The Wines of Piedmont

Prized Barolo Vineyards Near ALBA

in PIEDMONT

Of all the great wine regions of Italy, the greatest wine country of all, the region of Piedmont is probably the most diverse .. The best known wines of the region include Barolo and Barbaresco, which are both made from the Nebbiolo grape 100 % .. Gavi is another wine of great popularity with American drinkers and of the World, and is a white made of the Cortese grape. Barbera is well known on America and Dolcetto and Gattinara as well. Barbera is made of the Barbera grape and Dolcetto is made from Dolcetto, while Gattinara is made from Nebbiolo. Other wines include Arneis, a white, Brachetto d'Acqui (Sweet Sparkling Red), Moscato d'Asti (Sweet Sparkling White)

BAROLO & BARBARESCO

Since time immemorial Nebbiolo has been the most highly-prized vine and the wine-growing emblem of Alba and the Langa, and when it is matched with a great wine-making terroir it is capable of expressing itself at sublime levels in wines of remarkable personality, intense bouquet, great smooth tannins, and outstanding possibilities of evolution and resistance over time. This is Barolo wine.

GIACOMO CONTERNO

Considered by Many as The Pinnacle of BAROLO Wines

And Barolo's Top Producer

My Personal Favorite

BAROLO
BARTOLO MASCARELLO

The GREAT BARTOLO MASCARELLO

And His Daughter

Maria Theresa

"SEE This SIGN" ???

Pay ATTENTION !!!

And Take The ADVICE !

Do Not Drink BAROLO or BARBARESCO

or BRUNELLO

THAT Has Been HEAVILY OAKED In Small FRENCH OAK BARRIQUE BARRELS ..

The Small Barrels Distroy The Delicate Character of NEBBIOLO and SANGIOVESE Based Wines'Like BAROLO, BARBARESCO, and BRUNELLO, The GREATEST WINES of ITALY ..

WINES Like BAROLO, BARBARESCO, and BRUNELLO are Best Aged in Large Slovenian Oak Barrels that are much gentler and better suited to these wines ..

Remeber "No Barrique" !!!

And No Berlusconi !!!

BAROLO

La SPINONA "SORI GEPIN"

A Single Vineyard BAROLO

That is Resonably Priced

And as good or Better Than Many Barolo's

That are 2 or 3 Times The Price

BARBARESCO

Barbaresco is one of Italy's great premier wines. Barbaresco like Barolo are made of 100 % Nebbiolo grapes and of the highest quality of standards .. Barbaresco is every bit the equal of Barolo but often in the minds of many plays second fiddle to Barolo that is by no means true, but is a unjust perception of people that really don't know that much about wine. In a way this status of Barbaresco as 2nd Fiddle to Barolo is a blessing in disguise for thos of us in-the-know who do know our wine. The blessing is in the fact that Barolo is more popular and sells more and more easily than does Barbaresco, the wholesale and thus retail prices of Barbaresco generally run  a quarter to a third less than Barolo wines, and as I've said and anyone who knows Italian Wine well will tell you, Barbaresco is every bit the equal of Barolo .. So if you read this and didn't know before, now you do. So next time you are in a restaurant and see a Barolo for $120 a bottle and a Barbaresco for $90, go for the Barbaresco. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Barolo, and have druck many fine ones and all the great ones over the years .. Luckily, being in the business, I don't have to pay and usually I don't have to buy wine. It is given or bought for me .. When I do pay, because of the equal greatness of the wine and the fact that Barbresco is about a third cheaper, I go for the Barbaresco.

Basta! Nuff said.

BARBARESCO MARENGO MARCHESI di GRESY

Is One of THE BEST

And One of My FAVORITES

"TRY IT"

The 2000 and 2001 Vintages of BAROLO and BARBARESCO were

Two of the GREATEST VINTAGES Ever for BAROLO and BARBARESCO

PS ... A little secret. The 1996 vintage of Barolo & Barbaresco was not nearly as highly exalted as 2000, 2001, and 1990 but every bit the equal and at much lower prices. I drank many wonderful 1996 vintage BAROLOS and BARBARESCO and just loved them. 1996 is my favorite vintage ever for Barolo and Barbaresco. I had the great fortune to drink many oustanding 1990 Barolos and Barbarescos as well as those of 2000 and 2001, but the vintage of 1996 for Piemont is still my Favorite ...

ANGELO GAJA Makes Great BARBARESCO

and is the Most Famous and Most Esteemed of all Barbaresco Producers

His Wines are Wonderful and Highly Esteemed but I'm Sorry to say are not

Worth The Rediculously OUTRAGEOUS PRICES THEY CHARGE.

You Can't Buy a GAJA BARBARESCO for less Than $450 in a restaurant and that is at the low-end. They are usuually $650 a bottle and up .. It's all MARKETING and HIPE !!!

If people are DUMB Enough to pay these outrageous prices, the importers and distributors who set the pprice, along with Angelo Gaja are gonna go for the Gold. But beleive me, you can normally get a bottle of Marcesi di Gresy or similar Barbaresco like from my friend Italo of Castello di Neive for about $90 to $105 a bottle as opposed to a bottle of Gaja Barbaresco for $450 to $650 a bottle .. These other Barbarescos that will cost you about one-hundred dollars are every bit as good as the Gaja ones that cost $500 or more .. "Beleive me, It's the Truth." !!!

EVERYDAY MORE AFFORDABLE PIEDMONTESE WINES

Much of the wine mentioned thus far are more expensive prestige wines .. More affordable and everday drinking wines in Piedmont are plentiful. Wines such as whites like Gavi, Cortese, Arneis, with sparlkers of Spumante, and reds like Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Ruche and Grigilino .. The last 3 mentioned are pretty rare and pretty much are only found in Piedmont, so if you're looking for something new and different and out of the everyday norm, try one of these. I especially love Ruche when I can get my hands on some. Ruch is a lovely light to medium bodied Piedmontese Red that has lovely aromatic red berry fruit flavors in the mouth and goes well with just about anything including fish if you like a red while eating some seafood.

Dolcetto is known to Americans and others around the world. Dolcetto, meaning "Little Sweet One" is not a sweet wine and is always femented dry. The flavor profile is of Black Fruits and Liquorice, with sometimes hints of prune .. Dolcetto goes well with Pasta with Meat Ragu, Bue al Barolo (Piedmontese Beef Braised in Barolo), grilled meats and braised rabbit or chicken ..

Barbera, incomparison to Dolcetto is a bit more popular and better known to Americans, the English and others around the world .. In general, Barbera is a little lighter in body than Dolcetto, with nice garnet collor as opposed to the darker black fruit of Dolcetto. Barbera when made in a lighter style, usually exhibits Cherry, Bueberry, and Rasberries on the palate. If made in a bigger more conentrated style Barbera can sometimes exhibit black fruit flavors such as Black Berries and Black Couurant .. Teh preferable style of true Barbera should be the lighter Barberas of light to medium body as opposed to a more international type of wine that is bigger, fatter, and full bodied does not represent true Barbera of Piedmont, though their are a number of them produced there. And of course besides being bigger and fatter in the mouth, they are the same in the wallet, bigger and fatter prices .. Go with the true Barbera, light to meium body and price ...

MICHELE CHIARLO 

MAKES BOTH STYLES

Average Price $10.99

Michele Chiarlo Barbera "La Court"

average Price $35.95

GUESS Which Is The TRUER BARBERA ?

And The One I Like Better ....

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Gabagool & Gavadeel is Capicolla Cavatelli

GABBAGOOL

CAPICOLLA

 

 

 

GavaDeell 

 

CAVATELLI

SUB

With Gabagoo

PAULIE GATTO

At Connie Corleone's Wedding to CARLO

Right Before BUTTONMAN Throws

PAULIE a GABBGOOL SANDWICH

and Paulie  says, "HEY YOU STUPID JERK" !!!

 

 

Wedding Scene in "THE GODFATHER"

SONNY

Hey Sandra, do me a favor, huh; watch the kids -- don't let'em run wild, all right?

SANDRA

Well, you watch yourself, all right?

CUT TO: Reception continues with Part 2 of Connie's Wedding Song (The Godfather

Mazurka). We first see Tessio dancing with a young girl standing on his feet.

OS: Eh Tessio, cosa fai? ["What are you doing?"]

CUT TO: Don Corleone dancing with his wife, Carmella (Mama)

CUT TO: Connie collecting gifts for her bridal purse. Paulie is watching.

PAULIE

Twenty- Thirty-grand. In small bills, cash. In that little silk purse. Madon', if this was

someone else's wedding, sfortunato ["Oh, how unlucky I am!"]!

BUTTONMAN (from afar, tossing him sandwiches)

Hey, Paulie! I got two gobbagool... gabagol [cappicola] an' a prosciutto!

PAULIE

Eh, you stupid jerk!

 

           

LEARN HOW to MAKE SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA

The RECIPE is in SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Learn HOW to Make SUNDAY SAUCE

A GABAGOOL SANDWICH

MEATBALLS

And GREAT ITALIAN RECIPES

AMAZON.com

FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE

EXPEDIA.com

FRANK SINATRA 'S VEAL MILANESE

FRANK SINATRA'S FAVORITE RESTAURANT

PATSY'S, NE WYORK

WEST 56th STREET

FRANK SINATRA & AVA GARDNER

MANGIA BENE !!!

Frank Sinatra loved Veal Milanese. His Dad Marty used to make it for young Frank and Sinatra ate Veal Milanese over a thousand times at his most favorite restaurant in the World, PATSY'S of NEW YORK on West 56th Street .. Franks other favorites were; Clams Posillipo, Spaghetti & Meatballs,  SUNDAY SAUCE, and Rigatoni Marinara ... 

See Daniel Bellino Zwicke's book "SUNDAY SAUCE" When Italian-Americans Cook for recipes of Sinatra's favorite dishes and recipes for SUNDAY SAUCE alla SINATRA and DOLLY SINATRA'S MARINARA ..

And MANGIA BENE !!!

VEAL MILANES RECIPE alla SINATRA
INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Bread Crumbs (Plain)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 
  
• 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 veal cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds), pounded thin to slightly less than 1/4 inch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

DIRECTIONS Break or cut the bread into large chunks and place in a food processor. Process until the bread is reduced into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs into a large bowl and stir in the cheese, oregano and parsley. Gradually add 3 tablespoons of oil, stirring until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the flour onto a large plate, plate the eggs in a shallow bowl and spread the seasoned bread crumbs on a second large plate. Coat each veal cutlet in the flour, then the beaten eggs and then the bread crumbs, patting with the palm of your hand to ensure adhesion.

Heat 1 cup of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high flame (to a frying temperature of 350 degrees F.) and sauté the veal for 2 minutes. Turn and sauté for 1 additional minute. Do not crowd the pan. If necessary, fry the cutlets in batches. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

SUNDAY SAUCE For SINATRA'S Favorite DISHES & RECIPES

FRANK SINATRA'S FAVORITE FOODS

CLICK HERE !

"STUFFED CALAMARI" and The FEAST of 7 FISH

STUFFED CALAMARI

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

FEAST of The 7 FISHES

Learn How to make the Grand Christmas FEAST of The 7 FISHES

with Daniel Bellino-Zwicke's fine book on the subject,  "THE FEAST of The 7 FISH"

With dishes like; Baked Clams Oreganata, Spaghetti Frutta di Mare, Baccala, Sicilian Swordfish, Pesce en Soar, Shrimp Scampi, Lobster Fra' Diavolo, and much more .. It's The definative book on this Great Italian-American Tradiation .. If you want to make it, "THE FEAST of THE 7 FISH is a "MUST HAVE"  It's Available in Paperback and Kindle on AMAZON.com

SUNDAY SAUCE Daniel Bellino Zwicke

First it was The "McRib" then TWINKIES, Now SUNDAY SAUCE ... All Great Food Things we all love .. New York writer Daniel Bellino Zwicke; authjor of "La TAVOLA" The Big Lebowski Cookbook GOT ANY KAHLUA ? The COLLECTED RECIPES of The DUDE and this Christmas Seasons Hot Book of The Moment "The FEAST of The 7 FISH" is about to Pulish another .. His long awaited book SUNDAY SAUCE on just that subject, Sunday Sauce aka "Gravy" will be out soon .. It's rumored the Kindle Edition of Sunday Sauce will be out November 30, 2013 and the paperback edition of SUNDAY SAUCE will be published Decmber 5 th and will be available on AMAZON on that date, just in time for Christmas. And a great present SUNDAY SAUCE will make .. It's filled as usual with Daniel with wonderful heart-warming stories of New York Italian-America, its characters, the Food, the Kitchen, restaurants, caffes, Pizzerias, Italian Pastry Shops, Pork Stores and everything that is wonderful about Italians and specifically as related to the food of Italy, as well as Italian-American Cuisine which Mr. Bellino points out is legitimate and deserves and demands respect .. This book SUNDAY SAUCE is sure to please and a "Must Have" for Italian-Americans everywhere as well as there American brethren of other persuasions, no matter, just about everyone loves Italian .. Filled with Meatballs, Sausage, Espresso, Maccheroni, and all the tasty Italian Favorites .. The book is filled with the favorite Italian-American dishes, but is centered and themed around the most Supreme Italian-American Dish of All "SUNDAY SAUCE" aka "GRAVY" or as some just call it "SAUCE"  ....

You been waiting, it's almost Thanksgiving, the wait is almost over, Sunday Sauce, Get It"

Fans of Daniel Bellino-Zwicke and His renowned books of Sunday Sauce, The Feast of The 7 Fish, Italians, New York Italian, and The ITALIAN-AMERICAN Lifestyle can pick up any other titles by Mr. Bellino that they might not already have, like" "La TAVOLA"

THE FEAST of The 7 FISH "Italian Christmas"

CLEMENZA'S MEATBALL SUNDAY SAUCE COOKBOOK

or THE BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK  "GOT ANY KAHLUA" ? 

The COLLECTED RECIPES of THE DUDE

ALL TITLES Are AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

TripAdvisor PIZZA FUCK UP !!!

PIZZAIOLO MAESTRO DOMINIC DeMARCO

MAKING AMERICA'S BEST PIZZA

At HIS PIZZERIA "DiFARA PIZZA"

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

TripAdvisor makes a major Faux Pas when with their Top 10 Pizza Cities of U.S.  The Faux Pas, TripAdvisor puts the "Undisputed Raining King of American Pizza 4th" and as if they are even more out of their minds rank San Diego # 1, Las Vegas # 2, Boston # 3, and The Champ New York # 4  ... It doesn't take much of a Genius to realize that this is one of the 21st Centuries biggest Media Blunders of all. So bad in fact, "It's a Joke," an absurdity that is beyond belief and has "Seriously Hurt TripAdvisor" and given them a major Credibility Issue.  A business that is built on credibility and giving "Advise" as per their "Name," TripAdvisor is in TROUBLE ..

Below:  "THIS IS INSANITY" !!!

The Top 10 Cities for Pizza, as determined by TripAdvisor:

1. San Diego, California
2. Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Boston, Massachusetts
4. New York City, New York
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Austin, Texas
7. San Francisco, California
8. Indianapolis, Indiana
9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10. Phoenix, Arizona

At issue here is not whether San Diego, Boston, and Las Vegas has better Pizza then New York and that they have bragging rights. "Hell No!" They don't, anyone in their "Right-Mind" knows that no city can touch New York in their superiority as far as Pizza is concerned, New York is America's undisputed Champ, we have some of the Best Pizza on Eart, and this include Italy. The only city that comes close to New York is New Haven, Connecticut, but even as great as New Haven and the towns pizza is, they are a distant second to New York, Chicago? Fougettabout IT! Chicago, that "Deep Dish Stuff" That's NOT Pizza, it's Deep Dish something, not Pizza. The balance is completely off to be called "real pizza."

The issue here, with TripAdvisor's Major Foul-Up  is when you go to Tripadvisor for "Advise" on Hotels, Restaurants, and other travel related questions to determine what is the best, and for accurate descriptions, opinions, and ratings, "Is Tripadvisor accurrate and reliable? The answer is, "Sometimes," just be careful and look to others like Yelp and articles and other info on places you are seeking accurate info and advice about. Don't solely count on TripAdvisor. This "Pizza Debacle" is a major "blunder" and one that will take Tripadvisor a good long time to recover from.

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

SINATRA JACK DANIELS

FRANK & JACK

"I'm not unmindful of a man's seeming need for faith; I'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers, or a bottle of Jack Daniel's. But to me religion is a deeply personal thing in which man and God go it alone together, without the witch doctor in the middle."

Frank Sinatra to a Reporter  ....

SINATRA

On Stage 

With

JACK DANIELS

SAMMY Pours FRANK & DEAN

A JACK DANIELS

DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY DAVIS Jr.

and FRANK SINATRA

THE RAT PACK

Out On The TOWN

SINATRA JACK DANIELS SELECT

FRANK'S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOKS

SECRET SAUCE of GINO LIVES On In SUNDAY SAUCE BOOK .... Salsa Segreto

Gino's

Farewell Good Friend !

SECRET SAUCE “SEGRETO”

Excerpt from Daniel Bellino Zwicke's "SUNDAY SAUCE"
Due for November 30, 2013 Publication

Tagliolini with Salsa Segreto. Secret Sauce? We lost our beloved Old-School Italian Red-Sauce Restaurant Gino’s of Lexington Avenue a couple years back. Gino’s opened in 1945 by Neapolitan Immigrant Gino Circicello was a Gem of a Restaurant loved by its many loyal customers who kept the place packed and vibrant night-after-night. The place was perfect; Great Food and good wine at reasonable prices coupled with excellent service by friendly attentive waiters inside a homey comfy dining-room that everyone loved, from its cozy little Bar at the front of the restaurant, its Phone Booth (one of the last surviving in New York), and the famed Scalamandre Zebra Wallpaper that is as much a part of Gino’s as the tenured old waiters and the popular Chicken Parmigiano.
Among all the tasty dishes with the Pasta with Salsa Segreto, “The Secret Sauce,” it was as tasty as can be, and a perennial favorite with Gino’s legendary clientele, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Joe DiMaggio, and a string of luminaries to long to name. Gino’s had many wonderful dishes that were soul satisfy, unpretentious, but tasty as heck. They were all the usual suspects of Italian Red-Sauce Joints everywhere; from Baked Clams Areganata, to Shrimp Cocktail, to Spaghetti With Clam Sauce, Lasagna, the famed Veal Pamigiano, “the entire menu.”
I used to go to Gino’s with my cousin Joe, my sister Barbara came a couple times, as my brother Michael. But it was usually me and Cousin Joe and if anyone else tagging along. Now I love my pasta as all good Italian-Americans do, but my cousin Joe? He had me beat. The guy loves his pasta, and wanted it practically every day. I believe we tried the Secret Sauce on our first trip there together. I think with Tagliolini, but you can have it with Spaghetti, Rigatoni or whichever pasta you like. Well we loved it from the very first, and would get it every time we went. Often we’d get Baked Clams and Shrimp Cocktail, followed by a Half Portion each of Tagliolini with Salsa Segreto, and as our main we might split a Veal Milanese with a “Nice Bottle of Chianti.” We’d finish the meal with Espresso and a couple of Desserts, maybe a Tira Mi Su and a Chocolate Tartufo.
So the Secret Sauce, what’s in it you want to know? Yes I identified the Secret ingredients one day, I made it, and it tastes exactly the same, and that’s as tasty as can possibly be, a 10 out of 10, you can’t get any better. It’s quite simple and you’d be amazed, but that’s the essence of all Italian Cooking, simply tasty. The Secret of The Secret Sauce is, “I shouldn’t tell you but I will.” I should be charging you $100 just for this one recipe but I won’t. “I hope you know what a bargain you people are all getting; my Sunday Sauce, Clemenza’s Sunday Sauce, my Lentil Soup recipe, Marinara Sauce, and so much more.” I’m getting robbed. But here you go, The Salsa Segreto (Secret Sauce) from the former Gino’s Restaurant on Lexington Avenue across from Bloomingdales is Butter and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese added to a simple tomato sauce as you toss the pasta (your Choice) with the Sauce. Basta! That’s it! The Cat is out of the Bag. Enjoy!

GINO'S WAITER

SOME LOYAL CUSTOMERS

And The FAMOUS

ZEBRA WALLPAPER

An ITALIAN AMERICAN FAMILY

The BELLINO'S

Philipo, Lucia, Tony, Josephina

Lodi, New Jersey

Earl 1930's

How to MAKE FEAST of The 7 FISH ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Christmas Eve Fish Dinner is, without question, the most important, the most festive, the most familial, the warmest and most memorable family gathering. For me, Christmas Eve Dinner surpasses every other holiday, As important and delightful as Thanksgiving of Easter or even Fourth of July might be, nothing approaches the ineffable depth and richness of Christmas Eve Fish Dinner offered a table unlike that of any other holiday.

But before I go further, let's consider the name of this dinner. Among some Italians that I have questioned it is called "Feast of the Seven Fishes," for other families, including my own, it was simply Christmas Eve Fish Dinner. There was no specific number of fish involved. Carol Field' Celebrating Italy, a most thorough study of Italian holidays, notes that Christmas Eve dinner calls for fish but makes no mention of the number of fish dishes. Moving my investigation of the Christmas Eve dinner to Google Italy, I found that it is generally called "Il Cenone della Vigilia" (The great dinner of the Eve.) No Italian site I found made mention of the number of fish. I have the sense that the notion of seven fish may be Italian American and even here only among certain families.

The next question I considered was the type of fish. Almost every reference I found and all the people I interviewed had numerous variations. Among most Italians sites two fish appeared most often, baccalà and eel. Among traditional Italian Americans the two most common dishes were baccalà (usually in a cold salad recipe) and fried smelts. In many younger and less traditionally bound Italian Americans all the old time fish were gone. The new fish platters now included shrimp and fried fish and even fish sticks. Italian Americans are not alone in modernization. It seems that even in Italy the younger generations recoil at the notion of such fish as eel.

While what this dinner is rightly called and which fish are those to be presented seems to vary from region to region and family to family a few things about Christmas Eve fish dinner, go unquestioned. Christmas Eve fish dinner was the one dinner no one missed. Christmas Eve fish dinner was at the home of the patriarch or matriarch. Every child and grandchild was present. The power of the Italian American Christmas Eve dinner overwhelmed all other cultural influences. While the fish dinner may have been rooted in Italy it spread its branches to include and embrace not only those non-Italians who had married into the family but all those of other ethnic backgrounds who were friends beyond the family. Everyone with any association to the family was invited to the Christmas Eve fish dinner.

While all other holiday dinners gathered the family while there was still light in the sky, Christmas Eve Fish Dinner began sometime after sunset. It was and is, the only festive dinner in the Italian American tradition that is shared in darkness. All other holidays in the Italian American tradition are celebrated at the table sometime shortly after noon. Christmas Eve Fish Dinner always began sometime after six in the evening.

Christmas Eve Fish Dinner differs from all other dinners by its lack of structure. Other dinners, whether Sunday Gravy or Easter Sunday follow a certain formality. For other dinners there is always a soup course, an antipasto, the pasta, the main course and then the dessert. The Christmas Eve Fish Dinner was quite different. The Christmas Eve Fish Dinner had courses, but the courses were not single dishes. For the Christmas Eve fish dinner each course was composed of several offerings. And the whole dinner was preceded by a cold table of finger foods that allowed mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews to chatter for an hour or so before dinner began. The finger foods were set on small tables in the living room. The platters included olives, slices of celery and broccoli, and a dish of crackers. There were also plates of cooked shrimp with sides of shrimp cocktail sauce. The olives were from cans and the children liked to slide the pit wholes over their fingers as they chomped on the olives. I would guess that the shrimp and the horseradish based cocktail sauce was an influence from the fashionable restaurants of the time.

After at least an hour of nibbling on the side platters the dinner bell called us to the tables. Yes, tables. In our family there were three. In our center hall style house, the dining room table was turned towards the center hall. A second and third table were butted up to the main table. The three tables continued through the center hall into the living room. Seating was determined by age. The oldest sat in the dining room section; the younger the child the closer to the living room.

There was no soup on Christmas Eve. When we sat at the table we first saw a small bowl of whiting salad with lemon and a serving of "scungilli," conch. When I was small there was a cold baccalà salad with tomato. These cold fish salads were followed by the pasta. Of course, we never heard or used the word "pasta." For us the "pasta" dish was one of three possibilities. It changed from year to year. It could be either "Clams and Spaghetti," "Mussels and Spaghetti," or "Squid and Spaghetti." The spaghetti were always the very thin "angel hair" ("capellini.")

The next course is always a serving of several varieties of fried fish. My Irish background mother prepared several fish offerings in different ways. There are three central dishes. First, she made a tray of plain American fish sticks for the children and for those at the table of a less than Italian heritage. Then, as a middle ground, my mother makes the most exquisite crab cakes that would appeal to Italian traditionalists as much as to the non- Italian in-laws. For the old timers there is always the most wonderful finger food, fried smelts with lemon. There are also fried scallops, fried shrimp, fried calamari and fried oysters.

Following the fried dishes, the table is covered with several trays of broiled scallop, shrimp and clams. Then comes the main fish platter. This platter has no Italian precedent that I know of. My mother introduced this dish about thirty years ago: stuffed orange roughy papillote. The orange roughy papillote is made by splitting the fish into two pieces and filling with a layer of spinach with tomato, garlic and olive oil. The fish is wrapped in parchment and baked.

After a rest and an interlude of conversation the Christmas Eve Fish dinner is crowned by the dish everyone waits for, my mother's tray of Christmas cookies. We began at five in the evening. After the cookies it is after 11. The culmination of the Christmas Eve Fish Dinner is Midnight Mass. Following Christmas Midnight Mass the family came home to a wonderful breakfast of eggs and bacon and, in Philadelphia, of scrapple. The special delight of the breakfast was the Christmas Bread, a wonderful brioche-like pastry shaped in a ring and decorated with multi-colored sprinkles. But Christmas bread is another page.

by TONY D MORINELLI

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_D_Morinelli

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7394063

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

On The STREETS of NEW YORK

Frnacis Ford Coppola is one of America's Great Directors and along with the also great Martin Scorsese, one of America's Two Greatest Italian-American Directors ... Francis made what is considered by most proud Italia-American citizens thee # 1 Greatest of all Italian-American Films,   "The Godfather"

The GODFATHER

Starring MARLON BRANDO

AL PACINO

JAMES CAAN

RICHARD CASTELLANO

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Adapted From MARIO PUZO 'S BOOK

The GODFATHER

CLEMENZA GODFATHER MOB WAR "SUNDAY SAUCE" Recipe in "La TAVOLA"

BONA SERRA ASKS DON CORLEONE (MARLON BRANDO)

To HAVE SOMEBODY WHACKED

In The GODFATHER