A storm forced an English merchant into a Sicilian port in 1773. The wine he discovered there ended up defining one of Italian America's most iconic dishes.

This week we trace Chicken Marsala from that shipwrecked merchant to the red sauce joints of New York, unpacking how a fortified wine became the backbone of a one-pan classic. We break down Marsala's DOC classifications, debate why pounding chicken is pointless, and make the case for three types of mushrooms — quartered, never sliced. Plus the cooking order most recipes get wrong.

The cocktail: an Italian Margarita — tequila, amaretto, citrus, and agave — built around the nutty, oxidized notes that bridge right back to the dish.

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Thanks to all of this week's partners:

Palomo Mezcal: https://pkgdgroup.com/post/palomo-who-we-are/

Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/