Saturday, November 5, 2011

Thanksgiving



Thanksgiving is quickly approaching...
Joe's Italian
will be open on Wednesday November 23rd from 8am until 9pm.
Order one of our delectable cakes to share with your family for Thanksgiving
.

Choose from :

• Strawberry
• Zebra
• Carrot
• Pumpkin Spice
• Chocolate
• Banana Cream
• Orange Dreamsicle
• Red Velvet
• Coconut
• Italian Rum
• Italian Cream
• Tiramisu
• Cannoli

Available in TWO sizes
HALF SIZE feeds 10-12
FULL SIZE feeds 20-24

Call the restaurant to order your cakes
205.663.4111



November & Gift Cards

Joe's Gift Cards

For the entire month of November
Joe's is offering a sweet deal on gift cards.

Buy $100 worth of gift cards & receive a $20 gift card FREE.


Saturday, October 1, 2011

Joe’s Italian – All in the Family




For more than 40 years, Giuseppe “Joe” and Elvira “Mamma” Bertolone have been honing the art of Italian cooking. The charismatic couple, whom emigrated from Italy in 1977, owned and operated the original Joe’s Italian for 27 years in Gilroy, California, becoming a local favorite for many diners. In 2008, their children Sonia, Michael, and Mary Bertolone opened Joe’s in Alabaster (and subsequently, Lucia’s in Helena), sharing the family’s love of Italian home-cooking with us here in Shelby County.

“When you come here, you’re part of the family,” said Sonia. “Our staff, our guests… everyone who comes into Joe’s has a place in our family.”

Personally, I vividly remember my first encounter with Joe’s—my husband, who is not the Italian-food fanatic that I am, had not stopped raving about it since eating there with his mother. Thinking 6:30 would be plenty early, we pulled up to Joe’s one evening expecting an average weeknight dinner crowd; however the packed parking lot and line out the door was anything but typical. I knew then that we were onto something.

As we walked inside to put our names on the list, I was overtaken by the delicious aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Clearly, this was going to be a meal worth waiting for. We stepped aside and I began to take in the atmosphere of Joe’s Italian.

Almost instantly, Joe came by and warmly welcomed us in. His still-thick accent said everything I needed to hear. I watched him shuffle around the restaurant, greeting everyone with a giant grin as he checked to make sure his dinner guests were enjoying their meals. Moments later, Mamma, in her classic white apron, came rushing out into the lobby from behind large swinging double doors. In one hand, she had a pitcher of Sprite™, a stack of glasses in the other. She quickly began offering beverages to those waiting for a table, splashing in some red wine for the adults who nodded in approval. I knew she was great—and then I had her strawberry cake. Joe and Mamma seemed to treat the restaurant like it was their dining room at home; like they were having a dinner party and I had gotten an invitation. Until then, I had never felt so welcome in a restaurant.

The Family Legacy

It all began in 1967. Joe Bertolone had been living in England, where he spent much of the mid-sixties learning the art of cooking at an Italian restaurant in London’s famous Piccadilly Circus. Early that year, a young and lively Joe returned to Italy for a visit with his family.

During his visit home to Liguria, Joe went into the café where the young and beautiful Elvira was employed as a cooking apprentice. “It was love at first sight. She was working behind the counter, so I ordered a whiskey from her,” Joe said, his accent still heavy after all these years. Not wanting to leave her sight, he ordered a second drink. “She gave it to me, but said ‘Hey, take it easy’.” He knew she would be a tough one. Joe returned to the café later that same night, hoping that Elvira would talk to him after she got off work. Since she was still on the clock, he had another drink while he built up the courage to ask her out. “She said ‘no’, so I told her ‘okay, I’ll come back tomorrow.” That is what he did. After several attempts, she finally relented to his request and went out with him. The rest is history.

For six months, the young amorous couple maintained a long-distance relationship, until Joe could move back home to Italy for good. Less than a year from the day they met, he and Elvira were married and the legacy of Joe’s Italian had begun.

Cooking Up a Plan

In 1968, the blissful new couple honeymooned in California. They decided then and there that they wanted to become citizens and begin their new life together as Americans. But things of that nature do not move quickly.

Nearly a decade passed before the Bertolone’s decision to emigrate to the U.S. became a reality. By 1977, when they finally flew into New York City as American residents, they already had two children. “I vividly remember being handed my green card,” said Sonia, who was just seven when they arrived. Her brother Michael was only five. From there, the family flew on to their destination of Gilroy, CA. “My uncle Michael, an American citizen for years by then, owned Caesar’s Pizzeria there,” said Sonia. Both Joe and Mamma went straight to work for Joe’s brother at his restaurant.

Life for the Bertolones seemed to be rolling along, according to plan; but no one could see the coming storm on the horizon.

“Mom and Dad are the two hardest working people I know,” said Sonia. Before coming to America, the couple worked tirelessly to make sure they had plenty for their new life. While waiting for their emigration paperwork to finalize, Joe and Mamma ran a fresh fruit and vegetable market in Savona, Italy, saving their money and planning for future investments. “Dad’s got a lot of business sense,” Sonia said.

They had not been in America long when they learned the terrible truth about their  financial situation: there was nothing left. Mismanagement of their savings by someone close to the Bertolone family forced Joe and Mamma to face starting over from scratch, in a new country, with two children and a new baby, Mary, who was born in 1978. As difficult as it was, they made do. With the help of Joe’s sister-in-law, ‘Aunt Frances’, the Bertolones were able to break ground on their own restaurant endeavor the following year. The original Joe’s Italian opened its doors in Gilroy, the ‘garlic capital of the world’, in 1981.

Serving It Up Italian-Style


From day one, each member of the Bertolone family dedicated much of their time to working the long hours it takes to run a restaurant. “When Joe’s opened, I was ten and Michael was eight, so we pretty much grew up in the restaurant,” said Sonia, “but since she was so much younger, Mary really did grow up there.” Much of their childhood was spent learning the ropes, preparing ultimately for their own Joe’s venture down the road. Michael instantly took to learning his father’s trade. “I started rolling out pizza dough when I was eight,” he said.

Since the beginning, Joe’s has been focused on doing Italian right. The lasagna is made from scratch in the traditional style taught in Italy. Many dishes, such as the Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, and Peperoncino, are inspired by cuisine in Calabria, the Southern region of Italy where Mamma spent most of her young life. Calabrian-style dishes are simple, yet flavorful and are characterized by a few, fresh ingredients that complement each other well. “Every day we try to improve the dishes,” Joe said. “When we think it is just right… no way. It can always be better.” Perhaps that is a large part of their recipe for success.

Operating on the philosophy of cooking with fresh, quality ingredients and providing excellent customer service in a family environment, it’s no wonder Joe’s Italian quickly became a beloved local landmark. A blurb on their menu circa 1985 professed this fact. It read, “A full house every night and noon is testimony that Joe’s is one of the most popular restaurants in Gilroy.” The success of Joe’s spurred them to open a second location in Hollister, CA in 1986.

In 1989, Joe’s was featured in an American Folklife Center/Library of Congress travelling exhibit entitled Italian-Americans in the West. The research project commemorated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to America. According to official records, the project was intended “to document aspects of traditional cultural expression of Italian Americans in the western United States.”

Twice during Joe’s heyday in the nineties, Mamma and Sonia teamed up at the annual Garlic Festival to compete against other cooks on the Food Network show Ready, Set, Cook. “One time, we were given a banana, couscous, a red bell pepper, and some chicken to make a meal,” Sonia recalled. “We made a sort of sweet-and-sour style chicken. We won both times.”

Passing It On

As much as Joe and Mamma loved running their restaurant in California, they began to feel the pull of family after their daughters moved to Alabama. “In 2002, they came to visit out of the blue,” Sonia said. “They bought a house in Montevallo because they fell in love with it here.” Five years later, Joe and Mamma sold their restaurant and retired to Alabama. Michael and his family were not far behind.
All together again, the second generation joined forces to bring Joe’s to Alabama three years ago. Even in “retirement”, Joe and Mamma are always there, working and sharing their love of Italian cuisine with guests. “We love it too much to stay away,” said Joe. Clearly, his and Mamma’s “retirement” was not the end of Joe’s. For us, it was just the beginning.
 
My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Weekly Features August 8 to August 13, 2011

Monday August 8 th

Pappardelle Giancarlo
mini-meatballs, Italian sausage & chicken medallions in our fresh tomato sauce
served over wide egg noodles

Ricotta Stuffed Shells
in our tomato cream sauce


Tuesday August 9th

Capellini ai pomodori freschi
angel hair pasta with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil & olive oil

Pollo Marsala
breast of chicken saute with Marsala, mushrooms & cream, served over fettuccine


Wednesday August 10th

Manicotti
fresh pasta shells filled with ricotta and spinach topped with pomodoro, panna & pesto sauces

Tortelllaci alla Romana
veal filled tortellaci in our cream sauce with peas and prosciutto


Thursday August 11th

Cannelloni
fresh pasta shells filled with seasoned ground beef, spinach & parmigiano topped with pur bolognese & bescamella sauces

Saltimboca alla Romana
breast of chicken filled with a prosciutto & fontina, caper, sage sauce served over fettuccine


Friday August 12th

Lobster Ravioli
ravioli filled in our white wine cream sauce

Rigatoni alla Strappicciata
Mamma's pot roast transformed into a creamy sauce over rigatoni


Saturday August 13th

Linguini Santa Lucia
lump lobster, white wine, cream & sundried tomatoes over fettuccine

Pork Osso Buco
braised with a fresh tomato veal demi glace sauce served over pesto infused mashed potatoes




My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Feature Menu July 25 to July 30, 2011


Feature Menu
July 25 to July 30, 2011

Monday July 25, 2011

Cannelloni
large pasta shells filled with seasoned ground beef, spinach & parmigiano, topped with our bolognese & bescamella sauces

Ricotta Stuffed Shells
in our tomato cream sauce

Tuesday July 26, 2011

Pork Osso Buco
braised in a fresh tomato-veal demi glace sauce & served over pesto infused mashed potatoes

Saltimboca alla Romana
breast of chicken stuffed in a prosciutto & fontina sauce saute with white wine, mushrooms & cream and served over fettuccine

Wednesday July 27, 2011

Pollo Marsala
breast of chicken saute with Marsala, cream & mushrooms served over fettuccine

Capellini con pomodori freschi
angel hair pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & olive oil

Thursday July 28, 2011

Manicotti
pasta shells filled with ricotta & spinach and topped with our pomodoro, pesto & panna sauces

Cannelloni
large pasta shells filled with seasoned ground beef, spinach & parmigiano, topped with our bolognese & bescamella sauces

Friday July 29, 2011

Linguini Santa Lucia
lump lobster, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, white wine & cream sauce over linguini

Tortellaci alla Romana
veal filled tortellaci in our cream sauce with peas & prosciutto

Saturday July 30, 2011

Pappardelle Giancarlo
mini-meatballs, Italian sausage & chicken medallions in our fresh tomato sauce over pappardelle

Lobster Ravioli
in our white wine cream sauce



My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Monday, July 18, 2011

FEATURES JULY 18th to JULY 23rd


Feature Menu July 18th to July 23rd

~MONDAY JULY 18, 2011~

LOBSTER RAVIOLI
in our white wine cream sauce with sun dried tomatoes

PENNE GENOVESE
penne pasta tossed in a tomato cream sauce with peas, onions, mushrooms & chicken

~TUESDAY JULY 19, 2011~

TORTELLACI ALLA ROMANA
veal filled tortellaci in our cream sauce with peas & prosciutto

RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS
pasta shells stuffed with ricotta in our rose sauce

~WEDNESDAY JULY 20, 2011~

CAPPELLINI AI POMODORI FRESCHI
angel hair pasta in a chopped fresh tomato sauce with basil & garlic

GNOCCHI DI SPINACI
gorgonzola filled spinach gnocchi in our cream sauce

~THURSDAY JULY 21, 2011~

PAPPARDELLE GIANCARLO
mini meatballs, Italian sausage & chicken medallions in our tomato sauce over pappardelle

MANICOTTI
ricotta & spinach filled pasta shells topped with pomodoro, panna & pesto sauces

~FRIDAY JULY 22, 2011~

PENNE SALMONE
smoked salmon, diced fresh tomatoes & caramelized onion cream sauce over penne

POLLO MARSALA
breast of chicken saute with marsala, mushrooms & cream over fettuccine

~SATURDAY JULY 23, 2011~

Crab Cannelloni
crab & ricotta filled cannelloni topped with our cream sauce

Rigatoni Strappicciata
pot roast made into a cream sauce over rigatoni






My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Features July 11 to July 16, 2011


Weekly Features
July 11th to July 16th, 2011

Monday July 11, 2011

~ Lobster Ravioli~
in our white wine-cream sauce with sun dried tomatoes

~ Ricotta Stuffed Shells ~
large ricotta stuffed shells in our tomato-cream sauce

Tuesday July 12, 2011

~ Pollo Marsala~
breast of chicken saute with marsala, mushrooms & cream served over fettuccine

~ Shrimp & Andouille Ravioli ~
in our pesto cream sauce with asparagus

Wednesday July 13, 2011

~Pork Osso Buco~
braised with veal demi-glace tomato sauce and served over pesto infused mashed potatoes

~Manicotti~
large pasta shells filled with ricotta and spinach and topped with pesto, panna & pomodoro sauces

Thursday July 14, 2011

~Penne Salmone~
fresh tomatoes, basil & garlic with smoked salmon over penne

~Jumbo Five Cheese Ravioli~
in our pesto cream sauce

Friday July 15, 2011

~Linguini Santa Lucia~
lump lobster, garlic, white wine, sun dried tomatoes and cream over linguini

~Cannelloni~
large pasta shells filled with seasoned beef, spinach and parmigiano topped with our bolognese and bescamella sauces

Saturday July 16, 2011

~Penne Portobello~
fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil and New Zealand mussels over penne

~Saltimboca alla Romana~
breast of chicken filled with a prosciutto cheese sauce saute with white wine, capers & cream over fettuccine

~~~~
Save room for Mamma's decedent peach cake







My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011


Here are our FEATURES for the week

~ Tuesday 7/5/2011 ~
Pork Osso Buco
pork braised in veal demi-glace & our pomodoro sauce
served over pesto infused mashed potatoes

5 Cheese Raviloni
Jumbo ravioli filled with 5 cheeses in our pesto cream sauce


~ Wednesday 7/6/2011 ~
Tortellaci alla Romana
veal filled pasta in our cream sauce with peas & prosciutto

Pappardelle Giancarlo
mini meatballs, Italian sausage & chicken medallions in our fresh pomodoro
sauce over wide egg noodles


~ Thursday 7/7/2011~
Cannelloni
large pasta shells filled with seasoned beef, spinach and parmigiano
topped with our bolognese and bechamele sauces

Rigatoni alla Strappicciata
mamma's pot roast made into a decadent creamy tomato sauce over rigatoni

~ Friday 7/8/2011 ~
Ricotta Stuffed Shells
in our creamy tomato sauce

Saltimboca alla Romana
chicken breast filled with capers, prosciutto & cheesein a white wine cream sauce over fettuccine

~ Saturday 7/9/2011 ~
Manicotti
large pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese & spinach and
topped with our pomodoro, panna & pesto sauces

Pollo Marsala
chicken breast saute with Marsala, mushrooms & cream served over fettuccine




My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Weekly Features

You've asked for it...

Here are our FEATURES for the week
~ Mon 6/27 ~

Tortellaci alla Romana
veal filled pasta in our cream sauce with peas & prosciutto

Pappardelle Giancarlo
mini meatballs, Italian sausage & chicken medallions in our fresh pomodoro
sauce over wide egg noodles


~ Tue 6/28 ~

Cannelloni
large pasta shells filled with seasoned beef, spinach and parmigiano
topped with our bolognese and bechamele sauces

Rigatoni alla Strappicciata
mamma's pot roast made into a decadent creamy tomato sauce over rigatoni


~ Wed 6/29 ~

Ricotta Stuffed Shells
ricotta stuffed shells in our creamy tomato sauce

Pollo Marsala
chicken breast saute with Marsala, mushrooms & cream served over fettuccine



~ Thur 6/30 ~

Manicotti
large pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese & spinach and
topped with our pomodoro, panna & pesto sauces

Saltimboca alla Romana

chicken breast filled with capers, prosciutto & cheese
in a white wine cream sauce over fettuccine


~ 7/1 Fri ~

Pork Osso Buco
pork braised in veal demi-glace & our pomodoro sauce
served over pesto infused mashed potatoes

Shrimp & Andouille Ravioli

ravioli filled with shrimp & andouille sausage
in our pesto creams sauce with asparagus


~ 7/2 Sat ~

Linguini Santa Lucia
lump lobster, white wine, cream, sun dried tomatoes and basil over linguini

5 Cheese Raviloni
Jumbo ravioli filled with 5 cheeses in our pesto cream sauce













My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Sonia & the Super Tuscan





Poggio al Tufo
Rompicollo
Maremma Toscana
2009

So I have a little bit of a reputation for being the wino of the family. What can I say, I like wine. Especially when it's good wine. I'm in no way, shape or form a wine expert. I don't even consider myself to be a wine snob, although in fairness to full disclosure, I have to admit to turning my nose to a wine or two.

So "Super Tuscan" describes any Tuscan red wine that does not adhere to traditional blending laws for the region. I once thought that Super Tuscans had to contain Sangiovese, which as it turns out, is untrue. Super Tuscans often use other grapes, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, making them ineligible for classification under the traditional rules, no DOC(G) is authenticated on these bottle. So this wine, much like me, doesn't fit into any classification, can't adhere to the rules, and is a blended to create an end result which is fanastico. I love it for it's drinkability. It's not pretentious or overbearing and goes great with food.

This blend is 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from the "Poggio al Tufo" estate south of Pitigliano, in the heart of "Maremma Toscana", which is located just south of Tuscany and is owned by the Tommasi family whom acquired these vines in 1997.

The Rompicollo vineyard (Italian for neck-breaker), sits upon volcanic soil rich of tufo and has a southern exposure which allows for an abundance of sunlight.

This Intense ruby red wine is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 10 days and then allowed to mature in Slavonian oak barrels for 12 months.

It is well balanced, with good structure, a nice length & residual fruit flavors.

Great with red meat sauce, white meats & fresh cheeses.

Available at Joe's Italian by the glass and bottle.

My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Peach Cake






Peach Cake

If you haven't tried our Peach Cake you're missing out..
3 layers of white cake layered with
fresh local peaches, cream cheese & whipped cream frosting & peach schnapps.
Joe's only features Peach Cake while local peaches are available...



My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Spaghetti ai pomodori crudi










It's hot. Too hot to cook really. So here's a dish that's super quick, requires minimal cooking and will send your taste buds spiraling.
This dish was always a "favorite" at our house in the summer: Spaghetti with an uncooked tomato sauce.

I recommend making this sauce a least an hour ahead of serving it, this will allow the ingredients time to marry and for all the flavors to fully develop.

Start with the best quality tomatoes that you can find, possibly from a farmer's market or from a quality grocer.

Also, some notes this being a simple dish based on raw ingredients; the freshness and quality
of the ingredients used in making the dish are crucial to the success of it. Most importantly, the tomatoes must actually taste like a fresh vine ripened tomato and must not be overly watery. If all you can is the pink, pasty super market variety tomato, do yourself a favor and pick another dish to prepare. Ask your market when local tomatoes are in, and then take advantage of tomatoes grown at the peak of the growing season.

Mamma's Spaghetti ai pomodori crudi
  • 1 lb vine ripe tomatoes
  • 1 lb Spaghetti ~ at Joe's Italian , we use Barilla
  • 2 cloves of fresh garlic ~ freshly chopped
  • 2 tbsp of kosher salt for the sauce plus more will be needed for the water used to cook the pasta.
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 fresh basil leaves ~ chopped just prior to using

  1. slice tomatoes in half and chop into large mixing bowl
  2. add olive oil
  3. chop basil and add to tomato/olive oil mixture
  4. add salt to both sauce and cooking water
  5. cook Spaghetti according to package instructions or to your personal liking
  6. drain pasta
  7. mix together cooked pasta with uncooked tomato/basil sauce
  8. enjoy immediately
No grated cheese is wanted or needed for this dish... it will simply overpower the taste of the sauce.

My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Bertolone Family’s Authentic Italian Food Draws a Crowd

By Daniel Schumacher Photo by Jason Wallis as published in Birmingham Magazine


It’s been nearly 20 years since I have eaten my Nonnie's Italian food, but I could have sworn she was back in the kitchen when I visited Joe’s Italian last month. The sounds, seasonings and harsh lighting brought me right back to her dining room in Huntington Station, N.Y., where I had my fi rst saucy southern Italian meals. Regardless of where in the metropolitan area you reside, Joe’s Italian is reason to visit Alabaster.

In 1977, Italian-born owners Giuseppe and Elvira "Momma" Bertolone packed up their young children and opened their first United States restaurant in Gilroy, Calif. They previously ran a small trattoria in Andora, Italy. The Bertolones ran the Gilroy restaurant for more than 27 years before retiring. Three years ago, they moved Alabaster and reopened Joe’s with the help of their children Sonia, Michael and Mary.

                    Italian 
Food

Expect to wait for a seat, 30 to 90 minutes depending on conditions, or avoid the wait by placing a takeout order. Enjoy the mild spring evening with a glass (or bottle) of wine. Start with a Lambrusco, a sweet red sparkler, and compliment a tomatoey dish with a peppery Nero d’Avola. Joe’s does not mark up prices as much as many other restaurants, leaving many bottles in the $20 to $30 price range.

"The recipe for our white lasagna came to me in a dream," President Sonia Bertolone says. I believe her, because with its creamy white sauce and bits of spicy sausage, that lasagna was positively dreamy. The tender chicken parmesan, red lasagna and silky tomatobasil soup were also outstanding.

After four bottles of wine and generous entrées, we could hardly pass up dessert: massive slices of homemade cake. My group of seven barely finished three slices: strawberry cake, chocolate zebra cake, and my personal favorite, cannoli cake. Bring it home if you must, but do not skip dessert.



My name is Sonia Bertolone and I am the owner of Joe's Italian in Alabaster, Alabama where you can always fine your little piece of authentic Italian cooking.