The NEW YORK CHRONICLES: September 2013

Sunday, September 29, 2013

CRONUT GOING on SHAKE SHACK MENU ???

CRONUT DAY at The SHAKE SHACK

A Foodie's Dream, it said on the Shake Shack Website, speaking of what was billed as

Cronut Concrete Day at The Shake Shack Flagship Madison Square Park location on September 17, 2013 to Benifit The NY Police Widows & Childrens Fund and The Madison Square Park Conservancy. Uber-Hot Pastry Chef of The Moment, the creator of the Uber famous Cronut, Chef Dominique Ansel joined forces with Danny Myer and Shake Shack combining what is arguably New York's Best and most beloved Burger Joint, The Shack Shack with 2013's Hottest Food Item and story the Cronut which is Half Donut & Half Croissant into one tasty little pastry. New Yorkers line up for both. They are both super tasty items that are at the top of their games, and both democratically affordable for just about anyone, with a Cronut going for $5.00 and a Shack Burger at just about 5 Bucks as well at $4.90 ... They are both as tasty as can be, and I will go on record for about the 20th time right hear and now, since we're speaking of it, The Shake Shack Burgers are without a doubt New York's Best, A # 1, Best Burgers in Town .. I don't care if you say it's The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern, "No Way," and actually thier less hyped Minetta Burger is the "better burger" at Minetta .. No, it's not The Brindel Burger which Josh Ozersky has now marked as his choice of NY'S # 1 Top Burger. No I like the Brindel Burger, but the Shack Burger has it beat for the true great American Burger. Yeah, I like the Burger at Peter Luger which is a sort of un-known secret and great value, but Shake Shack's Burger is better. I love PJ Clarke's and JG Melon is in my top 3 New York Burgers, but I'll still give an edge to Shake Shack. Well, there I go and said it again, Shake Shack Burger is the Best ..

Dam, I went off track there for a minute. Sorry, couldn't help it, when I'm on the subjects of Burgers and the awesome and wonderful Shake Shack.

Back to the Cronut and Cronut Concrete Day at the Shake Shack. The people at Shake Shack and Dominique Ansel, the Cronut Person put together a day to raise money for two great foundations, combining New York's Best Burger and NY'S Hottest new sweet dessert treat the Cronut. The Cronut offering was actually a collaborative effort combining Shake Shack's Butter Caramel Frozen Custard in a paper cup with Cinnamon Sugar Cronut Holes on top. Wow!

The day was a huge success with many happy fans of both items. And it has us wondering will Danny Myer be putting together a deal to bring the Cronut permanently to The Shake Shack? Hhmmm!!???? Would be interesting and quite wonderful. Time will tell ....

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

ROCKY GRAZIANO

REMEMBERING ROCKY

ROCKY GRAZIANO

NEW YORK HALL of FAME

Born January 1, 1919 Brooklyn, New York

GREW UP in NEW YORK'S LOWER EASR SIDE

and LITTLE ITALY

WORLD MIDDLE WIEGHT CHAMPION

with a Record of 67 WINS

52 By KNOCKOUT

10 LOSSES

and 6 DRAWS

Saturday, September 14, 2013

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTS "NEW YORK"

GREENWICH VILLAGE

HAS TOP 3 ITALIAN RESTAURANTS of NEW YORK

DeGrezia is a GEM in MIDTOWN

DeGrezia

A Hidden GEM in Midtown

EMILIO BALLATO

E. HOUSTON STREET

NEW YORK, NY

Sunday, September 8, 2013

SUNDAY SAUCE MEAT GRAVY "ITALIAN-AMERICAN"

SUNDAY SAUCE

ITALIAN-AMERICAN MEAT GRAVY

Sunday Sauce ..

Excerpted from a new book by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

"When a meal centered around a Sunday Sauce is announced, one can have visions of Blissful Ecstasy at thoughts of eating Pasta laden with Italian Sausages, Savory Meatballs, Beef Braciola, and succulent Pork Ribs. All this has been slowly simmered to culinary perfection. Yes just the thoughts can enrapture one into a Delightful Frenzy of the Most Blissful Feelings of smelling, seeing, and consuming all the ingredients, the Sausages, Meatballs and Gravy. Yes a Sunday Sauce can and does have such effects on one’s mind, body, and soul. And, I do not want to sound prejudice, but this is pure fact, it is the Male of the Italian-American species who Love The Sunday Sauce in all its form, far more than the female sex. True! Meatballs too! And Italian-American men and boys Love and hold oh-so-dare, their Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Sausage & Peppers, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches.

The Sunday Sauce that my mother would make was with Meatballs and Beef Braciole. My memories are vivid watching my mother stuffing the Braciole with garlic, parsley, Pecorino Romano, and Pignoli Nuts, then tying the bundles with butchers cord to hold the Braciole together as they slowly simmered in the Gravy. Another fond memory was helping my mother roll and shape the Meatballs."

This pasaage has been excerpted from Daniel Bellino-Zwicke's upcoming new book

SUNDAY SAUCE, which will be available in Paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com or at a bookstore near you. Sunday Sauce is due for November 2013 release. In the meantime see Daniel's other books (La TAVOLA, Clemenza's Meatball Sunday Sauce) on Sunday Sauce, Italian-American Food and The Italian-American Experience in New York and America

NEW YORK and The $3.00 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 3-Half 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 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 and you haven't had a vacation in the past two years, maybe more. You 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. But if you live in the Great City of New York this can be a costly undertaking, especially in this day, and of all times, to be having a Boom in The $14, Sixteen-Dollar-Or -More-Cocktail.W hat 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.

Yes, Thank God and let's thank the Kind-Heart proprietors who serve $3.00 PBR'S or any Beer for just $3 or $4 in a New York Bar. You are doing you 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