Cooking Italian Greatest Hits Cookbook

COOKING ITALIAN

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GREATEST HITS COOKBOOK


Cooking Italian - Greatest Hits Cookbook is the latest from bestselling cookbook author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke .. This book Greatest Hits is just that, some of the Greatest Hits Dishes (recipes) of the wonderful cuisine we know as Italian-American of which Mr. Bellino is one of the foremost authorities on the subject (Italian American Food & Culture) .. Cooking Italian -Greatest Hits Cookbook is a compilation of America's favorite and most loved Italian Dishes. Dishes like Baked Clams, Lasagna, Spaghetti Bolognese, Manicotti, Linguine w/ Clam Sauce and the like, and this book is filled with all of those, the best of the best of our beloved Italian-American Cuisine with dishes like Chicken and Veal Parmigiano, Chicken Cacciatore, Veal Marsala and more, Daniel has them all in there. And not just that, this book also includes Daniel's The Feast of The 7 Fish - Italian Christmas, a book on the Itian peoples most improtant and extravagant meal of the entire calender year, La Vivilia, aka The Feast of Seven Fishes. If you've ever wanted to make this monumental Italian Christmas Eve Feast but don't know where to start, then you're in luck, it's all in there from soup to nuts as they say, everything on what you need to make your own special Christmas Feast, perhaps this .. So, if your looking to make the Seven Fish Feast, or you simply need a great recipe for Spaghetti Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce), this new book by Daniel Bellino might be just what you're looking for. "Mangia Bene"




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Chicken Parmigiano .. 

One of The many great recipes 
in The Geratest Hits
Italian Cookbook
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Baked Ziti w/ Meatballs




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Carbone New York Italian



The FEAST of The 7 FISH Italian Christmas

The Feast of The 7 Fish
 

The Feast of The 7 Fish


The Italian Christmas Feast of The 7 Fish? Ever Wonder about it" Its meaning, make-up, rituals, and of course "How To Make It?" Well Ladies and Gentlemen, You're in Luck." Renowned Chef and Cookbook author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke has just come up with his latest "THE FEAST of The 7 FISH" An Italian-American Christmas Eve Feast, and just in Time for Christmas. If you've ever wanted to know about this wonderful Italian Christmas Tradition and How to make it, then this book is for you. It has Everything you need to know to make this Wonderful Italian Feast and on all levels ..






THE FEAST of The 7 FISH

THE FEAST of THE 7 FISH

Feast of The 7 Fish

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke


in PAPERBACK & KINDLE EDITIONS AMAZON.com



La Vigilia      My Aunt Helen used to make the famous Italian Christmas Eve Dinner, The Feast of 7 Fishes, The 7 Fish of the Seven Sacraments. I know she made it because I used to hear her talking about it when I was a little kid. Although I shared many wonderful meals with my dear Aunt Helen, I never had the pleasure of having the famous Christmas Eve Dinner “La Vigilia” Feast of Seven Fish with her. We always had Christmas Eve dinner with the immediate family and Aunt Helen had the Christmas Eve with her brother and sister and other family members. Aunt Helen was born in Salerno, Italy and was my Uncle Franks (1 of my Mother’s 3 brothers) better half. So for our Christmas Dinner my mother would make an Antipasto of Salami, Provolone, Peppers, and Olives, followed by Baked Ziti and a Baked Ham studded with cloves and Pineapple rings.    The first time I ever had the mystical dinner was about 14 years ago with my cousin Joe, his family and my girlfriend Duyen. We had been talking about this famous Italian Feast a few weeks previous, and were thinking of making it. Joe told me he wanted to have the Christmas Eve Meal of The Feast of The 7 Fishes, known in Italy as La Viglia (The Vigil) or “La Festa Dei Sette Pesci,” which is also known in Italian-America as The Feast of The 7 Fish, the 7 Fish representing the 7 Sacraments.    This Dinner, La Viglia originated in Southern Italy, especially in and around the environs of Napoli. The Feast of The 7 Fish is a Southern Italian tradition that does not exist in the rest of Italy, it is of the South. La Viglia, or “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” as it is known to Italian-Americans commemorates the waiting (Vigil) of the Baby Jesus to be Born at Midnight and the Seven Fish represent the Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Some also believe that the Seven Fish might signify the 7 Days of Creation, or The Seven Deadly Sins, but most believe the 7 Fish pertain to the Seven Sacraments.      So Joe asked me if I wanted to make this festive and all important dinner, to perform the ceremony. He didn’t need to ask twice. I had never made it before and was dying to do so. For a long time I had yearned to partake in this celebrated old Southern Italian Ritual, and this was my chance. Naturally I was excited, so was Joe. So it we had great anticipation of the grand Feast to come and we were filled with happy expectations of the meal to come. And what for the menu? I know Aunt Helen made Bacala, Shrimp Oreganata, Mussels, Baked Clams, Calamari, Octopus, and eel, all much loved Southern Italian (especially Napoli and Sicily) creatures of the Sea. We decided which fish we wanted and how to cook each one. Much thought and planning went into the menu and its execution. Joe wanted; Langoustines, Lobster, and Bacala. Alexandra asked if I would make Stuffed Calamari. We also decided on Shrimp Cocktail, Baked Clams Oreganata, and Cozze al Posillipo. The menu was set. Duyen helped me with the Calamari which we stuffed with Shrimp, parsley, breadcrumbs, and Peas. We braised the Calamari with tomato, white wine, and herbs, and if I must say so myself, the Calamari came out superbly. The Stuffed Calamari were a lot of work to make, but well worth the effort as they were a huge hit with all. The Macari boys, Joey, Edward, and Tommy, as well as sister Gabriella, Alexandra, Little Joey, Duyen, Jose, and Sergio from Barcelona were all in attendance.      The Mussels Posillipo, a great favorite of both Neopolitans and their Italian-American brethren, were cooked with garlic, white wine, parsley, and tomato, of which the sauce is always great to dip your bread into. This dish was one of my mother’s favorites back in the days when few Americans other than those of Italian origins ever ate these wonderful little bivalves. Now-a-days every-body does. As a young boy I remember my mother sending me to Bella Pizza in East Rutherford to get an order of them for her. She always gave me a few mussels to eat, and I have loved them ever since.      Joe helped me to cook the Langoustines. They are hard to find and I had to order a ten-pound box from Silvano in order to get them. The best way to cook langoustines is to split them in half and sauté them on each side in olive oil with a little butter and garlic. We served the Langoustines the same way as Silvano does as we feel his recipe is the best and everybody loves them that way. The Langoustines are served with a salad of thinly shaved fennel and celery dressed in olive oil and lemon with some split cherry tomatoes. Absolutely delicious!!!   The Lobsters we prepared the best way possible, the New England way, steamed and served simply with drawn butter and lemon wedges. There’s nothing better on Earth, well except for Sunday Sauce of course.   Well, that Christmas Eve Dinner The Feast of Seven Fishes was quite a wonderful experience. It was a huge success though quite a lot of work and actually, too much food, everyone was kind of full already by the fifth fish. The following year we decided on incorporating the Seven Fish into three courses instead of seven separate. It was a good decision. We still had 7 different fish, which is a must. Serving these 7 Fish in three courses was a good idea as it is much more manageable that way, both to cook and to eat. So, you will see later on that you can have this great Feast of 7 different Fish in a number of ways; either 7 fish in seven courses or do the 7 fish in three, four, 5, or 7 separate courses, whatever you choose, it’s up to you.    On this particular Feast of The 7 Fish in 3 courses, we decided to make the Stuffed Calamari, which I would not have chosen again because it was a lot of work, but it was Alex’s and Joe’s favorite and they said that it was a must whenever we make the meal. We had the Stuffed Calamari as our Antipasto Course. Alexandra and her mom helped me, so the amount of work was cut down and divided into three. The stuffed calamari took care of two of the seven the shrimp that were stuffed into the squid.  The second course (Primi) of Linguine Frutti de Mare consumed four of the Seven Fish required for the meal. It consisted of Mussels, Clams, Lobster, and Scallops cooked with garlic, oil, herbs, and just a touch of tomato.    The seventh and final fish was fresh Cod that I roasted and served with a sweet and sour onion sauce (Bacala Fresca Agro Dolce). Everybody went bananas for it especially cousin Joe who raved at each and every dish I put down. It’s a pleasure cooking for Joe as his passion for eating and for the Italian-American way of life, the food, the wine, the rituals. Joe truly loves and savors the experience, so I always love to cook for him, Alexandra, their children, or just about anyone for who savors the experience so well. This goes the same for my cousin Anthony Bellino his wife Debbie and their three girls Chrissy, Danna, and Allison, along with all my close friends and family who I share my meals with.    It makes cooking a joy rather than a chore, when cooking for family or friends, you give two of life’s great gifts, a tasty Home-Cooked meal combined with a little bit of love. Scratch that, “A Whole Lotta Love!”    If you don’t want to go so crazy, with 7 Fish as it’s quite an undertaking, you should try to do an odd numbers; 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11. Three (3) is a Nice Number and represents the Holy Trinity of The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Basta, e Buon Natale!



  EXCERPTED from THE FEAST of THE 7 FISH   by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke 



  



The Feast of The 7 Fish






SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES 

Segreto italiano

SEGRETO ITALIANO

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke




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SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke





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GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

Recipes From My Sicilian Nonna
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Big Lebowski Christmas Gifts

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BIG LEBOWSKI
The MOVIE


Cowboy Stranger

Get His COWBOY CHILI Recipe in GOT ANY KAHLUA ?
The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

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 Way out West there was this fella I wanna tell you about. Fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his Lovin’ parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that’s a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But, then there was a whole lot about the Dude that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived like-wise. But then again, maybe that’s why I found the place durned interesting.” ….


                                           ….. The Cowboy Stranger  



GET READY For CHRISTMAS


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GET YOUR Favorite BIG LEBOWSKI FAN
a GREAT BIG LEBOWSKI GIFT This CHRISTMAS
 




THE BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

mrnewyorkny3

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?


It's KEITH RICHARDS Favorite Cookbook


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KEEF Cooking GOOEY CHOP MEAT

Recipe in GOT ANY KAHLUA




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Talking DUDE BOBBLE HEAD





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DUDES Big Lebowski Bowling Shirt







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"Got Any Kahlua" ?









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HAVE a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

Start Shopping Early

and Always ABIDE




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