This Week at Casa Dante

www.casadante.com       See us on    FACEBOOK  or Casa Dante Facebook Dear Friends, As we rush into Spring, Passover and Easter season our menu will accomodate all. We'll have plenty of fresh fish choices, bread substitutes and offer dietery modifications; as well as  plenty of Spring fruits and vegetables on our "specials" menus. I want to thank the Antinori wine dinner attendees as well as Antinori Vineyards and their representatives for making a great evening for all. Check soon for the next dinner to be announced. Check our our St . Patrick's day celebration including Happy Hour at our bar. 2pm till 7pm. Call for details -Julian & Dominique, entertains us on Friday, March 11, 2011. I made a change from our regular Jazz Friday schedule to have them entertain those who don't normally get to see them on Saturdays. Saturday March 12, Danny Heise always fill the room with his contemporay and classic stylings.  A little wine, great food and Danny singing in the background. Can't miss! 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 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 11, 2011        Julian & Dominique  a special Friday performance reserve now Saturday March 12, 2011     "Danny Heise"  Great singer of standards and new sounds

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

Healthy Italian   Ive been asked to post recipes which are a mainstay of our business here at Casa Dante. Most recently, a request was made for our Bolognese sauce and Sicilian Meatballs. I politely declined since certain items are kept under wraps for obvious "business" reasons. However, I want to post one of Bobby Flays meaball recipes. This is his Meatball and Spaghetti recipe. Hope you enjoy! Bobby Flay's Spaghetti and Meat Balls  with Tomato Sauce Yield: ?4 servings Ingredients Meatballs: 1/2 pound ground pork 1/2 pound ground veal 1/2 pound ground beef  2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese  4 cloves garlic, finely chopped and Sauteed 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup pure olive oil Tomato Sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes and their juice, pureed in a blender  1 bay leaf 1 small bunch parsley Pinch red pepper flakes Salt and freshly ground pepper 6 basil leaves, chiffonade    Spaghetti: 12 cups water Salt 1 pound #8 or #9 spaghetti Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese Garlic Bread: 1 stick soften butter 4 cloves minced garlic 1 country loaf, cut into 3/4-inch slices Directions For the Meatballs: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, except olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and fry until golden brown, but not cooked through completely. (remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.) For the Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan . Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pureed tomatoes and juice, bay leaf and parsley, pepper flakes and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add meatballs and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the bay leaf and parsley, add the basiland serve. For the Spaghetti: Bring salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente . Drain well in a colander, toss in sauce, serve with meatballs and Parmesan cheese. For the Garlic Bread: Combine butter and garlic. Spread evenly on bread and broil until browned.   Did you know?    Here are some unusual food related facts Coconut Water The Fact: Coconut water can be used (in emergencies) as a substitute for blood plasma. The reason for this is that coconut water (the water found in coconuts � not to be confused with coconut milk, which comes from the flesh of the coconut) is sterile and has an ideal pH level. Coconut water is liquid endosperm � it surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition.     Microwave Cooking   The Fact: Microwave cooking was discovered accidentally when a chocolate bar melted in someone�s pocket This is very true and very scary � imagine what it was doing to his leg! The fact is, Percy LeBaron Spencer of the Raytheon Company was walking past a radar tube and he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He then tested popcorn in front of the tube (surely turning up the power and standing out of the beam), and it quickly popped all over the room. He is (obviously) known as the inventor of the Microwave oven.   Peanuts   The Fact: Dynamite is made with peanuts Peanut oil can be processed to produce glycerol, which can be used to make nitroglycerin, one of the constituents of dynamite. Note however, there are other processes that can be used to make dynamite without using peanuts at all.

quote of the week   Heres a quote that my grandfather paraphrased many times; "It is only after you lose your teeth that you can afford to buy steaks" attributed to Pierre Auguste Renoir   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 Wednesdays for the month of March 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  March 2011.. This is only for March and email customers so read carefully I am offering an extra bottle of wine for every bottle you buy with dinner on Mondays. That's rights, order any bottle from our list, mention this email, and I'll give you another to take home. If we dont have another, you can order any other wine of equal or lesser value. This is one of the most controversial offers I've made ( my Maitr'd and Sommelier think I'm nuts), but I need to see if you're reading! 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