=================================== Nabeel's Newsletter - December 2003 =================================== --------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to the Holiday edition of the Nabeel's Newsletter! --------------------------------------------------------- We're pleased to provide this monthly Newsletter so that so many of our valued customers can be informed of the latest trends and tastes of Mediterranean diet. Here you'll also find interesting facts about Greece, history, recipes, health issues, and learn more about the Mediterranean Diet, etc. 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. ------------------------- Monthly Newsletter Winner ------------------------- The winner of the December 2003 drawing is audra_hawkins@saksinc.com. The winner will receive a Nabeel's Gift Certificate. Congratulations to audra_hawkins@saksinc.com! 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. ------------------------------------ Send us your comments or suggestions. ------------------------------------ Your comments or requests may be beneficial to other recipients, and we will selectively publish some of your requests, suggestions or comments with an answer. Your question can be about food, recipes, ingredients, Greece, etc. Email >> John@nabeels.com ---------------------- What Our Customers Say ---------------------- "…thank you so much for making Anna's shower so special. I have never been to that part of Nabeel's but you better believe I'll be back and I will certainly tell all of my friends about what a great place it is to have a party. The food and service was perfect. Maria was so professional. Thanks again. " Julie Tapscott "Thank you so much for the wonderful dinner! All of our guests had a fabulous time. The food was great! Thanks again." Vicki Valosik "The dinner was a truly memorable evening of dining and socializing. The food, service and efficiency were better than one would expect from even Birmingham's finest restaurants. Your staff treated everyone (49 of us in all) at the Wedding Rehearsal dinner like we were members of their family." Judy and Mike Phelan ---------------- What is C.I.R.A.? ---------------- C.I.R.A is a national organization comprised of independent restaurant owners. It represents and it has been established to create a proactive marketing program that will meet the challenges of the national restaurant chains now making significant inroads in every market territory in America. Nabeel's is proud to be a member! --------------- Important Facts --------------- Feta Cheese AS OF OCTOBER 14, 2002, FETA IS OFFICIALLY A GREEK-ONLY CHEESE! At Nabeel's Market we offer Greek Feta DODONIS… THE BEST FETA IN THE WORLD. Also, we have French Feta and Bulgarian Feta. French is softer and less salty. Bulgarian is similar but saltier than both the Greek and the French. In conclusion, after 2-3 years you will be not be able to buy cheese that is called Feta unless it is produced in Greece's specific geographical locations. So, the next time you shop for Feta ask for the Authentic Feta! Authentic means GREEK Feta produced in Greece! Just the word Feta does not guarantee that you are getting the real thing. ------------- Did You Know? ------------- Greek Christmas Customs Was Santa Greek? There is an old saying "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts", probably an illusion to that incident involving the Trojan horse (Odysseus' or Ulysses' trick gift to the Trojans)… which should have ended forever another phrase, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!" At Christmas time don't beware of people bearing gifts, and don't look closely at their teeth, either. But fear not-Santa does exist and he is Greek (who else isn't? His alternative name, St. Nicholas, reflects his true identity. In Asia Minor at the Greek city of Myra in about 300, a young man named Nikolaos was born. He became a priest in a very young age, and his understanding of those suffering from pain and those that needed help was immeasurable! He would help and assist the poor and relieve those with their poverty. Some tales have him throwing bags of gold down the chimney, a precursor of the modern Santa's travel down the chimney. He later became bishop, and he was instrumental in setting up the Council of Nicaea which decided many points of Orthodox Christian practice. Bishops got to wear dramatic red robes, and images of Nikolaos depict him with a flowing white beard. He became a patron saint of Russia, in traditional Santa territory. St. Nikolaos became the Dutch "Sinterklaas" which then evolved into modern Santa Claus. ---------------------------- Say Merry Christmas in Greek! ---------------------------- It's Christmastime in Greece, but what do you say to your Greek friends and hosts? Kala' Christou'yena - Merry Christmas Chro'nia Polla' Kale' Chronia'- Happy New Year ----------------------------- Where did Christmas come from? ----------------------------- From the Old English term" Christes Maesse" which means Christ's Mass. No one knows the year or the actual date of Jesus' birth. One reason of this uncertainty is that stories of His birth, recorded in the New Testament by Luke and Matthew were written several decades after the event and those who wrote of it gave no specific dates for it. --------------------------------- Interesting Facts About Christmas --------------------------------- December 25 Christian leaders in 336 B.C. set the date to December in an attempt to eliminate a popular pagan holiday in Rome that celebrated the winter solstice. Xmas The abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Holly The sharply pointed leaves symbolize the thorns in Christ's crown and the red berries drops of his blood. Holly became a nativity tradition. Christmas Cards The Christmas card is a Victorian creation, which began as a kind of stationery. The first card was produced by Sir Henry Cole, who worked for the British Postal Service, and an artist he hired named John Horsley. This early card was a depiction of a Christmas scene framed in three panels. Christmas Gifts The tradition of gifts seems to have started with the gifts that the wise men (Magi) brought to Jesus. Candy Canes In the late 1800's a candy maker in Indiana wanted to express the meaning of Christmas through a symbol made of candy. The color white symbolizes the purity of and sinless nature of Jesus. Next, he added three stripes to symbolize the pain inflicted upon Jesus before His death on the cross. There are three of them to represent the Holy Trinity. He added a bold stripe to represent the blood of Jesus shed for mankind. It looks like a shepherd's staff because Jesus is the shepherd of man. If you turn it upside down, it becomes the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus' name. Official Holiday Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681 was outlawed in Boston. Everyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas was not declared a federal holiday until June 26 1870. Noël In France, Christmas is called Noël. This comes from the French phrase les bonnes nouvelles which means "the good news". Silent Night The original lyrics for the song in German, "Stille Nacht" , were written by Joseph Mohr. The melody was composed by Franz X. Gruber. It is said that over 300 translations of the song exist in the world. --------------------------------------- Nabeel's Featured Products of the Month --------------------------------------- Greek Wines Hard to pronounce, but easy to love: from left to right: Laoutari (Boutari), Agioritiko (Boutari), Grand Reserve (Boutari), Cava (Tsantali), Retsina (Tsantali) Elegant whites, strong reds, Greek wines have become the best kept secret of wine connoisseurs all over the world ! Between now and next summer's Olympic Games in Athens, much of the attention will focus on whether Greek institutions can whip themselves into shape in time to host a party for the world. Greek wineries have modernized their 4,000-year-old industry and turning it into well made, distinctive wines. The average consumer still thinks all Greek wine is retsina, until they put a modern one in their mouth and taste it. Getting a grip on Greek wines can challenge even the most dedicated oenophile (a word that originated in Greece, by the way); hasn't everything else? Boutari and Tsantali are two of the largest and most popular wineries in Greece. U.S. imports in 2002 were up 22% in volume and 31% in value over 2001. Marketing and consumer education are major barriers to mainstream acceptance. Over 200 indigenous wine grapes and two dozen traditional European varieties grow in Greece. According to various importers over 200,000 cases of Greek wine are sold in the USA in a typical year, the fastest selling bottles are those in the $10 to $20 price range. At Nabeel's Market as well as Nabeel's Café you can enjoy these two fine authentic Greek wines with your meals or you can buy them at Nabeel's Market. Laoutari (lah-ooh-tah-ree), Fruity character with very recognizable traits of the varieties from which is made. Food pairings: Seafood, white meat and white cheeses Agiorgitiko (ah-yee-or-yee-tee-koh) A prize winning wine. It earned a gold medal at the 1995 Vinexpo in Bordeaux, France. A rich aromatic bouquet with balance and subtle after taste. Food pairings: Red meat, vegetables, and mild sauces. Naoussa Grand Reserve (now-oo-sah) This wine has won and been awarded six distinctions at prestigious international competitions. Subtle aroma of dried fruit that also gives off a woody scent. Robust wine with body characterized by an abundance of mature tannins. Tsantali Cava Retsina Tsantali ------------------- Recipe of the Month! ------------------- Galopou'la Gemisti' (Stuffed Turkey) Ingredients: 1 Turkey, 6-7 lbs. ( In Greece we prefer a hen) 4 lb. potatoes juice of two lemons 10 tbsp. of * TSITALIA® extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp. of Greek oregano* 3 tbsp. of thyme* butter water Ingredients for stuffing: 3 medium onions, finely sliced 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 6 tbsp. of TSITALIA* extra virgin olive oil chicken liver thinly sliced 8 oz. long grain rice 1 lb pine nuts* ˝ lb sultanas* (dried raisin) 3 tbsp. oregano* 3 tbsp. thyme Salt and black pepper [ * 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 Rinse and dry the turkey (hen). Season with salt and pepper all over as well as the cavity. Prepare the stuffing. Place the turkey (hen) in the middle of a roasting pan , breast up. Peal and quarter the potatoes, rinse them and arrange evenly around the turkey (hen). Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over the turkey and potatoes and sprinkle with the herbs. Pour a cup of water and roast in a preheated oven at 400 F. for 2.5 to 4 hours. A little water may be added if it looks as if it is drying up. Stuffing Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil. Add the livers and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the rice and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the hot water, salt and pepper and simmer slowly for 3-5 minutes until most of the water is absorbed but the rice should remain hard. Take off the heat and add the pine nuts, the sultanas and the rest of the herbs. Mix well and stuff the turkey, leaving a little room for expansion. ----------------- Coming Next Month ----------------- Don't miss next month's issue where we will cover: 1. Pasta! You eat it, YES. But do you know from whence pasta came? 2. A tantalizing Italian recipe. 3. From A - Z a list of the most frequently used types of unfilled pasta 4. A dictionary list and descriptions of Greek foods. So, you can learn all about Greek products. 5. Almond nuts. ... and more!