I had never seen Paul DiCarlo so happy. He was bubbly. Bubbly! And giddy too - a sign that Spring is near. He was cooking for Stefano Illuminati and this was gonna be a Big Night.As Damian Mandola is accomplished in his penetration of America with his brand of Italianism, Paul cuts a different swath. Fiercely proud, a single store operator. Always on duty. Family Man. Huge gift of a man to Italian wine and food. Paul really does keep the world safe for Italian wine. An Italian-American Ambassador Emeritus.
The place that he and his siblings run, what I call the Greatest Italian wine and food store in America, is one of a handful of places I have found in my life where the doors to things Italian, the work of my life, are wide open.
In a world filled with the daily pressures of competition, quotas and vast expectations, it’s a rare thing to have a place like Paul’s where one can bring their friends and their friend’s treasures from the Italian earth and celebrate them in such a simple and direct manner with the people of one’s community. It really does make it all worthwhile.
Grazie, amici.
Cooking for 40 people, 7 wines, multiple courses. Teamwork. All family on deck.
Precious, simply precious.
There goes the diet!
Day 4, wine dinner #2 - A full week - Stefano is a rock star!
Filling orders faster than we can take them
Final moments, the raffle and a nod to the Abruzzo flag
Just one order of many in a Sold Out Night. Stefano and Joe cart it out to one very happy (and lucky) client
Two more days to go.
