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The Tuscan Gun
Gabriele Corcos and wife Debi Mazar, of Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin, recently opened The Tuscan Gun in a sleepy stretch of Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn. It’s dangerously close to my apartment, which explains why I’ve been there four times in three weeks.
Really their signature Porchetta Panini, slow cooked pork served on focaccia with arugula and roasted peppers, keeps me coming back. It’s so easy to eat while walking those sunny tree-lined streets around the neighborhood – a good few blocks from the bustle.
It’s a tasty and concise menu including some breakfasty stuff like yogurt, scones, and muffins, and for lunch a few pastas, salads and a soup. They’ve also got a serious coffee bar.
They’re not trying to boil the ocean here, they’re doing a few dishes exceptionally well. I dug the Sugo di Porchetta pasta cooked with pork renderings and an IPA, and served with rosemary, sage, and pecorino. Tell me that ain’t pretty.
If you drink iced-coffee, you don’t need me to tell you that most isn’t worth drinking. We know it’s bad, we drink it anyway because deep down inside we don’t think we deserve better. Treat yourself to the real deal once in a while. The Cold Brew Ice-Coffee at The Tuscan Gun is among the best I’ve had in Brooklyn or beyond. Get it as they suggest, with a little cream and sugar. Grab a nice Anise & Coffee Shortbread or an Orange Olive Oil Muffin and life is good.
There’s no set dinner-hours, but they do host events, cooking classes and restaurant pop-ups some evenings.
Another plus in the Brooklyn column. Maybe we do deserve it.
Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, I’ve posted the same pic of me in the hospital during my temporary and untimely demise in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to “normal”, I asked Eric “Why’d you take the pics?” And he said, “I knew you would want to write about it if you lived.” Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.
You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6’4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her “Yo, is that dude bothering you?” She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.
Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like “Why are the other consultants making more money than you?” I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that “You need to hire Alfred!”, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, “What if you didn’t have health insurance when this happened?” I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.
My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor “Well I’m not going anywhere.” She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says “Well I’m not going anywhere either!” That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.
Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.
From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a “Enrique Pollazo!” And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!
Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.
Rest in Peace Eric. “Be Good.”
I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on writing your first book, presented by the Harlem chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Alongside Jim St. Germain, Author – A Stone of Hope: A Memoir and Dr. Keneshia Nicole Grant, Author – The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black Voters and the Realignment of American Politics in the 20th Century. We opined on pain points, benefits and strategies regarding our inaugural voyages into authorship. Feel free to watch for your self and I hope this provides some insight to all those looking to make the same voyage. Enjoy!
