Nurturing my inner... godfather

Beer night, Italian style.  The beer: La Rossa from Moretti.  (Insert theme song from The Godfather and start using your hands to emphasize-a every word-a you say-a.  Capiche?)

Even the guy on the label looks tough.

A red checkered tablecloth would have been ideal under the eggplant Parmesan from the famed Mattie's Deli.  (Where is authentic ristorante decor when you really need it?)

A sprinkle of fresh Parmesan to top it off.

The beer looks like it's hiding in a dark booth, in gangster-like, intimidating fashion.  To be honest, (it's only beneficial to us both if I am), I thought the beer was only alright.  It was slightly bland and I caught an after taste which ran a bit woodsy.  My advice: fuhgeddaboudit!  I feel that Italians should stick to making incredible, incomparable wine.  Why diversify when you're an expert in all things grape.  So ciao birra.  And ciao vino!  (Is it me, or is it just a little confusing when the same word is used for goodbye and hello.)

Whadda youse guys lookin' at? You wanna
piece of me? (Like I could resist saying that.)

My favorite quote from The Godfather: "Leave the gun, take the canoli."  In fact, I wish I had a canoli.  That would have been the perfect ending to my bella notte.  (Sigh.  Cruel geography, you pain me once again!!!)  Well, here is where I would have gotten a canoli (or three), had I been a few hundred miles North: Altimari's Little Italy in Derby, Connecticut.  (Though, to be honest, they are stuck under so much snow right now, maybe I can wait until summer for that pastry after all.)

Yet another small brick front Italian shop.
You don't have to be fancy to make
amazing food!

There are SO many wonderful Italian places in Connecticut that I can choose a different item I like the best from each and every mom and pop shop.  (I try as many things as I can - for research purposes, of course.)  And Altimari's wins for best canoli!  Perfect size, smooth and creamy filling, light and crispy shell, just the right amount of chocolate chips and absolutely no candied citron.  (Which I do not like - yuck!  If you don't know if you ever had citron, trust me, you'd remember.)

On mom's festive snowman paper plates.
(Yeah, we're classy people.)

Why do I torture myself like this?  And you too, I do realize this from the look on your face right now.  (And the unsightly drool on your chin.)

If anyone from CT is reading this, I have detailed instructions for you: 1.) rush out to Altimari's first thing tomorrow morning and pick up a dozen fresh canoli, 2.) eat one slowly, cherishing every delicious bite, preferably with an espresso, 3.) pack the other 11 on ice and air ship them to me!  It's the least you Yanks can do since I spend all of my free time writing terribly witty things for your amusement every week.  (P.S., I like the candy-coated almonds too!)

I'm standing by the window watching for the delivery truck right now.  Grazie!