000 followers and celebrates Italian-American culture.
Published Works
He has authored numerous bestselling cookbooks and travel guides, often blending recipes with personal essays and cultural history. Notable titles include:
Sunday Sauce: A bestseller focusing on Italian-American home cooking and “secret” family recipes.
Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook: A collection of traditional recipes from his Sicilian grandmother.
Positano: The Amalfi Coast Cookbook & Travel Guide: His 2021 release that combines regional recipes with travel insights.
The Sinatra Cookbook: Also known as Sinatra Sauce, featuring recipes and stories tied to Frank Sinatra’s favorite meals.
The Big Lebowski Cookbook: Titled Got Any Kahlua?, this book features recipes inspired by “The Dude”.
The Feast of the 7 Fish: A guide to the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood dinner.
CURENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS
New Books: He is currently working on a book about Venice (tentatively titled My Venice) and another focusing on the Chianti region and its wines.
Travel: He continues to travel extensively through Italy, recently visiting Verona, Florence, and Lucca to gather material for his upcoming works.
His books are widely available through major retailers like Amazon and
Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio was born on November 25, 1914, in Martinez, California, the eighth of nine children born to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Rosalia DiMaggio, from Isola delle Femmine (Sicily). His Italian birth name was Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio. Rosalia named her son “Giuseppe” after his father in the hopes he would be her last child; “Paolo” was in honor of Giuseppe’s favorite saint, Paul of Tarsus.
Joe DiMaggio was one of the most recognizable and popular men in mid-twentieth century America. He was celebrated in song and literature as an iconic hero, and he was married, briefly, to the nation’s number one glamour girl. On March 16, 1999, the House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring him “for his storied baseball career; for his many contributions to the nation throughout his lifetime; and for transcending baseball and becoming a symbol for the ages of talent, commitment and achievement.”1
But first and foremost Joe DiMaggio was a ballplayer. Known as the Yankee Clipper, he was the undisputed leader of New York Yankees teams that won nine World Series titles in his 13-year career that ran from 1936 to 1951, with three years lost to duty in World War II. He was three times the American League’s Most Valuable Player and he holds what many consider to be the most remarkable baseball record of all, a 56-game hitting streak in 1941. As the son of immigrants, he was the embodiment of the American Dream, a rags-to-riches story played out in pinstripes.
Joseph Paul DiMaggio was born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio on November 25, 1914, in Martinez, California, 25 miles northeast of San Francisco. His parents, Giuseppe and Rosalia (Mercurio) DiMaggio, had settled there after emigrating from Sicily. After Joe was born they moved the family to San Francisco, where Giuseppe continued to work as a fisherman. Joe was the eighth of their nine children, one of five sons. Two of his brothers, Vince and Dominic, would also play in the major leagues.
Unlike two of his older brothers, Joe had no interest in joining his father on the fishing boat. Instead, he played for several amateur and semi-pro teams in baseball-rich San Francisco. It was 19-year-old Vince, who was then playing for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League, who got Joe into professional ball. When the Seals found themselves in need of a shortstop near the end of the 1932 season, Vince convinced Seals manager Ike Caveney to give his 17-year-old brother a chance. Joe played in the final three games of the season, and then was signed to a contract in 1933 for $225 a month.
Moved to the outfield because of his erratic arm, DiMaggio hit .340 and set a PCL record by hitting in 61 straight games. In 1934, he hit .341, but a knee injury that sidelined him in August made major-league teams leery of signing him. The Yankees offered to buy his contract for $25,000 and five players, but with the contingency that he remain with the Seals in 1935 to prove he was healthy. DiMaggio made a convincing case by hitting .398, with 34 homers and 154 runs batted in.
In 1936, only two years after the departure of Babe Ruth, the heralded rookie came to spring training facing big expectations. Writing in The Sporting News on March 26, Dan Daniel noted, “Yankee fans regard him as the Moses who is to lead their club out of the second-place wilderness. . ..” It didn’t take long for the rookie to make his mark. Halfway through the season, when he was hitting around .350 and had started in right field in the All-Star Game, his photo was on the cover of Time magazine. For the year he hit .323 with 29 homers and drove in 125 runs.
DiMaggio was the classic five-tool player; in addition to hitting for average and power, he could run, throw, and field. Joe McCarthy, the Yankees manager from 1931 to 1946, called him the best base runner he ever saw. His all-around play led the 1936 Yankees to the first of four straight World Series titles. The 21-year-old sensation had established himself as the successor to Babe Ruth. After the Series, he received a hero’s welcome in his home town of San Francisco, where Mayor Angelo Rossi gave him the key to the city.
DiMaggio finished second in the MVP vote in 1937, despite leading the American League in home runs, slugging percentage, runs, and total bases. He won the first of his three MVP Awards in 1939, when he led the league with a career-best .381 average. Following that season, he married 21-year-old Dorothy Arnold, a singer, dancer, and actress he met while filming a bit part in the movie Manhattan Merry-Go-Round.
By then the 6-foot-2, 190-pound outfielder was acknowledged as the best player in baseball, but to some his ethnic background was still ripe for stereotypical portrayal. In a cover story in the May 1, 1939 issue of Life magazine, Noel Busch identified DiMaggio as a “tall, thin Italian youth equipped with slick black hair” and “squirrel teeth.” But the young ballplayer apparently confounded Busch’s general perception of Italian Americans. “Although he learned Italian first, Joe, now twenty-four, speaks English without an accent and is otherwise well adapted to most U.S. mores. Instead of olive oil or smelly bear grease he keeps his hair slick with water. He never reeks of garlic and prefers chicken chow mein to spaghetti.”3
After winning a second consecutive batting title in 1940, DiMaggio reached a new level of fame in 1941. He set one of the most enduring records in sports by hitting in 56 consecutive games. On May 15, the day the streak began, the Yankees were in fourth place, and DiMaggio had batted a lowly .194 over the previous 20 games. On June 17, DiMaggio broke the Yankee hitting-streak record of 29 games, set by Roger Peckinpaugh in 1919 and equaled by Earle Combs in 1931.
One of those rare athletes — like Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali — who transcended the world of sport, DiMaggio has been called by more than one writer the last American hero. Revisionist historians later offered a more nuanced view, portraying him as a flawed hero who became increasingly reclusive and suspicious of others. Nevertheless, when he died his enduring status as a cultural icon was confirmed by an outpouring of adulation which few public figures, in any walk of life, could evoke. His death was front-page news in every major newspaper, was covered extensively on television newscasts and specials, and was the cover story in Newsweek magazine. Referring to the frequent bulletins on DiMaggio’s health that had been issued in the months prior to his death, Frank Deford wrote that it was “as if he were some great head of state.”25 As one Brooklyn native put it, DiMaggio “epitomized an era when, for a lot of us, baseball was the most important thing in life.”
The answer to Paul Simon’s question — Where has Joe DiMaggio gone? — remains the same: Nowhere. He remains firmly lodged in the American consciousness as a stylish symbol of a time when baseball was the undisputed national pastime and America was enjoying unprecedented prosperity. On April 25, 1999, two months after his death, DiMaggio’s monument was unveiled in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park, joining those honoring Miller Huggins, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Mickey Mantle. The inscription reads, in part, “A Baseball Legend and An American Icon.”
JOE DiMAGGIO – CAREER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STATS
GAMES PLAYED 1,736
LIFETIME BATTING AVERAGE. .325
HITS. 2,214
HOME RUNS. 361
RUNS BATTED IN (RBI) 1,537
On-BASE PERCENTAGE (OBP). .398
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE. .579
On-BASE PLUS SLUGGING .977
MAJOR AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
3× American League MVP: 1939, 1941, and 1947.
13× All-Star: Selected in every season he played.
9× World Series Champion: 1936–1939, 1941, 1947, and 1949–1951.
2× AL Batting Champion: 1939 (.381) and 1940 (.352).
2× AL Home Run Leader: 1937 and 1948.
2× AL RBI Leader: 1941 and 1948.
MLB Record Hitting Streak: Hit safely in 56 consecutive games from May 15 to July 16, 1941.
Hall of Fame Induction: Inducted in 1955.
1936 (Rookie Season): Batted .323 with 29 HR and 125 RBI in 138 games.
1937: Led the league in home runs (46) and runs scored (151), batting .346 with a career-high 167 RBI.
1939 (First MVP): Career-high .381 batting average with 30 HR and 126 RBI.
1941 (Record Streak): Batted .357 with 30 HR and 125 RBI; set the 56-game hitting streak record.
1943–1945: Missed three seasons of his prime while serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
New York City has the largest population of Italian Americans in the United States of America as well as North America, many of whom inhabit ethnic enclaves in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. New York is home to the third largest Italian population outside of Italy, behind Buenos Aires, Argentina (first) and São Paulo, Brazil (second). Over 2.6 million[1] Italians and Italian-Americans live in the greater New York metro area, with about 800,000 living within one of the five New York City boroughs. This makes Italian Americans the largest ethnic group in the New York metro area.
The first Italian to reside in New York was Pietro Cesare Alberti, a Venetian seaman who, in 1635, settled in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam that would eventually become New York. A small wave of Protestants, known as Waldensians, who were of French and northern Italian heritage (specifically Piedmontese), occurred during the 17th century, with the majority coming between 1654 and 1663. A 1671 Dutch record indicates that, in 1656 alone, the Duchy of Savoy near Turin, Italy, had exiled 300 Waldensians due to their Protestant faith.
The largest wave of Italian immigration to the United States took place in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Between 1820 and 1978, 5.3 million Italians immigrated to the United States, including over two million between 1900 and 1910. Only Irish and Germans immigrated in larger numbers.
The first New York neighborhood to be settled by large numbers of Italian immigrants – primarily from Southern Italy (mostly from Sicily) – was East Harlem, which became the first part of the city to be known as “Little Italy”. The area, which lies east of Lexington Avenue between 96th and 116th Streets and east of Madison Avenue between 116th and 125th Streets, featured people from different regions of Italy on each cross street, as immigrants from each area chose to live in close proximity to each other.
“Italian Harlem” approached its peak in the 1930s, with over 100,000 Italian-Americans living in its crowded, run-down apartment buildings. The 1930 census showed that 81 percent of the population of Italian Harlem consisted of first- or second- generation Italian Americans. This was somewhat less than the concentration of Italian Americans in the Lower East Side’s Little Italy with 88 percent; Italian Harlem’s total population, however, was three times that of Little Italy. Remnants of the neighborhood’s Italian heritage are kept alive by the Giglio Society of East Harlem. Every year on the second weekend of August, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated and the “Dancing of the Giglio” is performed for thousands of visitors.
After World War II, the original Italian settlements such as East Harlem declined as Italian Americans moved to the North Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn’s southern tier. The geographic shift coincided with a new wave of Italian immigration. An estimated 129,000 to 150,000 Italian immigrants entered New York City between 1945 and 1973. Bypassing Manhattan, they settled in Italian American neighborhoods in the outer boroughs and helped reinvigorate Italian culture and community institutions. With the influx of postwar immigrants, Bensonhurst became the largest Italian community in New York City, with 150,000 Italian Americans in the 1980 census.
The best-known “Little Italy” in Manhattan is the area currently called that, which centers around Mulberry Street. This settlement, however, is rapidly becoming part of the adjacent Chinatown as the older Italian residents die and their children move elsewhere. As of the 2000 census, 692,739 New Yorkers reported Italian ancestry, making them the largest European ethnic group in the city.In 2011, the American Community Survey found there were 49,075 persons of Italian birth in New York.
Charles “Lucky” Luciano
Charles Lucky Luciano was born in Lercara Friddi, Sicily.
His parents immigrated to New York when he was 9 years old.
The Luciano’s settled on East 1oth Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
The neighborhood, a 100 years ago, when Lucky was growing up, was primarily
a Sicilian neighborhood, as well as Neapolitans, and Italian immigrants from Geno and Abruzzo as well.
Author Daniel Bellino “Z”
SICILIAN AMERICAN
Daniel Bellino Z, also lived in the East Village,which was known
as part of the Lower East Side when Lucky Luciano lived there.
Daniel lived on Avenue A at Saint Mark’s Place for 11 years, from 1982
to 1993. While living there, he worked 2 jobs for 7 years. He’d cook at French and Italian restaurants during the day, and at night he waited tables at John’s on 12th Street for 7 years. John’s opened in 1908 and is still in business today (2023).
Not only did “Lucky” Luciano eat at John’s and Lanza’s around the block
on 1st Avenue, he is said to have “Whacked” (murdered) someone on the East 12th Street, right in front of John’s Sicilian Restaurant.
Lucky also frequent DeRoberti’s Pasticceria, a Sicilian Pastry Shop next toLanza’s Restaurant on 1st Avenue. Veneiro’s Italian Pastry Shop which opened on East 11th Street in 1890, is just about 50 feet away from Lanza’s and DeRoberti’s.
The BELLINO FAMILY
Giuseppina & Fillipo Bellino
Immigrated to New York from Lercara Friddi in 1906
The same years as the LUCINAO Family, both Families, along with
Martino Severino Sinatra (Frank’s Father) are from LERCARA FRIDDI, Sicily.
The Bellino’s; Fillipo, daughter Lucia – my Mother, Antonino and Giuseppina
are pictured here in Lodi, New Jersey, where they moved to, after 2 years in NYC
Fillipo opened a Shoemaker Shop on Main Street in Lodi, where there was a little
gambling room in the back, where local Italian men played cards and bet on Numbers.
This dish focuses on a “quick” sauce that tastes of fresh tomatoes rather than a long-simmered “gravy.” Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in NYC was where Sinatra famously kept a private table.
RECIPE “FRANK’S TOMATO SAUCE”
Ingredients:
1 lb Spaghetti
1 (28 oz) can Whole Peeled Tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), crushed by hand
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4–6 cloves Garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves, torn
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions:
Infuse the Oil:Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and sauté for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.Sinatra’s Rule:Remove the garlic once it’s golden to leave only a subtle infusion.
Start the Sauce: Carefully add the hand-crushed tomatoes and their juices to the oil. Add red pepper flakes if using. Simmer on medium-low for about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens but remains bright red.
Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook spaghetti in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until al dente (firm to the bite).
Finish & Emulsify: Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti. Add the pasta directly into the sauce skillet.
Toss: Add the torn basil and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1 minute until the sauce coats every strand. Serve immediately.
Fettuccine à la Sinatra
This is a decadent, Alfredo-style preparation that Sinatra often requested. It is defined by its simplicity—no flour or thickeners, just high-quality dairy and cheese.
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 lb Fettuccine (fresh is best if available)
1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, very finely grated
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Boil Pasta: Cook fettuccine in salted water until just al dente.
Melt & Blend: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Be careful not to let it brown.
Create the Base: Slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened, but do not let it reach a rolling boil.
Add Cheese: Gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and velvety. Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
Combine: Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss gently to coat.
Rest & Serve: Remove from heat and let the pasta sit, covered, for 2 minutes—this allows the noodles to absorb the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve on warm plates.
Drawing on recently released secret files, an astonishing look at the extent to which Frank Sinatra’s life and career were inextricably linked with the Mafia, and how a number of innocent people died, simply because they knew Sinatra, or had upset him.
It was said of the young Frank Sinatra that he came across as ‘St Francis of Assisi with a shoulder holster’. In Frank Sinatra and the Mafia Murders, Mike Rothmiller and Douglas Thompson draw on previously secret Los Angeles Police intelligence files, a cache of FBI documents released to the authors in 2021 and extensive interviews with prime sources, including many who worked with Frank Sinatra and many more who tracked his long and fatal association with the American Mafia, notably his ongoing connection, after his original godfather was assassinated: Sam ‘Momo’ Giancana, who shared a lover with President John F. Kennedy.
Sixteen days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy on 30 November 1963, nineteen-year-old Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped at gunpoint from his hotel room in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. A $240,000 ransom was demanded from his father. While the FBI and Nevada and California law-enforcement agencies sprang into action, Frank secretly contacted his Mafia friends for help. The Mafia believed they could free young Frank much more quickly through their underworld connections. Some of those they questioned died.
Revealed here as never before is the extent to which Sinatra was adopted by the Mafia. They promoted his career and ‘watched his back’ and, in return, Sinatra danced to their tune. New information disclosed here shows that Sinatra also offered to spy for the CIA. Inside sources say Sinatra wanted the CIA to intercede to stop an investigation into his gaming licence in Las Vegas. But the CIA declined because they were already working with the Mob and were concerned Sinatra would learn of the Mafia’s connection to the CIA and leak it.
Sinatra Sauce “Music Metaballs & Merriment” and Living The Good Life. “Like Frank” .. Yes, it’s about Frank. That is one Francis Albert Sinatra, the Greatest Singer of The 20th Century, and Icon of American, especially of the Italian-American Enclave in America. Frank Sinatra was many things, first and foremost a Great Italian-American singer, Love & Adored by Millions. Mr. Sinatra was also an actor, citizen, and Entertainer Par Excellence. Yes this book is about those things, Frank Sinatra : the incomparable singer, actor, recording artist, Teen Idol of the 1940s, philanthropist, and Las Vegas & Nightclub Entertainer. He was like no other, Sinatra was one-of-a- kind, and he had a lust for life, “Hanging with Friends,” – sipping cocktails, with good food, and making good times. That’s what this book is about, Frank Sinatra, eating (Italian Food), enjoying a cocktail or two, and the company of family and friends. Yes, Frank Sinatra lived life to its fullest. He wouldn’t have it any other way, but “His Way.”
This book “Inspires” and gives you the tools to live out your Sinatra Dreams. You can make it reality, with recipes of Frank’s Favorite Italian Foods, Pasta, Meatballs, Posillipo, Eggplant Parm and more. Eating, drinking, and having good times, all the time as Frank did. Meals with friends and family. Meals you can cook, with recipes in this book. The info and recipes are all here in Sinatra Sauce. Read it, put on some Sinatra (music), cook, eat, and create memorable times at the table, just like Frank. That’s what this book is about: Sinatra, Family, Friends, and Good Times. “The Best is Yet to Come”
Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke is a lifelong Sinatra fan. He is a Best Selling author, who lives and writes in New York’s Greenwich Village. Daniel is currently working on several other projects. He has authored : Sunday Sauce, La Tavola, Mangia Italiano, Grandma Bellino’s Cookbook, Segreto Italiano, and Positano The Amalfi Coast – Travel Guide / Cookbook.
Just in time for the Chairman’s centennial, the endlessly absorbing sequel to James Kaplan’s bestselling Frank: The Voice—which completes the definitive biography that Frank Sinatra, justly termed the “Entertainer of the Century,” deserves and requires. Like Peter Guralnick on Elvis, Kaplan goes behind the legend to give us the man in full, in his many guises and aspects: peerless singer, (sometimes) accomplished actor, business mogul, tireless lover, and associate of the powerful and infamous.
In 2010’s Frank: The Voice, James Kaplan, in rich, distinctive, compulsively readable prose, told the story of Frank Sinatra’s meteoric rise to fame, subsequent failures, and reinvention as a star of live performance and screen. The story of “Ol’ Blue Eyes” continues with Sinatra: The Chairman, picking up the day after he claimed his Academy Award in 1954 and had reestablished himself as the top recording artist. Sinatra’s life post-Oscar was astonishing in scope and achievement and, occasionally, scandal, including immortal recordings almost too numerous to count, affairs ditto, many memorable films (and more than a few stinkers), Rat Pack hijinks that mesmerized the world with their air of masculine privilege, and an intimate involvement at the intersection of politics and organized crime that continues to shock and astound with its hubris. James Kaplan has orchestrated the wildly disparate aspects of Frank Sinatra’s life and character into an American epic—a towering achievement in biography of a stature befitting its subject.
This is The OFFICAL RECIPE for BOLOGNESE RAGU of BOLOGNA, ITALY
This RECIPE CRITERIA for a Properly Made “RAGU” (of Bologna) according to
AGRICOLTURA Di BOLOGNA (The Agricultural Commission of BOLOGNA)
This is the renewed recipe for the real ragù alla bolognese:
INGREDIENTS AND DOSES (FOR 6 PEOPLE)
Coarsely ground beef: 400 g; Fresh sliced pork belly, 150 g; half an onion, about 60 g; 1 carrot, about 60 g; 1 stick of celery, about 60 g; 1 glass of red or white wine; Tomato puree: 200 g; Double concentrated tomato paste: 1 tablespoon; 1 glass of whole milk (optional); Light meat or vegetable broth (also stock cube); Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tablespoons; Salt and pepper.
PROCEDURE
In a non-stick saucepan (of excellent quality, heavy) or made of aluminum or enameled cast iron (once upon a time the earthenware pot was very popular) of 24-26 cm in diameter, melt the minced or chopped bacon with 3 tablespoons of oil. Then, add the finely chopped herbs on the cutting board (do not use the mixer) and slowly fry the mixture over medium-low heat, always stirring with a wooden spoon (the onion must absolutely not take on a burnt flavor). Raise the heat and add the minced meat and, always stirring carefully, cook it for about ten minutes until it “sizzles”.
Pour the wine and let it evaporate and reduce completely, until you no longer smell the wine and then add the concentrate and the puree. Continuing to mix well, pour a cup of boiling broth (but you can also use just water) and cook slowly, with the container covered, for about 2 hours (even 3 hours depending on your preferences and the meats used) adding the hot broth as needed. Halfway through cooking, according to an advisable ancient tradition, you can add the milk that must be reduced completely. Finally, once cooking is finished, season with salt and pepper. The ragù should be a nice dark orange color, enveloping and creamy.
NOTE :
Traditionally in Bologna they used the “cartella”, that is the diaphragm of the beef, today difficult to find. In its absence, or in addition, the front cuts rich in collagen are to be preferred such as the muscle, the shoulder, the under-shoulder, the belly, the brisket. Mixed cuts can be made. According to a modern processing technique, the meats are browned well separately, alone, and then mixed with the chopped herbs, also already browned.
VARIANTS ALLOWED :
1) Mixed meats: beef (about 60%) and pork (about 40%) (loin or neck);
2) Minced meat;
3) Rolled or flat pork belly instead of fresh bacon;
4) A scent of nutmeg;
VARIANTS NOT ALLOWED
1) Veal pulp;
2) Smoked bacon;
3) Only pork;
4) Garlic, rosemary, parsley, other herbs or spices;
“Over the years, the recipe registered in 1982 has been reported in books, magazines, newspaper articles and websites in Italy and the rest of the world, constituting a clear and reliable point of reference; however, after four decades, a study of the changes that have occurred in the creation of this symbolic dish of Italian cuisine, loved throughout the world, was required.
There have been improvements in ingredients, in the quality of containers and in heat sources, as well as changes in eating habits which have had partial effects on the way ragù is prepared.
The three Bolognese Delegations have therefore set up a “Study Committee” for the updating and improvement of the recipe for Ragù alla Bolognese and, in order to obtain a current and complete overview, the Committee has consulted, through a specific questionnaire: the best restaurants in the city, custodians of tried and tested recipes; families with ancient traditions; expert gastronomes.
Ragù alla Bolognese, like all long-standing recipes, is made in families and restaurants in ever-changing ways, as demonstrated by the fact that the recipes received during the study are all different from each other, often in small details but, at times, also with substantial differences.
The “Study Committee”, making a reasoned synthesis, has therefore drawn up a new version of Ragù alla Bolognese which is very detailed in the procedure, with variations (allowed and not allowed) and advice on the cuts of meat and on possible “enrichments”.
The three Bolognese Delegations of the Italian Academy of Cuisine have thus decreed which recipe currently adheres most closely to the formula that guarantees the classic and traditional taste of the true Ragù alla Bolognese, which is what is made, cooked, served and enjoyed today in homes, in restaurants and in bars.
trattorias and restaurants in learned and fat Bologna.
The registered recipe is not intended to be the only possible one, but rather to be a safe guide to the creation of an excellent dish that does not betray traditional customs and establishes some fixed points, with the awareness that, as with musical scores, the true art lies in the execution”.
The notarial deed of the recipe is now jealously guarded in the Palazzo della Mercanzia. It completes the collection of thirty-four recipes of the Bolognese gastronomic culture deposited. All the result of the collaboration between the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna and the Italian Academy of Cuisine that began on April 16, 1972 with the deposit of the golden measure of the authentic tagliatella alla bolognese.
Sinatra Sauce has Arrived !!! Yes, the long awaited Sinatra Sauce Cookbook by author Daniel Bellino Zwicke has arrived. And just in time for Christmas 2024. Want to get someone a really special gift this Christmas ? “Get SINATRA SAUCE” !
It’s sure to please. This is a book on Sinatra like no other.
Yes, SINATRA SAUCE is sure to please. Author, Daniel paints some wonderful pictures of Frank Sinatra at his best. And we’re not talking about singing. No, there is no denying, Frank Sinatra was one of the greatest singers of the 20th Century, if not the single best. Yes, but we’re not talking about that here. This book is all about Sinatra and Food. Italian Food to be more specific, and the dishes that Frank Sinatra liked best. Tasty Italian Dishes from his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey. We are talking Eggplant Parmigiana, Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meatballs here. Dishes made by Frank’s mom Dolly, and his father as well. Yes his father, Martino Sinatra, born in Lercarra Friday, Sicily was quite the good cook as well, and would cook for the family as well. Martino (aka Marty) made Sicilian dishes like Italian Wedding Pasta (Ziti al Forno), Eggplant Parmigiana, and Marty’s Meatloaf. Dolly on the other hand, made Minestrone Genovese, and her famous Spaghetti & Meatballs, along with a host of other Italian favourites.
Later in life, as Frank’s Star rose and he went out into the World, he acquired a taste for others of his lifelong favourites, like: BBQ Ribs at Twin Anchors, in Chicago, Chicken Vesuvius, Steak, and Braised Beef Short Ribs at Lord Fletchers in Palm Springs.
You will; find Sinatra Sauce quite inspirational as read stories of Mr. Sinatra at Jilly’s in New York, The 21 Club, Gino’s, Patsy’s Pizzeria (East Harlem) and Patsy’s Restaurant on West 56th Street in Manhattan where Frank loved to eat Clams Posillipo and Veal Milanese (thin & crispy).
Want to get inspired to eat like Sinatra, have Sinatra Parties, and live the good life. It’s all in the book, recipes and stories of Frank, eating drinking, and being merry. For Sinatra did not just sing. He Loved, and he enjoyed life to its fullest.
Frank Sinatra loved dining and entertaining friends. His dinner parties are legendary, whether at home or out in a restaurant. It was always a good time with Frank, who gathered friends and family, at the table, they ate drank, and were all merry. So, if you want to do the same, invite some friends over, pick out a recipe, put on some Sinatra (records), cook, eat, and have the time of your life. Just like Frank.
“When we talk about Italian Cuisine, it’s all about Grandmothers (Nonna).”
….. Alessandro Pepe – ROSCIOLI NY ….
Minute 1:50 on Video
ROSCIOLI NEW YORK
Well, it’s finally happening. After trying to get in for the past 5 months,
I’m going to ROSCIOLI tonight. Having dinner with a couple friends.
Roscioli, a famous Salumeria / Italian Food Emporium of Rome Italy, has come to New York.
The Roscioli family have come to New York. They have partnered with Alessandro Pepe and
Ariel Arce to open an outpost of their famous Salumeria / Trattoria in New York.
Yes, me and some friends have wanted to go for almost 5 months now. Well, if I really tried, I could have gotten in sooner, but I wasn’t pushing it. Been quite busy in those 5 months, and was eager to go through all the Riga Ramo to get it in. My buddy Rob called me last week and said he got us a table for February 1st. “Cool” It was going to be just the two of us, but a good friend asked if she could come too, so Rob called to see if we could add another, and Alessandro said it was OK, so there we go, me, Rob, and Alyssa make up our group. Rob is a wine salesman in New York, and is selling Alessandro wine at Roscioli, so we were able to get a table. We would have went sooner, but something came up, and Alessandro had to fly bakc to Italy for a couple months. We were waiting for him to come back, and then we’d go. And now the time has come, and me , Alyssa, and Rob are quite excited. We’re going tonight.
To Be CONTINUED !!!
We’ll eat at Roscioli tonight. I will finish writing this piece tomorrow or the next day. Naturally I have to go and eat, and drink, and experience the vibe, and gather the experience and info, before I can write about it. So, “Caio for now. See you all tomorrow.”