Thursday, May 31, 2012

Narconon Louisiana Contributes To Ongoing National AlcoholAwareness Campaign

Narconon Louisiana supports the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence's (NCADD) National Alcohol Awareness Campaign. In keeping with this year's theme, "Healthy Choices, Healthy Communities: Prevent Underage Drinking", Narconon Louisiana shares a graduate's story of how they overcome their alcoholism that started with underage drinking.

D.C. states, "I used to bartend and almost every night I would go through a bottle of tequila. On the weekends, I would also get really drunk after work which was about 3 o'clock in the morning."

"During that era of my life there wasn't a lot of time where I could remember what was going on in my life. I missed my children's events in school. I missed spending time with my family. My whole life seemed to revolve around alcohol and because of that, all of my responsibilities fell, work, family...everything. I only cared about alcohol."

"Coming to Narconon was the best thing I've ever done. I realized that I didn't need alcohol to be myself. I don't need alcohol to wake up or go to sleep. I can actually be there for my family and make responsible and wise decisions and I can actually see how my actions affect others. Now, I love my life! I spend quality time with my family and I truly believe I owe that happiness to what I learned here at Narconon. Thank you for giving me my life back!" D.C.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that children are more likely to drink if at least one member of the family drinks each week. The most common age for a first drink is 12 - 13 years old, usually celebrating a special occasion with adults. Because of this, it is important to address addiction before young children are exposed to and are affected by alcoholism.

"At Narconon Louisiana we encourage people to seek treatment for alcohol addiction before it consumes their family and their life. In D.C.'s case we have been able to help him break the cycle of parent to child alcoholism. He is on the lookout to help his children and prevent them from partaking in underage drinking," says Cathy Steiner, Executive Director of Narconon Louisiana.

About Narconon Louisiana
Narconon Louisiana, located in Denham Springs, is a non-profit alcohol and drug rehabilitation center licensed by the State of Louisiana. The Narconon drug rehabilitation and education program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez and uses the drug-free rehabilitation and social education methodology based on research developed by American author and humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard. They are dedicated to eliminating alcohol and drug addiction through drug prevention education and rehabilitation. If you know someone struggling with alcohol addiction or drug abuse and would like more information visit http://www.drugabusesolution.com or call 877-340-3602. Any questions you have in the matter will be addressed in confidence.

Niagara Conservation Helps Homeowners Save Water

With higher than average temperatures across the United States this past winter, many homeowners, especially those in southern regions, are experiencing drought concerns as summer nears. In many states, municipalities are issuing water restrictions to conserve this important resource in the hot summer months. One simple step homeowners can take to conserve water, outside of following local restrictions, is to look at water usage in the bathroom. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the bathroom is the largest water waster in the house, with the toilet alone using 27 percent of household water. While older toilets use 3.5 gallons per flush (GPF), high efficiency toilets use 75 to 80 percent less water, easily helping homeowners conserve water and save money on their utility bills.

Niagara Conservation is helping drought-affected areas save the most this summer with its revolutionary Stealth System which can save a homeowner up to 40,000 gallons of water per year. This three-part system includes the ultra-high-efficiency (UHET), EPA Water Sense® labeled Stealth toilet, the first and only toilet available with the ability to achieve a powerful, quiet flush using just 0.8 gallons of water, a high-efficiency, high power Tri-Max showerhead with three unique flow options and a low-flow faucet aerator. Due to Niagara’s Stealth System’s exceptional water saving abilities, if just 25,000 homes were converted to this system, one billion gallons of water could be saved in one year.

Niagara recently put the Stealth System to the test, using the water and sewerage cost for cities across the United States to determine how much savings would result from installing the Stealth System. With household savings based on a three-person household, homes in Atlanta would save $1,391.48 annually, homes in Dallas would save $599.96, homes in San Francisco would save $1,415.47, and homes in Houston would save $1,054.26.

Saving Starts with Stealth
Activated by simply pressing the flush push button, Stealth technology clears all waste in the toilet bowl, eliminating the need for double flushing or dual flush systems. The technologically advanced engineering inside the Stealth toilet results in extraordinary water and utility bill savings that go a step beyond standard water-saving toilets. In fact, by using 77 percent less water per flush than the older style 3.5 gallon toilet, the Stealth toilet alone can help to save up to 18,000 gallons of water per year, which translates to up to a 60 percent savings on water usage and utility bills.

The patented hydraulic and water-saving technology behind Stealth involves a remarkable combination of air and water working in unison, which helps to deliver a cleaner and more reliable flush. Also, because Stealth technology maintains pressure in the toilet’s trapway instead of the tank, it produces a remarkably quiet flush without residual noise. In addition, the Stealth features a sleek, stylish design and is easy to install. The system is also capable of functioning efficiently at varying water pressure levels and has no expensive parts to replace, providing further savings to the homeowner.

The Super-Saver Showerhead
Continuing to save in the bathroom, Niagara’s Tri-Max showerhead offers a luxurious shower experience while helping the homeowner to conserve water and energy, as well as save on their utility bills. Ensuring up to 40 percent less water usage than “low-flow” showerheads with traditional flow restrictors, the Tri-Max showerhead can help save nearly 8,000 gallons of water per year. The Tri-Max offers three adjustable spray options that the homeowner can select from while showering. By simply turning the showerhead, the homeowner can use the 0.5 GPM for soaping, the eco-friendly 1.0 GPM or the 1.5 GPM power rinse mode. Also, a patented, non-removable compensator device in the showerhead maintains a consistent flow rate by adjusting flow as water pressure fluctuates.

Lower Utility Bills with Low-Flow Aerator
Installing Niagara’s Tri-Max low-flow faucet aerator on a bathroom faucet not only saves water and energy but helps reduce utility bills as less water needs to be heated. The patented Niagara Tri-Max bathroom aerator, through a simple turning mechanism, offers three powerful flow rates of 0.5 GPM for face-washing, the eco-friendly 1.0 GPM or the 1.5 GPM power flow mode. Incorporating a patented pressure compensator, Niagara's Tri-Max aerator ensures a constant flow and steady stream of water regardless of the home's water pressure or psi (pounds per square inch). With the aerator flow control constructed of long-lasting Celcon plastic and the housing constructed of solid brass with highly polished chrome finish, Niagara’s Tri-Max aerator provides significant savings over the standard 2.2 GPM bathroom (60 psi) faucet aerator. “Because we’re based in Texas, we understand the importance of conserving water and energy during the long summer months,” states Carl Wehmeyer, Niagara Conservation’s executive vice president. “Our company was founded on the principles of environmental conservation, and for more than 30 years, Niagara has constantly sought innovative water-saving solutions and developed products that can help homeowners go green without sacrificing performance and save money at the same time.” The Stealth System product kit including the toilet, showerhead and aerator is currently available online at www.itseasybeinggreen.com for a retail price of $325, and will be coming soon to local retailers, kitchen and bath showrooms, as well as plumbing wholesalers.

With a history of nearly 40 years of quality and innovation, Niagara Conservation has earned an unparalleled reputation as the premier manufacturer of high-efficiency water and energy conservation products. Niagara is the leading developer of complete conservation solutions for plumbing professionals, utility companies, government leaders, energy management officials and environmentally conscious consumers. Founder and president William Cutler established Niagara in 1977, and the company is still family owned, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with satellite offices around the world. For more information about the Stealth system and Niagara’s other water-saving and energy-saving products, visit www.NiagaraConservation.com.

On World Environment Day, New Book Points to Food and Farming as Key to Protecting the Environment

Worldwide, 30 percent of food is wasted, 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night while another 1 billion suffer from health problems related to obesity, and agriculture contributes to a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, young people are increasingly disconnected from how their food is grown, making solutions to the global agricultural system seem even further out of reach.

In response to these problems, the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN, www.barillacfn.com/en) is releasing a report, Eating Planet, highlighting the challenges facing today's food and agricultural system, as well as the myriad benefits that reform could bring As World Environment Day approaches, it is important to appreciate the linkages between technology, culture, and agriculture, and how they can alleviate hunger and poverty.

"Access to food is one of the first and most fundamental of all human rights," says Guido Barilla, Chairman of the Barilla Group. "Where food is lacking, it becomes impossible to live with dignity, and the rights to a healthy life and peaceful coexistence are undermined."

The Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project, an evaluation of environmentally sustainable solutions to alleviate hunger and poverty, collaborated with BCFN to produce the report. "The study's conclusions represent a major step toward ensuring that agriculture contributes to health, environmental sustainability, income generation, and food security," said Nourishing the Planet project director Danielle Nierenberg. "The ingredients will vary by country and region, but there are some key components that will lead to healthier food systems everywhere."

The report is divided into four sections: Food for All, Food for Sustainable Growth, Food for Health, and Food for Culture. Each of these sections ends with concrete recommendations, proposals, and actions that need to be taken to solve the global food crisis.

Food for All: Agriculture offers a crucial opportunity for effective investments in development. Because agriculture plays such a large role in rural populations in developing countries, growth in this sector is at least twice as effective in boosting incomes as growth in a non-agricultural sector. Agriculture also directly contributes to food security among the world's poorest populations, and reforms to the sector are badly needed to reduce both poverty and hunger. These include reinforcing the mechanisms of global governance, such as curbing the trade of food-related stocks to lessen price volatility; encouraging the use of new approaches and tools to measure and promote well-being, in part by shifting away from Gross Domestic Product as a primary indicator of national development; and fostering eating habits that are healthier for humans and have a lower environmental impact.

Food for Sustainable Growth: While many agricultural activities, such as artificial fertilizer application or heavy pesticide use, may boost food production in the short term, they create serious obstacles to feeding the world over the long term. Environmental degradation, including water scarcity, soil depletion, and deforestation, are all results of the industrialized agricultural system, and these problems seriously compromise future generations' prospects of well-being. Part of achieving sustainable well-being involves an understanding of the environmental impacts of different types of foods. To facilitate this understanding, the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition has devised the Double Food and Environmental Pyramid. This pyramid, a new take on the traditional food pyramid, links the nutritional aspects of different types of food with their environmental impacts, to promote environmentally conscious and responsible food choices.

Food for Health: The global food system also affects issues of human health, including incidences of disease, malnutrition, obesity, and diabetes. The report notes several unhealthy changes in dietary and lifestyle patterns, including an increase in calories consumed, a lack of balance and diversity in diets, a lack of education about health and nutrition early in life, and a significant reduction in the amount of time dedicated to physical activity.

Food for Culture: The report emphasizes the need to reconnect people with producing, obtaining, preparing, and eating their food. This involves the transfer of knowledge from older to younger generations about the production and preparation of food, the return to a healthy relationship with and appreciation of the land on which food is grown, the revitalization of conviviality associated with food preparation and consumption, and the recovery of traditional flavors in the context of contemporary tastes. In Italy, the University of Gastronomic Sciences is finding ways to combine the passion of food connoisseurs with the science of agriculture. The university conducts courses in food anthropology, food cultures, food policy and sustainability, and students participate in study trips to examine regional food systems.

The book draws on advice from experts and activists around the world to suggest specific reforms to the food and agricultural systems. These include:
Healthy eating and lifestyles: In developing countries, where rising average incomes are affecting dietary choices, it is important to provide access to and education about healthy foods like fruits and vegetables before bad eating habits develop into deep-rooted cultural practices. Ensuring proper nutrition among infants and children can greatly improve overall health later in life. Among both children and adults, a balanced diet, coupled with an active lifestyle, can minimize the risks of overweight, obesity, tumors, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. One extensively studied example is the Mediterranean diet, which characteristically emphasizes a balanced consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and grains while limiting meat intake. A study completed by EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) found that strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet resulted in a significant reduction in the risk of developing a gastric carcinoma.

Fair food prices: To ensure that agriculture remains a viable and sustainable source of livelihood, farmers must be able to ask realistic prices for their products. In many countries, food prices are kept artificially low because they do not take into account the environmental impacts of producing food, the high medical costs associated with long-term unhealthy eating habits, the costs required to pay farmers and farmworkers a decent living wage plus benefits, and the billions of dollars in government subsidies that farmers receive to grow certain commodities. If farmers could charge real prices for the food they grow, consumers, especially in wealthy countries, would reconsider the impacts of their various food choices.

Transparent and responsible food trade. To improve universal access to food, policymakers must address the lack of transparency and responsibility in the commercial exchange of food around the world. This means, for instance, ensuring that production of crops to be used as biofuels does not interfere with the cultivation of crops for food. In Europe, 8.6 million metric tons of vegetable oil is used for the production of biodiesel fuel and continues to expand by 15 percent annually. The food system must encourage "sustainable well-being," or the idea that people's current well-being should not be achieved at the expense of the happiness or prosperity of future generations. BCFN and Nourishing the Plant will officially launch Eating Planet-Nutrition Today: Challenge for Mankind and for the Planet at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in New York City at 10 AM EST on June 28.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Creation of Cincinnati Brewing Heritage Trail

Cincinnati City Councilmembers and leaders of the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation will hold a press conference tomorrow morning at 11AM outside the original Hudepohl Brewing Company site from the 1800s to announce the beginning steps in the establishment of Cincinnati's first-ever Brewing Heritage Trail.

"Cincinnati has such a rich history, especially when it comes to brewing," said Greg Hardman, CEO of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company and President of the Brewery District Board. "It's time we leveraged our history to help add to a positive, marketable image for our city, and to create a unique experience for both residents and visitors."

A motion by Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld directing the City to begin working with the Brewery District on implementation of the trail has super-majority support among Councilmembers, including Democrats, Republicans, and Charterites.

"Cincinnati is the once-and-future king of beer brewing in North America," said Sittenfeld. "Similar in spirit to Boston’s Freedom Trail and Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, our Brewing Heritage Trail will support the ongoing revitalization of the city’s core and create new jobs and commerce through increased heritage tourism."

Stops on the Brewing Heritage Trail will include original brewing sites, ice houses, bottling plants, homes of the great brewers of the 19th century - and, of course, plenty of sampling of tasty, locally brewed beer.

The Berries are Back! Wendy's Berry Almond Chicken Salad

Back by popular demand and just in time for summer, Wendy’s® is once again serving up its fresh summer hit, the seasonal Berry Almond Chicken Salad, in restaurants for a limited time only.

Featuring a star-studded cast of summer produce, Wendy’s Berry Almond Chicken Salad stars fresh, plump, tangy blueberries and hand-cut California strawberries picked at the peak of freshness atop a blend of 11 kinds of field greens. A warm grilled chicken breast plays the part of protein, while shredded Asiago cheese and California almonds roasted with sea salt take on the role of rounding out this robust salad. Available in entrée and half-sized portions, the Berry Almond Chicken Salad is served with a fat-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing – made from real raspberries, acai juice, shallots and balsamic vinegar.

“This great summer salad is designed for our customers looking to experience exciting tastes, flavor combinations and textures, all wrapped up in a nutritious package that we prepare fresh every day, in every Wendy’s restaurant,” said Gerard Lewis, Senior Vice President of Innovation for Wendy’s.

Not only tasty, the Berry Almond Chicken Salad gets two thumbs up for nutrition. Its blueberries and strawberries play supporting roles as super foods with super flavor that offer two of the top sources of antioxidants available, which research suggests promote health and prevent disease. Wendy’s Berry Almond Chicken Salad, without dressing, has 360 calories for a full portion, and 230 calories for a half size.

Only fresh produce is used in all of Wendy’s salads, with deliveries scheduled two to three times a week to each restaurant. The U.S.-grown lettuce is cut from whole heads of lettuce and spun dry in-restaurant to ensure crispness and freshness in every bite. Warm chicken fillets are hand cut and placed atop each salad when it’s ordered, while dressings and toppings are served on the side to allow customers to customize their salad.

To further welcome the warmer weather, Wendy’s is introducing its Strawberry Shortcake Frosty™ Parfait, the perfect summer time dessert in Frosty form. Another extension in the Wendy’s Frosty line, strawberries also play the leading role in this frozen delight.

Stacked with a layer of strawberry puree, creamy vanilla Frosty, crumbly shortbread cookie pieces, this parfait is topped off with whipped cream and fresh strawberry pieces. It’s only available for a limited time, so don’t miss this summer favorite.

For videos, photos and more information about Wendy’s Berry Almond Chicken Salad and other seasonal offerings, visit http://berryalmondchickensalad.aboutwendys.com. Check out www.thatswendysway.com to find out more about Wendy’s history, fresh ingredients, sourcing and more through videos and graphical facts about Wendy’s sourcing and prep.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

It's a Cake Walk for "Big Gateaux Show" Winner

New Orleans, Louisiana – Pastry Chef Bronwen Weber of Frosted Art Bakery & Studio in Dallas won the $5,000 grand prize, sponsored by Valrhona Chocolate, at The Big Gateaux Show at the 20th Anniversary of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience on Friday, May 25th, 2012. The Big Gateaux Show, an international cake competition and tasting, featured invited pastry chefs Vanessa Fiorini of Toronto, Canada; Solandie Exantus of the Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans; Gonzalo Jimenez of the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, assisted by Deborah Heyd of The Roosevelt in New Orleans; along with Weber. Each pastry chef, with the assistance of several Delgado Culinary School students, created their own signature version of an anniversary cake inspired by the Burlesque Era of New Orleans and paired with Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

The Big Gateaux Show Winning Cake by Pastry Chef Bronwen Weber of Frosted Art Bakery & Studio in Dallas, Texas pictured with Cake Inspiration Trixie Minx of Burlesque Beauties in New Orleans. Weber's cake, a black and butter bourbon praline flavored cake inspired by Trixie Minx, producer of New Orleans' popular Fleur de Tease and Burlesque Ballroom shows, featured a confection version of Minx with her leg kicked playfully in the air. Each cake entry was inspired by one of the "Beauties from Burlesque Ballroom."

The Big Gateaux Show, conceptualized by Tariq Hanna, executive chef and co-owner of Sucré, was co-hosted by Johnny Iuzzini, head judge of Bravo's "Top Chef Just Desserts" and the James Beard Award-winning pastry chef of Jean Georges restaurant in New York. Ron Ben-Israel of Food Network's Sweet Genius and judge of many Top Chef competitions served as lead judge and was joined by Lee Brian Schrager, Founder and Executive Director of the South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals; Chris Hanmer, World Champion Pastry Chef and winner of Top Chef Desserts, Season 2; and Denise Mickelsen, senior editor of Fine Cooking Magazine. The judges critiqued the cakes on taste, color movement, execution, technique, imagination and presentation of the NOWFE 20th anniversary. In addition, the chefs were judged on the use and tutelage of their culinary students while preparing their showpiece and tasting cakes.

The Big Gateaux Show Check Presentation by Jennifer Troia, Regional Sales Manager South - Valrhona Chocolate and Chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre, New Orleans to winning Pastry Chef Bronwen Weber of Frosted Art Bakery & Studio in Dallas, Texas. Pastry Chefs Jimenez and Heyd were honored with the People's Choice Award, which was voted as the favorite by the attendees of the 20th Anniversary Celebration Party held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, located on historic Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The people's choice cake, inspired by Madame Mystere, was a butter vanilla cake with dulce de leche buttercream and dark chocolate ganache.

GrillGrates Dominate World Championship Steak Cook-Off in Magnolia, AR

Four of the five money winners in the hotly contested World Championship Steak Cook-off® grilled on GrillGrates, the award winning new grilling surface. The 23rd annual competition saw 78 teams competing for the $4000 grand prize and money was paid through fifth place.

WTF Team 2012 Champion $4000 First Prize.

GrillGrates are new technology at the grill surface. Includes The GrateTool for easy lifting not scraping. The WTF Team (Walker Tree Farm) won this year's contest followed closely by the two previous year's winners, United Steaks of America Cook Team, and Shorty Dunn and The Cook-em Up Gang. All three teams have been consistently winning steak competitions in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with GrillGrates.

"GrillGrates are new technology at the grill surface that simply grills food better." According to Brad Barrett, Founder and President of GrillGrate LLC. "GrillGrate won product of the year from the BBQ Pro's of the National Barbecue Association in 2009 and now they are helping win championships."

Most teams make their own rubs, a few make marinades and they all guard their processes carefully. Johnny Joseph of Shorty Dunn's cook team commented after the awards ceremony that "A 'Steakment' was made in Magnolia!" "A steakment certainly was made and the secret is getting out that GrillGrates grill great steaks!" added Barrett.

GrillGrates are interlocking panels that form a new cooking surface on any grill. They lay on top of the existing grates or replace them altogether. The raised rail design allows for juices, marinades and sauces to sizzle in the valleys resulting in juicier more flavorful food. GrillGrates bring out foods natural flavors by protecting from charring flare-ups while vaporizing and sizzling juices and marinades back to the food for added flavor. GrillGrates are available at hardware, house-ware and outdoor retailers as well as on-line at grillgrate.com and amazon.com. They are available in a variety of lengths as well as custom sizes for the Weber Kettle and Kamado style grills.

The Annual World Championship Steak Cook-off is part of the Magnolia Blossom Festival, held the 3rd Saturday in May in Magnolia, Arkansas. After turn-ins are made, 3500 steak dinner plates are served to the public. The teams grill rib-eyes provided to them and the public is invited to pick their steak from one of the teams. The award ceremony follows a sit-down dinner on the town square.

RealBeanzT IntroducesIced Coffee Made With Coconut Water Containing Only 70 Calories

RealBeanz™, a new RTD gourmet iced coffee combining premium-brewed beans and artificial growth hormone-free milk (rSBT free) with nutrient enhanced flavors, announced today it has launched two new flavors: Iced Cappuccino made with Coconut Water and Iced Dark Roast made with Coconut Water. Both flavors are made with 20% Coconut Water and only contain 70 calories.

RealBeanz™ Iced Coffee with Coconut Water is a unique beverage blending the best of bold, premium-roasted coffee bean flavor and remarkably refreshing coconut water, to provide you with a double-whammy of taste and WOW. Forget about palm trees and sandy beaches – swig down yet another refreshing bottle of RealBeanz™ Iced Coffee with Coconut Water and you’ll feel, well…refreshed!

“All natural coconut water has become the latest health drink craze as more and more consumers are beginning to realize the endless benefits of drinking all natural coconut water. So why not combine two cool beverages together in a bottle? It’s a perfect marriage for the consumer who is looking for great taste, hydration, as well as energy,” says Serge Freund, President.

RealBeanz™ is available nationwide at select Whole Foods locations, gourmet retailers and select supermarkets.

About RealBeanz™:
Founded in 2010 in Brooklyn, New York, RealBeanz is a ready-to-drink gourmet iced coffee company combining premium-brewed beans and artificial growth hormone-free milk (rSBT free) with nutrient enhanced flavors. Currently available in seven flavors and personalities – Cappuccino/Energize, Caramel/Focus, Vanilla Nut/Relax, Mocha/Resist, Diet Cappuccino/Trim & Fit, Cappuccino made with Coconut Water/Refresh and Dark Roast Coffee made with Coconut Water/Refresh – each variety aims to satisfy health-conscious consumers without the extra calories while helping to enhance their lifestyles. All flavors currently available in AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, HI, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, NV and RI. For more information, please visit www.realbeanz.com, “like” RealBeanz on Facebook and follow on Twitter @RealBeanz.

RealBeanz™ is also available for purchase online at RealBeanz.com, BeverageUniverse.com and ThirstMonger.com.

Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas to Become His First U.S. Restaurant to Offer Smartcellar, Incentient’s Wireless, iPad Wine Lists

This spring, Michelin Star Chef Gordon Ramsay opens his brand-new Gordon Ramsay Steak - his first Las Vegas restaurant located in the heart of the picturesque Paris Las Vegas resort. As with Chef Ramsay's U.K. restaurants already utilizing SmartCellar including Bread Street Kitchen; Maze; Maze Grill and Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, this newest hotspot will be his first U.S. restaurant to offer the easy-to-navigate, touch screen system developed by Incentient and delivered via an Apple iPad™. With SmartCellar, restaurant menus are brought to life for customers in a compelling, interactive format using proprietary software offering the opportunity for boundless content delivery and customization.

At Gordon Ramsay Steak, guests will be able to peruse the restaurant’s vast wine and spirits collection at the touch of a fingertip with SmartCellar. New functionalities including menus will be rolled out later in the year. The new restaurant will have 20 iPads.

“We congratulate Chef Ramsay on this most recent addition to his incomparable, worldwide restaurant empire,” says Patrick J. Martucci, chairman and CEO, Incentient. “Of course, we’re gratified by his continued satisfaction the SmartCellar system and pleased to see it debut in yet another Gordon Ramsay establishment.”

Added Ramsay, “There’s no better way to enrich our patrons’ visit to our restaurants than by offering the attractive, fully interactive and completely irresistible SmartCellar. Give them one of these iPads and they instantly become more knowledgeable about their selections and more engaged in their entire epicurean experience.”

Gordon Ramsay Steak will be a fresh, high-energy dining environment that playfully transports guests from Paris to London. Set within the Paris casino, which is whimsically modeled after the "City of Lights," the restaurant design will celebrate Chef Ramsay and the city of London, where he lives. This innovative concept will reflect edgy, exciting and bold designs and will bridge the resort’s Parisian theme with Ramsay’s British heritage. A prefect synergy as Ramsay’s early education took place in the Paris kitchens of famous Michelin Star Chefs such as Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon. San Francisco based EDG Interior Architecture + Design, which previously created designs for Rao’s and Bradley Ogden restaurants at Caesars Palace, will spearhead the design.

For more information about additional locations currently utilizing Incentient products, go to www.Incentient.com. For more information about Gordon Ramsay Caesars Entertainment and its collection of resorts around the country, go to www.Caesars.com.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Las Vegas Chocolate Festival and Pastry Show

Chocolate Festival and Pastry Show

A chocolate charity event for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

EVENT SPECIFICS:

When: July 7 2012 8pm to Midnight

Where: The Venetian Las Vegas

What: A Chocolate Festival and pastry show featuring the BEST Chocolate and Pastry chef from all around the globe. Along with the #1 wines, spirits, and champagnes

The #1 brands from around the globe come together:
· #1 The world Champion Chocolate Chef & Master Chocolatier
· #1 World Champion Pastry Chef
· #1 World Champion Chocolate Chef
· #1 US Champion Pastry Chef
· #1 the world number one spirit company Patron Spirit Company with their full line of products

Why: To Indulge all your senses and raise funds for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Celebrity Chefs: Jean-Marie Auboine - World Champion Chocolatier, Stephane Treand – World Champion Pastry Chef, US Champion Pastry Chef, Annette Starbuck (Food Network), Carlos Salazar,…

Partial list of participants: Patron Spirit Company, Barry Callebaut, Goodie Girls, Angel Champagne,…

http://sincitychocolatefestival.com

Friday, May 25, 2012

LocalEats Names Best Barbecue Restaurants in America

Memorial Day weekend is here and neighborhoods will soon be engulfed in the low smoke of backyard grills. Friends and loved ones will inevitably invite us over "to barbecue." But confusion sets in when one is only greeted by burgers and a few sad looking hot dogs. Where are the dry-rubbed ribs and pork shoulder sandwiches? Why would our neighbors misappropriate the good name of barbecue when they really mean, "grilling out."

At LocalEats® we take our barbecue (and barbecue terminology) seriously. To kick off the beginning of the 2012 summer season, we're pleased to announce the winners of our first annual 20 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America. This year's picks include a mix of both town and country and a variety of regional styles from the Carolinas to Texas, through Kansas City and Memphis and even up to Portland and Chicago. Be it wet or dry ribs, slow-smoked whole hog or brisket burnt ends, topped with mustard, vinegar or tomato-based sauces, if it's among the country's best barbecue, we've got it covered.

The winning selections represent the opinions of LocalEats' editorial staff, which has spent months researching, compiling and drawing from their personal experiences and collective barbecue obsession. LocalEats Editorial Director Pat Embry headed the selection committee and is excited about the final result. "The winners of our top 20 barbecue restaurants not only serve outstanding barbecue, but are unique places for discerning diners, families, and barbecue connoisseurs alike. Choosing the winners was not an easy task considering the outstanding quality of all our nominees, but we're confident it's a worthy representation of the very best barbecue restaurants in America."

LocalEats 20 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America for 2012, in alphabetical order:

17th Street BBQ - Murphrysboro, Marion, O'Fallon, and Sparta, IL
Angelo's Bar-B-Que - Fort Worth, TX
Arthur Bryant's Barbecue - Kansas City, MO & KS
The Bar-B-Q Shop - Memphis, TN
Bill Spoon's Barbecue - Charlotte, NC
Central BBQ - Memphis, TN
Clyde Cooper's Barbecue - Raleigh, NC
Fette Sau - Brooklyn, NY
Franklin Barbecue - Austin, TX
Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue - Kansas City and Olathe, KS
Kreuz Market - Lockhart, TX
Louie Mueller Barbecue - Taylor, TX
Podnah's Pit Barbecue - Portland, OR
Pappy's Smokehouse - St. Louis, MO
Scott's Bar-B-Q - Hemingway, SC
Scott's-Parker's Bar-B-Q - Lexington, TN
Slows Bar B Q - Detroit, MI
Smoque BBQ - Chicago, IL
Snow's BBQ - Lexington, TX
Wilber's Barbecue - Goldsboro, NC

View an online version of this release, which includes a list of HONORABLE MENTIONS: http://www.localeats.com/dine-n-dash-blog/2012/may/localeats-names-best-barbecue-restaurants-in-america-for-2012/

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Jif Launches Two New Hazelnut Spread Varieties

Jif®, the #1 peanut butter brand, is excited to introduce hazelnut spreads to the Jif family of products. Jif Hazelnut Spreads are everything you love about Jif now in delicious, creamy hazelnut spreads. Popular hazelnut flavor pairings of chocolate and coffee inspired these two new flavor varieties: Jif Chocolate Flavored Hazelnut Spread and Jif Mocha Cappuccino Flavored Hazelnut Spread, now available where you buy groceries. Both varieties offer a new way to spread the love and make anything and any moment just a little sweeter.

“As a brand with more than 50 years of peanut butter history, the new hazelnut spreads are a natural line extension for the #1 choice of choosy moms and dads,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “Jif Hazelnut Spreads offer a delicious new way to make more memorable meals and moments.”

Jif Hazelnut Spreads can be enjoyed in a variety of delicious ways. Try these creamy spreads on a slice of whole wheat toast, with a favorite fruit or even by the spoonful for a sweet treat. They can also be used in a variety of recipes from breakfast to dessert like Mocha Cappuccino Crepes or Chocolate Hazelnut Chip Cookies. Jif Hazelnut Spreads are a delicious addition that the whole family will love!

Here are a few new ways to give favorite snacks, desserts and beverages a hazelnut twist:
• Breakfast: Spread on top of toast, waffles or pancakes for a delicious way to start the day.
• Hot and Cold Beverages: Add to coffee, hot chocolate or a milk shake for a unique twist on a favorite beverage.
• Snack: Use in s’mores instead of chocolate bars for a tasty treat or simply enjoy with pretzels or graham crackers.
• Dessert: Use as an icing on your favorite brownies or drizzle over ice cream.

For more information about Jif Chocolate and Mocha Cappuccino Flavored Hazelnut Spreads or for additional tips and recipes, visit www.jif.com/hazelnut. Join the Jif community on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Jif.

Leinenkugel Brewing Co. Introduces Imperial IPA

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company is rolling out Big Eddy Imperial India Pale Ale, a bold interpretation of the classic style, featuring earthy hop bitterness. Big Eddy Imperial IPA is the second in a series of new Big Eddy brews debuting in 2012.

Big Eddy IIPA fills the senses with five distinctive Pacific Northwest hops, which are added at each stage of the brewing process. Hops include Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe, Citra, and the extremely rare Amarillo. The beer boasts grapefruit, mandarin orange and mango notes, balanced by a hint of pine and a strong caramel, toffee sweetness, giving it a complex, multifaceted character.

Originally crafted to sustain the journey from Britain to India in the mid-1700s by an English brewer, India Pale Ales are known for their hoppy, bitter variation on a traditional ale. Imperial IPAs are typically bigger than traditional IPAs in both hop level and alcohol level. Big Eddy IIPA comes in at 9 percent ABV and 78 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).

“This is a very special beer that is truly a treat for all senses,” said Jake Leinenkugel, fifth generation brewer and president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. “Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Imperial Pale Ale pairs extremely well with a wide variety of summer meals, such as grilled pork or grilled steak.”

Inspired by the Big Eddy Spring, the lifeline of the Leinenkugel’s brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wis. since 1867, the Big Eddy series offers big beer fans complex, yet balanced flavors beyond the mainstream. Like its predecessors – Russian Imperial Stout and Wee Heavy Scotch Ale – Big Eddy Imperial India Pale Ale ages and travels well.

Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy IIPA features a stained glass orange hue highlighted by a caramel malt presence and topped with an ivory colored foam, which settles to a tight cap. An assured bitterness punch captures the intensity of an extreme IPA, while the clean finish won’t overpower the senses.

Big Eddy Imperial India Pale Ale will be available in limited release beginning in June 2012 in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas and Arizona. The beer will be available in four-pack bottles and on draft. Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale will also be available in these markets through June of 2012.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Gordon Biersch Brewery Launches Limited Edition Big Beer Program

Dan Gordon, co-founder of Gordon Biersch Brewery has announced the launch of the company’s limited edition, 750 ml. “big bottle” program for 2012. A series of rare, specialty brews with a limited production of 4,000 cases or less will be released throughout the year with Imperial Pilsner Brau (IPB) leading the charge. The brews are expected to appeal to the modern beer connoisseur as well as wine drinkers seeking an alternative beverage option.

“This is a beer unlike any other made before,” says Gordon. “We designed the IPB to pique the curiosity of the IPA drinker, and we hope to capture their palate preference with the unique, authentic flavor that is completely its own. This concept is all about innovation and beer creativity.”

Gordon Biersch Brewing Company imported 750ml. bottles from Germany as they do not exist in the United States. The brewing process takes place at the San Jose brewery and is topped off by hand with the addition of an historic German swing-top enclosure, dating back to the late 1800s.

Available on shelves in late May, IPB is an intensely-hopped, bold Pilsner that emphasizes the noble hops from central Europe: Hallertau, Tettnang, Spalt and Saaz. Brewed in accordance with the Germany Purity Law of 1516, it is naturally carbonated and unfiltered. IPB is 6.5% alcohol and 50 IBU.

The 750ml bottles will retail for approximately $8.99 at specialty grocers and liquor stores, as well as restaurants and bars in 17 United States markets including California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Washington DC, Maryland and Hawaii. For more information on IPB and its availability, please visit http://wwwgordonbiersch.com/brewery/limited_releases/imperial_pilsnerbrau.html.

About Gordon Biersch Brewing Company: Gordon Biersch is an American leader and trendsetter in the beer industry, purveying authentic German-style beers. Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch co-founded Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in 1988 with the goal of producing the most authentic German-style lagers outside of Germany. Soon to follow was a state-of-the-art brewing and bottling facility in San Jose, California in order to begin bottling and distributing its famed lagers. Today, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company is a brewery and restaurant industry leader with 21 years of experience. The microbrew trend continues to grow, and the company is actively expanding its distribution nationwide. Since 1998, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company has more than doubled its production, increasing its capacity to 3.1 million gallons of beer annually, making Gordon Biersch Brewing Company the largest brewery in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit http://www.gordonbiersch.com.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Peligroso Tequila Continues Expansion Across America with Introduction of New Key Markets

With Peligroso Tequila entering its third year in business, the company has announced today that it has signed new distribution deals making the ultra- premium tequila available in 45 states across the Nation. Currently available in 11 States, this new expansion will add high-profile markets such as Georgia, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, amongst many others.

Distributors around the globe have taken notice of “California’s fastest growing ultra-premium tequila,” an esteemed title that has fostered partnerships with some of America’s largest beverage suppliers. Included in this prestigious group are Young’s Market Company, Southern Wine & Spirits, Republic National Distributing Company, National Distributing Company, Horizon Beverage, Wirtz Beverage Group and The Charmer Sunbelt Group/Empire Merchants.

“Peligroso has worked diligently and strategically to retain the attention of the super elusive ‘dream demographic’ of emerging influencers and new consumers. We are not just converting tequila drinkers from other brands, we are recruiting new tequila drinkers from other categories.” said Peligroso’s VP of Marketing Christy Farias.

“It’s also really fantastic to see how Peligroso has been embraced by true tequila aficionados throughout the spirits industry,” said Keith Ross, Peligroso Tequila’s President and CEO. “We look forward to growing in our new markets and reaching new consumers nationwide”

Since the company’s launch in May 2009, Peligroso has seen an unprecedented high sell-through of the product in its accounts and exceptional growth in key markets such as California, Hawaii and Nevada. With roots deeply embedded in the action sports industry, Peligroso has enjoyed success outside the realm of just surf, skate and snow—quickly becoming the go to tequila amongst those in the music industry, and at the hottest nightclubs and hotels. For more information, visit www.PeligrosoTequila.com, www.facebook.com/peligrosotequila and www.twitter.com/PeligrosoRocks.

The Organic Watergate: Advocates Condemn Corruption and USDA's Cozy Relationship with Corporate Agribusinesses in Organics

The nation's leading organic farming watchdog, The Cornucopia Institute, is challenging what it calls a "conspiracy" between corporate agribusiness interests and the USDA that has increasingly facilitated the use of questionable synthetic additives and even dangerous chemicals in organic foods. In its new white paper, The Organic Watergate, Cornucopia details violations of federal law, ignoring congressional intent, that has created a climate of regulatory abuse and corporate exploitation.

When Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 it set up an independent advisory panel, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) that, uniquely, has statutory power. Any synthetic input or ingredient used in organic farming or food production must be reviewed by the NOSB to assure that it is not a threat to human health or the environment.

The Cornucopia report charges the USDA with "stacking" the NOSB with agribusiness executives that all too often have "sold out" the interests of organic farmers and consumers.

"The organic community came together and actually asked the government, in order to maintain a level playing field and organic integrity, to regulate our industry," said Mark A. Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute. "How many other industries have ever asked the federal government for tough regulations and enforcement?"

In order to placate concerns of federal involvement in the nascent organic industry, Congress specifically earmarked the majority of the 15 seats on the NOSB for farmers, consumers, scientists and environmentalists as a way to balance the power of commercial interests involved in organic food manufacturing, marketing and retail sales.

"Many in the industry generally thought this system of shared power, with regard to synthetics in organics, was working until we received a wake-up call at the NOSB's meeting late last year in Savannah, Georgia," Kastel noted.

At the Savannah meeting a giant Dutch-based multi-national conglomerate, Royal DSM N.V./Martek Biosciences, partnered with the nation's largest dairy processor, Dean Foods, to muscle through approval of DHA/ARA synthetic nutrient oils. The additives, derived from genetically mutated algae and soil fungus, are processed with petrochemical solvents, grown in genetically engineered corn, and formulated for use in infant formula, dairy and other products with a myriad of other unreviewed synthetic ingredients.

"All these elements of the Martek Biosciences products, along with outstanding safety and efficacy concerns, made them inappropriate and illegal in organics,” said Charlotte Vallaeys, Director of Food and Farm Policy for Cornucopia. "So after witnessing this travesty, we decided to take a closer look at how other synthetic additives have been approved for use in organic foods in the past."

What The Cornucopia Institute investigation found is disturbing to many organic industry stakeholders.

Since the NOSB was not constituted by Congress to be a scientific body, it relies on legally mandated technical reviews, by impartial scientists, of any synthetic materials that are petitioned for use in organics.

Cornucopia found that a small handful of scientists, working for corporate agribusiness, supplied the "independent" analyses to the board. In one example, an executive for Ralston Purina/Beech Nut, Dr. Richard Theuer, authored 45 of 50 technical reviews during a two-year period in the 1990s.

As a case study Cornucopia used the food ingredient carrageenan, a stabilizer and thickening agent that was initially approved for use in organic food in the mid-1990s. Theuer, and two other agribusiness-related food scientists, reviewed carrageenan without emphasizing its impacts on human health and the environment. Carrageenan, derived from seaweed, has been widely used in conventional foods for decades.

"Carrageenan is a well-documented inflammatory agent that has been found, in thousands of experiments in human cells and animals, to cause harmful effects, and low molecular weight carrageenan has been recognized by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Research Council of the United States as a possible human carcinogen," said Dr. Joanne Tobacman, a leading researcher on carrageenan and its human health impacts at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Low molecular weight, or "degraded," carrageenan has been found, by industry research, to contaminate food-grade carrageenan. Other research has indicated that digestion, heating, bacterial action, and mechanical processing can increase the amount of degraded carrageenan obtained from higher molecular weight carrageenan. "Due to its unique chemical characteristics, there is no safe form of carrageenan," Dr. Tobacman added.

"Those of us in the industry, who are committed to the value of wholesome, nutritious foods that has been the hallmark of the organic industry, need the NOSB and the USDA to carefully and impartially review synthetic ingredients like carrageenan,” said Michael Potter, President of Eden Foods, a Clinton, Michigan based manufacturer long viewed as an organic leader.

In an effort to remediate this ongoing scandal, in a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Cornucopia demanded that one of the newest appointees to the board, an executive at the giant California berry producer, Driscolls, be removed since she was placed in a slot Congress reserved for an individual who “owns or operates an organic farming operation.”

"We have seen the USDA, in the past, appoint an executive from General Mills, as an example, to a consumer slot on the board. This gross scoffing at the law Congress passed as a safeguard against corporate domination needs to end right now," Kastel said. "We expected better from the Obama administration. Either the USDA will immediately remediate this problem or we will defend the organic law in federal court."

Cornucopia’s white paper documents the long-term abuse of congressional intent, by stacking the board with agribusiness operatives, an illegal practice that has stretched over the past three administrations.

Another request in Cornucopia's letter to Secretary Vilsack was to reform the selection of independent scientists reviewing synthetics in organics, stating that the industry needs an impartial board and the board needs truly impartial expert advisors.

"I wish I was making this up, but one of the newest contractors to fulfill this review function is The Organic Center, the nonprofit offshoot of the Organic Trade Association, an agribusiness lobby group,” Kastel added. "This is the proverbial fox watching the organic chicken coop."

The Organic Center's board is chaired by Mark Retzloff, President of Aurora Dairy, a giant factory farm milk producer bottling private-label organic milk for Walmart, Costco and Target. Aurora was found by the USDA in 2007 to have "willfully" violated 14 tenets of federal organic law—likely the largest scandal in organic industry history.

Other members of the Organic Center’s leadership reads like a Who's Who of giant corporations involved in organics, including four individuals associated with Dean Foods and their WhiteWave division (Horizon and Silk).

"The Organic Center board members have worked, over the years, for many of the very companies seeking approval for use of synthetics in organic food," noted Cornucopia’s Vallaeys. "Talk about a conflict of interest."

Despite these problems, Cornucopia's report is bullish on organics and hopeful that the situation at the USDA can be turned around. There are fewer than 300, mostly benign, non-organic and synthetic compounds that have been approved for use in organics. That number is dwarfed by the many thousands of chemicals used in conventional food production, many of them highly toxic and carcinogenic.

"We implore consumers not to reject organics because a handful of corporations have acted recklessly and the USDA has failed to do their legally mandated job. Organic farmers, and their ethical processing partners, need your support now more than ever," Kastel added. "And health conscious families deserve authentic organic food."

The Cornucopia Institute is collecting signed proxies, downloadable from their website’s home page, asking organic industry stakeholders, including farmers and consumers, to sign the proxy and join in the demand that the USDA operate the organic program legally.

The growing dispute over synthetic ingredients is likely to be a hot topic at the next meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, set for May 22-25 in Albuquerque, NM.

"We know that carrageenan is up for review at this meeting and we hope the NOSB will revisit their controversial decision on Martek’s DHA/ARA. We urge the board to take this opportunity to reinforce consumer confidence in the organic label," said Kastel.

Past Technical Reviews Produced by Agribusiness Insiders We took the stabilizer/thickener carrageenan (a seaweed derivative) as a case study (and a timely one, as it will be up for a sunset review by the current NOSB at their May 22 meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico).

When carrageenan was first reviewed, in 1995, the NOSB, as required by law, looked at potential environmental or health impacts after examining a Technical Review produced by three experts with ties to corporate agribusiness: Dr. Steve Harper, Director of R&D at Small Planet Foods (now owned by General Mills), Dr. Richard Theuer, Vice President of R&D at Beech Nut, and Dr. Stephen Taylor, Professor of Food Science at the University of Nebraska, a defender of genetic engineering (Dr. Taylor has published studies on GMOs/allergy risk co-authored with agribusiness scientists at DuPont/Pioneer Hi-Bred—manufacturer of chemicals and GMO seed).

This Technical Review hardly mentioned some potential serious health impacts from “degraded” carrageenan, failing to cite any of the research or to inform the Board that, historically, as much as 25% of carrageenan on the market was categorized as degraded. Current research shows all types of carrageenan can degrade in the body and create serious known health impacts.

The technical review in 1995 also failed to document the known environmental hazards from discharge of alkaline wastewater and the deleterious impacts of seaweed farming to reefs, coastal ecosystems and mangroves—by law, organics is supposed to do no harm.

Carrageenan has once again been recommended for approval in organic foods by the current NOSB’s Handling Committee. As before, no negative environmental impacts and no human health threats were recognized by the industry-friendly Handling subcommittee. And once again, Dr. Theuer has submitted comments in support of its re-approval.

Empowering Consumers in the Marketplace In an effort to empower organic consumers and wholesale buyers, The Cornucopia Institute has published a number of scorecards rating organic brands on a number of integrity-based benchmarks. They have also published guidance in order to avoid Martek DHA and ARA oils, and carrageenan, in organic food.

It should be noted that before going public with this information The Cornucopia Institute has contacted and brought these concerns to the attention of top USDA political appointees, its National Organic Program leadership and staff, the Organic Trade Association and manufacturers, both regarding carrageenan specifically and the corrupted approval process of synthetics in organics in general. For the most part, we have been ignored or slandered.

We understand the risk in terms of collateral damage to the organic label in this discussion taking place, now, in public. But, as the famed Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel has eloquently stated, "The acquiescence to evil is the worst form of evil." Hence, silence, at this point, only aids and abets those individuals and entities, in pursuit of profit, that are willing to exploit the trust of organic consumers and competitively injure ethical organic farmers and businesses.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Yarden Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld: Cool Summer Recipes from the Golan Heights

The region of Golan Heights is as famous for its wine as it is for farm-fresh produce. Yarden Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, an avid cook, is as passionate about the produce of the region as he is about the fruit of the vines. One of Victor's signature summer dishes is Cold Zucchini and Cucumber Soup, which showcases some of the beautiful produce grown in the Golan Heights. Victor recommends Yarden white wines to pair with the soup. "This cold soup is a striking green color, delicious, refreshing and easy to make," explains Victor. "This is a great start to a summer lunch or dinner and goes perfectly with the Yarden Sauvignon Blanc or Yarden Gewurztraminer."

Whether enjoying the Yarden Chardonnay for a richer white with oak notes; the dry, crisp flavor of Yarden Sauvignon Blanc; or the subtle sweetness of Yarden Gewurztraminer, Yarden offers a full range of white wines If you're interested in a sample of summer whites from Yarden/Golan Heights Winery, or would like to receive additional recipes from the Golan Heights region of Israel, please email us at Helen@GregoryWhitePR.com or Elyse@GregoryWhitePR.com.

Cold Zucchini and Cucumber Soup

Recipe courtesy Golan Heights Winery Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld

Serves 4

1 lb Persian cucumbers, cut into chunks
1 lb fresh zucchini, cut into chunks
8 oz plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 large shallot
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Splash lime juice (to taste)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch fresh cilantro and/or dill
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Pinch sea salt
Jalapeno or other green hot chili pepper (optional)

In a blender, combine the cucumber and zucchini chunks. Add the yogurt, garlic, shallot, vinegar, lime juice and both the cilantro (or dill) and chili pepper (if using). While blending at high speed, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Continue to blend at high speed until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. If too thick, you can thin with a bit of water or vegetable stock.

About Golan Heights Winery
Founded in 1983, the Golan Heights Winery is based in the small town of Katzrin. The weather in the Golan region is ideal for growing grapes with warm, dry summers and cold, snowy winters, as evidenced by the snow-capped Mount Hermon to the north, Israel's highest peak. Elevations vary from 1,300 feet above sea level in the south, to 3,900 feet in the north, and soils vary from well-drained and airy basaltic soil, rich in minerals, to heavier and deeper soils, with a higher clay content. The topographic and climatic conditions in the Golan Heights are considered a rare asset by wine experts in Israel and abroad, contributing to a wide range of quality winemaking styles, overseen by Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld. In March 2011, Golan Heights Winery was awarded the World Wine Cup from VinItaly, the first winery from Israel ever to be named the best wine producer of the year from the international organization.

Bring the Wine Cellar Home

As wine tasting parties grow in popularity, there are several things to keep in mind when planning the ultimate wine soirée. Hosting a tasting party allows you to get the winery experience without the hassle and intimidation that goes along with trekking to a local vineyard. David Venable, host of QVC’s popular show In the Kitchen With David, offers tips for planning and executing a wine tasting party that will have your guests clamoring for more!

Selecting the Wine
You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to throw the ultimate wine tasting party; when purchasing wine, communicate with the wine experts at the store and ask questions about the kinds of wine and ideal pairings
Ask the wine expert about the origins of each bottle; the knowledge you receive will intrigue your guests and will serve as a great conversation starter during your party
If you are unsure of certain wines, ask to do a tasting at the store before purchasing

Pairing the Wine with Food
The wine shouldn’t overpower the flavors of your food
For dishes with a lot of flavor and spice, opt for a more simple wine choice such as Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling
For less complicated dishes, opt for full bodied blends such as a Merlot, Cabernet, Shiraz and Chianti
Always serve nuts and crackers and have water readily available for guests; these items clear palettes for the next tasting
A full course meal isn’t always necessary for a wine tasting; opt for a variety of fruits and cheeses to go along with the tasting

Recipes for Wine Tasting’s David Venable’s recipe for Baked Brie and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus below:

David’s Baked Brie with Raspberry Jam, Almonds, and Cranberries

Ingredients:
1 (10 inch x 10-inch) piece frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 (8 oz) wheel Brie cheese, rind in tact
2 Tbsp seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries, softened in hot water, drained, and patted dry
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water
Crackers (optional, for serving)
Sliced baguette (optional, for serving)
Sliced apples (optional, for serving)
Grapes (optional, for serving)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F
Combine the egg yolk and water in a small bowl, then set aside. Slice the Brie in half (like a bagel) so you have two circles
Place the puff pastry on the Temptations Lid It (or another nonstick or parchment paper lined cookie sheet)
Spoon out 1 Tbsp of the raspberry jam and drop it in the middle of the puff pastry. Spread the jam into a circle approximately the size of the Brie
Place one half of the Brie, rind side down, on the jam
Spread 1 Tbsp of jam over the Brie then sprinkle the almonds and cranberries on top
Place the second half of the Brie, rind side up on top, and spread with the remaining raspberry jam
Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash then fold up the edges to cover the cheese
Trim any excess pastry and press to seal. Flip the covered Brie over and brush the other side with the remaining egg wash
Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving
Serve with crackers, baguette, apples or grapes

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
24 spears medium asparagus, trimmed
12 slices of prosciutto
2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz goat cheese, room temperature
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1/2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Pinch black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F
Cream together the cream cheese and the goat cheese in a sized bowl with a hand or stand mixer; be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl
Add 1 tsp of the lemon zest, basil, and black pepper
In another bowl, toss and coat the asparagus with the remaining lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil
Remove the asparagus from the excess liquid and place in a single layer on a prepared nonstick cookie sheet
Take one slice of prosciutto and lay on a flat working surface
With a knife or small spatula, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture over the surface of the prosciutto
Place 2 spears of asparagus on the shorter end of the prosciutto and roll the meat around the asparagus
Return the wrapped asparagus to the cookie sheet; repeat with remaining ingredients
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the asparagus is fork tender

Cincinnati Chili "Media Love"

If any city has a chili-crazed cult following its Cincinnati! Whether you prefer your chili with a kick or super secret ingredients, which bowl is the media’s favorite? Using the premier online research tool, HighBeam Research (www.highbeam.com), they compared the city’s top chili parlors to see which received the most media love.

Skyline Chili = 77%
Gold Star Chili = 33%

When it comes to Cincinnati’s favorite chili in the press, Skyline Chili comes out on top. The world famous recipe edged out competitor Gold Star Chili by a substantial 44 percent margin.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

New Organic Artisan Crafted Spice Blends Provide Convenient Way to Add Exotic Flavor to Any Dish

Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont has created four new varieties of their artisan crafted spice blends: Cajun Spice, Harissa, Jamaican Jerk and West African Curry. The new blends were inspired by customer requests and created by company founders Ed and Thora Pomicter who spent the winter developing recipes featuring flavors of the West Indies, Tunisia, Louisiana and Senegal.

“The new blends broaden our map of world flavors and give customers more choices for creating restaurant quality meals at home with ease and convenience,” says Thora. “Although they each have their traditional uses, as with all of our blends, we enjoy playing with them in a multitude of non-traditional culinary adventures.”

The new Cajun Spice adds depth of flavor and moderate heat to vegetable, grain, seafood and meat dishes. Cajun flavors are a blend of French Acadian, Spanish, African and Native American cooking styles and ingredients which originally flavored the game and seafood dishes of Southern Louisiana.

Harissa is the staple fiery condiment of Tunisia. A combination of hot peppers, spices and herbs, it is typically used as a rub, a general spice to add to any dish, and as a spread like mustard. Teeny Tiny Spice Co. has created a dry Harissa to make it convenient to create a little or a lot as you need it, and allow it to be used as either a dry ingredient or made into a paste with a bit of oil or hot water.

As with all the Teeny Tiny spice blends, Jamaican Jerk can be used in all forms of cooking from soups to nuts. Jerk is used to describe both the traditional seasoning as well as the open-fire cooking technique of this favorite Caribbean flavor. In addition to being used to add heat and richness to any dish, Jamaican Jerk can be used as a dry rub or combined with a bit of oil or citrus juice to create a wet marinade for an exotic grilling experience.

Teeny Tiny Spice Co.’s West African Curry blend is rich with mild heat. It includes many ingredients that you would expect in a curry with the addition of a few spices more typical of African cuisine such as Cubeb, Grains of Paradise and Cocoa Nibs. The blend is based on curries used in Senegal for preparing traditional fish dishes. As with all their curry blends, it is great as a curry with any protein or vegetable, used as a spice rub or as a general seasoning to provide a balanced new flavor to your kitchen.

Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont offers recipes that strive to reduce the number of steps, twists and incantations needed to produce a flavorful, healthy and satisfying meal. Ed and Thora have been enjoying the new spice blends to make Cajun Shrimp, Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin and West African Peanut Curry, but also suggest just incorporating the spice blends into any meal.

“The beauty of Teeny Tiny Spice blends is how easy it is to use them in meals that you are already cooking,” says Thora. “Turn a meal of plain chicken and rice into a Persian feast. Spice up your eggs in the morning with some Ethiopian Berbere. Create a sumptuous Southeast Asian meal in no time. Wow your lunch or dinner guests with Indian inspired barbeque.”

To ensure the freshest herbs and spices, Teeny Tiny spice blends are made in small batches and ground just before packaging. Ingredients are of the highest quality and Himalayan Pink Salt and Organic Vermont Maple Sugar are used in blends that typically call for salt or sugar.

All of the organic and kosher spice blends from Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of VermontÒ are packaged in 80 gram (2.8 ounces) reusable tins for a suggested retail price of $9.95.

About Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont is a small, family run specialty food business created by enthusiastic cooks in 2010. The Vermont company creates and manufactures 100% organic and kosher spice blends that represent various world cuisines. Their mission is to offer healthy organic spice blends that are versatile, easy to use and add exotic flavor to everyday meals. For more information, visit www.teenytinyspice.com.

Visit the Ole Smoky Distillery - a true moonshine experience

Located in Gatlinburg, TN at 903 Parkway, traffic light #8 (approximately one hour from Knoxville) in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Ole Smoky® Distillery offers free tours that include an authentic working moonshine still! Visitors will learn the science of the distilling process and the history of moonshining before enjoying free samples of Ole Smoky® Moonshine (for those over 21 years or older).

Stock up on hooch at The Ole Smoky® gift shop (except Sundays of course). Sold in a traditional 750 ml Mason-style jar, the moonshine is a century old family recipe that shines in four varieties:
• Ole Smoky© Original Moonshine TM (for sippin’)
• Ole Smoky© White Lightnin’ TM (for mixin’)
• Ole Smoky© Moonshine Cherries TM (an Appalachian party tradition)
• Ole Smoky© Apple Pie Moonshine TM (Americana in a jar)

Also available for purchase at the distillery is a variety of Ole Smoky® Moonshine infused sauces, swag and seasonal flavors which include: Blackberry, Blueberry, Grape, Strawberry, Lemon Drop, Peach, Hunch Punch and Pink Lemonade!

Ole Smoky© Distillery is open 7 days a week from 10 AM – 10 PM

For further info on Ole Smoky© Moonshine and distillery visits, call (865) 436-6995 or check out http://www.olesmokymoonshine.com

You can also find Ole Smoky© Moonshine on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleSmoky or Twitter @OleSmoky

Ronco Food Dehydrator: Make Your Own Healthy Dried Fruit Snacks

With the Ronco Food Dehydrator, making healthy dried fruit snacks is easier than ever…and keeps uneaten fresh fruit from going to waste!

Also, by making your own dried fruit snacks, you can avoid buying grocery store ones that are packedwith extra sugar and preservatives.

See more at http://www.Ronco.com. Ronco has been a trusted kitchen product line for the past 40 years.

New Bakery Café by illy Opens at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

The sweet smell of success wafts through the air at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone. It is the smell of fresh baked breads, cookies, pastries and gourmet coffees being made by baking and pastry arts degree students and faculty in the college's new Bakery Café by illy. The new cafe just opened to the public, offering morning pastries and a lunch menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, and a variety of beverages including illy specialty coffee drinks. The Bakery Café by illy will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The full menu is available for takeout for a wine country picnic or a working lunch. Guests may also enjoy their meal in the café's casual dining area with complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Bakery Café by illy is an integral part of the CIA at Greystone's baking and pastry degree program, and has been made possible thanks to the generous support of illycaffè, a global leader in premium specialty coffee.

"As the world's premier not-for-profit culinary college, we are grateful for the support of leading companies like illy who embrace our mission to provide the best culinary education to CIA students," explains Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America. "The new Bakery Café by illy enables our students to apply their professional skills in a fully operational setting while they continue to learn about subjects like service, management, and—of course—coffee Everyone is welcome to come see our students and taste their talents right here at the CIA's Greystone campus."

While working in the Bakery Café by illy, students will also learn about coffee, from the history and cultivation, to current economics and preparation techniques. In addition, illy and the CIA will develop educational programs for professionals and consumers based on the education illy has provided for the last 25 years to its coffee-growing partners and to hotels, restaurants and cafes around the world. Future coffee education classes tailored to the consummate professional include a two-day "Coffee Expert" course and a series of Barista Certification courses. CIA's weekend food enthusiasts courses will offer "Coffee Aficionado" and "Master Barista Series" classes led by illy's Master Barista, Giorgio Milos. This new partnership with the CIA allows chefs, students, and consumers the chance to get a world-class coffee education from two leaders in food and beverage education.

"Partnering with the CIA allows illy the opportunity to reach the most dedicated and engaged students in the world, and further expand our education platform which is at the core of our brand. Together, illy and CIA will offer a premier training experience for culinary professionals and coffee lovers alike," stated Andrea Illy, chairman and CEO of illycaffè.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Midwest Culinary Institute Announces Retirement of Chef John Kinsella

CMC John Kinsella announces his retirement and invites you to join in the celebration.

John Kinsella, CMC, Senior Chef Instructor at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State has announced that he will retire effective June 30, 2012. Chef Kinsella is one of only 66 to hold the designation of Certified Master Chef in the United States through the American Culinary Federation.

Chef Kinsella has spent the last 30 years educating future chefs and cooks in the greater Cincinnati area. He is a past president of the American Culinary Federation and is the director of Les Amis d’Escoffier of Cincinnati. Prior to his arrival at Cincinnati State, Chef Kinsella worked in several prestigious properties including the Gourmet Room, Madam Prunier of London, the Grosvenor House London, the Royal Hibernian Hotel Dublin and Le Palmier of Brussels.

During his last term at Cincinnati State, Chef Kinsella is leading students through their culinary capstone and will be featuring menu items from these properties. A limited number of reservations are available for the following class dates:

May 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

On June 5 and 6, Chef Kinsella will honor Auguste Escoffier- the father of modern cuisine and a personal inspiration of Chef Kinsella’s by presenting a menu from his personal apprenticeship notebooks. Cost is $40 per person with beer and wine available for an additional charge. Times for reservations are 6:00 to 7:15 PM. To make reservations, please contact Scott Holubetz at scott.holubetz@cincinnatistate.edu or call (513) 569-5814. Guests are encouraged to park in the Central Parkway garage just south of Ludlow.

Leinenkugel Brewing Co. heads to Cincinnati

What:
It’s America’s past time for more than one reason, and baseball and beer are about to get even closer as the Wisconsin-based Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. heads to Cincinnati to celebrate its 145th birthday, share award-winning craft beers and host a Leinie’s tailgating party at a Cincinnati Reds’ game. With a customized Airstream trailer in tow, Leinenkugel’s is embarking on a cross-country tour, bringing along their wide-ranging craft beer portfolio, brewery memorabilia and a variety of Wisconsin cheeses.

About Leinenkugel’s Family Road Trip:
Fifth generation brewers, brothers Jake, John, and Dick Leinenkugel, will travel the U.S. to greet fans and talk beer. Teaming up with Master Cheesemakers from Wisconsin-based Sartori Cheese Company, Leinie’s will offer beer and cheese pairing insights. The leading craft brewer in the Upper Midwest, Leinenkugel’s will feature (where allowed) samples from its year-round, seasonal, and limited-release portfolio.

When:
Wednesday, May 23: The Leinenkugel Brothers and their customized Airstream trailer will be at various locations throughout the Cincinnati area, including the Great American Ball Park for the Cincinnati Reds’ game. See below contact for specific location information.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Coalition Calls on Congress to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

May 10, 2012-- Following a public comment period ending last week when the USDA received more than 365,000 public comments opposing approval of 2,4-D-resistant, genetically engineered corn, the Truth in Labeling Coalition announces the launch of a National Petition asking Members of Congress to support Federal legislation to label genetically engineered food. The Truth in Labeling Coalition is a national organization of farmers, doctors, consumers, chefs, food manufacturers, retailers, and public interest groups.

An on-line map will tally the number of people – by Congressional District -- who have petitioned their U.S. Representatives to require labeling of genetically engineered food. Signatures will be delivered to each Representative's district and Washington offices until Federal legislation is passed

Major indicators that Federal legislation to label genetically engineered food will succeed:

The American Medical Association is voting in June 2012 on two resolutions to support Federal legislation to label genetically engineered food. The American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, the Illinois Public Health Association, and State Medical Associations in Illinois, Indiana and California have already passed such resolutions [1]

California has collected more than 971,000 signatures to put a state ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered food up for vote in November. [2]

More than 1 million people sent comments to the FDA this year in support of a Citizen Petition to label genetically engineered food[3]

20 states have introduced legislation to label genetically engineered food [4]

55 Members of Congress joined a Bi-Cameral (House and Senate), Bi-Partisan Congressional Letter to the FDA in support of the Citizen Petition[5]

Americans consistently poll between 72-96% in favor of labeling genetically engineered food[6]

More than 40 countries require labeling of genetically engineered foods, including the European Union, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand[7]

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Smartcellar Becomes “Smarter” for Wine Enthusiasts, Restaurateurs with New, Global Data Mining

Restaurateurs can now access a world of wine data, courtesy of SmartCellarsm by Incentient. Delivered via the Apple iPad, SmartCellar will log guests’ menu selection history, using the information not only to present customized suggestions each time the guest frequents the restaurant, but also chart wine enjoyment trends specific to a particular restaurant or restaurant group, geographic market, country - or even trends spanning the entire world.

This newest advancement in SmartCellar capability will begin its deployment at Incentient enterprise clients in London and Las Vegas. Guests will appreciate the customized experience that will offer them recommendations or pair their favorite selections with suggested dishes based on their selection history. Restaurants utilizing SmartCellar will enjoy access to the data gleaned from a global network. As a result, they will be able to track wine-enjoyment trends and accurately anticipate what their guests want.

“We’ve taken the SmartCellar concept, which first gave restaurants the ability to deliver limitless content and sorting capabilities to their guests, one step further," says Patrick J. Martucci, chairman and CEO, Incentient._ “Our newest release of SmartCellar is ‘smarter’ because over time, the system knows what the individual guest likes, and provides a more personal, informed experience. Restaurateurs gain access to the most intelligent, seamless data-mining capability available, which helps them better anticipate customer preferences.”

Developed by New York-based Incentient, a company creating and maintaining visionary hardware and software solutions to unite clients with their customers, SmartCellar utilizes SmartTouch technology that fully customizes interactive guest experiences while operating on a 9-inch iPad and enabling two-way communication in real time. With SmartCellar, restaurants’ menus, services, special events, social media networks and retail merchandise are brought to life for customers in a compelling, interactive format using proprietary software offering the opportunity for boundless content delivery and customization. Furthermore, SmartCellar’s plug-and-play technology is easy to manage and update and allows operators to mine for data letting them know in real time what information guests truly want and which offerings are selling best. SmartCellar is currently operating in 16 countries at the world’s best restaurants including those of Joël Robuchon, Gordon Ramsay, Andre Rochat, José Andrés and more.

With full high-resolution color display and a wireless network connection, SmartCellar is designed to be easily read and operated by guests. Ordering wine and cocktails now becomes an interactive experience with everyone at the table wanting to be part of the process. Incentient uploads wine lists and works with sommeliers, wine directors and restaurant managers to create a unique wine experience. Incentient can customize the design and the entire “look and feel” of the interface according to any restaurants specific brand image. Proprietary software offers the opportunity for boundless content and customization.

For more information, go to www.Incentient.com.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Say Cheese (Cake) Please!

Shavuot, which begins at sundown on Saturday, May 26, commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai and is also the Festival of the First Fruits.

Dairy foods such as cheesecakes, kugels and blintzes are traditionally served for Shavuot. Cheesecake is always a hit and you can make various versions from just one basic recipe. Smaller individual Mini Cheesecakes baked in cupcake pans take even less time to bake than a large cheesecake. You can also vary the fillings -- e.g., chocolate, vanilla. Substitute different liqueurs (e.g., orange, coffee, hazelnut or almond) instead of vanilla extract. You can swirl melted semi-sweet chocolate into the batter for a marbled effect. Fresh berries make terrific toppings. For praline cheesecakes, use brown sugar instead of white and garnish with pecan halves.

Hot Cheesecake makes an excellent brunch or lunch dish for Shavuot. Once you’ve tried this, it will probably become a family favorite that you’ll make all year round. Dairy delicious! Recipes by Norene Gilletz.

NORENE’S EASY CHEESECAKE

Adapted from: The New Food Processor Bible (Whitecap)

I’ve been making this recipe for years, with rave reviews! You can substitute chocolate or vanilla wafers in the crust.

Crust:
18 single graham wafers (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
6 tablespoons soft margarine or butter, cut in small chunks
2 tablespoons sugar (granulated or brown)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
4 cups (2 pounds) cream cheese, cut in chunks (light or regular)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs (or 2 eggs plus 4 egg whites)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
Topping of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. For crust: Break wafers into chunks. Process on steel blade until coarse crumbs are formed. Add remaining crust ingredients and process until blended, 5 or 6 seconds. Press into sprayed 10-inch springform pan. Wipe bowl and blade with paper towels.
3. For filling: Process cheese with sugar until blended, about 15 seconds. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy, 20 to 30 seconds longer. Pour over crust.
4. Place a pie plate half-filled with water on lowest rack of oven. Place cheesecake on middle rack. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. When done, edges will be set but center will jiggle slightly. Turn off heat and let cheesecake cool in oven with door partly open for about one hour. It will firm up during this time.
5. Refrigerate. Add desired topping and chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving. (Can be made a day or two ahead.)

Makes 12 servings

279 calories per serving (without topping), 30.4 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g fiber, 7 g protein, 14.4 g fat (6.6 g saturated), 80 mg cholesterol, 364 mg sodium, 2.9 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 187 mg calcium, 30 mg phosphorus

· Lighter Variation: Use granular Splenda instead of sugar. Use half cream cheese and half dry cottage cheese, 2 eggs and 4 egg whites. One serving contains 171 calories, 12.5 g carbohydrate and 9.8 g fat.

CHEESECAKE TOPPINGS

· Fresh Strawberry Topping: Cut off stem ends from 4 cups of strawberries; cut strawberries in half lengthwise. Arrange cut-side down in an attractive design over cooled cheesecake. Microwave 1/2 cup apricot preserves on High for 45 seconds, until melted. Gently brush glaze over fruit.

· Mandarin Orange Topping: Drain three 10 ounce cans mandarin oranges. Pat dry. Arrange in an attractive design over cooled cheesecake. Microwave 1/2 cup apricot preserves on High for 45 seconds, until melted. Gently brush glaze over fruit.

· Canned Pie Filling: Spoon a 19 ounce can of cherry, blueberry or pineapple pie filling evenly over cheesecake.

· Praline Cheesecakes: Use firmly packed brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. Use 1 tsp. vanilla instead of lemon juice. When cool, garnish with toasted pecan halves.

MINI CHEESECAKES

Prepare filling for Easy Cheesecake as directed. Omit crust. Line muffin pans with 24 paper cupcake liners. Place a vanilla wafer in each liner. Top with cheesecake mixture. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until set. When cooled, top each cheesecake with a large strawberry or a spoonful of thick jam. One mini contains 154 calories, 18.9 g carbohydrate and 6.8 g fat.

HOT CHEESECAKE

Source: The NEW Food Processor Bible (Whitecap)

This longtime favorite comes from my longtime friend, Roz Brown of Montreal. It makes a fabulous main dish for a buffet or brunch for Shavuot or anytime. Serve it with sour cream and fresh fruit salad or berries.

Topping:
1 cup corn flakes (or 1/4 cup crumbs)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Base:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Filling:
2 cups dry cottage cheese (fat-free or regular, see Note below)
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
dash salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup milk

Use the Steel Blade to process all ingredients.

For topping: Process corn flakes with cinnamon and brown sugar until fine. Transfer to a small bowl.

For base: Process butter or margarine with sugar and egg for about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Process just until dough begins to form a ball around the blades, about 10 seconds. Pat into sprayed 8-inch square glass baking dish or 9-inch pie plate.

For filling: Process cheese for 15 seconds. Add eggs, sugar and salt. Process 15 seconds longer. Dissolve cornstarch in milk and pour in through feed tube while machine is running. Process 10 seconds longer, until well mixed. Pour over base and sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour. Serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings. Keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheats and/or freezes well. Recipe may be doubled and baked in sprayed 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Baking time will be about the same.

258 calories per serving, 38.0 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g fiber, 9 g protein, 8.2 g fat (4.4. g saturated fat), 98 mg cholesterol, 275 mg sodium, 123 mg potassium, 2 mg iron, 85 mg calcium, 143 mg phosphorus

Note:
Dry/Pressed Cottage Cheese: If you aren’t able to find dry or pressed cottage cheese in your supermarket, substitute small curd cottage cheese (low-fat or fat-free). Place in a colander and press out excess liquid. You’ll probably have to add extra cottage cheese to make up for the drained liquid and processing time will be slightly longer.

Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She divides her time between work as a food writer, culinary consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer and editor. Norene lives in Toronto, and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website at www.gourmania.com or email her at goodfood@gourmania.com.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Dates to Dolmas - Celebrating the Mediterranean Diet

May is National Mediterranean Diet Month and while you may not be able to relax on a black sand beach in Crete or dine al fresco on the Costa Brava, you can enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean through Oldways’ “Dietitian A Day Throughout the Month of May” program.

To showcase the delicious foods and amazing health benefits associated with this vibrant lifestyle, each day during May the food and nutrition nonprofit Oldways, and its Mediterranean Foods Alliance, will welcome a different registered dietitian as a guest blogger to The Oldways Table blog. (http://www.oldwayspt.org/blog)

Thirty-one well-known health professionals will provide personal stories and tips about the Mediterranean Diet and share a favorite Mediterranean recipe such as Salmon Berry Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Chickpeas), Mediterranean Pizza and Olive Oil Cake.

“Whether working in supermarkets, clinics, private practice or appearing on TV, registered dietitians are the bridge between knowing you should eat healthy and finding ways to actually do it,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways. “This National Mediterranean Diet Month, our way of honoring their important work is to celebrate each day of May with a dietitian joining us at the Oldways Table to share Mediterranean inspired recipes and wisdom on what connects them most to this wonderful lifestyle. Come back each day and be inspired to Go Med!”

Scientific studies consistently report that the healthy Mediterranean Diet and its lifestyle practices reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. In addition, there is compelling scientific evidence that omega-3s, found in a number of Mediterranean Diet foods, can boost the health and brainpower of everyone from infants to the elderly.

Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid – an easy to reference visual tool for consumers -- and first introduced it to the U.S. back in 1993. Four years ago, Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, created National Mediterranean Diet Month to further educate the nation about the benefits of this gold-standard way of eating and living. Consumers are embracing this healthy approach as seen by the popularity of products such as olive oil, Greek yogurt, hummus, olives and more.

Everyone is encouraged to join in the conversation on Twitter, share your recipes and thoughts about the Mediterranean diet by using the hashtag #MedMonth.

NovaGreen to produce healthy sugar substitute xylitol

Food and confectionary manufacturers in North America are looking for safe, healthy, affordable sugar substitutes. Nova Green Inc. is about to sweeten the pot.

NovaGreen (www.novagreen.ca), an Alberta-based specialty refinery that aims to make high-value nutritional and environmental products from low-value agricultural biomass, will begin the production of xylitol over the next 24 months.

A naturally occurring sugar substitute, xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds of the calories. Because it cannot be utilized by bacteria to form cavities, this healthy natural sweetener is highly coveted in making sugar-free chewing gum and other dental-friendly products. It’s also safe for diabetics and pre-diabetics, and an excellent mass-market substitute for sugar in many confectionary and dairy products.

“North American food producers look primarily to China or Europe for their xylitol requirements,” says NovaGreen CEO Barry Farquharson. “NovaGreen will provide a domestically available product source that provides a consistently high-quality product for their high-demand functional food solutions.”

The current global market for xylitol is estimated at $400 million to $500 million US; the American market is estimated at $159 million for 2012, and has seen a compound annual growth rate of nearly 25 per cent since 2002. With the assurances of a large-scale supply, xylitol is expected to be more widely used, with emerging opportunities in the future to blend xylitol and sugar to reduce the overall finished product cost while still providing significant consumer benefit. NovaGreen’s production costs are substantially less than the current large-volume wholesale price of about $4.50/kg Cdn, or $2.05/lb.

Current food and beverage applications include desserts; ice cream; jam, bread spreads, and fruit preparations; baked goods; instant sauces and mustards; and chewing gum and confectionaries.

NovaGreen’s ultra-efficient, proprietary Sequential Extraction Technology™ (SET) will convert abundant biomass, such as wheat straw, corn stover, wood chips, and Jerusalem artichoke (jart), into a high-value, highly regarded array of products in both the health and nutrition and the environmental industries. Besides xylitol, products from jart will also include inulin, a soluble dietary fiber, and XOS (xylo-oligosaccharides), another edible fiber with prebiotic function. NovaGreen’s SET process will also yield biochar, for soil amendment and remediation, and activated carbon, used in airborne and soil-based environmental cleanup.

NovaGreen has been awarded $1.8 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) for a project that will further develop and demonstrate the cultivation and the processing of jart into xylitol, inulin, and biochar at a pilot-scale facility in east-central Alberta. SDTC is an arms-length, not-for-profit corporation funded by the Government of Canada, which operates two funds aimed at the development and demonstration of innovative clean technology solutions.

NovaGreen, whose production facilities will be based in Killam, Alberta, currently seeks a limited number of accredited investors, via a private $300,000 offering, to augment early-stage business plan continuity. These investment dollars would be used for pre-engineering activities at the demonstration site; for various sub-contract activities related to ongoing agricultural activities; and for early-stage sample preparation of key outputs.

Healthy Beverages for Summer

Sparkling ICE is the perfect beverage pairing for summer barbecues.

Delicious, zero calories and refreshing! Sounds too good to be true…but…it exists! Sparkling ICE combines fresh spring water, natural fruit juices and six vitamins and antioxidants to create tasty, lightly-carbonated, refreshments in assorted thirst-quenching flavors. With states in the beginning stages of taxing sodas at retail levels due to the link between soda and obesity, Sparkling ICE is a great alternative to soft drinks appealing to all age groups, diabetics and the health-conscious.

Enhanced with natural flavors, vitamins and antioxidants, each Sparkling ICE flavor contains zero calories, zero carbs and zero sodium.

Sparkling ICE is $1.29 and is available at retailers nationwide, including Kroger, Wal-Mart, and Sam’s Club, Publix, Winn Dixie Amazon and more! For more information, please visit www.SparklingIce.com.

Court of Master Sommeliers Offers Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam at Republic National Distributing Co.

Aspiring Master Sommeliers will head to the Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) for the Level I: held on Monday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 18. Offered by the Court of Master Sommeliers, the exam will be led by Master Sommeliers Scott Harper, beverage director of the Bristol Bar and Grille; Brett Davis, co-owner of Doc Crow’s and La Coop in Louisville; and Matt Citriglia, director of education of Vintage Wine Distributer in Ohio. There are only 118 Master Sommeliers in the United States.

The classes and exam will be held from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. RNDC is located at 2300 Stanley Gault Parkway. The cost is $525. To register, visit www.mastersommeliers.org.

“We are honored to host such a prestigious event at the Republic National Distributing Company here in Louisville,” said Harper. “This sommelier examination will draw wine professionals from several states and it is an opportunity to showcase Louisville’s abundant and thriving culinary community.”

The Bristol Bar and Grille has been Louisville’s dining tradition since 1977. All five locations are open for lunch and dinner daily, and the Jeffersonville location offers late breakfast on Saturdays beginning at 11 a.m. The Bristol’s award-winning Sunday brunch is a renowned local favorite. Locations and phone numbers are: Highlands (502) 456-1702; Downtown (502) 582-1995; Hurstbourne Pkwy (502) 426-0627; Prospect (502) 292-2585; Jeffersonville (812) 218-1995; and Bristol Catering, (502) 584-3663. For more information, visit www.bristolbarandgrille.com.

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is America’s second largest wine and spirits wholesaler. RNDC began as a single distributorship in 1898 in Pensacola, Fla. and now has operations in Alabama, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. RNDC employs more than 7,000 individuals nationwide. RNDC is an organization built on the strong foundations of long-term, well-established family owned companies. For more information, call (502) 254-8600 or visit www.rndc-usa.com.

Monday, May 7, 2012

2012 World Beer Cup® Winners Announced

Brewers from around the world received awards from an elite international panel of judges in the 2012 Brewers Association World Beer Cup. The ninth bi-annual competition boasted the strongest field of entrants on record, with 799 breweries from 54 countries and 45 U.S. states entering 3,921 beers in 95 beer style categories. A 17.7 percent increase over 2010, the entries were eligible for gold, silver and bronze awards in their respective categories. Judges presented a total of 284 awards.

A detailed analysis of the entries and awards can be found in the 2012 World Beer Cup Fact Sheet (PDF).

"It's called 'The Olympics of Beer Competition' for good reason," said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association, the U.S.-based trade association that has put on the competition every two years since 1996. "The event brings together great brewers from all corners of the globe. Plus, the awards are highly regarded. A brewer who wins a World Beer Cup gold award knows that their winning beer represents the best of that beer style in the world. Congratulations to all the winners of the 2012 World Beer Cup. The Brewers Association and the proud sponsors of our event thank all participating brewers for their involvement."

Judges
The 2012 judging panel was the largest and most international in the history of the World Beer Cup. Judges from 27 countries conducted blind tasting evaluations of the beers to determine the winners. Drawn from the ranks of professional brewers and brewing industry experts, these 211 judges came mostly from international breweries, with some 67 percent from outside the U.S. In addition to the judging panel, over 250 volunteers helped sort beer entries and steward the competition.

The judging criteria are exacting—some categories are not given the full slate of awards if the panel decides that the entries do not merit recognition.

Award Highlights and Trends

Highlights from the competition:
The average number of beers entered per category was 41. The category with the most entries was American-Style India Pale Ale, with 150 entries. The second most-entered category was Imperial India Pale Ale, with 93 entries. The German-Style Sour Ale category had the fewest number of entries at 11. The 2012 World Beer Cup saw substantial growth of entries in the American-Style India Pale Ale category. Category entries grew 41.5 percent over 2010 to make it the largest category of the 2012 competition. Additionally, Champion Brewery and Champion Brewmaster awards are given in each of five brewery categories based on the awards won by each brewery in the given size category. The five Champion Brewery/Brewmaster award winners are:

Small Brewing Company Category
Brauerei Michael Plank, Michael Plank

Mid-Size Brewing Company Category
Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Matthew Brynildson

Large Brewing Company Category
AB InBev, Claudio Ferro

Small Brewpub Category
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant-Media, Iron Hill Brewery Team

Large Brewpub Category
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Darron R S Welch

Presenting Sponsor Krones, and Partner Sponsors Ball, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia, proudly supported the 2012 World Beer Cup.