RAGU NAPOLETANA
SUNDAY SAUCE
aka RAGU NAPOLETANA
Friday, March 27, 2026
Italian Explorer Verrazzano Discovered New York
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.
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
.
Italian Food and Wine Guy Daniel Bellino Z
"ITALIAN FOOD & WINE GUY"
DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
With Some of His FAVORITE FRIENDS WINES
And a PUMPKIN PIE
DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
is a prominent New York-based Italian food and wine professional, best-selling author, and restaurateur with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Known in the culinary world as "Danny Bolognese," he is recognized as an authority on Italian wine and culture.Wine Industry Contributions
Bar Cichetti: In 1997, he founded Bar Cichetti in New York City, credited as America’s first Venetian wine bar (Bacaro), where he served as Chef, Wine Director, and Managing Partner.
- Professional Roles: He has held prestigious positions as a wine director and chef at notable New York establishments, including Barbetta, as Wine Director - (home to one of the greatest Italian wine cellars in the U.S.), Del Posto, and Da Silvano.
- Industry Connections: He is frequently associated with legendary figures in the wine world, such as Sebastiano Rosa (former winemaker of Sassicaia) and the Antinori family, Conte Sebastiano Capponi - proprietor of legendary Villa Calcinai Wine Estate in Greve, Cavelieri Luigi Cappellini (Castello Verrazzano), The Marchese Piero Antinori, Francesca Planeta of Planeta, Antonio Rallo of Donnafugata, and more.
- Notable Books & Writing
- Bellino Zwicke has authored numerous books that blend Italian-American recipes with wine pairing advice and travel stories:
- Sunday Sauce: a #1 Amazon best-seller focusing on Italian-American "Gravy" and wine culture.
- The Feast of the 7 Fish: A popular guide to the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood feast.
- La Tavola: Stories and recipes reflecting the life of an Italian-American New Yorker.
- Positano - The Amalfi Coast: A cookbook and travel guide that explores the regional dishes and wines of Southern Italy.
- SINATRA SAUCE - The Cookbook
- The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK
- Current Projects: He is actively working on a dedicated book about Chianti and the wine of Chianti Classico, which he cites as one of his greatest passions.
BOOKS by Daniel Bellino Zwicke are Available on Amazon.com
- Online Influence
- He manages the highly successful Instagram page @NewYork.Italian, which has over 500,000 followers and covers topics ranging from regional Italian wine to classic cinema and recipes
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
With FRIEND - CAVELERI LUIGI CAPPELLINI
Of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO- GREVE, ITALY
DANIEL with PALE ITALO STUPINO
CASTELLO NIEVE
BARBARESCO
With The MARCHESE FERDINANDO FRESCOBALDI
FRESCOBALDI BRUNELLO - CHIANTI
SUNDAY SAUCE
"AMERICA'S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK"
# 1 BEST SELLER ITALIAN COOKBOOKS for 2 YEARS
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Bellino and Pacino
CLEMENZA MAKES SAUCE
RICHARD CASTELLAN & AL PACINO
The GODFATHER
"Pacino & Bellino" refers to a culinary and cultural connection centred around Italian-American traditions, specifically involving author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke (often referred to as Bellino), and actor Al Pacino.
Here are the key aspects of this Connection:
Sunday Sauce Recipe: Daniel Bellino created a "Sunday Sauce" (Italian-American gravy with sausages, meatballs, and braciole) recipe inspired by the scene in The Godfather where Clemenza teaches Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) how to make it.
- "Sunday Sauce" Sneakers: Bellino created limited-edition "Sunday Sauce" sneakers inspired by this theme and his Italian cookbook.
- Al Pacino’s Favorite Dish: Bellino has highlighted and written about Al Pacino’s favorite dish, which is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil), a dish often cooked by Pacino's family in the Bronx.
- Culinary Collaboration/Homage: Bellino-Zwicke has written extensively about Italian-American culture, often bridging the gap between iconic figures like Frank Sinatra and Al Pacino with authentic, traditional recipes in his books and articles.
- "Sunday Sauce alla Pacino": This is a specific recipe created by Bellino-Zwicke, described as a culinary tribute to Al Pacino.
SUNDAY SAUCE
alla BELLINO alla PACINO
RECIPES :
SUNDAY SAUCE
PACINO PASTA
LASAGNA - MEATBALLS
And MORE ....
AL PACINO
DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE
BAR TIBERIO
CAPRI, ITALY
SPAGHETTI GARLIC OIL & ANCHOVIES
To MAKE AL PACINO'S FAVORITE PASTA SPAGHETTI GARLIC & OIL
Make the Following Recipe, but OMIT The ANCHOVIES
Then you have "SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO" - AL PACINO'S FAVORITE
Note : Note, the recipe for Spaghetti Aglio Olio as Al Pacino likes it and as it’s written in Daniel Bellino’s Grandma Bellino’s Cookbook, encompasses Two-Recipes-In-One ..
You have the Recipe for Spaghetti w/ Garlic Oil & Anchovies, and to make Spaghetti Aglio Olio the way AL Likes It, is by making this recipe, but omitting the Anchovies to end up with Spaghetti Aglio Olio, just the way the Great Al Pacino likes it.
Mangia Bene!
.
INGREDIENTS :
¼ cup best quality
Italian Olive Oil
Italian Olive Oil
6 cloves of Garlic,
peeled and minced
peeled and minced
½ teaspoon
Red Pepper Flakes
Red Pepper Flakes
6 Anchovy
Filets minced fine
Filets minced fine
1 pound
imported Italian Spaghetti
imported Italian Spaghetti
¼ cup
Italian Parsley
Italian Parsley
Put a large pot with 4 quarts of water on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to the boil.
Place Olive Oil and Anchovies in a large frying pan and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and continue cooking on low heat until the garlic begins to turn slightly brown. Turn heat off and let rest.
Add spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Two minutes before the cooking time on package start testing the doneness of the spaghetti by taking a strand out of the water and biting into it to see how far cooked it. By doing this you’ll be able to determine if it needs to cook a bit
longer or if it’s ready.
Once the past is finished cooking, quickly remove it from the heat and drain into a colander, reserving about 4 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to add to pasta sauce.
Add spaghetti back to the pot it cooked in and drizzle on a little olive oil and mix. Pour the garlic anchovy sauce and the reserved pasta water over the spaghetti with half the chopped Parsley and mix well.
Divide the spaghetti among four pasta plates or bowls. Sprinkle the top of each plate of Spaghetti with some chopped parsley and serve.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)