Category Archives: Italian

Do You Enjoy Fine, Imported Foods & Confections?

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House
Do You Enjoy Fine, Imported Foods & Confections?

Do you enjoy partaking in delicious, fine, imported foods & confections?  Well we do too & now we have a nice selection of these products available for your home or to give as gifts, to a well deserving person!

It has been a work in progress, but the retail area at Joe’s Pasta House is open! Come in and choose from a selection of incredible Olive Oils, Olives, Asparagus, Cookies & more.

Among the Olive Oils you will find several Roland offerings as well as the buttery, organic olive oil of McEvoy Ranch.   Now, McEvoy does hail out of California, not oversees; but it is an agriculturally responsible ranch that uses a blend of Frantoio, Leccino, Pendolino, Maurino, Leccio del Corno and Coratina Italian Olives to make their oil & it is just sumptuous!

Organic Olive Oil

McEvoy Organic Olive Oil at  Joe’s Pasta House

Olive Oil

Roland Olive Oils available at Joe’s Pasta House

While choosing which olive oil you would like best you will also have a choice of Italian & Greek Olives, French Salts & Mustard, Pasta, White Asparagus, Garlic Stuffed Olives & mmmmm, Organic Balsamic Vinegar!  But wait, we have more on the way… like dipping oils!

Olives

Roland Garlic Stuffed Spanish Olives

Asparagus

Roland White Asparagus

Dijon Mustard, Sea Salt & French Sea Salt

Roland Organic Grained Dijon Mustard, Grey Sea Salt & Fleur de Sel French Sea Salt

This is all sounds great, but what about for those who have an eternal sweet tooth? We have you covered too!  How would you like some Rolled Gaufrettes, a variety of Tartlettes or Amaretti Cookies?  Remember to pick up a San Pellegrino & Aqua Panna to wash it all down!

Cookies, Tartlettes

Roland Lemon Tartlettes & Strawberry Tartlettes

Is there something you would like but don’t see here or anywhere you look in New Mexico?  Let us know the product you are missing & we will be happy to do our best to find it for you!

Bon Appétit!

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Posted in Acqua Panna, Asparagus, Balsamic Vinegar, Celebration, Confections, Cookies, Food, Garlic, Imported, Imported Food, Italian, Italy, Local, McEvoy, New, New Mexico, Oil, Olives, Organic, Pasta, Regional Cusine, Retail, Rio Rancho, Roland, San Pellegrino, Stuffed Olives, Sweets, Tartlettes, Water and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Cultural Traditions – Enjoying Life’s Moments

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

Do you & your family have cultural traditions that were shared & handed down by the elders?  Chances are you do.  Whether your Italian, Italian American or have a different heritage; you are probably thinking of a time-honored ritual that your family shares, as you read this blog.  I am not talking about holidays necessarily, but about the day to day precious moments that we have the opportunity to enjoy.

Our family is Sicilian American, closely associated with Italian American

Our family is Sicilian American, closely associated with Italian American

In our family we sit down to dinner and share our day, thoughts, struggles, dreams & family history.  In the Italian (Sicilian) American culture; Sundays are known as a day for family, friends & food… then more food!  You may have heard us making reference to the pot being on stove all day on Sunday, ready to welcome & feed everyone who comes to visit.  The food is delicious & nurturing but the camaraderie – stories told, instruments played, singing & dancing amongst the laughter; these are precious moments in life we get to relish.

Stuffed Eggplant Appetizer

Stuffed Eggplant Appetizer

Today; in this day & age, it is commonly heard that “I am too busy,” having no time to participate in these vital, nourishing customs.  We are hoping to encourage everyone to stop; put down the cell phones, laptops, iPads & iPods – take time to say hello, how are you, let’s sit & talk over a nice meal… enjoy these cherished occasions & the people you love.  Don’t rush – make the time; you will embrace these memories dearly as generations grow & pass.  Imagine being able to share stories of family traditions, history, funny times & maybe even adventures experienced with the younger generations; inspiring them to take the time to share & enjoy life’s moments.

What are some of traditions you share with your family & friends?  We would love to hear your story….

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Posted in Culture, Customs, Dancing, Dinner, Eggplant, Family, Food, Friends, Fun, Funny, Generations, Heritage, Italian, Laughter, Life, Love, Precious Moments, Sicilian, Singing, Tradition and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

How do You Get Olive Oil Stains Out of Your Clothes?

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

If you love Italian food, chances are you’ve had a least one olive oil stain on your clothes.  Do you wash your clothing several times trying to remove the oil & in the process wear out the article by over washing?  Have stain removers left you frustrated to the point you just throw away your clothes?  Maybe we can help…

Image

There are alternatives to throwing your clothes away & most of them can be found right on the internet.  Whether you find the information by doing a general search for removing oil from clothing or you go directly to a specific site, like You Tube, to find the information; there are a lot of suggestions for removing oil stains.

As you can imagine, we have quite a bit of clothing that comes home with olive oil stains & sometimes it is a drawn out battle; but I never end up throwing in the towel!  Usually a 5-10 minute treatment of stain remover & some added OxiClean to the wash will do the trick, but what about the really tuff stains?  Well, it is a good idea to dab (not rub) the excess oil off the material before trying any treatment (see first link above).  Then, get some dish soap out & treat the stain with that, allowing it to sit 5 minutes to overnight (depending how big & bad the stain may be) & then wash as usual.

There are many ways & recommendations on how to remove stains.  Maybe you know of a great way to get a stubborn spot out or your mother has shared a family “secret” on getting the job done.  So, how do you get olive oil stains out of you clothes?

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Coming Soon to Joe’s Pasta House

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

When you own a business,  you are always making changes whether it is basic upkeep, replacement of products, updating, redecorating, rearranging or just plain bringing in something new.  This is one of those times when we are bringing in something new; it is coming soon & we want to share it with you as we go through the process!

COMING SOON1

You may notice some changes taking place when you come to dine with us – an addition of a retail area!  We will be introducing Fine Domestic/Imported Foods & Confections.  The selection; that will be available for you to purchase & enjoy at home, will include an eclectic array of pastas, oils, olives, tasty treats & more.  There will be a diverse assortment of brands from which to choose.  We decided to offer this because we know how difficult it can be to find fine Italian products & ingredients here that are more readily available in larger cities, closer to the coastal regions of the United States.  Many of our regulars ask us how they can purchase higher quality goods that just don’t seem to be available here in the grocery stores. So; we are going to bring some of those favorites to you, as well as some really nice products we have come across & use at home ourselves.   Please join us in our excitement as we remodel & bring in something new; for you!

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Posted in Coming Soon, Confections, Food, Imported, Italian, New, New Mexico, Oil, Olives, Organic, Pasta, Retail, Rio Rancho and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Southern Italy, Northern Italy & yes, Central Italy – There is a Difference in the Regional Cuisines.

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

Are you, your family or ancestors from Southern or Northern Italy?  Than it is likely you know the cuisine of these regions, while may having similarities, are also very different.  There are many “regions” in Italy, generally cuisine is divided into two – Northern or Southern… but there is also Central Italy!  The food in all three areas bring something unique to the dining table.

Map of Italy

Map: 3 Main Regions of Italy

Let’s start in the North where you are likely to dine on meals that are rich & creamy along with stuffed meats & pastas; Parmigiano-Reggiano may well be the most popular cheese.  The Ligurian coastal section of north-west Italy boast fish (baccala), like Cod.

In contrast, Southern Italy is known for it’s tomatoes  – cooked in a sauce or served fresh; as well as peppers, olives, olive oil, garlic, Ricotta cheese, eggplants, zucchini & fish, like Tuna or Sardines.  As you can see, Southern Italy has had a great influence on American Italian fare.  For all you Pizza lover’s out there… it hails from Naples, also part of Southern Italy.

Organic Black Eggplant

Organic Eggplant in our Garden at Home.

Zucchini Squash

Organic Zucchini fresh from our garden.

Do you hear Italians mention Central Italy often?  Honestly, I don’t think I have ever heard that once!  Traditional Central Italian cuisine uses ingredients such as tomatoes, all kinds of meat, fish, and pecorino cheese.  In Tuscany and Ubria, pasta is usually served alla carrettiera (a tomato sauce spiked with peperoncini hot peppers).

As you can see by our menu; we offer a dining experience that is influenced by all the above, in addition to the induced Italian American dishes that came from our ancestors when they moved to United States. Comment below & share with us which style of cuisine you like best… or maybe like us, you enjoy it all!

Penne Baked

Baked Penne

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Posted in Central Italy, Cod, Culinary, Dinner, Eggplant, Fish, Food, House Made, Italian, Italy, Menu, Northern Italy, Organic, Pasta, Regional Cusine, Sauce, Seafood, Southern Italy, Zucchini and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Carnevale – the Italian Carnival

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

Did you miss it…do you know what it is?

It has just come & gone… Italian Carnevale; – in the United States, 2013, it was a celebration held around February 9-12 (Lent started on the 13th).  In Venice, however, celebrations went on from February 1-14, it some parts of Italy the parties started in the end of January!

        venice carevale          106477551_-italian-venetian-carnival-ladies-sculptural-wall-mask-

Green & Gold Mask

Carnevale began in Venice during the Italian Renaissance as an annual celebration preceding Lent; the Italian Renaissance began in the the 14th century & lasted until the 16th century! Did you miss out on the fun?  Well, you don’t have to… come join us for the Taste of Rio Rancho, Saturday March 9 beginning at 4pm in the Santa Ana Star Center Arena; where we will bring back a touch of Italian Carnevale.  In addition, there will be over 25 other participating Rio Rancho Restaurants, live music & more… in an all new spacious layout!  Tickets (that include all the tasty food samples & live music) can be purchased in advance at  Santa Ana Star Center Box Office for $5 or you can pay $10 at the door the day of the event (if we aren’t already sold out)!  So, come join us in the fun & celebration of so much that Rio Rancho has to offer!

Joes Pasta House at Taste of Rio Rancho 20131

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Posted in Beer, Celebration, Date, Family, Food, Fun, Holiday, Italian, Local, New Mexico, Restaurants, Rio Rancho, Wine. Bookmark the permalink.

What are you doing on Tuesday & Wednesday Night?

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House

How would you like Fish Fry or Prime Rib for Dinner?

You may think this is a funny question coming from an Italian restaurant, but in addition to our extensive Italian & Steak/Chop Menu we have added a couple special nights due to popular request… and we aim to please!

Starting tonight, Tuesday 2/26/13, we are offering Fish Fry as our Tuesday night weekday special… 2 pieces of hand breaded, cold water, wild caught Flounder served with a garden salad, fried potatoes & house made tartar sauce!  And don’t worry about your fish being fried in hydrogenated oil; we use 100% vegetable oil in our fryer!

Rib-Roast-3

But how about Wednesday night?  Maybe fish isn’t your favorite dish; well beginning tomorrow night, 2/27/13, we are featuring Prime Rib as our Wednesday night weekday special… All natural, slow roasted, Black Angus Prime Rib Served with garden salad & mashed potatoes!  Do you enjoy a tender piece of flavorful prime rib that isn’t dipped in liquid smoke?  Than you will want to join us on Wednesday night!

Both specials are offered from 4pm-9pm… while supplies last.  For more Weekday, Weekend & Take-Out specials visit us on:

 http://joespastahouse.com/index.php/dinner-specials/

At Joe’s Pasta House your not just getting the cultural taste of our Italian family recipes; you also get enjoy savory selections created & prepared by a fully trained culinary team!  We look forward to seeing & serving you soon.

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Posted in Culinary, Dinner, Fish, Fish Fry, Food, Italian, New Mexico, Non Hydrogenated, Prime Rib, Restaurants, Rio Rancho, Seafood, Steaks and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Classic Humor for Valentines Day

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Joe's Pasta House
Happy Valentines Day!
In honor of today, Thursday February 14, 2013; we wanted to share a little love with a classic Italian American love song that has just a touch of humor added.  Click the link right above the picture, to view, listen & enjoy!
That’s Amore  
valentines-day

Dean Martin sings this song beautifully & it is very well known.  But how many of you remember watching this & the comedian who joins in the singing? 
It is our sincere wish that this short video warms your heart & brings a smile to your lips.

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Posted in Funny, Holiday, Humor, Italian, Love, Romantic. Bookmark the permalink.

Imported Pasta versus Pasta from United States

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Joe's Pasta House

How GMOs Affect the Gluten Levels of Pasta

There are many debates going on in regards to GMOs & Gluten.  When we take a look at studies, A Tale of Two Gluten Studies and the history of wheat, What Happened to Wheat, we know that there is an increasing problem with GMOs & gluten.  What foods you decide to partake in is ultimately your choice; but we feel as restauranteurs & the fact that we are passionate about serving the same fresh, nutritious food to our guests as we do our family; we have a responsibility in helping you make an informed decision that could effect your health.
 
 
 At Joe’s Pasta House we choose to serve Imported Pasta.  What? Why, you may ask, when we serve so many foods that are local? Yes, supporting the local economy is very important… and so is offering delicious, healthier food.  This is where the choice to serve imported pasta, from Italy, is the only current choice for us.  Unfortunately, the United States allows GMO wheat to be produced in our country.   In the article, What Happened to Wheat, you can see a study conducted by the Mayo clinic shows 60 years ago Celiac Disease was rare.  Now it effects at least 1% of the population.  You can find more information about Celiac Disease here: The Mayo Clinic
 
So, what has changed in our wheat?  GMOs!  That is right; studies show that GMO wheat produces a higher yield of gluten & many people are having digestive issues because it is too much for us to process.  In “Which Countries Have Banned GMO Foods?”  there is a very informative list of which countries have modified what is allowed as far as GMO foods & countries that have banned GMOs.  Italy is one of the countries with a ban on GMOs & that is why we serve pasta imported from Italy!  It is important to us to provide as much minimally processed (if processed at all), natural, free-range, non-injected, non GMO foods as possible – this also includes organic & local selections when feasible.  Fresh, house-made recipes that provide good nutrition & value; this is one of our most important purposes when we are serving you & your loved ones.

 

 

 

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Posted in Dinner, Food, GMOs, Imported, Italian, Pasta. Bookmark the permalink.

Surprise! There Really is no Added Sugar in the Red Sauce….

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Joe's Pasta House
Baked Lasagna

Many times over the last 12 years we have been asked “how much sugar to you put in your red sauce?” There is much disbelief when we reply “None, there is no added sugar in the sauce.”  We have literally had guests tell us they don’t believe us… “no way, your sauce has a light, sweet taste; you have to put sugar in it!” OK, we will let you in on a little secret…. it’s not added sugar, it’s all about the tomatoes we use.  You see,  it has to do with understanding the chemical reactions of different foods depending on how they are cooked & the type of food you are cooking.  Here is the secret ingredient: Imported Italian Plum Tomatoes & we make the sauce fresh every morning!  The chemical breakdown of this specific tomato is what makes our sauce have a hint of sweetness.  So, relax & enjoy the next time you partake in a dish with red sauce at Joe’s Pasta House… there are no refined sugars added to the sauce!

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Posted in Dinner, Food, House Made, Imported, Italian, Recipe, Sauce, Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.
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