We sincerely hope you enjoy it!

If you have a suggestion, an idea or a request, you can ask me, John Krontiras, by simply clicking here. Periodically we will have a drawing from the email addresses in our system and we will offer various gifts, i.e. free dinner, items from Nabeel's® Market, and from our new Café Capri.

Congratulations to jmoriartylewis@prodigy.net!

Note: In most cases we have not kept the actual name/address of an individual to mail the winning Gift Certificate and as a result we mail the winner, the Certificate to their e-mail address. When you receive the e-mail, it will have a subject: Nabeel's Gift Certificate You need to open the file and save it in Microsoft Word under "My Documents". Print the document, tear the Gift Certificate out, and bring to Nabeel's to redeem it. If you live outside of the Birmingham area, please forward this e-mail (gift certificate) to nabeels@nabeels.com and a gift will be mailed to you.

Herbs
Although herbs are loved for their beauty, it is their history of usefulness, some real and some imaginary, that earns them a place in the garden or in our homes. Here are some of the most popular and not so popular alphabetically:

Caraway: A biennial mainly grown for its savory seeds, but also for its edible roots.
TRADITION: Its retentive powers made suitable for love potions.

Rosemary: Very popular in Greece to accompany lamb dishes. It can be hardy here in the south.
TRADITION: Thought to aid in memory and fidelity, and used in old matrimonial rites.

Bay: A tender evergreen laurel, must be brought to a sunny spot indoors to survive cold winters.
TRADITION: Used for a honorific wreath for heroes. The Latin term for "bachelor's degree" is from bacca laureus (laurel berry)

Lavender: The best essence comes from the flowers.
TRADITION: Relieves hoarseness and laryngitis.

Oregano & Marjoram: These two types of Origanum are confusing. Visually similar but different in flavor and hardiness.
TRADITION: Marjoram growing on a grave signified the happiness of the dead.

Parsley: Has been badmouthed as a useless garnish, but to anyone who has tasted tabbouleh would disagree.
TRADITION: "Where parsley flourishes, the missus is a master" is a Devonshire saying.

Lemon Verbena
TRADITION: Helps reduce fever and promotes a dreamless sleep.

Lemon balm: I find the sharp taste of this tea herb harsh in comparison to the more refined lemon verbena.
TRADITION: Planted near the front door, it deters evil spirits.

While we're on the subject of cooking and good food, why not take a look at our menu!

Tuna burgers
It might sound like a healthy meal, but a tuna burger is actually an invitation to histamine poisoning, a type of food poisoning. At the root of the problem is poor refrigeration. The bacteria that cause histamine poisoning can not stomach cold temperatures. But if the temperature is not right these bacteria can grow like a wildfire. Once histamine gets on the fish NOTHING can remove it -not even cooking (even at the right cooking temperature - which is over 165º F ). You might think that the problem is out of your hands, but there are things you can do. In restaurants be wary of tuna burgers, which seem infected more often than tuna fillets and steaks. Canned tuna is a good choice since canning process kills the bacteria.

Potatoes
Keep away from green potatoes! The tubers can contain glycoalkaloids, natural substances that protect potatoes against fungus and insects. Once these chemicals start to form there is no way to get rid of them. Even cooking in hot oil can not do the trick. So, Don't buy or eat any potato with signs of greening, rotting or physical damage. Purchase older potatoes for longer term storage. If you buy new potatoes, eat them as soon as possible. Keep potatoes in paper bags or in dark ventilated places. DO NOT refrigerate them. Be especially careful with red skinned potatoes. Green patches may be hiding underneath the skin.

Greeks consume more olive oil per person than anyone else on earth.

Greeks consume more olive oil per person than anyone else on earth. The Crete and Peloponnese are not only the largest oil producers but also produce the best olive oil in the world! That is where TSITALIA extra virgin olive oil comes from. From the olive tree groves of the island of Crete. Consumers, particularly those of us in the U.S.A, are in difficult position, in selecting the correct extra virgin olive oil.

What you want is an oil that gives you pleasure, that you can use with abandon, instead of an expensive luxury that you are afraid to dispense each drop. Olive oil is a commodity meant to be generously poured over salads, cooking meats, fish, poultry, etc. Therefore, you need an oil that is reasonably priced and that is excellent in taste and aroma. TSITALIA® Oil gives you all of that; the aroma, the taste and a price that you can't beat. It is a product you can trust because it is brought to you by George Sarris of the Fish Market Restaurant and is available at Nabeel's International Market.

George Sarris imports this oil directly from Greece and specifically from the island of Crete, where the first olive tree was planted some 4,500 years ago. George named the oil TSITALIA to honor his birthplace, a town in the eastern part of Peloponnese, called Tsitalia.

Click here to order now!

Only $3.59 per bottle!

You can savor the difference with Nabeel's® GLORIA Classic Greek Dressing.

GLORIA a household name for over 30 years was my father's business name in Patras, Greece. GLORIA™ Chocolatier. We use the GLORIA™ name, to honor my father, and also the person, my father, that gave this recipe to my wife, even before I got myself involved in the restaurant business and I was still in the corporate world. It came very handy we believe!

A Birmingham prominent artist, Suzan Oliver, designed the label which depicts freshness, simplicity, and taste. It is still made by hand, just like the first time, using only the finest and freshest ingredients. Just one taste and you will experience the difference. Excellent for salads and any type of grilling, whether it is meat, fish or chicken.

Try the recipe, which appears on the bottle, for the Peasant Greek Salad, dip the bread in the salad juices and enjoy a meal on its own that has been enjoyed for centuries in Greece, and is beautiful in its simplicity and wholesomeness! Gloria Classic Greek Dressing is available at Nabeel's® Market and also at Western Supermarkets, Piggly Wiggly, V. Richards Market, and The Fish Market Restaurant (downtown). Price $3.59 per bottle.

Click here to order now!

Visit the recipes section of our website for ideas!

If you'd prefer that we do the cooking, take a look at our menu.

[ * these items are available at Nabeel's^® International Market ]

Preparation
Cook pasta in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, until al dente. Place Kalamata olives (after you take the pits out), basil, garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add cheese, salt pepper and oil and blend to a thick paste. Transfer the Kalamata Pesto into a large bowl. Stir ½ cup of the cooking water (from the pasta) into pesto, and then add pasta and toss until well coated. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.

* Instead of using the food processor I use a mortar and pestle. Does this make it taste better? I think so. But since many of you may not have a mortar and a pestle, that's why I have the food processor on the recipe above.

Enjoy many other fine Nabeel's recipes here!