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Nicola Marzovilla is 50!

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

I Trulli owner chalks up a half-century

It’s a long road from Rutigliano, Puglia, 1959 to New York City, 2009, but Nicola Marzovilla has made the journey, and he’s got the jersey to prove it! Last Saturday, family, friends and colleagues threw a surprise party to celebrate the I Trulli owner’s healthy arrival at this greatest of milestones.

For this secret occasion, I Trulli chef Patti Jackson (above with Nicola and his mother, Dora) created a coffee-and-chocolate cake (Nicola’s favorite) scale replica of Massoferrato, Nicola’s first wine from his own estate, which he launched on Monday. For once, Nicola was left speechless. Well, almost…

Auguri Nicola!

Photographs by James Taylor, Dave Frankland and Sam Greenfield. Check out Sam’s full report at his blog!

Posted in FRIENDS, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, events, patti jackson | No Comments »

Happy hour, Italian style

Friday, November 20th, 2009

If you’ve ever spent any time in Italy, you’ll be familiar with the perfectly time-honored tradition that is aperitivo. That’s when Italians, whether mid-passeggiata or just getting off work, all head to their favorite bar. But more than just a pre-dinner drink, aperitivo is a time of day and a state of mind: no longer afternoon but not quite evening, it represents that delightful moment when the working day is through and another pleasant evening of good food and company awaits.

Italy’s bustling piazze are the ideal place to people-watch and perhaps enjoy a Negroni (gin, Campari, red vermouth), one of the
country’s most popular cocktails.

This uniquely Italian ritual has its origins in Northern Italy, which saw a boom in cordial and liqueur production in the early twentieth century. By the 1920s the fashionable bars of Milan, Turin and Florence would swell each evening with thinkers and drinkers sipping Campari, Punt e Mes and Cinzano. Only in recent years has the modern aperitivo hour taken form; today bars all over Italy offer a delicious selection of free antipasti with their wine or cocktails, making it a popular choice for young and old.

Now you can enjoy aperitivo on East 27th Street! I Trulli’s Enoteca
awaits all New Yorkers seeking a little “dolce vita” this Fall.

The custom of aperitivo may seem deeply connected to the pleasurable lifestyle of Italy, but the hectic pace of Manhattan? At I Trulli, we see no reason why you should miss out on such an elegant practice — after all, even New Yorkers deserve to unwind sometimes. Join us every evening from 5:00-7:00pm for I Trulli’s aperitivo hour: choose from our brand new cocktail and sparkling wine list and enjoy complimentary small plates from Chef Patti Jackson’s kitchen! Salute!

For more information and reservations please contact 212-481-7372 or info@itrulli.com.

I Trulli’s aperitivo launch has already captured the attention of the local press. Just check out some of these recent mentions (click on the logos):

Posted in I TRULLI, PRESS, italian culture, italian food, patti jackson, travels in italy | No Comments »

Massoferrato success!

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Nicola Marzovilla debuts his very first wine at I Trulli

Nicola Marzovilla wishes to thank personally all those who attended Monday’s Massoferrato dinner. The exclusive event saw the I Trulli owner unveil his very first wine to a group of excited guests, who had gathered to taste the wine and celebrate this very special occasion. The 100% Sangiovese wine, made from grapes grown on Marzovilla’s Tuscan estate in Impruneta, was a unanimous hit, especially paired with the rustic flavors of Chef Patti Jackson’s whole roasted wild boar.

It seemed everyone wanted their picture taken with the wild boar: Nicola and his sister Domenica celebrate the launch of Massoferrato.

Massoferrato is currently on the wine list at I Trulli, and available for retail purchase at our store, Vino, located directly opposite the restaurant!

Call 212-725-6516 or email contact@vinosite.com for more information.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, events, patti jackson, wine news | No Comments »

Patti Jackson's crabapple mostarda in New York magazine

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Rob and Robin declare crabapples “In Season”

Patti Jackson’s recipe for crabapple mostarda is featured in this week’s issue of New York magazine! The I Trulli chef buys the fruit from the Greenmarket’s Breezy Hill Orchard or Locust Grove Fruit Farm to make her famous mostarda, described by Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite as a “chutney-like Italian condiment.” Served with sheep’s-milk cheese or bollito misto, Patti’s tasty mostarda is a fall favorite at I Trulli.

Read the full “In Season” report here! The current issue of New York magazine is available at newsstands now!

Illustration by John Burgoyne; Photo by Hannah Whitaker.

Posted in I TRULLI, PRESS, italian food, patti jackson | No Comments »

Wild Boar & Sangiovese

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Nicola Marzovilla presents “Massoferrato”, Monday, November 16

massoferrato blog

Join Nicola Marzovilla for a very special dinner celebrating all the rustic charm of Tuscany, as the I Trulli owner proudly presents Massoferrato, the first wine made from grapes grown on his Tuscan estate!

aerial photo blog

Marzovilla and his family purchased the property (above) in Impruneta in the Colli Fiorentini, south of Florence, fifteen years ago, with a view to trying their hand at winemaking. Nicola planted seven acres of Sangiovese (below) — the classic Tuscan variety — which in 2008 produced fruit for the very first vintage of Massoferrato. The wine, classified Rosso Toscano IGT, was fermented in stainless steel before spending time in custom-made 20 hectoliter barrels of Slavonian oak.

massoferrato vineyards blog

A wine this special deserves a menu to match, and for this unique occasion Chef Patti Jackson will prepare typically Tuscan dishes including chestnut gnocchi and whole roasted wild boar. Check out Patti’s full menu here!

nicola bottling blog

Italian-born Marzovilla (above, bottling his wine last summer) is already renowned for his wine expertise and devoted attention to I Trulli’s groundbreaking wine program, he also owns Vino Italian Wine and Spirits, New York’s top-rated all-Italian wine store. Now join him as he celebrates his latest exciting wine venture!

Nicola Marzovilla presents MASSOFERRATO
Monday, November 16
7:30pm
$85 plus tax and gratuity

For more information and reservations please contact 212-481-7372 or reservations@itrulli.com.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, events, featured producer, italian food, news, patti jackson, travels in italy, wine news | No Comments »

Alicia Lini (and Lambrusco) sparkles at I Trulli

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

LINI 910 producer presents an evening devoted to the classic flavors of Emilia-Romagna — and to her wines!

Lambrusco lovers converged on I Trulli on Monday night to spend an evening in the presence of Lambrusco producer Alicia Lini (above, with I Trulli owner Nicola Marzovilla). The international face of the popular brand Lini 910, Alicia was in town to further promote her wines to the local market. I Trulli could not resist hosting a dinner in her honor, for which Chef Patti Jackson created some of Emilia-Romagna’s classic dishes. Naturally, each dish was paired with one of Lini’s delicious and elegant sparkling wines.

blog dining room

Lambrusco has enjoyed an rapid reversal of its image in the United States in recent years, in large part thanks to Lini. Alicia spoke eloquently of Lambrusco’s importance in Emilia-Romagna and its relationship to the region’s foods, as well as the wine’s impact in the United States. As a fourth-generation producer of the 100-year old Lini winery, who better to champion this often misunderstood wine than Alicia? Even I Trulli owner Nicola Marzovilla recalled the moment he realised the diversity of the wine, and its important relation to the local cuisine. At a dinner in Emilia his dining companion had insisted on opening a bottle of Amarone; a great wine perhaps, but wholly inappropriate for the region’s rich flavors. As Alicia put it: “The food in Emilia is very… not fatty, but rich,” she explained. “So that’s why we need a wine like this.”

The evening began with a selection of spuntini emiliani, including erbazzone, grilled mortadella and chestnuts, plus a glass of Labrusca Bianco — the ideal aperitivo.

blog anguilla

The fine bubbles of Lini’s Emilian version of Champagne, a white Pinot Nero made in the metodo classico, were the perfect accompaniment for Patti’s saba-glazed eel and risotto.

blog cappellacci

Appropriately for the season, these cappellacci — called such because of their resemblance to papal hats — were filled with pumpkin, and washed down with Lini’s Lambrusco Rosé In Correggio.

blog condiments

This dazzling array of condiments were brought to the table next with the purpose of enlivening the classic bollito misto. Our table made several failed attempts to correctly identify each dish before our server Sheena helpfully revealed all.

blog bollito

Bollito Misto is a classic meat dish in Emilia, and usually comprises of several boiled meats, in this case (clockwise from top-left): veal tongue, capon, cotechino, pork and beef. For this hearty dish we required Lini’s most austere Lambrusco, Scuro In Correggio.

blog gelato

To finish, we indulged in a unique gelato mousse made from the region’s best-known cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, which was served with roasted figs and Lini’s very own aceto balsamico. The night ended with arguably Lini’s most gorgeous wine (and this Lambrusco fan’s personal favorite), the devastatingly opulent Metodo Classico Rosso.

It was a particularly special evening for two Lambrusco lovers: Barbara and Steve were married at I Trulli exactly twelve months ago, and chose to return on the occasion of their one-year anniversary. Here’s to many more years of sparkling marriage and a lifetime filled with Lambrusco!

All of Lini’s wines are available for purchase at Vino. For more information on the foods and wines of Emilia-Romagna, click here.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, alicia lini, events, italian culture, italian food, patti jackson, wine opinion | 3 Comments »

Chris Quinlan is "nonna for a day" at cavatelli class

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Food & Wine blog reports on I Trulli’s Puglia-themed demo and lunch

On Saturday I Trulli hosted its first cooking demonstration devoted to the food of Nicola Marzovilla’s native Puglia. Nicola’s mother, Dora (left, with class participant Sarah Abell), and Chef Patti Jackson explained the preparation behind some of the restaurant’s best-loved dishes typical to this Southern region, including focaccia, cavatelli and everyone’s favorite, panzerotti. For Food & Wine columnist Christine Quinlan, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be taught by a real Italian nonna. Read the full article from Chris’ blog, Mouthing Off, here.

Click here for recipes from the class!

Posted in I TRULLI, class, dora marzovilla, italian culture, italian food, patti jackson | No Comments »

Demo & Lunch: Puglia

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Let Patti and Dora show you how to prepare your favorite dishes from the heel of Italy’s boot

Heel the world: Puglia has seen a boost in tourism in recent years, leading some travel agents even to dub it the “Tuscany of the South”.

When Nicola Marzovilla opened I Trulli in 1994, his vision was to enable New York diners to experience some of the sights and flavors he’d grown up with in the south of Italy. Particular inspiration came from Nicola’s native Puglia, the slender region which forms the heel of Italy’s boot. Today, with so many of the city’s restaurants claiming to offer “authentic” regional cuisine, I Trulli remains one of the few which can undoubtedly be called the real deal. Nicola’s mother, Dora, can be found at the restaurant each morning rolling her acclaimed fresh pasta, and with Chef Patti Jackson at the helm I Trulli continues to set new standards for “la cucina meridionale”.

trullo blog

Maxicono: I Trulli takes its name from the “trullo”, a traditional construction typical of Puglia, known for its distinctive conical-shaped roof.

Puglia has long been a region of enormous abundance and agricultural wealth, due also to its advantageous geographical position, and a strong Italo-Greek influence still survives today. Drawing heavily from the natural resources of its land, as well as the Adriatic and Ionian seas, Puglia can boast some of Italy’s best variety of fruit, vegetables and seafood, ingredients which are creatively incorporated to delightful effect in many of the region’s recipes. On Saturday, October 17, join Patti and Dora for an exclusive demonstration and lunch, as they prepare some of I Trulli’s most representative dishes inspired by this enchanting and unique region.

Ieri, oggi e domani: Dora Marzovilla yesterday, in her native Puglia, and today, at the pasta station at I Trulli.

DEMO & LUNCH: PUGLIA
with Dora Marzovilla and Chef Patti Jackson
Saturday, October 17
1:30-3:30pm
$75 plus tax and 18% gratuity

Check out Chef Patti Jackson’s exclusive menu!

For further information and reservations please call 212-481-7372 or email info@itrulli.com.

Trullo photograph by Katy Harrison, Puglia, August 2008.
Dora Marzovilla photographs property of Marzovilla/I Trulli.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, class, dora marzovilla, italian culture, italian food, patti jackson, travels in italy | No Comments »

Meet Alicia Lini at I Trulli

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Our (and your) favorite Lambrusco producer returns to New York

I Trulli is proud to welcome back Alicia Lini! The fourth-generation Lambrusco producer and international face of the brand LINI 910 returns to New York this month to assess the Lambrusco phenomenon that continues to sweep the United States. Our guest of honor at a very special dinner at I Trulli, Alicia will be presenting her wines as part of an evening devoted to the gastronomic heartland that is Emilia-Romagna.

Join Alicia and Nicola Marzovilla on Monday, October 19, for a unique event showcasing Lini’s delicious and popular range of Lambrusco wines as well as Emilia-Romagna’s much-loved culinary heritage. Lambrusco, the classic sparkling wine of Emilia, is the typical accompaniment to the region’s hearty dishes and rich flavors; enjoy the complete line of Lini wines paired with Chef Patti Jackson’s exclusive menu. Book now!

Alicia Lini presents Lambrusco by Lini
Monday, October 19
7:30pm
$75 plus tax and gratuity

For further information please call 212-481-7372 or email reservations@itrulli.com.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, alicia lini, events, featured producer, italian food, patti jackson | No Comments »

The best thing I ever ate? Orecchiette al ragù!

Monday, September 28th, 2009

So says Michael Psilakis, as I Trulli is featured on the Food Network

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KpB_Tc8CTY]

Michael Psilakis doesn’t mince his words. “I was on a mission to find the ultimate pasta,” says the New York-based restaurateur, “and I’ve found it.” The chef and owner of Kefi and Anthos, two of the city’s finest Greek restaurants, Psilakis gave a big shout-out to I Trulli recently on the Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate. “You walk into that restaurant and it’s like coming home,” he says. In particular, Dora Marzovilla’s freshly-made pasta is something Psilakis struggles to get his head around: “How does flour and water become something different in her hands, than in everybody else’s hands?” Dora’s orecchiette have been on the menu at I Trulli since day one, and are best paired with Chef Patti Jackson’s rabbit ragù. “You can tell that time and passion is behind what’s going on in that bowl,” gushes Psilakis. “This is the pasta that defines what pasta should be.”