Food For the Needy at Il Palio Ristorante in Shelton

Margherita Aloi (pictured) is the executive chef and owner of Il Palio Ristorante, and for the past year she's delivered free monthly Friday night gourmet dinners to the Spooner House, a transitional housing facility for people with little or no income. Meals have included roasted filet of Atlantic salmon encrusted in Dijon and whole grain mustard with tarragon and broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil. Gourmet stuff. Stop by the restaurant on New Year's Eve for a special menu and try some of these meals for yourself (for a price, of course) or contact the Spooner House (actspooner.org) if you've fallen on hard times and need a place to crash while you get back on your feet. Stay warm out there.

By Mike Sembos

December 28, 2012