Grab the Good Life with Rocco DiSpirito
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September 8, 2005 - WOR 9/08/05
WOR 9/08/05
Rocco is away for two weeks and filling in for the remainder of his vacation is Chef Michael Lomonaco, author of Nightly Specials!
Michael: Thanks to Rocco for letting me fill in while he takes a few well deserved days off.
Call Michael at 800-321-0710!
Dominic Chianese, aka Uncle Junior from the Sopranos is here! Check him out at http://www.dominicchianese.com/
Michael: Dominic welcome to the show, tell us about your background.
Dominic: I was born in the Bronx and developed my craft on the stage. The theater is where you develop everything, you know what Michael.
Michael: Of course that is where I met you.
Great Italian Food, isn't NY the capitol?
Dominic: That it is, my mother made a pasta vagioli when I was kid, simple dish which I loved.
Michael: Who are the cooks in your family?
Dominic: My sister cooks and my grandma, such great cooking.
Michael: A rustic peasant cooking. Where would you go to eat these kind of dishes.
Dominic: I love love Quattro Gatti Ristorante -
Quattro Gatti Ristorante
212-570-1073
205 E 81st Street
Michael: Plus you have a great love for music right?
Dominic: Music and Food just go together, they were put together by God. They both give pleasure and are just two loves of mine
Michael: You were one of the original actors in the Godfather right?
Dominic: Yes, I had a small part and was cast by Frances Ford Coppolla.
Michael: Let's take some calls here.
Gloria in New Jersey: I love to cook and my parents were Italian Greek. I have a son who is 17 and wants to be a chef, what would recommend? A school?
Michael: There are huge schools like the French Culinary School, Johnson and Wales, so many. I would say to train in all the fields of the culinary school: Restaurant management, cooking, the business, etc - cooking is creative and also a business.
Greg in Long Island: Love your work on the Soprano's Dominic, I admire you.
Dominic: Thanks Greg.
Greg: Wanted to say that Italian cooking is more than just eating, it is all about family and you guys show that, Mike and you.
Dominic: Yes I agree Greg, it's all about family and being together.
Liz in Connecticut: I love the Sopranos, it's what my husband and I watch.
Dominic: Thank you so much!
Liz: I wantes to say that southern hospitality is so much like Italian hospitality, it's all about the warmth and togetherness.
Michael: Can't agree more Liz.
Michael: Go see Dominic at the West Bank cafe!
The Theater at
WEST BANK CAFE
presents
Dominic & The New York Sidewalkers
Downstairs
Every Monday at 8pm
$20 Admission
407 West 42 Street
(42nd St. & 9th Ave.)
New York City
Reservations: 212.695.6909
Michael: Dominic, thanks for being here!
Dominic: Thanks for having me Michael.
Michael: See you all back tomorrow for one more day of fill in for Rocco!
WOR 9/07/05
Rocco is away for two weeks and filling in for the remainder of his vacation is Chef Michael Lomonaco, author of Nightly Specials!
Michael: Thanks to Rocco for letting me fill in while he takes a few well deserved days off.
Call Michael at 800-321-0710
Mark Bittman will be here talking about his column in the NY Times.
Plus, my friend Dale Degroff will be here! Dale is a world renowned Mixologist and will be talking about his Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts!
Michael: My friend Jonathan Waxman runs Barbuto and I wanted to let you guys know to check it out. It is decently priced and some great Italian Food by day and hot bar by night.
Barbuto
775 Washington St. (West Village)
near 12th St.
212-924-9700
barbutonyc.com
Mark Bittman of the NY Times is here!
Michael: Love your column this week Mark, talk to me about it.
Mark: it's called Feasting on Summer's Last Herbs and I have a great parsley salad to share!
Michael: I love parsley, tell us about it.
Mark: Sure, here is the recipe: The most obvious of these is tabbouleh, the Middle Eastern parsley or mint salad to which soaked or cooked bulgur wheat, tomatoes and a drenching of lemon juice are added. For the following recipe, figure on adding half a cup or so of bulgur, tossed with the herbs and greens. The finest grind of bulgur, No. 1, can simply be soaked in hot water for a few minutes; coarser grinds (with higher numbers) must be cooked for a few minutes.
Other grains, like kasha or brown rice, are equally good in this salad.
Michael: Love this, is that all for parsley?
Mark: Well I came up with this cream of parsley which is like a cream of spinach. These are all great with a piece of chicken and fish.
Michael: That sounds wonderful! These sound easy and quick. Thanks for being here Mark!
Let's welcome Dale Degroff to the show, welcome Dale!
Dale Degroff: Thanks for having me Michael.
Michael: You are one of the premier mixologists in the world. Talk to us about that!
Dale: I tell people to be the chef of their bar and now everyone calls themselves bar chefs!
Michael: You see so many people use fresh juice and really good ice.
Dale: It is so important. Ice machines made fast ice and owners loved that idea. But the ice itself was coming out warmer and not great quality. So more ice at a lesser quality. Now, I preach the gospel of creating the dense large cube for better quality drinks.
Michael: So tell us about your Hurricane Katrina Relief effort.
Dale: Well go to www.kingcocktail.com for my info on me. But the Katrina Relief is coming in the form of a cocktail party of sorts.
Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour!
Monday, September 12, 2005,
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Please contact: Jill DeGroff
516-565-4981
JD2Design@aol.com
Michael: Thanks so much for being here Dale, you are truly one of the greats!
Dale: Thanks for having me Mike!
Mikey in Brooklyn: Hey Mike! Need a good recipe using Cream of Mushroom soup and mixed veggies!
Michael: There ya go, you are all set! You can make a casserole out of this! Just have an equal amount of liquids to solids. Dice your veggies and sautee them with a little olive oil in a pot. Cook some elbow macaroni very al dente (about 7 minutes) and add the vegetables and pasta together. Then add your mushroom soup and bake it all together and it's going to be delicious!
Ronnie in New Jersey: You and Rocco need to explore vegen cooking! No eggs no animal anything and it is wheat free!
Michael: That's perfect for people with special dietary needs.
Ronnie: You can make macaroon cookies without eggs or wheat. You use coconut shred and maple syrup, let it sit and get thick and then bake the mixture. Then dip it in chocolate and it's just as good as wheat or egg macaroons!
Michael: Thanks to my guests and all the calls, I'll see you all right here again tomorrow!
