This Week at Casa Dante

www.casadante.com       See us on    FACEBOOK  or Casa Dante Facebook Dear Friends, It has now been five years since we added weekend live entertainment to our dining experience here at Casa Dante. It has been a great success and has introduced the place to a new clientele who ultimately enjoy our food, wine and ambiance ( I love French words!).  Our long-time patrons have an added reason to frequent their favorite restaurant. Most agree that "dinner" is transformed into an "event" and invariably leave with a smile and a memory. This makes us very happy! I'm always amazed when a new customer tells me he/she has heard about Casa Dante for years but this is their "first time here". Since most of our customer base is out of Jersey City, this is understandable. But I must tell you that we are both foodies and take every opportunity to visit noted restaurants in the NY/NJ area and will drive great distances to do so. Good food is a must, but a live show or singer make it that much more pleasurable. We hope you agree and check out the entertainment and event schedules ( below). Hope to see you soon! -Take a look at our Easter Menus for April 24 are now.  Take a look www.casadante.com/events and please reserve now if you plan to join us! -Bryan Beninghove Jazz Trio this Friday night April 1. Great and smooth jazz & Sax sounds!   "Vintage" featuring Ron Hackling & Mike Armino entertain Saturday April 2nd. Reserve a spot on Open Table or call direct. Hope to see you here! Till next time! Dom & Toni Marino Proprietors Casa Dante 3.5/4 stars Star Ledger, 2010 Wine Spectator Award, 2009 & 2010 Wine Enthusiast Award 2009, Best Italian in NJ by AOL, Top three Italian inNJ, Inside Jersey Magazine Check out the specials and discounts below and join our  FACEBOOK  fan page. www.casadante.com/entertainment or other events at www.casadante.com/events Entertainment this week!       Friday April 1, 2011        The Bryan Beninhove Jazz Trio   Saturday April 2, 2011     " Vintage" with Ron Hackling & Mike Armeno  See the full entertainment schedule at www.casadante.com/entertainment

not so- Healthy Italian     I  couldn't resist the title change for this weeks Recipe section. After much debate it was decided we would publish the recipe for Sicilian Zabaglione. At Casa Dante we serve it made to order, warm & poured over strawberries. Absoutely delicious but you'll have to judge the "healthy" aspect of this great dessert. Enjoy!   Zabaglione (Egg Nog) This is the the Sicilian version of this traditional winter drink usually made with rum or strong brandy. Marsala, as this fortified wine similar to Port exists today, evolved in the early years of the nineteenth century. Nowadays, zabaglione is usually served cold, but this drink can also be served warm. It goes well with cookies. Egg nog itself has English origins, and it was the English who developed the Marsala wine industry in Sicily. Ingredients: 3 cups of whole milk, one-half cup heavy cooking cream, 5 large egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 6 tablespoons refined white sugar, 14 tablespoons or one-half cup of sweet Marsala wine, nutmeg.Preparation: Beat the sugar into the eggs, then adding milk and cream for a smooth mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk the Marsala into the mixture, adding a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Heat for 4-5 minutes over a very low flame in a double boiler, whisking occasionally, being careful not to cook the eggs. Continue to beat the mixture occasionally, increasing the volume slightly so that it is creamy. Here's an alternate preparation method. After whisking the Marsala into the mixture, eliminate the heating phase and simply whip up the ingredients in a blender. This can be served cool or, if you prefer, heated just before serving. If you're intrigued by this recipe but not inclined to make this dessert, ask you server and we'll make it "to order" for you! Did you know! 1. Yogurt may promote weight loss! Low fat dairy products, naturally rich in calcium and protein, can help actually promote weight loss. One study conducted by the International Journal of Obesity profiled 34 obese adults who were otherwise healthy; some instructed to eat 3 servings of fat-free yogurt daily. Those participants shed more than 14 pounds, while those who ate one serving lost only 11 pounds. Moreover, the test subjects lost up to 81% of their stomach fat. Spoons up! 2. No wonder we love chocolate so much: its consumption dates back to the 5th century AD! Ancient Mayans drank a mixture prepared with cocoa beans, chili peppers, cornmeal, spices and water. Needless to say, we�ve improved our enjoyment of the delicious cacao bean over the centuries, but it all began over 2000 years ago! 3. Addicted to vanilla? There may be good reason: ancient medicinal texts indicate that vanilla was used to cure hangovers as well as a potent aphrodisiac. Because it increases adrenaline and epinephrine levels, vanilla actually can be mildly addictive. Tough to describe something bland as "vanilla" anymore! 4. 7-Up could have a "top ten" list of its own. Its main ingredient, lithium citrate, can be used as an effective mood stabilizer and was intended to be a cure for hangovers. Even its name is a clue to the fizzy drink�s "balancing" properties: purportedly, the "seven" refers to the atomic weight of lithium (7). Bet you can guess what the "Up" means� 5. How many times do you think refried beans are actually fried? Surprisingly, only once. The translation for "refritos frijoles" actually means something closer to "well-fried beans" in Spanish, but the presence of "re" in English refers to repetition. Our mistake�but we�ll dig into "well-fried" pinto beans anyway�they�re delish 6. Strawberry flavoring comes from 50 different chemicals and might not even include strawberries at all. What you�re tasting in your "strawberry-flavored" ice cream can be a concoction of all sorts of chemical compounds, such as benzyl isobutyrate, amyl acetate, mint and even cognac. Make sure yours is real by knowing the folks who made it�mom n pop ice cream shops make this easy, just ask at the counter�or simply reading the label to make sure "strawberries" are listed�not "strawberry flavor". 7. Cheese is cheese, right? Well, yeah, unless it�s cheese food, or cheese product. FDA labeling rules mandate that processed products that are anything other than 100% cheese are labeled as such. For a quick and easy way to tell if it�s real cheese, here are the facts: "Pasteurized process cheese product" contains less than 50% cheese "Pasteurized process cheese food" must contain a minimum 50% real cheese "Pasteurized process cheese" must be 100% cheese. 8. Fresh or frozen? It might surprise you to learn that frozen vegetables are often fresher than "fresh" vegetables from the produce section. While frozen veggies are picked at their perfect ripeness and flash-frozen immediately, fresh veggies often have to travel hundreds and even thousands of miles before they reach your grocery store, and all of that travel means they�re nowhere near as fresh as their frosty alternatives. For the freshest fresh produce, buy local! 9. A lot of people know that it�s a good idea to steer clear of floating eggs�but do you know why? It�s because they�re, well, rotting. Really! When eggs are past their prime, they begin decomposing, releasing gases inside of their shells and therefore making them more buoyant. You can tell if an egg is fresh or not by placing it in a bowl of water: fresh eggs will sink to the bottom and lie flat, while older, past-ripe ones will float (and should be scrapped�not scrambled). 10. Coconut water can be used as a substitute  for blood plasma. Had to round this list out  on the most intriguing note: coconut water (NOT coconut milk) is sterile, cool and has the same pH and electrolyte levels as blood plasma. So, the next time you have to do an emergency plasma transfusion on a tropical island, start gathering up as many young coconuts as you can get your hands on�it�s where coconut water is stored. Contributor-Glennys quote of the week   "The person who doesn't make mistakes is unlikely to make anything"   - Paul Arden quote provided by Franco Crincoli, Contributing Editor     If you have a quote you think worthy, please email to me at info@casadante.com with your name and I will approve, post it here and give you mention! Casa Dante  40th Anniversary since 1971.  We would love your participation. If you have a story, photo or just a blurb of a memory involving Casa Dante, please forward it for inclusion in this section. Send it to info@casadante.com   Looking forward to hearing from you! A customer sent me an article from July 30,1978. New York Times review of Casa Dante. Two stars, not bad! B H Russell, of the NY Times described the then newly relocated Casa Dante  "....like a boisterous Italian embrace....in a Fellini movie".    I agree with the comparison. Extra Specials for email group only ...we want you to take advantage of us!  We are offering a 10% discount on parties of four ( minimum, please!)  to eight guests on Monday through Thursdays for the month of April 2011. This is only for email  or Blogger customers! Just print this and bring it along. You must be in our database, so make sure you are included by calling or emailing your request.  Mondays through  April 2011.. This is only for March and email customers so read carefully 50% discount on any bottle from my wine list up to $150 when you order dinner, and mention this posting. The above deals are for email customers only and may not be combined with any other offer.  Heres a tip.....Google " Casa Dante" and check out web coupons and deals we have out there! Im trying to help you have a great meal, and save money too! Remember that we deliver larger office orders on weekdays throughout Jersey City and closer vicinities. Call 201-795-2750 for details! If you are a fan of  Casa Dante, the best way to get the word out is on the internet! You can help us improve Casa Dante's online visibility on the internet. Please review us on on any of the following sites and keep tried and true institutions like ours in play. Thanks for your help!  Zagat, Urban Spoon, Yelp, Open Table,Citysearch  Winner of "Diners Choice Award"  on Open Table February 2011

 See the full Casa Dante Star Ledger Review at www.casadante.com/aboutus

This Week at Casa Dante

www.casadante.com       See us on    FACEBOOK  or Casa Dante Facebook Dear Friends, I want to thank those who have submitted reviews of their experiences here at Casa Dante. The food is always mentioned in positive ways, which pleases us. The entertainment is a very welcome addition and almost always noted as surprisingly good and makes a night here more than "just dinner". We like to think that an evening at Casa Dante is an event. Whether you had a great meal, listened to some great music,  sat next to a celeb or got up and had a dance with your partner. Again, thanks for taking the time to tell others. Easter, Lenten and Passover offerings are on our website. Take a look www.casadante.com/events -The Laura Hull Trio this Friday night the 26th of March. Great vocals by one of the best inthe business. She and her fabulous musicians will fill the evening with great music. Anthony & Taryn entertain Saturday March 26. Great music to dine and remember. Reserve a spot on Open Table or call direct. Hope to see you here! Till next time! Dom & Toni Marino Proprietors Casa Dante 3.5/4 stars Star Ledger, 2010 Wine Spectator Award, 2009 & 2010 Wine Enthusiast Award 2009, Best Italian in NJ by AOL, Top three Italian inNJ, Inside Jersey Magazine Check out the specials and discounts below and join our  FACEBOOK  fan page. www.casadante.com/entertainment or other events at www.casadante.com/events Entertainment this week!       Friday March 25, 2011        The Laura Hull Trio   Smooth Jazz Vocals, Great music by some of the best in the business. Come in for a special night. Saturday March 26, 2011     "Anthony & Taryn"   great vocals, standards, Modern and Dance!

 See the full entertainment schedule at www.casadante.com/entertainment

Healthy Italian   Roasted Eggplant parmigiana The following is a delicious alternative to frying up eggplant ( as much as I love it!?). Fat is reduced significantly, but be carefull with the amount of cheese. Try this out; its quick, easy and it will make you a star in the kitchen! The healthier version of eggplant parmigiana is best made with "mini-eggplant" or small Italian eggplant (basically smaller versions of the large generic eggplant found in most markets).  The dish is fairly straightforward and begins by cutting the mini-eggplant in half (length wise) and roasting at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-35 or until the interior flesh of the eggplant is nice and soft.  Prior to placing the eggplant in the over, each length should be brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with plenty of kosher salt and black pepper.  After removing the eggplant from the oven, you can ladle a bit of tomato sauce over the halved lengths, along with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  Thereafter, place the eggplant back in the oven for a few more minutes or until the cheese has melted and, presto, you have a simple baked eggplant or eggplant parmigiano dish (without any drying or masking of eggplant flavor). V.Scordo contributor     Did you know! Food Facts I have been posting food facts for quite some time and I am still surprised at the new items I discover.  Check these out: 1. The onion actually means "large pearl" in Latin.  If you think about it, it kind of does look like a pearl when peeled. 2.  Ice Cream actually came from China? Believe it!  Marco Polo came back from China to Italy in 1295 and he brought a recipe for a dessert called "Milk Ice".  I suppose that there was a bit of European influence as well, considering that they were the ones who added the cream, instead of the milk.  3.   Carrots help with night vision.  Carrots are packed with Vitamin A, which increases vision.  Another quirky thing about carrots is that if you ate tons of them your skin could turn orange from the beta carotene content.  I used to worry about that as a kid, but I have learned I would have to eat A LOT of them to make this happen.  Plus, carrots have 0 fat so if you are thinking of trying this out, you don't have to worry about packing on the pounds. 4. Sorry to tell everyone, since it is winter, but chances are higher that you are hungrier when you are cold.  Temperature plays a part in how much we eat.  To make matters worse, it is definitely harder to get out to the gym or to walk around outside when you are freezing, so that does not help us much either. 5.  Your coke would be the color green if not enhanced with food coloring.  Ewwww!!  6.  22% of us are too busy at work or at home and skip lunch.  Me?  No way, I am not skipping any meal. 7.  Cherries are part of the rose family.  Who would have thought? 8.  It may be strange to think when we have a taste of these, but lemons actually have more sugar content than strawberries. 9.  Almost all of us have bobbed for an apple in our childhood past.  But did you ever wonder why that apple floats?  This is because 25% of the apple is made up of air! 10.  We eat about 3/4 worth of the fish that is caught in the world, but the fish are used for things like glue, soap, margarine and fertilizer.  Interesting!  By the way, 90% of all fish are caught in the northern hemisphere, in case you were wondering. 11.  Tomatoes are the most popular fruit (and there are over 9,000 varieties of them).  Makes sense to me.  Guess what comes second?  Bananas.  But, much to grocers dislike, these bananas often get lots of complaints in stores because many people don't like the coloring or spots on them. 12.  Ever notice how wine is often sold in tinted bottles?  Well, this is done to decrease light, which can often cause spoiling -Epicurious

quote of the week   "Schizophrenia beats dining alone" - Oscar Levant   quote provided by M. Holubiak, Contributing Editor     If you have a quote you think worthy, please email to me at info@casadante.com with your name and I will approve, post it here and give you mention! Casa Dante  40th Anniversary since 1971.  We would love your participation. If you have a story, photo or just a blurb of a memory involving Casa Dante, please forward it for inclusion in this section. Send it to info@casadante.com   Looking forward to hearing from you! A customer sent me an article from July 30,1978. New York Times review of Casa Dante. Two stars, not bad! B H Russell, of the NY Times described the then newly relocated Casa Dante  "....like a boisterous Italian embrace....in a Fellini movie".    I agree with the comparison. Extra Specials for email group only ...we want you to take advantage of us!  We are offering a 10% discount on parties of four ( minimum, please!)  to eight guests on Monday through Thursdays for the month of April 2011. This is only for email  or Blogger customers! Just print this and bring it along. You must be in our database, so make sure you are included by calling or emailing your request.  Mondays through  April 2011.. This is only for March and email customers so read carefully 50% discount on any bottle from my wine list up to $150 when you order dinner, and mention this posting. The above deals are for email customers only and may not be combined with any other offer.  Heres a tip.....Google " Casa Dante" and check out web coupons and deals we have out there! Im trying to help you have a great meal, and save money too! Remember that we deliver larger office orders on weekdays throughout Jersey City and closer vicinities. Call 201-795-2750 for details! If you are a fan of  Casa Dante, the best way to get the word out is on the internet! You can help us improve Casa Dante's online visibility on the internet. Please review us on on any of the following sites and keep tried and true institutions like ours in play. Thanks for your help!  Zagat, Urban Spoon, Yelp, Open Table,Citysearch  Winner of "Diners Choice Award"  on Open Table February 2011