Wine With Lisa

EAT.DANCE.LAUGH.SING…REPEAT!

You probably haven’t experienced anything like this if you haven’t spent an evening at MANGIA NASHVILLE!

Nick Pellegrino and Tim Ness along with their very talented staff have created THE BIG NIGHT Nashville-Style! Every Friday and Saturday night everyone is an honorary ITALIAN at Mangia! If your family celebrates in a big way on holidays,weddings and anniversaries then you are starting to get the picture of what Mangia Nashville is all about! The never-ending family style meal of amazing classic Italian home cooking streams out of the kitchen and is passed at the tables seated with friends-those you came with and the ones you just met. By the middle of the evening, you know everyone at your table and have probably exchanged emails and become friends on Facebook—at least that how it has been for me!

Every Friday and Saturday night,Cool Cafe in Franklin,Tennessee is transformed into Mangia Nashville and creates an Italian celebration unparalleled by anything else around!

This past Sunday night was an EXTRA-special evening!

The very famous and beloved  Chef Lidia Bastianich of Lidia’s Italy  along with Chef Nick and his staff created the FIRST celebrity Chef event at Mangia Nashville. Lidia is well-known for her PBS cooking series,cookbooks and restaurants. Lidia and Nick collaborated on recipes for the evening and the menu featured several of Lidia’s authentic and amazing dishes! Lidia proudly supports Public Television and the evenings proceeds support Nashville Public TV.

What a privilege it was to celebrate this amazing event with Lidia and Nick! Lidia is such a sweet and gracious lady. How lucky we are that she shares the gifts of her Italian heritage with us through her amazing dishes!

Seating is always family-style.As I mentioned,if you don’t know everyone at the table when you are first seated,you definitely will by the end of the appetizer course! Libby,Layla and I had the privilege of being seated with Nick’s friends Thomas Annastas,Dennis Di Traglia and Tim Stewart. What a great group of guys! (Layla-my daughter-photographed our experience and we somehow  forgot to get a picture with her in it!)

Our evening was filled with laughter,wine and celebration of food in a really big way. The experience is just like I remember  at my grandmother’s table; dishes that cannot be replicated by just any restaurant. Each dish brings back unforgettable memories of childhood with my big Italian family gathered around the dinner table sharing stories and reminisicing about the “old days.” Nick and his staff prepare each dish the way you remember those home-cooked meals which brings back memories you will always cherish.

Fellow Nashville  Food Blogger Charles Hunter III of www.localforkful.com shares his talents as part of the Mangia Nashville staff!

We Begin the FEAST! The ANTIPASTI is served!
Lemon Risotto Rice Cakes with Mangia Mayo;their own special blend with a touch of basil.

Fried Green Olives stuffed with fresh-made Mozzarella Cheese

One of my all-time favorites! Who wouldn’t love this!

Organic Baby Arugula Salad with house-made Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette and Shaved Parmesan and Asparagus
~Lidia’s recipe

Shrimp and Fava Bean Salad ~Lidia’s recipe

Wines were included for this special evening. A food-friendly Pares Balta Cabernet Sauvignon and a dry, yet fruity Rose’ from Spain.

Rice and Zucchini Casserole ~Lidia’s Recipe

Orecchiette Pasta with Bacon,Ceci Beans and Broccoli Rabe ~Lidia’s recipe

Penne Paste with Porcini Cognac Cream Sauce

Time to Dance and Sing! A break before serving the next 3 entrees and  2 desserts is filled with Italian-inspired music, dancing and singing. We were serenaded by the songs of Dean Martin,Frank Sinatra and dancing to the Mambo!

Serenading Lidia!

The Mambo!

Everyone gets caught up in this evening of song and music!

Joe Pagetta -Media Relations Manager of NPT- takes a few moments to thank Lidia for her support of NPT and Mangia Nashville.

One of my favorite things about Mangia Nashville is watching the meal preparations.Everyone is busy in the kitchen. These guys work hard to serve a magnificent feast!

Now for the Main Courses!

Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken

Mangia’s Housemade Italian Sausage and Peppers~Absolutely Amazing! I cannot wait for more….

Baked Rollatini of Sole stuffed with bread crumbs,Parmesan,lemon,capers and wine

The amazing desserts: Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

Zeppole ~ A Mangia Favorite ~ Fried Italian Doughnuts generously sprinkled with powdered sugar!

You will be able to find most of the recipes in Lidia’s cookbook Lidia’s Italy in America -My favorite!
And,check out her website www.lidiasitaly.com for these and other authentic and fabulous recipes,too!

FOR RESERVATIONS: email Nick :  mangianashville@gmail.com          Facebook: Mangia Nashville

CIAO!

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES MENU

Get your Sicilian-ON at MANGIA NASHVILLE every Friday & Saturday night during the Christmas Season. Even if you can’t trace your heritage back to the “old country”, you will become an honorary Italian that night at The Feast of The Seven Fishes hosted by Nick Pellegrino and his fabulous culinary staff.

For a year now,every Friday and Saturday night Cool Cafe in Franklin,Tn transforms into a BIG NIGHT of Italian feasting,singing and a nightly performance which has become hugely popular in the community-possibly becoming one of the best dining experiences around.

This Christmas Season, Nick has brought a traditional Italian celebration-FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES-to our community like never before. Nick’s rich Neapolitan and Calabrese heritage has given our community a unique way to celebrate!
As always,the food is plentiful,delicious,served family-style and it’s always a celebration of life and being Italian,of which I am truly proud to be a part. Even if you aren’t ,You will aways be an Honorary Italian at Mangia Nashville!

Dancing,singing,laughing and feasting family-style on Christmas Eve with at least seven courses of traditional Italian seafood dishes and desserts is a long time tradition that can be found in Southern Italy & Sicily during this time of the year dating back to ancient times.

Nick has shared his Italian family traditions with our community in a big way. During the
other months of the year,every Friday and Saturday night, you can be assured to have a
home-style Italian meal and celebration. It’s as if he has invited all of us into his
home for a truly authentic Italian experience.

(Festa Dei Sette-Pesci) Feast of the Seven Fishes-is a celebration that is deeply rooted in the Roman Catholic Church possibly representing the Seven Sacraments in anticipation of midnight and Christmas Day.

Crispy Calamari with warm Marinara sauce

Warm Penne Pasta tossed with the Pellegrino Christmas Sauce

We are all Italian tonight!

Bacon-wrapped Seared Scallops

Nick,hard at work, preparing the Feast!

Nick takes a moment to play the “drums” while everyone is dancing and singing to the music!

Frutti Di Mare: Fresh Calamari,Shrimp and Octopus in a delicious olive oil and lemon dressing

Crab Cakes with Italian Mayo

Baccala,a delightfully traditional dish consisting of salt cod,in tomatoes,mint and capers

Tim is preparing the Shrimp Scampi with the talented culinary staff

Succulent Shrimp Scampi

During the break between the appetizers and main courses,Nick and the staff enjoy singing and dancing to Italian songs with the dinner guests! MAMBO ITALIANO!

As the GODFATHER plays on the big screen TV…I swear I could hear him say,
“Leave the gun, Take the cannoli!”

Thanks! to my dear friend Vivian for the incredible wine selections.
She is the Sales Manager for 100% Italiano Wines located right here in Nashville.

Grab several bottles of 100% Italiano Wines! These wines were made for an Italian Feast!

Lobster Risotto: a creamy,warm Italian short-grain rice dish with succulent lobster and
one of my favorite spices Saffron

Roasted Whole Red Snapper stuffed with earthy,fresh fennel and sweet orange slices

Now for the desserts! STRUFFOLI! A huge plateful of little deep-fried balls of dough-crispy on the outside,drizzled with honey and sticky sweet on the outside-A traditional Italian holiday dessert

Expresso Chocolate Truffles

And…the Finale…Panettone-miniature loaves of the Holiday sweet yeast breads
chocked full of fruits and nuts. You will enjoy it with your morning coffee as you remember the fun times of the night before!

Mangia Nashville is located in The Cool Cafe Restaurant in Franklin,TN. For reservations contact Nick through the email: mangianashville@gmail.com

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is $75 per person.

To find out more about Mangia Nashville and the weekly menu be sure to find
Mangia Nashville on Facebook.

Get your Sicilian ON! EAT MANGIA NASHVILLE! Become an Honorary Italian for a night! CIAO!