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Posted on October 20, 2009 - by Enoteca - 4 comments so far

Enoteca’s Carmelina Featured in Italy’s Corriere Del Mezzogiorno

CARMELINA, THE NONNA-COOK WHO CONQUERED NEW YORK
Having left Marcianise, Italy in 1961, she went from housewife to being a star in the kitchen of the Enoteca Maria.

by Franco Tontoli
Corriere Del Mezzogiorno
(English translation by Alma Benussi)

Carmelina Pica has been cooking at Enoteca Maria in Staten Island, New York for two years.

MARCIANISE – “My sister told us about her success in New York, cooking in that restaurant she works in along with her italian friends, and what surprises us is that this success has been hitting Italy too! We’re very happy for her, Carmelina is a very modest person and she really deserves all this satisfaction after spending so many years of sacrifice being an Italian immigrant in the United States.”

Those are the words of Giovanni Tartaglione, who points out his sister in the photo taken in the kitchen of the Enoteca Maria. Carmelina and her “stepsisters” (her new family of cooks in the Staten Island restaurant) are well-known in New York thanks to all the delicacies they serve each night at the tables of the Enoteca Maria, a restaurant that didn’t reach its success through restaurant guides or reviews but with the massive passing of the word between food lovers around New York City who take the ferry from Manhattan and the other boroughs heading to the Italian Enoteca in St. George, Staten Island.

The Nonnas cook with fantasy, smiles and conviviality that give extra flavors to their dishes. Those are the main features of Italian people, very appreciated in Staten Island which has around a half million citizens with 44% of Italian origin. The team of cooks was put together by an Italian-American—Joe Scaravella—a real talent-scout who added to his wine bar a great restaurant. The restaurant, though, is still primarily an Enoteca as the sign says. Joe has been very smart in creating a team of cooks from talented Italian housewifes who turned into chefs. They all come from different Italian regions and their cuisine belongs to their regional traditions, full of echoes of their hometown.

At a local green market, Carmelina picks fresh herbs to cook with at Enoteca Maria.

Carmelina Tartaglione, who has been married with Pasquale Pica for almost 50 years now, keeps delighting the custumers with the culinary heritage she brought from Marcianise to the USA, full of memories of smells and tastes she learned from her mother, who had to feed eight children and a husband.

“Carmelina spent a month here with us last September, her first time back in Italy after three years. She has been missing us a lot during these years and now she had the chance of spending some time with us, making up for the lost time. We are eight brothers—Francesca, Vincenzo, Michelina, Antonio, Alfonsina, Elvira, Carmelina and myself. We’re very close to each other. Carmelina left Italy at the age of twenty-two after marrying Pasquale who used to work as a sailor between Italy and America. She became American in 1961. She has three children: Mike, a  pharmacist, Tony, and Patricia. She started working for her husband’s brother Bruno in a grocery store where she started making her own fresh food to sell at the counter. Joe Scaravella got to know her and wanted her in his restaurant,” said her brother Giovanni.

Carmelina calls home every Sunday, telling her brothers and sisters about the satisfaction she gets along with all her “stepsisters.” “Carmeli­na,” Giovanni continues, “always knew how to cook our specialties, our simple dishes: pèttole and fagio­li, salsiccia and friarielli, vegetable soups, fried anguille and marina­ted ones, the pancotto, the frittelle with squash flowers, the scagliuozzi. Those simple dishes are so delicious that it’s impossible not to love them. I can see how they are important for all those Italians who live abroad.”

Carmelina Pica (left) takes a break with fellow cook, Adelena Masana at Enoteca Maria. Photos by Glen DiCrocco

The dinners at the Staten Island restaurant are all different; the cook from Milano gives her best with risotti and cotolette alla milanese; the cook from Abruzzo with strangolapreti, stringozzi, maccheroni alla chitarra; the Sicilian cook is the queen of fish-based dishes, like her pasta with anchioves. You have eight restaurants in one, not the ordinary spaghetti with meatballs italian joint, but the most delicious and rare dishes of the old italian traditions.

“It’s true,” says her brother Giovanni, “my sister keeps repeating it: she just speaks and cooks Marcianise. And you should see how people love her!”

_____________________________________________________________

Original Italian Publication

I SUCCESSI DEI CASERTANI EMIGRATI NEGLI STATI UNITI
Carmelina, ecco la nonna-cuoca 
che spopola a New York
Partita da Marcianise nel 1961, da casalinga è diventata star della cucina all’Enoteca Maria

MARCIANISE — “Mia sorella ci ha raccontato del successo che ottiene a New York, nel ristorante in cui cu­cina con altre amiche italiane e ci stupisce questa notorietà arrivata anche in Italia. Siamo contenti, Car­melina non è tipo che si monta la testa, merita le soddisfazioni per i tanti sacrifici affrontati nella sua vi­ta da emigrata.”

Parla Giovanni Tar­taglione, pensionato della Gte, sta­bilimento un tempo fra le colonne portanti della occupazione a Marcia­nise. E indica, nella foto, la sorella con la bustina da cuoca. Carmelina e le sue sorelle, cioè quelle acquisite tra i fornelli della Enoteca Maria di Staten Island, distretto di New York, furoreggia­no per tutto quanto di buono metto­no nei piatti portati in tavola. Non c’è stata indicazione con graduato­ria fatta di simboli tipici delle guide gastronomiche ad affollare i tavoli del ristorante; è bastato il passapa­rola che s’è fatto sempre più fitto fra buone forchette, gente che a ta­vola non va per le spicce e non c’è sera alla settimana che dal traghet­to non sbarchino pattuglie di incur­sori, forchette in resta, diretti al­l’enoteca italiana a New York.

Le nonne-cuoche lavorano di fan­tasia, col sorriso e giovialità, ingre­dienti che rendono più saporite le vivande. Tutte caratteristiche, que­ste, degli italiani, qualità subito ap­prezzate nell’isola di Staten Island, quasi mezzo milione di abitanti di cui il 44% di origine italiana. A mettere insieme il gruppo è sta­to un altro italoamericano, Joe Sca­ravella, un talent scout della ristora­zione che ha così arricchito il suo lo­cale, già tipicamente italiano, tra­sformandolo da enoteca a ristoran­te. Ma, per scaramanzia, ha lasciato la vecchia insegna. Joe ha naso fino, dalla prima del­le sue cuoche, aveva saputo di un’amica di questa che ai fornelli era brava e poi di un’altra e poi di un’altra ancora e la ‘brigata di cuci­na’ s’è arricchita di otto comandan­ti. Da varie regioni provengono le cuoche ed è stato naturale assegna­re a ciascuna piena libertà di cucina­re tutte le tipicità dei rispettivi pae­si.

Carmelina Tartaglione, sposata con Pasquale Pica e quasi vicina al­le nozze d’oro, la clientela continua a deliziarla con tutto il bagaglio culi­nario che negli Stati Uniti s’era por­tata nel cuore da Marcianise, ricor­di di odori e sapori e tutto quanto aveva imparato dalla mamma, casa­linga a fronteggiare marito e otto fi­gli di robusto appetito.

Racconta Giovanni, il fratello: “Carmelina è stata da noi tutto il mese dello scorso settembre, man­cava da tre anni ed ha fatto il pieno e gli arretrati di quanto le è manca­to di noi. Otto fratelli, Francesca, Vincenzo, Michelina, Antonio, Al­fonsina, Elvira, lei ed io, sempre molto uniti. Carmelina sposò Pa­squale, un compaesano che era ma­rittimo sulle navi che facevano la spola tra l’America e l’Italia, aveva ventidue anni e dal 1961 diventò americana. Ha tre figli, Mike che è farmacista, Tony e Patricia. Per gua­dagnare qualche dollaro cominciò ad aiutare Bruno, fratello del mari­to, che gestiva una salumeria, qui cominciò a cucinare qualche pietan­za che persone che là hanno sem­pre fretta portavano a casa. La voce arrivò a Joe Scaravella e fu arruola­ta.”

Carmelina ogni domenica telefona a turno a fratelli e sorelle e fa il resoconto del­le soddisfazioni che raccoglie, insie­me alle sue ‘consorelle’. “Carmeli­na” — dice ancora il fratello — “sape­va già cucinare le nostre specialità, tutti piatti semplici: pèttole e fagio­li, salsiccia e friarielli, le zuppe di verdura, le anguille fritte e marina­te, il pancotto, le frittelle con i fiori di zucca, quelle di farina di grantur­co che noi chiamiamo ‘scagliuoz­zi’. Insomma, niente di eccezionale ma che soprattutto fra italiani al­l’estero ed anche fra i locali diventa­no piatti che fanno furore.”

Le serate, nel ristorante di Staten Island, diventano anche confronti culinari a tema, la cuoca milanese ci dà sotto con risotti e cotolette; quella abruzzese sfarina con stran­golapetri, stringozzi, maccheroni al­la chitarra; quella siciliana si sbrac­cia in pasta con le sarde e pietanze di pesce. Insomma, la formula è da otto ri­storanti in uno che non sono le soli­te spaghetterie e polpetterie. Ma piatti prelibati della migliore tradi­zione della cucina casareccia italia­na.

“E’ proprio così” — conferma Gio­vanni — mia sorella lo ripete sem­pre: io parlo e cucino solo marciani­sano. E devi vedere come sbandiera­no i tovaglioli.”

Posted on October 1, 2009 - by Enoteca - Comments are off for this post

Italy Spreads Enoteca’s International Appeal

The October 2009 issue of Io published in Milan, Italy features a recipe by Enoteca Maria’s very own Nina Picariolo and food styling and photography by Alma Benussi, also a cook at the restaurant.

Posted on September 24, 2009 - by Enoteca - Comments are off for this post

Restaurant Looking for Nonnas Who Cook

by Tevah Platt
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

St. George — Enoteca Maria is looking for a few good nonnas.
  
Since the St. George restaurant opened in 2007, it has capitalized on the behind-the-scenes talents of the Italian housewife.

A rotating staff of cooks—“ladies,” owner Joe Scaravella calls them—prepares dishes representing eight unique regions of Italy and anonymous, centuries-old recipes preserved along matrilineal lines.
   
The Enoteca is looking to cement its niche by hiring six new “grandmothers.”

“Everyone is looking for their grandmother’s cooking,” says the goateed, round-spectacled Scaravella, known for chatting with customers on the subject of wine. He refers to the mission in what he acknowledges is improper Italian: “guarde per nonna,” literally, “looking for grandma.”

Anna Maria (Nina) Picariolo of the Bronx, by way of Salerno, one of the eatery’s eight cooks who take turns as chef-of-the-day, joined the staff when she read about the restaurant’s opening in the Italian newspaper, Oggi. She starts her work day inventing a menu drawn from her region’s culinary traditions and the ingredients in the Enoteca refrigerator. Ms. Picariolo, who speaks Italian, said through a translator last week that Enoteca makes her happy because the menu never repeats. It’s wholly different from cooking at home, she said: “A casa – me no like.”
 
Each cook has a chance to showcase her skills and bask in patrons’ adoration.

“Adelena (Masana, of Naples) dotes on her husband and sons and I’m sure they complain, ‘Why didn’t you make this? This one has too much salt….” These women are easily taken for granted,” said Scaravella of one of his most prized chefs.

The proprietor is seeking cooks who would work about two days a month.

They needn’t be grandmothers, but they must bring their heritage to the table, Scaravella said.

The restaurant’s youngest cook by far is Alma Benussi, 26 and a dark-eyed beauty, who lives in Milan and visits the restaurant to cook for pleasure. Her cooking inspired Scaravella to write in his Facebook update: “If you close your eyes, you’ll swear that your grandma is cooking in the kitchen, and if you open them, you’ll see what she looked like 50 years earlier.”

The Enoteca opens around 3 and serves roughly 50 to 100 guests a night. The menu changes daily, but the frutta di mare salad and capozzelli (stuffed sheep’s head) are regular menu items.

The restaurant and its lineup of cooks will be featured on an upcoming episode of WABC-TV’s Rachael Ray Show on October 9.

“The ladies come in here and they get applause,” said Scaravella. “It’s about time they get credit for what they do.”
    
Tevah Platt covers the North and East shores of Staten Island. She can be reached at [email protected].

Posted on September 23, 2009 - by Enoteca - Comments are off for this post

Guest cook from Milan brings recipes and wine to the Enoteca

Over the past year, Enoteca Maria has gotten a lot of attention; We’ve been covered extensively here in the US as well as in Italy and the UK. As the word spreads in the motherland, grandmothers from different parts of Italy have contacted us about their love of cooking.

On Saturday, February 20th, Enoteca Maria was proud to have Milena from Monza, Milano as our guest cook. Milena is the owner of the Alla Stanga Enoteca in Milano and prepared her favorite recipes paired with wines she had shipped directly from her Enoteca to our Enoteca.

The wines featured for pairing:

“Lavinia” Barbera del Monferrato, a very pleasant, young and richly fruit-filled wine.

La Vigna Vecchia” Barbera d’Asti, fermented from a high quality grape that exemplifies the best characteristics of traditional Barberas.

“La Vita” Moscato d’Asti, a small batch wine with complex and pleasant aromatic characteristics perfect with sweets to finish a meal.

Click to download the full menu.

Alma Benussi helps Milena from Monza in the kitchen at Enoteca Maria

One of the dishes prepared by Milena from Monza

The crowd at Enoteca Maria.
Photos by Nick Fevelo

Posted on May 13, 2009 - by Enoteca - Comments are off for this post

Celebrating the Wine Snob

A restaurant’s best friend is an educated customer.
By Pamela Silvestri
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Today I’d like to salute Staten Islanders who enjoy their wine and want the best possible experience with it. By the way, if you fit into this category of customer, people in the food business think you’re a high maintenance type of diner. A bartender I once worked with called this class of customer a “wine snob,” a term that actually I think is rather flattering. After all, what wine snobs do is make a waiter work for his money.

If you’ve done tours in the front-of-the-house as a server or bartender, you can spot a wine snob a mile away. He’s the one who asks about selections by the glass and isn’t satisfied until the brand is disclosed. He might go so far as to peek behind the bar to make sure wine isn’t coming from a box, a magnum or — visible shudder — a tap system. And if a neighboring patron stinks of perfume — how can one taste what’s in the glass when there’s a mouthful of White Diamonds wafting into the glass at the same time? — he asks for a seat change or just quietly leaves the restaurant.

Of course, there is that silly behavior that gives oenophiles a bum rap. A patron whiffs the screw cap or plastic cork — the latter stoppers hail from pulverized cork mixed with plastic and glue — and perhaps makes a face. What could one possibly tell from sniffing materials that don’t necessarily absorb aroma? Oh, this drama of such wine-os makes for great war stories. And when a patron furiously swirls house bubbly such as Prosecco in a glass and declares it as “just OK” — swirling in this capacity shakes out the bubbles, goofy! — or complains about the wine selections but forgets to look around at the venue — uh, places that specialize in greasy burgers don’t necessarily have to carry wines above swill grade — rest assured that this pretentious dance will be the topic of later booze-fueled staff discussions.

Rest assured, the wine snob is a waiter’s best friend. He’s the one who increases check averages, perhaps orders more than a single bottle in one sitting and who will reward the staff handsomely when they do their homework. (Free tip: Customers appreciate waiters who steer them correctly).

It would be wonderful to see more restaurants do what Enoteca Maria in St. George does so well: Catering to some astute palates and pushing wine snobbery to the limits. Co-owner Jody Scaravella presents every wine on the list by the glass and by the bottle. The restaurant opens fresh bottles for customers who order vino by the glass. Good quality wine goblets are presented to guests whether they buy by the bottle or glass.

Note other restaurants such as Angelina’s in Tottenville reward guests with the better stemware only when customers order full bottles. I know a couple who brings their own stemware to restaurants that don’t supply decent glasses of their own.

It’s not so bad to be fussy about wine. And I think most restaurants should be putting much more thought into their selections by the glass. It’s 2009, after all, and I do think most Staten Islanders are fairly educated on the subject. At Jean’s Fine Wines in West Brighton, for instance, regular Friday night wine samplings bring out educated palates. The typical customer can describe wines with words like “buttery,” “barnyard,” “acidic” and the like.

At Basilio’s Inn in South Beach, owner Maurice Asperti, fusses over his wine selections. And it shows: His wine list features affordable decent bottles that he’s taken the time to test drive himself.

Several things could improve wine service on Staten Island, in my opinion. First, servers need to be educated on house pours. Wines shouldn’t be introduced as, “What’ll it be? Red or white?” Surely there’s a brand name associated with the wine. Wine discussions should happen at the restaurant pre-meal meeting. Second, customers can be more demanding on the subject and become, well, a wine snob of sorts. Start asking for the better stemware. Request that wine by the glass is served from a freshly opened bottle, especially if it’s early in the day and clear the bottle has been cracked the night before. Staten Islanders really need to fuss more over the standard pour.

Pamela Silvestri is the Advance food critic and Food editor. Her restaurant articles appear each Thursday in AWE, the Advance’s weekly entertainment section.

INFO BOX: Wine Etiquette Keep hands off the bowl of the glass. Wines can heat up from the action. Plus it leaves unsightly smudges on the glass. Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. It tinkers with fellow diners/winos taste buds. Ask questions. If you’re indulging on a bottle, say, that is more than three years old it’s not unreasonable to ask how the wine has been stored. Drink wines at the right temperature. Nonvintage bubbly, many Spanish and Italian whites, fino sherry, Manzanilla should be served well-chilled. Full-bodied whites (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, some reds like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais) benefit from being cool, around 58 degrees. Medium to full-bodied reds and ports are ideal at room temperature.

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(Reprinted with permission from the Staten Island Advance)

Posted on April 28, 2009 - by Enoteca - 17 comments so far

We Want You Grandma!

If you are a grandma who would like to share your time-honored recipes with our fantastic customers, we want you in our kitchen! Give Joe a call at (718) 447-2777 or send an email telling us a little bit about your tomato-sauce cooking self. We look forward to meeting you!

Posted on April 19, 2009 - by Enoteca - Comments are off for this post

Teresa Woos Judges with Homemade Lasagna

The Annual Pasta Bowl sponsored by Community Resources in Travis on Staten Island was held on March 8, 2009. Community Resources offers work-study programs for adults with disabilities.

The judges chose Enoteca Maria of St George as winner of the First Place traveling trophy. Enoteca’s award-winning pasta was a Sicilian Lasagna prepared by Nonna Teresa Scalici and consisted of layers of pasta with speck, prociutto, eggplant, peas and cheeses covered in her traditional tomato sauce. Enoteca was a last minute entry, and arrived at the Pasta Bowl with nothing but three trays of lasagna, aluminum chafing dishes, a spatula and a few business cards. This was a case of the food talking for itself: no frills, just good homecooking.

Valarie Delsante accepts the first-place trophy on behalf of Enoteca Maria. Photo by Melinda Gottlieb