Friday, April 30, 2010

Plum Crazy? EPA May Force Pesticide Label on New Biotech Fruit

The Competitive Enterprise Institute today condemned a proposed Environmental Protection Agency action plan that would, for the first time ever, require a new biotech crop to be labeled as a pesticide.

In approving the new plum variety, which has been bioengineered to resist virus infection, EPA proposes to regulate trees, cuttings, and fruit from virus-resistant plants under federal pesticide laws and label them as containing a “plant incorporated protectant.”

“EPA has already concluded this plant and fruit are perfectly safe for humans and the environment,” said CEI Senior Fellow Gregory Conko. “Treating a mere plum as a pesticide would needlessly spread consumer confusion and add burdensome regulations on nurseries that sell the trees, farmers who grow them, and retailers who sell the fruit.”

The EPA has regulatory authority over crop plants bioengineered to produce substances that kill or repel pests. But virus-resistant crops do not produce pesticidal substances, so the agency has never before regulated them under pesticide laws. To date, virus-resistant varieties of squash, potato, and papaya have been approved for commercial-scale cultivation in the United States. None has been regulated as a “plant incorporated protectant.”

“Unlike insect-resistant crops, bioengineered to produce a protein that is toxic to caterpillars, virus-resistant plants fend off infection without generating new proteins,” said Conko. “Classifying this plum variety as a biopesticide is legally suspect, and it cannot be justified by any concerns about the environment or human consumers”

The C5 Honey Sweet Plum variety was developed by the US Department of Agriculture at a research station in West Virginia, in cooperation with scientists from France, Spain, Poland, and Romania. It is bioengineered to resist plum pox virus, which is harmless to humans but destroys plum, peach, nectarine, apricot, and cherry trees by rendering them sterile

CEI filed public interest comments on the EPA’s proposed Biopesticide Registration Action Document for the C5 plum. The Institute urged EPA to remove the plum’s classification as a biopesticide or at least to exempt trees and fruit from the labeling requirement.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Buca di Beppo celebrates Military Spouse Appreciation Day

On Friday, May 7, Buca di Beppo restaurants nationwide will recognize the official Military Spouse Appreciation Day by inviting all military families to enjoy 20% off their purchase.

Recognizing the sacrifice and service of our military families, Buca di Beppo will serve up a mouth-watering, family-style feast at a great deal, valid with military ID. Enjoy fresh and creamy Fettuccine Alfredo - a traditional favorite, or scrumptious spaghetti with meatballs. If craving something baked, Buca’s luscious lasagna is large enough to share and will satisfy the entire family. A dining experience at Buca di Beppo would not be complete without something sweet to follow. Treat the family “troops” to a colossal brownie sundae that features twelve freshly-baked brownie pieces layered with six scoops of vanilla bean and chocolate gelato, topped with caramel and chocolate sauces and then covered in a mountain of whipped-cream.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the Friday before Mother’s Day to be designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Since then, Presidents, military leaders and the public recognize this day to express support and recognition of the families of the nation’s service men and women. Events are commonly sponsored at military installations across the nation and around the world to recognize the importance of the unsung heroes in military families.

To receive the 20% off discount, Buca di Beppo guests must present a valid military ID at the time of purchase. This offer is valid for Buca To Go and Dine-In only. It is not valid with any other offers or discounts and excludes tax, alcohol, gratuity and the purchase of gift cards.

High Tech Ways to Save at the Supermarket

Have you seen the Coupon Mom, Stephanie Nelson, on the Today Show or Oprah or numerous other shows buying over $100 of groceries for less than $5 at checkout? CouponMom.com, her free website, continues to grow as shoppers learn to use web technology to save up to $6000 a year at the grocery store. CouponMom.com is the largest grocery savings website of its kind with over 2.4 million members, up from 200,000 in early 2008.

Consumers are taking advantage of the recession coupon craze, as over $800 million more dollars were saved with coupons in 2009 than in 2008, according to a Valassis marketing survey. Grocery coupon redemption increased by 27% in 2009 and continues to increase in 2010.

“Consumers are focusing more on planning their trips to the grocery store to save money,” said Nelson, “Being able to go to the web to find the best grocery deals at their stores, print coupons, load electronic coupons on their store cards, and even use their cell phone to access their shopping list helps save money without taking a lot of time."

Printable grocery coupons are the fastest-growing source of coupons as busy shoppers seek "on-demand" savings. In 2009, internet distribution of coupons increased by 92% and consumer redemption of these coupons is up over 360%. CouponMom.com members alone printed over $40 million worth of free grocery coupons in 2009. “We will most certainly see an increase in the number of printable coupons available in 2010,” said Nelson.

The website helps shoppers save by teaching "Strategic Shopping." CouponMom.com offers free membership and a tutorial, and the “Grocery Deals by State” section makes saving simple by listing the best grocery deals at thousands of supermarkets across the country. These lists combine sale prices with store promotions and coupons, helping any shopper achieve dramatic savings.

Shoppers can even use their cell phone in the store to find grocery deals and have coupons electronically loaded on their store loyalty card. CouponMom.com has a new mobile version to help shoppers create their shopping lists on the go.

Nelson’s new book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half,
(Published by Avery, a member of Penguin Group, USA), on the New York Times Bestseller List for four weeks is more proof that consumers are hungry for new ways to save. It is a relevant and timely resource for families nationwide.

“Saving money doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Nelson. “We outline my Strategic Shopping Method and show consumers how easy it is to save at every type of store, in every department within the grocery store, and for every type of shopper.”

Nelson realizes that not everyone who wants to save has the time to clip coupons before they shop. Her book tailors practical advice to different types of shoppers, and enables even the busiest consumers to save up to 30% by shopping strategically.

A new wave of couponing is taking the nation by storm, and Stephanie Nelson knows all the tricks of the trade. To learn more about new couponing trends and for an online tutorials, go to www.couponmom.com.

Bringing the gastropub back home

It's laborious. It's inconvenient. It's extraordinarily rewarding and worth bragging about. It's time to take back the kitchen and break free from the shackles of ready-made, industrial food. It's time to cook supper.

THE LOST ART OF REAL COOKING: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Traditional Food One Recipe at a Time by Ken Albala and Rosana Nafziger (Perigee Hardcover; $18.95; July 6, 2010) heralds a new (and yet old-fashioned) approach to food.

* Breads breads breads: sourdough, wholemeal, pizza dough
* Beef jerky, roast piggie, braised game, rabbit pie
* Wine and beer
* Doughnuts, pies and truffles
* Cultured butter, yoghurt, creme fraiche and ghee
* Pickles and sauerkraut
* Preserves, jam, marmelade

These foods were once made by the family, in the home, rather than a factory. And they can still be made in the smallest kitchens without expensive equipment, capturing flavors which speak of place and personality.

Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger arm readers with the knowledge and skills that lets them connect on a deeper level with what goes into their bodies.

Ken Albala is professor of history at the University of the Pacific and author of Eating Right in the Renaissance, The Banquet, Beans: A History. He blogs here: http://www.kenalbala.blogspotcom/

Rosanna Nafziger spent her girlhood working in the orchard and selling pies at market. Now she writes about old-fashioned cookery on her blog: http://www.paprikahead.com/

The Complete Root Cellar Book

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables are important for a healthy lifestyle. But how many times do we go to the store or our local farmers’ market and buy beautiful produce only to have it spoil and go uneaten? For generations, root cellars have been used to store fresh fruits and vegetables in a safe environment. Today, root cellars are making a comeback and a new book shows you how to build and utilize one yourself. THE COMPLETE ROOT CELLAR BOOK: Building Plans, Uses and 100 Recipes (Robert Rose; May 2010; Softcover/$24.95; ISBN: 978-0-7788-0243-3) by craftsman Steve Maxwell and home economist Jennifer MacKenzie, takes a fresh look at the art and science of building and stocking your own root cellar and eating healthy all year round.

Root cellars help us make the most of our food budget by allowing us to stock up on fresh produce at low prices during seasonal harvests. A root cellar can create a lifestyle of healthy eating. The seemingly simple act of visiting your cellar, examining your stores, and carrying something delicious up to the kitchen affords simple satisfactions that can’t be sealed in cellophane.

Most people think of root cellars as residing in a home basement or hole in the ground, but THE COMPLETE ROOT CELLAR BOOK changes that perception by providing detailed and illustrated construction guides for making five different and attractive root cellar options, including never before-seen strategies for apartment- and condo-dwellers and homeowners without a basement.

There’s truly no better or more natural a way to store food than in a root cellar. Everything you need to know about this time-honored tradition can be found within the pages of this book. Part 1: Root Cellaring in the 21st Century, provides DIYer’s four root cellar options:
- Making a Standard Cold Room Work
- Building a Walk-In Basement Root Cellar
- The Walk-In, Stand-Alone, Underground Root Cellar
- Outdoor Root Cellaring
- Root Cellars for Condos, Townhouses and Warm Climates

And once you have decided which type of root cellar to build, Steve outlines beautiful and convenience-boosting Finishing Touches for Your Root Cellar.

After you have built your root cellar, the authors provide must-know information on how to choose, store and manage a supply of vegetables, fruits and preserves, as well as 100 recipes that incorporate stored food products into both classic and innovative dishes, with a focus on good nutrition. Recipes cover everything from Soups; Salads and Appetizers; to Side Dishes; Main Courses; and Desserts. There is even a section on condiment recipes. Jennifer’s healthy and delicious recipes include:
Root Cellar Medley Soup Sweet and Tangy Beet and Carrot Salad
Broccoli and Apple Slaw Classic Beef Pot Roast
Farfalle with Hearty Greens Chicken and Olive Ragoût with Dijon Potatoes
Chocolate Citrus Trifle �____ Walnut and Orange Baked Apples

Successful root cellaring delivers an opportunity to cultivate skills and hone gourmet insight in a way that is both fulfilling and globally responsible. THE COMPLETE ROOT CELLAR BOOK delivers both the vision and the know-how to empower us to make root cellaring a part of everyday life, and to enjoy richer food experiences because of it. How much a part of everyday life depends on the individual, but Steve warns that “the more you bring food adventures into your home, the more important really good food becomes.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steve Maxwell is a cabinet-maker, builder and award-winning home improvement author. He is also a photographer, videographer and seminar leader. He has been helping people renovate, build and maintain their homes for more than 20 years. Steve’s magazine and newspaper articles appear in publications across North America and he is a regular contributor to The Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, Canadian Home Workshop, Cottage Life, and Mother Earth News. His “how-to” DVDs, videos and online books have been the favorite of DIYer’s everywhere. Steve, his wife, and five children, live in a stone and timber home they designed and built on their 90-acre farm on Manitoulin Island.

Jennifer MacKenzie is a professional home economist, food writer, editor and cooking instructor, with over 15 years experience in recipe development and testing. In 1999 she started her own food consulting business, FOODWORX, and shares her passion for delicious, easy-to-make, nutritious food in several national and regional publications. Jennifer has been the official Milk Calendar recipe developer for the past several years, and is a familiar face to consumers on CHEX Television on NewsWatch where she can be seen cooking up tasty and nutritious recipes on-air. Jennifer is the co-author of several best-selling cookbooks including The Complete Curry Cookbook, The Complete Book of Pickling, The Dehydrator Bible and The Complete Trail Food Cookbook. In 2005, Jennifer, along with her husband, Chef Jay Nutt, opened Nuttshell Next Door Café, a friendly, neighborhood gathering place. Jennifer has served as a canning competition judge for several years in Canada and lives in Buckhorn, Ontario.

If you are in Vegas next Friday, May 7...

On Friday, May 7 Caesars Palace will host the world’s greatest chefs at Vegas Uncork’d Presented by Bon Appétit, for the signature Grand Tasting event. A virtual “who’s who” in the culinary world will gather to offer tastings from their celebrated kitchens. More than 50 restaurants, 30 vintners and distillers from around the world will provide samplings of fine wines and spirits. The centerpiece event will be showcased at the famed resort’s all-new Garden of the Gods, an exquisite five-acre swimming oasis with eight distinctive pools and idyllic gardens, each offering a unique experience for guests.

The poolside Grand Tasting offers an unmatched opportunity to mingle with the world’s top culinary talents, while sampling a staggering variety of signature dishes prepared by the city’s roster of award-winning chefs. Scheduled to attend: Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse, Bobby Flay, Hubert Keller, Bradley Ogden, Charlie Palmer, François Payard, Osamu “Fuji” Fujita, Yu Li, Laurent Tourondel and Masa Ishizawa, along with dozens of additional premiere chefs.

Below are just some of the mouth-watering experiences awaiting guests at the Grand Tasting:

Bradley Ogden:
• Lamb sausage with garlic cracker, tomato vinaigrette
• Butterscotch pudding
Restaurant Guy Savoy:
• Artichoke and black truffle soup, with mushroom brioche and truffle butter
• Vegetable “canon” stuffed with herbs and carrot emulsion
Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro:
• Oven roasted strawberry with candy fennel and homemade Greek yogurt
• Vanilla panna cotta with caramel poached pear
• Payard decomposition warm cream brulée and chocolate mousse
Rao’s:
• Orecchiette con rapini e sausicce, pan-seared Italian sausage and broccoli rabe sauce served with orecchiette noodles
• Rao’s traditional, authentic Neapolitan beef, veal and pork meatballs slowly cooked in tomato sauce
Mesa Grill:
• Sea scallop and red pepper salad with charred corn and avocado relish
Nero’s:
• Crispy braised pork belly, fricassee of spring beans, mustard seed braising liquor
• Albacore tuna tartar, Japanese kombu, white soy and puffed rice
• Valrhona chocolate mousse, hazelnut tuile
Beijing Noodle No. 9:
• “Bird's Nest” shrimp ball
• Sichuan spicy cold noodles with sliced cucumber
Sea Harbour:
• Fried wonton stuffed with shrimp and pork
• Preserve pork knuckle cold cut
Café Martorano - Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino:
•Lightly breaded pan-fried eggplant served with homemade mozzarella, vine-ripe tomatoes, aged balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil topped with arugula salad and slices of imported parmigiano-reggiano
• Homemade meatballs with ground pork, choice veal and ground beef, served in a fresh San Marzano tomato sauce
Strip House – Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino:
• Goose fat potato chips with warm gorgonzola fondue

Grand Tasting tickets are $175 in advance or $195 at the door. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. For more information, including purchasing tickets or reserving hotel accommodations starting at $120 during the week or $160 during the weekend, visit www.harrahs.com/uncorkd.

ABOUT CAESARS PALACE
Caesars Palace is the world’s best known resort-casino, celebrating the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome, in an 85-acre destination location that sets the standard for entertainment, dining and luxury. Find Caesars Palace on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/caesarspalacelv or http://www.twitter.com/caesarspalace (@caesarspalace).

ABOUT VEGAS UNCORK’D
Vegas Uncork’d Presented by Bon Appétit is a unique, four-day culinary extravaganza featuring 30 intimate luncheons, dinners, tastings and other immersive and entertaining culinary experiences at six resorts including Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Wynn/Encore and The Venetian/The Palazzo. Unlike many other high-profile culinary festivals, Vegas Uncork’d specializes in offering epicureans the chance to literally rub elbows with some of the world’s most celebrated chefs and expert sommeliers. Among the famous names participating this year are chefs Paul Bartolotta, Cat Cora, Alain Ducasse, Todd English, Bobby Flay, Joël Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck and many more, as well as Bon Appétit magazine Editor-in-Chief Barbara Fairchild. Call (877) 884-8993 or visit www.VegasUncorked.com.

Substitute Yourself Skinny by Chef Susan Irby, The Bikini Chef

For most of us trying to eat right and lose weight can feel like a never ending battle. There are so many diet plans out there and so many promises how can we be sure we have picked the right one? And how can we be motivated to stay on a diet when they all focus on what we can’t eat?

What if you could eat all the foods you love and still lose weight? Enter Substitute Yourself Skinny by Chef Susan Irby, known to her fans as The Bikini Chef, the ultimate healthy cookbook that actually allows us to eat the foods we love with simple, calorie-slashing ingredient swaps.

Substitute Yourself Skinny proves it’s possible to cut fat and calories and still eat satisfying and delicious foods. Based on her years of experience as a caterer cooking for a vast array of clients, Susan has created 175 super-slimming recipes everyone will love. With tips on how to swap one ingredient for another, anyone wanting to eat healthier can turn favorite foods into appetizing low-calorie creations.

“For my whole life I have strived to find a balance between staying slim and healthy and enjoying the fattening foods I love. People think that because I am The Bikini Chef being thin comes easy for me. It doesn’t,” says Chef Susan. “A few years ago I was stress eating and not exercising. I gained more weight than I ever have. So I made the commitment to get back on track. It wasn’t easy and it didn’t come quickly but I stayed with it and learned I could still eat my favorite foods but just make them ‘skinny.’”

Mention the word “substitution” in relation to a recipe and we tend to get a little nervous - - afraid that food will taste funny or have an odd texture to it. Low-calorie and fat-free ingredients are easier than ever to find, come in a variety of brands, and are high in quality and flavor, making it easy and delicious to create low calorie and low fat meals. Susan gives home cooks the “skinny” on ingredient substitutions in the chapter, The Skinny on Substitutions. There she outlines some of the basic “skinny” pantry items to keep on hand that can replace high-calorie and high-fat options.

Recipes in Substitute Yourself Skinny are organized in chapters that make it easy to find just the right meal like: Jumpstart-Your-Day Breakfasts; Energizing Lunches; Thinner Dinners; Slimming Sides; Guilt-Free Snacks and Appetizers; and Deliciously Skinny Desserts.

For health-conscience home cooks, each recipe provides the original calorie count and the Substitute Yourself Skinny calorie count. Susan has also provided nutritional information for each recipe, “Skinny Secret” shortcuts to trim calories in little ways throughout the day and serving-size suggestions making it easy to eat healthy, lose weight and still feel satisfied. Recipes in the book include:

- Flat-Belly Eggs Benedict – SYS calories per serving: 179 (original recipe: 590)
- Delectable French Toast – SYS calories per serving: 79 (original recipe: 356)
- Tune-Up Tuna Salad – SYS calories per serving: 57 (original recipe: 504)
- Chinese Chicken Salad – SYS calories per serving: 240 (original recipe: 455)
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tuna Melt – SYS calories per serving: 334 (original recipe: 919)
- Summer Savoring Mac ‘n’ Cheese – SYS calories per serving: 253 (original recipe: 320)
- Skinny “Beef” Stroganoff – SYS calories per serving: 294 (original recipe: 390)
- Chicken Alfredo – SYS calories per serving: 351 (original recipe: 990)
- Smokin’-Good Bacon Burger – SYS calories per serving: 254 (original recipe: 870)
- Rock ‘n’ Roll Shrimp Risotto – SYS calories per serving: 238 (original recipe: 620)
- Creamiest Creamed Spinach – SYS calories per serving: 82 (original recipe: 248)
- Penne “Lasagna” with Beef – SYS calories per serving: 90 (original recipe: 550)
- Fry-Me-Not Fried Rice – SYS calories per serving: 266 (original recipe: 377)
- Individual Sausage Pizza – SYS calories per serving: 337 (original recipe: 420)
- Smitten for Molten Chocolate Cake – SYS calories per serving: 191 (original recipe: 451)
- Very Berry Strawberry Shortcake – SYS calories per serving: 237 (original recipe: 561)

“We all have our favorite ‘comfort’ foods that we routinely turn to when stressed or unhappy. For all the quick satisfaction we may feel when we eat those foods, what is not satisfying is how full and heavy we feel afterwards. I developed my recipes in an easy-to-follow manner so that anyone can achieve diet freedom and enjoy favorite foods without guilt.”

The Bikini Chef has taken the guess-work out of substituting healthy, lower-calorie ingredients and has turned some of our favorite high-calorie recipes into healthy meals we can enjoy every day for any occasion.

About Chef Susan Irby, The Bikini Chef

Born in Marietta, Georgia, Chef Susan Irby may as well be from Alabama as that is where her fondest memories are from. “My family had an amazing lake cabin in Alabama. It was small and simple, yet we had the best times there. It was there we ended our day of playing on the lake by cooking in our bikinis and having dinner. That’s really where ‘Bikini Cooking’ and ‘The Bikini Chef’ truly began.” Growing up cooking with her mother, Susan’s culinary passion took hold and soon she began working in premiere restaurants in Italy and France. Returning to the United States, Susan cooked with several Master Chefs including Todd English, Ming Tsai, Rocco Dispirito, Sherry Yard, and George McNeill. She then began teaching cooking classes for gourmet markets and culinary schools such as Whole Foods, Chef’s Inc, and Sur La Table, as well as preparing dishes for the World President’s Organization, Bloomingdales, and the Los Angeles Unified School District’s “Nutrition in the Schools” program among others. Susan is the author of several cookbooks including: The $7 a Meal Quick & Easy Cookbook, The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook, and Cooking with Susan: Southern Family Favorites. A favorite guest on radio and television, Susan is host of The Bikini Lifestyle with Susan Irby the Bikini Chef on KFWB News Talk Radio 980 in Los Angeles where she discusses all things food and nutrition with guests such as Wolfgang Puck, Giuliano Hazan, Divya Gugnani, Dr. Murad, Ben Ford, and Joachim Splichal. As a caterer and chef, Susan has cooked for celebrities including Billy Bush, David Spade, Kate Sagal, James Garner, and Patrick Swayze. She lives in Orange County, CA with her husband and daughter.

To learn more about Chef Susan Irby, The Bikini Chef, visit www.SusanIrby.com

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Summer Skinny Cocktails

TY KU has a wide variety of premium spirits—Liqueur, Sake, Ultra Premium Sake, and Soju. TY KU Soju improves the drinking experience for summer with 40% fewer calories than vodka and a superior, sophisticated light taste and crisp profile that is the result of an age old distilling process, hand selected barley, and pure spring water. Completely all natural with no additives, sweeteners, or preservatives, TY KU Soju creates better tasting, better balanced cocktails.

Celebrity fans include Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Biel, Jeremy Piven, Jamie Foxx, Kate Hudson, John Mayer, Gisele Bündchen, Rosario Dawson, Ne-Yo, Jessica Simpson, Bon Jovi, and Michael Phelps.

Here are some specialty skinny cocktails with a 4th of July twist:

The 1776 Sipper - Calories 115
2 oz. TY KU Soju
2 oz. Iced Tea or Green Tea

The Sparkler - Calories 92
2 oz. TY KU Soju
Muddle Cucumber
Club Soda

Rocket's Red Glare - Calories 95
1 oz. TY KU Soju
1 oz. TY KU Liqueur
Splash of Sugar- Free Cranberry Juice

Asian Uncle Sam - Calories 92
2 oz. TY KU Soju
Squeeze & Drop in Wedge of Lemon/Lime/Orange
Splash of Club Soda

Endless Summer - Calories 95
2 oz. TY KU Sake
Splash of Pomegranate Juice

Naughty Lemonade – Calories 126
2 oz. TY KU Liqueur
2 oz. Fresh Lemonade
Splash of TY KU Soju

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

NEW! Moerlein Northern Liberties India Pale Ale (IPA)

Christian Moerlein Brewing Company announces the launch of the newest beer in the Moerlein Lagers & Ales line-up –Moerlein Northern Liberties India Pale Ale (IPA) Dedicated to the immigrants of the era located in the historic Northern Liberties section of Cincinnati, north of Liberty St., in what is now Over-the-Rhine, prior to 1849’s annexation. This hoppy ale celebrates the fortitude of the free-spirited people living the American dream with the influences of their many cultures.

CEREMONIAL FIRST TAPPING PARTY OF MOERLEIN NORTHERN LIBERTIES IPA will happen Thursday, May 6, 2010, from 5:30PM – 8:00PM at Rookwood Pottery Company, located at 1920 Race St. in Over-the-Rhine’s Historic Brewery District. First Tapping ceremony will happen at 6:00PM sharp. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door which include food and beer tickets and can be purchased at http://www.christianmoerlein.com . *

*Proceeds from the event to benefit the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District non-profit redevelopment group.

Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA, the newest seasonal handcrafted beer in the Moerlein Lagers & Ales family, is a wonderful example of an India Pale Ale. Originally, a British-style of beer, India Pale Ales has become a distinct American-style of craft beer. Northern Liberties IPA celebrates the heavy-hop brewing traditions, giving Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA a distinct floral-like aroma and a copper appearance, enhanced with balanced malt undertones to create a smooth, drinkable ale. The beer has an ABV of 6.3%, OG of 15.5 and IBU’s of 55. Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA will be available in six packs and draft beginning May 7th.

Local Cincinnati artist Jim Effler, commissioned by Christian Moerlein Brewing Company to paint the label artwork, displays a Liberty Maiden of Cincinnati marching triumphantly down Liberty St. uniting the gathering crowd in the pursuit of a life, liberty and happiness.

Moerlein Lagers and Ales are only distributed through Greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Kentucky markets. For more information contact us at info@christianmoerlein.com or visit Christian Moerlein Brewing Company website at wwwchristianmoerlein.com .

Christian Moerlein Brewing Company is the brewer of handcrafted Moerlein Lagers & Ales including Moerlein OTR Ale, Moerlein Lager House, Moerlein Barbarossa Double Dark Lager, Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA, Moerlein Fifth & Vine Oktoberfest Marzen, Moerlein Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale, Moerlein Friend of the Irishman Stout and Moerlein Emancipator Doppelbock. More information on Moerlein Lagers & Ales can be obtained at www.christianmoerlein.com .

Celebrate Tea

Most of us take tea for granted. Sure, we’ll drink it when coffee isn’t an option, or to soothe a sore throat, but the many methods of enjoying tea can take us far beyond the comfort of our own kettle. China, Morocco, France, England, Kenya, and Russia are all tea-drinking countries with their own unique serving traditions and tea preparations. Lisa Boalt Richardson’s latest book, THE WORLD IN YOUR TEACUP (Harvest House; January 2010; Hardcover/$24.99; ISBN: 978-0736925808), illuminates the rich culture of tea around the world. Let the long, lush history of tea brewing fill your cup.

THE WORLD IN YOUR TEACUP will help you discover unique and delicious international tea traditions. For each of eight different countries, you’ll learn about the culture and history of tea, how tea is served there, how to prepare tea in the style of the country, and which foods (recipes included!) can accompany the tea. Experience real tea hospitality in:

- China
- England
- Kenya
- Russia
- Iran
- France
- Morocco
- United States of America

Stunning photographs by Lauren Rubinstein, one of Atlanta’s premier food photographers, illustrate the wide variety of teas and accompanying menus eaten all over the world. No one can resist recipes like Heirloom Tomato, Corn, and Basil Salad; Spinach and Mushroom Quiche; Baklava; Crumb Ginger Cake; Savory Honey Scones; Noodle Babka; Semolina Cookies.

And when you’re back from your tea-filled world travels, what better way to share your love of tea than by gathering your loved ones for a tea party? Banish the doilies and bring on the creativity—tea parties don’t have to mean dainty, china teacups! Lisa Boalt Richardson, Certified Tea Specialist, re-invents the tea party with fresh themes and recipes. Fun and unique, the entertaining ideas in TEA WITH A TWIST (Harvest House; June 2009; Hardcover/$24.99; ISBN: 978-0736925792) draw on a variety of cultural teatime traditions to liven things up. Teatime isn’t just for grandma anymore!

TEA WITH A TWIST features eight different tea party themes, all delightful, inventive, and approachable. Each theme is based on a type of tea (Chai, for example) and offers luscious recipes, time-saving shortcuts, serving suggestions, and finishing touches. Chapters are prefaced by a heartwarming personal story that will help you create the atmosphere. The magnificent ideas are bound to get your mind and kettle brewing:

- Flower Power Tea Party
- Bubble Tea Party
- Tropical Tea by the Sea Party
- Mexican Fiesta Tea Party
- Southern Tailgate Tea Party
- All About Chocolate Tea Party
- Indian Chai High Tea
- Under-the-Table Tea Party (for kids)

With photographs that make you want to eat the food right off the page, TEA WITH A TWIST will entice you with a whole slew of new and creative recipes. Treat your friends, family, and self to recipes like Masala Chai Scones; Salmon Tea Sandwiches; Touchdown Tea Infused Pecan Brittle; Scones with Crystallized Ginger and Green Tea; and Artichoke and Asiago Cheese Sandwiches.

TEA WITH A TWIST and THE WORLD IN YOUR TEACUP enliven the world of tea. With sparkling photographs, mouth-watering recipes, captivating stories, and delicious tidbits of tea’s culture and history, these books will charm you. Best of all, the recipes and ideas in these books will help you warm the hearts of those you love with a soothing cup of tea.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As Lisa Boalt Richardson likes to say, “Tea time is anytime.” She is a Certified Tea Specialist, and was one of the first fifteen people in the world to be honored with that title. She currently travels the country to speak at conferences and special events, focusing on her skills in the culinary arts and her tea expertise. Lisa uses her expertise in tea and marketing to consult with tearoom owners on strategies to increase visibility and business. Lisa has trained many hoteliers, tearoom management, waitstaff, and culinary students in the art of proper tea service.

Savory Honey Scones
Makes 16 Scones

2-1/4 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped and divided
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups semolina
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 ounces soft goat cheese
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1 egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix 2 teaspoons rosemary with all the other dry ingredients. Add goat cheese to the dry ingredients and set aside

Whisk together honey, half the cream, and egg. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Form the dough into a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and separate the dough into 2 equal portions and pat each portion into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges. Separate and arrange wedges on a baking sheet.

Brush tops with remaining cream and sprinkle with remaining rosemary. Place in oven and bake 1o to 12 minutes or until golden brown. It is yummy to serve these with butter, honey, and/or softened goat cheese!
__________________________________________________

Ghoriba
(Semolina Cookies)
Makes about 50 cookies

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 cups semolina flour
2 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup blanched or slivered almonds

To make clarified butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Skim off the froth and then pour into a mixing bowl, leaving the white milk solids in the pan. Set aside until cool.

Sift the flour and confectioner’s sugar into a bowl, add the semolina and a pinch of salt, and mix thoroughly.

When the butter is cool but still liquid, stir in the eggs and vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients, mixing to a firm dough. Knead well, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Knead the dough again until smooth and pliable. Take 3 teaspoons of dough and shape into a smooth ball, then shape remaining dough into balls of the same size. Place on cookie sheets 1 inch apart (they do not spread). Brush the tops with egg white and press an almond on top of each cookie, which will also help flatten the cookie. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden in color. Cool on cookies sheets.

Copenhagen's Noma Voted World's Best Restaurant

Noma, chef Rene Redzepi’s flagship restaurant in the Christianshavn section of Copenhagen, has a new title to celebrate. It has been named the “best restaurant in the world” on the S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2010, released on April 26 at a ceremony in London.

Voted on by an Academy of chefs and restaurant critics from around the world, the S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010 includes the restaurants of some of the world’s great chefs: Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli on the Costa Brava in Spain (No. 2), Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, England (No. 3), Grant Achatz’s Alinea in Chicago (No. 7), Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York (No. 10), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (No. 29) and many more. That Noma tops the list might be a surprise to some, but not to those who have been following Copenhagen’s vibrant culinary scene for the past several years.

Noma opened in 2004 in a historic warehouse building in the Christianshavn section of Copenhagen. True to the building’s heritage as the heart of the shipping trade between Denmark and the North Atlantic islands of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, Noma specializes in local specialties of the North Atlantic region—musk ox, wild salmon, horse mussels, deep sea crabs and Faroe Island langoustines so fresh they’re crawling up until the time they reach your plate. Its name derives from nordisk mad, Danish for “Nordic food.” Noma is co-owned by Danish restaurateur, celebrity chef and TV host Claus Meyer, known to U.S. audiences as the presenter of the Danish episodes of “New Scandinavian Cooking” on PBS.

Chef Rene Redzepi, who trained at The French Laundry in California and at El Bulli in Spain, won his first Michelin star for Noma in 2005. In 2007 Noma was awarded a second Michelin star, which it has retained ever since. Understated and unpretentious, Noma continues to dazzle diners and to champion the cause of Nordic cuisine. There could be no better flag bearer. www.noma.dk/main.php?lang=en

For free to use video segment on Noma
http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Releases/StoryDetailPage.aspx?GUID=5246fbb0-f9a2-4eeb-acc3-6ba4e9cce81c&alertid=4a44df37-344d-4ae4-ad04-a314ff2dd672

Copenhagen’s Other Culinary Stars

Copenhagen is a shining star on the Michelin list of the world’s outstanding restaurants. Twelve Copenhagen restaurants made the 2010 list, earning a total of thirteen Michelin stars—more than Rome, Vienna, Stockholm or Oslo. Noma leads the pack as Copenhagen’s only two-star Michelin restaurant.

New this year is the restaurant a|o|c (formerly Premisse), which earned its first Michelin star. Other Michelin-star restaurants in Copenhagen: Bo Bech at Paustian, Era Ora, Formel B, Herman, Kiin Kiin, Kokkeriet, Kong Hans Kaelder, MR, Søllerød Kro and The Paul.

In addition, seven Copenhagen restaurants are classified as Bib Gourmand, “offering good quality cuisine at reasonable prices.” They are: Famo, Frederiks Have, Kanalen, L'Altro, Le Sommelier, Oubaek, and new to the list this year Kødbyens Fiskebar. www.visitcopenhagen.com/composite-3477.htm

Get a Taste of Copenhagen
A great way to experience Copenhagen’s food scene is to visit the city during the Copenhagen Cooking Festival. Now in its sixth year, this Nordic Food Festival is fast becoming a fixture on every food lover’s calendar. Look for special events and tastings of everything from green cuisine (we are devoted to our local produce!) to Danish beer (naturally!), as well as unique festival menus offered by restaurants and cafés all over the city.
www.copenhagencooking.dk

Come Fly with Me
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flies non-stop to Copenhagen daily from Chicago (O’Hare), Washington, D.C. (Dulles) and New York (Newark). www.flysas.com/us

For more information about Denmark and Copenhagen:
www.visitdenmark.com/usa and www.visitdenmark.com

Ted Reader redefines the traditional burger

Introducing Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers, a new mouth‑watering masterpiece created by celebrity chef Ted Reader, in collaboration with Napoleon Gourmet Grills. The book was released April 1st and is dedicated to the deliciousness and versatility of the everyday hamburger.

Over 300 pages showcase Ted’s originality and passion for his favourite food- the hamburger. Accompanied by vivid full colour photos, each recipe illustrates the art of assembling the perfect burger.

For Ted, a hamburger is not just something that’s tossed on the grill for easy consumption – it’s a way of life and a gourmet art form.

“This book is not just about grilling a hamburger, it’s about an entire cooking experience,” said Chef Ted Reader. “My passion for creating a savory hamburger is reflected throughout this book. I hope my readers enjoy these recipes as much as I enjoyed creating them.”

Today, the popularity of hamburgers has skyrocketed. No longer found solely alongside hot dog stands; gourmet hamburgers are showing up in restaurants worldwide, from local diners to fine dining restaurants.

People are no longer satisfied with mediocrity when they can share in the delight of a juicy and satisfying hamburger. What makes a good burger is not just the final product, it’s the entire process.

Ted’s Gourmet Burgers help readers achieve the quality they are looking for by teaching effective grilling techniques. He demonstrates how to grind and bind your own meat and utilize fat, flavour and seasoning to bring out the characteristics of a good burger. He also instructs readers on how to prepare meat, utensils and grills in a way that’s conducive to a BBQ masterpiece.

Ted’s recipes showcase the versatility of burgers, while considering every palate and skill set. Whether a seasoned or amateur griller, vegetarian or meat lover, there is something in this book for everyone; including veggie, game, seafood, breakfast, veal, turkey, pork, kangaroo and even dessert burgers. Readers can achieve ideal results by mixing and matching their favourite meat from one recipe with condiments from another.

Ted’s book empowers people to become their own backyard hero, take charge of their own cooking and enjoy the experience with friends and family.

“This book is a true reflection of the person who wrote it,” said David Coulson of Napoleon Gourmet Grills. “Ted Reader defines fun and excitement in grilling. This book is sure to be a hit among grill and hamburger enthusiasts alike.”

Ted’s recipes are the epitome of innovation and creativity. Readers can find everything from the Schwarzenegger Burger- dedicated to the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger, to the Poutine Burger, to the Billion-Dollar Burger and a traditional Classic All-Beef Burger.

Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers is a chance to challenge your grilling expertise and most importantly to have fun! The book is available in soft cover for $27.95, at fine book stores everywhere.

About Ted Reader
Ted Reader is an award-winning chef and food entertainer, who’s parlayed his passion for food into a culinary tour de force that includes more than a dozen cook books, shelves of food products, live culinary performances, TV and radio cooking shows and appearances as well as culinary demonstrations, a catering company and teaching. Known for his pyrotechnic charm and fearless culinary spirit, it’s no surprise that GQ magazine labeled him the “crazy Canuck barbecue kingpin.” The dude just loves to cook! Ted’s quest for creating “real food for real people” has seen this high-profile culinary barbecue guru demonstrate his flair for grilling in all venues from swanky ball rooms to the Pacific Ocean to a downtown Toronto parking lot. Today, he owns more than 106 barbecues, grills and smokers in all shapes and sizes and never goes anywhere without one in the back of his truck.

For additional information, visit Ted on the web at: www.tedreader.com

About Napoleon Fireplaces & Grills

It all began in 1976 when a small steel fabrication business launched by Wolfgang Schroeter started manufacturing steel railings in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. At that time, no one could imagine the incredible future that lay ahead for Wolf Steel Ltd. and eventually Napoleon® Fireplaces and Napoleon® Gourmet Grills. Since the first wood stove rolled off the production line over 30 years ago, Wolf Steel's commitment was to be distinctive and successful in everything they do. Napoleon's commitment to producing quality products combined with honest, reliable service has proven to be a successful framework to ensuring the continued rapid growth of the company. Napoleon® is an ISO9001 - 2000 registered company and now operates with 500,000+ square feet of manufacturing space and over 500 employees. They are North America's largest privately owned manufacturer of quality wood and gas fireplaces (inserts and stoves), gourmet gas and charcoal grills, outdoor living products and waterfalls.
For more information on Napoleon Grills, please visit: www.napoleongrills.com

About Key Porter Books

One of Canada's most prominent publishers, Key Porter Books Limited is known internationally for its high quality illustrated books, and at home for its mainstream books of national interest. In the words of the Right Honourable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada, "since coming into being, Key Porter has established itself as a pre-eminent publishing house, providing an invaluable vehicle for Canadian authors to bring voices to a national audience.” Key Porter Books was founded as a joint venture of Anna Porter and Key Publishers in 1979 and incorporated in 1984. Key Porter Books publishes about 100 titles per year and has over 500 titles in print. Areas of specialization include Canadian politics, fiction, history biography, books on environmental and social issues, children's literature, health, wildlife, conservation, sports, business, cookbooks and photography. In the United States, Key Porter Books is distributed by Publisher’s Group West and their books are available through better book retailers and libraries throughout the country.

Key Porter Books can be found on the web at: www.keyporter.com

Friday, April 23, 2010

AgriLabs and American Animal Health Sign Long-Term Pasteurella Agreement

AgriLabs CEO, Steve Schram, today announced the signing of a long-term contract with Dr. Jerry Payne, American Animal Health CEO, to market American Animal Health's high quality pasteurella vaccines.

Dr. Payne remarked, "AgriLabs is recognized as an industry leader in providing products and technical expertise for veterinarians and producers to most effectively manage their beef and dairy herds. We are proud that our products will continue to support AgriLabs core cattle vaccine capabilities."

AgriLabs recently acquired the exclusive sales, marketing and distribution rights for the Pulmo-Guard family of pasteurella cattle vaccines: one-dose Pulmo-Guard PHM-1, Pulmo-Guard PH-M and Express 5-PHM from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

"It is essential that we maintain the availability of these well regarded vaccines for veterinarians and the cattle industry," said Mr. Schram. "With ongoing uncertainties created by industry consolidations, veterinarians and producers should understand that AgriLabs will continue to supply them with the pasteurella products they rely on," he continued.

Dr. Payne added, "This collaboration represents a major commitment by AgriLabs and American Animal Health. Cattle producers and veterinarians who have come to rely on these products can be assured that AgriLabs will continue to provide them with these high quality pasteurella vaccines well into the future."

ABOUT AgriLabs: AgriLabs (www.agrilabs.com) is an industry leading animal health sales and marketing organization with distribution throughout the United States. The company's partnership structure and philosophy, together with a commitment to expeditious product development, provides a smooth, efficient system for manufacturers to transfer technology from research laboratories to the marketplace. Through technology transfer and cooperative development agreements, AgriLabs has introduced a number of state-of-the-art products to the beef and dairy industries. Wholly-owned subsidiaries include ProLabs, for distribution to companion animal veterinarians, and TradeWinds, for over-the-counter sales and distribution.

ABOUT American Animal Health: American Animal Health (AAH) was founded in 1983 by Dr. Jerry Payne and Hsi-tang (Nick) Tung. The company continues to be a leader in bovine bacterial research and manufactures and distributes a variety of biological products for animals, including vaccines for swine and cattle. Dr. Payne successfully developed the first freeze-dried avian encephalomyelitis vaccine to be licensed in the United States and, in 1998, was one of the original founders and later became president of the Association of Veterinary Biological Companies.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

"The Mother of All Beer Weeks" Takes Place May 17-23

Beer lovers, craft brewers, homebrewers, beer distributors, and retailers are all making special plans for the annual American Craft Beer Week taking place across the country May 17-23. The "Mother of All Beer Weeks" celebrates small and independent craft brewers and is a chance to highlight all that the U.S. loves about craft beer. In 2006, the week became the largest national effort focusing on American craft brewers and remains so today.

"American Craft Beer Week has become a cherished tradition, making this annual celebration a great chance to toast craft brewers and to celebrate the advanced beer culture here in the United States," stated Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association.

In the works for the 2010 American Craft Beer Week are special brewery tours, beer and food pairing events, special release craft beers and festivals all across the country. Participating breweries are encouraging beer enthusiasts to sign the Declaration of Beer Independence, an official document to support America's small and independent craft brewers, which is available on the American Craft Beer Week website and Facebook page. And, both breweries and homebrewers alike will brew a special recipe called American Craft Beer Wheat to celebrate.

Celebrate Mother's Day in style at The Restaurants at Palm Court

A family tradition since 1931! Enjoy freshly carved roasts, meats, seafood, sides, salads and a 20-foot dessert display in this breathtaking French art deco setting.

Sunday, May 9 · 10:30am-4:00pm

$43.95 Adults · $32.95 65+ Years · $18.95 5-12 Years

Mother's Day Menu

Carvery, Meats & Seafood
Salt Encrusted Top Round of Beef
Oven Roasted Breast of Turkey with Cranberry Sauce
Honey Glazed Ham
Teriyaki Glazed Mahi Mahi with Grilled Pineapple Relish
Roasted Pork Loin Stuffing and Sour Cherry Sauce
Grilled Chicken Mushroom Madeira Cream Sauce
Smoked Salmon with Accompaniments
Smoked Trout and Peppered Mackerel
Country Style Pate with Accompaniments
Iced Display of Cocktail Shrimp and Crab Claws

Breakfast, Brunch, Sides, Salads
Omelets and Waffles Made To Order
Eggs Benedict · Scrambled Eggs · Hash Brown Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes · Roasted Spring Vegetables
Steamed Asparagus with Baby Carrots · Spanish Rice
Three Cheese Tortellini with Tomato Pomodoro Sauce
Imported Domestic Cheese Platters
Bacon and Sausage · Wedged Fruit of the Season
Tossed Caesar Salad · Field Mixed Greens with Toppings
Prosciutto, Arugula, Melon Salad with Balsamic
Asian Noodle Salad with Pickled Vegetables
Pesto Orzo Salad with Marinated Artichokes, Grilled Asparagus and Roasted Red Peppers
Fingerling Potato Salad · Caprese Salad

Desserts
Chocolate Fountain · Chocolate Pecan Pie · Apple Pie
Chocolate Grand Marnier Cake · Tiramisu Torte
Milk Chocolate Caramel Torte · Mango Raspberry Torte
Lemon Strawberry Torte · Walnut Spice Cake
Chocolate Pots De Crème Spoons · Assorted Mini Pastries Chocolate Dipped Strawberries · Peach Cobbler
Banana Bread Pudding · Espresso Cheesecake
Assorted Breakfast Pastries

Menu items subject to change.
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
35 West Fifth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-421-9100

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes

Millions of Americans suffer from food allergies and intolerances, particularly sensitivity to wheat, rye, barley and oats. By avoiding all foods that contain wheat or wheat products, the first thing off the table is usually bread. There is a new cookbook, 125 BEST GLUTEN-FREE BREAD MACHINE RECIPES (Robert Rose; April 2010; softcover/$24.95; ISBN: 978-0-7788-0238-9) by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, that will change that! With their help, you don’t have to be a master bread baker to create a delicious loaf of gluten-free bread. Using a bread machine, anyone can create homemade bread that everyone can eat (and love!), whether or not they are affected by gluten intolerance and allergies.

Having to live gluten-free can seem daunting at first, constantly craving what you can no longer eat. Heather and Donna, gluten-free baking experts, have created a comprehensive bread cookbook with tried and true recipes that will bring the glorious aroma of freshly baked bread to kitchens everywhere. For those who are managing gluten intolerance, a bread machine makes it easier and more convenient to prepare their own loaves from scratch, controlling all the ingredients.
Bread machines are now more popular than ever, ranking as one of the top three appliances purchased during the holiday season. Bread machines can do much more than just bake great loaves of bread. This book shows home bakers how to take advantage of the bread machine's ability to prepare dough for a wide variety of other treats, including rolls, pizza crusts, sourdoughs and yummy desserts. There are recipes for making wraps and flatbreads such as, ciabatta, focaccia, lavosh and crackers-- all gluten-free so everyone can enjoy these freshly baked breads.

“We are frequently asked to speak at International celiac conferences and support groups and our favorite topic is always bread and bread machine baking,” say Donna and Heather. “Manufacturers are constantly releasing new bread machines and every recipe in our new book has been tested using the latest bread machines.”

Donna and Heather’s recipes not only provide appetizing results, but are specifically designed to meet the exacting requirements of a bread machine. Recipes cover topics such as: Hearty Grains, Seeds and Nuts; Luncheon and Dinner Breads; Mixes and Sourdoughs; Savory Flatbreads; Dessert Breads and Beyond Breads. Each recipe has been extensively tested to ensure a successful product every time, including:

- Banana seed bread
- Brown bread
- Cornbread
- Cranberry wild rice bread
- Egg-free, corn-free, lactose-free brown bread
- Italian herb bread
- Pumpernickel Loaf
- Mock Swedish Limpa
- Moroccan Anise Bread
- Crusty French Baguette
- Whole-Grain Amaranth Bread
- Sourdough walnut bread
- Tomato rosemary bread
- Cottage Cheese Dill Loaf
- Orange Chocolate Chip Loaf
- Hot cross buns
- Sun-dried tomato Ciabatta
- Leek Mushroom Pizza
- Focaccia
- Apricot Pecan Loaf
- Stollen

Throughout the book, Donna and Heather provide tips and techniques for using your bread machine, as well as ideas and recipes for creating your own bread mixes. 125 BEST GLUTEN-FREE BREAD MACHINE RECIPES starts off by educating home cooks about bread machines. Chapters that follow include:
- Using Your Bread Machine for Gluten-Free Baking
- Tips for Successful Gluten-Fee Bread Machine Baking
- Using Instant-Read Thermometers
- The Gluten-Free Bread Machine Pantry

Bread lovers everywhere, whether or not they have a gluten intolerance or wheat allergy, can enjoy one of life’s greatest pleasures - - home-baked bread with 125 BEST GLUTEN-FREE BREAD MACHINE RECIPES.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Donna Washburn and Heather Butt are professional home economists and acknowledged experts in the field of bread machine baking, with interests in and passions for developing gluten-free recipes. They are the bestselling authors of eleven cookbooks including: 250 Gluten-Free Favorites, Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook, 125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes, The Best Gluten-Free Cookbook, 300 Best Bread Machine Recipes, America's Best Bread Machine Recipes and 125 Best Quick Bread Recipes. Donna and Heather developed recipes for bread machine manufacturers such as Black & Decker, GE, Hamilton Beach, Philips Electronics Ltd, and Proctor-Silex. They are sought-after guests and spokespeople at food shows and conferences throughout Canada and the United States. Heather and Donna live with their families in Mallorytown, Ontario, Canada. For more information visit their website, wwwbestbreadrecipes.com.

Crusty French Baguette
Makes Two 12-inch loaves, 12 slices each

You’ll be amazed by this one — a crusty loaf with a typical French bread texture.

Baguette pan or baking sheet, lightly greased, then lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal

2 cups brown rice flour 500 mL
2⁄3 cup potato starch 150 mL
2 teaspoons granulated sugar 10 mL
2 teaspoons xanthan gum 10 mL
2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast 10 mL
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt 7 mL
1 1⁄2 cups water 375 mL
2 teaspoons cider vinegar 10 mL
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine brown rice flour, potato starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt; mix well
and set aside.

2. Pour water and vinegar into the bread machine baking pan. Add egg whites.

3. Select the Dough Cycle. As the bread machine is mixing, gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping bottom and
sides of pan with a rubber spatula. Try to incorporate all the dry ingredients within 1 to 2 minutes. Stop bread
machine as soon as the kneading portion of the cycle is complete. Do not let bread machine finish the cycle.

4. Divide dough in half and form each half into the shape of a French loaf. Place parallel to each other in prepared
pan, at least 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Using the edge of a moistened rubber spatula or a sharp knife, draw 3 or 4 diagonal lines, 1⁄4 inch (0.5 cm) deep, across the top of each loaf. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

5. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until internal temperature of loaf registers 200°F (100°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the pan immediately and let cool completely on a rack.

Tips
Store this bread loosely covered in a paper bag to maintain the crisp crust. Use an electric or serrated knife to thickly slice these loaves on the diagonal.

Ancient Grains Bread
Makes 15 Slices

Here’s a quartet of healthy grains — sorghum, amaranth, cornmeal and quinoa — combined in a soft-textured,
nutritious loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches.

1 cup sorghum flour 250 mL
3⁄4 cup amaranth flour 175 mL
3⁄4 cup cornmeal 175 mL
1⁄4 cup quinoa flour 60 mL
1⁄2 cup tapioca starch 125 mL
1⁄3 cup packed brown sugar 75 mL
1 tbsp xanthan gum__ 15 mL
3⁄4 tsp bread machine or instant yeast 4 mL
1 1⁄2 tsp salt _ 7 mL
1 1⁄4 cups water 300 mL
2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 mL
1 tsp cider vinegar 5 mL
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine sorghum flour, amaranth flour, cornmeal, quinoa flour, tapioca starch,
brown sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt; mix well and set aside.

2. Pour water, oil and vinegar into the bread machine baking pan. Add eggs and egg whites.

3. Select the Dough Cycle. As the bread machine is mixing, gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping bottom and
sides of pan with a rubber spatula. Try to incorporate all the dry ingredients within 1 to 2 minutes. When the mixing and kneading are complete, remove the kneading blade, leaving the bread pan in the bread machine. Quickly smooth the top of the loaf. Allow the cycle to finish. Turn off the bread machine.

4. Select the Bake Cycle. Set time to 60 minutes and temperature to 350°F (180(C). Allow the cycle to finish. Do not turn machine off before taking the internal temperature of the loaf with an instant-read thermometer. It should be 200°F (100°C). If it’s between 180°F (85°C) and 200°F (100°C), leave machine on the Keep Warm Cycle until baked. If it’s below 180°F (85°C), turn on the Bake Cycle and check the internal temperature every 10 minutes. (Some bread machines are automatically set for 60 minutes; others need to be set by 10-minute intervals.)

5. Once the loaf has reached 200°F (100°C), remove it from the pan immediately and let cool completely on a rack.
To make this recipe egg-free: Omit eggs and egg whites from the recipe. Add 4 tsp (20 mL) powdered egg replacer
with the dry ingredients. Increase yeast to 2 tsp (10 mL). Increase water by 1⁄4 cup (60 mL). This flavorful egg-free
loaf is shorter than some.

Tips
You can use 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) liquid whole eggs and 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) liquid egg whites, if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Cycle
If your bread machine has a Gluten-Free Cycle, you will need to make these adjustments:

1. Warm the water to between 110°F and 115°F (43°C and 46°C).
2. Warm the eggs and egg whites
3. Follow the recipe instructions, but select the Gluten‑Free Cycle rather than the Dough Cycle and Bake Cycle.
4. At the end of the Gluten-Free Cycle, take the temperature of the loaf using an instant-read thermometer. It is baked at 200°F (100°C). If it’s between 180°F (85°C) and 200°F (100°C), leave machine on the Keep Warm Cycle until baked.
If it's below 180_F (85_C), turn on the Bake Cycle and check the internal temperature every 10 minutes. (Some bread machines are automatically set for 60 minutes; others need to be set by 10-minute intervals.)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Chesapeake Opens at BWI Airport Marriott

Along the Chesapeake Bay, the ebb and flow of the tides act as a living backdrop reflecting the ever changing seasons as well as the lives and traditions of the region’s inhabitants. Using this unique coastal area as its primary inspiration, The BWI Airport Marriott Hotel has opened the doors to its new restaurant, Chesapeake, a celebration of life and Eastern Shore comfort. Taking its name and cuisine from that which has made the region famous, Chesapeake taps into a seafood lover’s dream, creating an upscale casual dining establishment where comfort and class come together as one.

Located just a few steps from the hotel’s new Lobby {Reinvented}, the restaurant is a warm and stylish modern American bar and grill, featuring Eastern Shore décor, gentle tones of earth colors, and wheatgrass in its details, and floor-to-ceiling murals of the Chesapeake River and the surrounding area. Three private dining rooms offer flexible space that can open up for additional breakfast seating or for smaller, intimate gatherings. With a festive happy hour, recessed televisions with the biggest games, and cozy high-backed booths, The Chesapeake promises an engaging and uplifting environment.

Throughout the region, the industrious citizens of the Bay have always taken guidance from the seashore’s natural resources, creating a brand of cuisine distinctly its own: warm, compelling, traditional, comforting, without sacrificing an ounce of class. On browsing through The Chesapeake’s menu, those resources become clear. From the Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cake and Grilled Salmon to the award-winning Cream of Crab Soup and the Crab-Crusted Rockfish, seafood is king. Local favorites like Chesapeake Flatbread, Maryland Fried Chicken, and the legendary Smith Island Layer Cake (from the Smith Island Bakery) combine with other traditional fare to round out an appealing collection of popular Eastern Shore delights. The restaurant also features a number of local ales and an impressive wine list.

Complete details about the restaurant’s menu is available online at the restaurant’s website, www.ChesapeakeBWI.com.

The BWI Airport Marriott Hotel is conveniently located adjacent to the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. This hotel in Linthicum, MD is also in the middle of the BWI business district near downtown Baltimore, Maryland, as well as Washington, DC. Take advantage of our complimentary shuttle to BWI airport and the Baltimore Light Rail, allowing for easy access to downtown Baltimore and the Inner Harbor. Enjoy the nearby National Aquarium, historic Annapolis, Washington, DC attractions or events at nearby stadiums paired with a Baltimore hotel deal. With our unique location, The BWI Airport Marriott is great for meetings, conferences, events, weddings, and receptions. Offering 18,800 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 19 event rooms, numerous breakout rooms, and the Grand Ballroom that can seat up to 1,200 guests, The BWI Airport Marriott is the ideal Baltimore hotel for business, weekend getaways, family, and leisure travel. For more information, visit www.bwiairportmarriott.com.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Macaroons Give Color & Flavor to Spring Meals

One whiff of French Almond Macaroons (or Macaron) and dinners will know Spring is on its way. The light-as-air macaroons have special ingredients - orange blossom water and rose water - to give them a vibrant springtime flavor and aroma.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas' Orange Blossom Water is distilled from Spanish and Middle Eastern oranges and carries the perfume of an orange grove. Rose Water, also from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, is commonly used in French pastries to add delicate floral notes. The combined aroma will bring the presence of spring to the Easter table.

Laduree, the tea shop on the Champs-Elysees in Paris receives credit for the French-style macaroon, although the name of the cookies themselves come from the Italian word maccherone, (fine dough) and is thought to have originated in Italy during the Renaissance. Today in the U.S., according to a recent NPR story, French Macaroons have become so popular they replace cupcakes as this decade's defining sweet.

French Almond Macaroons

For the macaroons:
10 oz. confectioner's sugar
10 oz. finely ground almonds
5 large egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated or superfine baker's sugar
Red and yellow food coloring (any spring time color can be used)
For the filling:
9 oz. unsalted butter, softened
5 oz. confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1 tsp. Nielsen-Massey Orange Blossom Water
1/2 cup raspberries
1 tsp. Nielsen-Massey Rose Water

Instructions:

1. For macaroons: Using a fine sieve, sift confectioners' sugar and finely ground almonds, pushing through with a wooden spoon.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tbsp. at a time, and whisk until dissolved. Stir meringue mixture into almond mixture (mixture will be stiff), then halve. Tint one half pink, the other half orange.
3. Spoon 1 mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe walnut sized rounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, then repeat with other mixture. Set meringues aside, uncovered, on baking sheets for 1 hour (this will help minimize cracking).
4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C and bake macaroons, 2 baking sheets at a time, swapping sheets halfway through cooking, for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets. Slide a knife under each macaroon to release from paper, then store in an airtight container until ready to fill.
5. For filling: Using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until combined. Transfer half the mixture from the bowl to another bowl and add orange zest and orange blossom water. Stir to combine. Add raspberries and rose water to remaining mixture in mixing bowl and, using the electric mixer, beat until well combined. Sandwich pink macaroons with raspberry filling and orange macaroons with orange filling.

Makes 50 sandwiched macaroons.

Tip: To create a perfectly smooth top

Friday, April 16, 2010

New From Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™, the leading manufacturer of high-end outdoor kitchen equipment, announced today at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) the launch of its fully-redesigned collection of outdoor kitchen cabinetry. New styling gives kitchens a sleeker appearance with full-overlay doors and drawers. Interiors are now customizable with the addition of an adjustable- height shelving system. The new cabinets are available April 22 at www.kalamzoogourmet.com.

“We’ve leveraged our nearly 10 years of expertise in outdoor cabinetry to completely redesign our collection. The only thing that carries over from the former cabinet line is the handle,” said Pantelis A. “Pete” Georgiadis, president of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. “We’re continuously investing to make outdoor kitchens more enjoyable. The redesigned cabinetry looks great, provides a lot more design flexibility and sets a new standard for outdoor kitchen storage."

The new collection features 29 different styles plus accessories and can be mixed and matched in any combination, offering homeowners the widest number of choices and design flexibility to customize their cabinetry to their own unique outdoor cooking and entertaining needs.

A new adjustable-height shelf system is standard in all 24-inch cabinets, giving homeowners the ability to change a shelf’s vertical placement and further customize their outdoor cabinetry. The system holds up to five shelves within the cabinet; each shelf is 26-inches deep, 18 ½-inches wide and feature sides that are 2 ½-inches tall, ensuring items stay on a selected level. They rest on stainless steel glides that fully extend beyond the cabinet’s opening.

All cabinet doors and drawers now feature a full-overlay styling that covers the entire front of the cabinet, providing a cleaner appearance. As a design option, homeowners will be able to order cabinets with a new louvered door. Wind chains have been added to prevent doors from opening too widely in gusty conditions. Drawers stay shut and weather-tight with the addition of an indentation on the full extension stainless steel glides.

The design of the cabinets gives homeowners the ability to build a free-standing outdoor kitchen virtually anywhere, without having to install them into a wood or masonry framework. Already the fastest installing line of outdoor cabinetry, Kalamazoo’s new Speed Clip technology increases installation speeds by an additional 30 percent.

Each cabinet is built with Kalamazoo’s exclusive weather-tight rain gutter engineering; kitchen linens and cooking and cleaning accessories are kept dry because water is channeled away from the interior.
__________________

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™, the leading manufacturer of high-end outdoor kitchen equipment, announced today at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) the introduction of its 24-inch Warming Cabinet. An outdoor kitchen first, the new cabinet was inspired by food service professionals and offers homeowners a larger and easier-to-use warm storage space. Its highly-stylized louvered door establishes a new level of design. It will be available April 22 at www.kalamzoogourmet.com.

“Our warming cabinet brings more freedom to the outdoor kitchen and shatters the old way of storing food outdoors,” said Pantelis A. “Pete” Georgiadis, president of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. “Now you can keep turkeys, hams, large bowls of dips warm outside. You’re no longer restricted to small, flat hors d’oeuvres."

The new cabinet, with 4.7 cubic feet of warm storage space is unencumbered by the space and height restrictions that are a standard feature of warming drawers.

A series of specialized, adjustable-height warming shelves is at the heart of the cabinet; each sit on stainless steel glides that extend beyond the cabinet’s opening, giving the homeowner access to the entire shelf. Two shelves hold food and can be moved vertically within the cabinet to accommodate different sizes and shapes; each is 26-inches long x 18 ¼-inches wide in size, perforated to allow heat and moisture circulation, and can accommodate a wide variety of plate and platter sizes. It is capable of holding an optional third food shelf.

A separate shelf holds two water trays that retain warmth, radiate moisture, and quickly reheat the cabinet’s interior after a door opening. The bottom shelf holds up to six gel-fuel canisters that maintain an interior temperature of 160-degrees in 30-degree ambient weather.

A specially-designed thermometer ensures homeowners maintain food-safe heat levels within the cabinet.

In another first for outdoor kitchen equipment design, Kalamazoo created a louvered cabinet door. The new look aids cabinet ventilation, keeps out rain, and takes to a new level of style the outdoor kitchen cabinet door.

The 24-Inch Warming Cabinet is built with Kalamazoo’s exclusive weather-tight rain gutter engineering, which channels water away from the interior, keeping it dry It is fabricated by hand from heavy-
gauge stainless steel in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Hunger Politics: Overcoming Barriers to a Well-fed World

Considerable progress has been made in reducing hunger and boosting food security in recent decades, yet more people are hungry today than were even alive a century ago, according to a newly released issues paper that represents the first major output of Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project.
The paper, “Agricultural Innovation for Food Security and Poverty Reduction in the 21st Century: Issues for Africa and the World,” is a guidance document for the forthcoming 2011 edition of Worldwatch’s flagship report, State of the World. Authored by project collaborator Ecoagriculture Partners, the paper identifies three challenges that are central to the global conversation on hunger reduction and that need to be addressed:

Unify the food security, climate change, and ecosystem protection agendas
Rise above conflicting perspectives on the causes and solutions to hunger
Empower farmers and communities to feed themselves
“Historically, there has been a major disconnect between policymakers focused on hunger reduction and the newer voices mobilizing around ecosystem conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation,” says issues paper co-author Sara Scherr, President and CEO of Ecoagriculture Partners. “Yet in the midst of all this conflict, a rapidly growing set of individuals and institutions has been exploring innovations for reconciling these objectives—for developing landscape mosaics that overcome these challenges simultaneously.”

Technical and institutional innovations to boost smallholder productivity, gain market access, and restore natural resources are transforming agriculture in ways that can ensure food security, mitigate climate change, and conserve critical ecosystem services, including watershed protection, pollination, and pest and disease control. Such innovations are often hidden, however, as entrepreneurial farmers get overlooked by national and international government leaders and funders.

“Success” stories that have been identified, meanwhile, are too often not scaled up (or out) sufficiently to eliminate hunger and food insecurity. “Scaling up” has too often been approached by increasing the number of people involved, rather than by mobilizing similar successful, smaller-scale initiatives more broadly.

“Despite these obstacles, agricultural innovation is taking place in the fields of Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, and elsewhere across Africa to overcome the blight of global hunger,” says Nourishing the Planet co-director Danielle Nierenberg. “In order to feed the 1.02 billion people who go to bed hungry each night, change-makers must overcome the policy challenges that have plagued this issue for generations and embrace the innovations that have proven most effective to date.”

The issues paper is being shared with all authors and reviewers of State of the World 2011 as an inspiration for their writing and to serve as a common starting point for discussion on what sorts of political, social, and technological innovations can reduce hunger. Dozens of authors—including farmers, activists, academics, and journalists—will contribute to State of the World 2011, collectively challenging the global food community to find win-win-win solutions that can better feed sub-Saharan Africa.

About the Worldwatch Institute: Worldwatch Institute delivers the insights and ideas that empower decision makers to create an environmentally sustainable society that meets human needs. Worldwatch focuses on the 21st-century challenges of climate change, resource degradation, population growth, and poverty by developing and disseminating solid data and innovative strategies for achieving a sustainable society. For more information, visit www.worldwatch.org.

About the Nourishing the Planet Project: Nourishing the Planet seeks to highlight innovations that can reduce hunger, improve environmental and agricultural sustainability, improve the lives of women and girls, and be both economically feasible and scalable for farmers and the donor/investment community. The project will culminate in the release of State of the World 2011, the 28th edition of Worldwatch Institute’s flagship annual, with a focus on hunger. For more information, visit www.nourishingtheplanet.com.

Buca di Beppo celebrates Administrative Professionals Week

Buca di Beppo Italian eatery’s around the country will celebrate Administrative Professionals Week, April 19 - April 23, 2010, by giving away a free Buca di Beppo mouse pad with every lunch order, while supplies last.

Treat support staff to delicious lunch size portions of Buca’s most famous and traditional dishes including, freshly baked lasagna, spaghetti with meatball, or baked rigatoni. For those seeking a more adventurous meal, try one of Buca’s delicious new menu items, including Spicy Chicken Rigatoni, Chicken Cacciatore and Veal Saltimbocca. If appetites desire a simpler alternative, try our Margherita or Veggie pizza – the perfect leftovers for a late afternoon snack at the office. At Buca di Beppo, any reason is a cause for celebration; finalize your staff “meeting” at Buca’s “office” with the new Colossal Brownie Sundae – 12 mouthwatering chunks of freshly-baked chocolate brownies tucked between six giant scoops of vanilla bean and chocolate gelato.

Whether an office consists of five employees, or fifty, Buca di Beppo provides a fun and festive atmosphere with food to match any occasion. With capabilities to host a simple lunch meeting, holiday office party, or anything else in between, Buca di Beppo provides everything needed need to make sure clients and employees have fun and leave full.

To find the Buca nearest you visit www.bucadibeppo.com.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

New iPhone App Changing the Way People Choose their Food

For the first time, consumers can easily access additive, allergen, ingredient and nutrient properties of any food product in-store by scanning food label barcodes with an innovative iPhone application from FoodEssentials.

Consumers can use the FoodEssentials Scanner to customize their food label view to focus on particular ingredients, food intolerances, or dietary needs and then compare products side-by-side to help them to choose the best products for their family’s needs.

While food labeling is under increased scrutiny – including Michelle Obama’s push to improve labeling and the FDA’s recent Health and Diet Survey showing a 10% increase in consumers who read food labels – reading and comparing labels remains a confusing exercise for most consumers, not to mention allergy or food intolerance sufferers.

The aim of the FoodEssentials Scanner is to leverage technology to simplify and personalize the food choice process. ¨Food labels contain a lot of information and everyone has their own specific needs,¨ said Anton Xavier, CEO of FoodEssentials who co-founded the Chicago, Illinois based company in 2008. ¨We’re focused on delivering a personalized label experience for anyone with an allergy, food intolerance or specific need¨.

The FoodEssentials Food Label Database is at the core of the application. ¨Presently the database contains 160,000 commercially available products and over 30,000 ingredients¨ said Dheeraj Patri, co-founder and COO. ¨In addition, we’re dedicated to collecting product data for scans that return no results, so that the more it is used the better it’ll get¨.

The application is in its second release, with plans underway to expand to other mobile platforms and expand functionality to further cater to consumer’s specific dietary needs. ¨We’ve been working on this for some time now and are excited to finally be addressing the problem right at the point where it is most relevant – in-store¨ said Mr. Xavier.

The FoodEssentials Scanner is the result of a partnership between FoodEssentials Corporation and Beaver Creek Consulting.

About FoodEssentials:
The FoodEssentials Food Label Database is the most comprehensive in existence and is used by grocery retailers, government agencies and anyone serious about food label data. FoodEssentials also provides dynamic Health and Wellness tools to grocery retailers across the USA. For more information, visit http://foodessentials.com.

About Beaver Creek Consulting:
Beaver Creek Consulting is your full service stop for custom App development. From concept to launch, you'll have your App done right, on today's hottest platforms - iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Palm.

iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foodessentials-scanner/id360586367?mt=8

Monday, April 12, 2010

Tasty Allergen-Free Recipes - New Cookbook

Families living with life-threatening food allergies may feel they cannot enjoy their favorite baked treats including cakes, cookies or doughnuts. Kelly Rudnicki, the Food Allergy Mama, shows families how to live with and enjoy allergy-free, flavorful baked treats in her book The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book. Kelly explains to readers that they don't have to sacrifice good flavor to make desserts allergen-free.

The book is filled with traditional favorites such as muffins, breads and cookies, but also explores the allergen-free versions of cakes, pies, crisps and cobblers.

Kelly keeps her desserts fresh and delicious by using high-quality ingredients that are affordable and widely available. Her favorites include: Gold Medal Flour, Fleischmann's Margarine and Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

Since 1907, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has been dedicated to pure vanilla products. Their beans are hand-picked for perfection. A proprietary cold extraction process slowly and gently draws the delicate and distinctive flavor from the vanilla beans. Nielsen-Massey Vanilla adds a sweet touch to Kelly's recipes such as Apple House Cinnamon Doughnuts and Emerald Isle Coffee Cake.

"I'm a real stickler about the vanilla I use. There are some ingredients you can't go cheap; this is one of them. Nielsen-Massey's is top of the line. Get the good stuff, and you'll see a real difference in your baking results," Rudnicki said.

Apple House Cinnamon Doughnuts
Courtesy of The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book
Yield: 12 doughnuts and 12 holes

Doughnuts
Vegetable oil, for frying
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Fleischman's Unsalted Margarine, melted
4 ½ - 4 ¾ cups Gold Medal Unbleached All-purpose flour
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup soy or rice milk

Cinnamon sugar, for rolling
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a large, heavy pot, heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil until a candy thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375ºF.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the applesauce, vanilla, and ¾ cups flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with a wire whisk. Add the flour mixture and the soy milk alternately to the applesauce - margarine mixture. Add more flour, if needed, to make a smooth and not-too-sticky dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board. Knead for about 1 minute, and roll out to a ½-inch-thick circle. Dip a doughnut cutter into flour, and cut into the dough. Remove the trimmings and reroll, repeating the process.

Slide a few doughnuts into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until the doughnuts rise to the surface, about 2 minutes, and turn over with metal tongs to fry the other side. Doughnuts should be golden brown on both sides. Lift out the doughnuts with metal tongs and drain on paper towels.

Mix together the ½ cup sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Place the cinnamon - sugar mixture in a brown paper lunch bag. Place the warm doughnuts, one at a time, in the brown bag, and shake to coat. Shake off excess sugar, and place on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Note: If you don't have a doughnut cutter, use a 3-inch biscuit cutter instead. To make the doughnut holes, use an empty, sterilized round medicine bottle without the cap. Poke the hole in the middle of the circle, and down the hole will pop. This is a time-tested trick Rudnicki learned from her mom.

About The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book
With more children diagnosed with food allergies every year, parents are eager to find recipes that are both allergen-free and flavorful. Kelly Rudnicki is one of those parents, and she's created her own delicious baked recipes to help fill this gap. The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book contains recipes that are completely nut, egg, and dairy free and that can stand up to their original versions. Children with food allergies no longer have to be excluded while their friends eat scrumptious baked goods. The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book features scores of both sweet and savory baking recipes.


About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100-year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey's Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Beans and Powder.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also carries a line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are certified Kosher and gluten-free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Garlic Roaster Giveaway For Nat'l Garlic Day April 19

Happy National Garlic Month!

I bet you didn't know there was a National Garlic Day and that April is National Garlic Month, but it is true.

To celebrate, TODCO is giving away Roasted Garlic Express garlic roasters to fans of their Facebook fan page.

http://www.facebook.com/hannongroup?ref=ts

The roaster cuts the time of roasting garlic in half and is available in several styles to fit any decor.

TODCO is a division of Hannon Group, LTD, which also makes Sachi Insulated Lunch Totes, Advanced Ceramic Cutlery, Meno and other Kitchen Utensils, and more.

Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese Launches New Flavor

Daelia’s Food Company, the Cincinnati-based makers of Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese, has added a second flavor to its popular line: Hazelnut with Figs. The new flavor started shipping in March and will make its way to Daelia’s North American network of retailers and distributors throughout April. Daelia’s original flavor – Almond Raisin with a peppery finish – was launched in late 2009.

“We are encouraged by the immediate reception of the new product, not just by our retailers and distributors but also by consumers,” said Maria Walley, president of Daelia’s Food Company. “We’ve done a number of product demos and are finding that customers are split 50/50 on their favorite flavor. Both are selling quite well.”

The new Hazelnut with Figs flavor and the original Almond Raisin are available at Whole Foods Market and at retailers across the country. Suggested retail price is $5.50.

Both flavors complement a wide range of cheeses. “But we are especially crazy about the Hazelnut with Figs served with Blue Cheeses,” added Walley. “The light sweetness of the figs pairs especially well with the assertiveness of blue cheeses. The biscuits look great on a cheese board because of their elongated shape and contrasting colors. And they are very sturdy and don’t crumble on the board.”

Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese
www.daeliasbiscuitsforcheese.com or call 513.221.4322

Made in the U.S.A. and based on an old Mediterranean recipe, Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese are designed specifically to go with all types of cheeses, from domestic to imported, soft-ripened to aged cheddars. Daelia’s Biscuits bring out the natural flavors of the cheese but never overwhelm them, perfect for food lovers who enjoy exploring the full range of flavors and are looking for the ideal accompaniment for their cheeses and wines. Daelia’s Biscuits are currently available in two flavors and can be found in Whole Foods Market and other specialty retailers across the country. Made with the highest quality ingredients, Daelia’s Biscuits have no added fat or salt that would detract from the flavor of the cheeses. They’re sturdy so they won’t break easily and they’re pleasing to the eye and the palette. Suggested retail price is $5.50.

Maria Walley, Founder
People have been making and eating cheese for hundreds of years, in places all over the globe. France, Italy, Australia, even Egypt, Argentina and New Zealand. Hundreds of different textures, flavors and varieties. But just try to find a nice cracker to go with them. That was Maria Walley’s motivation when she started Daelia’s in August 2009.

“Cheese lovers know that great cheese should be served with interesting breads and crackers that complement and bring out the natural flavors of the cheese, but don’t overwhelm them,” said Walley, a genuine foodie who has spent her nearly 20-year career working in the cheese and specialty foods business. “I wanted to make a biscuit specially designed to go with all types of cheeses, and so Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese were born.”

Who better than Walley to come up with that perfect biscuit? She owned and operated a specialty food and wine retail shop in Cincinnati’s affluent Hyde Park neighborhood in the early 1990s, then launched the Hyde Park Specialty Food Marketing Group, a food brokerage and consulting practice. From there, she became managing director for U.S. operations for Cheese from Britain, a sales and marketing organization with a focus on developing retail business for fine cheese producers and exporters across the United Kingdom.

Walley had the seed of the Daelia’s Biscuits idea in 2007 and in 2009, it was time to bring it to life. Just a few months later, Daelia’s is available in thousands of retail stores across North America.

Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese are available at these fine retailers:
Whole Foods Market (nationwide)
Central Markets (Texas)
QFC (Washington)
Dorothy Lane Markets (Dayton, OH)
Nugget's (California)
Weiland's Meats (Columbus, OH)
Party Source (Kentucky)
Lund's Byerly's (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Kowalski's (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Treasure Island (Chicago)
United Markets (Texas)
Golden Goose (Boston)
Epicure South Beach (Miami, FL)
Larry's Market (Milwaukee)
Southport Grocery & Café (Chicago)
Shaw's (Boston)
Spec's Liquor Stores (Texas)
Garden Of Eden (New York)
Cheese Shop (Concord, MA)
Hannaford (New England)
iGourmet (online)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Cincinnatians Vote Penn Station East Coast Subs “Best” in Three Categories

Penn Station East Coast Subs has been awarded the honor “Best in Cincinnati” in three important food categories; Best Cheesesteak, Best French Fries and Best Sub Sandwiches. The BEST OF CINCINNATI® poll was conducted in February by the popular print and web publication City Beat. There were over 18,000 votes cast, making this the largest poll in the award’s 14 years of existence.
“We are grateful to the thousands of customers and fans who took time to vote,” said Craig Dunaway, President of Penn Station, Inc. “Our customers tell us our insistence on fresh ingredients and our grilled-to-order taste keeps them coming back again and again”.

“Penn Station is dedicated to building strong relationships with its customers and the community,” said John Doyle, president of the local Cincinnati franchise advertising cooperative. “We support numerous non-profit organizations, plus we are very active with the Cincinnati Reds. It feels great to see the community support us as we try to support them.”
When founder Jeff Osterfeld opened up the first Penn Station in Cincinnati in 1985, the original menu only had four sandwiches. The grilled Philadelphia Cheesesteak became an instant hit with customers and remains a popular choice today.
Penn Station now offers a wide variety of hot, grilled to-order-sandwiches. All are served on hearth-baked bread. Fresh, hand-cut fries and hand-squeezed lemonade are the most popular sides. Customers can choose from Chicken Cordon Bleu; the Chicken Teriyaki; the Chicken Parmesan; the Pizza; the Italian; the Club; the Reuben; the Vegetarian, and the unique fresh-grilled Artichoke Sub. The menu also features the Cold Deli Classics; Chicken and Tuna Salad Sub, ten Sub Salads, and Kid’s Meals. A new Catering and Box Lunch menu with a wide variety of options is also available. Visit http://pscincy.com for a full menu and to find a restaurant near you.

Penn Station East Coast Subs is an upscale, quick-casual restaurant chain, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Penn Station, Inc. develops franchises and operates a rapidly expanding chain of restaurants under the trademark of Penn Station East Coast Subs. There are currently over 210 Penn Station Restaurants in 12 states including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Serendipity in Las Vegas

With more than 50 years of history at it’s flagship New York location, Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace has become a landmark destination in Las Vegas. In honor of its one-year anniversary, Las Vegas Mayor, Oscar Goodman proclaimed April 6, 2010 “Serendipity 3 Day” in the city of Las Vegas. Special guest of honor, Holly Madison, delivered Mayor Goodman’s proclamation before cutting the ceremony’s anniversary cake. Caesars Palace Executive Pastry Chef Randy Sebastian custom-created a dessert in Holly’s name for guests to enjoy throughout the entire month of April. “Holly’s Pink Peppermint Sundae” includes pink peppermint ice cream, a pink blondie brownie, seasonal berries, red berry coulis and pink cotton candy. The delicacy is available to guests throughout the entire month of April for $10.

Continuing in the celebratory festivities, the famed restaurant is on target for the sale of its 100,000th Frrrozen Hot Chocolate by the end of the anniversary month. The lucky guest to purchase the renowned dessert will receive a $1,000 Gold Opulence Sundae, donned the “most expensive dessert ever created” by Guinness World Record. The dessert boasts an icey, rich cocoa flavor with more than 20 varieties of chocolate served spilling over the edges.

“A big thank you to our partners at Caesars Palace, the city of Las Vegas, our staff and most of all, our guests who have made our first year on The Strip a big success,” said Rowen Seibel, owner of Serendipity 3. “We look forward to bringing memorable experiences filled with great food, fun and Frrrozen Hot Chocolate for decades to come.”

With more than 50 years of history from its original home in New York, Serendipity 3 has made a place in the hearts of people from East Coast to West. Defined as “…the art of making happy discoveries, or finding the unexpectedly pleasant by chance or sagacity,” Serendipity was the perfect description of three young men who pooled their combined fortunes of three hundred dollars and in 1954 staked a claim to a location on East 58th Street. The restaurant opened with four tables, sixteen chairs, and a towering espresso machine. In no time, the line formed stretching around the block and has had loyal guests for the past 56 years.

The spectacular savory creations and over-the-top desserts have found a new following in Las Vegas as it’s become a must-see destination for world-wide travelers. The whimsical café boasts large windows, offering the ultimate Vegas dining experience in the dining room or on its three terraces topped with bright pink and orange awnings. Oversized lighting fixtures and a rainbow of color accent the interior, with seats 98 patrons in white chairs with colorful accents. Table appointments are reminiscent of the original shop. A showcase cocktail bar area provides 10 bar seats, and a large retail space displays a unique collection of specialty merchandise. The large exterior patios seat 150 diners with nearly 100 seats Strip-side.

The menu consists of the popular favorites including delicious burgers, famous foot-long hotdogs, stacked sandwiches, special salads, pizza and colossal cakes and sundaes. Guests can enjoy the delectable offerings Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. – midnight, Saturday 10 a.m. – midnight, Sunday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Brunch is every Saturday and Sunday. For reservations please contact 702.731.7266.