Sendik's Real Food - Spring 2006

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real food spring 2006

Savor the Flavors of Spring

winter 2005 spring 2006

05

teracy Through the Power of Art!

10

th 20 Ann iversary

volume 2 number 1

Spring Vegetables Holiday Brunch Menu Seafood, American-Style Joys of Ginger Sensational Sandwiches Perfect Pasta

Great Spring Recipes

Sendik’s Food Market welcome

Ring in Spring Open 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily Whitefish Bay 500 E. Silver Spring Dr. Whitefish Bay, WI 53217 (414) 962-9525 Mequon 10930 N. Port Washington Rd. Mequon, WI 53092 (262) 241-9525 Wauwatosa 8616 W. North Ave. Wauwatosa, WI 53226 (414) 456-9525 Grafton 2195 1st Ave. Grafton, WI 53024 (262) 376-9525

Literacy Through the Power of Art! Creative SHARP is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization that uses an innovative literacy program to encourage young urban students to read and write and become actively engaged in devel-

S

pring is just around the corner and we are pleased to bring you the second edition of Sendik’s Real Food magazine.This issue is full of great spring food ideas. In addition to recipes for delicious dishes, you will find more information about Sendik’s and some of the products in our stores. We would like to extend an enthusiastic “thank you” to Left to right: Margaret Harris and Ted Balistreri of Sendik’s with ABCD’s Melodie Wilson and Kathleen Ludington. those of you who purchased the first issue of Real Food. As a result of your support, we donated $6,000 the store is something to behold. To betto our charitable partner, After Breast Can- ter acquaint you with the store, we have cer Diagnosis (ABCD).This quarter, we are included a profile of the manager, Mike teaming up with Creative SHARP Presen- Frederick. Please be sure to say hello to him tations, which is a very successful literacy the next time you are in the store. He’s a program for urban youth. As part of our great person and loves getting to know his ongoing commitment to the communities customers. served by Sendik’s, we will again donate We like to highlight products that we one dollar from every sale of this magazine feel provide exceptional quality and value, to the SHARP program. (Please see more and you’ll find some of them featured in information below.) this issue. Plus, if you have a favorite product As many of you know, Sendik’s enjoys you buy at Sendik’s and think it should be a long and rich (some might even say featured, please let us know about it. romantic) history. In this issue we share a We truly hope you enjoy this issue of heartwarming story about Tom Balistreri, Sendik’s Real Food. Sr. and his wife of over 60 years, Margaret. Together they established many of the tradi- Sincerely, tions on which Sendik’s is founded. The Balistreris: Ted Sr., Ted, Nick, Patrick, This past October saw the opening of and Margaret (Balistreri) Harris our newest store in Grafton. With a new façade, new equipment, and upbeat décor,

oping the skills needed to succeed in an information-based world. Creative SHARP (Student Historical Art Resource Program) began in 1996 using the visual arts and art history to increase the reading, writing, and social study skills of youth who may not otherwise have the resources. And it’s working—a third party study showed that SHARP program students score between 40% and 70% higher in their vocabulary, writing, and behavioral

skills than students who do not participate in SHARP. The Creative SHARP program provides willing young urban students with the opportunity to learn, grow, achieve, succeed, and take a more active role in shaping their own destiny in a positive and effective way. For more information about the Creative SHARP literacy program call (414) 2703388 or visit www.creativesharp.org.

“To read is to understand, to write is to communicate. To do both well, is to succeed in shaping ones own destiny.” www.sendiksmarket.com real food 

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

dietitian’s corner

quality in the name

Post-holiday

shape-up One or two pounds each holiday season can add up—it’s time to break the cycle.

Sendik’s

Vino

An Old World wine at an everyday price.

By Colleen Kristbaum, MS, RD, CD Staff dietitian, sendik’s food market

I

t is the moment of truth—did you put perfect and some eating habits I have are not on a few pounds over the holidays? Did healthy? Am I willing to invest the time and you make excuses not to exercise? If you energy into making this work? did, join the crowd! • Do I have a supportive environment? Are Studies show that most people only gain my family and friends willing and able to one to two pounds over the holidays. The help me through challenging times? problem is, one year later, those couple • Do I know where to find professional help pounds are still there.With another holiday if I need it? season, a couple more pounds, and so on, • What do I think being more nutritionally and so on, and so on until we reach the and physically fit will do for me? In the point in our lives where we look at our- next few months? In the next few years? selves and wonder, “Where did those extra If you answered these questions honestly, 10 pounds come from?” and feel you are ready to take the next It is time to break that negative cycle step, visit your doctor and let him or her and win the battle of the bulge. How? You know that you want to make some positive may ask. It takes commitment, honesty, and changes in your lifestyle. Get some guidethe ability to look to the future. First, ask lines on the type and amount of exercise yourself these questions: appropriate for you. Then go for it! • Am I ready? Am I ready to make a permanent lifestyle change? Not a change for a couple weeks or months to lose some weight, then gain it all (and then some) back again. Am I ready to be honest with myself? Am I willing to admit to myself that I am not

FUN FACTS Sendik’s will squeeze over 36,000 cases of oranges this year to produce 90,000 gallons of its famous fresh OJ. That’s over 3,600,000 oranges, or 40 oranges per gallon!

10 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

By Ted Balistreri Co-owner, Sendik’s Food Market

blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane. $9.99/btl.

Getting started Making the commitment is essential for success. Knowing where to begin may be a little overwhelming. The following tips may help you get started in the right direction. • Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat and the amount you have eaten. Learn what and where the problems are. Address these problems one at a time. • Set specific short term, achievable goals. Don’t set yourself up for failure. • Make better food choices. Learn to use the Food Guide Pyramid as a guide to good eating—choose a variety of foods from each of the food groups. • Watch your portions. We typically suffer from “portion distortion.” • Beware of unhealthy popular diets that promote a fast weight loss or recommend supplements or special foods. The safest weight loss is a slow weight loss. • Be active. Start moving a little more, but stay within your means. Start out slow. • Seek the advice of a registered dietitian to help and support you through this lifestyle change. If you are going to do it, do it right–or you will be doing it again. Keep in mind that the health problems associated with being overweight far “outweigh” the perceived difficulty of making these lifestyle changes.

Vino Rosso is a perfectly sculptured

T

he name Sendik’s is synonymous with quality and value, and Sendik’s wine provides just that. Long before university studies confirmed its health benefits, Grandpa Balistreri knew that a glass of wine could refresh the spirit, warm the soul, and heal the body. After a long day working in the store, Grandpa would come home and relax, enjoy a glass of homemade wine, reflect on the day, and contemplate tomor-

row. When friends and family paid a visit, Grandpa would celebrate by opening a bottle or two of special wine he held in reserve. After many years of searching—and a lot of tasting—we are proud to offer two wines bearing the Sendik’s name that capture the flavor of those Grandpa used to produce. Sendik’s wine is made by Stone’s Throw Winery in Door County, which is quickly gaining a reputation for producing exceptional wines. They buy California grapes and have them shipped to Wisconsin where they are pressed and vinified by expert winemaker and Stone’s Throw owner, Russell Turco.Working with Stone’s Throw gives us the ability to develop the wines locally to our specifications. Moreover, Turco’s expertise has helped us to faithfully replicate the rustic flavor of the homemade wines Grandpa used to make. In Sendik’s Vino Bianco and Vino Rosso, we have affordable red and white wines that stand on their own in terms of quality. More importantly, they are everyday wines that are perfect complements to any meal with family or friends. After all, at Sendik’s we are all about good food, family, and friends. We invite you to stop in and try a bottle of our special wine and discover what Grandpa knew all along.We think you will be impressed.

Flavor Characteristics: • Minimal oak treatment with robust fruit components. • A Zinfandel fruit profile with subtle notes of boysenberry, ripe cherry, and raisin. • The Petite Sirah and Carignane provide the flavor and balance of deeper, darker fruits and spices. Great with: Red meats, chili, pasta with red sauce, pizza—and friends.

Vino Bianco is an exceptionally wellcrafted blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. $9.99/btl. Flavor Characteristics: • Rich, fresh, and lively with soft floral aromas. • Subtle flavors of white peaches, Macintosch apples, and light hints of vanilla. Great with: Poultry, pork, or seafood, and of course, friends.

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 11

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

dietitian’s corner

quality in the name

Post-holiday

shape-up One or two pounds each holiday season can add up—it’s time to break the cycle.

Sendik’s

Vino

An Old World wine at an everyday price.

By Colleen Kristbaum, MS, RD, CD Staff dietitian, sendik’s food market

I

t is the moment of truth—did you put perfect and some eating habits I have are not on a few pounds over the holidays? Did healthy? Am I willing to invest the time and you make excuses not to exercise? If you energy into making this work? did, join the crowd! • Do I have a supportive environment? Are Studies show that most people only gain my family and friends willing and able to one to two pounds over the holidays. The help me through challenging times? problem is, one year later, those couple • Do I know where to find professional help pounds are still there.With another holiday if I need it? season, a couple more pounds, and so on, • What do I think being more nutritionally and so on, and so on until we reach the and physically fit will do for me? In the point in our lives where we look at our- next few months? In the next few years? selves and wonder, “Where did those extra If you answered these questions honestly, 10 pounds come from?” and feel you are ready to take the next It is time to break that negative cycle step, visit your doctor and let him or her and win the battle of the bulge. How? You know that you want to make some positive may ask. It takes commitment, honesty, and changes in your lifestyle. Get some guidethe ability to look to the future. First, ask lines on the type and amount of exercise yourself these questions: appropriate for you. Then go for it! • Am I ready? Am I ready to make a permanent lifestyle change? Not a change for a couple weeks or months to lose some weight, then gain it all (and then some) back again. Am I ready to be honest with myself? Am I willing to admit to myself that I am not

FUN FACTS Sendik’s will squeeze over 36,000 cases of oranges this year to produce 90,000 gallons of its famous fresh OJ. That’s over 3,600,000 oranges, or 40 oranges per gallon!

10 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

By Ted Balistreri Co-owner, Sendik’s Food Market

blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane. $9.99/btl.

Getting started Making the commitment is essential for success. Knowing where to begin may be a little overwhelming. The following tips may help you get started in the right direction. • Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat and the amount you have eaten. Learn what and where the problems are. Address these problems one at a time. • Set specific short term, achievable goals. Don’t set yourself up for failure. • Make better food choices. Learn to use the Food Guide Pyramid as a guide to good eating—choose a variety of foods from each of the food groups. • Watch your portions. We typically suffer from “portion distortion.” • Beware of unhealthy popular diets that promote a fast weight loss or recommend supplements or special foods. The safest weight loss is a slow weight loss. • Be active. Start moving a little more, but stay within your means. Start out slow. • Seek the advice of a registered dietitian to help and support you through this lifestyle change. If you are going to do it, do it right–or you will be doing it again. Keep in mind that the health problems associated with being overweight far “outweigh” the perceived difficulty of making these lifestyle changes.

Vino Rosso is a perfectly sculptured

T

he name Sendik’s is synonymous with quality and value, and Sendik’s wine provides just that. Long before university studies confirmed its health benefits, Grandpa Balistreri knew that a glass of wine could refresh the spirit, warm the soul, and heal the body. After a long day working in the store, Grandpa would come home and relax, enjoy a glass of homemade wine, reflect on the day, and contemplate tomor-

row. When friends and family paid a visit, Grandpa would celebrate by opening a bottle or two of special wine he held in reserve. After many years of searching—and a lot of tasting—we are proud to offer two wines bearing the Sendik’s name that capture the flavor of those Grandpa used to produce. Sendik’s wine is made by Stone’s Throw Winery in Door County, which is quickly gaining a reputation for producing exceptional wines. They buy California grapes and have them shipped to Wisconsin where they are pressed and vinified by expert winemaker and Stone’s Throw owner, Russell Turco.Working with Stone’s Throw gives us the ability to develop the wines locally to our specifications. Moreover, Turco’s expertise has helped us to faithfully replicate the rustic flavor of the homemade wines Grandpa used to make. In Sendik’s Vino Bianco and Vino Rosso, we have affordable red and white wines that stand on their own in terms of quality. More importantly, they are everyday wines that are perfect complements to any meal with family or friends. After all, at Sendik’s we are all about good food, family, and friends. We invite you to stop in and try a bottle of our special wine and discover what Grandpa knew all along.We think you will be impressed.

Flavor Characteristics: • Minimal oak treatment with robust fruit components. • A Zinfandel fruit profile with subtle notes of boysenberry, ripe cherry, and raisin. • The Petite Sirah and Carignane provide the flavor and balance of deeper, darker fruits and spices. Great with: Red meats, chili, pasta with red sauce, pizza—and friends.

Vino Bianco is an exceptionally wellcrafted blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. $9.99/btl. Flavor Characteristics: • Rich, fresh, and lively with soft floral aromas. • Subtle flavors of white peaches, Macintosch apples, and light hints of vanilla. Great with: Poultry, pork, or seafood, and of course, friends.

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 11

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

what’s in store

what’s in store

Is variety

»

the spice of life?

»

Pastene

P

12 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

» crabtree & evelyn » harney & sons

“Tea” means many things to many people: from black teas to herbals to iced. Harney & Sons’ goal is to be your best source for tea—however you define it. Our commitment to providing you with the finest possible cup of tea is strong. Our teas are fresh and of the highest quality. We guarantee you will always be pleased.

At Crabtree & Evelyn we are passionate about life’s simplest pleasures. Our idea of luxury stems from our English heritage which means enjoying the moment and taking time to treat yourself. While we love our English way of life, we also travel the world to find little luxuries that make life more precious—chic comforts for your home and fine fragrances as well as pampering spa treats for the bath and body. Our products are crafted using unhurried, time-honored methods. We use the finest ingredients and above all, we are proud of our uncompromising eye for quality and attention to detail. You wouldn’t settle for less and neither would we.

We drink to your health.

alterra coffee

»

“We cater to people who eat.”

Product excellence at Pastene has never been compromised in our more than 125 years of existence. Consumers have come to trust and associate the Pastene name with quality. We insist on very strict product quality and developmental standards, and we never release any new product until we are proud to put the Pastene name on it. When you buy a Pastene product, you’re buying the best.

Strong coffee since 1993.

CenSea Quality shrimp

»

art of the fun of shopping at Sendik’s Food Markets is the unique products we offer customers who delight in trying something new and different. We take pride in carrying an extremely large variety of products, and this distinguishes us from other retailers.You may wonder why we have 553 different varieties of boxed tea. Our answer is that variety makes grocery shopping and eating fun. Sendik’s is a full line, full-service grocery store catering to people who eat. People say that you cannot be everything to everybody, but at Sendik’s we say that we sure can try. We have national brand items, and specialty products; products that are local and products that come from around the world. If you are looking for a new salad dressing, we have 425 varieties. If you would like to make a simple balsamic vinaigrette, we have 230 varieties of olive oil and 54 different balsamic vinegars to choose from. Specialty products are becoming increasingly popular. More people are interested in cooking new and different foods and also trying new non-food items. People also like convenience, and convenience in specialty foods has greatly improved over the last few years. If you want to make a great pasta sauce for your bucatini pasta, you don’t need to slave over the stove all day. You can head over to our pasta sauce section and choose one from the 208 varieties—it may even be better than your own. As the demand for unique specialty products grows, be assured that Sendik’s will be searching for just the right ones to fill our shelves. If we do not have an item you’re looking for, our staff will gladly call you once we track down the product.We have selected just a few or our unique products for the pages of Sendik’s Real Food. Stop by any one of the four Balistreri-owned and operated Sendik’s stores in Grafton, Mequon, Wauwatosa, or Whitefish Bay and spice up your life with a wide variety of products.

Life is busy these days, but Shooting Star Farms can simplify your entertaining needs or enhance your daily life with its products and recipes. Shooting Star Farms Harvest Tortilla Chips and Shooting Star Farms Salsas are just a sampling of this fabulous product line available at Sendik’s Food Markets.

CenSea offers over 40 years of expertise with imported and domestic seafood products. Our buyers regularly visit seafood producers throughout the world. This personal contact has earned us the trust of seafood suppliers and enables us to deliver quality seafood products to our customers.

neu Gentle home cleaning

»

By paul voeller, store director at sendik’s in mequon

shooting star farms

The NEU Gentle Home Cleaning line offers safer cleaning product alternatives. NEU cleaners are organic, low foaming, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly since less rinse water is needed. Plus, they are infused with soothing aromatherapy scents that make cleaning a little less mundane and freshen the entire home. window cleaner • floor cleaner • disposer cleaner • all-purpose cleaner • manual dish soap • automatic dishwashing liquid NEU homecare products are made and packaged in Mequon, Wisconsin by Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc. (ESS), a recognized leader in neutral pH cleaners. NEU products are available at Sendik’s in Mequon and Grafton.

real food 13

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

what’s in store

what’s in store

Is variety

»

the spice of life?

»

Pastene

P

12 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

» crabtree & evelyn » harney & sons

“Tea” means many things to many people: from black teas to herbals to iced. Harney & Sons’ goal is to be your best source for tea—however you define it. Our commitment to providing you with the finest possible cup of tea is strong. Our teas are fresh and of the highest quality. We guarantee you will always be pleased.

At Crabtree & Evelyn we are passionate about life’s simplest pleasures. Our idea of luxury stems from our English heritage which means enjoying the moment and taking time to treat yourself. While we love our English way of life, we also travel the world to find little luxuries that make life more precious—chic comforts for your home and fine fragrances as well as pampering spa treats for the bath and body. Our products are crafted using unhurried, time-honored methods. We use the finest ingredients and above all, we are proud of our uncompromising eye for quality and attention to detail. You wouldn’t settle for less and neither would we.

We drink to your health.

alterra coffee

»

“We cater to people who eat.”

Product excellence at Pastene has never been compromised in our more than 125 years of existence. Consumers have come to trust and associate the Pastene name with quality. We insist on very strict product quality and developmental standards, and we never release any new product until we are proud to put the Pastene name on it. When you buy a Pastene product, you’re buying the best.

Strong coffee since 1993.

CenSea Quality shrimp

»

art of the fun of shopping at Sendik’s Food Markets is the unique products we offer customers who delight in trying something new and different. We take pride in carrying an extremely large variety of products, and this distinguishes us from other retailers.You may wonder why we have 553 different varieties of boxed tea. Our answer is that variety makes grocery shopping and eating fun. Sendik’s is a full line, full-service grocery store catering to people who eat. People say that you cannot be everything to everybody, but at Sendik’s we say that we sure can try. We have national brand items, and specialty products; products that are local and products that come from around the world. If you are looking for a new salad dressing, we have 425 varieties. If you would like to make a simple balsamic vinaigrette, we have 230 varieties of olive oil and 54 different balsamic vinegars to choose from. Specialty products are becoming increasingly popular. More people are interested in cooking new and different foods and also trying new non-food items. People also like convenience, and convenience in specialty foods has greatly improved over the last few years. If you want to make a great pasta sauce for your bucatini pasta, you don’t need to slave over the stove all day. You can head over to our pasta sauce section and choose one from the 208 varieties—it may even be better than your own. As the demand for unique specialty products grows, be assured that Sendik’s will be searching for just the right ones to fill our shelves. If we do not have an item you’re looking for, our staff will gladly call you once we track down the product.We have selected just a few or our unique products for the pages of Sendik’s Real Food. Stop by any one of the four Balistreri-owned and operated Sendik’s stores in Grafton, Mequon, Wauwatosa, or Whitefish Bay and spice up your life with a wide variety of products.

Life is busy these days, but Shooting Star Farms can simplify your entertaining needs or enhance your daily life with its products and recipes. Shooting Star Farms Harvest Tortilla Chips and Shooting Star Farms Salsas are just a sampling of this fabulous product line available at Sendik’s Food Markets.

CenSea offers over 40 years of expertise with imported and domestic seafood products. Our buyers regularly visit seafood producers throughout the world. This personal contact has earned us the trust of seafood suppliers and enables us to deliver quality seafood products to our customers.

neu Gentle home cleaning

»

By paul voeller, store director at sendik’s in mequon

shooting star farms

The NEU Gentle Home Cleaning line offers safer cleaning product alternatives. NEU cleaners are organic, low foaming, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly since less rinse water is needed. Plus, they are infused with soothing aromatherapy scents that make cleaning a little less mundane and freshen the entire home. window cleaner • floor cleaner • disposer cleaner • all-purpose cleaner • manual dish soap • automatic dishwashing liquid NEU homecare products are made and packaged in Mequon, Wisconsin by Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc. (ESS), a recognized leader in neutral pH cleaners. NEU products are available at Sendik’s in Mequon and Grafton.

real food 13

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

sendik’s people

sendik’s people

Love in the

produce aisles “What do you want?” the elder man stated with the trace of an Italian accent. He was standing in the doorway to his home. “My daughters are not accustomed to standing on the street corner talking to strange men for the whole neighborhood to see.” The young man, looking up from his conversation, understood the challenge that the older man was making. Although he was an American citizen, he, too, was an immigrant from Sicily, and appreciated the Old-World values represented in the elder man’s words. If he were to continue the conversation, he would have to convince the elder man of his honorable intentions. They had met in a produce market on Downer Avenue on Milwaukee’s lower east side. It was 1933 and jobs were scarce. She had worked over the holidays at the Boston Store in what is now referred to as Grand Sixteen-year-old Margaret Quartullo (right) with her sister Louise in 1928.

Avenue. But the holidays were over, the Boston Store no longer needed her services, and she needed a job. A family friend told her that his nephews, owners of a fruit and vegetable market called Sendik’s, were hiring and that she should go there and ask to speak with Tom. Arriving at Sendik’s the next day, she approached a young worker. “I Margaret and Tom Balistreri celebrate their 25th am Tom,” the young man replied. wedding anniversary in Italy, 1959. She quickly explained that his uncle had sent her and that she was interested in earning a reputation for selling only the fina job. “Just a minute while I talk this over est fresh fruits and vegetables available.Then with my brother,” Tom explained. His older one day she and her sister were walking brother confirmed what Tom already knew. home down Oakland Avenue and ran into “We don’t need any more help,” he said.“But Tom. They were talking outside her house we need this one,” Tom replied. when her father interrupted them.That day, The young woman began her Sendik’s Tom convinced the elder man of his honorcareer the very next day, arriving one hour able intentions and was eventually invited early for her scheduled shift. She excelled into the home where he would become a at her job and learned that Sendik’s was fast frequent guest. Over time, Tom’s interest in Margaret, this beautiful young lady, grew. They began Margaret and Tom Balistreri celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in 1984. dating, always accompanied by her younger brother, who was sent along as a chaperon. Tom learned that Margaret liked ice cream, and on one date he took her to five different ice cream stands. Her father noted that if she “married that man, she would never go hungry.” And so it was that Margaret Quartullo, daughter of Dominic and Fedela, married Tom Balistreri, Sendik’s cofounder and patriarch on June 20, 1934. Needless to say, in more than sixty-eight years of marriage, until Tom’s passing in 2002, there was always plenty of food on the table.

Share your story with us! Recalling their meeting in 1933, Tom would state that he instantly fell in love with Margaret in the produce aisles of Sendik’s. Perhaps it was coincidence but it may have had something to do with the atmosphere. We wonder if others may have met and fallen in love at Sendik’s. If so, we would like to hear from you. Please write us: Sendik’s, Attn: Margaret, 5623 N. Lake Drive, Whitefish Bay, WI, 53217. 14 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

Meet the Staff:

Mike Frederick MIKE FREDERICK is Sendik’s Director of Operations at the new Grafton location. He is a thirty-year industry veteran and is responsible for overseeing the store’s 130 employees and 12 separate departments. FIRST JOB:

Shagging carts as a teenager at a local grocery store where I grew up in Illinois. Thirty years later I’m still shagging carts. Go figure.

years—and I like the people I work with. I also like the autonomy I have to make decisions based on my customers’ needs rather than corporate mandates.

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY:

FUNNIEST MOMENT IN 30 YEARS OF GROCERY WORK:

I have a laid-back personality but am particular about the details of the business. I look at myself more as a facilitator in the process, helping the department heads and the staff to get their jobs done. I am fortunate to have an extremely talented, hardworking, and knowledgeable staff at Sendik’s. My role is really to coordinate and facilitate their ability to do their very best to serve our customers. JOINING THE STAFF AT SENDIK’S:

I met with the owners on several occasions and liked what I saw. I knew this was a family owned and operated business and felt that we shared the same values with regard to how to serve and create value for customers. So far, we’re having a lot of fun. BEST PART OF THE GRAFTON STORE:

The people. I like the customers—many of whom I’ve known for a number of

Trying to apprehend a shoplifter whose method of escape was shedding her dress and running into the parking lot without any clothes.We let her go but kept the dress. OVERRIDING GOAL:

To create the best possible shopping experience for each and every customer that visits our stores by providing a clean and pleasing environment, offering products with exceptional value, and giving friendly personal service, everyday—the kind of service you used to get at the corner market.

HOBBIES:

Between work and family, I don’t have too much time for hobbies. I do like an occasional round of golf, gardening, and woodworking. GUT CHECK MOMENTS:

When things get tough, I recall three tenets that I have hanging on the wall in my office: Adapt, overcome, and improve. When things get hairy I follow these tenets and meet the challenge head on. To me, that’s what it is all about.

SOMETHING YOU ARE embarrassed TO ADMIT:

I’m a Bear’s fan. I grew up in Illinois and have stayed loyal since my childhood, even over that last ten years when there wasn’t much to cheer about. But really, we’re not all that bad. www.sendiksmarket.com real food 15

Sendik’s Food Market

Sendik’s Food Market

sendik’s people

sendik’s people

Love in the

produce aisles “What do you want?” the elder man stated with the trace of an Italian accent. He was standing in the doorway to his home. “My daughters are not accustomed to standing on the street corner talking to strange men for the whole neighborhood to see.” The young man, looking up from his conversation, understood the challenge that the older man was making. Although he was an American citizen, he, too, was an immigrant from Sicily, and appreciated the Old-World values represented in the elder man’s words. If he were to continue the conversation, he would have to convince the elder man of his honorable intentions. They had met in a produce market on Downer Avenue on Milwaukee’s lower east side. It was 1933 and jobs were scarce. She had worked over the holidays at the Boston Store in what is now referred to as Grand Sixteen-year-old Margaret Quartullo (right) with her sister Louise in 1928.

Avenue. But the holidays were over, the Boston Store no longer needed her services, and she needed a job. A family friend told her that his nephews, owners of a fruit and vegetable market called Sendik’s, were hiring and that she should go there and ask to speak with Tom. Arriving at Sendik’s the next day, she approached a young worker. “I Margaret and Tom Balistreri celebrate their 25th am Tom,” the young man replied. wedding anniversary in Italy, 1959. She quickly explained that his uncle had sent her and that she was interested in earning a reputation for selling only the fina job. “Just a minute while I talk this over est fresh fruits and vegetables available.Then with my brother,” Tom explained. His older one day she and her sister were walking brother confirmed what Tom already knew. home down Oakland Avenue and ran into “We don’t need any more help,” he said.“But Tom. They were talking outside her house we need this one,” Tom replied. when her father interrupted them.That day, The young woman began her Sendik’s Tom convinced the elder man of his honorcareer the very next day, arriving one hour able intentions and was eventually invited early for her scheduled shift. She excelled into the home where he would become a at her job and learned that Sendik’s was fast frequent guest. Over time, Tom’s interest in Margaret, this beautiful young lady, grew. They began Margaret and Tom Balistreri celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in 1984. dating, always accompanied by her younger brother, who was sent along as a chaperon. Tom learned that Margaret liked ice cream, and on one date he took her to five different ice cream stands. Her father noted that if she “married that man, she would never go hungry.” And so it was that Margaret Quartullo, daughter of Dominic and Fedela, married Tom Balistreri, Sendik’s cofounder and patriarch on June 20, 1934. Needless to say, in more than sixty-eight years of marriage, until Tom’s passing in 2002, there was always plenty of food on the table.

Share your story with us! Recalling their meeting in 1933, Tom would state that he instantly fell in love with Margaret in the produce aisles of Sendik’s. Perhaps it was coincidence but it may have had something to do with the atmosphere. We wonder if others may have met and fallen in love at Sendik’s. If so, we would like to hear from you. Please write us: Sendik’s, Attn: Margaret, 5623 N. Lake Drive, Whitefish Bay, WI, 53217. 14 real food www.sendiksmarket.com

Meet the Staff:

Mike Frederick MIKE FREDERICK is Sendik’s Director of Operations at the new Grafton location. He is a thirty-year industry veteran and is responsible for overseeing the store’s 130 employees and 12 separate departments. FIRST JOB:

Shagging carts as a teenager at a local grocery store where I grew up in Illinois. Thirty years later I’m still shagging carts. Go figure.

years—and I like the people I work with. I also like the autonomy I have to make decisions based on my customers’ needs rather than corporate mandates.

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY:

FUNNIEST MOMENT IN 30 YEARS OF GROCERY WORK:

I have a laid-back personality but am particular about the details of the business. I look at myself more as a facilitator in the process, helping the department heads and the staff to get their jobs done. I am fortunate to have an extremely talented, hardworking, and knowledgeable staff at Sendik’s. My role is really to coordinate and facilitate their ability to do their very best to serve our customers. JOINING THE STAFF AT SENDIK’S:

I met with the owners on several occasions and liked what I saw. I knew this was a family owned and operated business and felt that we shared the same values with regard to how to serve and create value for customers. So far, we’re having a lot of fun. BEST PART OF THE GRAFTON STORE:

The people. I like the customers—many of whom I’ve known for a number of

Trying to apprehend a shoplifter whose method of escape was shedding her dress and running into the parking lot without any clothes.We let her go but kept the dress. OVERRIDING GOAL:

To create the best possible shopping experience for each and every customer that visits our stores by providing a clean and pleasing environment, offering products with exceptional value, and giving friendly personal service, everyday—the kind of service you used to get at the corner market.

HOBBIES:

Between work and family, I don’t have too much time for hobbies. I do like an occasional round of golf, gardening, and woodworking. GUT CHECK MOMENTS:

When things get tough, I recall three tenets that I have hanging on the wall in my office: Adapt, overcome, and improve. When things get hairy I follow these tenets and meet the challenge head on. To me, that’s what it is all about.

SOMETHING YOU ARE embarrassed TO ADMIT:

I’m a Bear’s fan. I grew up in Illinois and have stayed loyal since my childhood, even over that last ten years when there wasn’t much to cheer about. But really, we’re not all that bad. www.sendiksmarket.com real food 15

Sendik’s Food Market wine shop

Photo courtesy of the Australian Wine Export Council

Wine Values from Down Under By Marc goodman sendik’s wine and spirits director

A

ustralia has gained a reputation for producing inexpensive, everyday wines, but some have been criticized for lacking depth. Lately, however, our wine managers have uncovered some extraordinary wines from Australia that easily stand up to those produced in better-known regions. In fact, we believe some of the best values in our wine departments can be found in mid-priced Australian reds. Whether you are looking for a Shiraz, Cabernet, or a red blend, many of these wines outshine their higher priced brothers, and like our

featured wines, can offer an altogether new wine experience. Balgownie Estates, located in the littleknown region of Victoria, Australia, has been hand making and bottling single vineyard Shiraz and Cabernet since 1972. We believe that these wines (reviewed right) offer exceptional value for our customers. From a more prestigious region, they would easily command more than $50 per bottle. These are wines that can be consumed now or cellared for years. We encourage you to stop in and ask our wine staff about  these and other wines from Australia.

BALGOWNIE ESTATE Bendigo, Victoria, Australia Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $21.99 

“The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts terrific texture as well as a beautiful bouquet and flavors of black cur rants, crème de cassis, earth, licorice, and well-integrated oak. This brilliantly executed, medium to full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Cabernet should hit its prime in 2-3 years, and last for 12-15.” 92 points —Robert Parker   Shiraz 2002 $21.99 

Photo courtesy of the Australian Wine Export Council

“The opaque purplecolored 2002 Shiraz, which includes 5% Viognier, offers knockout aromas of honeysuckle, blackberries, currants, and licorice, medium to full body, outstanding purity, and a full-throttle finish revealing plenty of sweet tannin. Still somewhat primary, 1-2 more years of cellaring will result in greater focus, and it should evolve for 10-12+ years.” 91 points —Robert Parker Victoria, Australia 16 real food www.sendiksmarket.com