Giulio Ferrari Amalfi Coast / Sorrento

A Bottle of FERRARI “PERLE” 2007

The First of 5 Bottles of Ferrari “Perle” we had on The AMALFI COAST 2018

Sorento18 045

Linguine with Langostines

Lo Smeraldino Ristorante

AMALFI

The View From Our Table at Lo SMERALDIO RISTORANTE

Lunch Saturday May 19, 2018

Myself, Cousin Tony and Alan Spinelli

I had a wonderful little vacation in the Spring of 2018. Starting in Rome, then on to The Amalfi Coast; Minori, Salerno, Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, and Frascati. The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places on Planet Eart, “therre is no question of that.” You go for the beauty, to lie on the beach soaking in the lush Sun of Southern Italy and .AMalfi Coast. You also go to eat. You should have a nice lunch, maybe an apertivo or two in the late afternoon, take a nap, then have dinner at a nice ristorante or trattoria in whatever town you might be in; on Capri, in Amalfi, Positano, wherever, you can’t go wrong on the Amalfi Coast, in Sorrento, Napoli, or the Siland of Ischia, you will eat well.

We had a wonderful lunch after cousin Tony picked me up at the ferry station after I took a boat from Minori to Salerno to rendevous with Tony. We went directly from the ferry terminal to eat lunch at La Spagnola Ristorante in Salerno where my cousins Mimmo and Marta had taken Tony the night before. Anyway, we went to La Spagnola and had a fine lunch of incrediable Polpette di Alici (Anchovy Meatballs) and Insalta di Polpo for our antipasto. Then Tony had Linguine Frutta di Mare and Alan and I both got a plate each of some tasty Spaghetti Vongole. We drank nice bottle of Prosecco and had a most wonderful lunch which along with our lunch the following day was my favorite of the entire trip. La Spagnola is one of the best restaurants in the city, so if you ever find yourself in Salerno, you might to eat there.

Sorento18 007.jpg

A Fisherman mends his Nets on The LUCIA MADRE

CETARA

ITALY

Razor Clams and Alici

La SPAGNOLA RISTORANTEO

With Alan S. Myself and Cousin Anthony

Outside La SPAGNOLA RISTORANTE

Salerno

ITALY

The Next day we decided to go have lunch in Amalfi after a stop at Cetara along the way. Cetara is the only true old fishing village along the coast. The fishermen there catch all sorts of fish, like; Pesce Spada, Tonno, Cozze, Calamari, Sepia, and other fish and shellfish, but they are most famous for Alici, which are Anhovies and when you see Alici on the menu of any restuarant on the Amalfi Coast, they most likely were caught by a fisherman of Cetara.

Alan Cousin Tony and Myself at Our Amazing Lunch

at Lo SMERALDINO

AMALFI

So when driving on the Amalfi Coast, it can sometimes be quite trying if you get stuck in traffic and then trying to find a parking space when you get into town. o Cousin Tony when he saw there was parking at the restaurant L Smeraldino, he pull in. At first I wasn’t so sure about the restaurant but I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t there too long when I knew it would be good.

One of the waiters sat us at a greaat table right next to the water with an amazing view of Amalfi. It was truly spectacular. Cousin Tony gave me the wine list and told me to pick a nice bottle of Champagne. I looked the list over and saw some of the fine Italian Sparklers on the list and told Tony why don’t we get one of them. I assured him they were really good. Tony agreed, and we picked a bottle of Ferrari “Perle” 2007 which is made in the Methode Classico which means in the style of Champagne. Champagne is usuually made with 100% Chardonnay grapes or a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir or all Pinor Noie in more rare cases. When made of 100% Chardonnay grapes the Champagne is called Blanc d Blanc. Anyway, this is just a brief bit about french Champagne just to help clarify this Italian Sparkling wine we were drinking that was made in Trentino in Northern Italy. The wine is made in the style of French Champagne and is of the highest quality.

So anyway, the waiter brought us the bottle of Ferrari Perle, and we tasted it, it it tasted quite good. Well actually, more than good, this Italian Sparkling Wine was just about as good as you could get from a sparkling wine and the equal and even better than just about any French Champagne you might find. We just loved it and the wine went well with everyhthing we ate for lunch, including: Grilled Calamari, Insalta di Polpo, Grachi (Local Crab), Linguine with Langostines, and Spaghetti Arogosta (Lobster).

I think I Created a Monster that day, as Tony wanted to get a bottle of Ferrari “Perle” at almost every meal we had, he absoutely adored the wine and I was thrilled that he did.

This is our story of eating on the AMalfi Coast and having several bottles of the awesome wine Ferrari “Perle” along the way. We had vintages of 2007, 2009, and 2010, with a total of 5 bottles of this wonderful wine during our stay on the Amalfi Coast. It was great.

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

FERRARI “PERLE”

At BUCO di BACCO RISTORANTE

POSITANO

Vintage 2007

The Terrazzo

BUCO di BACCO

POSITANO

The MALFI COAST

ITALY

AMALFI18 082.jpg

GILIO FERRARI

At AURORA PIZZERIA RSITORANTE

SORRENTO

COZZE

AROURA

SORRENTO

Pizzaioli at AURORA

SORRENTO

At AURORA PIZZERIA RSITORANTE

SORRENTO

ITALY

MANGIA ITALIANO

MEMORIES of ITALIAN FOOD

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Author Daneil Bellino Zwicke

with a Glass of FERRARI “PERLE”

LUNCH at BUCO di BACCO

POSITANO

ITALY

I Visit a Lemon Farm Minori Italy

I Go Back to Visit My Friend Vincenzo Manzo at His LEMON FARM

VILLA MARIA , Minori ITALY

May 2018

WATCH The VIDEO !!!

SUNDAY SAUCE

LEARN HOW to COOK ITALIAN

Buca Di Bacco Positano Italy

Positano

At BUCA di BACCO

My TRIPADVISOR Review of BUCO di BACCO

Positano , Italy

Yes a Wonderful Ristornate Amazing View Great Food Excellet Service … This Hotel and Restaurant is a mainstay of the hugely popular town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Everythin about the place is First Class, the hotel of course , the restaurant and a friendly professional staff of waiter, BBs, host, Chef, cooks, and all who work at this establishment. I’ve eaten here numerous times since 1985, and it’s always been a great experience including my latest trip this past May with my cousin Tony. We went for lunch, this was my cousin Tony’s first time, and he loved as I always have. I think I created a Monster when my cousin Tony said let’s get a bottle of Champagne and a suggested we might get a good quality Italian Sparkling Wine. A few days before we were at Lo Smeraldino Ristorante right on the water in Amalfi. I ordered the Ferrari “Perle” Brut 2007. It was wonderful and Tony was hooked, he loved it, and wanted to get it at almostevry restaurant we went to for the rest of the trip. Now back to Buco di Bacco. Tony scanned the Wine List at Buco, he found the Ferrari “Perle” and ordered another bottle (Vintage 2010). We started drinking it and as with the 5 or so bottles of this wine we had on te trip, it was excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed. Now when it came to ordering, for Antipasto we got an order of Melanzane Parmigiano (Eggplant Parm) and some grilled vegetables. Now, though we both love eating Seafood when down on the Amalfi Coast, when we saw Meatballs (Polpette) on the menu, we both ordered some. I ordered a plate of Spaghetti Meatballs while Tony ordered just Meatballs minus any pasta.

The BAR at BUCO Di BACCO

The service as usual was excellent, it was a absolutley gorgeous day in Positano and we were both a couple of Happy Campers outside on the lower Terrazzo of Buca Di Bacco. We both commented on how relaxing and peaceful it felt sitting there on the deck and we both sat back and thorughly enjoyed the whole experience and good fortune to having lunch there at such a nice restaurant in the beautiful town of Positano n the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Yes, we knew we were lucky and we were most certainly greatful to be sharing such a memorable meal together, two Italian-American cosuins in Italy in Positano, The Amalfi Coast. Basta !

AMALFI2018 075.jpg

The WINE LIST

BUCA Di BACCO

Since 1916

POSITANO

AMALFI2018 100

As Usual, Cousin ANTONY Ordered

a Bottle of FERRARI “PERLE”

HIS FAVORITE

VINTAGE 2010

Author Daniel Bellino “Z” Enjoys

a BLISSFUL LUNCH

With COUSIN ANTONY

At BUCO Di BACCO

POSITANO

May 2018

PESCE MISTI di Mare

BUCO Di BACCO

ANTIPASTO

BUCO Di BACCO

BUCO di BACCO

POSITANO

ITALY

MANGIA ITALIANO

MEMORIES of ITALIAN FOOD

Daniel Bellino “Z”

More of My SICILY

Train Station

ROCCAPALUMBA

SICILIAN COUNTRYSIDE

Near LERCARA FRIDDI

SICILIA

ROCCAPALUMBA

ALIA

SICILY

The DUOMO

SANTA MARIA della NEVE

1702

FISH

The MARKET

CATANIA

SICILIA

MELANZANE e POMODORI

“Make some CAPONATA” !!!

CATANIA

GRANDMA BELLINO’S COOKBOOK

GIUSEPPINA SALEMI BELLINO

From LERCARA FRIDDI , SICILY

By Grandson Daniel Bellino “Z”

RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA

I Love this Little Church

TAORMINA

SICILY

TEATRO GRECO

MOUNT AETNA

TAORMINA

SICILIA

PANE

ORTIGIA

Making My PANINO

SALAMI e PROVOLA

GROCERIA

ORTIGIA

FONTANA ARUTESA

By One of My Swimming Spots

ORTIGIA

SIRACUSA

From The Roof of My Hotel

“I Swim Right There”

“GORGEOUS”

DOMUS MARIAE

ORTIGIA

Chiesa Greico

AGRIGENTO

SICILIA

The DUOMO

CATHEDRAL

CATANIA

PIAZZA di ELEFANTE

CUCUZZA e PEPPERONI

MELANZANE

CATANIA

ANTICA FOCACCERIA San FRANCESCO

PALERMO

SICILY

BAR

PIAZZA del DUOMO

CATANIA

PIAZZA Del DUOMO

ORTIGIA

SIRACUSA

Me in My Room

DOMUS MARIAE

ORTIGIA

SIRACUSA , SICILY

Siracusa Sicily

View from My Balcony

DOMUS MARIAE HOTEL

ORITIGIA

SIRACUSA , SICILY

View From My BALCONY Looking Right

DOMUS MARIAE HOTEL

OORTIGIA

Summer 2017

Where I went Swimming in CEFALU

SICILY

2017

Swimming in CEFALU

POSITANO

SUMMER 2015

ITALY

Taormina

SICILY

On the Way to The AIRPORT

PALERMO

SICILY

Me at The DOMUS MARIAE

ORTIGIA

Not such a good picture, “but” ?

Don Daniele HAVANA CUBA

Don Daniele

Havana , Cuba

2005

Ginos and Johns Italian RED SAUCE Joints

JOHN’S of East 12th Street

NEW YORK , NY

Gino’s of Lexington Avenue? This restaurant was
one of the most special restaurants that ever was. Ask any of the few hundred
regulars who ate there so many times a year. How many you ask? Well, there are
regulars who ate there 2 to 3 times a week, some once a week, some one or two
times a month, and some maybe four to six times a year, but all regulars.
That’s how it goes with regulars in restaurants, and this is a solid
foundation that all good restaurants need to succeed in New York. Gino’s had a
pretty long history for its regulars to enjoy for any number of years. The
restaurant opened in 1945 by Gino Circiello and two partners, was in operations
for 65 until it closed in 2010 after losing their lease. Needless to say this
was a sad day for all its devoted regulars which included the likes of; Gay
Talese, David Suskind, Frank Sinatra, many luminaries along with numerous
businessmen and women, and people in the fashion business, publishing, law, and
all sorts of businesses. Gino’s customers loved and revered the place, a
wonderful Italian Red Sauce Joint where you could get a great meal of solid
Italian classic dishes, at reasonable prices, with good service and a perfect
ambiance that included one of New York’s last remaining telephone booths and
the famed Zebra wallpaper. And it was the clientele that really made the
perfect ambiance that was Gino’s, which was par excellence.

Gino’s was filled to capacity each day and night
for lunch and dinner, jammed with people doing business, or just simply having
a great time eating Baked Clams Oreganta followed by Linguine w/ Clam Sauce,
Chicken or Veal Parmigiano or perhaps a daily special like Veal Ossobuco or
braised Lamb Shanks, the food was always good at Gino’s, everything was. The
people just loved it there. The vibe was always great, livelyThere was Gino and
later on Michael Miele (a former employee who became the owner), there was of
course the Zebra Wallpaper, the old-school waiters, the tasty food, and the
clientele themselves that filled the air of Gino’s dining room with good
natured chatter and that special feeling that a room full of happy people
makes. And you were always more than happy when you were in Gino’s.

Yes, Gino’s was a restaurant that’s now known as
an Old School Red Sauce Joint. This being a restaurant that had pretty much the
same standard dishes that so many people love, millions in fact. The menu had
items like; Caprese Salad, Baked Clams, both Casino and Oreganata, Seafood
Salad, Spaghetti w/ Tomato Sauce, or Bolognese, Manicotti, Ravioli, and Gino’s
famous Pasta Segreto with their famed Secret Sauce. You had all the
most popular chicken, fish, and veal dishes, dishes like; Chicken Parmigiano,
Veal Saltimbocca, Veal Piccata, Veal Milanese (Sinatra’s favorite), Shrimp
Scampi, Clams Posillipo another Sinatra favorite, Lobster Fra Diavolo and the
sort of solid Italian food that Italian-Americans and the rest of their
American brethren all loved and still love, regardless of what snobbish food
critics may say or think. For Gino’s clientele knew what was real, and Gino’s
was as real as it got. If you asked Frank (Sinatra) he’d set you straight, “Gino’s
is the Real Deal Baby.”

Well, so sadly, Gino’s closed in 2010. It was a
sad day indeed, and for regulars an actual tragedy, we lost our favorite
clubhouse of all. A place that was so special and uniquely wonderful you just
can’t replace. Yes a sad day indeed. Gino’s was irreplaceable, it’s a sin that
it died, never-the-less it did. This was a crime, a crime against New York,
Italian-America and Gino’s many devoted fans. If you knew Gino’s you’d surely
agree.

Yes, even Gino’s a historical Old School Italian
joint came to an end and died, a fate happening all over the country. We’re
losing our wonderful beloved Red Sauce Joints. Places that are a part of
American history, the history of Italian-America and even of Italy, as it was
the citizens of our motherland who came here and created Italian-American
Cuisine and Red Sauce Joints like our beloved Gino’s and other restaurants just
like it all over America. Farewell to Gino’s and places like Rocco’s in
Greenwich Village and all of our famous red sauce joints of years gone by.

Now hold on a minute. Yes we’ve lost many a great
red sauce joints in the past years, and even still. But guess what? With places
like Frankie’s Spuntino and Carbone in Greenwich Village, Red Sauce are now hip
and as beloved as ever. They’re among one of the hot new restaurant and
food-trends of most recent years. Unfortunately, Carbone is very expensive.
Frankie’s on the other hand is not, it’s quite reasonable and in the true
spirit of Old School Italian-American restaurants. Let’s hope this trend
continues and instead of so many flashy restaurant that are not in the spirit
of old school Italian-America, we need to get more restaurants like Frankie’s
and Rubirosa. And if we’re lucky some day, maybe someone will open another
Gino’s complete with all the old dishes like Pasta Segreto and the Scalamandre
Zebra Wallpaper of course, of which Gino’s would not be Gino’s. Gino’s we miss
you so.

Waiter Chats The Customers

With The Famed ZEBRA WALLPAPER

GINO’S of CAPRI

So now it’s a sad state of affairs when we talk of these wonderful old Red Sauce Joints of our lives. We’ve had many good time there; family dinners, meals with friends, and courting and such. These places provide the perfect ambiance with great food, wine, and the animated waiter or
two. But sadly not many are left. As you know, we lost Gino’s a few years ago
and numerous good old restaurants before that. In Manhattan where I live it
doesn’t even take the fingers of one had to count how many old Italian Red
Sauce Joints are left. There’s Rao’s up in East Harlem, one of the all-time
great new York City old-school Italian Restaurants with just the right ambiance
and wonderful old-school Italian food, but guess what, you can’t get in. The
place is sort of an exclusive club where people have a table reserved once a
week and there’s never any opening, unless you know one of these elite in the
know people, just Fuggetabout-it!

So there’s Rao’s up in East Harlem, Patsy’s in
mid-town, and John’s of East 12^th Street down in the East Village.
John’s opened in 1908 and is still in business. Not only is it still in
business, but the place has been wonderfully preserved and retains its original
décor from 1908, the old tile floor, murals of Italian Cities and places like
Venice, Rome, The Bay of Naples, and more. They still have the original bar and
autographed pictures of movie stars and other celebrities from a large part of the
2oth Century.

The menu at John’s has most of the expected Red
Sauce dishes like; Spaghetti with White or Red Clams Sauce, Veal Saltimbocca,
Chicken Scarpara, Veal Piccata, Speedino of Mozzarella alla Romano, Baked Clams
Oreganata, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Lasagna, and Canneloni. The kitchen
churns out real solid food with standouts being there Baked Clams and their
Speedino alla Romano which is without question the best in the city.

John’s has quite a history with Lucky Lucciano
being a regular once upon a time, along with numerous mobsters back in the day,
and John’s has seen the likes of The Ramones, Cindy Lauper, John Lennon and
other luminaries walk through its doors.

There’s one other old Red Sauce Joint around the
corner from John’s, and that’s Lanza’s on 1^st Avenue and 11^th
Street. Lanza’s is actually a few years older than John’s opening in 1904.
Lanza’s is pretty nice and a good part of it has been preserved, although a few
years ago they made some changes to the décor which sort of ruined it a bit. Lanza’s
has that great classic red sauce joint menu with items like Spaghetti Marinara,
Pasta Fagioli, Manicotti, Braciole, Cannoli, and the like.

Now we come to Patsy’s on West 56^th
Street in mid-town Manhattan. Guess what? This was Frank Sinatra’s all-time
favorite restaurant, he ate there hundreds of times over the years and just
loved it. It’s a great restaurant and if you go there, why not get some of
Frank’s favorite dishes? Frank’s favorites were; Clams Posillipo, Spaghetti
Marinara, and Veal Milanese. And yes, Sinatra went to Gino’s now and then, but
it’s a well known fact that Patsy’s was his favorite.

Well, that’s about it on red sauce joints,
they’re a dying breed I’m sorry to say. If you’ve never been to John’s, you
must check it out. This place is like a museum. Truly. The owners have
preserved its décor in an admirable manner, and what you see now is pretty much
what Lucky Luciano would have seen a 100 years ago. You’ll get a wonderful
experience here of days gone by. An experience you’ll not find at too many
places, so grab it while you still can. That was Gino’s.

EXCERPTED From MANGIA ITALIANO

Memories of Italian Food

2007 by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

MANGIA ITALIANO

Read About JOHN’S – GINO’S

RAO’S , PIZZA , PASTA

ITALY and More …

In MANGIA ITALIANO

MEMORIES of ITALIAN FOOD

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

New York City Writer

Giulio Ferrari Amalfi Coast / Sorrento

I Visit a Lemon Farm Minori Italy

Buca Di Bacco Positano Italy

Positano

More of My SICILY

Siracusa Sicily

Don Daniele HAVANA CUBA

Photo Copyright 2005 Daniel Zwicke

Ginos and Johns Italian RED SAUCE Joints

Photo Copyright 2016 Daniel Bellino-Zwicke