Dnny Bolognese is a Professional "Pen Nam" of Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, a Bestselling Italian-American cookbook author, Wine Professional, and former Chef. Based in New York's Greenwich Village, he is a recognized authority on Italian cuisine and wine with over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry.
Culinary Career and Contributions
Professional Pedigree: He has worked as a chef and wine director at renowned NYC restaurants, including Da Silvano, Del Posto, Barbetta, and John’s of 12th Street.
Venetian Wine Bar: In 1997, he founded Bar Cichetti, which is credited as America’s first-ever Venetian wine bar (Bacaro).
Signature Recipe: He is most famous for his "Secret" Ragu Bolognese recipe, which he was taught in 1987 by Chef Pasquale at Ciao Bella in New York.
PUBLISHED WORKS
Under both his legal name and the moniker "Danny Bolognese," he has authored several popular titles focusing on Italian-American food and culture:
Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook: A long-running #1 best-seller on Amazon.com for Italian cookbooks that combines family recipes with cultural storytelling.
Other Titles:The Feast of the 7 Fish – Italian Christmas, Segreto Italiano (Secret Italian Recipes), and the humorous The Big Lebowski Cookbook.
Daniel also maintains several culinary blogs, including Greenwich Village Italian and New York Italian, where he shares recipes, restaurant history, and stories about Italian icons like Frank Sinatra.
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”
Visit SINATRA SAUCE - The Website @ https://sinatrasauce.com
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.
Sinatra Sauce: Music Meatballs & Merriment by Daniel Bellino Zwicke. It was published on November 7, 2024, and is available for purchase on Amazon. The book features recipes of Frank Sinatra's favorite Italian dishes, combined with stories about the legendary singer and his favorite restaurants.
About the Cookbook
Recipes and stories: The book combines recipes with anecdotes and stories about Frank Sinatra's life, his passion for Italian food, and dining experiences with friends and family.
Family connection: It includes classic Italian-American recipes inspired by meals made by Sinatra's mother and father.
Dining experiences: It covers Sinatra's experiences dining at famous establishments such as Patsy's in Manhattan and Jilly's in New York.
Featured dishes: Recipes include classic Italian-American dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, lasagna, and clams posillipo.
Author: Daniel Bellino Zwicke is an Italian cookbook author and lifelong Sinatra fan who lives in New York's Greenwich Village.
Based on documented reports from his favorite restaurants and anecdotes from his family,
Frank Sinatra had several favorite Italian dishes. The recipes for these classic Italian-American foods are featured in the cookbook Sinatra Sauce: Music Meatballs & Merriment by Daniel Bellino Zwicke.
Veal Milanese
A breaded and fried veal cutlet was one of Sinatra's all-time favorite meals. At his regular New York haunt, Patsy's Italian Restaurant, the chefs would make his cutlets pounded extra thin and served crispy with a light arugula salad on top.
Sinatra had a deep appreciation for the Sunday sauce and meatballs he grew up with. He was known for his simple yet classic spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce. The Sinatra Saucecookbook features his mother Dolly's meatballs and a recipe for "Sunday Gravy".
Fusilli with Garlic & Anchovies
At Patsy's, Sinatra also enjoyed this simple pasta dish, which featured fusilli pasta with garlic, anchovies, and breadcrumbs.
Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes
Sinatra's preferred appetizer was stuffed artichokes. Just as with the clams, he requested that the restaurant go light on the garlic.
Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake
For dessert, Sinatra's sweet tooth was often satisfied with a slice of lemon ricotta torte.
Frank Sinatra did not eat a lot of sweets, but he loved this Cheesecake, and another favorite were "Regina Cookies" which are Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies, and the recipe is in "Siantar Sauce" (Cookbook).
SINATRA BELLINO & "LUCKY" LUCIANO
Sinatra Sauce Cookbook by Daniel Bellino Zwicke, whose family is from the same town in Sicily that Frank Sinatra's father - Martino Severino Sinatra was from, the town of Lercara Friddi, Sicily. Also from this town was infamous Mafia Boss - Charles "Lucky" Luciano, born in Lercara Friddi, Sicily, his parents immigrated to New York City 1906. The Luciano family settled into an apartment on East 10th Street in the East Village of New York City. Incidentally the author of the Sinatra Sauce Cookbook, Daniel Bellino Z, lived in the East Village as well when he firsted moved to New York City. Daniel had an apartment on the corner of Avenue A & St. Marks Place, just two short blocks from where "Lucky" Luciano once lived.
The Feast of The 7 Fish, a popular cookbook celebrating the Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition. The book features recipes, stories, and instructions for preparing the multi-course seafood meal, often called La Vigilia.
About Daniel Bellino-Zwicke:
He is a long-time Italian food and wine professional from New York.
He has worked as a chef, wine director, and managing partner at various restaurants, including
Bar Cichetti
, which he founded.
Bellino-Zwicke has authored several best-selling Italian cookbooks, including Sunday Sauce, Ragu Bolognese Cookbook, and Positano The Amalfi Coast Cookbook.
He often writes about Italian-American cuisine and culture, incorporating personal stories and travel experiences.
The book serves as both a cookbook and a cultural guide to the traditional meal.
It provides historical context for the Southern Italian and Italian-American Christmas Eve feast.
The recipes include traditional dishes such as Baked Clams Oreganta, Seafood Salad, Linguine with Clam Sauce, and Mussels Marinara.
The book aims to preserve and share the family tradition, which has often been passed down orally through generations.
The tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes:
Origin: It is an Italian-American tradition that evolved from the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on the eve of holy days. While fish-centric meals are common in Southern Italy, the specific "seven fishes" tradition is largely an American development.
Symbolism: The number seven can symbolize various things, including the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, the seven hills of Rome, or the seven days of creation.
The meal: It is a multi-course dinner featuring a variety of seafood, which can include baccalà (salt cod), calamari, clams, mussels, and eel. The specific dishes often vary by region and family tradition
