Latest news with #Daniele
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
To discover real Roman food, head to the neighbourhoods
During a recent dinner at a modern Roman trattoria way out in the city sticks, I bonded with strangers at the next table, discovered a new wine, had a pasta epiphany — and smiled at the bill: Just over US$100 (S$128) for two, vino included. I love Rome as much as the next Bernini-besotted visitor. But to find the platonic ideal of pasta Amatriciana or trippa alla Romana, I had to leave behind the Centro Storico's cobblestoned piazzas, where faux-Felliniesque tourist mills dish out reheated carbonara to throngs. Instead, my partner and I spent our two weeks in Rome taking the metro and buses to neighbourhoods where affordable rents allow creative young chefs to nurture their talents — and their customers' appetites — and where a convivial spirit still thrives. The vibes often recalled Brooklyn or Berlin. But the cooking was rooted in the Roman vernacular, with its guanciale-powered pastas, seasonal vegetables and quinto quarto (aka offal). 'Young local chefs haven't abandoned Roman tradition,' said Marco Bolasco, author of an indispensable new restaurant guide, Roma Food Tour. 'But they're reinterpreting the city's cuisine with incredible ingredients from the surrounding countryside.' And because of the cost factor, he added, the action was all happening away from the city centre. The six places below serve up the delicious proof — but make sure to book in advance. CENTOCELLE Menabo Vino e Cucina I'm still daydreaming about the ravioli at Menabo Vino e Cucina, silky pouches filled with coratella (lamb innards) topped with a green shock of favas, peas and asparagus and pushed into the stratosphere by a haunting sauce of 'smoked milk.' That pasta alone was worth a 40-minute metro trek east of the city centre to the formerly working class neighbourhood of Centocelle. The Camponeschi brothers (Paolo cooks; Daniele is the wine curator and front of the house) opened Menabo seven years ago — attracted, Daniele explains, by Centocelle's multicultural vibe and community spirit. At their next-gen neighbourhood trattoria, bright blue walls and shelves of wine bottles set the scene for Paolo's big brawny flavours with interesting twists. Another transporting pasta was a lovely play of the forest and the sea — fusillotti spirals in a tomatoey sauce with dusky cardoncelli wild mushrooms and a salty jolt of anchovies. Among the terrific secondi were crusty fried lamb riblets brightened with sour cherries and bitter wild greens, and seared amberjack in a complex coconut bisque prepared by the Bangladeshi sous chef Shahin Toufikur. The 300-label wine list has a formidable Champagne selection along with quirky surprises from tiny producers. Via delle Palme 44 D/E, Centocelle; pastas from €14, or about US$16.50; entrees from €16, or about US$18.75. SAN LORENZO Mazzo Centocelle was also the neighbourhood where chefs Francesca Barreca and Marco Baccanelli opened their cult 12-seat Mazzo back in 2013. After a four-year closure, they have resurfaced in San Lorenzo, the graffitied bohemian enclave just east of Termini station. Now their fans are polishing off trippa alla Romana — normally stewed, but here transformed into a pile of crisp-fried chewy tripe strips atop a vibrant tomato sauce — in a space that once housed a bakery, with a giant porthole framing the kitchen and a DJ station showcasing the owners' collection of vinyl. Occupying a sweet spot between creative and comforting, the super-short menu has a few Roman classics but also reflects the cosmopolitan taste of its worldly chef-owners. Our sublime dish of roasted lettuce with the tang of lime and a thin veil of tahini was a welcome break from the city's offal-intensive cucina. Among other highlights were garlicky fettuccine threaded with slippery nuggets of salt cod and sun-dried peppers from Basilicata; and ruote pazze ('crazy pinwheels') in a soulful ragu of Sardinian sausage shot through with wild fennel. After the chewy fire-kissed pork neck steak with glazed roasted turnips, a cloud of lemon curd brulee made an ethereal finish. Via degli Equi 62, San Lorenzo; pastas from €16; entrees from €22. GARBATELLA Trecca-Roma Is a bowl of pasta Amatriciana worth taking one bus, then waiting 20 minutes at a deserted stop in the darkness for a second bus to arrive, and when it never does, frantically calling a taxi? We pondered the question squeezed around a marble table at Trecca-Roma. Located in the southern Garbatella neighbourhood, some four miles from the centre, Trecca is both rootsy and trendy, with a menu of classic pastas and offal delivered by tattooed servers eager to tell you about the biodynamic olive oil. The Instagrammable vibes and the cucina di nonna updated with exalted ingredients come courtesy of brothers Manuel and Nicolo Trecastelli, who own a couple of popular pizzerie in town and know exactly what Rome's cool kids are craving. My personal craving for tongue was fulfilled by seared slices of lingua in a sharp salsa verde. At an adjacent table a pair of veteran gourmands pronounced their coda (a rich stew of Fassona beef oxtails) the best in the city. Our own meal involved a majestic whole roasted artichoke in a puddle of that beautiful olive oil, hand-torn fettuccine sauced with chicken livers and oodles of butter, and a sizzling skewer of pajata (suckling-calf intestines). And the pasta Amatriciana? I'd happily walk here for that voluptuous sauce of Lazio-grown Marasca tomatoes, enriched by the unconventional addition of onions and laced with smoky guanciale. Via Alessandro Severo 220, Garbatella; pastas and entrees from €15. FLAMINIO Enoteca Mosto and Avenida Calo Getting to Quartiere Flaminio, north of the centre, doesn't require any commuting heroics. After a short creaky tram ride from Piazza del Popolo, we were sniffing white peach notes in a glass of quirky Slovenian white at the lovable oenophile hangout, Enoteca Mosto, before a pizza adventure at Avenida Calo. Mosto's bearded, burly patrone, Ciro Borriello, is a natural wine geek always ready to recommend the perfect bottle from his ever-changing selection of some 450 labels. 'Wine list? I am the wine list!' he boomed cheerfully, pouring glasses of cloudy, bottle-fermented prosecco to accompany plates of beer-cured pecorino from Lazio, finocchiona sausage from Tuscan black pigs, and a gorgeous puntarelle salad with almonds and figs. Just up the street, the stylish Avenida Calo was launched last year by Francesco Calo, who made a splash with his pizzeria in Vienna before joining the ranks of Rome's new wave pizza auteurs. His distinctive slow-leavened crust — made with a blend of flours and intriguingly nutty from a high percentage of bran — is offered with two dozen toppings, from classic to creative to outre. To sample a few, order the tasting menu, a parade of dainty spicchi (wedges) presented on hand-shaped porcelain pedestals. One called Bufalina 2.0 showcased sun-sweet tomatoes and wisps of fried basil beneath a cloud of buffalo mozzarella foam, all atop Calo's special 'double crunch' crust — fried then baked, and reserved for certain pizzas. There was also a verdant composition of broccoli rabe deconstructed into three textures from creamy to crispy and mingling with two cheeses and sausage. As for the topping of amberjack carpaccio, Hokkaido pumpkin and bonito flakes, it confirmed my suspicion: everything tastes better on a pizza. Avenida Calo: Viale Pinturicchio 40, Flaminio; pizzas from €9 to 22; tasting menu €55. PRATI Gabrini Can't get into Roscioli, the legendary deli-slash-restaurant besieged by tourists these days? Head to Gabrini in Prati, the residential district near the Vatican, for similar pleasures, this time surrounded by actual Romans. Gabrini's co-owner Camilla Castroni comes from the family behind Castroni, a historic specialty food chain. Last year, she and her partners transformed the deli beside the original Castroni location into a polished space housing an osteria, a bakery, a chic coffee bar, and a store-length counter piled with pedigreed salumi and cheeses. That counter can supply an impeccable lunch starring, say, milky blobs of mozzarella from Paestum, pink curls of Slow Food-approved mortadella, prosciutto from rare-breed pigs — and perhaps gnocco fritto (a square of airy fried dough) topped with ricotta, headcheese and candied orange. At night, nifty retractable tables come out and the lighting turns soft and romantic. Among the elegant dishes from the chef Marco Moroni we sampled one evening was a grilled pizzetta with silky chicken liver pate and persimmon chutney, and eggy tagliolini swaddled in an emulsion of Bordier butter and aged Parmigiano that tasted like 24-karat gold. Hot tip: Call to preorder the roast chicken for two. The succulent bird from a sustainable Lombardy farm is spit-roasted to a gorgeous mahogany and served with butter-glossed caramelized veggies. Follow it with the opulent ricotta chocolate tart. By Anya von Bremzen © The New York Times
BBC News
01-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Meet the Macclesfield grandad sharing his love of the outdoors online
Here in the North West we are fortunate to have incredible countryside, bustling cities, award-winning beaches and not forgetting incredibly friendly year I wanted to reflect on the pride we have of our wonderful region and the people that make it such a fantastic place to I came up with BBC North West Tonight's 25 in 25, a series showcasing some of the best people and places in the north-west of week I met up with Roger Hordley - an 81-year-old walking, photo-taking grandad whose photographs have earned him a following online. Roger's daughter Daniele emailed me about her dad, who enjoys nothing more than walking in and around Macclesfield Forest.I live in Marple. Macclesfield is, as we always say, "down the road" and yet somewhere I am ashamed to say I have never really a morning spent admiring the views I know it is a place I will be returning to - especially with my girls who would love the chance to build a den in the forest, like the one me and Roger stumbled not everyone has that opportunity and that's one of the reasons why Roger takes photos for his blog. "I take maybe 30 - 50 photos during a walk, I'll whittle them down to 15 or 20, put them into a montage and share them."The family can see them and, apparently, I have followers who like them."At the age of 81, some might think it's a time to sit back and relax but not Roger."Why do I walk? To keep fit? No. To keep the joints moving. I'm 81 and it keeps my limbs loose."Walking like this is for my knees, the future me is happy." Roger has walked five miles a day, at least five times a week for the past 10 years, so what motivates him?"Look at it. It's absolutely glorious."The walks are good, the exercise is good. It's just lovely. Who would not want to walk in a place like this?"Throughout our walk, Roger uses an app on his phone which tells him the name of the flower or bug he has stumbled across cotton grass, which looked like cotton wool balls on top of in the cotton a bug hid, Roger's app established it was a slow bug."I see something new every time I come on this walk, no two walks are the same." His advice to those that perhaps haven't got the motivation he shares?"The only thing I would say is don't think of the walking, think about what you're seeing."I wouldn't rather be sat inside watching the telly, I'd rather be here, watching this view." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
AutoZone's CFO says tariffs have minimal impact on margins as sales climb
Good morning. AutoZone buffers its mufflers against tariff pressure. Despite tariff fickleness prompting customers to spend more cautiously, the auto parts retailer has seen year-over-year improvement in its failure and maintenance segments. 'Historically, when our consumers are under pressure, our maintenance and failure categories tend to outperform discretionary categories,' said Phil Daniele, CEO of the Fortune 500 company, on Tuesday's earnings call. There is a 25% tariff on imported cars and parts, leading to estimated price increases of $2,000 to $15,000, depending on the vehicle; as a result, more consumers are expected to repair their current cars instead of buying new ones, according to analysts. AutoZone reported that for the quarter ending May 10, net sales rose 5.4% to about $4.5 billion, topping estimates of around $4.36 billion. It's the company's first revenue beat in more than a year. Commercial sales grew 11%, with a 3% increase in commercial programs and an 8% uptick in weekly sales per program. The vast majority of growth is coming from strategic initiatives, such as improved execution, expanding hub and mega hub stores into AutoZone's markets, and continually enhancing product assortments in both the U.S. and international markets, according to the company. 'For this past quarter, we saw minimal impact from the implementation of tariffs,' AutoZone's CFO Jamere Jackson said on Tuesday's earnings call. AutoZone expects to offset any tariff costs in its fourth quarter through actions like working with vendors, diversifying sourcing, and adjusting pricing. These measures should prevent tariffs from having a material impact on gross margins, Jackson said. The biggest net importer of AutoZone products is China, Daniele noted on the call. However, the company has significantly reduced its reliance on imports from China since the first round of tariffs in 2016 and now sources some products from Eastern Europe and Mexico as well. The company also procures products from domestic suppliers, both free on board (FOB) or direct import, and makes domestic purchases, Daniele said. 'We don't expect the threat of tariffs to materially affect AutoZone,' Morningstar equity analyst Noah Rohr wrote in a Tuesday note. Most of the parts the retailer sells are essential for vehicle maintenance and repair—products that customers need regardless of price increases, Rohr explained. Although AutoZone had a sales beat, it was offset by lower-than-expected margins and a 6.6% drop in quarterly profit. Contributing factors included rising operating expenses and foreign exchange headwinds. For Mexico, FX rates weakened nearly 20% versus the U.S. dollar for the quarter, resulting in an $89 million headwind to sales, a $27 million headwind to EBIT, and a $1.10 per share drag on EPS versus the prior year, Jackson explained. 'Excluding the FX headwind, we would have reported an EPS decrease of 0.6% for the quarter,' he said. AutoZone's stock price closed at a record $3,880.15 on May 20. It was down about 3.4% at market close on Tuesday. 'Margins contracted, but management's continued investments in its stores and distribution network look cogent and should translate to further share gains in the future,' Rohr said in the report. Amid times of uncertainty, AutoZone is still moving full-speed ahead with its long-term strategy. 'This year, we expect to again invest approximately $1.3 billion in capex in order to drive our strategic growth priorities,' Daniele said on the call. Sheryl This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Epoch Times
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Epoch Times
AutoZone's Profit Margins Shrink, Company Remains Confident in Market-Share Growth
Shares of auto parts giant AutoZone Inc. fell on May 27 after the company reported higher fiscal third-quarter revenue and same-store sales, but a decline in profit margins. The company expressed confidence in future growth, noting its exposure to China has declined 'significantly.' According to its earnings During the company's pre-market conference call with Wall Street analysts, AutoZone CEO Phil Daniele downplayed the margin decline, saying the company will continue to prioritize its growth strategy of boosting same-store sales in its almost 7,500 locations in the United States, Mexico and Brazil. 'The top focus areas for this last quarter of 2025 remains growing share in our domestic commercial business and continuing our momentum in our international markets,' Daniele said. 'We understand we cannot take things for granted, [but] we must remain laser focused on customer service execution, and gaining share in every market in which we operate.' For the period ended May 10, AutoZone reported net income of $608 million, or $35.36 per share, down 6.6 percent from net income of $651.7 million, or $36.69 per share, in the third quarter of 2024. Total sales rose 5.4 percent to $4.46 billion, compared with $4.23 billion a year ago. The company's same-store sales increased by 3.2 percent compared with 0.9 percent a year ago. That improvement was primarily driven by a 5 percent increase at the company's 6,483 U.S. stores opened a year or more. However, same-store sales declined by 9.2 percent at the company's 949 locations in Mexico and Brazil. Related Stories 5/6/2025 5/2/2025 Excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, the auto aftermarket retailer would have reported international same-stores sales of 8.1 percent, which Daniele highlighted during its conference call. AutoZone's results received mixed reviews on Wall Street, as it was expected to report third-quarter earnings of $37.07 per share on sales of $4.42 billion, according to FactSet. AutoZone's chief finance officer Jamere Jackson said the company's inventory increased 10.8 percent over the same period last year, driven by new store growth and same store sales growth initiatives. In highlighting the company's third-quarter performance, Daniele said AutoZone opened 54 new stores in the United States, 25 in Mexico, and five in Brazil, for a total of 84 net new stores. Altogether, the auto aftermarket reseller had 6,537 stores in the United States, 838 in Mexico, and 141 in Brazil, for a total store count of 7,516. With 58 store openings year-to-date, AutoZone expects to open around 100 total international locations in fiscal 2025. Going forward, Daniele said the company plans to invest $1.3 billion to expand its satellite store operations and larger mega-hubs locations, especially in the fast-growing international markets in Mexico and Brazil. 'We remain confident in our growth opportunities in this market. Today, [we] have 13 percent of our total store base outside of the [United States] and we expect this number to grow as we accelerate our international store openings,' Daniele said. In response to analyst questions about the impact of tariffs and U.S. trade policies with China, Daniele said the impact on AutoZone operations has been minimal. Although China is AutoZone's largest net importer of car parts, that percentage has declined 'significantly over the last couple of years' since the first round of tariffs in 2016. Ahead of the release of the earnings report, Bank of America analyst Robert Ohmes on May 21 upgraded AutoZone's upside after raising the company's stock from a 'neutral' to a 'buy.' He also bumped the auto parts retailer's price target from $3,900 to $4,800 per share, based on the company 'recession resilient history' in the face of potential prices increases from inflation and tariffs. Ohmes told The Epoch Times that he remains bullish on AutoZone as the auto parts aftermarket could benefit from the Trump administration's 25 percent auto tariffs, which could drive down new car sales. He also noted that AutoZone only has about 35 percent of its product sourced from China, significantly reducing its exposure to import levies. 'We see opportunities for a return to 2-4 percent industry inflation as auto parts retailers raise price to offset incremental tariff pressures,' Ohmes said via email. 'We also think the auto aftermarket could benefit from lower new car sales and higher used car pricing, as consumers may hold onto and repair existing vehicles.' Ohmes added that AutoZone is taking advantage of strategic investments to seize opportunities to gain market share on both the DIY retail and commercial pro sides of the auto parts business. He noted that the company could gain further market share after rival Advance Auto Parts (AAP) announced in late 2024 that it planned to 'AutoZone continues to invest in labor to maintain relationships with the up and down the street accounts to grow its commercial segment,' Ohmes said, adding that AutoZone and AAP stores are often located in close proximity. The company's shares fell 3.42 percent to close at $3,695.66 during the May 27 trading session. The stock has outperformed the broader market over the past 12 months, gaining 32.32 percent versus the S&P 500's return of 11.63 percent. Under the company's stock buyback program, AutoZone repurchased 70,000 shares of its common stock at an average price of $3,571 per share, for a total investment of $250.3 million. The company has an additional $1.1 billion to repurchase shares under the board's $5 billion authorization program.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AutoZone Q3: Margin Pressure Hits Profit, But CEO 'Excited About Momentum' Heading Into Summer
AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) shares are trading slightly lower in the premarket session on Tuesday after the company reported third-quarter results. The company reported earnings per share of $35.36, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $37.17. Quarterly sales of $4.46 billion (+5.4% year over year) outpaced the street view of $4.35 billion. The company reported a 3.2% growth in same-store sales on strength in the domestic the quarter, gross profit was $2.35 billion, higher than $2.26 billion a year ago. The gross margin in the quarter under review was 52.7%, a decrease of 77 basis points vs. the prior year. The decrease in gross margin was negatively impacted by higher inventory shrink, higher commercial mix, new distribution center startup costs, and a 21-basis point ($8 million net) non-cash LIFO impact. In the third quarter, operating expenses rose to 33.3% of sales, up from 32.2% last year. This increase, or deleverage, was mainly due to higher self-insurance costs. Additional spending to support growth initiatives also contributed to the rise. Operating profit decreased 3.8% to $866.2 million. 'Our international business also continued to deliver strong results, as same-store sales grew 8.1% on a constant currency basis,' said President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Daniele. 'While currency rate moves continued to pressure reported sales and earnings, we believe our international operations are positioned well as we continue to focus on opening more stores in these markets,' Daniele added. 'We are excited about our momentum heading into the last quarter of the fiscal year, and we are well prepared for our summer selling season,' the CEO stated. During the quarter ended May 10, AutoZone added 84 net new stores. This included 54 in the U.S., 25 in Mexico, and 5 in Brazil. The company now operates 7,516 stores across all three countries. The company exited the quarter with cash and equivalent worth $268.625 million. Price Action: AZO shares are trading lower by 1.06% to $3,785.80 premarket at last check Tuesday. Check This Out:Image by refrina via Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? AUTOZONE (AZO): Free Stock Analysis Report This article AutoZone Q3: Margin Pressure Hits Profit, But CEO 'Excited About Momentum' Heading Into Summer originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
