Forty Dollar Fucking Cocktails in New York – The High Price of Drinking NYC

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PABST BLUE RIBBON BEER

New York & The $3 PBR

“IT STILL EXISTS” !!!! 2022

2025 update $4 for a PBR at 7B BAR

Still a Great Deal


NEW YORK & The $3 PBR


I wrote this article in 2008, in protest of the ever increasing prices of New York City Cocktails. They were going up. A little too high for my taste, $16, or more. At that price (2008) that meant that if you had 3 cocktails which would be $48, that would be quite a lot. But that wasn’t the end of it. You’ve got to pay sales tax of 8.25%, and then there’s a tip for the bartender or server. We’re taxing $4 tax, and $10 tip, bringing the Grand Total of your 3 precious cocktails up to $62 Fucking Dollars for 3 measly drinks. That was 2008. Fast forward to 2026 and $16 isn’t the price of a high-priced cocktail, but the freaking average. SO you know what that means don’t you? That means that it will cost you on average with tax and tip and the price of the cocktails, about $60 or more for 3 cocktails.

Now how about the high-priced ones? I was at the Lobby Bar at the Chelsea Hotel last month, with a good friend. We wanted to have drinks. Guess how much a damn cocktail cost over there? No, not $22! Nor $24. But $29 Fucking Dollars for a G DAMN Cocktail. “What The Fuck” I say. Yes $29 US Freaking Dollars. But that’s not the end of it, as you should well know by now. No it’s not $87 Fucking Dollars for those damn precious drinks. No, we still have to pay tax and tip. How much is that you want to know. Well, the tax for the Governor comes to $7.20, bring its up to, let us round it out to $94. OK. Now you’ve got to leave at least 20% gratuity which the bartender (or server) expects, that’s $20 right there, bringing your total for 3 cocktails at the Chelsea Hotel to a Whopping fucking $117 “Fucking Dollars” !!! What? Yes just about 120 Fucking precious US dollars for three measly fucking drinks. Haven’t we suffered enough? They don’t make Good Music anymore! “What The FUCK” ? What the Hell Happened to Music? Now? It all Fucking SUCKS !!! I don’t get it? Why don they make good music any more? What’s this World Coming to? WTF ??? And Sandwiches? Sandwiches cost $20 and up these days! Yes, “What the Fuck” ??? Again. Everything is out of Whack. Groceries too. Fucking $1,99 a pound for “FUCKING POTATOES” ? WTF?

Well, let me tell you something. I wrote about $3 PBRs and what a Blessing they were in New York City. And the bars that served them. Well thankfully, we do have something to be grateful for when it comes to going out for some drinks (beers) in 2026. In comparison to everything else, the insane prices of cocktails, and a glass of wine at restaurants and bars in New York, there are still a few places left where you can get a “Cheap Beer iN Manhattan.” I freaking Miracle if there ever was one! They’re not $3 PBRs or Rolling Rocks, but $4 instead, which is pretty damn good, and in comparison to 2008 and today, a $4 beer in 2026, is a much better deal than a $3 PBR in 2008. You can get a $4 Rolling Rock beer at Mialno’s NYC most famous Dive Bar) on East Houston Street, or a $4 PBR at the World Famous 7B Horseshoe Bar on Avenue “A” at East 7th Street in New York’s East Village. You can also get a $4 beer around the block at “Sophie’s” or at the Blue & Gold Bar on East 7th Street, west of 1st Avenue, also in the East Village of New York City.

So there you go Ladies & Gentleman. That’s the state of drinking Manhattan in 2026. You can either go to The Chelsea Hotel and get 3 drinks for $120 all in with tax & tip ($40 for 1 drink). Or you can go to Blue & Gold, Milano’s, or 7B Bar, and get 3 $4 Beers, and end up just spending $16 all in for 3 Beers, including tax & tip. Which will you choose. I love Dive Bars. It’s really all about be with friends, having a good time, and not getting “Ripped-Off” !!!!



Daniel Bellino Zwicke 
June 7, 2026 – New York City


READ The ARTICLE BELOW from 2008


NEW YORK & The $3 PBR

New York and the $3.00 PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer has been a God-Send to many New Yorkers. As you all know, the US Economy has been in the Shitter for the past 5  years or so.



Many people are out of work, and many who are working, are taking home Half-as-Much Money or more of what they used to make. People have had to buckle down and give up or curb many things they enjoyed previous to the current state of our economy, which is in almost a Depression Era State.

Yes, everybody says that we are not in a Depression, we’re in a recession. Those are the Rich and Well-Off, The 1%-ers  talking. To many, the state of our Union and their feelings are of Depression.
So, because of the Terrible State of our Economy you have given up eating out 3 times a week, you buy less clothes, spend less on Entertainment and any number of things. You haven’t had a vacation in the past two years, maybe more. You’ve given up a lot. We all have.
Now when it comes to socializing, going out for a few Beers or Cocktails with some friends, you’ve had to cut back on that too. But hey, you gotta draw a line somewhere, and everyone is entitled to a few drinks to unwind every now and then, and to be with friends. Yes times are bad, people are hurting, you need your friends more than ever. And having a few Beers or Drinks is one of the most common adult ways to do so. It’s natural and part of everyday life. You should be able to have two or three drinks or beers and not have to spend a small fortune doing so. You should be able to have 2 beers for about $10 including tip, and about $16 for tow drinks including tip. That’s reasonable. That’s what most people pay around America, and even less. But we don’t live in America, we live in the greatest City in The World, New York, and Cocktails and Beers here can be oh-so-dear. “Expensive!” Expensive as Hell, “Ridiculously Expensive.” It’s absurd and outrageous, with many places thinking it’s normal and OK to charge $16.00 or more for a measly little Cocktail made by a friggin so-called “Mixologist.” Ha! 

It’s not OK, what’s a person to do? So yes, we live in New York, and having a couple cocktails here can be a costly undertaking.. What is a Poor Working Guy or Working Girl to do??? Well Boys and Girls, let’s Thank God for that great thing of wonder and the Bars and establishments who so graciously and kindly serve it, The $3.00 PBR, That’s right, a $3.oo Beer in The Land of The Over-Priced $16.00 Cocktail, Manhattan, New York, NY….. It’s quite Sad, Greedy too, not to mention “Ridiculous Ludicrous and Insane.”


Yes, Thank God and let’s thank the Kind-Hearted proprietors who serve $3.00 PBR’S or any Beer for just $3 or $4 in a New York Bar. You are doing your fellow man a public service and we thank you for that. Whoever you are, you are to be commended, and Shame-On-You, all those places that serve $14 PLUS Cocktails. “RIP-OFF” !!! Wish the masses would Boycott these places and patronize places like Blue & Gold Bar, 7B, and anyplace who has a heart. Bars that serve 3 and 4 Dollar Beers.

I just have to say, it’s great to go to a place like Blue and Gold Bar on East 7th Street and know that you can have 3 or 4 Beers for just $12 to $16, accounting for a Buck a Pop for the Barkeep. Now that’s pretty good. I have had the best times hanging at Blue & Gold with some friends. You sit at the Bar or get into a nice comfy booth, drink your Beers ($3 PBR’S), relax, listen to the Music, Chit Chat, and just enjoy, and it’s not going to cost you The Shirt Off Your Back.
Yes, you can have 4 Beers, tip included for the price of 1 Rip-Off Drink at one of those Rip-Off Joints. And if you are Dumb enough to have four drinks in one of those places, guess what it’s going to cost you? About $75 my friend.

Well, do the Math, and if you can afford $75 for only 4 drinks, God Bless You. And if you can’t, you’ve got an alternative. Right, your local $3.00 PBR Joint. They’re a God-Send.

 Daniel Bellino Zwicke
Copyright 2008 Daniel Bellino Zwicke

PLACES To GET A $3.00 PBR in NEW YORK

BLUE & GOLD BAR in the East Village, on East 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Blue & Gold has long been a favorite of mine ever since I lived in the East Village from 1982 to 1994. It’s just a cool ol normal old style bar with a pool table, standard 50’s 60’s Bar Decor, and Best-of-All $3.oo PBR’S and $6.00 Cocktails. I love it.

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7B “HORSESHO BAR”


7B   a.k.a. The Horseshoe Bar, also in the East Village, a bastion of cheap and fare prices in Manhattan and Land of The $3.00 PBR and other $3 and $4 Beers.  7B  is located on the corner of Avenue B at 7th Street .. 

2025 Update – a PBR is now $4, still a great deal, at one of New York’s most historical dive bars.








7B HORESHOE BAR

by the Artist BELLINO

GET a FINE ART PRINT

Frome FINE ART AMERICA
a $4 PBR
At 7B HORSE SHOE BAR
by Bellino

At 7B
Copyright Daniel Bellino Zwicke







SINATRA SAUCE
COOK & EAT LIKE FRANK
His FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES
PASTA – MEATBALLS – CHEESE CAKE
And MUCH MORE ….








AMERICA’S FAVORITE FOOD

And SECRET RECIPES


BURGERS TACOS BURRITOS

SOUP SNDWICHES BBQ

And MORE …
LUCY

“LUCY’S BAR”

135 AVENUE A  NY NY



Lucy’s Bar is the most aptly named bar in New York. For Lucy—the quiet and small and sweetly proper Polish owner with the well-coifed gray hair and floral blouses—is who you’ll see when you go there, and Lucy is the one who will serve you. If there are other employees, they’ve hidden themselves somewhere in the back.

Though Lucy’s is undeniably a dive (and one of the last in the neighborhood), it feels more like your aunt’s aging rec room, a place where you’d never think of disrespecting the house’s hospitality. It’s also one of the last vestiges of the Polish community that was once made up a significant part of the East Village’s character.

Ludwika “Lucy” Mickevicius moved from Poland to New York in the late 1970s and soon got a job at Blanche’s, a bar on St. Mark’s Place run by another Polish woman. She became such a fixture that people began to think of the bar as Lucy’s, and, when Blanche retired, she sold the place—by then located on Avenue A—to her bartender.

Lucy’s life doesn’t range much further than the twin poles of her joint and Poland, which she visits regularly, shutting up the tavern at a moment’s notice and disappearing for weeks at a time. Most nights, she stations herself at the far end of the bar near the ancient cash register. (It’s cash only here.) One recent evening, the Halloween balloons hadn’t yet been taken down. Then again, assorted Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations were already out. Maybe none of the decorations are ever packed up?

Lucy doesn’t budge much behind the bar, but she keeps herself busy for a woman in her mid-70s. She will draw you a pint or a glass of tequila. And, if she likes you, she might pour you a shot of żubrówka, a Polish bison grass vodka, on the house. When the place gets stuffy, she’ll swing open the door to let some fresh Avenue A air in; just as quickly, she’ll close it if it gets chilly.

The clientele ranges from a less-intense sort of downtown hipster, who exchange a few friendly words with Lucy—who, even all these years later, still speaks in broken, accented English—and then retire to their personal conversations, to old Polish regulars. In fact, on another recent night, a young couple came in to show Lucy their young child. All four spoke entirely in Polish and a delighted Lucy let the little scamp climb atop the pool table. As they left, she handed the kid one of the old Halloween balloons. For those few minutes, Lucy’s was a family bar.





2022 and You Can Still GET a $3 PBR


LYS MYYKTA aka  “The SLY FOX

142 2nd Avenue, New York NY – The EAST VILLAGE


LYSMYKTA aka “THE SLY FOX” is a Ukranian Bar in a Ukranian neighborhood in
New York’s East Village. There’s a Ukranian Restaurant in the back, serving delicious Ukranian Food and very reasonable prices. Yes this is thee main neighborhood of Ukranian peoples in New York City. The restaurants great, and any bar that serves $3 PBR Beer is great in my book too.

If you can go some place for drinks (beers), to hang and chit-chat  and have 3 Beers, and not have to spend more than $15, that’s a place for me. You shouldn’t have to pay $40 plus for just 2 drinks (or $60 for 3). People who don’t make quite so much money as Lawyers, Wall Street Guys and whoever, should be able to afford to go for 2 or 3 drinks and not spend an “Arm and a Leg” to do it. 
The SLY FOX is a place where you can do that, and thank God we have them, and a few other joints that we can do so.






$4 BEERS at “SOPHIE’S”

East 5th STREET Between AVENUES A & B

The EAST VILLAGE NYC



I’ve been going to Sophie’s, along with Lucy’s, Blue & Gold Bar,
the Holiday Lounge and others since first moving to The East Village in 1982.
Prices have gone up in a lot of places, and now in many places – cocktails cost are
in the high teens, Twenty Dollars, and even up to $29 for a cocktail, as I witnessed when
a friend and I went to The Chelsea Hotel a couple weeks ago. Yes, $25 and $29 for a cocktail. Damn?

We spotted a nice looking bottle of Cote du Rhone for $78 a bottle. Not cheap, but in comparison to $29 a cocktail. Four drinks would have costs us $114, so we got the wine for $36 dollars less than 4 drinks, and put that $36 into a tasty Cheeseburger. The Burger came with Fries, and we had them cut it in half. It was Super Tasty. We loved it. Even Better than Burgers at Minetta Tavern. “Seriously” !!!

I’ve been at Blue & Gold recently, as well as “MILANO’S” – Sophie’s, and 7b Bar. All serve $4 beers. Thank God for these places. I’ve said it before. I can go into Andy one of these places and have a couple Beers and live a respectable $4 tip, and walk out just spending $12. Not bad. Two cocktails plus tax and tip at The Lounge Bar at The Chelsea Hotel would be at least $50 for the two drinks plus $4.50 tax plus at least $10 for tip for a grand total of about $65, as oppose to $12 at any of New York City’s awesome Dive Bars.

Don’t get me wrong. Yes, we’re comparing Apples & Oranges. When I went to The Chelsea Hotel, I knew it wouldn’t be cheap, and I was prepared to pay for the privilege (of being there). My friend and I had a great time. We were there for a couple of hours BS-ing about this and that. We killed that bottle of Cote du Rhone and got another glass of wine each ($22 a glass). The check was about $170, not including tip, which was another $50, for a grand total of $220. Not cheap, but we had a “Great Time” and we were happy. You gotta treat yourself sometimes. But most times will be spent at a good dive bar.

“Thank God” for Good Dive Bars”

New York City




LUCKY’S BAR

168 Avenue “A” New York NY , East Village


Get $3  PBRs at LUCKY’S BAR
168 AVENUE “A” NY NY
EAST VILLAGE
JOHNSON’S BAR  … 168 RIVINGTON STREET, LES NEW YOIRK NY
Inside JOHNSON’S BAR
$2  PBRs
PABST BLUE RIBBON BEER

Johnson’s Bar
NY NY
MORE PLACES to GET $3 PBRs
CATS SPORTS BAR –  96 GREENWICH STREET at RECTOR NY NY  $3 PBRs
WALTER’S BAR – 389 8th Avenue Near 32nd Street and MADISON SQUARE GARDEN .. $3PBR
DOC HOLIDAY’S   141 AVENUE “A” East Village NY NY  – $2  PBRs

MILANO’S

MILANO’S

51  EAST HOUSTON STREET

NEW YORK NY

One of the last authentic old-school bars in NYC. How old-school? Milano’s opened in 1880, and maintains a no-frills comfortably old-fashioned atmosphere.





The SPRING LOUNGE

aka SHARK BAR

45 SPRING STREET NEW YORK NY

The SHARK BAR
SPRING STREET at MOTT
Back in the day, when it was an ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD here.

Where it GOt its NICKNAME “SHARK BAR”
Nobody “In The KNow” calls it Spring Lounge, only Green Newcomers to Downtown New York would ever call it SPRING LOUNGE. For years it was a neighborhood “Shot & Beer” Joint. It became treny about 20 years ago (1999)
Those “In The Know” like me, only ever call it “The Shark Bar” … It got this name from
the fake SHARK hanging over the bar, and that’s that!
You can’t get $3 Beers here, but we incuded it anyway. And although it’s a Trendy so-called Hipster Bar, those of us Old Timers who still call it The Shark Bar, it still has a special place in our hearts.
Basta !




 

 

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GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

Daniel Zwicke

AMAZON.com



169 BAR

Lower East Side

If Clockwork’s happy hour special seems too good to be true, you’ve got a little good old fashioned neighborhood competition to thank. Located right around the corner, 169 has been in operation since 1916. And its 11:30am-7:30pm HH is among the best in the city. $3 will get you an “Old Man Can/Bottle” of beer (PBR, Carling Black Label, Schaefer, Genesee Cream, High Life/Miller Lite) and any well shot. Subtly New Orleanian environs (window shutters look like they’re fresh off a Creole cottage; beads are strung here and there; there’s crawfish on the menu) evoke genuine good times.


 

 

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New Book on VENICE – Exploring Venice – Travel Guide Cookbook

 


EXPLORING VENICE

TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

The LATEST From DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

EXPLORING VENICE
Exploring Venice. Daniel Bellino has done it again. He just released has latest book – Exploring Venice – Travel Guide – Cookbook. Speaking of travel guide cookbooks, it seems as though Bellino owns this genre, having written three wonderful books that fall under this genre, which we even think that Bellino-Zwicke may have even invented.
His latest offering is all about one of the World’s most loved and cherished destinations – Venice, Italy. Venice, a city like no other in the world. Venice is totally unique, and the people of the World love it, and love going there. So Mr. Bellino Z has written a quite wonderful book that will help to guide these people –  on where to go in Venice – restaurants, wine bars, museums, and other local sights, it’s all there.

Bellino’s “Exploring Venice,” like all of his Italian Travel Books, gives you the authors very own unique perspective, as only Daniel Bellino can. You see, unlike many who write travel books, Bellino has some 40 years experience under his belt, when it comes to visiting and knowing Venice, the place, the people, the lifestyle, and of course the food, of which, no Venetian Travel Guide has ever had such a large battery of great Venetian food recipes such as this. And not many can match when it comes to Bellino & Venice, wine bars, and Venetian food, as Daniel Bellino Zwicke is a master of it all. He created the 1st ever Venetian Bacaro in America in 1998. What is a bacaro you ask? A bacaro is the Venetian dialect name for a wine bar. The word bacaro translates to “House of Bacchus”. – with Bacchus being The Roman Guide of Wine, the name for a wine bar in Venice “Bacaro” is quite appropriate. Daniel Bellino fell in love with the bacari of Venice and wanted to open one of his own, and so he did. 

Having wanted to open a Venetian Wine Bar (bacaro) in New York, Bellino needed to know about them, and as much as he could. Everything. And so in the Spring (Primavera) of 1995, after reading an article on the bacari of Venice, Bellino decided he had to go and check them out. He book a flight to Vencie, and stayed for 11 days, going to every wine bar (bacaro) in town. He ate, drank wine, chatted with the owners and clients alike, took pictures, and absorbed it all, find out all about the food (cichetti), the local wines, and how the food and wine was produced, presented, and consumed in these bacari of the enchanting city of Venice. 

Daniel Bellino went back to New York, and along with business partner Tom T, opened Bar Cichetti – “America’s 1st Ever Venetian Bacaro” (wine bar). Danie was the Chef, Wine Director, and managing partner of Bar Cichetti which the food-press and Italian wine professionals in New York and Italy absolutely loved. We could go on and on about Bar Cichetti, but sorry, though a great subject, we actually got off the main subject at hand – the book by Bellino, EXPPLORING VENICE. 

So, like any other travel guide, there’s a list of the best restaurants to go to, and bacari. A list of museums, best sights to see, some history, and the hotels of Venice. Then there’s a few stories, containing the authors own wonderful experiences and insights into the enchanting city of Venice. The author touches on the most famous Venetians of all : “Casanova,” Vivaldi, & one Giuseppe Cipriani, the creator of World Renowned Venetian Treasure “Harry’s Bar.” Not every guide book of Venice touches on these subjects, but Bellino does. And his insights are quite valuable. The author tells you of several of Casanova’s favorite haunts that remain open and active to this very day. And you can go to Caffè Florian and the wine bars of Venice , eat and drink, and enjoy these establishments just as Giacamo Casanova did, almost 300 years gone by. Now that’s quite something, wouldn’t you say?

Now the recipes, some of which are quite unique. Oh, we almost forgot to inform you, the author cooked professionally in New York City for some 14 years, before getting heavily involved in Italian Wine, as  the wine director of some New York’s most renowned Italian restaurants, and became one of the foremost authorities in America, on Italian wine. So Bellino’s experienced is quite significant. 

Yes, back tot he recipes in the book. The author / chef has included some 40 recipes on the most important dishes of Venetian Cusine, including, Risi Bisi, Baccala Montecato (whipped Salt Cod), Bigoli con Anatra (Venetian pasta with Duck Ragu), Calves Liver Veneziana, and more. Daniel has also touched on Cichetti and throwing your very own “Cichetti Party,” when you get back home. And he tells you how to do it. The author, in writing his Italian travel guide -cookbooks, has said that his does this in order to inspire people to cook the foods that they love from their travels. Daniel states that it’s a great way to relive cherished memories of certain trips, by cooking some dishes that you loved while on vacation. He has done this with other travel -cookbooks he has written, such as – Poistano The Amalfi Coast – Travel Guide – Cookbook & ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL.
We almost forget to inform you. Daniel Bellino cooked professionally in some New York’s most renowned Italian & French restaurants of 15 years, after which he became heavily involved in Italian Wine. He opened Bar Cichetti, and for this, every Italian Wine Estate Owner wanted to meet him, and have him sell and promote their wines. And so Daniel became one of America’s foremost authorise of Italian Wine. For his passion and great knowledge of Italian wine, Daniel Bellino Z is one of the most highly respected Italian Wine Guys of America – known and respected by most of Italy’s top Italian Wine producers (Italian Estate Owners), such as : Giovanni Manettiof Fontodi, Conti Sebastiano Capponi of Villa Calcinaia (Chianti in Greve), The Marches Piero Antinori (Antinori Wines of Florence, Tuscany), Francesca Planeta (Paneta Wines, Sicily), Cavelierie Luigi Cappellini of Castello Verrazzano, and many more. Too many to name.

And so, we highly recommend any of the fine books of Italy, by one of America’s foremost authorises on the subjects – the subjects of Italian Food, Italian Wine, Italy, & Travels in Italy – chef ‘ author Daniel Bellino Zwicke. He knows it all. 





WE ALSO RECOMMEND 

“ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS”


ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS

ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ???

Daniel Bellino Zwicke


Ultimate Positano Travel Guide 2026 – The Amalfi Coast Italy

1POSITAN11112

Positano

WELCOME to BEAUTIFUL POSITANO

And The ULTIMATE GUIDE to EVERYTHING POSITANO

EAT – DRINK – SLEEP – EXPLORE – SWIM – PLAY – GET AROUND





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The MAIN Beach at Positano



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Pulling Into POSITANO

This is a Great Car … But it’s Best to Leave the Car at Home

GETTING to POSITANO

The BEST WAY

ROME to POSITANO PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION

There are several ways to get to Positano, either by Bus, Car, or Boat, and some ways are much better than other ones. 



If you are Flying into the Airport in Naples, you can get Affordable Ground Transportation , directly from the Airport to Sorrento, where you can take a spectacular Bus Ride, or Ferry Boat directly from Sorrento right to the center of Positano. 




POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE

CAPRI – NAPLES – SORRENTO

The AMALFI COAST ITALY


The AMALFI COAST


The ROLLING STONES !!!
POSITANO – ROLLING STONES


This is an “EXCLUSIVE” SHIRT

YOU CAN NOT GET IT ANYWHERE ELSE !!!

If YOU LOVE IT ?  “CLICK HERE” !!!




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POSITANO

Wish You Were There ???



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Positano Getting There

NAPOLI DAY TOURS to POSITANO


ITALY



aaaPOSita


View of Positano





Hotels CAPRI – POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

And WORLDWIDE




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.”ONLY YOUR” 
DowneyMarisaSERENUSE
How to Get There
Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. arrive 

by FERRARI in “ONLY YOU”



SirrenuseaA
WHERE to Stay

This is Where Billy Zane, Marisa Tomei  and Robert Downey Jr. Stayed

Le SIRENUSE Hotel

“ONLY YOU”





LaCAMBUSSa
in POSITANO



BeachMUSIConROCKS.jpg
In POSITANO

ITALY




ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL 

ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ???

NAPLES CAPRI SORRENTO The AMALFI COAST

ITALY TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK








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Lo SMERALDO

AMALFI

WHERE to EAT on The AMALFI COAST




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GET GREAT RATES on AIRLINE FLIGHTS
The AMALFI COAST


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SUNDAY SAUCE

Cooking Like

The You’re in Positano
The AMALFI COAST
Daniel Bellino “Z”




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Clark Gable with Sophia Loren

Naples and The AMALFI COAST

ITALY




WHAT to DO on The AMALFI COAST


TOP THINGS to DO in POSITANO

And The AMALFI COAST







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The Path of The Gods
POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST




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In POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

ITALY


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VIEW From Le SIRENUSE

Thee PLACE to STAY in POSITANO

SirenuseROOM

CASA ALBERTINA  … Positano

CasaALBERTINA
Look at This View ??? !!!!

How’d You like to Have Your Breakfast Here ?

One of Our ALL-TIME FAVORITE 
POSITANO

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CasaALBEr
Casa Albertina

LUXURY For LESS





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Beautifully Appointed Rooms 


Casa Albertina is a wonderful 1st Class little family run Hotel that is perfectly situated so you get a nice view of the town from just a little way up, yet a short easy teen minute walk to the Beach and Center of Positano. 

I first discovered Casa Albertina way back in 1986 and had 3 glorious days staying there. The son Lorenzo gave me a special rate, seeing I was a young man (22) and probably didn’t have much cash. This hotel is beautifully appointed and the entire staff provides the most friendly service. Casa Albertina is an Absolute Gem.

Note : The first time I stayed at CASA ALBERTINA was the Summer of 1986. The owners sone Lorenzo gave me a special rate of $79 a night, and I had an absolutely wonderful time. The next year when I came back, the price had gone up to $119 a night. When I checked the prices in May of 2018, the rate was $279 a night, and actually a reasonable rate for the quality of this hotel, which is not super deluxe, but does make it in to the luxury category of hotels.





CASA ALBERTINA … Via Tavolozza 3  … POSITANO , ITALY  … Reserve a Room

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Me at Casa Albertina

Breakfast with Nicoletta

Summer 1986


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BUCA di BACCO …. Positano

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View From a Room

HOTEL BUCA di BACCO

HOTEL BUCA di BACCO  … Via Rama Teglia 4 … Positano, Italy …  tel. 39 081 1892 2289 CLICK to Book a Room INFO & RESERVATIONS

….

Le SIRENUSE



SirrenuseaA


Le SIRENUSE




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The POOL

Le SIRENUSE



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A Room at Le Sirenuse

“ROOMS GO FAST”

ARE YOU COMING From ROME ?


ROME to The AMALFI COAST


“I LOVE POSITANO”

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View From Terrace Bar at Le SIRENUSE

Le SIRENUSE HOTEL … Via C. Colombo 30 , Positano, Italy .. tel. 39 0862 060556 

 Book a Room at Le SIRENUSE HOTEL – INFO & RESERVATIONS




il SAN PIETRO

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View from the SAN PIETRO

One of The Worlds Most Renowned Hotels


For The DREAM VACATION of a LIFETIME



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One of The SAN PIETRO’S FABULOUS Rooms

Your Own Private Balcony


GROUP & PRIVATE TOURS

SORRENTO CAPRI POSITANO POMPEII The AMALFI COASTS – BUS TOURS

WINE TASTING LUCNHES – PIZZA & ITALIAN FOOD COOKING CLASSES

NAPLES – SORRENTO – The AMALFI COAST & CAPRI

THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE !!!


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Sunday-SauceeBIGGERx

SUNDAY SAUCE

AMERICA’S FAVORITE 

ITALIAN COOKBOOK


“FLY WITH EXPEDIA”

HOTELS & FLIGHTS


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HOTEL ART PASITEA

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View from the Terrazzo at Hotel Art PasItea
POSITANO




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Lounge at HOTEL ART PASITEA


Free Wifi, Free Breakfast, Beautiful Views, affordable Prices …

HOTEL ART PASITEA  …. Via Pasitea   207, Positano, Italy 


FIND a Room


HOTEL DIMORA FORNILLO

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View from the Terrazzo at Hotel Dimora Fornillo


POSITANO

A Room with a VIEW
Hotel Dimora Fornillo

HOTEL DIMORA FORNILLO … Via Fornillo 27 , POSITANO

About 200 Steps up to the Hotel from the Beach and Center of town.

AC Free Wifi … 


Free BREAKFAST   Reserve a Room

VILLA MARIA ANTONIETTA

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View From VILLA MARIA ANTONIETTA

If You’re on a Budget, Villa Maria Antonietta is on of The Best Options in Town …

Posiitano has to be one of the hardest place in the World to find a hotel room, and in the Budget Category, almost but not Impossible. Villa Maria Antonietta is one of your best options if you want to pay less than $150 US Dollars a night. It’s almost impossible finding a room here in the high season (April to Mid October).  You have a much better chance getting a room here in the off-season when you can get a room for about $96 a night (US Dollars).
I first stayed here in the Summer of 1985, and was recommended this place by the late Poet RENE RICARD. At the time I paid $40 a night, so considering the way things have skyrocketed here in Positano, that you can get a room for about double the price in 2018, that’s pretty reasonable.

The accommodations are basic, but most important, they are clean, the location is Fantastic, you are in Positano and it’s relatively Cheap.
If you want to stay in in Summer, Book Far in Advance !!!
Just 1,900 Feet from the Main Beach and Marina to catch Boats (Ferries) coming and going to Positano. 


VILLA MARIA ANTONIETTA … Via C. Colombo 41 , POSITANO , ITALY 





ROME to POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

PRIVATE DOOR to DOOR TRANSPORTATION

NAPLES AIRPORT to The AMALFI COAST





HOTELS & FLIGHTS

HOTEL CONCA D’ ORO

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Hotel Conca D’ Oro

Positano



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View From Balcony

HOTEL CONCA D’ ORO

POSITANO

Afforadable with Average Room Rate of $145 a Night US Dollars
150 Steps Up, about a 15 Minute Walk to The Main Beach


HOTEL CONCA D’ ORO  …. Via Boscariello 16 ,   POSITANO , ITALY   Info

BookingsPOSITANO
Find Your HOTELS

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TIPS on GETTING a ROOM in POSITANO and The AMALFI COAST


Positano has to be without question one of the hardest places in the World for the Budget minded to get a hotel room. There are not many options, as most hotels, the prices are astronomical priced. Seriously! This being said, it’s not impossible and there are some options available.

We have Compiled a List of Several Affordable (Cheapest Hotel Rooms in POSITANO) Options for the Budget Minded. It wasn’t easy, but we did it.

It goes without sayint that’s it’s markedly more dificult to find a reasonably priced room here during the high season which runs from mid April to mid September, with mid May to the first weel of Septemeber being super busy.

This all being said, if it’s possible for you to go in October or April, these two months might be your best possible option. If you have plenty of cash and can afford to pay $300 or more a night for a hotel room, then you won’t have as much as a problem.
The other alternative to see Positano if you want to go during the High Season, is to stay in another town like, Paiano right next door to Positano, or Minori, Sorrento or other town near by, and take a bus or Boat to visit Positano, have a nice lunch and do some sightseeing.

Good Luck!

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POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK & TRAVEL

POSITANO – ROLLING STONES



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At BUCA di BACCO




Positano , Italy

Yes a Wonderful Ristorante 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. Everything 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 almost every 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 the 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.








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The BAR at BUCO Di BACCO




The service as usual was excellent, it was a absolutely 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 thoroughly 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 grateful to be sharing such a memorable meal together, two Italian-American cousins in Italy in Positano, The Amalfi Coast. Basta !




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The WINE LIST

BUCA Di BACCO

Since 1916

POSITANO



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PESCE MISTI di Mare



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BUCO di BACCO


POSITANO  … I won’t give you the address, as you can’t miss it. The Hotel and Ristorante BUCA di BACCO is front and center, right at the main beach in the center of town in Positano. If by some insane reason you have a problem finding it, just ask, it’s right down near the water.  telephone :  39 081 837 0723

PS … If you can Afford It? The Hotel is Wonderful.





Da VINCENZO

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A Great View of POSITANO from a outdoor table at Da VINCENZO


That’s the terrazzo of Caffe Positano where all the people are sitting outside, which if you started going to Positano long ago, you may know that spot as the old BAR DeMARTINO, one of my favorite places ever in Positano, but sadly no longer there. Anyway, this is a spectacular spot to get an Aperitivo, have lunch or dinner, and just enjoy the moment and the beauty before you, and just how “Lucky” you are to be in this Gorgeous Place, known as Positano. 

Enjoy!




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Italian Cookbook Author (Me)

Daniel Bellino Zwicke, Enjoying Lunch

at Da VINCENZO

Been Going there Since 1985

Positano



Yes, I started going to Da Vincenzo way back in 1985. Ever Since my first trip to the lovely little Seaside Town on The Amalfi Coast, that was yet to be discover by the masses all around the World. Yes, there were people who had heard about this gorgeous place, but not nearly as many as do now. Yes, Positano for the most part was still relatively un-known back then. That’s before Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. made the movie ONLY YOU that brought the town to the attention of so many more Millions of people then had ever even heard of the palce before. Anyway Cei la Vie.

Now back to Rene Ricard and myself and how I discovered and went to Da Vincenzo way back in the Summer of 1985 (Bar DeMartino also). It was just a few days befor my long awaited first trip to Italy, Spain, and the South of France when as I waas walking down 2nd Avenue one night I ran into my friend Alma who was with the Poet RENE RICARD. We were all chatting on the street when I emntioned my trip. When I said I was going to Rome, Venice, and positano, Rene got quite excited and told me the best places to go to in Rome, Venice and Positano. So besides all the info Rene gave me on Rome and Venice, he told me all about Positano and where to stay and where to eat which included going to Da Vincenzo where Rene told me I’d get the Best Plate of SPAGHETTI VONGOLE that Id’ ever have in my entire life.


La CAMBUSA

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La CAMBUSA



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View From a Table at La CAMBUSA


La CAMBUSA … Piazza A. Vespucci / Spiaggi Grande  POSITANO … tel # 39 089 812051

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Linguine Frutta di Mare , La CAMBUSA 

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La CAMBUSA

PIAZZA A. VESPUCCI

POSITANO



La CAMBUSA

Out of most of the places we went in Positano this was easily best. They are so friendly and the food was perfect while overlooking the beach. Our first night they were about to close and stayed open for us to get a light bite and a great bottle of wine and we told them we would be back and they didn’t not disappoint. The seafood pasta was amazing and once again the staff was accommodating. I couldn’t recommend this place more. Enjoy Positano and really get to know the people because it’s a great place.

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Le PERGOLA

La CAMBUSA



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La CAMBUSA and The Piazza Amerigo Vespucci

POSITANO




POSITANO


HOTEL ROYAL

Via PASITEA  344, – POSITANO






LATTERIA

“Alimentari”  … Via Pasitea   , POSITANO

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LATTERRIA

“Some of The BEST FOOD in All of POSITANO”



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FRITTATA FORMAGGI ARANCINI PANINI MELANZANE SALUMI e FRUTTA

The Selection at “LATTERIA” is AMAZING

And You Can Take it out and Eat on Their Lovely Little Terrazzo
“I Did”

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The Terrazzo at “LATTERIA ALIMENTARI”

We just lucked out and stumbled into this place for sandwiches while we waited for check in time at our hotel. We took them down to the beach and ate them on benches. Several people came up and asked where we got them! They were delicious and SO reasonably priced. Fantastic!

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The GIRLS at Latteria Positano


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Eat out on The Terrace or Take Out to Your Hotel Room or Apartment
or for Your BEACH LUNCH

They’ve got everything you need : Water, Wine, Sandwiches, Fruit, Rice Balls, Cheese, Salami, Eggplant Parmigiano, Frittata, Olives, Sweets, everything.

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Daily Specials at LATTERIA POSITANO






The AMALFI COAST

ULTIMATE TRAVEL GUIDE


POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

POSITANO CAPRI NAPLES SORRENTO





DELIKATESSAN

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Delikatessan

Yes another deli  (Salumeria). Believe it or not, Salumerias / Rosticerias have some of the best food in almost every city in Italy, and so is the case in Positano with Latteria Deli and here at Delikatessen. We decided to grab some food to take back some food to enjoy on our balcony. The food was of great quality and very reasonably priced. We bought some Pasta, Panini, and Eggplant, Arancini (Rice Balls) . Everything was super tasty. They make greay Sandwiches (Panini) that a great to take along with some Fruit and Arancini for an awesome Beach Lunch. If you are staying in Positano for a while and don’t want to eat out all the time then this is a great option. They have a great wine selection if you like to do as we do and keep a bottle or two back at our room , as well as fruit and  bottled water which you always need.

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In The KITCHEN at DELIKATESSEN

POSITANO


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Look at This Awesome Panino

Eggplant, Salami, Mozzarella, Peppers



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One of the Girls at DELICATESSEN

POSITANO

DEICATESSEN …. Via Mulini 5 , POSITANO

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The BEACHES



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View from Beach Club La SCOGLERE

at Music on The Rocks

POSITANO

“My own personal Favorite Beach in Positano”

ITALY


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Arienzo Beach

POSITANO


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Spiaggi Grande

The Main Beach of Positano



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Fornillo Beach is a Great Spot with Several Nice Bars and Restaurants


POSITANO





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3D BEACH MAP

of POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST 


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The Boat to Da ALDOLFO

POSITANO

at LAURITO BEACH

ITALY








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Map of Positano and its Beaches


 

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POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE



FLY With EXPEDIA !
THINGS to DO ALL OVER ITALY !!!





The AMALFI COAST


The AMALFI COAST – MAP



Best Selling Cookbook author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

 


Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

NEW YORK, NY

DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE


Daniel Bellino Zwicke (often credited as Daniel Bellino “Z”) is a prominent New York City-based author, restaurateur, and food, wine, and travel writer with over 35 years of experience in the culinary industry. Based out of Greenwich Village, he is widely recognized as an authority on Italian-American culinary traditions and Italian wine. 

Professional Culinary Background
Before transitioning into a full-time writing career, Zwicke established a robust footprint in the New York food scene: [12]
  • Bar Cichetti: He was the creator, chef, wine director, and managing partner of this establishment, which was celebrated as America’s first-ever Venetian wine bar (Bàcaro).
  • Da Silvano: He spent several years working as a manager and maître d’ at this legendary Greenwich Village institution.
  • Education: He formalized his culinary foundation by attending the New York Technical College in Brooklyn. 
Notable Published Works
Zwicke has written an array of best-selling cookbooks and travel guides available on platforms like Amazon and ThriftBooks. His books blend traditional recipes with personal stories, local histories, and cultural anecdotes. 
  • Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook: His highly popular definitive guide exploring the rituals and recipes behind traditional Italian-American “gravy”.
  • Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook: A collection of authentic Sicilian recipes passed down from his grandmother.
  • The Feast of the 7 Fish: A dedicated cookbook detailing the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood dinner.
  • Sinatra Sauce: Music, Meatballs & Merriment: A cookbook designed for lifelong fans of Frank Sinatra, blending food with musical culture.
  • Segreto Italiano: A deep dive into secret Italian family recipes and regional favorite dishes.
  • Positano The Amalfi Coast Cookbook / Travel Guide: A multi-genre book offering travel insights alongside coastal southern Italian recipes.
  • Got Any Kahlua?: A pop-culture culinary departure subtitled The Collected Recipes of The Dude, a.k.a. The Big Lebowski Cookbook. [123456789] on AMAZON.com
You can read further updates on his literary projects through his Official Website or check his author updates on his Goodreads Author Profile. [12]
If you are looking for something specific, please let me know if you would like:
  • A breakdown of a specific recipe from his books (like his Sunday Sauce or Ragu)
  • Information on his latest upcoming book projects
  • Recommendations for Venetian wine pairings inspired by his restaurant background.






DANIEL at The TEATRO GRECO

SIRUCUSA, SICILY


WINE DIRECTOR DAYS

At RISTORANTE BARBETTA

NEW YORK CITY






DANIEL’S LATEST

“SINATRA SCUCE”


SINATRA SAUCE

The COOKBOOK

COOK & EAT LIKE FRANK



Pregame Cocktails in New York – Daniel Bellino Z – Pregaming

 

MARTINIS

 


Pre-GAMING? Have you heard about it? What is it you want to know? Pre-Gaming, when it comes to cocktails, or the drinking of any alcoholic beverages, is when you are going out to a nightclub, or for drinks at a bar or cocktail lounge, but have one or two drinks at home before going out. Why? Well, mostly to save money. Especially these days, days of $20 plus cocktails. The act of pre-gaming serves as social, financial, and preparatory way to start off the evening. Pre-gaming is a major way to save money, as it’s a lot cheaper to buy alcohol at a liquor store and make cocktails at home, as compared to drinking in a nightclub or cocktail lounge where drinks can cost $20 or more, plus with tax and tip, you’re looking at a cocktails cost $30 or more by the time you pay for the drink and add the tax and tip. “It’s insane.”

Back in the 1980s when I was a young man in my 20s, I often pre-gamed. My apartment was on Avenue A in New York’s East Village, and on nights offf, if my friends and I were going out to a club, we’d often pre-game at my house, having a drink or two before we left. At the time Stolychnya was a popular Russian Vodka, and my personal favorite in those years, so I always had a bottle of Stoli in my freezer. It’s customary to keep Russian Vodka in the freezer, just in case you didn’t’ know, and my drink of choice was Stoli & Grapefruit. During those times drinks ranged from $5 to $7 a pop. It was much cheaper back then, but still, at the time, though not expensive, that was exactly cheap, so as today, with everything from groceries, gas, and cocktails at bars and cocktail lounges in New York City, we were looking to save money too. My friends would come over, we’d drink Stoli, then head on out, primed with one or two drinks at home. 

Back in the 1980s East Village, wE had another way to pre-game before heading to one of our favorite nightclubs. We had lost of great inexpensive bars in my neighborhood, where you could get a cheap beer or cocktail. My favorite was the Holiday Ounge on St Marks Place, where I could get my favorite drink – Stoli & Grapefruit for only $2.It was a cool little bar run by one of the local Ukrainians “Stephan,” who I always loved seeing behind the bar, and ordering my drink from. Yes, it would cost me just $3, paying $2 for the drink, and leaving Stephan a $1 tip, so it was almost as cheap as (very cheap anyway) to pre-game at a local bar, as it was to drink at home, so we’d pre-game at the Holiday Lounge, have a one drink there, then head to Nell’s, Area, The Paladium, or whichever club we were going to that night. Yes things were much cheaper back then. You could go to a diner, and get a whole breakfast of 2 Eggs, with potatoes, toast, and coffee for just $2.99, which would cost you a little more than $4 zithtax and tip. Today, that same breakfast cost you $20 plus. That’s why I never go out for breakfast anymore. I eat breakfast at home. 

Besides saving money, which often is the main reason for pre-gaming (pre-drinking), saving money is not the only reason to do pre-game drinking at home. Having pre-game cocktails at home allows people to gather in a more intimate quieter setting to converse, listen to your own chosen music, and bond before going to a completely different World inside a New York City nightclub. 

Yes, I was listening, as usual to 1010 New Radio at home in Greenwich Village, as I always do. 1010 Wins New Radio “Give Us 1o Minutes & we’ll Give You the World,” is there slogan, and I’m a fan. Besides getting all the Big World News Stories, and the biggest news stories of New York City, they always give you all sorts of interesting other stories and info, that you wouldn’t get on network news. I find out so many things from 1010 news radio, I just love it. They give you little tidbits and if I need more info, I just jump on my phone and Google for more info. And so, I heard that Pre-Gaming Drinks at Home has now become a big thing, do to the “High Cost” of cocktails in New York City, bars, cocktail lounges, clubs, and restaurants. It’s just too much, and people have a choice. They “Pre-Game.” Something I’ve been doing in New York, since 1983. Yes, I’m usually ahead of the curve. On many things. I started drinking Negroni’s way back in the Summer of 1985, a good 30 plus years before most Americans discovered the famous Italian cocktail, and it became all the rage in New York and all over America. But I knew about them 33 years before they became the rage. Same thing with Cubano Sandwiches, and the Aperol Spritz, I discovered them many years before the rest of America finally caught up. Brag? No, just facts. I’m usually ahead of the curve. Anyway? 



by Daniel Bellino Zwicke – NYC








A NEGRONI COCKTAIL

HOW to MAKE a NEGRONI

Ingredients :

CAMPARI
GIN 
SWEET VERMOUTH
ICE
Fresh ORANGE Slices

Fill a Rock Glass with Ice. Add equal parts of Campari, Gin, & Sweet Vermouth. Garnish with a slice of Orange.

Serve.
Note : Most people probably don’t have Rock Glasses. You can make the drink using a wine glass instead.






An APEROL SPRITZ
HOW to MAKE an “APEROL SPRITZ”
INGREDIENTS :
APEROL
PROSECCO
CLUB SODA
ICE
ORANGE Slices
1 & 1/2 ounces Aperol
3 & 1/2 ounces Prosecco
1 ounce Club Soda
Ice
Orange Slice
Fill a wine glass with Ice. Add the Aperol, then the Prosecco, and top with the club soda. Stir, and add a fresh Orange slice.
Serve and Enjoy.
ALSO  –
The 3-2-1 RULE for making an APEROL SPRITZ
To make a classic Aperol Spritz, use the 3-2-1 rule: combine 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, and 1 part soda water in a wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with a fresh orange slice for a refreshing, bittersweet, and bubbly cocktail




CLASSIC COKTAILS


FRANK SINATRA


SINATRA SAUCE

The COOKBOOK

COOK & EAT LIKE FRANK

“COCKTAILS TOO”


The ROLLING STONES

The ROLLING STONES

ROLLING STONES NEW YORK T-SHirt

“ONE of a KIND”

This is an EXCLUSIVE PIECE

CAN NOT Be PURCHASE ANYWHERE ELSE

ONLY at COOL GIFTS TEES on ETSY

Italian Explorer Giovanni Verrazzano discovered New York Bay and The Island of Manhattan

 


GIOVANNI VERRAZZANO

The DISCOVERER of MANHATTAN ISLAND

The HUDSON RIVER & NEW YORK BAY


GIOVANNI VERRAZZANO “The DISCOVERER of MANHATTAN ISLAND 

& NEW YORK BAY”

Verrazzano was born in Val di Greve (now Greve in Chianti), south of Florence, the capital and main city of the Republic of Florence. Recent archival research indicates he was born on July 20, 1491 to Frosino di Lodovico di Cece da Verrazzano and Lisabetta di Leonardo Daffi. An older hypothesis identified him with a son born in 1485 to Piero Andrea di Bernardo da Verrazzano and Fiammetta Cappelli.


GIOVANNI VERRAZZONO VOYAGE 1522- 1524

DISCOVERS NEW YORK BAY 

n September 1522, the surviving members of the Magellan expedition returned to Spain, having circumnavigated the globe. Competition in trade was becoming urgent, especially with Portugal. 

French merchants and financiers urged King Francis I of France to establish new trade routes. In 1523, the king asked Verrazzano to explore on France’s behalf an area between Florida and Newfoundland, intending to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition was funded by a consortium of Florentine merchants based in Lyon and Rouen, including the Gondi, Rucellai, Nasi, and Albizzi families. Over 20,000 écus were raised, with Verrazzano himself contributing as both captain and investor.

Within months, four ships set sail due west for the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, but a violent storm and rough seas caused the loss of two ships. The remaining two damaged ships, La Dauphine and La Normande, were forced to return to Brittany.

Repairs were completed in the final weeks of 1523, and the ships set sail again. This time, the ships headed south toward calmer waters under hostile Spanish and Portuguese control. 

After a stop in Madeira, complications forced La Normande back to home port, but Verrazzano’s ship La Dauphine departed on January 17, 1524, piloted by Antoine de Conflans, and headed once more for the North American continent.

It neared the area of Cape Fear on March 21, 1524 and, after a short stay, reached the Pamlico Sound lagoon of modern North Carolina. In a letter to Francis I, described by historians as the Cèllere Codex, Verrazzano wrote that he was convinced that the Sound was the beginning of the Pacific Ocean from which access could be gained to China. 

Continuing to explore the coast further northwards, Verrazzano and his crew came into contact with Native Americans living on the coast. However, he did not notice the entrances to the Chesapeake Bay or the mouth of the Delaware River.

In New York Bay, he encountered the Lenape in about 30 Lenape canoes and observed what he deemed to be a large lake, really the entrance to the Hudson River. He then sailed along Long Island and entered Narragansett Bay, where he received a delegation of Wampanoag and Narragansett people

The words “Norman villa” are found on the 1527 map by Visconte Maggiolo identifying the site. The historian Samuel Eliot Morison writes that “this occurs at Angouleme (New York) rather than Refugio (Newport). It was probably intended to compliment one of Verrazzano’s noble friends. There are several places called ‘Normanville’ in Normandy, France. The main one is located near Fécamp and another important one near Évreux, which would naturally be it. West of it, conjecturally on the Delaware or New Jersey coast, is a Longa Villa, which Verrazzano certainly named after François d’Orléans, duc de Longueville.”[27] He stayed there for two weeks and then moved northwards.

He discovered Cape Cod Bay, his claim being proved by a map of 1529 that clearly outlined Cape Cod. He named the cape after a general, calling it Pallavicino. He then followed the coast up to modern Maine, southeastern Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, and he then returned to France by 8 July 1524. Verrazzano named the region that he explored Francesca in honour of the French king, but his brother’s map labelled it Nova Gallia (New France).


MAJOR POINTS


GIOVANNI VERRAZZANO was born in Greve in The Republic of Florence, modern day Grave in Chianti, Italy.

VOYAGE of 1524 – From 1522 – 1524, the Exploration of the East Coast of North America, from Florida to Newfoundland, Canada.

Landed at Cape Fear, Florida – March 21, 1524

1524 – Reaches the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Delaware River

1524 – Sao;s into New York Bay and discovers Manhattan Island. Then explores Long Island, New York and discovers Narragansett Bay. 

1527 – Second trans Atlantic Voyage to Brazil. Returns to Dieppe, France with a cargo of Brazil Wood.

3rd VOYAGE 1528 – After exploring Florida, The Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles, Verrazzano anchorage of the Island of Guadalupe, and rowed ashore, where he was allegedly Killed and “Eaten” by the native Caribs.







GIOVANNI VERRAZZANO EXPLORING The HUDSON

NATIVE LENAPE INDIAN SLOOK On





VERRAZZANO’S SHIP – La DAUPHINE

GIOVANNI VERRAZZANO
1524 VOYAGE
EXPLORATION of The EAST COAST of NORTH AMERICA
From CAPE FEAR FLORIDA to NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA
With The DISCOVER of MANHATTAN ISLAND
And NARRAGANSETT BAY of LONG SILAND, NEW YORK
CASTELLOI VERRAZZANO
GREVE, ITALY in CHIANTI



CASTELLO VERRAZZANO Wine Estate – Greve

Castello di Verrazzano

, located in Greve in Chianti, is a historic Tuscan estate with roots dating to Roman times and documented winemaking since 1150. Famous as the birthplace of explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485), the castle was held by his family until 1819. Owned by the Cappellini family since 1958, it is a renowned Chianti Classico producer focusing on Sangiovese and organic, sustainable farming.


  • The Verrazzano Family (7th Century–1819): The castle was home to the Verrazzano family. Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered New York Harbor in 1524, was born here. The family line ended in 1819.
  • The Ridolfi Era (19th-20th Century): The estate was passed to the Florentine Ridolfi family, known for founding the Fiorentina football team.
  • The Cappellini Era (1958–Present): Purchased by the Cappellini family in 1958, who restored the estate and revived its winemaking reputation.
  • Modern Era & Sustainability: The estate underwent full organic conversion in 2014. It also features a link to 1150 roots to the New York explorer, including exchanging stones between the castle and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in 1963.

  • CHIANTI

    A bottle of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO CHIANTI 1969

    And a bottle of VILLA CALCINAIA CHIANTI 1969

    At The 100 YEAR ANNIVERSAY of The CHIANTI CONSORZIO

    GALA TASTING _ FOUR SEASONS – NEW YORK

    photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke


    Author / Italian Wine Guy – Daniel Bellino Zwicke

    With CAVALIERI LUIGI CAPPELLINO of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

    In NEW YORK






    CASTELLO VERRAZZANO CHIANTI

    VERRAZZANO ROSSO – CHIANTI & CHIANTI RESERVE 
    .



    SUNDAY SAUCE

    by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

    “AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK”



    Daniel Bellino Z – lunch at Villa Calcinaia with Conti Capponi – Greve in Chianti

     

    CASTELLO VERRAZANO

    BARRELL CELLAR

    GREVE in CHIANTI 

    VILLA CALCINAIA

    CONTI CAPPONI 

    GREVE 
    VILLA CALCINAIA

    DRIVEWAY

    GREVE in CHIANTI





    Author ITALIAN WINE GUY

    DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

    LUNCH with CONTI CAPPONI 

    NICOLA & SEBASTIANO CAPPONI

    1997



    CHIANTI PRIMER

    by AGNUS 





    Map – CHIANTI CLASSICO REGION


    Including TOWNS of :  GREVE, PANZANO, RADDA

    CASTELLINA in CHIANTI,  GAIOLE

    OTHER CHIANTI REGIONS of TUSCANY

    CHIANTI RUFFINA

    CHIANTI FIROENTINI

    CHIANTI PISANE

    CHIANTI MONTESPERTOLI

    CHIANTI MONTALBANO

    TUSCANT, ITALY


    SANGIOVESE GRAPES

    CHIANTI CLASSICO


    On CHIANTI


    CHIANTI








    ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS

    ROME VENICE TUSCANY PIZZA PASTA & ???

    READ ABOUT DANIEL’S ADVENTURES

     in CHIANTI CLASSICO

    LUNCH WITH The COUNTS

    CONTI CAPPONI NICOLA CAPPONI

    And CONTE SEBASTIANO CAPPONI 

    At VILLA CALCINAIA

    GREVE in CHIANTI

    1997


    “LUNCH at VILLA CALCIANAIA”


    The CONTI CAPPONI

     The first time I was ever in Chianti was the most memorable. Yes, I’ve had many wonderful days in Chianti, but nothing like that first day. I was in the process of putting together my restaurant Bar Cichetti, and this was another exploratory trip. I didn’t have the wine connections that I would garner in later years, knowing so many Italian wine producers that I do these days.

     Some friends set up two vineyard visits in Chianti Classico for me, my business partner, an associate of ours, and the lady Gilda who set up our meeting the Conti Capponi, and visiting the Capponi family estate – Villa Calcinaia in Greve. In the Capponi family, there are two brothers, Count Sebastaiano Capponi & his brother Nicolo. We were in Florence and had to meet Nicolo at their palazzo – Palazzo Capponi on the Arno River, just two feet from the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. Our friend Gilda is a good friend of the Capponi’s and she brought us to the Palazzo and introduced us to Conti Nicolo Capponi. When we met, I thought I was talking to Prince Charles. Nicolo was brought up with a British nanny and was educated in England, and thus when specching in English, he had an English accent. I was quite surprised when I met him. Anyway, we hopped in two cars, and drove down to Grave and the Cappoli Family wine estate – Villa Calcinaia in Greve. You take the ancient Roman road known as the Chiantigiana south out of Florence and into the heart of the Chianti Classico wine region. 

       We made a right, turning off the Chiantigiana road and onto the Capponi property. And just like you see in the movies, the drive leading to the Villa was tree lined on both sides of the road with majestic Cypress Trees. “Wow,” I was blown away. We arrived at the Villa, a sort of small castle, and it was lovely. The Capponi family has owned this property since 1524. The current structure of the Villa Calcinaia was built in the 1700s. Quite a place to be, and I was in awe. Nicolo took us inside. We entered the kitchen, which looked much the same as it did 300 years before. A lady was cooking at the fireplace. She was the family cook, and Nicolo introduced us to her. We chatted for a few minutes, and then Nicolo took us on a tour of the cellars. We left the kitchen and walked down a hallway, and as we approached one room, Nicolo said, “here we have Alibaba.” He was referring to the beautiful large terracotta vats that were filled with Olive Oil. Wow?

    Then Nicolo said, “this is the Mother. It’s 300 years old.” Wow, again. The 300 year old mother is a starter to make vinegar. And it’s 300 years old. 

      Besides making wonderful Chianti wine, the Capponi family produces Tuscan Olive Oil, vinegar, Grappa, and Vin Santo wine. 

       Nicolo then took us to another room where white grapes were drying on racks. These grapes were for the Vin Santo, which must be dried before vinifying in order to make that “lush nectar,” that is Vin Santo (Holy Wine).

        After seeing the grapes for the Vin Santo, Nicolo took us into the main cellar room where the family’s fine Chianti was aging in numerous large Slovenian Ok Casks. “Wow,” again. It made me feel amazing. Being there in the storied wine cellars of The Villa Calcinaia, in the heart of Chianti Classico. “Wow?” 

       Nicolo got a few glasses and opened a small spout on the cask, to draw some wine from. He then gave us each a glass, and we tasted the wine. “The Chianti.” It was marvelous, and so special, to do a barrel tasting of some Capponi Family Chianti. Quite remarkable. 

      Nicolo’s brother Sebastiano came into the seller, and that’s when we first met. Sebastiano has been running the winery since 1992. We met him that day in 1997, and I’ve known him ever since. He comes to New York often, to do tasting and attend Chianti events in New York, and do business promoting and selling his family;s wine. And me being in the Italian restaurant business for many years, I’ve spent time drinking wine and breaking bread with Sebastiano. His brother Nicolo is a writer and scholar, and not that involved in the wine business, as Sebastaino. I’ve never seen Nicolo in New York, though Sebastiano, I have many times over the years, and it is always a great pleasure to see him.

       From the cellars, Nicolo took us outside to show us the gardens and vineyards. Quite beautiful. The to the Grand Finale of the day.

      Nicolo took us to the dining room, where we were going to have lunch with the Conti Capponi brothers Sebastiano & Nicolo Capponi. Wow, can you believe that? Me Danie Bellino, dining with two Counts of one of Florence’s oldest and most noble families, The Capponi’s of Florence, Italy. And at the wine estate in Greve, Chianti Classico, Italy. How did I ever get here? Well it was a lot of hard work, and long hours working and educating myself, that found me here, having lunch with The Conti Capponi, at Villa Calcinaia, breaking bread, and drinking their Chianti, with two aristocratic, noble gentleman Conti Sebastiano Capponi and his brother Nicolo, Gilda, Maron, and Tom.

       The meal was simple, and delicious. We had Tuscan Pecorino, Salami, bread, and olives for antipasto. So good. There’s nothing like tasty Italian Cheese and local Salami. Drinking Capponi family wine (Chianti) with the Capponi’s themselves, inside an ancient dining room in the Villa Calcainaia. I dipped my bread into the lush Olive Oil. This olive oil is some of the World’s finest. Yes it sounds cliche, but “It doesn’t get any better than this.” Not by a long shot. The antipasto was so good, I can still taste the Pecorino and Salami today, just thinking about it. 

       The antipasto was followed by a simple Pici Pomodoro, fresh homemade pasta in a tasty tomato sauce. We drank more Chianti. I was in “7th Heaven.” This was one of the most memorable days in my entire life. And still, almost 30 years later in 2025.


       For the main course, we had roast chicken that we had watched the cook begin to cook over an open fire in the old kitchen. The chicken was served with roast potatoes. We kept drinking Chianti.

       The Grand Finale of the meal was the Capponi’s Vin Santo, served with Biscotti. What can I say about Vin Santo? It was like putting the cherry on top as they say. We had the most wonderful meal, but if that wasn’t enough, one more wonderful thing was added. The Vin Santo. Vin Santo is a special wine of Tuscany. It is made in limited production. It is a lush flavorful wine, with a taste of apricots, hazelnuts, dried fruit, and caramel. It is brought out to drink on special occasions, and this was one. Having opened America’s 1st Venetian Wine Bar – Bar Cichetti, for doing so, I became a darling of the Italian Wine World. When we first opened Bar Cichetti, all the Italians coming to New York wanted to meet me for what I was doing. I had a love and passion for wine, as well as good knowledge, which grew year by year. And year by year, I made more and more relationships with Italian wine people. Estate owners and winemakers, and those prominent in the World of Italian Wine. I’ve been invited to many special Italian Wine Dinners, luncheons, tasting, and events. I’ve visited many wine estates all over Italy, and have become friends with the owners, and their families. And to this day, though I have had so many special times, till this day, none tops my first Italian Wine experience in Italy, meeting and having lunch with the Conti Capponi. “A very special day.” 


        Basta!





    Excerpted from ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS


    Daniel Bellino Zwicke – Amazon.com









    CHIANTI


    New Book on Venice from author Daniel Bellino Zwicke – September 2026

     



    Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

    VENICE 1995

    Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE – NEW BOOK on VENICE

    I am currently working on a new book – working title is “My VENICE,” but this might change. It is a Travel Guide – Cookbook of the World’s most Enchanting City – VENICE, Italy. 

    It will be a unique take on Venice, that is mine. It will lead the reader on a special journey designed for that person to get the best and most out of Venice, and to help avoid the crowds, of which can put a damper on things, “so to say.” Daniel has been going to Venice since 1985. He created the First ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) ever to exist in The United States, and knows more than probably 99.9% of America’s population, when it comes to Venice, its history, wine bars, food, and ritual of Venice.

    The book will be filled with travel and cultural info of Venice, including : Where to Stay (hotels), where and what to eat – trattorias, restaurants & wine bars, sights to see, history and commentary, as well as recipes of Venice’s most popular dishes and cocktails, with stories and history of these subjects.

    The book is expected to be released (Published) in September of 2026.


    January 4, 2026







    The PIAZZETTA

    VENICE

    VENICE BOOK by Bellino – Coming September 2026


    Daniel Bellino Zwicke has written a book that features Venice as a destination in his book ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL – Rome Venice & ?

    Available Book Featuring Venice – ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS – ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ? Travel Guide – Cookbook – Amazon.com This book draws on the author’s extensive travel experiences and includes content related to Venice, Rome, and other Italian cities.
    The author is a well-regarded food and wine professional who created America’s first Venetian wine bar, “Bar Cichetti,” and his insights include details about exploring traditional Venetian wine bars, known as bacari.
    It is available for purchase on AMAZON.com and other retailers. 
    FORTHCOMING BOOK
    Daniel Bellino Zwicke is currently working on a new book exclusively about Venice. Information and snippets are posted on his personal website under the tag “My Venice”. 

    • OTHER NOTABLE WORKS
    • While not specifically about Venice, Bellino Zwicke is a prolific author of Italian cookbooks and travel guides. 

    Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook

    • Positano The Amalfi Coast Cookbook: Travel Guide

    • The Feast of The 7 Fish / Italian Fish & Seafood Cooking 
    • These and his other works are also available for purchase through major retailers like AMAZON.com







    ITALIAN FOO & TRAVEL

    “ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ?

    TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

    Daniel Bellino Zwicke

    “LOOK For VENICE – TRAVEL GUIDE COOKBOOK”

    Daniel Bellino Zwicke

    COMING SEPTEMBER 2026






    .




    .



    How to Make a Chopped Cheese Sandwich – Recipe New York City

     

    A CHOPPED CHEESE SANDWICH

    NEW YORK



    The CHOPPED CHEESE SANDWICH

    Birthplace – Blue Sky Deli, East Harlem, New York

    A Chopped Cheese” is a popular NEW YORK CITY Sandwich made in Bodegas in East Harlem, and now all over New York City. A chopped cheese sandwich features Ground Beef sautéed with Onions, and melted Cheese (usually Yellow American Cheese). These ingredients are cooked and chopped together on a Flattop Griddle (or in a pan if making at home). These ingredients are put into a Hero Roll, and topped with lettuce, Tomato, and condiments like Mayonnaise, and /or Ketchup. The sandwich is known for its tasty savory flavour, and substance to satisfy ones hunger. The sandwich has been described as a deconstructed Hamburger, and is a Staples of New York City food culture.

    Key Components

    • Meat: GROUND BEEF, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, or adobo seasoning. 
    • CHEESE  Typically American cheese, melted into the meat mixture. 
    • Vegetables: Sautéed ONIONS are standard; lettuce and tomatoes are common additions. 
    • Condiments: Mayonnaise and ketchup are popular choices, often spread on the roll. 
    • Bread: A long Hero Roll or hoagie roll. 

    • HOW to MAKE a CHOPPED CHEESE SANDWICH
    Preparation :
    1. Sauté chopped Onions on a griddle or skillet.
    2. Add Ground Beef patties, seasoning them as they cook.
    3. Chop the meat and onions together as they cook, mixing thoroughly.
    4. Add CHEESE slices and let them melt into the meat mixture.
    5. Spread condiments on the roll, add the meat/cheese mixture, and top with lettuce and tomato. 

    ORIGIN
    • The sandwich is widely believed to have originated in East Harlem, New York City, with many crediting Blue Sky Deli (also known as Hajji’s) as the birthplace. 


    The BADASS COOKBOOK

    BLUE RIBBON MEATLOAF

    PRIZE WINNING CHILI

    THe BEST SANDWICHES

    And SECRET RECIPES

    The BADASS COOKBOOK
    .

    Anthony Bourdain Favourite Secret Restaurant in Rome – Lunch with Asia Argento – Settimio al Pelligrino – Roma

     

    Anthony Bourdain with Asia Argento

    A Meal at Settemio

    Rome, Italy

    TONY’S SECRET RESTAURANT – Rome

    On Sunday December 5, CNN broadcast a stunning Rome episode of Parts Unknown in which Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento go to a trattoria, which they do not name. It’s Settimio. Sorry for the spoiler but I don’t believe in depriving Mario and Teresa of business through exclusion Watch the episode it is brilliant.

    I vividly remember my first visit to Settimio al Pellegrino. It was in 2007 and my friend Jess and I had gotten a hot tip from a regular that a short walk from Campo de’ Fiori sat an uber-authentic trattoria serving simply dressed fresh pastas, meaty mains, and seasonal vegetables. We made a booking but when we showed up for dinner the door was locked. We were already off to a rough start. One of us noticed a button next to the door and after a sustained buzz, chef and owner Teresa opened the door a crack and said something to the effect of “chi siete”, who are you?

    If that doesn’t sound like a warm greeting, it wasn’t. But at Settimio, warmth isn’t doled out frivolously. Warmth is earned. If you turn up without a reservation, there’s a real chance you will be sent away, whether they are booked up or not. It’s the kind of place where the possibility of a regular rolling in late leads Teresa and her husband Mario to set aside tables for such an occurrence. And even calling to reserve well in advance doesn’t guarantee a table. On that note, if you don’t speak Italian, have your hotel ring for you. And if all this sounds too fussy, don’t read on. Settimio isn’t for you.




    TONY’S SECRET ROMAN TRATTORIA – ROME



    ANTHONY has LUNCH with ASIA ARGENTO

    “The SECRET TRATTORIA”

    TONY says,  “Rome is a place where you find the most extraordinary pleasures, in the most ordinary places. Like this place. Which I’m not ever going to tell you the name of. Asia has been coming here forever. She brings her kids here. So I’m not going to screw it up for her. 

    The trattoria is SETTINIO PELLIGRINO. I’m not letting Tony’s secret out of the bag. That happened years ago, Just passing on the information for anyone who wants to go there, and need the name of the restaurant and address (Via del Pelligrino 17 -Roma .. tel 06 6880 1978).





    ANTHONY BOURDAIN

    PARTS UNKOWN – ROME



    PARTS UNKNOWN – ROME

    With ABEL FERRARA & ASIA ARGENTO



    I have to be honest: arbitrary seating policies give me agita. I grew up in restaurants and treasure hospitality. I want to connect with the people who make and serve my food, not be rejected or dismissed. Yet I was determined to win over Teresa and Mario. That night, Jess and I ordered every course, including my current go-to, polpette, scorched yet delicious meat patties. We cleaned our plates, admired the eclectic decor (framed posters and paintings gifted by Settimio’s clients, which include plenty of artists and film makers) and watched as Mario worked the room, taking orders and doting on regulars. Teresa emerged from the kitchen occasionally to clear plates and pinch cheeks. Man, did it feel bad being an outsider at Settimio that night.

    Jess and I apparently didn’t make much of an impression because I went back on my own a few days later for lunch and was given the same suspicious treatment. After a few more visits, however, I was totally in, cheek caresses and all. This is good news if you live in Rome or visit often. You, too, can become a doted-on regular. Otherwise, visit knowing you won’t be pampered by the service but you’ll definitely walk away having witnessed a Roman relic. 






    SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO

    ROMA



    That is to say, a lot of what’s appealing about Settimio is the attitude and atmosphere. Some regulars have been going since the place opened in the 1930s, others a decidedly shorter length, but all are given special attention. In that way, the place is not unique. The attraction to countless other local joints is the experience and the relationship with the owners, even more so than the food.

    I don’t think anyone with Roman dining experience would say the food is flawless. Like many places in town, it makes sense to stick to certain things like those meatballs or the onion-rich vitello alla genovese. At Settimio, comfort food reigns: fettucine with meat sauce, gnocchi with tomato sauce (Thursdays only), trippa alla romana, and involtini (meat rolls). The handmade pastas pass muster, but you won’t write home about them. The pillowy, super sweet, candied chestnut-studded Montblanc, which they do not make in house, is another story. I dream about it sometimes. Usually right before I go to the dentist. I am also very into the mela cotta (baked apple). I’m a sucker for overcooked fruit. 

    Second only to the struggle of winning the owners’ affection is the wines, which range from undrinkable to painfully undrinkable. While it’s charming that regulars leave unfinished bottles in the fridge for their next visit, I can honestly say that the only wine worse than the wine at Settimio is day-old wine at Settimio. It’s not what you’ve come for anyway.


    Settimio al Pellegrino
    Via del Pellegrino, 117

    +390668801978 









    Trattoria  SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO

    ROME

    SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO
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