Mama Leone's

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
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They closed years ago after having their property sold out from under them, they swore to reopen in a new location, but never did. I found a story online about them re-opening, but it was from 1988, and it never happened according to the new york times. It always sucks when an old restaurant that's been around for decades closes down.
 
They closed years ago after having their property sold out from under them, they swore to reopen in a new location, but never did. I found a story online about them re-opening, but it was from 1988, and it never happened according to the new york times. It always sucks when an old restaurant that's been around for decades closes down.

thanks for the information. It is sad to see a good restaurant gone. :(
 
I do have a cookbook of her recipes, compiled by her son (grandson...don't remember which). She frequently used salt pork, something I don't see in a lot of Italian recipes. She also used cranberry beans in minestrone. I've never seen them in the market. Are any of you all familiar with them?
 
66 is right.

mamma leone's hasn't really been mamma's since 1959, but it was still in the same spot in the theater district on 48th until 1988, under corp management.

then it moved, i think to 44th, before it closed in 1994.

i had eaten there a few times, in both locations. it was just average, imo, by today's standards.

but then i grew up with several italian friends whose parents were immigrants form italy, so real italian (american :chef:) food was something that i was used to. no ketchup and overcooked noodles here.


connie, cranberry beans are easily found in farmers markets around here. they are pretty cool looking, with bloches of red, mauve, and beige.

here's picture:


102405h.jpg
 
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The look like the Horticultural Beans that people grow here.

Like you, BT, I've grown up eating real Italian food. Unfortunately, most of the ladies who cooked it have passed on, and not many of their daughters and grandaughters have bothered to learn the old ways of cooking.
 
The look like the Horticultural Beans that people grow here.

Like you, BT, I've grown up eating real Italian food. Unfortunately, most of the ladies who cooked it have passed on, and not many of their daughters and grandaughters have bothered to learn the old ways of cooking.

I grew up eating Italian food, both parents and both sets of grandparents were Italian, from Italy. How I wish they had saved recipes. Some I remember but some were more complicated. I remember my great grandmother cooking cauliflour , but I don't know how she did it, I was too young then to be interested in cooking .
 
ladycooks, i constantly tell my youger friends to go to their grandparents NOW and get them to approximate recipes and learn techniques, and all of the other familial stuff that can be lost to time.

i've even done it with my friends' parents. you woouldn't believe how it endears you to them. lol, i was always the favourite friend, especially for dinner.
and i've gotten co-workers to ask their wives and grandparents to ask about recipes. the best one i have is for meatballs.

it was explained to me, by a co-workers grandmother, that you do everything simple, and you do everything in trees. :huh: (actually, that's 3's in queens)

that you take a pound of meat, add 1 to 2 eggs (depending on the size. i know, it's not a three, but i wasn't gonna argue with a little old italian lady ;)), then eyeing the volume, you add 1/3rd in volume in breadcrumbs, 1/3rd in grated parmigiano reggiano, and just under a third in dried parsley. ya see, trees, capeesh?

i still use this method today. :chef:
 
ladycooks, i constantly tell my youger friends to go to their grandparents NOW and get them to approximate recipes and learn techniques, and all of the other familial stuff that can be lost to time.

i've even done it with my friends' parents. you woouldn't believe how it endears you to them. lol, i was always the favourite friend, especially for dinner.
and i've gotten co-workers to ask their wives and grandparents to ask about recipes. the best one i have is for meatballs.

it was explained to me, by a co-workers grandmother, that you do everything simple, and you do everything in trees. :huh: (actually, that's 3's in queens)

that you take a pound of meat, add 1 to 2 eggs (depending on the size. i know, it's not a three, but i wasn't gonna argue with a little old italian lady ;)), then eyeing the volume, you add 1/3rd in volume in breadcrumbs, 1/3rd in grated parmigiano reggiano, and just under a third in dried parsley. ya see, trees, capeesh?

I've emailed my Aunt about family recipes, I am hoping she has some . I don't know of any friends with Italian relatives.
 
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