M'tucci's in Rome, Day 3

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Day three began with coffee at a Roman cafe institution, Sant’ Eustachio il Caffe near the Italian Senate building and Piazza Navona. Sant’ Eustachio has been roasting coffee beans with a wood-fired roaster since 1938. Unlike many of the large Italian coffee companies, Sant” Eustachio believes in medium roasts to preserve the flavor of the beans. Like many caff es throughout Italy, a cappuccino is less than 3€, especially if you drink it at the bar. Drinks are slightly higher when you sit at a table and order.

In addition to having a Covid vaccine to enter Italy, you must have a negative test 72 hours before arrival and departure, so the team went to a pharmacy for Antigen tests and then had a tour of the Coliseum scheduled. I was there to document the trip and to take iconic photos of Rome that would hang on the walls of M’tucci’s Bar Roma (scheduled to open in Nob Hill in late 2021 or early 2022).

One of Rome’s iconic structures is the Vittoriano, located on a major street that runs from the Vatican to the Coliseum. It was built to commemorate King Vittorio Emanuele II, who presided over the unification of Italy.

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Meeting John, Austin, Amanda & Shawn after their Coliseum visit, we picked up Lime scooters and headed into Trastavere, a neighborhood that is on the west side of the Tiber River. Our destination was the restaurant Trapizzino that created a distinctly Roman sandwich of the same name. Ten years ago Chef Stefano Callegari, stuffed fresh triangles of bread with different fillings and kept the prices low for a quick and easy lunch. We ordered trapazzini stuffed with tongue in green sauce, eggplant parmesan and chicken cacciatore. There just happened to be a Sicilian gelato shop next door. How convenient!

Afternoon research consisted of Amanda on the phone trying to make a reservation at Jerry Thomas, Rome’s most popular Speakeasy, and John deciding on a restaurant for dinner. Our walk to dinner took us through Trastevere, to the Testaccio neighborhood and Osteria degli Amici. The menu was filled with some of the usual Roman pasta dishes; Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe & Carbonara, but it also had some interesting combinations that caught John’s attention.

The Fried Mozzarella roll was amazing, as was the Ravioli with Taleggio & Red Wine Sauce. John exclaimed that it was the best example of Roman cooking we had seen.

Amanda’s research and efforts were as successful as John’s and we had 10:30 reservations for the speakeasy Jerry Thomas Project. A small, intimate space (a private club, so smoking is allowed) with creative bartenders and a creative cocktail menu. We spent some time talking with one of the owners, who told us about some of the more innovative things they were doing with Italian spirits and products. Two of the more interesting are a Vermouth made from Barolo wine and a barrel aged Campari.

It was a day filled with great experiences and interesting takes on Roman cuisine and cocktails, which just might appear on the future M’tucci’s Bar Roma menu.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli:Braised Ham & Ricotta/Goat Cheese with Sweet Potatoes, Turnip Greens, Brown Butter Sage Sauce & Shaved Parmesan $23

16 oz Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $31

Pan-Seared Corvina: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $29

Sackett Farms Braised Pork Ribs: Creamy Polenta, Braised Carrots, Celery, Onion and Thyme with a White Wine Braising Sauce

Weekend Cocktail

Smoke Peach Shrub: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Smoked Peach Shrub, Fresh Lemon Juice, Cane Syrup

M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz Black Angus Beef Tenderloin: Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $34

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roast Artichoke, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $28

Beef Tortellini: Cajun Beef Tips, Tomatoes, Green Onion in a Rosa Sauce $19

Weekend Cocktail

Fall is Here!: Nonino Aperitivo, Apfel, Apple Brandy, Cinnamon Simple Syrup


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Hand Cut 24 oz. T-Bone Steak: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $34

Pan-Seared Skin on Ruby Trout: Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Butter, Capers $2

Atlantic Salmon Manicotti: with a Lobster Cream Sauce $21

Weekend Cocktail

Maple Black Walnut Old Fashioned - Whistle Pig Piggyback 6 Year Rye, 1792 Small Batch American Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Black Walnut Bitters & a spritz of Laphroaig 10-Year Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

M’tucci’s 2019 Rosso is here!

The new M’tucci’s 2019 Rosso is here. A blend of Cabernet, Primitivo, Barbera & Syrah varietals from Amador County.

The new M’tucci’s 2019 Rosso is here. A blend of Cabernet, Primitivo, Barbera & Syrah varietals from Amador County.

Live Music for October at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

10/15

RJ Perez @ Moderno

10/21

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

10/22

Lani Nash @ Moderno

10/28

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

RJ Perez @ 25

10/29

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

M’tucci’s Catering

It’s been a busy couple of months with weddings, private parties and tent gatherings at the 2021 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Planning a holiday party or a holiday wedding? We have private dining rooms available and can handle any off-site catering. We’ll even let you rent the entire restaurant for an event., like this September rehearsal dinner at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five followed by a garden wedding in the Rio Grande Valley.

Call Taña Martinez, Catering Manager (505) 350-0019

M’tucci’s on Monday - New Mexico Living - KRQE

Every other Monday, one of our talented team members appears on New Mexico Living to bring the latest news from M’tucci’s and sometimes a cooking demonstration. If you miss the 9:00am program, you can watch the most recent segment by clicking on this link.

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Thanks for reading. See you next week. Ciao!

The New M'tucci's Rosso Arrives!

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The wine program at M’tucci’s restaurants has elevated, and the harvest will fill a goblet near you beginning today. The new Rosso is here!

Company Chef John Haas and Manager/Partner Austin Leard have concluded their search for wines reflecting the quality and value of the company pedigree. The process of delivering these pours to your table included a partnership with a local winery, plenty of scientific blending, and the implementation of the fundamental principles of the M’tucci’s approach to sourcing.

“From the very beginning,” Haas reflects, “If I’ve wanted to do something, and I’m told I can’t, I’ll exhaust every option to get it done. I won’t stop. That’s how the company operates. I ask our people to challenge my thoughts and ideas, we confront those challenges, so that we’re prepared for whatever might get in the way.” 

We’ll start at the beginning. In 2019, the partners launched three private label wines, Dolcetto, Rosso and Bianco, wines with character that resembled old-world styles found in western Europe. The Bianco became a staple favorite, and the reception of the reds was so positive, demand quickly outpaced supply. Last year, the Napa Valley producer signaled a warning. 

“That’s when we started talking to other winemakers. Three, maybe four months, talking to people here and abroad, and we learned that the industry was really changing,” says Haas. “The European wines came with heavy tariffs, and California wildfires were driving up costs, it was super competitive.”

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So Haas and Leard returned to wine country, this time in June 2021, something Haas quaintly terms the “courting process”. They found their winemaker in Amador County, on the slopes of the Eastern Sierras in California. It was a producer who could reliably and consistently provide grapes, so the blending process began, an exacting, very scientific method, where slight variations in grape combinations created wildly varying profiles. In the end, the re-engineered Rosso is a blend of Cabernet, Primitivo, Barbera and Syrah. 

“People think this kind of work -- sampling and identifying the right wine for our restaurants -- must be easy. Fun, even. The process is exhausting,” Haas explains, “but there aren’t many decisions we make that impact 16,000 tables a year. It had to be exact.”

The Rosso is finished and bottled at an Albuquerque winery, proving how M’tucci’s will go to any length to deliver the best possible experience. 

“In this example,” Haas reflects, “we’ve actually simplified the process. We have a partner to work with indefinitely. Over time we’ll see the ‘19, ‘20, ‘21 vintages come our way, and our guests will taste those changes. I’m looking forward to it.”

The new M’tucci’s Rosso is in the restaurants now and the second red, a single varietal Montepulciano, arrives on Monday. The Montepulciano is lighter, fruitier and more playful than the Dolcetto. Read below for a more complete description of the Rosso.

But wait, there’s more. Coming at the end of next week is a brand new M’tucci’s Sparkling Wine, made in partnership with one of the finest wineries in the country. New Mexico’s own Gruet! Stay tuned for details.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli: Peppadew Pepper Goat Cheese Filling, Prosciutto, Shrimp, Sautéed Asparagus, Fennel in a Red Pepper Cream Sauce $23

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $29

Braised Ham: House Rigatoni, Spring Onion, Broccolini, Carrots, Corn with Whole Grain Mustard and Apple Cider Broth $23

Weekend Cocktail

Ruby Sour: Nikle Gin, Aperol, Sweet Vermouth, Fresh Lemon Juice, Rosemary Syrup & Egg White

M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz Black Angus Filet: Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $34

Swordfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roast Artichoke, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $28

Seafood Risotto: Baby Scallops, Clams, Baby Clams, Mussels, Diced Tomatoes, Saffron Sauced Risotto $25

Weekend Cocktail

Casa Cucumber Mojito - Cucumber Infused Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Fresh Lemon & Lime Juices, Cane Syrup and Club Soda


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Hand Cut 24 oz. Porterhouse: Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $35

Pan-Seared Dry Scallops: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Butter, Capers $32

Two Seared Chicken Breasts - Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Carrots & Sugar Snap Peas with a Marsala Cream Sauce $20

M’tucci’s Famous 8 Layer Bolognese Lasagna $21

Weekend Cocktail

Marrone Bombetta - A classic Brown Derby cocktail with a little wink and nod to our Italian fascination. Beverage Manager Adam Stellmon brings in a taste of Texas with Balcones Pot Still, a splash of Capalletti with a pairing of Grapefruit juice and honey.

Live Music for October at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

10/14

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

Amy Faithe @ 25

10/15

RJ Perez @ Moderno

10/21

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

10/22

Lani Nash @ Moderno

10/28

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

RJ Perez @ 25

10/29

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Street Scenes from Rome

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's in Rome, Day 2

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After a good night’s rest, we were off for a full day which began with coffee at Roscioli Caffe at 9:00 and with a speakeasy at 1:30am. Food and drink research is not for those who lack stamina.

Austin experimented with one of the more unusual coffee offerings at Roscioli - think espresso meets pudding. John was amused and Austin stuck to cappuccino for the rest of the week.

Is it coffee or is it dessert?

Is it coffee or is it dessert?

A walk across the river Tiber took us past Castel Sant’ Angelo, a circular castle which was built in the 2nd Century. The line into the Vatican wasn’t particularly long and we all marveled at the size and grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica.

One of the regular guests at M’tucci’s Moderno told Amanda we had to have lunch at a small family place 3 blocks east of the Vatican, so I suppose that was our real purpose for being in the neighborhood. Hostaria Dino e Toni just celebrated their 29th year in business, mostly with Dino running the front and Toni running the kitchen. All of the outside tables were full when we arrived, but we were told, “momentito”. Dino and another server appeared from inside with a folding table, five folding chairs, then five set ups and we were ready for lunch.

They were busy so it appeared that Dino is a little bit gruff at first, but he is all heart. There is a menu, but we let Dino bring out what his brother Toni was making special for that day. Aqua? Si, still. Antipasti? Si. Vino? Si, bianco e rosso. Pasta? Si. Fish or Meat? NO! It's too much. Don’t worry, there will be dessert.

The highlight of the dessert plate was the Caffe Granita (coffee-flavored crushed ice) with Panna Cotta on the bottom and whipped cream on top. The tiramisu was very good, too. Finish with a Malvasia from Sicily (Dino simply brought the bottle and five glasses) AND, if you have cleaned your plate (and you better) there will be Limoncello.

Early in the antipasto course, there was one piece of eggplant pizza on the plate (the third plate of antipasti) and as he hurried by our table he looked at the plate and said, "Finish!" before going to the next table.

They love good eaters. At Hostaria Dino e Toni, wasting good food is not how you get after dinner goodies brought to your table.

We walked off the large lunch, strolling through the Piazza del Popolo, down the Spanish steps and past the Trevi fountain. Then we opened up the Lime app on our phones, became daredevils and took the scooters back to our apartment through Rome’s busy traffic.

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Not a M’tucci’s employee!

Not a M’tucci’s employee!

That evening we went to a small place in Campo dei Fiore, chosen by John because he said, “the menu is not typical Roman dishes and, really, how many times do you need to eat Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe.” It was a statement, not a question.

Ditirambo claims to have authentic Italian cuisine, but it’s more related to Piedmont and definitely has a creative flare. We ate Beef Tartare with a soft egg, black truffles and shaved Piave Vecchio (the same cheese that M’tucci’s Italian uses for Pasta dalla Forma); Taglierini with Sausage Ragout, Beef Cheeks braised with Montepulciano wine and some of the best roasted potatoes we had in Rome.

After being turned away from Jerry Thomas Speakeasy on the first night, the team discovered a small basement Speakeasy in the same area. Argot was welcoming to us - even without a reservation - and after selling us memberships for a nominal fee, they enjoyed some cocktails. Still unsuccessful to snag a Jerry Thomas reservation on our second night, we returned to Argot and saluted the small intimate space and our good fortune.

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Don’t miss next week’s La Gazzeta to find out if we were able to visit the exclusive Jerry Thomas Project.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli: Herbed Ricotta filled raviolis, sun dried tomatoes, fresh carrots, pink shrimp, spring onions, lemon-saffron cream sauce, sunflower seeds $23

24 oz Hand Cut Bone-in NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $34

Pan-Seared Fish: Bronzino, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled artichoke, sautéed arugula, lemon caper butter sauce $29

Braised Beef: Garlic mashed potatoes, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, broccolini, savory brodo $25

Weekend Cocktail

Sangria Martini: Absolute Vodka, Fresh Lime, Cane Sugar, Anciano Crianza Tempranillo

M’tucci’s Moderno

14oz NY Strip: Salt water potatoes, grilled asparagus, salsa verde $32

Rockfish: Garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed arugula, roast artichoke, caper lemon butter sauce, prosciutto powder $21

Seafood Cannelloni: Shrimp, lobster, crab ricotta filling, Rosa sauce, spicy marinara $27

Weekend Cocktail

Flor de Otoño: Cucumber infused casamigos Blanco tequila, Anchor Reyes Chile Liqueur, lime, simple syrup, grapefruit bitters, salt, fresh orange wheel.


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

14 oz. Ribeye: Garlic whipped potatoes, grilled broccolini, smoked blackberry bone marrow butter $34

7 oz. Amberjack: Roasted garlic mashed potatoes, grilled escarole, seared artichokes, lemon butter, capers $23

Weekend Cocktail

Pesca Amara: Absolute Peach Vodka and Cappalletti Apertivo combined with lemon juice and cane syrup, topped with Caposaldo Prosecco.

M’tucci’s on Monday - New Mexico Living on KRQE

If you missed the segment with Catering Manager Taña Martinez and Minister of Culture Howie Kaibel talking about Balloon Fiesta catering, you can Click Here to Watch.

Live Music for October at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

10/1

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

10/7

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Lani Nash @ 25

10/14

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

Amy Faithe @ 25

10/15

RJ Perez @ Moderno

10/21

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

10/22

Lani Nash @ Moderno

10/28

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

RJ Perez @ 25

10/29

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's in Roma, Day One

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We want your visit to the future M’tucci’s Bar Roma to be a slice of Rome. If you have been reading La Gazzeta for awhile or if you have traveled to several of Italy’s regions, you know that Italian food is a pretty broad term that really doesn’t describe the food of Italy, which is definitely regional. The menu in a Tuscan restaurant will probably not have the same items as a Roman restaurant. In order to bring Rome to you, we needed to experience Rome ourselves.

Five of us have spent the last five days doing just that. We walked and scootered the streets, visiting grand piazzas, monuments, ancient churches, osterias, restaurants, caffes, bakeries, gelato shops, and as the name M’tucci’s Bar Roma implies - bars and speakeasies.

During the next few weeks, La Gazzeta will bring you the images and experiences from our trip, which will help us make M’tucci’s Bar Roma a destination in Nob Hill.

The first day in Europe is always an exercise of acclimatization. After flying for 10 hours, we arrived in Campo dei Fiore at 9:00am (1:00am New Mexico time) with its bustling flower and vegetable market. Our goal was to walk, get a lot of fresh air and basically stay up as late as possible to reset our internal clocks.

We started at Roscioli caffe, one of three Roscioli food spots near Campo. Expertly roasted beans and fresh pastries keep this spot crowded throughout the day. Roscioli’s Salumaria is open for lunch and dinner and is nearly impossible to visit without a reservation - but we had one for 7:00pm.

We walked to Piazza Navona and wowed at the majestic fountains by Bernini and the former family palace of Pope Innocent X who reigned from 1644-65. The piazza was relatively empty compared to past visits.

Down a narrow street are several restaurants and it was time for brunch, since the Italian cornetto doesn’t keep one going for long. We found Mami Pizza, which makes slices with creative toppings - the cheese and escarole was fantastic. They also do a version of arancini called suppli, fried balls of rice with flavored ingredients.

Nearby, next to the Italian Senate and a few steps from the Pantheon is the Caffe Sant’ Eustachio. Anchoring this small piazza, they have been roasting beans in a wood-fired roaster since the 1930s. Always a crowd and always good cappucino and espresso.

After checking into our Air BnB at 3:00 to unpack and clean up, we made our way to small neighborhood bar for Prosecco and then to Roscioli Salumeria for dinner. It was good, but given the hype and popularity, we were expecting more. We tried to go to Rome’s first Speakeasy, Jerry Thomas Project, but you have to call ahead (and we called and called but couldn’t get an answer) to reserve a spot in the exclusive club which only seats 25. We were turned away.

We’ll be back with more of Rome in the next La Gazzeta.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $36

Pan-Seared Halibut: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $29

Jalepeño Goat Cheese Ricotta Ravioli: Roast chicken, marinated tomato, pickled jalepeño, roasted red bell peppers, spicy cream sauce $23

Braised Beef and Shrimp: Creamy polenta, mushroom, cherry tomato, scalliion, crispy shallot $23

M’tucci’s Moderno

14oz NY Strip: Salt water potatoes, grilled asparagus, salsa verde $32

Mahi Mahi: Garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed arugula, roast artichoke, caper lemon butter sauce, prosciutto powder $28

Jumbo Shrimp Pasta: Pink shrimp, yellow onion, celery, grape tomatoes, seafood sauce, fettuccine pasta $28

Weekend Cocktail


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pork Chop allá parmigiana: Crispy breaded bone in pork chop, spicy marinara and melted mozzarella, served with a fettuccine cacio, topped with sautéed mushrooms and spinach $20

14 oz. Ribeye: Mashed potatoes, grilled broccolini $39

Mahi Mahi: Mashed potatoes, grilled escarole, artichokes, lemon butter, capers $28

Coconut Crust Sword Fish: potatoes green beans and spinach and an orange gastrique. Lunch special for today $15

Weekend Cocktail

Goodbye Summer: Nickel vodka, strawberry lemonade shrub, lemon juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup, topped with Sprite

Live Music for September and October at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

9/24 Oscar Butler @ Moderno

9/30

RJ Perez @ Moderno

Kirk Matthews @ 25

10/1

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

10/7

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Lani Nash @ 25

10/14

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

Amy Faithe @ 25

10/15

RJ Perez @ Moderno

10/21

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

10/22

Lani Nash @ Moderno

10/28

Melissa Rios @ Moderno

RJ Perez @ 25

10/29

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Provisions

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The opening of M’tucci’s Twenty-Five in February 2020, introduced M’tucci’s food and culture to a large segment of Albuquerque that won’t cross the river for a restaurant meal. Totally understandable, however that means those same people likely never experienced our beloved Market and some of the food our staff created there.

Now we have mini-markets/deli counters at each location and our bakers and cooks at M’tucci’s Provisions are kept busy making bread, curing meat, pulling fresh cheese; making M’tucci’s Shrub Jam, Mostarda and Colonnata Butter every day.

Our breads, Shrubs and Artisanal Italian Sausage are available at area Albertsons Markets and a large selection of House Made items, plus imported cheese and cured meat are available at all M’tucci’s locations.

Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin appeared on KRQE’s New Mexico Living this past Monday on the segment we like to call M’tucci’s on Monday to talk about how to use some of these products.

Click here to watch his segment.

Our bakers are now making Pizza Dough, Sourdough, Whole Wheat, Rye, Baguettes, Ciabatta and Focaccia. All are always made with a natural sourdough starter as leavening. We never use commercial yeast.

The Family Charcuterie Board is the prefect way to sample many of the products produced by the team at Provisions. It’s a large board and could be dinner for two or an appetizer for four or six!

It’s loaded with Italian Prosciutto, Calabrese Salami, M’tucci’s Prosciutto Cotto, Tucumcari Smoked Gouda, Italian Baby Parmesan, House Colonatta Butter, House Made Mozzarella, Herb & Garlic Roasted Olives, Smoke Shrub Jam, Basil Marinated Tomatoes and M’tucci’s Bread.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Bone In Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $25

Pesto & Ricotta Ravioli: Pink Patagonia Shrimp, Asparagus, Pancetta, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Pesto Cream Sauce $23

Braised Sackett Farms Pork Shank Osso Bucco: Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Herbed Gremolata, Savory Au Jus $25

Weekend Cocktail

Negroni Week!

M’tucci’s Moderno

Smoked Herb Roasted Chicken (half) with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cranberry Gastrique $21

14 oz. NY Strip: Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan Seared Barramundi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $28

Weekend Cocktail

Negroni Week! Classic Negroni and a Rosita

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

16 oz. Veal Porterhouse: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $37

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Gnocchi: Spicy Marinara, Roasted Zucchini, Yellow Squash & Red Onion with House Made Burrata $17

Weekend Cocktail

Negroni Week! Classic Negroni and an Old Pal

Live Music for September at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

9/17 RJ Perez @ Moderno

9/23

Lani Nash @ Moderno

Melissa Rios @ 25

9/24

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

9/30

RJ Perez @ Moderno

Kirk Matthews @ 25

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday, Ciao!

M'tucci's & Italy

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Although it seems like years ago, it has only been two years since M’tucci’s decided that four of their chefs should go to Italy to eat, cook and soak up Italian culture. During a week in June 2019, Chefs John, Cory, Shawn and Damian ate with Italians, made bread with Italians, drank wine with Italians, and learned from Italians.

At L’Antico Mulino Pandolfo with Francisco, one of the top bakers in Tuscany.

At L’Antico Mulino Pandolfo with Francisco, one of the top bakers in Tuscany.

They brought home new ideas, a few new techniques, and in Shawn’s case, several bottles of Amaro.

Here are a few photos from that trip.

While planning the concept, menu and design for the fourth restaurant, M’tucci’s Bar Roma (which will open in Nob Hill late this year), the partners decided the only way to create the authentic experience of a Roman bar was to go visit bars in Rome. Five of us will make the trip in the next week. I will stay and visit some other spots in Tuscany and make a trip to Sicily. Look for photos and a report in the coming weeks. M’tucci’s - working hard to bring you the best of Italy!

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

16 oz Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $27

Pan-Seared Sand Dabs: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $21

Ricotta Green Chile Ravioli: Caramelized Onion, Heirloom Tomatoes, Shrimp, Portobello Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce $23

Braised Lamb: Rosemary & Thyme Braise with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Three Zucchini Sauté $26

Weekend Cocktail

Zia Sunrise: Camarena Reposado, Amaro di Angostura, Agave, Grapefruit Juice & Lemon Juice

M’tucci’s Moderno

Roast Garlic Chicken Portobello with House Spaghettini, Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, Garlic, Aged mozzarella and Red Wine + Herb Demi Glacé $19

14 oz. Ribeye: Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan Seared Icelandic Cod: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $22

Weekend Cocktail

Why Are You Angry in the Orchard?: Tanqueray Gin, Apfel Apple Liqueur, Elderflower Tonic & Lemon Juice

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Hand Cut Ribeye: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $37

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $27

5 Cheese Stuffed Eggplant Involtini served with Garlic Mushrooms, Kale and Roasted Tomatoes over House Marinara Sauce $19

Appetizer: Spice Rubbed and Cold Smoked Beef Carpaccio, Caper Olive Relish, Roasted Onion and Giner Aioli $6

Weekend Cocktail

Coconut Daiquiri: Bumbu Original Rum, Fresh Lime Sour, Coconut Milk, Toasted Coconut Rim

Live Music for September at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30

9/16

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

9/17 RJ Perez @ Moderno

9/23

Lani Nash @ Moderno

Melissa Rios @ 25

9/24

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

9/30

RJ Perez @ Moderno

Kirk Matthews @ 25

M’tucci’s on Monday - KRQE

Another M’tucci’s on Monday will be live this coming Monday on KRQE’s New Mexico Living at 9:00am. Tune in to watch Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin discuss Charcuterie and some of the products being produced by M’tucci’s Provisions. If you missed Chef/Partner Cory Gray on the last program, you can see him demonstrating Pasta Dalla Forma by clicking on this link.

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M’tucci’s Catering

Salt Yard has recently changed their business model and will offer their space for events only. As part of their new business, M’tucci’s Catering will be one of their preferred vendors. There was a tasting and open house this past week when locals had the chance to see the space and taste some M’tucci’s Charcuterie and Cookies! Check out this space for your wedding reception and other events.

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Thanks for reading. See you next week. Ciao!

What's New at M'tucci's

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As we make the transition from summer to fall, new menu items are being added at all M’tucci’s locations. We are adding seasonal dishes, much like you would find in Italy.

The Charcuterie Bar is up and running at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five with new and wonderful dishes. Order from a selection of Cicchetti (small plates), Formaggi (cheese) or Salume. A favorite cicchetti is the Blackened Shrimp. You might be tempted to eat the shrimp first, resist that temptation and combine the shrimp with the shaved cucumber and carrots that have been marinated in a Vanilla Bourbon Vinaigrette and dip the combo in the Calabrian Pepper and Gorgonzola Aioli. Truly a unique taste experience!

The Sirman Anniversario Slicer from Italy is as finely tuned as a Ferrari and will shave thin slices of Prosciutto Parma or Calabrese Salami to order.

In the book “Treasures of the Italian Table” author Burton Anderson wrote: “Prosciutto di Parma, in delectable rose-petal-pink slices, proves that elegance in aged salume can be achieved on an epic scale. But local arbiters regard prosciutto as a sort of prodigal prince that ranks only second in status in Parma’s monarchy. To them, the king is culatello, from the fleshiest part of the pig’s posterior, the buttocks.

Culatello is produced by methods markedly diverse from those used to make prosciutto and is aged in a peculiar kind of environment, the foggy lowlands near the Po River in an area known as the Bassa Parmense. The “king of salume” is a creation of the fog and the damp, which reach unequaled intensity in the Bassa.”

This is a rare culinary treasure for lovers of Italian cured meats and you can sample it at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

Of course, you can enjoy a plate of our House Made Mozzarella (Formaggi are paired with Sourdough Pita & Citrus Olives), but don’t miss the intense flavors of the Paradisio, a 12-month aged Gouda.

At M’tucci’s Moderno you can choose from three Charcuterie Boards, one featuring Speck, which is smoked prosciutto from the northern region of Italy bordering Austria and Switzerland.

The Sackett Farms Pork Chop Ripieno was so popular when it was a Weekend Special last April, it is now a permanent menu item. The 10 oz. Chop from Heritage pigs is stuffed with Prosciutto, Sage & Mozzarella, and served with a Marsala Reduction, Creamy Polenta and Braised Haricot Vert.

The Chefs and Bartenders have been busy at M’tucci’s Italian with nearly ten new menu items and several new cocktails. There are two new pizzas: Southwest (Goat Cheese, Grilled Rapini, Spring Onion and New Mexico Red Chile Flakes) & Mediterranean (Spicy Bacon, Garlic Oil, Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Arugula). New pasta dishes include Pasta Prosciutto “Ham & Peas” with M’tucci’s Italian Ham, Fresh Peas, Asparagus, Spring Onions and Gorgonzola Thyme Cream Sauce tossed with M’tucci’s Campanelle Pasta. You’ll love the Sackett Farms Pork & Ricotta Ravioli with Crispy Pork Belly, Sautéed Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomato in a Fennel Cream Sauce.

Pasta Dalla Forma (meaning from the cheese, Formaggio) is now available every night of the week. An incredible dinner for two prepared at your table in a wheel of aged Piave Cheese. The plate of cheesy goodness can be topped with a Mushroom Duxelle or a Red Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish. You can also add a protein such as Grilled Hanger Steak or Sautéed Pink Shrimp. Chef Cory and Minister of Culture Howie were on KRQE’s New Mexico Living this past Monday for the regular M’tucci’s on Monday segment. Click here to watch the cooking demonstration of Pasta Dalla Forma.

M’tucci’s Executive Pastry Chef Brianna Dennis creates desserts for all M’tucci’s locations. She makes new and creative Gelato and Sorbetto flavors weekly, such as Mint Stracciatella Gelato or Blood Orange Sorbetto. Every Wednesday there is a 3-Course menu paired with wine at M’tucci’s Italian. The dessert this past week was Cheesecake Brownie with a Mixed Berry Compote and Caramelized Rice Krispies. Of course, she is responsible for the incredible Tiramisu available at all three M’tucci’s locations.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $34

Pan-Seared Barramundi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $27

Green Chile Ravioli: Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Chile, Braised Pork, Cilantro Cream Sauce with Red Tequila Crema $23

Braised Roasted Pork Shank Marsala: Broccoli Rabe, Herbed Potatoes $23

Weekend Cocktail

De La Rosa: Dahlia Cristalino Tequila, Creme of Coconut, Vanilla Simple Syrup & Fresh Lime Juice

M’tucci’s Moderno

Braised Sausage Polenta: M’tucci’s Italian Sausage Creamy Mascarpone Polenta, Sautéed Spinach, Caramelized Onion, Marinara Sauce $21

14 oz. Ribeye: Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan Seared Rockfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $21

Weekend Cocktail

Brandied Berry: Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Cassis, Lemon Juice

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

14 oz. NY Strip: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $27

Pan-Seared Ling Cod: Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Chicken Griglia: Grilled Chicken Breast, Sautéed Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Hash with Lemon and Olive Brodo $21

Sorbet: Berry Guava

Gelato: Mango

Pints of Gelato (only): Irish Car Bomb

Weekend Cocktail

Simple Highball: 1792 Small Batch Bourbon (“High Rye” Recipe), Ginger Ale, Soda

Live Music for September at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 7:00 & Fridays @ 8:00

9/3

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

9/9

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Eryn Bent @ 25

9/10 Lani Nash @ Moderno

9/16

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

9/17 RJ Perez @ Moderno

9/23

Lani Nash @ Moderno

Melissa Rios @ 25

9/24

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

9/30

RJ Perez @ Moderno

Kirk Matthews @ 25

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Amaro

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La Gazzeta’s Editor is on vacation and we are bringing back a story from January 2020, with a few updates. All of the specials and news below is current.

To most of us familiar with Italian cuisine, an Italian meal is not complete without pasta, wine and an espresso to finish. An Italian might suggest that you’ve omitted an important part of the meal - an Amaro. A little more than a year ago, my knowledge of these wonderful bitter-sweet beverages didn’t go beyond Campari (which I drank with club soda and lemon) and Jagermeister (which I hated).

After a short time working with the M’tucci’s family, I have discovered that there is one thing universally loved by management, the chefs and the bartenders - and that is Amari (plural of Amaro, which means bitter in Italian). Now I love them and you should, too!

Amanda Romero, the General Manager at M’tucci’s Moderno, says they are much more than just an aid to digestion.

“I love that each Amaro has different flavors and layers, mixing between bitter, herbal & nutty. Although I have my favorite brands, I will always order an Amaro that I've never tried to see what flavor combinations it has to offer. All Amaro are different which means you can order one no matter your mood! There are sweeter Amaro, extra bitter Amaro, earthy Amaro, the list is endless. My favorite Amaro has remained Cynar,” she said.

Spend some time at our bars, or at any bar that cares about the craft of cocktails, and you’ll notice the increasing number of amari on the shelf. There is an Amaro list at Moderno and you can expect to see one at the new M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

A centuries-old beverage, amari began as healing tonics or elixirs used for medicinal purposes. While there are an astounding number of styles and makers of amaro, nearly all of them begin with a neutral spirit or wine that is macerated with bitter barks, seeds, spices, flowers, vegetables, herbs and citrus peels, then balanced with sugar. Some of the bittering agents include gentian root, angelica root, wormwood and cinchona bark. You might find anise, cardoon, clove, rhubarb, cardamom, licorice and juniper among the herbal profiles. Some amari are barrel-aged for complexity. The recipes are all closely guarded secrets.

The flavor profiles of amari are definitely local. Amari made in the North rely more on the herbs and flowers available in the mountains, while Southern amari might use more citrus peels.

Humans are born with an aversion to bitter flavors and many of us (Americans) have more interest in the flavors: sweet, sour and salty - even umami. So, a little palate education is necessary to appreciate bitter flavors, and we are acquiring that appreciation by drinking IPAs, cocktails with tonic water, and even coffee and tea. Italians embrace bitter foods early in their lives (greens, chocolate, espresso) and consequently have a long history with bitter flavors and especially with amari.

To an Italian a liqueur is an amari if it is consumed after dinner, which would leave Aperol, Campari and many vermouths off of the list. Is a vermouth an amaro? Technically it’s not, but you would have to consider them bitter cousins, vermouth is usually the lower alcohol cousin. Vermouths are a subject for their own future blog post.

For cocktail history and recipes, I refer a lot to the book, “Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails” by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day. Death & Co. is a popular cocktail bar which first opened in Manhattan (NY) and now has locations in Denver and LA. They list a few popular amari and their flavor profiles:

APERITIVO AMARO

Meletti 1870 Bitter: Balance of sweet and spice with mild bitterness.

Aperol: less bitter and more sweet than Campari, probably the most popular in the US

Campari: is versatile as a sipper or a mixer. You couldn’t have a Negroni without Campari, which has a higher alcohol content and a stronger flavor profile than Aperol.

DIGESTIVO AMARO

Amaro Averna: Described as tasting like Coca-Cola.

Amaro Meletti: Produced in Ascoli Piceno since 1870, it has a distinctive nose of violets with flavors of saffron and anise.

Amaro Nardini: has a menthol flavor similar to Fernet-Branca, but isn’t as bitter

Amaro Nonino Quintessentia: Subtle and approachable, the grappa based amaro is flavored with alpine herbs and is my favorite - so far.

Cynar: though there is an artichoke on the bottle, it really doesn’t taste like artichokes, but has a flavor profile that transitions from sweet to sharp and citrusy with some vegetal notes.

Fernet-Branca: “This is amaro on crack with an aggressive medicinal, mentholated flavor profile.” Comment from the Death & Co. cocktail book.

Try this recipe, a riff on an Old-Fashioned, from Death & Co.’s book “Cocktail Codex”. It uses two amari, so you don’t need to use bitters or sugar.

1.5 oz. Amaro Nonino

3/4 oz. Germain Robin Brandy

1/4 oz. Amaro Meletti

6 drops of a salt solution

Stir ingredients over ice, strain into an Old-Fashioned glass over 1 large cube. Express an orange twist over the glass, gently rub it on the rim and place it into the drink.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asperagus, Balsamic Reduction $36

Pan-Seared Corvina: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $29

Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Beans, Spinach, White Wine Butter $21

Braised Pork Shank Ossobuco: Creamy Garlic Herb Risotto $23

Weekend Cocktail

French Dahlia: Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Apple Juice, Dahlia Christalino Tequila

M’tucci’s Moderno

Sackett Farm Pork Loin: Stuffed With Spinach Prociutto And Mozzarella, With Marscapone Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Dijon Butter $19

14 oz. Ribeye: Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $31

Weekend Cocktail

Brandied Berry: Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Cassis, Lemon Juice

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Surf & Turf: 6oz Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Shrimp, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Served With Cajun Burerre Blanc $35

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $21

M’tucci’s Famous Slow Roasted Five Pork Lasagna: Aged Mozzarella, Roasted San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Garnished With Pecorino And Basil $18

Sorbet: Blood Orange

Gelato: Basil Mint Stracciatella With Berry Swirl

Weekend Cocktail

Simple Highball: 1792 Small Batch Bourbon (“High Rye” Recipe), Ginger Ale, Soda

Live Music - September at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Thursday from 7:00 - 9:00 and Friday from 8:00 - 10:00

9/2

Eryn Bent @ Moderno

Amy Faithe @ 25

9/3

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

9/9

Cali Shaw @ Moderno

Eryn Bent @ 25

9/16

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno

Cali Shaw @ 25

9/23

Lani Nash @ Moderno

Melissa Rios @ 25

9/24

Oscar Butler @ Moderno

9/30

RJ Perez @ Moderno

Kirk Matthews @ 25

Before we go: M’tucci’s Italian Chef Cory Gray will be a guest on New Mexico Living this coming Monday, August 30, at 9:00 a.m. The show is on KRQE. Gray will be demonstrating our unique preparation of Pasta Della Forma. Please tune in!

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Small Plates

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In Italy, small plates are called Cicchetti, and are a tradition in Venice. Essentially, they are Italy’s version of Spain’s tapas. The tradition of walking the historic streets of Venice or Barcelona are the same, stop in a small place for a small glass of wine, for a few small plates, then move on to the next spot. In Albuquerque you can come to any M’tucci’s location and enjoy a large selection of Cicchetti to go with your afternoon beverage.

M’tucci’s on Monday is a new segment on KRQE’s NM Living and will air every other Monday between 9:00 & 10:00am. You can watch the first segment, shown below, where Howie Kaibel, M’tucci’s Minister of Culture talks about Ciccheti.

You can watch Howie by Clicking on this Link. Tune in on August 30th to watch Chef/Partner Cory Gray do a cooking demonstration of Pasta dalla Forma. If you miss it, we’ll provide the link in this space on the following Friday.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $29

Prosciutto Goat Ricotta Ravioli: Spring Peas, Asparagus, Brown Butter Sage Sauce, Shaved Parmesan, Arugula, Lemon Oil $23

Apple Cider Braised Pork Cheeks: Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Mushrooms, Crispy Pancetta, Gremolada $21

Weekend Cocktail

Antigal Bay: Bumbu Rum, Vanilla Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice, Pineapple, Malbec Float

M’tucci’s Moderno

Shrimp Goat Cheese Pasta: Pink Shrimp, Sweet & Spicy Peppers, Goat Cheeses Sauce & House Made Fettuccine $19

14 oz. NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $33

Pan-Seared Yellowtail: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $21

Weekend Cocktail

Jackfruit Mule

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

14 oz. Chianinna Prime New York Strip: Grilled Broccolini, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $39

Pan-Seared King Clip Cod: Seared Artichoke Hearts, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $27

Fennel Braised Sackett Farms Pork Belly: Fennel and Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Orange & Fennel Frawn Gastrique $23

Weekend Cocktail

Hemingway Daiquiri: Diplomatico Planas Rum, Lazzarino Maraschino liqueur, Fresh Grapefruit and Lime Juice, Simple Syrup

M’tucci’s Old World Artisanal Sausage

Chef Cory has created the perfect weekend meal for you using our Italian Sausage, which is sourced from a single family farm. Available at Albertsons Markets in Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque - as well as all M’tucci’s.

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Amador County Wines

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In the same decade that the first modern California wine was made in Napa Valley, more than 100 wineries were opening in the Gold Rush country to serve the miners working the hills in the 1850s. Amador County was the home to most of the Gold Country vineyards. Warm days, cool nights and the volcanic soils were perfect for growing grapes. Of course, the industry crashed during the 1920s due to prohibition and it wasn’t revived until the 1960s. Californians discovered the big flavors of Amador County wines, many of them Zinfandel, and the area was firmly established on the state’s wine map.

Amador County photo by Jennifer Pechette

Amador County photo by Jennifer Pechette

Located in the foothills of the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, Amador County is about 100 miles east of San Francisco and 40 miles east of Sacramento. With more than 3,700 acres of grapes, most of the 40 wineries are located in the Shenandoah Valley in the northern part of the county. . The grapes are planted on oak-covered hillsides at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 feet.

Amador boasts one of the highest percentages of organically farmed vineyards of any wine region in California and, probably as a result of dry-farming, has been little affected by phylloxera.

Amador’s production of intensely flavored red wines also reflects its high percentage of old vines: roughly 600 acres are 65 years or older, including several vineyards dating to the 19th century. These deeply rooted, head-trained vines, found in vineyards such as Deaver, Esola, Fox, Ferrero, Grandpere and Lubenko, yield tiny crops of small-berried grapes, which produce the heady zinfandels for which Amador is renowned.

Photo by Jennifer Pechette

Photo by Jennifer Pechette

Amador County once was identified almost exclusively with zinfandel. During the past 20 years, Amador vintners have begun producing a diverse array of varieties, especially those of Italian and southern French origin. The region’s wineries also vinify superb examples of barbera, sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, and syrah; limited bottlings of pinot grigio, verdelho, viognier, roussanne, marsanne, grenache, mourvedre, petite sirah, aglianico and tempranillo; lovely rosés made from a wide variety of grapes; exceptional dessert wines made from muscat grapes; and port-style wines made from zinfandel and traditional Portuguese varieties.

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Why are we introducing you to Amador County wines? The next versions of M’tucci’s Private label wines will come from Amador County. Look for a blend and a single grape varietal to arrive in our restaurants around the first of October. We’ll share more details just before they arrive.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

12 oz Hand Cut Ribeye: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $32

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $25

Prosciutto Goat Cheese Ravioli: Mushrooms, Artichokes, Green Beans, Roasted Red Pepper Vodka Sauce topped with Shaved Parmesan and Fresh Basil $23

Braised Beef with Horseradish Garlic Mashed Carrots, Potato, Butternut Squash & Beef Au Jus $23

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

Weekend Cocktail

Venetian Peach: Ketel One Botanical Vodka, Pilla Select Montenegro Aperitivo, Fresh Lemon Juice, Cane Syrup

M’tucci’s Moderno

Shrimp Goat Cheese Pasta: Pink Shrimp, Sweet & Spicy Peppers, Goat Cheeses Sauce & House Made Fettuccine $19

14 oz. NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $33

Pan-Seared Yellowtail: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $21


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Ribeye : Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $32

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $25

Herb Rubbed Porchetta: Caramelized Onions, Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens, Gigante Bean/Pork Brodo $23

Bar Only Appetizer

Honey-Glazed Sackett Farms Ribs w/Roasted Olives, Red Bell Peppers, Calabrian Peppers $8

M’tucci’s on Monday

Beginning Monday, August 15 @ 9:00, M’tucci’s will appear on KRQE’s New Mexico Living every two weeks. Look for the latest news about M’tucci’s and cooking demonstrations. First up is Howie Kaibel, M’tucci’s Minister of Culture talking about M’tucci’s Cicchetti and small plates. Chef/Partner Cory Gray will demonstrate M’tucci’s Pasta dalla Forma on August 29. We’ll have a link to M’tucci’s on Monday in next week’s La Gazzeta.

Thanks for reading. See you next week. Ciao!

M'tucci's in Iowa

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Why would a restaurant company based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, fly two chefs more than 1,000 miles for a weekend visit to Mount Ayr, Iowa -- population 2,056? Simply put, a dedication to great pizza. But this story is much deeper than a pie crust. As M’tucci’s company President and Chef John Haas explains it, “In small town America, one restaurant can change an entire community. We saw an opportunity to positively impact people’s lives and create jobs, and that’s what we’re all about.”

The connection to Mount Ayr is Sackett Farms, an independent family-run operation where M’tucci’s restaurants began sourcing their pork during the heart of the pandemic. The relationship between owner Tom Sackett and Chef Haas was off to a great start, and during a phone call in the spring of 2021, Sackett mentioned that he and the community were planning to launch a pizzeria sometime during the coming autumn. 

“I instantly knew what he had the potential to do, because I grew up in a small town in Iowa, too,” Haas recalls. “Where I grew up, in Gilbert, there were only two restaurants: Casey’s and The Sizzler, where you actually brought your own cuts of meat from home and cooked them on premises. Those were our only options.”

As the family of M’tucci’s restaurants approached their eighth anniversary serving authentic, inspired Italian cuisine, Haas knew a few essentials about crafting handmade, serious pizza. “I desperately wanted to go, but I had a conflict, so I sent two of our best people to help Tom build the operation.”

The Homecoming

In late July, chef/partners Cory Gray and Shawn Cronin made the pilgrimage to Mount Ayr, driving 135 miles north from Kansas City and settling into a two-bedroom apartment next to the 100-acre Sackett Farms. They honestly had no idea what to expect. “The first people we met were Kevin and Jayla, a married couple, who were putting the place together,” says Gray. “They had a little experience running a restaurant, but that was 20 years ago. The idea was to open a takeout business -- no dining in -- with a menu featuring pizza, pasta, salads and appetizers. “One of the investors requested egg rolls,” he says, smiling.

The name of the place? Rayr Market.

Rayr Market had investors, a Board and a Committee of locals to get behind it. Initially, Kevin expected to open the place five days a week, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, “Because nothing happens on Wednesdays, and Tuesdays there’s high school sports. The rest of the week there’s NFL football, college sports, reasons to order takeout,” Cronin explains. Kevin was going to handle the kitchen, with Jayla running the front of the house.

“I knew right away what they were proposing was impossible, and I told them so,” says Gray. “First of all, the menu was way too ambitious. If Kevin was thinking he was going to be the sole guy cooking everything he was crazy. I’d give him three weeks to a month before he threw in the towel.” The chefs suggested pairing down the menu to one thing, pizza, and offering four to choose from.

“Then they told us they were planning to order pre-made ingredients from a distributor: sauce, dough, toppings, everything,” Cronin says. “We walked them through what that would cost, as opposed to making the dough themselves and sourcing ingredients locally. The difference was night and day. Sure, it’s a lot of work, but the profits are solid and the product is so much better.” Kevin and Jayla were convinced.

Kneading a Bond

With just two days to spend together, the entirety of the first day focussed on the dough. The chefs modified what they served at M’tucci’s, cutting costs on a few ingredients, and showed the couple how to stretch and pull the balls into thin discs capable of cradling the toppings. The kitchen featured two conveyor belt ovens, where the raw product went in one end and cooked came out of the other side. Initially, Kevin was baking the pies for about 11 minutes at 500 degrees. Cronin and Gray suggested upping the temperature to 575 and cutting the time in half. “In the end, we identified the perfect cooking time: five minutes, five seconds,” Cronin says. (Coincidentally, 505 is Albuquerque’s area code.)

While they stretched and baked, they managed to use nearly 100 balls of dough, strategizing how they might source the ingredients locally. They were in the heart of the heartland, after all. In no time, they’d identified small farms and agricultural options that could keep dollars circulating in Iowa, create jobs, and ultimately, perhaps, create an internship program with Mount Ayr high school, home of the Raiders and Raiderettes.

Feeding for Feedback

By Sunday, the foursome had created a pizza that looked terrific, featuring a thin crust that held firm when it was sliced, with a dark char on the edges. Cronin and Gray had also taught the couple about portioning, to create a system using the same amount of each topping on every pie, to create consistency, and to save on food costs. It was time to get some feedback.

First, they began running the pizzas hot out the door, popping into main street businesses, offering slices to strangers on the street and to locals hanging out at the town park. “Most people said they loved it, immediately. A lot of people said they’d never tried anything like it. They assumed it came from a stone oven,” says Gray. “And as far as criticism goes, what we mainly heard was it could use more sauce and cheese, so we took their advice.” They added an ounce of each, baked more and served more.

Finally, they loaded the board room with pizza and invited investors and committee members for a taste test. There were smiles all around the room. One uninvited guest, a guy named Harold, also popped in. He liked the pizza so much, he set to work cleaning the kitchen, to help them get the business off the ground. “Seriously, nobody understood where Harold came from, he wasn’t on the board, or anything, but when I saw him scrubbing the oven I was like, you can stay as long as you want,” Cronin says.

Heading Home

Mission accomplished, Cronin and Gray found a little time to enjoy country life. They took a small boat with a trolling motor out on the pond, and caught four fish -- three bass and a bullhead -- over the span of an hour. Later, they spent time on the farm. “Probably my favorite memory of the entire trip,” Cronin says, “was just sitting on the porch, having a beer with Tom.”

Rayr Market has identified August 23 as their intended opening day, coinciding with a preseason matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. Now that Chef John Haas has heard how everything came together, he’s planning a visit to Mount Ayr in the fall. He’s running a major company in a big city these days, but he feels connected to the plight of Rayr Market and small town America more than ever. “I believe that the pandemic has given rural towns a chance to grow and prosper, maybe the best opportunity they have had in the last 50 years,” he says, noting the flight of urban dwellers who headed for the hills. 

Creating strong, meaningful and resilient jobs has always been at the foundation of the M’tucci’s restaurant model. Now Haas is proving he’s more than willing to do the same for the folks who feed America. “When you grow up in a small town, restaurants are all you have. You drop in and everyone you know is there. It’s the center of your community. We’ve always tried to create that at our restaurants, in the center of the city. It’s why I love Italians, they know that eating together connects people. So I feel like this is just an extension of what we’ve always been doing.”

By Howie Kaibal - M’tucci’s Minister of Culture

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New menu items at M’tucci’s Italian

In addition to all of your favorites, some of the popular specials from the past few months have been added to the menu, including Pasta Dalla Forma (cooked table side and finished in a large wheel of imported Italian cheese), Beer Battered Stuffed Squash Blossoms, Sackett Farms Pork & Ricotta Ravioli and a 1/2 pound Chianina & Sackett Farms Burger for lunch. Several Cocktail Specials have been added to menu such as: Neverland Fog and and the Toki Highball.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $29

Prosciutto Goat Cheese Ravioli: Roasted Butternut Squash, Local Chanterelle Mushrooms, Broccolini, Creamy Brodo $23

Braised Ham Risotto: Ham, Spring Onions and Creamy Wild Mushroom Risotto $21

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

Weekend Cocktail

The Jewel Thief: Bumbu Caribbean Rum, Prickly Pear Shrub, Fresh Lime & Pineapple Juice, Black Walnut bitters

M’tucci’s Moderno

Frutti di Mare: Pink Shrimp, Baby Scallops, Baby Clams, Mussels, Grape Tomatoes, Spicy Marinara with House Made Fettuccine $19

12 oz. Ribeye: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $24

Weekend Cocktail

Litty Witty: Pink Lemonade Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Lemon Juice


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

14 oz. NY Strip : Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $29

Pan-Seared Asian Sea Bass: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $27

House Made Five Cheese Ravioli: Smoked Pancetta Ragu, Italian Olives, Roasted Tomato, Lemon & Thyme with Asiago Cheese Crisps $22

Live Music at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five



8/6

RJ Perez @ Moderno


8/12

Cali Shaw @25

Kirk matthews @Moderno


8/13

Lani Nash @ Moderno


8/19

Lani Nash @ 25

Melissa Rios @ Moderno


8/20

Kick Matthews @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!



Italian Memories

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We are planning for a September/October visit to Italy, as long as they remain open to U.S. visitors. For any of you planning a trip, the Italian Ministry of Health is scheduled to issue an update to their rules for travelers arriving from the U.S.

The most recent announcement is that a digital or paper document will be required to be able to dine inside or to go inside a museum. The Italian authorities will issue the document to anyone with a vaccine, or who has recovered from Covid-19 or who has had a negative test.

Here are a few photos from past travels.

M’tucci’s Italian

M’tucci’s M’tucci’s Italian rolled out a new menu today. Click here to view it or look for it on the M’tucci’s Italian Facebook page. Many of your old favorites are still available and several dishes that have been Weekend Specials during the past few months were added to the daily menu.

M’tucci’s Artisanal Italian Sausage

Now available at Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos Alberstons Markets and all M’tucci’s locations. Check out this video of Chef Cory showing you how to make a sausage pasta sauce.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $36

Pan-Seared Ono - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $27

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

Sackett Farms Pork Picatta: Tomatoes, Capers, Feta Cheese, Spaghettini & Arugula Lemon Butter Sauce $19

12 oz. Ribeye: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Baja Striped Bass: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $29

Weekend Cocktail

Jungle Book: Bumbu Rum, Campari, Spiced Liqueur, Almond Syrup, Tiki Bitters, Lime Juice

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

14 oz. NY Strip : Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter MP

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $25

Chicken Marsala: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast, Fig Marsala, Grilled Broccolini, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, $21

Sorbetto: Raspberry Lemon

Gelato: Vanilla, Berry Swirl

Live Music at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

7/30

Cali Shaw @ Moderno


8/5

Kirk matthews @ 25

Eryn Bent @ Moderno

8/6

RJ Perez @ Moderno


8/12

Cali Shaw @25

Kirk matthews @Moderno


8/13

Lani Nash @ Moderno


8/19

Lani Nash @ 25

Melissa Rios @ Moderno


8/20

Kick Matthews @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Birth of M'tucci's

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As we are nearing the end of our 8th Anniversary Week Celebrations, we are going to have a conversation with M’tucci’s Founders, Jeff Spiegel & Katie Gardner; Company President John Haas; and the newest addition to the M’tucci’s family, Howie Kaibel, Minister of Culture. They talk about the ideas behind and the opening of our first restaurant, M’tucci’s Italian at Coors & Montaño. Many of you know that the original name was M’tucci’s Kitchina, but you might be surprised to learn of the early names and concepts. Watch the video below!

The Anniversary Prix Fixe dinners ended last night (if you didn’t get to sample the Ibérico Ham you seriously missed out!), but we still have specials for you through Saturday: Family Charcuterie Boards for half-price, $8 Calamari Appetizers, and $8 Margherita Pizzas. We still have some 8th Anniversary Commemorative glasses for you to take home when you order a Shrub cocktail.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $36

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $25

Crispy Prosciutto, Spring Peas, Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, Caramelized Onion tossed in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce with House Made Campanelle $19

Pasta Della Forma

House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. Ribeye: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Rockfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $27

Shrimp Diavolo: Caramelized Onion, White Wine, Green Chile, Marinara Sauce on House Made Fettuccine $19

Weekend Cocktail

Jungle Book: Bumbu Rum, Campari, Spiced Liqueur, Almond Syrup, Tiki Bitters, Lime Juice

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

16 oz. Ribeye : Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $34

Pan-Seared Amberjack: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $22

Grilled Sausage, Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens with Onion & Garlic & Herbed Cream Sauce $19

M’tucci’s Catering

It’s been a busy week, with the Annual Mayor’s Ball, one of the highlights. We were there serving New Mexico craft beer, cider, wines and M’tucci’s Charcuterie plates to the guests.

Live Music @ M’tucci’s Twenty-Five & M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays from 7:00-9:00 and Fridays from 8:00-10:00


7/23

RJ Perez @ Moderno


7/29

Cali Shaw @ 25

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno


7/30

Cali Shaw @ Moderno


8/5

Kirk matthews @ 25

Eryn Bent @ Moderno

8/6

RJ Perez @ Moderno


8/12

Cali Shaw @25

Kirk matthews @Moderno


8/13

Lani Nash @ Moderno


8/19

Lani Nash @ 25

Melissa Rios @ Moderno


8/20

Kick Matthews @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's 8th Anniversary

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We are putting the finishing touches on a Prix Fixe menu and some special $8 items to celebrate our 8th Anniversary next week. We opened as M’tucci’s Kitchina on July 22, 2013. Many people thought we were a kitchen supply store or anything but an Italian restaurant and the decision was made to change our name to M’tucci’s Italian.

Company President John Haas: “Changing it (the name) to M’tucci’s Italian clearly defined what we were and in the end, defined what our company would be built upon.”

After 23 years of operating 11 restaurants in Manhattan, the founders of M’tucci’s, Jeff Spiegel and Katie Gardner, decided it was time for a change, so they sold their restaurants and moved back to Albuquerque, Jeff’s hometown, and worked on different projects and jobs until 2013. They recalled that they didn’t go out to restaurants that much, but when they did, the service was uniformly cold and impersonal. Jeff was working as a consultant on economic development and realized that he could create 60 jobs just by opening a restaurant. That’s economic development!

“When Katie and I decided  to reprise our restaurant experience in NM after 23 years in the restaurant business in NYC, I knew I wanted a chef partner,” Jeff said.

Three years before that, John Haas had moved to Albuquerque to take over as Executive Chef at Bravo. After turning the restaurant around, he started itching for a challenge. He saw an ad on Craigslist, “Looking for a Chef” and replied. He heard from M’tucci’s founders and learned they were not only looking for a chef, but were looking for a location, too. John was a little more interested in a job at an established restaurant, and didn’t really pursue the connection. However, Jeff continued to pursue John for what would become M’tucci’s Kitchina.

“As has always been our practice, I invited the top three candidates to join me at our home to cook. At the end of those three days, and after countless hours of conversations with John, I pulled the trigger, hired him, and told him that he’d be a partner when the time was right to do the documents. It was the best partner decision I ever made. John cares about others, is a forgiving perfectionist and an excellent leader.”

“When I told Jeff if I wouldn’t have been a chef, I would have been an accountant, I think he thought, ‘I’ve found my chef’”, John said.

In the time leading up to finding a location, they had discussions about the character of M’tucci’s. Would it be fine dining with white tablecloths? From day one, they decided that was not the kind of restaurant they would open. The restaurants they have created follow the traditions of Italian trattorias; fresh, local, house-made food at a fair price.

The current location at Coors & Montaño had been vacant for awhile and the owner was desperate to find a tenant. Jeff liked the location, they made a deal and the renovations began. The rest is history.

Here are few photos from the first year. The Prix Fixe menu for our Anniversary Week follows.

8th Anniversary Week

Monday-Thursday, July 19th-22nd All Day Prix Fixe $29


1st Course -

Shaved Black Hoof Jamon Iberico, Piave Cheese, Onion Mostarda, House Bread

Paired with M’tucci’s Bianco

Vegetarian option available

2nd Course -

Sous Vide Sackett Farm Pork Chop with Colonatta Butter, Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Cider-Braised Baby Spinach, and Balsamic Reduction

-or-

M’tucci’s Traditional Eggplant Parmesan, Caprese Style with Marinated Tomato, Crumbled Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, Balsamic Reduction, and House Pasta


Paired with M'tucci's Dolcetto

3rd Course -

Banana Rosemary Cake, Caramel Semifreddo, Caramelized rice crispies

Paired with Bambuu Breeze

All week at all Locations:

$8 Calamari

$8 Full Sized Margherita Pizza

1/2 Price Family Charcuterie Boards (regularly $23)

Free 8-year commemorative glass with every Shrub purchased (While supplies last)

Gift Card Giveaway- $50 Gift card drawing every day on Facebook Live - winners are entered into a $100 giveaway at the end of the week.

Reservations Strongly Recommended

 

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Introducing Howie Kaibel, our new Minister of Culture

Known to many in the Albuquerque business community, Howie has been the Community Manager at Yelp for the past nine years. During that time, he has been a promoter for local businesses, working to create a strong community. He will continue to be a community builder, both within the M’tucci’s family and to Albuquerque.

“I am taking what Jeff sees as the core of this company and this family and communicating that to the general public.” he said.

M’tucci’s Catering

If you can conceive it, we can deliver it. M’tucci’s Catering can do everything from lunch in one of the private dining rooms at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno to some of the better venues around Albuquerque, such as Casa Rodeña and Gruet Winery. This week’s catering included a lunch at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five to honor some of New Mexico’s top student athlete/leaders. Former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver, Drew Pearson, was there to offer encouragement and to hand out awards. Last night’s Women of Influence were honored at Casa Rodeña and M’tucci’s Catering was there with appetizers and Charcuterie. For help with your event call Taña at 505-350-0019

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Barramundi - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $27

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Mai Tai: Pyrat Rum and Fresh Juices

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. Ribeye: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $27

Crispy Chicken Confit Risotto: Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Carrots & Celery, Carnaroli Rice $19

Weekend Cocktail

The Ambassador: Diplomatico Exclusiva Rum, Amaro Becherovka, House Cinnamon Syrup, Cherry Bitters

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Veal Porterhouse: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $37

Pan-Seared Fluke: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Porcini & Red Wine Braised Sackett Farm Pork Shank: Creamy Mascarpone Polenta, Sautéed Spinach, Crispy Fried Shallots $19

Gelato: Stracciatella

Sorbetto: White Peach Lemonade

Weekend Cocktail

Nothing But My Hat On: Sombra Mescal, Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liquor, Capaletti Aperitivo, Lime & Orange Juices

Live Music @ M’tucci’s Twenty-Five & M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays from 7:00-9:00 and Fridays from 8:00-10:00

7/22

RJ Perez @25

Lani Nash @ Moderno


7/23

RJ Perez @ Moderno


7/29

Cali Shaw @ 25

Kirk Matthews @ Moderno


7/30

Cali Shaw @ Moderno


8/5

Kirk matthews @ 25

Eryn Bent @ Moderno

8/6

RJ Perez @ Moderno


8/12

Cali Shaw @25

Kirk matthews @Moderno


8/13

Lani Nash @ Moderno


8/19

Lani Nash @ 25

Melissa Rios @ Moderno


8/20

Kick Matthews @ Moderno

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Festivals

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Italy has no shortage of food festivals and Saint’s days - all a great excuse to have a party and to eat well.

In the North, festivals celebrate everything from truffles to polenta to gnocchi. The Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo is held in Piedmont every October and November with truffle specialties in the restaurants, seminars on truffle hunting and truffle markets. The most well-known celebration is in Alba.

You can sample polenta pasticciata cooked in large copper kettles in Tossignano in Emila-Romagna on the last Tuesday of Carnival and sample gnocchi and pastissada sauce on the last Friday of Carnival in Verona. In Camogli, a seaside town east of Genoa, a community-wide fish fry using 12-foot frying pans is held on the main square on the second Sunday in May.

The Fiera Del Cacio is held on the first Sunday in September in Penza in Tuscany and features music, games, large wheels of pecorino and copious amounts of wine.

The Bravio delle Botti (barrel race)is held in Montepulciano in the last of August and is a competition between the eight districts of the town. The weeklong event culminates with a race where men roll large wine barrels up a hill in the historic center.

The Palio di Siena is held twice a year (the first one was last Friday) to celebrate the Madonna of Provenzano and the Assumption of Mary. The famous horse race began in 1633 and is held in the Piazza del Campo, with 10 horses and riders from 10 of Siena’s 17 neighborhoods (contrade). They race bareback for three laps around the square. Fours days of feasts surround the festival. The second race is August 16.

In the South, the Festa della Pasta di Gragano is held in early September in Gragnano, the town where the pasta industry began. The Gran Gala del Pesce Spada Bagnara celebrates the swordfish catch during early July with swordfish involtini (rolled and baked filets) served throughout the town. In late April, Sicily celebrates their ricotta and all the related products, especially cannoli in the town of Vizzini.

But, you don’t have to travel to Italy for cannoli, you can enjoy one every day at M’tucci’s Italian.

Pasta della Forma

Every Thursday through Sunday you can enjoy this special dish for two, only at M’tucci’s Italian. House made spaghettini is prepared table side in a wheel of Piave Vecchio, a cheese from the Veneto region near the Dolomite mountains. You have a choice of two toppings:

Mushroom Duxelle: Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine

Roasted Red Bell Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Pasta Della Forma: Minimum of two people, Prepared Table side $38 Chef’s Condiments Add $3

M’tucci’s Chef/partner Cory Gray explains the process to our guests.

M’tucci’s Chef/partner Cory Gray explains the process to our guests.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

16 oz Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Twilight Hour: Caravedo Pisco, Aperol, Sherry, Lime & Simple Syrup

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $27

Jumbo Shrimp Pasta: Patagonia Pink Shrimp, Shallots, Grape Tomatoes, Seafood Sauce and M’tucci’s House Made Spaghettini $19

Weekend Cocktail

Banana Hammock: Bacardi Rum, Fresh Juices and Blue Curacao

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Ribeye: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $32

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $21

Five Cheese Ravioli:Preserved Jalapeños with Mint and Smoked Sage Oil, Roasted Peppers, Artichokes, Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese Pomodoro Sauce $24

Weekend Cocktail

Royal Oak Celebration: Busker Irish Whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, Honey Lemon & Bubbles

Great Italian Sausage at Albertsons Markets and M’tucci’s Restaurants

Great Italian Sausage at Albertsons Markets and M’tucci’s Restaurants

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Let's Go To Italy!

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NOTE: All M’tucci’s locations are closed on the 4th.

It’s time to travel and I’m sure that some of you are ready - if not already making plans to travel. My wife and I, along with her parents, are planning our Italy trip for September. The plan is to visit Venice, Tuscany, Rome and Sicily. I would like to offer some tips and ideas to help you plan your own trip to Italy. I will also visit some bars in Rome for the new M’tucci’s Bar Roma, coming to Albuquerque’s Nob Hill neighborhood in December.

At the moment, Italy does not require a vaccination card from U.S. visitors. There are two paths to entry without having to quarantine. You must show a negative Covid test within 48 hours of departure and you must take a rapid Covid test upon arrival or show a vaccination card. Two negatives and you won’t be required to quarantine. The rules could be revised on July 31. Click here to see the rules from the Italian Ministry of Health.

Seats are filling up, so if you are thinking of traveling, don’t wait too long. The route through Atlanta on Delta is heavily booked. There are seats available and decent fares on American and Alitalia. I recommend booking through the airline’s site. In case anything goes wrong, or if there are delays, the airlines will be more helpful if you booked directly with them, rather than if you book your trip through Expedia or another travel site.

We have been using Air BnB, VRBO and Booking.com for accommodations. There is a great site for traveling from point A to point B, called Rome2Rio.com (it was much better before Expedia bought it). Plug in two destinations and the search results tell you how long it takes by train, plane, car or bus and the approximate cost for each mode of travel. Train travel in Italy is not as fast as pre-pandemic times, since the high-speed trains between cities are not running at the moment, probably due to low demand. As of now, the trip from Rome to Florence takes 3 hours and 40 minutes instead of an hour and a half on a Frecce train. Hopefully that will change by late September.

As always, walking, eating and il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) are the reasons for visiting Italy. In Venice there will be cicchetti, the Venetian version of tapas, found at bácari, the small wine bars found throughout Venice. Some of the popular small plates are: polpette (meatballs), fried zucchini flowers filled with baccala, cheese and fennel crostino and variations on local, fresh seafood. Locals move from place to place, sampling the small glasses of wine with their cicchetti, some for as little as 2 euros per glass. Small plates at M’tucci’s are inspired by cicchetti, such as Pizzeta, Shrimp Cocktail and Fried Artichokes.

In Tuscany we will be sure to have ragu and salami made from wild boar, young Tuscan pecorino, Chianina beef and lots of Brunello di Montalcino. Some of the specialities in Rome include the four kings of pasta; cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara and gricia, as well as fresh burrata, and lots of artichokes.

Our first trip to Sicily will concentrate on the Southeast coast of the island, taking in some historic Greek ruins, Baroque hill towns and lots of seafood. Some of Sicily’s specialties are: arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with ragu or cheese and available at all M’tucci’s), caponata (the sweet and sour eggplant appetizer and fresh sardines grilled or with pasta. The slopes of the active volcano, Mt. Etna, are producing some of Italy’s best wines and an amaro called Amara, made from blood oranges and herbs. So many new things to try!

I prefer using books as a reference for restaurants and sights, as opposed to TripAdvisor and all the other “review” sites. The opinions of seasoned travelers, writers and eaters like Matt Goulding, Elizabeth Minchilli and Frances Mayes are much more valuable to me than some unknown person with questionable taste and an opinion.

If you aren’t planning on venturing across the Atlantic, you can have the next best thing at M’tucci’s with bar seating, patios and, as always, the best chef-driven Italian cuisine possible.

M’tucci’s Bar Roma

Coming to the corner of Central and Wellesley sometime in December is our newest restaurant, which will concentrate of craft cocktails, small plates and Charcuterie. We are beginning the process of renovation, and recently had the site cleansed of any bad juju and negative vibes. Bar Rome will be a new and vibrant addition to Nob Hill. Follow the Bar Roma page on Facebook for updates. Click here to follow.

M’tucci’s Artisanal Italian Sausage

Now in New Mexico Albertsons Markets in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos. Sourced from our farm partners, Sackett Farm, it’s made with red wine and spices (and costs less than the national mass produced brands). Cory has created another recipe for using the sausage. You’ll love the Spicy Marinara & Sausage Pasta. Check out the video below and follow Cory’s instructions.

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M’tucci’s YouTube Channel

There are more than 80 videos on our channel demonstrating cooking techniques and cocktail recipes. Click here to go to the channel. You can subscribe for free so you will be notified when a new video is added.

Weekend Specials

NOTE: All M’tucci’s locations are closed on the 4th.

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand-Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $34

Pan-Seared Sand Dabs - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $21

Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: Spring Peas, Caramelized Onion, Tomato, Garlic, Morcilla, Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Bell Cream Sauce $23

Pasta Della Forma

House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer-Battered Herbed Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Aioli Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Italian Sangria

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

10 oz. Hand-Cut NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Rockfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $21

Braised Beef Short Ribs: Mascarpone Cream Polenta, Sautéed Spinach, Red Wine Tomato Sauce $24

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Hand-Cut NY Strip: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $27

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Amaro Glazed Beef Tips: Roasted Tomato Polenta, Sautéed Gralic & Greens, Walnot Gorgonzola Scallion Gremolata $21

Weekend Cocktail

Fit for a King: : Copper & King Bourbon Barrel-Aged Apple Brandy, Cardamaro, Schonhauer Apfel Liqueur, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Bitterman’s Tiki Bitters

Live Music at M’tucci’s

M’tucci’s Moderno

7/2Lani Nash

7/8 Melissa Rios

7/9 RJ Perez


M’tucci’s Twenty Five

7/1Lani Nash

7/8 Kirk Matthews

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Cocktail Culture

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There have been so many food-related stories at M’tucci’s in the past few months, we have neglected to talk about our cocktail & beverage program, which complements our chef-driven kitchens and completes the culture that is M’tucci’s.

That culture was created by Partner Austin Leard when M’tucci’s Italian first opened eight years ago. Austin brought a commitment to quality, a dedication to consistency and the talent to innovate. Qualities that are as important to M’tucci’s identity as is our exceptional food. In addition, he has recruited and trained a group of bartenders who are given the freedom to create weekly cocktail specials, which often become permanent fixtures on the menus at all three locations. Let’s look at a few of the mainstays of our program: M’tucci’s Shrubs, M’tucci’s Private Label Wines, M’tucci’s Private Select Maker’s Mark, and our dedication to Italian aperitivi and digestivi.

But, first, a gallery of some of the creative cocktails created by our team at all three locations during the past few months:

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

M’tucci’s Moderno

M’tucci’s Italian

Soon after joining M’tucci’s, Austin started one of our most successful projects: M’tucci’s Shrubs. Our guests are big fans of the cocktails made with M’tucci’s Shrubs. Shrubs are a sharp, tangy infusion of fruit, vinegar and sugar. They can be traced back to American colonial days, though regions across the globe, from the Middle East to Asia, have offered their own unique interpretations. The American version of the shrub dates back to 17th century England where vinegar was used as an alternative to citrus juices to preserve berries and other fruits.

M’tucci’s Private Select Makers Mark

In the summer of 2019, M’tucci’s partners Chris O’Sickey and Austin traveled to Kentucky to create M’tucci’s own special profile bourbon. At Maker’s Mark a 53-gallon barrel was filled with cask strength Maker’s Mark and select staves of different types of oak. It then aged for another 9 weeks in a cold limestone cave. After the aging was completed, our bourbon was  bottled in unique Private Select bottles. M’tucci’s Private Select Maker’s Mark is the signature spirit for our unique Old Fashioned cocktail.

Great spirits and ingredients are important, but the people behind the bar are most important. Today, meet two of them.

Arcy Law, Bar Manager at M’tucci’s Italian

Arcy got his start in bartending right after turning 21. It was at M'tucci's Moderno where, “I found the passion for bartending thanks to Austin Leard,” he said.

“I think our cocktail program is one of the best in the city because we focus on balance and execution. We aren't here to sling drinks, instead we provide a mesmerizing experience that keeps our guests coming back.”

“It's very hard for me to narrow down what my favorite spirit is, but I drink more whisky than anything else. However, I'm always switching to new cocktails each month. If I had to put my finger on the one cocktail I love to make, it would be one we create, bringing new flavors that surprise our guests. One of those examples is the Sangria we are featuring this weekend. It is based on a recipe that a good friend of mine brought back from France that dates back to the early 1900's. We create a base by mixing citrus peels, white wine, fruit, honey, and other spices and marinate them overnight. The cocktail is made fresh to order by adding other spirits and red wine. It is truly a unique cocktail.”

Matt McMillian, Bar Manager at M’tucci’s Moderno

Matt has worked in restaurants since he was 16. He got excited about bartending/cocktail culture at a restaurant that is no longer open.

He said, “M’tucci’s cocktail program is successful because it’s guest focused. We’re here so our guests have the best experience possible. The freedom to create something special for the guest is pretty cool and keeps our jobs interesting.”

When he is not working, he loves bourbon, and tiki cocktails. “You just can’t beat a well made Mojito, Caipirinha or Mai Tai - perfect for a summer afternoon.”

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

16 oz Hand-Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $32

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $29

Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: M’tucci’s Cotto Ham, Spring Peas, Caramelized Onion, Sun-Dried Tomato, Lemon Cream Sauce $23

Pasta Della Forma

House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer-Battered Herbed Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Aioli Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

10 oz. Hand-Cut NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $34

Sackett Farm Pork Piccata: Arugula, Tomatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce $19

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Hand-Cut NY Strip: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $26

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Black Mussels, Spicy Nduja White Wine Brodo, M’tucci’s Bacon, Gigante Beans, Marinated Tomato, Roasted Red Onions, Garlic and Green Olive Tapenade $27

Gelato: Chocolate Hazelnut

Sorbetto: Blood Orange

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur

IT’S HERE!!

corysausage.001.jpg

Now in Albertsons Markets in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos. Old World Artisanal Italian Sausage from M’tucci’s. It’s made with spices and red wine, and is sourced from a single family farm. ONLY $5.49 per pound. Better quality for a lower price than the large mass-produced brands.

Live Music at M’tucci’s

M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will resume live music on Thursday, June 17 with your favorite local musicians. See the Events listing on our Facebook pages. Thursday performances are 7:00-9:00 and Friday performances are 8:00 - 10:00.

M’tucci’s Moderno

6/25 Kirk Matthews

7/1 Kirk Matthews

7/2Lani Nash

7/8 Melissa Rios

7/9 RJ Perez


M’tucci’s Twenty Five

7/1Lani Nash

7/8 Kirk Matthews

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Bar Roma - Coming to Nob Hill

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The fourth location for M’tucci’s Restaurants will open in an historic building on Central Avenue in Nob Hill sometime in December. M’tucci’s Bar Roma will occupy the space formerly held by Kelley’s Brew Pub on Central & Wellesley. The building was the original home of Jones Motor Company, a Ford dealership and Texaco gas station which opened in November 1939. By this time, Central Avenue was designated as Historic Route 66 and attracted westbound travelers. But, Central was not always Route 66.

Designed as a route from Chicago to Los Angeles, the highway was designated as Route 66 in 1926 and has always run through Albuquerque (even though the city is not mentioned in the popular song). Long before the creation of the interstate highway system, the two-lane road was responsible for many mom-and-pop businesses in sleepy rural areas such as motels, cafes and gas stations. It was not completely paved until 1938.

The pre-1937 Route 66 route ran from Santa Rosa and then northwest to Santa Fe and then southwest to Albuquerque (along 4th Street) and Los Lunas before turning west. The realignment of the highway occurred in 1937, when a straight-line route was completed from west of Santa Rosa through Moriarty and east–west through Albuquerque and west to Laguna. This newer routing saved travelers as much as four hours of travel through New Mexico. Thus, Central Avenue became Route 66.

In the early days before Albuquerque was a settlement, Central Avenue was a popular trading route, leading to an easy crossing of the Rio Grande. It became a wagon road built by the U.S. Army in 1858, then a mule-drawn street car was built around 1880 and the street was named Railroad Avenue. The city changed the name to Central Avenue in 1907 to reflect the prominence of the street.

M’tucci’s is beginning an extensive remodel of the interior and patio spaces. Historic building fans will be relieved to know that there is no intention to change the original look of the exterior, so the “Service” and “Lubrication” signs will remain.

M’tucci’s Bar Roma will feature drinks and small plates, such as you might find in a typical neighborhood bar in Rome. Guests will find the same chef-driven food that is the cornerstone of all M’tucci’s locations, where we make everything from scratch and source the best ingredients locally and from Italy. There will be some new items, as well as some of the M’tucci’s favorites like Charcuterie: house cured meats and hand-made fresh cheese.

Some of my favorite Roman bar snacks include burrata, prosciutto, grilled or fried artichokes, pizzeta and young, raw fennel, sliced and dipped in extra virgin olive oil.

See you in December!

Join Us! We are Hiring!

The new location will need a staff of nearly 75 people for M’tucci’s Bar Roma. We are hiring for all positions in the kitchen, servers, bartenders and management. Join a happy team! Click here for our online application.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand-Cut Bone-In Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Sweet Potato Puree, Broccolini, Sweet Pea and Duck Prosciutto Succotash $23

Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: M’tucci’s Cotto Ham, Spring Peas, Caramelized Onion, Sun-Dried Tomato, Lemon Cream Sauce $23

Pasta Della Forma

House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer-Battered Herbed Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Aioli Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

10 oz. Black Angus Flank Steak: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Fresh Atlantic Sea Scallops: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $31

Shrimp Scampi: Pink Patagonian Shrimp, Grape Tomatoes, Asparagus, Lemon Bercy Sauce and M’tucci’s House Made Spaghettini $19

Weekend Cocktail

Desert Dream: Absolut Vanilia, Triple Sec, House Limoncello, Orange Bitters, Aperol and House Made Whipped Cream


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

16 oz. Veal Porterhouse: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $36

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Cajun Beef Tip Five Cheese Tortelloni: Seared Beef Tips, Red Onion, Porcini Mushroom Sauce Garnished with Feta & Parsley $22

Gelato: Goldbar

Sorbetto: Raspberry Lemon

Weekend Cocktail

Aperol Bergamot Spritz: Mionetto Prosecco, Aperol, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur

Live Music Returns!!

M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will resume live music on Thursday, June 17 with your favorite local musicians. See the Events listing on our Facebook pages. Thursday performances are 7:00-9:00 and Friday performances are 8:00 - 10:00.

RJ Perez

RJ Perez

M’tucci’s Moderno

Kirk Matthews

Kirk Matthews

6/18 RJ Perez

6/24 Eryn Bent

6/25 Kirk Matthews

7/1 Kirk Matthews

7/2Lani Nash

7/8 Melissa Rios

7/9 RJ Perez



M’tucci’s Twenty Five

6/24 Kirk Matthews

7/1Lani Nash

7/8 Kirk Matthews

M’tucci’s Italian Sausage comes to Albertsons Market Next Week!

We apologize for the slight delay, due to a technical error with the UPC code. We know many of you have been asking about it and it should be stocked in stores on Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

The Many Shapes of Pasta

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Charles de Gaulle, former WWII General and President of France, famously delcared “How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?” There is no record of Mussolini (or any other Italian leader) exclaiming: how does one govern a country with more than 350 shapes of pasta!

The earliest shapes of pasta, found in reports from the 13th century, were macaroni, ravioli, gnocchi and vermicelli. Specific shapes were created for specific uses such as oil-based sauces, cream sauces, meat sauces and soups. There is long pasta, short pasta, tubular pasta, pasta for stuffing and creatively-shaped pasta. Here are a few shapes that are always in my pantry (clockwise from left): penne, linguine, ziti & fettuccine, (top to bottom in the center) strozzapreti, orecchiette and casarecce.

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Some of the names of pasta are easily translatable and some have stories behind the names. Here are some popular shapes with their Italian meanings:

Bucatini: little holes - the traditional pasta for all’ Amatriciana

Campanelle: little bells

Casarecce: From 'casereccio', meaning 'homemade'

Conchiglie: shells

Farfelle: butterflies

Fettuccine: little ribbons - forever connected to Alfredo

Gemelli: twins

Linguine: little tongues

Orecchiette: little ears - popular in Puglia where it is handmade and served with sausage and rapini

Penne: pens

Ravioli: possibly from 'rapa', meaning 'turnip', which was one of the original stuffings

Spaghetti: little twine

Strozzapreti: priest stranglers or priest chokers (more about this below)

Tortellini: small little pies

Ziti: from 'zito', meaning 'bridegroom' and is typically served at weddings

My favorite name is strozzapreti, which means priest strangler or priest choker. Several stories surround the origin of this name. The pasta was typical in Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria where anti-clerical sentiment was strong. Some said the name referred to the gluttonous ways of the clergy, who liked this pasta so much that they ate it so fast they would choke.

At M’tucci’s we use both fresh pasta that we make daily and dried pasta imported from Italy. We make ravioli, fettuccine, rigatoni, pappardelle, spaghettini, gnocchi and campanelle. Our dried pasta is tortelloni and fussiloni.

Despite the shape, or if the pasta is fresh or dried, there are a few simple things to remember when purchasing and cooking the pasta. Both types should be made with a rough bronze die (which produces a pasta with a rough surface that holds the sauce better) and it should be air-dried. I never buy fresh pasta, since I never know if it’s really fresh - I prefer to eat my fresh pasta at M’tucci’s. You can find good quality dried Italian pasta at Whole Foods, Keller’s Markets and Tully’s Market. Most grocery stores carry DeCecco. Although it is mass-produced, it is a good quality pasta. I think the Whole Foods brand is very good and very reasonably priced for organic pasta.

The main points for cooking (tips from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and from Chef Cory Gray):

  1. Lots of water, at least 3 quarts and add another quart for every half pound.

  2. Salt the water with sea salt, so it tastes like the ocean. The water is boiling when you add the salt, so don’t taste it, but add at least 1.5 T for every pound of pasta when the water boils.

  3. Never put oil in the boiling water

  4. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce immediately

“I really prefer rigatoni for Bolognese sauces, the pasta has a cavity to hold the rich, thick sauce. I also love ravioli since it is a vessel that can hold anything of you can imagine and then you can create a lovely sauce to accompany it,” said Chef/Partner Cory Gray.

Here is our hard-working Italian pasta machine, turning out fresh pappardelle and campanelle.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Ono - Sweet Potato Puree, Broccolini, Sweet Pea and Duck Prosciutto Succotash $27

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Butterfly Effect: Hapenny Gin, Fresh Grapefruit & Lemon Juice, Vanilla Simple and Butterfly Pea Flower Ice Cubes - Watch it Change Colors!!

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

10 oz. Flank Steak: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $25

Shrimp & Goat Cheese Pasta: Pink Shrimp, Spicy Pepper Goat Cheese Suace, Hazelnuts and M’tucci’s House Made Spaghettini $19

Weekend Cocktail

Smoke & Mirrors: Vida Mezcal, Bigallet China China, Carpano Antica, Amaro Bilaro, Grapefruit Bitters


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

24 oz. Porterhouse: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $38

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Porcini Mushroom Risotto: Seared Beef Medallions, Sautéed Mushrooms with Kale and Balsamic Reduction $21

Gelato: Strawberry

Sorbetto: House Limoncello/Cherry

Weekend Cocktail

The Army Navy Cocktail: Empress 1908 Gin, Orgeat Syrup and Fresh Lemon Juice


Pasta Della Forma - only at M’tucci’s Italian and only on Friday, Saturday & Sunday

A popular restaurant pasta preparation in Italy and in California is now in Albuquerque - only at M’tucci’s Italian. Pasta Della Forma (from formaggio which is Italian for cheese) is finished table side in a cheese wheel. We use Fresh House Spaghettini and Piave Vecchio, a cheese from the Veneto region near the Dolomite mountains. You have a choice of two toppings:

Mushroom Duxelle: Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine

Roasted Red Bell Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Pasta Della Forma: Minimum of two people, Prepared Table side $38 Chef’s Condiments Add $3

I recommend a healthy grinding of fresh pepper. A short video shows how it’s done.

M’tucci’s Hosts Fundraising Day to Benefit Road Rage Survivor

19-year old Christina Luchetti was the victim of road rage in March, leaving her paralyzed and facing tremendous medical bills and costs to make her home handicapped-accessible. When we heard about her situation, we immediately reached out to the family and offered to host a fundraising day. We will donate 20% of sales at all three restaurants on June 14. Their goal is to raise $30,000 for the family. 

“At M’tucci’s we’re a family, and we consider our community our extended family,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “When Christina’s situation was brought to our attention, we knew we wanted to help in any way possible. We encourage everyone to come out to any of our restaurants on June 14 in support of Christina and to give as they are able.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Christina.  In addition to their fundraiser, M’tucci’s is challenging other area businesses to join in to support Christina.

“Albuquerque is a community with a big heart, and we’re honored to call it home,” added Haas. “We invite you to join us in showing that love and generosity to one of our own.” 

To make a reservation for June 14 or to place an online order, visit https://www.mtuccis.com. 

Live Music Returns!!

M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will resume live music on Thursday, June 17 with your favorite local musicians. See the Events listing on our Facebook pages. Thursday performances are 7:00-9:00 and Friday performances are 8:00 - 10:00.

M’tucci’s Moderno

6/17 Kirk Matthews

6/18 RJ Perez

6/24 Eryn Bent

6/25 Kirk Matthews

7/1 Kirk Matthews

7/2Lani Nash

7/8 Melissa Rios

7/9 RJ Perez



M’tucci’s Twenty Five

6/17 Melissa Rios

6/24 Kirk Matthews

7/1Lani Nash

7/8 Kirk Matthews

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Spring Vegetables

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Just before we officially enter summer, the markets and restaurants are featuring a lot of spring vegetables. The Mediterranean climate in Italy provides markets throughout the country with spring vegetables during almost every month of the year. However, certain vegetables are celebrated as spring vegetables in Italy: artichokes, asparagus and zucchini or squash blossoms - all popular vegetables at M’tucci’s.

Artichokes are a member of the thistle family and were most certainly developed into an edible food in Italy, rather than being imported from another region. Vegetable vendors in large markets throughout the country perform springtime artichoke-cleaning demonstrations, showing how to use a sharp, slim paring knife to trim the leaves, rub the exposed parts with lemon, and drop the finished choke into a barrel of acidulated water.

If you aren’t located near a large Italian market, probably the best source of paring techniques are Marcella Hazan’s excellent book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Alfred A. Knopf, 1993). There are illustrations in that book showing how to pare and core an artichoke for steaming, or stuffing and baking.

Italy is the largest producer and consumer of artichokes, growing hundreds of different varieties. Probably the most notable variety (nearly impossible to find in the U.S.), is the Roman Violet artichoke. In the spring, the artichokes are trimmed and bathed in olive oil and roasted in the dry wood pruned from grapevines. Other popular preparations include carciofi a spicchi (sliced and braised in olive oil, garlic and parsley) and vignarola (green onions, artichokes, fava beans, peas and beet greens).

M’tucci’s imports trimmed artichoke hearts from Italy and uses them in appetizers at M’tucci’s Italian and as a grilled side dish with weekend specials at all of our restaurants.

Purple, White & Green Asparagus arrive in Spring markets throughout Italy. They likely originated in Mesopotamia, but grow wild in the Mediterranean countries. Italian folklore claimed that when asparagus was dried and worn in a pouch or brewed as a tea it was an effective birth control method. While asparagus is cultivated in Italy and much of the world, the wild variety is known to be the most flavorful and the most nutritious. If you drive through Southern Colorado in early summer, look along fence rows where there is an irrigation ditch and you just might harvest some wild asparagus.

Italians often boil asparagus in pasta water, eating it dressed with olive oil or butter. It works very well in eggs dishes like a fritatta (a flat, Italian omelet) or carbonara. At M’tucci’s we like to grill it and serve it with steaks or use the spears in risotto.

Zucchini is available year-round in Italy, but the best zucchini is found in the spring and summer. The prized blossoms from squash or zucchini are most common during those seasons. Plants produce both male and female flowers, with the female flowers producing the actual squash. Male flowers are usually picked in the evening when they are closed and then soaked to regain their crispness. The vegetable is used in soups, stews and salads. The flowers are usually fried or used in soups, risotto or frittatas.

At M’tucci’s Chef/Partner Cory Gray likes to pickle the vegetable. At the moment, he has been able to get fresh flowers, which he stuffs with herbed ricotta cheese, dips them in beer batter and fries them. They are served with caper oil and pickled zucchini. Scroll down to see a video demonstrating the pickling process.

Pasta Della Forma - only at M’tucci’s Italian

Only on Friday, Saturday & Sunday

A popular restaurant pasta preparation in Italy and in California is now in Albuquerque - only at M’tucci’s Italian. Pasta Della Forma (from formaggio which is Italian for cheese) is finished table side in a cheese wheel. We use Fresh House Spaghettini and Piave Vecchio, a cheese from the Veneto region near the Dolomite mountains. You have a choice of two toppings:

Mushroom Duxelle: Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine

Roasted Red Bell Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Pasta Della Forma: Minimum of two people, Prepared Table side $38 Chef’s Condiments Add $3

I recommend a healthy grinding of fresh pepper. A short video shows how it’s done.

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Rib Eye: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $36

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout - Sweet Potato Puree, Broccolini, Sweet Pea and Duck Prosciutto Succotash $29

Crab & Cream Cheese Ravioli: Sautéed Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onions, Roasted Red Peppers, Shrimp and M’tucci’s Pancetta $23

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Berry Creek: Knob Creek Rye, Lemon Juice, Muddled Strawberry, Simple Syrup, Ginger Beer Float

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. Black Angus NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $25

Frutti di Mare: Pink Shrimp, Baby Scallops, Baby Clams, Mussels, Spicy Marinara and M’tucci’s House Made Fettucine $19

Weekend Cocktail

Banana Hammock: Lt. Bacardi Rum, Giffard Banane du Bresil, Strawberry Shrub, Pineapple & Lime Juice, Blue Curaçao Float

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

7 oz. Petite Filet: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $23

Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Blackened Salmon: M’tucci’s Prosciutto Cotto, Roasted Corn, Red Peppers, Citrus Dressed Kale & Escarole, Garnished with Lemon Zest and Olive Oil $19

Weekend Cocktails

Sicilian Sunrise: China China Amaro, Apfel, Peach Vodka, Lemon and Simple Syrup

Sicilian Sunset: China China Amaro, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Orange Bitters, Honey Simple Syrup

Gelato: Raspberry

Sorbetto: House Limoncello/Cherry

Tell ABQ - Taste of Summer

A new radio program that features local restaurants and is hosted by Jade and Ashley featured M’tucci’s Twenty-Five Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin as a guest last Tuesday, June 1 at 12:30. To listen to the live hour-long interview and to hear the hosts review of a recent visit to M’tucci’s Twenty-Five go to the App store for Apple or Android and download the Tell ABQ app. It was an interesting 30-minute conversation ranging from Shrubs to Italian style of eating, knife skills and Amaro. You can follow Ashley on Instagram ashleybuff≥ington_

Jade is on Instagram @shorter_in_person

You can follow Tell ABQ @tell_abq

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!