Food & Wine Bring People Together In the Spirit of Charity

Wow! What a weekend!  Actually, what a Friday evening!  A chance event turned into something really special....  Business can be so rewarding... Friday evening we were going to a charitable event in support of fellow business vendors and it turned into much more..  To my surprise we were going to an event at Vince and Janet Papale's... Wow!  This event was for David Aker's Kicks for Kids!  And what was so nice was we arrived and saw our fellow Rastellli friends & family!  Chef Dwight was cooking it up in the kitchen and here Rastelli donated the food to the event...   Great food and of course great wines were being served up!

It's so important to take opportunities to give back.  While we are out wining and dining there are so many people out their struggling with health and financial issues.  Take a minute to think about that and take an experience and turn it around into a giving moment.

I'm posting a few pictures of the event and have to say I'm so proud to be a part of Rastelli, knowing they take the time to give back to the communities!

Vince Papale & Chef Dwight Theophilakos

Eagles David Akers & Me! :)

Me, Chef Dwight and Janet Papale

Chef Dwight & President Ray Rastelli

Hubby with Dick Vermeil

Former Eagle John Runyon & Me

Rastelli Girls!

Food You Can "Win"e With!

March Madness has begun.... And with that madness an Opportunity to win FREE gourmet food for a year that you can wine and dine your family and friends with.

Click on the image, see what you would be entering to win...... and then enter to try your chances at receiving FREE food for a YEAR!!

Good luck!

What's at Steak? Only the Best of the Best!

These are the wonderful foods our family shares every evening with a glass of wine to compliment the meal.  When you purchase your wine I'm sure, just as I do, you look for the best so make sure the meal you prepare is equally the best in quality and healthiness.

If you're thinking of a bottle of wine you have that would go with one of Rastelli's beef products, feel free to go to Quality Gourmet Everyday and learn a little more about why our beef is the best in its class.  Also, if it tickles your taste buds feel free to place your order and sit back and relax.  When your order is delivered to you, all you have to do is open that wine and let it breathe while you cook up a gourmet meal fit for a queen or king.

A Preview of Delicious Seafood

If I've struck a taste bud don't worry because it's now available to consumers, like you.  The Rastelli family wants you to have the same health and quality foods as the patrons of the 5-Star Restaurants, Resorts & Casinos they service.

Simply go to Quality Gourmet Everyday and you will see why the Chefs choose Rastelli products.

The Power of a Red

The skin contains over 400 health-promoting substances like tannins, phenols, flavonoids, bioflavonoids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols like quercetin, resveratrol, OPC's and catechins. They all work together to raise the level of HDL cholesterol "good", and lower the LDL cholesterol "bad".

Most of these act like antixodiants in the blood. Antioxidants reduce free radicals in the body which cause damage, help create conditions for disease and cause aging. Specifically they donate electrons to "unstable" molecules which are literally bouncing around in your blood putting small pits in your blood vessels and damaging healthy cells. This action alone gives your body opportunity to heal the damage. It is this 'damage' that we call the "signs of aging".

OPC's - Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are some of the most abundant polyphenolic substances in the plant kingdom. Proanthocyanidins are an integral part of the human diet, found in high concentrations in fruits such as apple, pear, and grapes, and in chocolate, wine, and tea. Yes you just saw the excuse to eat chocolate now too!  OPCs are highly effective free radical neutralizers, reducing oxidative stress and damage that occurs in the body due to exposure to toxins and pollutants in the environment; 

• OPCs have anti-inflammatory properties, which makes them beneficial for people with arthritis and joint pain; They are a natural histamine inhibitor, and thus have enormous benefits for people suffering from allergies and asthma; They are known to promote healthy blood sugar levels, which offers benefits to those with diabetes, glucose intolerance, metabolic syndrome, or pre-diabetes; They promote optimal blood viscosity, thereby offering a reduced risk of blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and excessive bleeding.

Resveratrol is the king of the red wine health benefits. Also found in the skins of grapes, resveratrol is the antibody the grapes produce when they are fighting disease, fungii or injury. They repair cells, reduce inflation, and act as antioxidants in reversing the aging process. Where free radicals damage healthy cells, which is what causes aged skin, resveratrol not only combats the free radicals but repairs the damaged cells. The best way to absorb Resveratrol appears to be by direct absorption through the inside of the mouth. 

Tannins are what give wine its bitter, dry taste and are found in the skin and seeds of the grapes. They are proanthocyanidins (often referred to as OPC's). Tannins work like antioxidants and prevent hardening of the arteries, and inhibit the growth of plaque on your teeth. Winemakers often go to great lengths to reduce the number of tannins in wine. Press Wine, on the other hand, is extremely high in tannins because the winemakers do not deseed the grapes, but instead press and break the seeds during winemaking.

Quercetin is another pigment in red grapes. Also found in apples, green onions and green tea, quercetin works as an anti-inflammatory, an antihistamine and an antioxidant. 

Flavonoids and Bioflavonoids are really one in the same. Their purpose in plants is to create the blue and yellow pigments in flowers and leaves - but they do so much more. Research has shown them to have both anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-allergy abilities.

All together, these ingredients make up the health benefits of drinking wine. To enhance the healthiness of red wine add healthy meals void of hormones, steroids, antibiotics and toxins.   

Next time you pour that wonderful red to enjoy the health benefits pair it with a meal that is equally beneficial to your health.   Quality Gourmet Everyday

Delicious Dishes with Chianti Classico Riserva

Chianti Classico Riserva Calsavento 

(80% Sangiovese with 20% Cabernet) 

Possesses the lively aromatics and rich fruit.  Fabulous, classy aromas of crushed berries, strawberry and cherry. Full-bodied, with wonderfully polished tannins and subtle yet generous fruit character. 

             

Sangiovese with full-bodied Cabernet blended in, can accentuate the flavors of relatively bland dishes like meatloaf and roast chicken. This blend makes for an excellent pairing with lamb chops or even ahi tuna.  Herb seasoning such as basil, thyme and sage play off the herbal notes of the grapes. Sangiovese that has been subject to more aggressive oak treatment pairs well with grilled and smoked food.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying this wine with multiple dishes such as Pepper Encrusted Ahi Tuna and Roasted European Semi-Boneless Chicken Halves.  The herb seasonings play an essential role in the aroma and taste of this wine.  

Below are my suggestions to experience and extract the essence of this wonderful blend and enjoy the flavors of the berries.

European Semi-Boneless Chicken Breast Halves

All Natural Frenched Lamb Racks

All Natural Black Angus Ribeye Roast

Ahi Tuna

Flat Bread Pizza

This is an exquisite blend that pairs well with an elegant meal as well as a relaxing casual family dinner.  All of my pairings are easily accessible through the Quality Gourmet Everyday website.

                                                                    

Martin Fierro Syrah

I had the pleasure of sampling this  excellent Syrah from Argentina.  (2009)

While taste always holds a strong point in choosing a great wine, this one is worth the smell alone.  One swirl and you can instantly smell the rich aromas of dark chocolate and raspberries with a hint of cherries.  It is intense and intoxicating.  The smell alone will wake up your taste buds.  The smell isn’t the only thing to brag about.  The taste is just as delicious. A sensual mix of chocolate and berries is the first initial taste.  Over time the satisfaction of a plum finish can be found.  This wine is so great you don’t need to pair it with any food to bring out its true flavors.  


I would pair it  with  light Poulet Rouge Chicken Breasts or Pork Tenderloin Medallions.  Too much flavor in any dish could over power the flavors of the wine.  My final words to you are to try this bottle of syrah and take time to whisk away on this indulgent desire when the mood fits you.

Scottish Salmon with Mustard & Brown Sugar Glaze

Looking for an epicurean delight? Our Scottish Salmon is it! Raised to organic standards in North Atlantic waters, these genuine Scottish Salmon are known throughout Europe as “La Belle Rouge”.  Here's a great simple recipe to try with it!

Get your Scottish Salmon at Quality Gourmet Everyday

3/4 cup dry White Wine

1/4 cup butter cut into small pieces

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

4 Scottish Salmon Filets Skin removed

1/3 C spicy brown mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil wine, butter and Old Bay seasoning in small saucepan 3 minutes.  Sprinkle Scottish Salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.  Place fish on heavy rimmed baking sheet and pour wine mixture over.  Bake until fish is opaque in center, about 14 minutes.  Remove from oven

Preheat broiler.  Mix mustard and brown sugar in small bowl to blend and spread over Scottish Salmon to cover.  Broil Scottish Salmon until topping is brown and bubbling about 3 minutes.  Transfer to platter and serve.

Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?

That is a huge question!  And don't say from the store! LOL... Really, when you go to the store, do you know how and what the process was to get that piece of fish, chicken, steak, etc there...

Below is an article from my website Quality Gourmet Everyday that shares an important factor to look for in food quality and safety... Its what we at Rastelli Direct call Vertical Integration.

Parent company Rastelli Foods Group has become a supplier of choice because the company is “vertically integrated” and controls the quality and safety of food production at every step from farm to family. Rastelli Direct launched in January 2010 serving east coast consumers and just opened its Kansas City distribution facility to ship nationally.

Rastelli Direct reduces the distribution chain so customer delivery is the 5^th and final step, in contrast to conventional supermarket distribution where there is usually 12 steps to the customer – with middlemen profits taken and quality control lost.

The measures Rastelli Direct takes to provide the best quality food include:

• Owning and source verifying their livestock and fish. For example, they breed only 100% Purebred Black Angus cattle, and it is certified through DNA testing. Only 4% of cattle in the United States grade to Rastelli upper 2/3 choice standards.
• Designing a healthy feed mix without antibiotics, hormones and steroids in order to produce safe, wholesome, preservative-free foods. Organic selections are raised according to strict standards; Rastelli also produces Kosher and Halal-certified meats.

With about 325,000 hospitalizations from food-borne illnesses a year, the company takes unprecedented steps to ensure food safety, operating its food manufacturing plants under rigid quality assurance and sanitation standards. For example:

• Sophisticated air filtration systems and ozonated water systems improve plant sanitation and safety. Ozonated water guards against contaminants including salmonella, lysteria and E-coli, and has been proven to have no negative ecological impact while reducing or eliminating the use of chemical cleaning agents.
• The Rastelli QA team tests ground meat for E-coli four times a day, as well as offsite through Independent laboratories, in contrast to government standards for meat processors that require E-coli testing only four times a year.
• All plants are under USDA and FDA inspection every hour they operate.

We should all share the same passion for our food as the Rastelli family has for years.  Think about it... Most of us take or give our kids multivitamins..... Right?  Well, would you take or give your children hormones, steroids and antibiotics everyday... I don't think you would but you are with the meals you put on the table.

Imagine putting a meal like this on your table every evening...  An All Natural Cowboy Ribeye Steak with creamed spinach and potatoes in caramelized onions.... This dinner was delivered right to my doorstep and I don't have to worry about where it came from because Rastelli can...

If red meat isn't your fancy the fish selections will amaze you!

Welcome!

Hi Everyone!

If your someone who loves to Dine and Wine you've come to the right place!  I will be blogging out foods and wines that will enhance your experiences!  So many people are not educated on what makes foods "To Dine For" and here will you learn the secrets!

This blog is also a place for you to Wine about daily dining experiences and post your photos of delicious meals!

If your looking to have a 5-Star experience everyday I will show you  how!

I hope you all come to enjoy my blog and share it with your friends and family!