Italian Cuisine is immensely satisfying, and is a great facilitator of sociability. 

However, I think that we Italian Americans put a disproportinate amount of emphasis 
on cuisine to the detriment of Italian American and Italian History and Culture. Further we "allow" ourselves to be "narrowly" framed by general society, by Cuisine [and of course "Connections" :(  ]

I therefore attempt to limit the number of Reports that deal with Cuisine.

Yet, I must bow when Forbes Magazine runs two glowing articles in it's current edition, that it "borrows" from the Wine Spectator.

The First is: "Italy's Dining Capital" (Milan)
The Second: "Molto's Enoteca and Pizzeria" in NYC

Then, there will be a follow on Report from the Los Angeles Times, 
that is THE Front Page and Feature Article in todays Cusine Section, that takes up almost two full pages: The Salami War: Won by the Italians in California  
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ITALY'S DINING CAPITAL

In Forbes Magazine
Wine & Food Feature  
By Michele Scicolone 
>From Wine Spectator

Some Italian cities are strong on romance, while others offer fascinating ruins or art museums. Milan has all of that, but mainly it's the place to go for great eating. While other Italian cities have wonderful regional food and wine, cosmopolitan Milan stands head and shoulders above the rest, with a range of choices that's bigger and better than anywhere else in the country. 

Milan's restaurants, like its fashions, come in every stripe and color. Milanese chefs are at the vanguard of innovative cooking, introducing flavors from around the world to the Italian pantry. There are restaurants that feature the cooking of Southeast Asia, Africa, Central or South America, and somewhere you can even find an American-style brunch. 

Italian regional cuisines are well represented, especially those of Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily and Campania. Yet the food most Milanese cherish is the classic cooking of their native Lombardy. One of Italy's richest agricultural regions, Lombardy fills local kitchens with a wealth of top-quality ingredients. You might expect the trim and natty Milanese to dine solely on salad leaves, but the truth is that the dishes closest to their hearts are rich and hearty. Butter, cream, cheese, veal, rice and polenta are staples. 

Milan's deluxe restaurants are on par with those in London, Paris and New York. At the top of the list are luxurious modern dining rooms such as Sadler, Cracco-Peck and Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, offering a world of great wine with formal service, elegant decor and creative Italian cooking prepared by renowned chefs. 

For a more casual, local experience, try risotto Milanese, osso buco and cassoeula--pork and cabbage stew--at one of the city's homey trattorias. For even more informal meals, there are pizzerias serving pies as good as you will find anywhere in Italy, as well as that uniquely Milanese eating experience, the paninoteca, a sandwich shop featuring crisp, toasted rolls stuffed with the likes of shrimp salad, roast pork, fresh arugula, cured beef, grilled vegetables, or cheeses such as robiola or taleggio. 

There are classic grand cafes such as Cova and Sant' Ambroeus, where the fashionable Milanese convene throughout the day--for pastries in the morning, light lunch, tea, evening cocktails, or after-dinner coffee and dessert. Or join the gray- and black-clad fashion crowd at the slick and minimally decorated Armani Caffè for a fortifying shot of espresso or a spremuta d'arancia, fresh-squeezed blood-orange juice. 

A visit to the newly renovated Peck, the ultimate Italian food and wine lover's emporium, might inspire plans for a picnic. A survey of the enormous cellar wine store offers an education in wines from Italy and the world. Upstairs, a mind-boggling selection of cheese, prosciutto and other cured meats is lovingly displayed....

To see the complete article, please visit :
Wine Spectator Online
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Home 
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APPLYING THE MARIO TOUCH..., "MOLTO" SCORES WITH SIMPLICITY

Forbes Magazine
From Wine Spectator
By Keith Scott 
Friday, February 14, 2003

If anyone can reverse the curse of One Fifth Avenue, it might be Mario. Restaurants have come and gone in what by rights should be an ideal space just north of Washington Square Park. 

But Joe Bastianich and Food Network mainstay Mario Batali -- the pair behind Manhattan's Babbo, Esca and Lupa -- seem to have produced a failsafe solution with Otto Enoteca and Pizzeria. 

Whether it's due to the recession-friendly prices or the cult of the celebrity chef, Otto has hit the ground sprinting, with a concept as disarmingly simple as the "Enoteca and Pizzeria" tag would suggest. 

Even on a frigid Tuesday night, the restaurant bar was at a fever pitch, the sounds of Radiohead throbbing over the chatter. Rows of marble counters allow the young crowd to set up shop while they endure the inevitable wait for a table... 

Centering the menu are the tasty individual-size pizzas, which Otto cooks on a griddle. The result is an especially thin crust and fresher-tasting toppings than you typically get from a brick oven. The pizzas (priced from $7 to $14) are divided into "Pizza Classica" -- standbys such as margherita and marinara -- and "Pizza Otto," which go slightly further afield. 

Diners familiar with Babbo's beef cheek ravioli and Lupa's fried pork shin will recognize Batali's signature affection for "peasant" cuts of meat in the Otto Lardo, which is topped with salted pork fatback. Along with basic antipasti, Otto also offers an array of daily bruschetta, pizza and fried specials. 
 

But Otto's wine program is what makes it more than a dressed-up pizzeria.
Otto currently offers 17 Italian wines by the glass, though that figure should rise in the months to come....
 

Presided over by wine director Morgan Rich (formerly an associate tasting coordinator at Wine Spectator), the by-the-bottle list offers nearly 500 choices. If a region in Italy grows grapes, there's a good chance it's represented on Otto's list...

Wine Spectator Online | Daily Wine News | Applying the Mario Touch to a Wine Bar, "Molto" Scores With Simplicity  
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/News/0,1145,1974,00.html