A PREAMBLE.
Without going into History here the Properly accepted Antipasto is served as an opening Dish before the Pasta during Italian meals, I have not researched any of this in any way (well, maybe a little) and am going by my personal experience. Antipasto is usually Fresh Tomato Slices & Fresh Mozzarella Slices Drizzled atop with Virgin Olive Oil and Seasoned with Basil and likewise, Bay Leaves maybe.
The Delicatessen Antipasto consists of the Leftover Ends of Meats and Cheeses that were served as Cold Cuts and a Genius somewhere thought to Cube up these Odds & Ends and build a Salad of Meat & Cheese out of them. In my experience which only dates back to the late 1970s and memory permitting these Cubes of Delight were Garnished with Spices lightly and served with Oil & Vinegar, Now I shall do a bit of research Just Because.
OK, I Googled for maybe 5 whole minutes and Cannot find the typical Deli Style (Cubed/Diced Not Thinly Sliced) Antipasto at All.
Also Antipasto does not truly in the basic and logical sense have a Recipe in most instances.
Sometimes there is More Cheese, Sometimes there is More Meat, it is a Hodgepodge of a Cornucopia of an Enigma in most cases.
I Hope You Know, This Means War.
Summer 2014 Shall Be The Summer Of Antipasto for me and if this Culinary Delight continues to dwindle in the shops and Delis then I shall do my best to at least take a few pics and Brag about how Great it was. I have a few friends who adore this yet we do rarely indulge, Indulge I shall like the last DODO bird on the planet.
This is a Picture taken after getting home with the Groceries, as you can see it was a Big Catch.
ANTIPASTO 1 (Waldbaums is near my home and has Antipasto year round)
Waldbaums (78th street & New Utrecht avenue) - 5/29/14 - Always a Great Antipasto ($5.99/Lb) and there is enough Prosciutto in it that you can see it just from looking at it but herein the problem lies, Its Too Much Prosciutto, I know there is No Such Thing but Cubed Prosciutto does NOT Sliced Prosciutto make, its chewy, Fatty and cumbersome (pic below) Sliced Prosciutto is like silk, Not Cubed at least not in this case. Also NOT Enough Cheese at all, What is here is Provolone. Also Genoa Salami, Ham, Mortadella, Bologna, Cauliflower, Mixed Peppers, Olives. Peperoncini and Celery but there is TOO MUCH Prosciutto if you can believe that or not.
Sliced Thin, Heaven. Cubed Not So Heaven.
I checked out a few of the local Deli's tonight and none had more than the usual Coleslaw, Potato and Macaroni Salad but at least I know where Not to find Antipasto, I knew Tasty Bagel would have some and they did.
Tasty Bagel (86th street & 17th avenue) - 5/2/14 - I asked for a Half Pound ($7.99/Lb) but since they were almost out the guy asked if I wouldn't mind buying the whole pound, no discount offered but he didn't really have to pull my leg either. Apart from some Olives I do not see much Veggie in here so this being priced two dollars higher than Waldbaums recipe is somewhat justified. Ham, Swiss Cheese, Genoa Salami, Pepperoni & Olives with a light sprinkle of Red Pepper Flakes.
I spy a small Chunk of Prosciutto in here as well.
New Rule - Prosciutto adds a nice touch and great flavor but is pretty much inedible when being the Butt End Cubed.
Not to worry Folks, It gets better.
Frank & Sal's (80th street & 18th avenue) - 5/8/14 - This might just be The One as Frank & Sal's Is THE Place ($4.99/Lb). The Antipasto looks Great and they do NOT have it on a daily basis, I was lucky enough to stumble in when it was available. Celery, Ham, Provolone, Mushroom Salad, Olives, Salami, Red Pepper, Cauliflower and edible Prosciutto sliced properly at least this is what I can detect. Well I expected No Less.
Almost Perfect and Priced Correctly. Eff Tasty Bagels.
And some Delicious Seeded Rolls ($2.29/half a dozen)
It will be a few years until the next contender since I stuck with Frank & Sal's but as you can see below the next round begins.
ROUND TWO - Fall 2016
Food Dynasty (86th street & 15th avenue) - 10/13/16 - The "other" local Supermarket since Waldbaums has been closed (A & P Supermarkets liquidated as a whole) also has our favorite Salad ($5.99/Lb) on offer. The Deli person asked me thrice of the percentage I requested of which a Pound was my wish (kinda doofycreepy, huh). Ham, Salami, Mortadella, Muenster Cheese, Sweet Red Pepper, Celery, Bell Pepper and TONS of julienned Carrots. The presentation is lacking as in Rods of cuts as opposed to cubes and not so much of a Oil & Vinegar coating as a watery dare I say Ham Juice moistness, laziness abounds here. I shall take my Antipastoism elsewhere.
John & Dave Bagels (62nd street & 18th avenue) - What a piece of Garbage (compared as this is) and the Carrots carry most of the baggage in weight here, I am glad to have tried this once so as my conscience will not let me return again. Completely overpriced ($7.99/Lb !!!) considering the competition in the great big Antipasto world out there as this should be priced accordingly yet is not, this was not an inferior batch this is an inferior product (edible though it is).
La Bella Marketplace (80th street & 13th avenue) - We must keep in mind that in most instances there is no "Recipe" for Deli Antipasto insofar as quantities go as this is usually a pinch of this, a pound of that kinda deal but this serving is Mostly Cheese wherein it is cost effective for them and pleasurable to myself some folk like to pay for the higher ticketed item, mainly,... Meat but "Does It Really Happen" (YES song title). This concoction ($7.99/Lb.) boasts some Oregano or somesuch. Lacking in Veggies aside from sweet Red Pepper slivers but just as expected from a proper Italian market meaning this is good stuff.
Key Food (Bath avenue & 18th avenue) - Key Food is an American Supermarket chain which caters to Americans meaning all races so this is not a paisano leaning Antipasto ($3.99/Lb.). As a matter of fact it is hardly deserving of its namesake at all but is completely enjoyable as its own thing. Once there is pitted Black Olives from a can, American Cheese, Bologna and Pickle Gherkins involved the Mama Leone has pretty much left the piazza.
Meats Supreme (86th street & 19th avenue) - Not enough cheese but this is what I was talking about, people LIKE THAT, they like it, get the high ticket Cold Cuts in there. This is Quite Outstanding as the Dressing is perceptible yet unperceptible. the Oil & Vinegar lingers just so and the Ingredients are minced/sliced just to the right size. Meats Supreme got it right but they have the Italiano behind them. Ask them what to do with an Ox Tail and Land Ho Internet.
Not too BIG Not too small. Perfect Cubings on a macro level.
To the Meatball is the Pasta, To the Cereal is the Milk and to the Antipasto is the Bread.
Key Food (70th street & New Utrecht avenue) - Rich in Salt, Cauliflower and Olives is an understatement but at this reasonable price ($3.99/Lb.) can I really complain Yes I Can.
NOT an Italian Antipasto but an American Deli style mixture as is Key Food's imprint, did I enjoy it ?, yes I did but then again I am easy to please in this department.
Key Food (70th street & New Utrecht avenue) - Funny how the Slice of Pepperoni changes the tone but this is a Cheese Salad consisting mostly of Muenster and American Cheese but can only fit into the Antipasto category.
No Comment.
How the heck do you spell it anyhow ,... ?
No comments:
Post a Comment