Sicilian Dinner in New York

NY Vintners + Giacomo d’Alessandro + Patrizia Di Benedetto = the Best of Sicily in Downtown NYC

New York Vintners is a fabulous wine center and event space in Tribecca know for its devotion to fine wine and cuisine and fantastic events. Their “personal curiosity about wine keeps New York Vintners selection frequently changing” A “devotion to every wine’s characteristics of terroir focuses their selection on producers that create a sense of place.” There could be no more perfect place for a one nigh transformation to Sicily with the fine Sicilian wines of Giacomo d’Alessandro and Patrizia Di Benedetto’s extraordinary Sicilian cuisine. Patrizia is the creator of the fine Bye Bye Blues, world famous, Michelin Starred, Ristorante  in Mondello, Palermo. She is a master in a new type of Mediterranean cookery that creates with the magnificent local ingredients of the sea and the land found there. She preserves classic tradiitons with touches of absolute modernity.  We tasted three of her signature dishes with a wonderful dessert.

The wine is of a similar passionate commitment with dedication Sicilian grapes and terroir. D’Allesandro wines are made in the fantastically beautiful and fertile Agrigento region near Volcanic Mount Etna in Sicily. We have had the opportunity to taste Giacomo d’Alessandro wines before, the wonderful Inzolia and his Nero D’Avolas. But with Patrizia’s food they took on an entirely new life.

 The dishes included this Insalata Tiepida Di Pesci Fruitti Di Mare. Simply delicious variety of delicate fish over broad beans ‘macco’ (pureed) and ‘bottargo’ oil (infused with salt preserved roe of mullet or tuna).

The Inziolia caressed this dish with great delicacy. 

The second course, unexpectedly yet perfectly paired with a red wine was a heavenly pasta dish, Rigatoni con Tonno E Pesto Di Agrumi. Tuna, pine nuts and an exotic citrus pesto.

The bright flavors of the Nero d’avola contrasted and complimented this dish with great finese. Esential with the subtle yet precise flavors of the dish.  

The third wine was the most intense a Nero d’Avola Syrah. Rich and powerful. I would usually pair this wine with a meat dish and was surprised how well it complimented the next dish.  

Caponata di Pesce Spada in Crosta di Manorle e Sesamo, Swordfish Caponata in a crispy almond crust with sesame.

The savory caponata stood right up to the wine, the toasty nutty crosta also met the wine very well. In the middle the silky swordfish came forth in a pond of flavor.

The dessert with a fabulous Moscata, Braida 2010, was a pistacchio semifreddo with a sweet toasted cous cous.

A perfect evening in every respect. 

Mano a Vino