A Celebration of Tuscan Cuisine
The tasting event honored Chef Luongo's extensive heritage by serving iconic dishes such as focaccia robiola, bistecca alla Fiorentina, and an antipasto misto terra table
Photo Credit: Lydia Lee
At his signature eatery, Morso, legendary chef Pino Luongo hosted “A Celebration of Tuscan Cuisine” last night. The event highlighted Chef Luongo's 40-year history and substantial contributions to the city's cuisine and restaurant sector, in addition to raising money for City Harvest and God's Love We Deliver. Many of the participating chefs, including Rocco DiSpirito, Margherita Aloi, Cesare Casella, Kevin Garcia, Patti Jackson, Maurizio Marfoglia, Soerke Peters, Gianni Scappin, Michael Schlow, Pat Trama, and Ciro Verde, have cooked with or been inspired by Luongo.
Photo Credit: Lydia Lee
Photo Credit: Lydia Lee
Photo Credit: Lydia Lee
The tasting event honored Chef Luongo's extensive heritage by serving iconic dishes such as focaccia robiola, bistecca alla Fiorentina, and an antipasto misto terra table. Guests enjoyed a full bar with specialty Italian cocktails and wines, and danced to the music by renowned D.J. Dipp
In Florence, in his mother's kitchen, Pino Luongo first developed a passion for cooking. He began honing his culinary skills at the age of sixteen while spending the summers working at his uncle's restaurant in Porto Santo Stefano, Tuscany. When Luongo relocated from Florence to New York City in 1980, he pursued his genuine passion—becoming a chef and restaurateur.
Luongo has operated restaurants in New York City for more than 40 years. He opened several highly regarded restaurants since his arrival, including the East Village institution Il Cantinori, Coco Pazzo, Le Madri, Mad 61, and his most recent venture, Coco Shack. With every new restaurant he opened, up to a total of sixteen at one point, he brought a piece of his native Italy to the United States, bringing with him the cuisine, the scenery, the heritage, and the culture of Italy. A mentor and former boss to the late Anthony Bourdain, Luongo is the bestselling author of several books, including A Tuscan in the Kitchen, Fish Talking, and Dirty Dishes: A Story of Passion, Pain, and Pasta.
“Coming to the US from Italy in 1980, I imagined a very modern trattoria serving authentic Tuscan cuisine. I never dreamed I would achieve success and recognition in the business I love so much,” said Chef Pino Luongo. “Throughout the years, I was lucky enough to mentor some of the most talented chefs cooking Italian food today. It gives me tremendous joy to see how many have come together to celebrate my passion for Tuscan cuisine and belief in giving back to the community that has supported me. For me, food, especially Italian food, has always represented a certain love and nurturing that we try to demonstrate in all of my restaurants. By partnering with City Harvest and God’s Love We Deliver for this special evening, I recognize and celebrate the tremendous efforts, love, and nurturing that both have given to many New Yorkers in need. We are so proud to be a part of this milestone evening.”
Proceeds from the event benefited two amazing organizations: God’s Love We Deliver and City Harvest. City Harvest is New York City's largest food rescue organization, assisting in the feeding of millions of low-income New Yorkers. This year, they will rescue 75 million pounds of food and deliver it for free to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other community partners throughout the five boroughs. By reducing hunger and malnutrition, God's Love We Deliver seeks to promote the health and wellbeing of men, women, and children who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other major illnesses. They make and distribute wholesome meals for those who are unable to furnish or prepare meals for themselves due to illnesses. To learn more or donate, please visit cityharvest.org and glwd.org
Fornino Pizza
Weaving my way through the heart of the bustling neighbourhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, I soon arrived at Fornino, a true treasure trove of a pizzeria. Upon entering, we were greeted at a bar space buzzing with chatter. The rustic tones of brick and wood were brightened with warm lighting, setting the fun and relaxed mood for the evening as we were shown to the cozy table area past the bar.
We sipped on elegant Strawberry Lemonade Hibiscus Ice Tea as we browsed the seemingly endless choices of pizza which progressed through “generations.” The “first generation” selections included more simple choices such as Marghertia Classica and Marinara. The “second generation” began to include more creative combinations such as the Cosenza adorned with n’duja, butternut squash, stracciatella, oregano and spicy honey.
The “third generation” pizzas were the most inventive, with topping selections that I thought one could only dream of having on pizza. After much deliberation, we selected a new addition to the menu, the Zucchini e pesto which included zucchini, mozzarella, goat cheese, mint pesto and Fresno chilli for an extra kick, along with the Funghi e prosciutto which had shiitake mushroom, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, fontina and pecorino. Options for gluten free and vegan substitutes were available, as well as a range of lavish salads and Antipizza.
Due to the smaller size of the restaurant, the atmosphere was intimate and amicable, with the staff providing incredibly friendly and efficient attention to each and every patron. The pizza arrived shortly, presented on a stand ideal for sharing onto separate plates.
I’d never seen pizza that looked so irresistibly inviting and was torn between which to try first, eventually taking a slice of the Funghi e prosciutto. The balance of each ingredient was perfect, with the dough being the ideal consistency so as to enhance rather than overpower the taste of each topping. The Zucchini e pesto was delightfully light and refreshing with the combination of mint pesto and chilli really awakening the taste buds.
Of course, there was still room for dessert with a range of ice cream sundaes available. We chose the Brownie Sundae for Two, quickly devouring the exquisite mountain of warm brownie topped with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, salted caramel, and chocolate sauce dusted in powdered sugar.
Be sure to visit Fornino’s at 849 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn 11222 to taste some truly scrumptious and inventive pizza with a setup and atmosphere ideal for socialising and sharing. Fornino offers a brunch pizza menu, lunch specials, and a main dinner menu; or if you fancy a night in try their take-out and delivery options!
Pizza Coast to Coast at BigA
“Contemporary pizza with an Italian heart and an American mind”
When it comes to eating pizza in New York City, the options for urbanites are overwhelmingly endless. But few may realise how the gastronomic experience of pizza is changing into one which considers both palate and nutritional value.
Pizza Coast to Coast demonstrated, at BigA pizzeria in the Lower East Side, the concept of ‘dynamic pizza.’ This is a ground-breaking new way of crafting pizza in which the flour miller and chef work in tandem to produce true contemporary pizza that values quality, nutrition, and taste. Chef Crystian Dangelo from Terún in California and Chef Giovanni Barberi from BigA in NYC converged their expertise, gained from training at Italy’s elite teaching facility Università della Pizza, to craft two fundamental traditional pizza models using flour from Petra’s Molino Quaglia. The ability to form dough of varied textures and the distinguishability of each ingredient in the pizzas was due to Petra’s different combinations of grains and the use of type 0 flour. Additionally, her flour is produced through a unique process known as augmented stone milling that combines stone grinding with cylinder grinding to produce flour that is both flavorful and nutritious. The final products of this collaboration between innovative chef and miller were distinct yet equally delectable pizzas.
Conducted by the rules of the ‘Manifesto of Italian Contemporary Pizza’ Chefs Dangelo and Barberi proudly prepared a series of pizzas for tasting, in a kitchen open to observation from the guests of the restaurant. Barberi prepared pizza Napoletana with a round base style dough that was thin, soft and elastic. Dangelo’s pizzas were en palla alla romana, textured thick and crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside due to the blend of whole wheat and type 0 flour. All pizzas were topped with carefully combined fresh and seasonal ingredients.
To complement the lightness of the pizzas, platters were paired with refreshing Italian beer from Birra del Borgo.
To include your taste in the evolving gastronomy of pizza be sure to visit BigA pizzeria at 1 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002.
Arthur Avenue: The Italian-American Experience
A day in New York is, simply, what you make it. An artist at heart? Stop in at MOMA. Or the Met. Only here for the parties? You can dance your heart out way up at The Top of the Standard, or way down at The Village Underground. But if you’re a foodie looking for an authentic culinary experience, there’s only really only one place for you: Arthur Avenue.
Colloquially known as the “Little Italy of the Bronx,” Arthur Avenue has escaped, for the most part, the encroaching gentrification that has plagued much of New York. Here, you’ll find no shortage of businesses that can tout the claim of being “multi-generational,” which makes it unique not only by New York standards (considering the very few businesses that survive a year, let alone generations), but unique from a culinary standpoint. Shaped by both Italian immigrants and their American descendants, the food on Arthur Avenue is one of the few places in the world where you can find food that is authentically Italian American: a little Italian, a little American, and a whole lot of love.
The proof is in the pudding -- or in this case, the cheese; especially if you stop by Joe’s Italian Deli, a casual eatery serving up fresh, hand pulled mozzarella. Their bocconcini, along with a few slices of salty prosciutto, is all but the perfect start to the day -- but I wouldn’t say no to their antipasto, and frankly, their Hitman Hero is mouth-watering. For a tourist, however, the deli can offer something even more delicious -- between the rows of canned tomato sauce and the school kids stopping in for sandwiches, Joe’s happens to be, in my opinion, a rare glimpse into the more local side of Arthur Avenue.
But if you’re more interested in the iconic, there’s plenty of that on the avenue as well, starting with Mario’s Restaurant, one of those aforementioned multi-generational eateries. Known for their red sauce fare, which includes Neapolitan style pizza, house made manicotti, and all types of parmigiana, Mario’s Restaurant is a classic both inside and out, even boasting a cameo in The Sopranos and a name drop in Mario Puzo’s The Godfather.
But perhaps more impressive than the food is the space itself. What started off as a six person pizzeria is now twenty-nine person restaurant accentuated with velvet lined chairs, soft Italian Opera, and warm oil paintings. Mario’s is proof that a little hard work can go a long way, and Regina Migliucci-Delfino, the current, fifth generation owner, is a testament to that -- she is, without so much as a blink, capable of reciting from memory every dish on the menu, as well as its components. Still, the family continues to pay it forward: during Tuesday to Friday dinner hours from now through October, patrons who wish the family well for their 100th year anniversary will receive one free pizza appetizer for that table (with the purchase of an entrée).
If you’re looking for more traditional Italian fare, however (read: No white sauce! No chicken parmesan!), Arthur Ave has its fair share of that as well, most recently MangiPasta, a Naples transplant serving up fresh, ‘choose your own style’ pasta dishes that include Cacio e pepe, Pesto Rigatoni, and a personal favorite: homemade Ravioli with Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino. Under normal circumstances I don’t even like ravioli, but I was sorely tempted to purchase an entire bag of MangiPasta’s to bring home with me. Trust me on this one.
And then, of course, there’s dessert. There are plenty of great options on Arthur Ave, but you can’t go wrong with Egidio Pastry Shop, a landmark bakery vouched for by the The New York Times and enshrined on an October 2018 cover of The New Yorker. The shop offers up tray after tray of Italian cookies and endless variations of biscotti, but locals will point you to the cannolis, all hand rolled and filled to the brim with cream. You might think you won’t have room after a day full of pasta and pastrami -- but don’t worry, you can get some to go.
So if you’re looking to get away from the hub and bub of Manhattan, a day trip to Arthur Avenue might just be the thing for you. In between meals, feel free to stop by the Botanical Gardens, or even check out the Bronx Zoo. Like I said...it’s what you make it.
