A special “farm-to-table” wine dinner for a special cause

As fans of the Bistro may already know, the Hospice of the Western Reserve is an organization dear to our hearts. It does more for the community than many people know. The Hospice not only provides care for individuals in the final phase of life—whether at home or in one of its residences—but compassionate support for their families, education and resources, and bereavement support that is available to the entire community, not just those who lost a loved one in hospice. It’s for this reason that we’ve teamed up with Laurello Vineyards of Grand River Valley, Ohio and Cavotta’s Garden Center to present a very special summertime dinner to help benefit these wonderful neighbors and friends.

Our Farm-to-Table Wine Dinner, Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Cavotta’s, 19603 Nottingham Rd. in Cleveland, will bring together a bounty of the freshest, most perfectly prepared summer produce with a carefully paired complement of Laurello wines in five courses that will put the best of the season on your plate.

Menu

First Course
From the Cavotta Garden: Heirloom Tomato and Herb Salad with Locally Made Boccocini
Wine: Josephine Chardonnay-Viognier

Second Course
Locally Sourced Pork Tenderloin Grilled Chinese Style
Cavotta Garden Grilled Baby Bok Choy Finished with a Sesame-Miso Glaze
Organic Freekah Pilaf
Wine: Cosmo-Sangiovese Merlot

Third Course
Indian-Inspired Tandoor Style Grilled Organic Chicken Thigh
Saffron-Scented Organic Brown Basmati Rice
Cavotta Garden Kale Salad
Grilled Naan Bread with Cumin-Scented Ghee
Wine: Illuminata-Reisling-Muscat Gewurztraminer

Fourth Course
Grilled Shrimp Kabob with Local Herb and Olive Oil Marinade
Local Watermelon-Mint-Feta Salad
Wine: Unoaked Reserve Chardonnay

Fifth Course
Selection of House-Made Desserts and Fresh Seasonal Berries
Wine: Sweet Genevieve Vidal Blanc Ice

Price of this unique banquet is $150 per person, including tax and gratuity. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Hospice of the Western Reserve.

To reserve your place for this very special event, purchase tickets here at Eventbrite. Participants must be age 21 or over. Eventbrite will add a $9.25 service charge. Tickets are transferable, but all sales are final (no refunds). Please bring your ticket to the event.

We hope to see many of you at this one-of-a-kind dinner to benefit a one-of-a-kind organization. Join us!

Another “Meal to Remember”

Last year, the Bistro took part for the first time in Hospice of the Western Reserve‘s “A Meal to Remember” program. The Hospice of the Western Reserve devotes itself to providing palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support, and bereavement services throughout Northern Ohio. Celebrating the individual worth of each person’s life includes providing families with opportunities to share memory-making moments, and that’s what “A Meal to Remember” is all about.

This monthly event allows families of loved ones in hospice care to gather together to share a heartwarming, carefully prepared meal served by a local restaurant. It means they can take the time to enjoy not only wonderful food, but the company of each other, in a relaxed, unhurried setting. Moments like these become ever more precious when someone you love is facing the end of life. They help create memories that matter and endure.

This year, once again, Bistro 185 will prepare the Hospice’s “A Meal to Remember,” July 9 at David Simpson Hospice House. It’s a beautiful setting on the Lake Erie shore, where patients and their loved ones will gather to enjoy a truly special dinner.

We invite all our friends to visit the Hospice’s website and learn more about what they do. Many people don’t realize exactly how much wonderful work this hospice does for the community. Providing compassionate end-of-life care—whether at home or in one of their two hospice houses—is only part of the story. Hospice of the Western Reserve also provides support to caregivers and offers help to anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one—even someone who did not receive hospice services. Whether or not you currently have concerns about end-of-life care for someone close to you, you may find the Hospice offers a service that can make your life easier and better.

Has it been too long since your family has all been in one place at one time? Have the demands of work, school, and other activities turned everyone into eaters on the run? Is texting taking the place of face-to-face conversation? It’s easy to let it happen, but trying to slow down the pace can be so satisfying. Life goes by so quickly—it’s worth the effort to create a time and place where you and those you care about can sit down, take a breath, and really talk with each other.

Maybe it’s time you put a family meal on your schedule. Whether you plan it at a restaurant or at home, it’s a terrific way to get back in touch with the people who really matter in our lives.

The importance of the family dinner

In these times, when so many people are constantly on the go, racing back and forth from work, school, practices, games, meetings, and everything else they have going on in their lives, we’re hearing more and more about how important it is to take time out and gather the whole family around the dinner table. Studies have shown that sitting down together to a regular meal together can benefit families in any number of ways. What’s the reason for this? A large part of it has to do with one simple factor: communication.

Families who eat together have the luxury of time to discuss the happenings in their lives–to share thoughts, questions, concerns, opinions, feelings. It’s easier for parents to outline their values for their children, about everything from the foods they eat to the type of friends they make. Just talking with your children helps build their vocabulary. Eating together as a family also communicates one thing without speaking a word: love.

Gathering to share a carefully prepared meal, taking the time to savor each bite, to be with the people closest to you and see their faces, warms the soul and refreshes the spirit in a way that heating up a microwaved meal on the run never can. And that’s true whether it’s a home-cooked feast or one prepared and served by others so that family members can just enjoy each other’s company, without having to worry about fussing over a hot stove beforehand or cleaning up afterward.

Family dinners are key components of religions around the world. In the United States, we even have a national holiday centered on one. When we look back on our lives, oftentimes we realize that many of our favorite memories were made at events like these.

Each such gathering becomes even more meaningful when a family member is nearing the end of life. At that time, everyone’s focus shifts toward ensuring that this person enjoys the highest quality of life possible for as long as he or she can, with maximum opportunity for the family to be together, saying things that need to be said and helping the loved one meet death with dignity, cradled in their affection.

It’s for this reason that we at Bistro 185 are taking part in the Hospice of the Western Reserve‘s “A Meal to Remember” program. The Hospice of the Western Reserve devotes itself to providing palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support, and bereavement services throughout Northern Ohio. Celebrating the individual worth of each person’s life includes providing families with opportunities to share memory-making moments, and that’s what “A Meal to Remember” is all about.

Once each month this year, one local Cleveland restaurant is hosting a dinner for Hospice of the Western Reserve patients and their loved ones at David Simpson Hospice House. In this beautiful setting on the Lake Erie shore, patients and their loved ones can gather around the dinner table to enjoy a truly special meal and create lasting memories. On July 17, Bistro 185 will provide the monthly dinner, and it will be a singular feast indeed. We’ll tell you more about it later. In the meantime, we hope you’ll visit the Hospice’s website and learn more about the important work they do.

How long has it been since your family gathered around a table together? Got a special milestone coming up, like a birthday or anniversary, made for such an occasion? Or has it just been too long since you saw each other’s faces all in one place at one time? Maybe it’s time you put a family meal on your schedule.

SOME LIKE IT HOT, SOME LIKE IT COOL: How about this weather? Yes, it’s been downright scorching sometimes. But hot days mean perfect days for the Bistro patio–hedged in by shading trees, it’s a great place to enjoy a drink and a fabulous meal with friends. Still too warm for you? Come inside where things are dark, air-conditioned, and comfortable. A frosty beer, a cold glass of wine, a cocktail on the rocks, or a sweat-beaded soft drink will help you chill out quickly. Then turn to our menu, where you’ll find appetizers and specials from the spicy hot to the crisp and refreshing. Whatever way you like it, at Bistro 185 you’ll find what you like.

THE RETURN OF JULIA: If you enjoyed our 2009 “Julia Project,” in which we served up a new dish from the Julia Child oeuvre every night, we’ve got some exciting news. August 15 will be the day Julia Child would have turned 100, and we’re planning a celebration already. Sounds good? Watch this space for details.