Bring glamour and style into your home, featuring stories, ideas for
entertaining, and seventy-five recipes from the Tuccis, the family that
ran Delmonico's in its golden era.
Located in the heart of Wall Street, Delmonico's from 1827 to the 1980s
shaped New York City's restaurant scene. Under the original ownership of
The Delmonico Brothers, Pietro and Giovanni, Delmonico's introduced the
first farm-to-table concept, à la carte dining--complete with white
tablecloths and menus--but most notably created the phenomenon called
the "power lunch." Despite Delmonico's triumphs, the impact of World War
I and the era of Prohibition caused the family to cease operations,
shuttering the restaurant in 1923. In 1926 a new era for Delmonico's
arose. Oscar Tucci, a Tuscan immigrant, took over ownership and
re-established Delmonico's first as a Speakeasy and then he continued
the Delmonico brothers' tradition, transforming it to a beacon of fine
dining. Oscar developed a strict code of hospitality, etiquette, and
operations coupled with legendary libations and superb fare known as the
Delmonico way. After six decades of operations, The Tucci Family closed
Delmonico's in the late 1980s, however the Delmonico way still lives on
today because of Max Tucci. THE DELMONICO WAY: SUBLIME ENTERTAINING &
LEGENDARY RECIPES FROM THE RESTAURANT THAT MADE NEW YORK! by Max Tucci,
Oscar's grandson, opens the double doors of his family's Delmonico's,
welcoming us to a world when dining out was a glamorous affair. Max
along with his celebrity chef friends offer timeless recipes and Max,
shares his tips for recreating the magic of the Delmonico way at home.
Royalty, celebrities, socialites, U.S. presidents, foreign dignitaries,
and business tycoons all frequented Delmonico's. Elizabeth Taylor,
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Rock
Hudson, Marilyn Monroe, Lena Horne, Gypsy Rose Lee, Eva Gabor and Zsa
Zsa Gabor, King Umberto II of Italy, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor,
President Richard Nixon, Chubby Checker, Christine Jorgensen, and Joan
Crawford were among some of the most notable names that Tucci welcomed
to his tables which were famously adorned with Ginori, Baccarat,
Lalique, and Christofle.
Each chapter is organized around a style of dining that Delmonico's
pioneered or perfected under Tucci's proprietorship, including how to
host an impressive power lunch (featuring Oscar's creation, the
signature wedge salad); a glamorous cocktail soirée before a night on
the town, complete with oysters Rockefeller and shrimp cocktail; and the
perfect romantic dinner for two with a show-stopping seafood tower and
ribeye Bordelaise. THE DELMONICO WAY includes over 70 recipes, including
two from the restaurant's most famous alumni, Sirio Maccioni's Pasta
Primavera and Tony May's trademarked Uovo Raviolo. In addition to fine
fare, "The Bar'' chapter features sophisticated cocktails that include
the classic Delmonico, a legendary Negroni with a "Delmonico way" twist,
and the festive Spencer cocktail created by artist Ashley Longshore's
grandmother.
Renowned designer Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich expertly layers vintage
era photographs, ephemera, menus, and countless other gems featured in
THE DELMONICO WAY that remind us that entertaining with style, elegance,
sophistication, and intention remain just as relevant today as it did
during the height of the era.
