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.

Please click here to learn more!

Congratulations to joann.camp@ccc.uab.edu!

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.

Email >> John@nabeels.com

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:

Savory: a short lived perennial, winter savory has a stronger, peppery flavor and woodier growth than its seed grown annual relative, summer savory.
TRADITION: In medieval times popular as a digestive aid.

Thyme: Very popular in Greece and it is used often in cooking. There is also English thyme.
TRADITION: Helps the digestion of fatty foods.

Chives: This hardy member of the onion family is grown for its leaves and edible flowers.
TRADITION: Grown next to roses, said to discourage black spot fungus.

Tarragon: There are two kinds. French and Russian. French tarragon has the true flavor of licorice and mowed hay, while the Russian is bland.
TRADITION: Reputed to heal insect stings and the bites of mad dogs.

Sage: It is a tough, hardy plant but it should be replaced every 3-5 years to keep its flavor.
TRADITION: Its Latin name Salvia, gives credence to the traditional curative powers of this herb. Thought to stimulate circulation.

Fennel: This one it is grown for the anise flavor of both seeds and leaves.
TRADITION: Promotes good eyesight. Serpents sharpen their sight by rubbing against the plant.

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

Health has become a major concern for Americans who are obsessed with staying young, thin and disease free. So, we understand that a healthy diet leads to a healthy lifestyle. This diet is the Mediterranean diet* and the Mediterranean Pyramid* which boasts fresh ingredients, olive oil, and red wine. Really by embracing this diet we actually revert back to the old ways and adopt the types of cooking which developed hundreds and hundreds of years ago around the Mediterranean basin. The Mediterranean dietary pyramid was recently endorsed by the WHO (World Health Organization). This diet existed for centuries in Greece, Italy and Spain as a way of life. Their cuisine is as much a matter of culture and society as it is of food and wine. Olive oil, bread, fish, cheese, vegetables, pasta and fruits are the elements of Greek/ Italian tradition.

PRESS RELEASE, June 25, 2003
Harvard School of Public Health

"Boston, MA.- Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens, Greece, have assessed the dietary habits of study participants from all regions of Greece and found that those who strongly adhered to a Mediterranean diet had improved longevity compared to those that did not follow that diet closely."

In the June 26th issue of The NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL of MEDICINE this eleven page study is published, describing the details of this research. It is broken down in four areas: Background, Methods, Results and Conclusions. Background: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may improve longevity.

Methods: "We conducted a population-based, prospective investigation involving 22,043 adults in Greece who completed an extensive, validated, food -frequency questionnaire at base line. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by a 10-point Mediterranean-diet scale that incorporated the salient characteristics of this diet (range) of scores, 0 to 9 with higher scores indicates higher adherence).

Results: "During a median 44 months of follow-up, there were 275 deaths. A higher degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with reduction in total mortality…."

Conclusions: "Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with significant reduction in total mortality.

* No warranty is expressed or implied by Nabeel's about the beneficial qualities of the Mediterranean diet.

5OO ml for $5.95 750 ml for $7.95 3-liter for $18.95

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, why not take a look at our menu and our catering selections!

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

Over 1,500 Ethnic and gourmet items from the far corners of the world are available at Nabeel's Market, enabling you to make the most tantalizing recipes. So, visit Nabeel's Cafe & Market for a tour of the world! Soon selected items will be available on our web site for ordering!

Preparation
In a sauce pot, prepare pasta in boiling salted water. Cut arugula in different sizes. In a large serving bowl, toss together arugula, walnuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon. Add pasta, salt and pepper and mix all together until everything combines. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy many other fine Nabeel's recipes here!