Memorial Day marks the beginning of the grilling season and it is the perfect time for entertaining. Gathering family and friends for an evening of fellowship and food is the fun part. Deciding what to serve can be the challenge. Choosing some make-ahead recipes along with a quick, healthy grilled entrée gives the host the chance to enjoy the party and time with the guests. Fresh foods enhanced with flavors from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas punch up sweet and savory recipes and lend your dishes depth and flair. So, send out those invitations and fire up the grill. The Memorial Day menu is set and it is time to celebrate the season.
Easy, elegant entertaining starts with a mouth-watering menu filled with traditional summer-time flavors that can easily be assembled and served. Find the complete Memorial Day menu for eight guests at Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and let the summer fun begin.
Memorial Day Menu
Summertime Coolers
Lemon-Bleu Stuffed Tomatoes
Vanilla-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette on baby salad greens
Lemon and Rosemary Risotto (From Century of Flavor)
Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
Nielsen-Massey's Signature Vanilla Whipped Cream on fresh strawberries
Savory red, white and bleu appetizers play out the patriotic theme of the Memorial holiday and offer a tasty morsel to guests. "Nielsen-Massey's Pure Lemon Extract complements just about any dish," says Beth Nielsen, Chief Culinary Officer at Nielsen-Massey. "It is the perfect partner with herbs such as garlic and parsley. Using pure flavors saves time but does not compromise taste."
Lemon-Bleu Stuffed Tomatoes
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 pints cherry tomatoes (approximately 48)
Combine the wine and shallots in a small bowl. Let stand.
Combine the cream cheese, garlic, lemon extract, white pepper, cayenne pepper and shallot mixture in a mixing bowl. Beat until well blended using an electric mixer. Fold in the bleu cheese with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill.
Rinse the cherry tomatoes. Remove the tops by slicing a small amount off each tomato. Scoop out the seeds with a small measuring spoon. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each tomato so it will stand upright when plated. Fill each tomato with ½ tablespoon of the chilled Lemon-Bleu Stuffing using a pastry bag or spoon.
Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract adds depth of flavor to this five-ingredient dressing, perfect on fresh baby salad greens. Left over dressing can double as a marinade for chicken, fish, pork or vegetables.
Vanilla-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette and Greens
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
20 ounces baby salad greens
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. To serve, toss baby greens in a large bowl with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Makes ¾ cup.
In just 12 quick minutes, family and friends will enjoy a grilled-to-perfection salmon filet. This flavorful fish is complimented by the sweet and savory herb infused marinade.
Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic basil
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Salmon
8 (4 to 6 ounce) 1-inch thick Salmon fillets
canola oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
For the marinade, combine the olive oil, shallot, parsley, basil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and vanilla paste into a blender container and puree. Pour evenly into two containers and set one container aside.
For the salmon, preheat the grill. Brush each fillet with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the tops of the fillets with the marinade, discarding any remaining marinade. Place the fillets marinated side down on a grill rack over direct heat. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until dark grill marks appear and the marinade begins to caramelize. Turn the fillets and grill for 3 to 4 minutes longer. Serve with the reserved marinade. Serves 8.
Elegant entertaining becomes easy with a bit of organization. The recipes are gathered and the timetable below provides the instructions to create a memorable evening.
Timetable
That morning
Mix up the Summertime Coolers, refrigerate
Prepare Lemon-Bleu Stuffed Tomatoes, refrigerate until ready to serve
Make the Vanilla-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette, refrigerate
Several hours ahead
Wash and slice the strawberries, chill
Wash and dry the salad greens, chill until serving
Prepare the Vanilla Balsamic Marinade for the salmon
30 minutes before serving
Prepare the Lemon and Rosemary Risotto
Whip the cream
Bring the stuffed tomatoes to room temperature
Just before serving
Brush the salmon with the marinade, grill and serve
Drizzle the dressing on the salad greens
Monday, May 17, 2010
Red Lobster Launches Coastal-Inspired Redesign
Red Lobster’s introduction of its new, redesigned atmosphere, inspired by the seaside village of Bar Harbor, Maine, gives guests an opportunity to experience fresh, delicious seafood in a vibrant, nautical setting, right here in Cincinnati.
Six Cincinnati-area Red Lobster restaurants, including the Florence, KY location, have undergone a redesign that includes updated coastal touches both inside and out. Within the restaurants, guests will find cozy, dark-wood paneling, warm-toned fabrics, soft lighting and nautical décor, such as signal flags and seaside-inspired artwork. New exterior features include shingle and stone towers, lanterns, flags snapping in the breeze and Adirondack-style benches, all intended to transport guests’ minds to the coast.
“Our vision to be the place where Americans go for seafood for generations requires us to keep up with the times,” said Red Lobster President Kim Lopdrup“This new Bar Harbor restaurant design creates a warm, inviting, seaside atmosphere that builds on the many improvements we’ve made inside our restaurants over the last few years.”
Today at Red Lobster restaurants across North America certified Grill Masters prepare fresh fish, tender lobster and other seafood over the open flame of wood-fire grills. A Today’s Fresh Fish menu is updated daily to reflect the wide variety of fresh fish available. In addition, more culinary-forward items, new flavors and seafood combinations have been added to the menu in order to provide guests with a higher quality experience at the same affordable price for which Red Lobster has always been known.
Updating Red Lobster’s design enhances the dining experience and local community, adding a new, polished look to the streetscape for decades to come. Red Lobster has always played an important role in the communities in which it’s located, ensuring fresh, delicious food and employing hundreds of local residents. Cincinnati-area residents are among the first to experience the new Red Lobster as the company aims to remodel all of its restaurants from coast to coast.
“The new Bar Harbor design strengthens our commitment to Cincinnati,” said Steve Weigel, Red Lobster’s Senior Vice President of Operations for all of the company’s restaurants in this region of the country. “Our Red Lobster crew members are as excited as ever to continue to deliver fresh, delicious seafood to guests in this wonderful, new coastal setting.”
ABOUT RED LOBSTER
Red Lobster is the world’s largest casual dining seafood restaurant, with nearly 700 locations across North America. Certified Grill Masters ensure delicious seafood is prepared with culinary expertise on wood-fire grills recently added to every restaurant. In 2009, Red Lobster was rated “#1 Best Seafood” among chain restaurants by Zagat and “Best Sit-Down Chain Restaurant in America” by Men’s Health magazine. For more information, visit www.redlobster.com.
Six Cincinnati-area Red Lobster restaurants, including the Florence, KY location, have undergone a redesign that includes updated coastal touches both inside and out. Within the restaurants, guests will find cozy, dark-wood paneling, warm-toned fabrics, soft lighting and nautical décor, such as signal flags and seaside-inspired artwork. New exterior features include shingle and stone towers, lanterns, flags snapping in the breeze and Adirondack-style benches, all intended to transport guests’ minds to the coast.
“Our vision to be the place where Americans go for seafood for generations requires us to keep up with the times,” said Red Lobster President Kim Lopdrup“This new Bar Harbor restaurant design creates a warm, inviting, seaside atmosphere that builds on the many improvements we’ve made inside our restaurants over the last few years.”
Today at Red Lobster restaurants across North America certified Grill Masters prepare fresh fish, tender lobster and other seafood over the open flame of wood-fire grills. A Today’s Fresh Fish menu is updated daily to reflect the wide variety of fresh fish available. In addition, more culinary-forward items, new flavors and seafood combinations have been added to the menu in order to provide guests with a higher quality experience at the same affordable price for which Red Lobster has always been known.
Updating Red Lobster’s design enhances the dining experience and local community, adding a new, polished look to the streetscape for decades to come. Red Lobster has always played an important role in the communities in which it’s located, ensuring fresh, delicious food and employing hundreds of local residents. Cincinnati-area residents are among the first to experience the new Red Lobster as the company aims to remodel all of its restaurants from coast to coast.
“The new Bar Harbor design strengthens our commitment to Cincinnati,” said Steve Weigel, Red Lobster’s Senior Vice President of Operations for all of the company’s restaurants in this region of the country. “Our Red Lobster crew members are as excited as ever to continue to deliver fresh, delicious seafood to guests in this wonderful, new coastal setting.”
ABOUT RED LOBSTER
Red Lobster is the world’s largest casual dining seafood restaurant, with nearly 700 locations across North America. Certified Grill Masters ensure delicious seafood is prepared with culinary expertise on wood-fire grills recently added to every restaurant. In 2009, Red Lobster was rated “#1 Best Seafood” among chain restaurants by Zagat and “Best Sit-Down Chain Restaurant in America” by Men’s Health magazine. For more information, visit www.redlobster.com.
Neighborhood Block Party
Spring Has Sprung Neighborhood Block Party!
Chalk Food + Wine and Greenup Cafe
DATE: May 21, 2010
TIME: 5-7pm
LOCATION: Greenup Cafe 308 Greenup St and
Chalk Food + Wine at 318 Greenup St.
Covington, Ky 41011
MORE: Free Food, Fun and Live Music!
Chalkfoodwine.com • GreenupCafe.com
Chalk Food + Wine and Greenup Cafe
DATE: May 21, 2010
TIME: 5-7pm
LOCATION: Greenup Cafe 308 Greenup St and
Chalk Food + Wine at 318 Greenup St.
Covington, Ky 41011
MORE: Free Food, Fun and Live Music!
Chalkfoodwine.com • GreenupCafe.com
Freshology
Freshology, the leading purveyor of home-delivered gourmet calorie-controlled meals in the U.S., launches its newest and most affordable program, GETSLIM Silver. This first-ever all-natural epicurean program designed for healthy weight loss is flash- frozen, allowing for premium-quality meals at an affordable price. Like Freshology’s highly-popular national delivery program GETSLIM, GETSLIM Silver presents a multitude of palette-pleasing gourmet recipes prepared with the finest ingredients to make weight loss easy. The program provides customers breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert daily, delivered in one weekly shipment.
Handcrafted by top chefs in Freshology’s state-of-the-art kitchen and prepared with fresh produce and meats, each meal is carefully flash-frozen to ensure the food’s nutritional integrity before delivery to clients’ doorsteps. Using premium, antibiotic and hormone-free lean proteins, seasonal vegetables, and whole fruit for optimal taste, GETSLIM Silver delivers individualized portion sizes for men and women: 1800-2000 calories and 1200-1400 calories per day respectively. Women’s programs are $29.95 per day while men’s programs are $32.95 per day.
“Over the past five years, Freshology has gone from a premium meal-delivery weight-loss program serving discriminating consumers throughout Southern California to a national diet delivery powerhouse out-innovating our competitors,” said Todd DeMann, Freshology’s Founder and CEO. “Since GETSLIM’s national launch in 2008, the response to our product has been overwhelming. As the first-ever gourmet flash-frozen meal delivery program, GETSLIM Silver is a similarly-styled and equally-delicious service offered at a lower price point to people in all parts of the country. We’re making healthy, all-natural gourmet food attainable, and we know consumers will love this delicious new option in Freshology’s national meal program portfolio.”
Freshology is the first nationwide meal-delivery company to use “green” packaging and state-of-the-art production methods to ensure quality and freshness, while its cutting-edge boxes include a cooling system to ensure proper temperature management during delivery. Freshology does not shrink-wrap, dehydrate or process its food and each meal container is labeled with individual nutritionals, ingredients and specific heating instructions.
Freshology utilized the services of expert food technologist Nurit Raich to develop the GETSLIM Silver meal program. Raich received her degree in Food Science from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Her extensive scientific knowledge combined with her experience developing natural, preservative-free meals for major national retailers and London’s sandwich chain Pret A Manger were instrumental in meal creation for GETSLIM Silver.
To learn more about Freshology and its services, including the recently launched national program Fresh Mommy, tailored specifically for new moms, please visit www.Freshology.com or call 1-877-893-7374. Follow Freshology on Twitter at www.twitter.com/freshology and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/freshology.
About Freshology: As the nation’s premier gourmet, home meal-delivery service, Freshology serves health-conscious consumers throughout the U.S. with delicious, epicurean diet food via its national programs GETSLIM, GETSLIM Silver and Fresh Mommy. All of Freshology’s Southern California-based calorie-controlled programs – Fresh Dining, Fresh Mommy, GETSLIM, Fresh Lite and Whole Family – pair great-tasting, gourmet dishes with healthy ingredients and can be customized based on its customers’ weight loss goals, likes and dislikes and medical requirements. Daily caloric allowance for females ranges between 1200 and 1400 calories, and between 1800 and 2000 for male clients. Freshology has received consistent national media attention for its celebrity appeal, weight loss success stories, five-star menu and philanthropic endeavors, and is consistently reported on in outlets such as People Magazine, US Weekly, In Touch Weekly and OK! Magazine, among others.
Handcrafted by top chefs in Freshology’s state-of-the-art kitchen and prepared with fresh produce and meats, each meal is carefully flash-frozen to ensure the food’s nutritional integrity before delivery to clients’ doorsteps. Using premium, antibiotic and hormone-free lean proteins, seasonal vegetables, and whole fruit for optimal taste, GETSLIM Silver delivers individualized portion sizes for men and women: 1800-2000 calories and 1200-1400 calories per day respectively. Women’s programs are $29.95 per day while men’s programs are $32.95 per day.
“Over the past five years, Freshology has gone from a premium meal-delivery weight-loss program serving discriminating consumers throughout Southern California to a national diet delivery powerhouse out-innovating our competitors,” said Todd DeMann, Freshology’s Founder and CEO. “Since GETSLIM’s national launch in 2008, the response to our product has been overwhelming. As the first-ever gourmet flash-frozen meal delivery program, GETSLIM Silver is a similarly-styled and equally-delicious service offered at a lower price point to people in all parts of the country. We’re making healthy, all-natural gourmet food attainable, and we know consumers will love this delicious new option in Freshology’s national meal program portfolio.”
Freshology is the first nationwide meal-delivery company to use “green” packaging and state-of-the-art production methods to ensure quality and freshness, while its cutting-edge boxes include a cooling system to ensure proper temperature management during delivery. Freshology does not shrink-wrap, dehydrate or process its food and each meal container is labeled with individual nutritionals, ingredients and specific heating instructions.
Freshology utilized the services of expert food technologist Nurit Raich to develop the GETSLIM Silver meal program. Raich received her degree in Food Science from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Her extensive scientific knowledge combined with her experience developing natural, preservative-free meals for major national retailers and London’s sandwich chain Pret A Manger were instrumental in meal creation for GETSLIM Silver.
To learn more about Freshology and its services, including the recently launched national program Fresh Mommy, tailored specifically for new moms, please visit www.Freshology.com or call 1-877-893-7374. Follow Freshology on Twitter at www.twitter.com/freshology and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/freshology.
About Freshology: As the nation’s premier gourmet, home meal-delivery service, Freshology serves health-conscious consumers throughout the U.S. with delicious, epicurean diet food via its national programs GETSLIM, GETSLIM Silver and Fresh Mommy. All of Freshology’s Southern California-based calorie-controlled programs – Fresh Dining, Fresh Mommy, GETSLIM, Fresh Lite and Whole Family – pair great-tasting, gourmet dishes with healthy ingredients and can be customized based on its customers’ weight loss goals, likes and dislikes and medical requirements. Daily caloric allowance for females ranges between 1200 and 1400 calories, and between 1800 and 2000 for male clients. Freshology has received consistent national media attention for its celebrity appeal, weight loss success stories, five-star menu and philanthropic endeavors, and is consistently reported on in outlets such as People Magazine, US Weekly, In Touch Weekly and OK! Magazine, among others.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Beer & Cheese Pairing - Milton's Prospect Hill Tavern
Christian Moerlein Brewing Co and Milton's Prospect Hill Tavern will host Moerlein Lagers & Ales Beer Flights and Cheese pairings. Come try the new Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA, as well as many other Moerlein Lagers & Ales Original and Seasonal Selections, all matched with cheese from vendors at Findlay Market. Six, three ounce beer flight samples perfectly matched with cheese for only $4. Happy hour pricing for full servings on all Moerlein styles at $3. Moerlein brewers and staff members will be on hand to discuss the pairings.
Tuesday May 18th
5:30 to 8:00PM.
Milton’s Prospect Hill Tavern
301 Milton St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-784-9938.
American Craft Beer Week takes place nationally May 17-23, 2010.
Moerlein Lagers and Ales are only distributed through Greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Kentucky markets. For more information contact us at info@christianmoerlein.com or visit Christian Moerlein Brewing Company website at www.christianmoerlein.com
Tuesday May 18th
5:30 to 8:00PM.
Milton’s Prospect Hill Tavern
301 Milton St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-784-9938.
American Craft Beer Week takes place nationally May 17-23, 2010.
Moerlein Lagers and Ales are only distributed through Greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Kentucky markets. For more information contact us at info@christianmoerlein.com or visit Christian Moerlein Brewing Company website at www.christianmoerlein.com
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza awarded Hilton Hotel Corporation's "Award of Excellence - Food & Beverage"
Hilton Hotels Corporation-Americas is pleased to announce that it has awarded the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza its Award of Excellence for Food & Beverage. This award is given annually by Hilton Americas to its top performing 500-plus guestroom hotel within the Hilton Hotel chain. The award is based on Hilton Hotel's Satisfaction and Loyalty Tracking (SALT) scores which are compiled by surveys sent guests to determine the satisfaction during a previous stay. The surveys are managed by a third party company and scores are based on the following criteria:
· Food Quality
· Quality of Food and Beverage with the Meeting
· Hospitality of Restaurant Staff
· Variety of Menu Choices (Restaurant)
· Breakfast Food Quality
· Variety of Food Choices at Breakfast
· Hospitality of Restaurant Staff at Breakfast
· Timeliness of In-Room Dining/Room Service
· Variety of Menu Choice (Room Service)
Staff Reactions
Michel Sheer, Managing Director, is thrilled with the award, "We are delighted to be recognized by our customers in this way!"
Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, is especially pleased with the award, "We're very proud of our food and beverage team and this award recognizes the hard work that we do each day to meet and exceed our guests' expectations. At the Netherland Plaza we are dedicated to providing an exceptionally high quality of food and outstanding level of customer service."
Additional Honors Received
This is just one of several awards the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza has been honored with this year. Recently the hotel and its fine-dining establishment, Orchids at Palm Court, have been honored with the American Automobile Association's (AAA) coveted four-diamond award for excellence for the sixth consecutive year and Cincinnati Magazine's rating as the #1 Restaurant in Cincinnati (2010 & 2009). In addition, Zagat Survey named Orchids one of Cincinnati's Top Restaurants (2010) and Polly Campbell, The Cincinnati Enquirer's restaurant critic, gave Orchids a "Five Stars-Extraordinary" rating in November 2009.
About the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza opened in 1931 and is considered to be one of the world's finest examples of French art deco architecture. The hotel offers 561 renovated guestrooms and over 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, Pavillion Caprice and Continental Ballrooms. The hotel's restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, features rare Brazilian rosewood walls with German silver-nickel metalwork and lighting fixtures. The two-story ceiling has large Romanesque murals and on the north end of the restaurant is an original Rookwood Pottery fountain flanked by two large seahorses. The hotel is a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, is a registered National Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
· Food Quality
· Quality of Food and Beverage with the Meeting
· Hospitality of Restaurant Staff
· Variety of Menu Choices (Restaurant)
· Breakfast Food Quality
· Variety of Food Choices at Breakfast
· Hospitality of Restaurant Staff at Breakfast
· Timeliness of In-Room Dining/Room Service
· Variety of Menu Choice (Room Service)
Staff Reactions
Michel Sheer, Managing Director, is thrilled with the award, "We are delighted to be recognized by our customers in this way!"
Todd Kelly, Executive Chef, is especially pleased with the award, "We're very proud of our food and beverage team and this award recognizes the hard work that we do each day to meet and exceed our guests' expectations. At the Netherland Plaza we are dedicated to providing an exceptionally high quality of food and outstanding level of customer service."
Additional Honors Received
This is just one of several awards the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza has been honored with this year. Recently the hotel and its fine-dining establishment, Orchids at Palm Court, have been honored with the American Automobile Association's (AAA) coveted four-diamond award for excellence for the sixth consecutive year and Cincinnati Magazine's rating as the #1 Restaurant in Cincinnati (2010 & 2009). In addition, Zagat Survey named Orchids one of Cincinnati's Top Restaurants (2010) and Polly Campbell, The Cincinnati Enquirer's restaurant critic, gave Orchids a "Five Stars-Extraordinary" rating in November 2009.
About the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza opened in 1931 and is considered to be one of the world's finest examples of French art deco architecture. The hotel offers 561 renovated guestrooms and over 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, Pavillion Caprice and Continental Ballrooms. The hotel's restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, features rare Brazilian rosewood walls with German silver-nickel metalwork and lighting fixtures. The two-story ceiling has large Romanesque murals and on the north end of the restaurant is an original Rookwood Pottery fountain flanked by two large seahorses. The hotel is a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, is a registered National Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Big Value Wines to Complement Grilled Favorites, Sommelier Explains
Summer is grilling season, and for many Americans grilling is done with a drink in hand. When the beverage of choice is wine, Sommelier Carolyn Evans Hammond, author of Good, Better, Best Wines, helps navigate the seemingly complex process of selecting affordable wine to pair with the mouth-watering dishes seared with grill marks. Hammond’s wine recommendations are consistently flavored, sold locally, and all under $15 a bottle.
Hammond is available to discuss:
-Brawny reds wines that complement the smoky caramelized juices caught in the grill marks of favorite red meats
-White wines to pair with each grilled course from bacon-wrapped scallops to grilled pineapple rings
-How to quickly identify wines that pair well with the menu while pleasing the crowd and the pocketbook
-Why color doesn’t matter, debunking the myth of only serving white wine with fish with the reds that will work and those that don’t
Evans Hammond offers tips and the know-how to bring out the spectrum of flavors in every meal for under $5, $7, $11 and $15 a bottle.
To view Carolyn Evans Hammond’s blog post regarding wines for grilling, visit her website:
For Reds: http://www.wine-tribune.com/wine_news.asp?artn=190&Highlight=grilling
For Whites: http://www.wine-tribune.com/wine_news.asp?artn=191&Highlight=grilling
Carolyn Evans Hammond is an accomplished wine writer whose articles have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada. Her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution. She also issues a newsletter, runs a wine club, conducts seminars, and publishes a blog on her website—http://www.wine-tribune.com. She holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University. Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.
To learn more about Carolyn and her new book Good, Better, Best Wines, view her book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/user/carolynevanshammond1
Hammond is available to discuss:
-Brawny reds wines that complement the smoky caramelized juices caught in the grill marks of favorite red meats
-White wines to pair with each grilled course from bacon-wrapped scallops to grilled pineapple rings
-How to quickly identify wines that pair well with the menu while pleasing the crowd and the pocketbook
-Why color doesn’t matter, debunking the myth of only serving white wine with fish with the reds that will work and those that don’t
Evans Hammond offers tips and the know-how to bring out the spectrum of flavors in every meal for under $5, $7, $11 and $15 a bottle.
To view Carolyn Evans Hammond’s blog post regarding wines for grilling, visit her website:
For Reds: http://www.wine-tribune.com/wine_news.asp?artn=190&Highlight=grilling
For Whites: http://www.wine-tribune.com/wine_news.asp?artn=191&Highlight=grilling
Carolyn Evans Hammond is an accomplished wine writer whose articles have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada. Her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution. She also issues a newsletter, runs a wine club, conducts seminars, and publishes a blog on her website—http://www.wine-tribune.com. She holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University. Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.
To learn more about Carolyn and her new book Good, Better, Best Wines, view her book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/user/carolynevanshammond1
Inventor Maurice Kanbar introduces natural food product...SooFoo!
Spring is here and with it comes a delicious new addition to consumers’ breakfast, lunch and dinner tables around the country: “SooFoo™,” a gourmet low-fat, sodium and cholesterol-free blend of brown rice, grains and lentils.
SooFoo is the brainchild of inventor, entrepreneur, author, film producer and master distiller Maurice Kanbar. Having made SooFoo for years for himself in his own San Francisco kitchen, Kanbar created and honed the “perfect” combination of nine ingredients that comprise SooFoo over time. They include: California-grown long-grain brown rice; brown lentils; wheat berries; oats; barley; black lentils; rye berries; green lentils and buckwheat. Kanbar decided to market SooFoo commercially at the urging of friends and family. “I decided to call it SooFoo because it is super good food,” Kanbar recalls.
SooFoo is 100 percent natural with five grams of protein per quarter-cup (45 grams) dry serving. A good source of fiber (with 16 percent of daily value per serving), it has no additives or preservatives.
“SooFoo is terrific. The whole grains and plant-based protein help to support a healthy heart,” says San Francisco physician and nutrition specialist Melina B. Jampolis, www.drmelina.com. “I highly recommend including SooFoo in your diet on a regular basis.”
SooFoo is a versatile food that can be served as a side dish or a main dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A terrific soup starter, home chefs can also use SooFoo for stuffings and salads.
SooFoo is headed to store shelves with wider distribution starting later this month. It’s already been test-marketed around the Bay Area, and is available at a wide range of gourmet supermarkets and health food stores there including Draeger's Markets, Mollie Stone's Markets, Fresh Organics and Real Foods. National distribution is being put in place, and customers can soon also order direct from the web site: www.soo-foo.com. Vice President of Sales & Marketing Jim McCullough says, “we’ve really been encouraged by the regional response to SooFoo. San Francisco and Bay Area consumers are both curious and nutritionally conscious, and SooFoo fits right into their eclectic, healthful cuisine.”
McCullough is also reaching out to chefs nationwide to cook with SooFoo and incorporate it into restaurant dishes. SooFoo will be available initially in one-pound (454 gram) bags for consumer use and 25-pound bags for bulk retailers and foodservice distributors.
“SooFoo is a delicious, nutritious way to eat healthfully,” Kanbar concludes. “Everyone equates health food with bland, flavorless dishes and products, but people will love the taste of SooFoo. It’s imperative as a society we get healthy and I’m delighted to bring SooFoo to the nation to help. To your health!”
SooFoo is the brainchild of inventor, entrepreneur, author, film producer and master distiller Maurice Kanbar. Having made SooFoo for years for himself in his own San Francisco kitchen, Kanbar created and honed the “perfect” combination of nine ingredients that comprise SooFoo over time. They include: California-grown long-grain brown rice; brown lentils; wheat berries; oats; barley; black lentils; rye berries; green lentils and buckwheat. Kanbar decided to market SooFoo commercially at the urging of friends and family. “I decided to call it SooFoo because it is super good food,” Kanbar recalls.
SooFoo is 100 percent natural with five grams of protein per quarter-cup (45 grams) dry serving. A good source of fiber (with 16 percent of daily value per serving), it has no additives or preservatives.
“SooFoo is terrific. The whole grains and plant-based protein help to support a healthy heart,” says San Francisco physician and nutrition specialist Melina B. Jampolis, www.drmelina.com. “I highly recommend including SooFoo in your diet on a regular basis.”
SooFoo is a versatile food that can be served as a side dish or a main dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A terrific soup starter, home chefs can also use SooFoo for stuffings and salads.
SooFoo is headed to store shelves with wider distribution starting later this month. It’s already been test-marketed around the Bay Area, and is available at a wide range of gourmet supermarkets and health food stores there including Draeger's Markets, Mollie Stone's Markets, Fresh Organics and Real Foods. National distribution is being put in place, and customers can soon also order direct from the web site: www.soo-foo.com. Vice President of Sales & Marketing Jim McCullough says, “we’ve really been encouraged by the regional response to SooFoo. San Francisco and Bay Area consumers are both curious and nutritionally conscious, and SooFoo fits right into their eclectic, healthful cuisine.”
McCullough is also reaching out to chefs nationwide to cook with SooFoo and incorporate it into restaurant dishes. SooFoo will be available initially in one-pound (454 gram) bags for consumer use and 25-pound bags for bulk retailers and foodservice distributors.
“SooFoo is a delicious, nutritious way to eat healthfully,” Kanbar concludes. “Everyone equates health food with bland, flavorless dishes and products, but people will love the taste of SooFoo. It’s imperative as a society we get healthy and I’m delighted to bring SooFoo to the nation to help. To your health!”
New From Honest Tea
Honest Tea has introduced a new line of ready-to-drink, organic Kombucha drinks, which are uniquely tangy and surprisingly addictive functional beverages that provide an invigorating sensation for both the taste buds and digestive system. Kombucha, contains live and active cultures, otherwise known as probiotics, that are believed to detoxify, energize and aid in digestion.
Organic and brewed with Fair Trade Certified tea, Honest Kombucha is low in calories and sugars.
For more info visit www.honesttea.com.
Organic and brewed with Fair Trade Certified tea, Honest Kombucha is low in calories and sugars.
For more info visit www.honesttea.com.
Kentucky Bison Company Offers Meat Samplers for Father's Day and Grilling Season
The way to Dad’s heart is though his stomach, and that’s what makes Kentucky Bison Company’s gourmet meat samplers the perfect gift for Father’s Day and grilling season! Bison meat has less fat and cholesterol than beef, pork and even chicken, but with its naturally rich, full flavor, Dad won’t be missing a thing! Samplers are available in five varieties: Sizzling Steak ($125.20); Family Favorites ($167.30); Great Grilling Favorites ($143.70); Barbecue Master ($163.30); and Southern Soul Food Sampler ($151.30).
Samplers are available for shipping and arrive in a high-quality reusable Styrofoam cooler with insulator and frozen gel pack to assure meat quality. Patrons can shop directly through the Kentucky Bison Company by calling 502.562.9491, toll free 1.877.859.2426, emailing Amanda@KyBisonCo.com, or visiting the sales office located at 603 E. Main St. during the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please call ahead before picking up in person to make sure your chosen sampler is available. All products are sold frozen for easy storage before cooking.
Sampler Details
Sizzling Steak Sampler
4 (6oz) Filet Mignon Steaks
4 (8 oz) Rib-eye Steaks
8 (10 oz) Top Sirloin Steaks
Family Favorites
4 (8oz) Rib-eye Steaks
1 (4 lb) Sirloin Tip Roast
1 (3.5 lb) Rump Roast
4 lbs Burger Patties
4 lbs Stew Meat
4 lbs Breakfast Sausage (ground)
Great Grilling Favorites
10 lbs Burger Patties
5 lbs Ground Burger Meat
4 lbs Frankfurters
3 lbs Fajita Meat (great for steak skewers!)
BBQ Master
5 lbs Burger Patties
6 lbs Brisket
7 lbs Baby Back Ribs (2 slabs)
4 (8 oz) Rib-eye Steaks
4 (6 oz) Filet Mignon Steaks
Southern Soul Food Sampler
1 (3.5 lb) Rump Roast
7 lbs Baby Back Ribs (2 slabs)
3 lbs Cube Steak
3 lbs Shank Steak
2 lbs Stew Meat
3 lbs Ground Burger Meat
2 lbs Breakfast Sausage (ground)
2 lbs Oxtail
2 lbs Soup Bones
The foundation of the Kentucky Bison Company is the production, preservation and promotion of the Authentic American Bison. Its mission is to operate a bison farm and meat processing plant that provides success through production and processing of livestock and a positive, happy work environment with room for workers’ advancement and personal growth. Kentucky Bison Company raises bison on Woodland Farm in Goshen, Kentucky and processes the meat at its own USDA-approved facility. For more information, visit www.kybisonco.com.
Samplers are available for shipping and arrive in a high-quality reusable Styrofoam cooler with insulator and frozen gel pack to assure meat quality. Patrons can shop directly through the Kentucky Bison Company by calling 502.562.9491, toll free 1.877.859.2426, emailing Amanda@KyBisonCo.com, or visiting the sales office located at 603 E. Main St. during the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please call ahead before picking up in person to make sure your chosen sampler is available. All products are sold frozen for easy storage before cooking.
Sampler Details
Sizzling Steak Sampler
4 (6oz) Filet Mignon Steaks
4 (8 oz) Rib-eye Steaks
8 (10 oz) Top Sirloin Steaks
Family Favorites
4 (8oz) Rib-eye Steaks
1 (4 lb) Sirloin Tip Roast
1 (3.5 lb) Rump Roast
4 lbs Burger Patties
4 lbs Stew Meat
4 lbs Breakfast Sausage (ground)
Great Grilling Favorites
10 lbs Burger Patties
5 lbs Ground Burger Meat
4 lbs Frankfurters
3 lbs Fajita Meat (great for steak skewers!)
BBQ Master
5 lbs Burger Patties
6 lbs Brisket
7 lbs Baby Back Ribs (2 slabs)
4 (8 oz) Rib-eye Steaks
4 (6 oz) Filet Mignon Steaks
Southern Soul Food Sampler
1 (3.5 lb) Rump Roast
7 lbs Baby Back Ribs (2 slabs)
3 lbs Cube Steak
3 lbs Shank Steak
2 lbs Stew Meat
3 lbs Ground Burger Meat
2 lbs Breakfast Sausage (ground)
2 lbs Oxtail
2 lbs Soup Bones
The foundation of the Kentucky Bison Company is the production, preservation and promotion of the Authentic American Bison. Its mission is to operate a bison farm and meat processing plant that provides success through production and processing of livestock and a positive, happy work environment with room for workers’ advancement and personal growth. Kentucky Bison Company raises bison on Woodland Farm in Goshen, Kentucky and processes the meat at its own USDA-approved facility. For more information, visit www.kybisonco.com.
No Need for Beer. It's Fruity Cocktail Time!
Statistics show that each year 90% of American families attend at least one BBQ party during the summer. The BBQ season officially kicks off on Memorial Day, but it is the Fourth of July that sees the most grills fired up for the entire year with 86% of the gas grills in the nation seeing action that day. That is a heck of a lot of hamburgers, hot dogs and ribs you are going to need to wash down. This year, instead of defaulting to the old standby beer, add a splash of color and a burst of fresh fruity taste to your BBQ libations with some refreshing and easy to make cocktails.
SKYY Vodka's award winning line of all natural SKYY Infusions can easily become the centerpiece of your BBQ or poolside party. One way to bring your guests together is with a do-it-yourself cocktail bar featuring the SKYY Starlight, a fun, adult rendition of the icy cool snow cone. Your guests may also want to beat the heat with something that’s equally as bold and refreshing like the favorably tart SKYY Summer Palmer - an jazzy update to the classic Arnold Palmer - or relax before dinner with a more subtle cocktail like the Passion-Politan or the Sweet Lyee Ginger, which features the recently launched SKYY Infusions Ginger. No matter what the occasion, these summer offerings will both impress and satisfy anything one may crave on a hot summer day.
SKYY Starlight
Created by Adam Wilson, Beretta, San Francisco
1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka
0.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
0.50 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Hibiscus or Cranberry Juice
Fresh Mint
Muddle all ingredients except hibiscus/cranberry juice in bottom of tall rocks glass. Add half a glass of crushed ice and stir well. Add more crushed ice until tightly packed just over the rim of the glass, and pour hibiscus or cranberry juice over top. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint and serve with a straw.
Passion-Politan
Created by Alex Straus, Suite 700 at the Hotel Shangri-La, Los Angeles
2 oz. SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
0.75 oz. Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz. Rose Syrup (such as Monin)
0.5 oz Lime Juice
Rosé Champagne or Rosé Sparkling Wine
1 Rose Petal
Combine all ingredients except champagne/sparkling wine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and add sparkling wine, stir and strain into a martini glass. Float the rose petal on top of the cocktail for garnish.
KYY Summer Palmer
Kathy Casey, Kathy Casey Food Studios
1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus
0.25 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Sweetened Iced Tea
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Combine SKYY Infusions Citrus, triple sec, unsweetened iced tea, lemon juice and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass with sugar rim as garnish.
weet-Lyee Ginger
Created by Alex Straus, Suite 700 at the Hotel Shangri-La, Los Angeles
1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger
1.5 oz. Lychee Puree*
4 Mint Leaves
0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Muddle 3 of the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker to release oils. Add the rest of the ingredients to the shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with remaining large mint leaf.
*To make lychee puree, purchase a can of lychees in light syrup and blend well.
SKYY Vodka's award winning line of all natural SKYY Infusions can easily become the centerpiece of your BBQ or poolside party. One way to bring your guests together is with a do-it-yourself cocktail bar featuring the SKYY Starlight, a fun, adult rendition of the icy cool snow cone. Your guests may also want to beat the heat with something that’s equally as bold and refreshing like the favorably tart SKYY Summer Palmer - an jazzy update to the classic Arnold Palmer - or relax before dinner with a more subtle cocktail like the Passion-Politan or the Sweet Lyee Ginger, which features the recently launched SKYY Infusions Ginger. No matter what the occasion, these summer offerings will both impress and satisfy anything one may crave on a hot summer day.
SKYY Starlight
Created by Adam Wilson, Beretta, San Francisco
1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka
0.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
0.50 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Hibiscus or Cranberry Juice
Fresh Mint
Muddle all ingredients except hibiscus/cranberry juice in bottom of tall rocks glass. Add half a glass of crushed ice and stir well. Add more crushed ice until tightly packed just over the rim of the glass, and pour hibiscus or cranberry juice over top. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint and serve with a straw.
Passion-Politan
Created by Alex Straus, Suite 700 at the Hotel Shangri-La, Los Angeles
2 oz. SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
0.75 oz. Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz. Rose Syrup (such as Monin)
0.5 oz Lime Juice
Rosé Champagne or Rosé Sparkling Wine
1 Rose Petal
Combine all ingredients except champagne/sparkling wine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and add sparkling wine, stir and strain into a martini glass. Float the rose petal on top of the cocktail for garnish.
KYY Summer Palmer
Kathy Casey, Kathy Casey Food Studios
1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus
0.25 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Sweetened Iced Tea
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Combine SKYY Infusions Citrus, triple sec, unsweetened iced tea, lemon juice and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass with sugar rim as garnish.
weet-Lyee Ginger
Created by Alex Straus, Suite 700 at the Hotel Shangri-La, Los Angeles
1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger
1.5 oz. Lychee Puree*
4 Mint Leaves
0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Muddle 3 of the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker to release oils. Add the rest of the ingredients to the shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with remaining large mint leaf.
*To make lychee puree, purchase a can of lychees in light syrup and blend well.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Edgy Relaxation Beverage
Everyone is aware of Red Bull, Amp, Monster and the rest of the energy drinks out there, but have you ever heard of a relaxation beverage? Dubbed by Time Magazine as "the anti-Red Bull" and a "Top Trend for 2010" by The View, Good Morning America and Weekend Today, drank beverage is the first drink created to relax and mellow you out (without using alcohol or medical sleep aids). Grape flavored and bearing the slogan of "slow your roll" - drank is comprised of natural relaxing ingredients including melatonin, rose hips, and valerian root that continues to relax Cincinnati consumers.
Nationally distributed through 7-11, as well as independently distributed throughout 30 states, drank has developed a cult-like following from those looking for non-alcohol and non-medicated ways to relax.
Official Website - www.drankbeverage.com
Nationally distributed through 7-11, as well as independently distributed throughout 30 states, drank has developed a cult-like following from those looking for non-alcohol and non-medicated ways to relax.
Official Website - www.drankbeverage.com
New Tequila Recipes from CORZO
Turn up the heat with three refreshing new cocktails created by renowned mixologist Jonathan Pogash! Jonathan adds a tasty twist to summer cocktails by combining fresh watermelon and ginger in the CORZO Bliss and muddling fresh pepper flavors and lime in CORZO ‘s Evolutionary Margarita, propelling the classic into the future.
The sweet and spicy flavor in the CORZO Basilica Mexicana provides a historic escape from the heat. The Green Chartreuse (a herbal liqueur) used in the recipe was originally made by French monks in the 1700’s. The jalapeno and basil also blend well to create a sharp finishing bite.
CORZO’s 100 % Blue Agave shines through in each cocktail adding an exceptionally authentic flavor and silky smooth taste.
CORZO Basilica Mexicana
1 1/2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila
1/2 part Green Chartreuse
1/4 part Agave Nectar
1 thin slice jalapeno pepper
1/2 part fresh lime juice
3 large basil leaves
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the pepper and basil in the agave nectar and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish: basil leaf “flag” and jalapeno pepper.
CORZO Bliss
2 parts Corzo Silver Tequila
3/4 parts Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
5 one-inch chunks of watermelon
5-7 mint leaves
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the watermelon and mint. Then add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: watermelon rind twist and watermelon slice.
CORZO Evolutionary Margarita
2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila
1/2 parts Grand Marnier
1/2 parts agave nectar
3/4 parts fresh lime juice
6-8 small chunks of your choice of pepper (yellow, red, or orange)
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the pepper in the agave nectar and lime juice. Then add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain over ice into rocks glass. Garnish: pepper “flag” and lime “bow-tie” & optional salt-rim.
The sweet and spicy flavor in the CORZO Basilica Mexicana provides a historic escape from the heat. The Green Chartreuse (a herbal liqueur) used in the recipe was originally made by French monks in the 1700’s. The jalapeno and basil also blend well to create a sharp finishing bite.
CORZO’s 100 % Blue Agave shines through in each cocktail adding an exceptionally authentic flavor and silky smooth taste.
CORZO Basilica Mexicana
1 1/2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila
1/2 part Green Chartreuse
1/4 part Agave Nectar
1 thin slice jalapeno pepper
1/2 part fresh lime juice
3 large basil leaves
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the pepper and basil in the agave nectar and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish: basil leaf “flag” and jalapeno pepper.
CORZO Bliss
2 parts Corzo Silver Tequila
3/4 parts Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
5 one-inch chunks of watermelon
5-7 mint leaves
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the watermelon and mint. Then add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: watermelon rind twist and watermelon slice.
CORZO Evolutionary Margarita
2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila
1/2 parts Grand Marnier
1/2 parts agave nectar
3/4 parts fresh lime juice
6-8 small chunks of your choice of pepper (yellow, red, or orange)
Process: In a mixing glass, muddle the pepper in the agave nectar and lime juice. Then add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain over ice into rocks glass. Garnish: pepper “flag” and lime “bow-tie” & optional salt-rim.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Paula Deen Joins Celebration of Louisiana Seafood
The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) is responding in earnest to the situation Louisiana fishermen are facing in the Gulf waters by dedicating the Saturday Grand Tasting to a “Celebration of Louisiana Seafood” and offering a special fundraising dinner at Restaurant August later that evening. Proceeds from these events will be dedicated to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation in partnership with the Louisiana Seafood Board. Food Network's reigning Southern Belle, Paula Deen, will highlight this year's revelry with a special appearance on Saturday, May 29. Louisiana's own "bayou boy," and TLC celebrity chef John Besh will join Deen in a cooking demonstration on the Main Stage at 3:15pm. "I am so excited to be a part of a celebration of Louisiana seafood," states Deen. "To me Louisiana seafood is just divine, and we need to pay tribute to that." The Friday and Saturday Grand Tastings are the culminating events of NOWFE's 4-day extravaganza and are truly "Grand" experiences for both foodies and wine connoisseurs, pairing extensive offerings from 75 of New Orleans' finest chefs and a selection of more than 1000 wines from around the world. (To purchase tickets visit www.nowfe.com)
Celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez will also join in the festivities by presenting a cooking demonstration of his own during the Saturday Grand Tasting at 2:00pm. In addition to the special cooking demonstrations, eleven Louisiana chefs will participate in the third annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Board. The winning chef, crowned the "King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood," will represent Louisiana in the seventh annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off. "It is vitally important for us to remind consumers that Louisiana seafood is still readily available and safe for consumption," states Ewell Smith, Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Board. "Louisiana produces one-third of the seafood for the continental US, and 70% of the seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, creating a $2.4 billion industry that supports over 27,000 jobs."
“The response from these chefs is overwhelming,” states Octavio Mantilla, 2010 NOWFE Board President. "Their efforts will enable us make a substantial contribution that will support our local fishermen and help us to preserve these national treasures-- our Louisiana Coastline and Fisheries." To continue the celebration, Deen, her husband Captain Michael Groover, and her brother Earl 'Bubba Hiers of Bubba's Oyster House, will be joined by chefs Besh, and Sanchez in their support of Louisiana fishermen with a fundraising dinner at Besh’s flagship restaurant, August, on Saturday night at 7pm. Restaurant August will generously donate 100% of the proceeds from this dinner to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. Reservations for the six-course dinner, paired with exceptional wines, showcasing Gulf Coast seafood specialties are $300 per person; event sponsorships that include a table of ten, V.I.P reception, and commemorative photograph are available for $5,000. To reserve a seat or sponsor the event, contact Christy Bradley at 504.565.5482 or cbradley@chefjohnbesh.com.
The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is a non-profit organization. The Board of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience donates 100% of the events’ profit to support their programs and foundations. Proceeds from the 2010 event will benefit the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation in partnership with the Louisiana Seafood Board, University of New Orleans School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism, the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation's ProStart Program, The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Delgado Community College Culinary Arts Program, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts Culinary Arts Program, Girls First, Cancer Crusaders, Southern Animal Foundation, Coach Sean Payton’s Play It Forward Foundation and Fore! Kids Foundation. For more information please visit www.nowfe.com
The Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board was created in 1984 by the state of Louisiana to support their vast historical commercial fisheries industry. The Board is composed of 15 members and each member represents a sector of the industry: harvesters, processors, wholesalers, restaurateurs/retailers, fisheries resource managers, public health officers and marketing specialists. The Board’s operating budget is derived from license sales to Louisiana commercial fishermen and seafood wholesalers/retailers as well as state and federal grants. The Board represents over 12,000 fishermen while promoting and marketing $2.6 billion of retail seafood sales annually to the consumer.
Paula Deen is a restaurateur from Savannah, Georgia who hosts the Food Network cooking shows Paula's Home Cooking. Paula opened her first restaurant in early 1990, and by the end of the decade her home-style southern cooking had gained national attention. She's the anti-chef of the Food Network, a self-taught cook and advocate of the butter-n-bacon approach, with an empire that includes her Savannah restaurant (The Lady & Sons), a magazine (Cooking With Paula Deen), several cookbooks and a memoir (It Ain't All About the Cookin').
John Besh is a native of South Louisiana and owner of six successful restaurants in New Orleans—Restaurant August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, Domenica at The Roosevelt Hotel and The American Sector at The National World War II Museum. He has won numerous awards including the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef Southeast” in 2006, Food & Wine’s “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America”, Gourmet’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants,” and “America’s Top 50 Restaurants”. Most recently he was featured on Food Networks Next Iron Chef and Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.
Celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez will also join in the festivities by presenting a cooking demonstration of his own during the Saturday Grand Tasting at 2:00pm. In addition to the special cooking demonstrations, eleven Louisiana chefs will participate in the third annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Board. The winning chef, crowned the "King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood," will represent Louisiana in the seventh annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off. "It is vitally important for us to remind consumers that Louisiana seafood is still readily available and safe for consumption," states Ewell Smith, Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Board. "Louisiana produces one-third of the seafood for the continental US, and 70% of the seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, creating a $2.4 billion industry that supports over 27,000 jobs."
“The response from these chefs is overwhelming,” states Octavio Mantilla, 2010 NOWFE Board President. "Their efforts will enable us make a substantial contribution that will support our local fishermen and help us to preserve these national treasures-- our Louisiana Coastline and Fisheries." To continue the celebration, Deen, her husband Captain Michael Groover, and her brother Earl 'Bubba Hiers of Bubba's Oyster House, will be joined by chefs Besh, and Sanchez in their support of Louisiana fishermen with a fundraising dinner at Besh’s flagship restaurant, August, on Saturday night at 7pm. Restaurant August will generously donate 100% of the proceeds from this dinner to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. Reservations for the six-course dinner, paired with exceptional wines, showcasing Gulf Coast seafood specialties are $300 per person; event sponsorships that include a table of ten, V.I.P reception, and commemorative photograph are available for $5,000. To reserve a seat or sponsor the event, contact Christy Bradley at 504.565.5482 or cbradley@chefjohnbesh.com.
The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is a non-profit organization. The Board of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience donates 100% of the events’ profit to support their programs and foundations. Proceeds from the 2010 event will benefit the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation in partnership with the Louisiana Seafood Board, University of New Orleans School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism, the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation's ProStart Program, The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Delgado Community College Culinary Arts Program, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts Culinary Arts Program, Girls First, Cancer Crusaders, Southern Animal Foundation, Coach Sean Payton’s Play It Forward Foundation and Fore! Kids Foundation. For more information please visit www.nowfe.com
The Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board was created in 1984 by the state of Louisiana to support their vast historical commercial fisheries industry. The Board is composed of 15 members and each member represents a sector of the industry: harvesters, processors, wholesalers, restaurateurs/retailers, fisheries resource managers, public health officers and marketing specialists. The Board’s operating budget is derived from license sales to Louisiana commercial fishermen and seafood wholesalers/retailers as well as state and federal grants. The Board represents over 12,000 fishermen while promoting and marketing $2.6 billion of retail seafood sales annually to the consumer.
Paula Deen is a restaurateur from Savannah, Georgia who hosts the Food Network cooking shows Paula's Home Cooking. Paula opened her first restaurant in early 1990, and by the end of the decade her home-style southern cooking had gained national attention. She's the anti-chef of the Food Network, a self-taught cook and advocate of the butter-n-bacon approach, with an empire that includes her Savannah restaurant (The Lady & Sons), a magazine (Cooking With Paula Deen), several cookbooks and a memoir (It Ain't All About the Cookin').
John Besh is a native of South Louisiana and owner of six successful restaurants in New Orleans—Restaurant August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, Domenica at The Roosevelt Hotel and The American Sector at The National World War II Museum. He has won numerous awards including the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef Southeast” in 2006, Food & Wine’s “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America”, Gourmet’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants,” and “America’s Top 50 Restaurants”. Most recently he was featured on Food Networks Next Iron Chef and Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.
Reducing Wastewater Contamination Starts with a Conversation
In Accra, Ghana, most homes do not have indoor plumbing or sewage systems. Instead, households dispose of waste into the same ditches and streams that urban farmers use to irrigate the crops they sell at local markets. The use of wastewater on farms presents a significant health risk and has been banned by the government. But because many farmers don’t have access to clean sources of water, they lack other options for irrigating their crops.
In 2005, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a non-profit organization working in Asia and Africa to improve water and land management for farmers and the environment, received funding from several groups, including the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) initiative Challenge Program for Water and Food, to work with urban farmers in Ghana to develop improved farm wastewater management.
“Ideally we would start at the city level to address wastewater treatment through infrastructure,” says Ben Keraita, an irrigation and water engineer and researcher with IWMI. “But there is no money or support for a big project like that, so we start with the farmers to find affordable, small, and simple ways to reduce the risk of contamination.”
Starting with the farmers is critical for another reason, Keraita explains. “There are too many different kinds of interventions when it comes to reducing the risk of contamination from waste water, and farmers do not react well to having new techniques pushed upon them.” Instead, Keraita and other project coordinators used their existing relationships with local farmers to call a meeting to discuss the problem and hear potential solutions from the farmers themselves. “Farmers know that the waste water is a problem and have lots of their own ideas about how to address it.”
Keraita and his colleagues created a list of innovations suggested by farmers and then introduced a few of their own, exposing the farmers to best practices from around the world. “Nothing we introduced was invented on the spot, and many are simple enough to be adopted immediately, like avoiding stepping into irrigation water and stirring up sediment that might contain contaminants by putting down a plank to walk on instead,” Keraita explains. Farmers are then asked to volunteer to adopt the practices that they think will be most effective, keeping track of their work daily so that an assessment can be made of the innovation at harvest time.
“If farmers don’t like a technique then we suggest doing another trial with a new technique,” Keraita says. “And we invite other farmers to view the harvest and the weighing of the crops so that they can give each other feedback and learn from the experiments of others.”
Based on these group discussions and trials, urban farmers in Accra are now irrigating with water collected in “waste sedimentation ponds”—ponds built specifically to allow sediment to sink to the bottom so farmers can irrigate with the cleaner surface water—and with simple containers of filtered water. Some are now also using drip irrigation from kits produced by International Development Enterprises (IDE), allowing them to use water more precisely and to conserve clean water (see also Slow and Steady Irrigation Wins the Race).
In 2005, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a non-profit organization working in Asia and Africa to improve water and land management for farmers and the environment, received funding from several groups, including the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) initiative Challenge Program for Water and Food, to work with urban farmers in Ghana to develop improved farm wastewater management.
“Ideally we would start at the city level to address wastewater treatment through infrastructure,” says Ben Keraita, an irrigation and water engineer and researcher with IWMI. “But there is no money or support for a big project like that, so we start with the farmers to find affordable, small, and simple ways to reduce the risk of contamination.”
Starting with the farmers is critical for another reason, Keraita explains. “There are too many different kinds of interventions when it comes to reducing the risk of contamination from waste water, and farmers do not react well to having new techniques pushed upon them.” Instead, Keraita and other project coordinators used their existing relationships with local farmers to call a meeting to discuss the problem and hear potential solutions from the farmers themselves. “Farmers know that the waste water is a problem and have lots of their own ideas about how to address it.”
Keraita and his colleagues created a list of innovations suggested by farmers and then introduced a few of their own, exposing the farmers to best practices from around the world. “Nothing we introduced was invented on the spot, and many are simple enough to be adopted immediately, like avoiding stepping into irrigation water and stirring up sediment that might contain contaminants by putting down a plank to walk on instead,” Keraita explains. Farmers are then asked to volunteer to adopt the practices that they think will be most effective, keeping track of their work daily so that an assessment can be made of the innovation at harvest time.
“If farmers don’t like a technique then we suggest doing another trial with a new technique,” Keraita says. “And we invite other farmers to view the harvest and the weighing of the crops so that they can give each other feedback and learn from the experiments of others.”
Based on these group discussions and trials, urban farmers in Accra are now irrigating with water collected in “waste sedimentation ponds”—ponds built specifically to allow sediment to sink to the bottom so farmers can irrigate with the cleaner surface water—and with simple containers of filtered water. Some are now also using drip irrigation from kits produced by International Development Enterprises (IDE), allowing them to use water more precisely and to conserve clean water (see also Slow and Steady Irrigation Wins the Race).
2010 "Dutch Groundhog Day" on the Beemster Polder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMwTugJusj4
NOTE: Cute video, GREAT cheese! We we fortunate enough to sample it. Get some and enjoy!
NOTE: Cute video, GREAT cheese! We we fortunate enough to sample it. Get some and enjoy!
Neighborhood Party at Venue 222 Presenting Casablanca and Café de Wheels
WHO: Venue 222
WHAT: There’s nothing better than a neighborhood party at Venue 222, Cincinnati’s premier urban event space. Join us with a showing of ‘Casablanca’ one of the most popular romantic dramas of all time. Food for purchase available from Café de Wheels, Cincinnati’s first mobile food truck. BYOBB – Bring Your Own Blanket & Booze.
Casablanca was premiered in 1942, with such stars as Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman – the film has been lauded for its inclusion of all types of stereotypes in popular culture.
This event is free and open to the public.
WHEN: Sunday May 16, 2010 from 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m..
WHERE: 222 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati OH 45202.
ABOUT Venue 222:
Venue 222 is Cincinnati’s premier urban event space: hosting a wide variety of parties, business meetings and speaking engagements. The space reserved for rental includes 4815 square feet on two floors, with parking on- and off-site. Built in 1868, Venue 222 has been renovated to accommodate small or large groups with unique, flexible options. Visit or call 513-684-9283 more information. You can follow Venue 222 on twitter also www.twitter.com/venue222
ABOUT Café de Wheels:
Café de Wheels is the creation of Tom Acito, a native New Yorker who moved to the Queen City from Los Angeles, California to continue to work as a commercial video editor. Café de Wheels food truck is Cincinnati’s first truly portable rolling café, serving mainstay pub eats from locally produced ingredients. Currently, the truck is positioned everyday on Main St. between 9th and Court Streets. You just never know where you will find Café de Wheels… http://www.cafedewheels.com Twitter @burgerBgood
WHAT: There’s nothing better than a neighborhood party at Venue 222, Cincinnati’s premier urban event space. Join us with a showing of ‘Casablanca’ one of the most popular romantic dramas of all time. Food for purchase available from Café de Wheels, Cincinnati’s first mobile food truck. BYOBB – Bring Your Own Blanket & Booze.
Casablanca was premiered in 1942, with such stars as Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman – the film has been lauded for its inclusion of all types of stereotypes in popular culture.
This event is free and open to the public.
WHEN: Sunday May 16, 2010 from 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m..
WHERE: 222 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati OH 45202.
ABOUT Venue 222:
Venue 222 is Cincinnati’s premier urban event space: hosting a wide variety of parties, business meetings and speaking engagements. The space reserved for rental includes 4815 square feet on two floors, with parking on- and off-site. Built in 1868, Venue 222 has been renovated to accommodate small or large groups with unique, flexible options. Visit
ABOUT Café de Wheels:
Café de Wheels is the creation of Tom Acito, a native New Yorker who moved to the Queen City from Los Angeles, California to continue to work as a commercial video editor. Café de Wheels food truck is Cincinnati’s first truly portable rolling café, serving mainstay pub eats from locally produced ingredients. Currently, the truck is positioned everyday on Main St. between 9th and Court Streets. You just never know where you will find Café de Wheels… http://www.cafedewheels.com Twitter @burgerBgood
Vega’s new Shake & Go Smoothies
Even when you’re on the go, you shouldn’t have to live without your daily dose of protein, fiber and greens. There are plenty of juices, smoothies, and energy and performance beverages that promise all sorts of health benefits, but what are you really drinking when you grab one of these drinks in hopes of getting that boost you need? They’re usually loaded with empty calories, chemicals, artificial flavorings, allergens and high fructose corn syrup. With all the clutter and the false promises, it’s become difficult to make the healthy choice for you and your family. Enter Vega’s Shake & Go Smoothie.
Power packed with raw, organic superfoods, Vega Shake & Go Smoothie utilizes plant-based foods to boost energy, mental focus and immunity for ultimate nourishment. Available in four flavors – Bodacious Berry, Choc-a-lot, Vanilla Almondilla and Tropical Tango – each low-calorie smoothie promises two servings of veggies, 11 grams of complete protein, Omega 3-6-9 and a day’s worth of probiotics – all disguised in a tasty drink that even kids love. They’re the perfect solution for any health conscious person who doesn’t have time to pull out a blender, but doesn’t want the high sugar and calorie content in other juices and performance drinks. Plus, with 12 servings in each pouch, Shake & Go Smoothie is just as cost-effective as it is good for you.
The unmatched ingredients and trusted dietary principles that make Vega a favorite in the health and athletic circuits are now available in a great tasting, easy to make smoothie that you can take with you anywhere. Formulated by professional Ironman triathlete and best-selling author Brendan Brazier – one of the only vegan professional triathletes in the world – they are Vega’s most convenient and delicious way yet for you to instantly add nutrition, sustainability and wellness to your daily routine.
“I first conceived Vega as a line of niche nutrition products for vegan athletes like myself. I was shocked when its demand grew above and beyond that category. Now the vast majority of the line is purchased by people who are simply health-conscious and busy; not necessarily as active as I am,” said Brazier. “I felt it was time to make a product specifically for them.”
Vega Shake & Go Smoothies will be available at Whole Foods Markets, GNCs and health food stores across the US and Canada. For more information, please visit www.myvega.com.
Power packed with raw, organic superfoods, Vega Shake & Go Smoothie utilizes plant-based foods to boost energy, mental focus and immunity for ultimate nourishment. Available in four flavors – Bodacious Berry, Choc-a-lot, Vanilla Almondilla and Tropical Tango – each low-calorie smoothie promises two servings of veggies, 11 grams of complete protein, Omega 3-6-9 and a day’s worth of probiotics – all disguised in a tasty drink that even kids love. They’re the perfect solution for any health conscious person who doesn’t have time to pull out a blender, but doesn’t want the high sugar and calorie content in other juices and performance drinks. Plus, with 12 servings in each pouch, Shake & Go Smoothie is just as cost-effective as it is good for you.
The unmatched ingredients and trusted dietary principles that make Vega a favorite in the health and athletic circuits are now available in a great tasting, easy to make smoothie that you can take with you anywhere. Formulated by professional Ironman triathlete and best-selling author Brendan Brazier – one of the only vegan professional triathletes in the world – they are Vega’s most convenient and delicious way yet for you to instantly add nutrition, sustainability and wellness to your daily routine.
“I first conceived Vega as a line of niche nutrition products for vegan athletes like myself. I was shocked when its demand grew above and beyond that category. Now the vast majority of the line is purchased by people who are simply health-conscious and busy; not necessarily as active as I am,” said Brazier. “I felt it was time to make a product specifically for them.”
Vega Shake & Go Smoothies will be available at Whole Foods Markets, GNCs and health food stores across the US and Canada. For more information, please visit www.myvega.com.
How Wine Became Modern - Next Time you're in SF
From November 20, 2010, to April 17, 2011, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) will present How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now. This exhibition explores transformations in the visual and material culture of wine over the past three decades, offering a fresh way of understanding the contemporary culture of wine and the role that design has played in its transformation.
http://www.sfmoma.org/press/releases/exhibitions/829
http://www.sfmoma.org/press/releases/exhibitions/829
All-Natural Grilling Roundup From Coleman Natural
Fully cooked – ready to heat and eat – Coleman’s 100% chicken sausages are made with all-natural ingredients and contain no fillers, artificial preservatives or trans fat. The sausages are also free of nitrites, nitrates, and MSG.
These new sausages come in a variety of delectable flavors, including:
Sweet Apple with Maple Syrup Chicken Sausage, Spicy Andouille Chicken Sausage, Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage, Mild Italian Chicken Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Chicken Sausage, Spinach & Feta Chicken Sausage, Spicy Chorizo Chicken Sausage, and Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sausage.
Packaged in recyclable boxes, the new sausages will be sold at select health food and mainstream markets across the country for an SRP of $5.99 per pack, $1 to $2 less than competing brands.
Visit www.colemannatural.com for some natural sausage grilling tips and recipe ideas.
These new sausages come in a variety of delectable flavors, including:
Sweet Apple with Maple Syrup Chicken Sausage, Spicy Andouille Chicken Sausage, Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage, Mild Italian Chicken Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Chicken Sausage, Spinach & Feta Chicken Sausage, Spicy Chorizo Chicken Sausage, and Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sausage.
Packaged in recyclable boxes, the new sausages will be sold at select health food and mainstream markets across the country for an SRP of $5.99 per pack, $1 to $2 less than competing brands.
Visit www.colemannatural.com for some natural sausage grilling tips and recipe ideas.
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