Free Grazing Cows (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Eager foodies have been visiting local farms and paying handsomely to dine on gourmet meals prepared by chefs enthusiastic about making creations with farm fresh ingredients for some time. But those collaborations between forward-thinking chefs and farmers are just one aspect of a movement that is changing the way people across the country think about food.
Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, and many other restaurants, have long recognized the wisdom of buying direct from local farmers. The freshest food is the most flavorful and the most nutritious. And we need to support our family farmers or risk losing them.
Our friend, Chef Jessica Marotta of Campania Restaurant in Fairlawn, New Jersey, tells us:
We are very supportive of local farmers and sustainable foods. We have an amazing partnership with Farm's View in Wayne, N.J., a family farm that dates back to 1894. From April to October we use only the best local produce…we can't wait for winter to be over and done with so we can get back to picking.
When Jessica says “picking” she doesn’t mean selecting items from shelves, she means getting out in the fields and hand-harvesting the best ingredients she can find for Campania's diners.
Founding Farmers Restaurant Washington D.C. is unique in that it was developed with an investment from a collective of American family farmers. They “believe that everyone benefits by all of us knowing more about the source of our food and its journey from seed to harvest to table.”
Those are three fine restaurants located in well populated areas. Now we read in the New York Times that Justus and Camille Eklof, have transformed his family’s 1950s drugstore into Justus Drugstore: A Restaurant in Smithville, Missouri, a rural community of 5,000. The back of the menu “…lists 25 local purveyors, intended to open people’s eyes to the links a restaurant can have to its area.”
The Times quotes Justus as saying of his meat cuts from nearby Paradise Locker Meats, a small plant that works with Heritage Foods U.S.A. to supply top restaurants with heirloom meats, “What’s being served at Momofuku and Spotted Pig is what I’m serving. I’m just here at the source.”
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: Table to Farm
To learn more about some of those mentioned in this post, here are some links in alphabetical order:
Campania Restaurant
Chez Panisse
Farm’s View Farm
Founding Farmers Restaurant
Justus Drugstore: A Restaurant
Pitcher of Milk (photo by Lisa Rowell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Great news for those who love good cheese, a bowl of cereal, or a glass of organic milk with some fresh-baked cookies.
Scientists sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and AARP have published recently completed research in the Archives of Internal Medicine and concluded, “Our study suggests that calcium intake is associated with a lower risk of total cancer and cancers of the digestive system, especially colorectal cancer.”
The researchers indicated that women are more likely than men to benefit from a calcium-rich diet. The study included an average of seven years of follow-up, and identified 36,965 and 16,605 cancer cases in men and women, respectively.
If you’d like to read the study cited above go to: Dairy Food, Calcium, and Risk of Cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study
 
Midnight Moon & Harpersfield Tilset
If you are of a certain age, you might remember when American cheese usually meant a slice of orange cheese, individually wrapped. You could buy goat cheese from France if you lived near an excellent shop. Blue cheese was an exotic choice and considered a little sharp for the American palate.
But that has all changed. Artisanal cheesemakers have been at work for some time now, and not just in the traditional states of Vermont, Wisconsin and northern California. Small, but serious cheesermakers can now be found in Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Texas, Colorado and many other states.
The country’s cheesemaking has come far enough that old Europe has taken notice. An Associated Press report posted on MSNBC says that, “American artisanal cheeses are demanding — and earning — respect here and abroad, showing American cheese is not just for cheeseburgers any more.” The article compares the lengthy time needed for acceptance by Europeans to that required for California’s wines.
The AP article quotes Mike Gingrich, owner and cheesemaker at Uplands Cheese, in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, comparing his Pleasant Ridge cheese and the Beaufort cheese from the French Alps it is modeled after:
They are really tasting the terroire. The cheese is made the same. It's made from cow's milk. But it's from a different part of the country, a different climate, different forages. That's the difference they are tasting when they compare our cheese to Beaufort.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese
Randolph Hodgson, owner of the Neal's Yard Dairy cheese shops in London, said from England, "My customers are just staggered that there is a cheese of that quality being made in the United States."
So support your local cheesemaker. She might just be reducing America's trade deficit!
If you’d like to read the Associated Press report on MSNBC cited above go to: Rogue Creamery leads American cheeses to Europe
To view a selection of fine American cheeses go to: Artisanal & Crafted Cheeses
The New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods is a non-profit organization that works to promote nutrition education and help kids make healthier food choices at school. It's work of vital importance to today's kids and provides busy parents with a helping hand to keep their children healthy. There are plenty of resources at their site to help you get a program started at your child's school.
The group's motto is "Healthy Foods + Exercise = Better Health, Better Grades, Better Behavior." According to the organization's web site:
New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods works to promote optional plant-based entrees, healthy snack foods, farm to school programs, and nutrition education to encourage healthier choices. Plant-based entrees contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated and total fat, and contain fiber. This helps schools to better meet their requirement for meals to meet the US Dietary Guidelines. We encourage schools to apply nutrition standards to meals, snack foods, vending machine items, school stores, snack bars at school events, fund-raisers, and not to use unhealthy food as rewards nor exercise for punishment.
The organization promotes a plant-based diet and cites research indicating "... that with proper education, children will select healthy options at a much higher rate than those who do not have such education."
To visit the organization's web site & get more information go to: New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods.
  
Red Angus Organic Rib Eye, L'Autunno Blend EVOO & Berkshire Blue
A hearty salad can be a healthy antidote to the winter blues for those of us in the colder climes. We turned to our friend Gwen Kenneally for just such a salad because she shares our passion for using the freshest, most flavorful, and healthiest ingredients available.
Gwen’s love affair with food started early in life. When she was a small child in Petaluma, California, her mother observed her enjoying her lunch, and said, ”Gwenny, you don’t eat-- you Dine!”
Gwen believes that every meal should be about savoring the pleasure of food, family and friends. She started cooking family recipes as a young child with her grandmothers and great aunts. Later, as an adult in Los Angeles, whenever she shared her culinary creations she was swamped with requests for recipes and started writing them down.
Gwen went on to write a weekly food column and today she runs Back to the Kitchen, a full-service catering and party planning business, and publishes a blog by the same name. By telling her stories of turning culinary nightmares into signature dishes, she hopes that readers will learn from her mistakes and triumphs and gain the confidence to explore their own creative approaches to recipes.
Gwen says of this recipe:
Hands down this is one of my most popular winter salads. The little hint of maple syrup gives it such a cozy flavor perfect for a chilly night. This salad also works well with grilled chicken or seared salmon. When choosing salad greens look for the heartier than usual winter varieties such as romaine, watercress, Bibb, Boston, Integrata Red, Butter head and arugula. Serve it with warm crusty bread.
Ingredients for 4-6 Servings
• 2 12-Ounce Red Angus Rib Eye steaks
• 2 Tablespoons L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Preparation
Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then add olive oil, swirling skillet to coat bottom, and cook steaks for 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes. Slice thinly on the diagonal.
Meanwhile whisk together:
• 2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Schoolyard Sugarbush Pure Organic Maple Syrup
• 1 Cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ Cup L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh ground pepper
Lightly toss the following ingredients with dressing:
• 10 Cups assorted organic wintergreens
• 3 Ripe pears, cored and sliced
• 6 Ounces Berkshire Blue Cheese, crumbled
Presentation
Arrange lettuces on platter. Place pears and sliced rib eye prettily on top and sprinkle with the Berkshire Blue and fresh ground pepper.
Gwen & Her #1 Protégé
To visit Gwen’s fine blog & gets lots of cooking tips borne of experience, or contact her, go to: Back to the Kitchen
To order a world class, hand-picked olive oil from California's Stella Cadente, and our favorite, go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you'd like to purchase flavorful, premium & safe Red Angus Rib Eye from Damar Farms in Wisconsin go to: Organic Red Angus Rib Eye Steaks
To purchase a mouth-watering, award-winning blue cheese from Massachusetts go to: Berkshire Blue
To purchase some superb Schoolyard Sugarbush Organic Maple Syrup from the Weed family in Upstate New York go to: 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
Fresh Blueberries (photo by Christina Dreesen, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Blueberries are simply delicious in pancakes, oatmeal, pastries and pies. They also happen to be one of nature’s healthiest gifts, being loaded with antioxidants.
Antioxidants are the "natural zappers" of free radicals, the unstable molecules associated with cancer, heart disease, and the effects of aging. When U.S. Department of Agriculture studies measured the antioxidant activity of more than 40 fruits and vegetables they ranked blueberries #1. The health benefits of the tasty little berries have led many people to make them part of their daily diet.
The wild blueberries of Maine contain even more antioxidants than their cultivated cousins. All it takes is a half-cup of wild blueberries to deliciously satisfy one of the recommended "five-a-day" servings of colorful fruits and vegetables. Some of the most powerful antioxidants are highly concentrated in the deep blue pigments of wild blueberries
According to an article in WebMD:
Ohio State University researchers say they found that feeding a blueberry extract to mice with blood vessel tumors safely decreased the size of the tumors and improved survival… Tumors made from the types of cells in question are found in blood vessels and affect 3% of children, the researchers say. The tumors, they add, usually occur within four weeks of birth and often affect premature infants.
Gayle Gordillo, MD, principal investigator of the Ohio State team said in a press release, "Our hope is that if we feed blueberry juice to a child with this type of tumor, we can intervene and shrink the tumor before it becomes a big problem."
If you’d like to read the WebMD article cited above go to: Blueberries May Shrink Tumors in Babies
To purchase some splendid wild blueberry products from Maine’s Bar Harbor Jam Company go to any of the following:
Deluxe Wild Blueberry Gift Basket
Maine's Wild Blueberry Jam
Wild Blueberry Syrup
Colorado Farmer with Non-GM Sugar Beet (photo by Arthur Rothstein, ca. 1939, courtesy of Library of Congress)
American Feast and Organic Valley have joined more than 70 companies in pledging not to use or sell genetically modified beet sugar. The companies believe there has been insufficient study of the long term effects of genetically modified crops on human health and the environment.
The companies have signed a registry sponsored by a dozen food safety and environmental organizations. One reason for establishing the registry is the absence of mandatory labeling for genetically modified foods. The sponsoring organizations believe consumers should be given a choice as to whether or not they want to eat genetically modified food.
Food Navigator has quoted Jeffrey Smith, director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, “We need to avoid the all-too-common situation of finding out a product is harmful after it has been approved and widely distributed. Requiring that GM foods be labeled is the only protection consumers have if they want to avoid eating GM foods.”
The sugar beets were genetically modified to be resistant to a herbicide, making it easier to kill weeds without destroying the sugar beet plants. Opponents fear the genetically modified plants will cross-pollinate with related crops such as chard and table beets, needlessly affecting non-GM foods and food ingredients.
Tom Stearns, president of High Mowing Organic Seeds, told Food Navigator, “Overseas markets have already rejected other GM products, so the economic future of many of our nation’s farmers is being needlessly risked.”
To see a list of the companies that have signed the registry go to: Non-GM Beet Sugar Registry
If you’d like to read the Food Navigator article cited above go to: Food companies pledge to avoid GM beet sugar
To view previous posts on the topic go to any of the following:
1. Study: Genetic Modification Reduces Crop Yields
2. Global Debate Over Genetically Modified Food
3. Judge Halts Planting of a Genetically Modified Crop
Mowing Oats & Sweet Clover (© Image courtesy of Roxbury Farm)
About 20 years ago, Community Supported Agriculture began as an alternative to giant agribusiness. It is grounded in a philosophy of biodynamic farming, which recognizes that all systems, whether economic, ecological, or biological, are microcosms having their own integrity, while simultaneously being dependent on one another.
To succeed, the alternative farms build direct relationships between farmers and consumers. Consumers become members who pay in advance for a share of the farm’s bounty. Fresh, seasonal food and required tasks get shared among the members. It’s a wonderful way for folks to directly connect with farmers, get the freshest, most delicious, and most nutritious food available, support the economic viability of local family farms, and make some like-minded friends.
Roxbury Farm has been a pioneer of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) since getting started in 1990, and it’s been going strong ever since. Located in Kinderhook in New York State’s scenic and historic Hudson Valley, Roxbury Farm was the first CSA to serve members in New York City.
A report in the Boston Globe describes the fun of being a CSA member:
Members say that their week begins to take shape when the box of produce arrives. Picking it up becomes an adventure. Dinners turn into spontaneous creations crafted around produce that must be eaten right away. Vegetables you've never seen, or would never buy, are suddenly on the table - and you find you actually like them. If you never heard of kohlrabi, for instance, you're in for a treat; if you've got too much food or you're going away, share your bounty with grateful friends.
If you’d like to read the Boston Globe article cited above go to: Fresh idea for supporting agriculture
If you’d like to learn more about Roxbury Farm & becoming a member go to: Roxbury Farm CSA
To view a previous post on the topic go to: Community Supported Agriculture at Roxbury Farm
Scoma's Restaurant on San Francisco’s Fisherman's Wharf is kicking off its Second Annual Crab Challenge where all crab lovers are welcome to put a favorite crab recipe to the test. Simply email your original recipe before Friday, February 27, 2009.
Scoma's judges will choose the best and the restaurant will feature it on its menu for the rest of crab season. The top crab recipe also wins dinner for two at Scoma's, and a weekend at San Francisco's Orchard Garden Hotel.
Last year's winner was an inspiring Crab Tower - a delicious, beautiful presentation of fresh Dungeness crab, complimented by a layer of luscious avocado and topped with a refreshing salsa.
The Crab Tower (Images courtesy of Scoma's)
Real crab only - no krab! The winner will be notified no later than March 9, 2009.
Email your original recipe to: contest@scomas.com
Official contest rules are available at: Scoma's Restaurant
Sustainable Scoma’s
Scoma’s philosophy towards the environment is simple: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. By following this motto, the restaurant has earned numerous awards for its commitment to sustaining the environment and protecting the oceans. The accolades include consecutive ‘Golden Dumpster’ Awards from San Francisco’s Department of the Environment and multiple Waste Reduction Awards from the State of California.
Pittsburgh Skyline (photo by Derek Cashman, copyright holder)
Pittsburgh has the country’s most successful football team, but there are more delights to be had in the Steel City beyond the gridiron. For well over a century wealthy business people have been donating millions of dollars to make the city rich in art and culture and help it gain it recognition as one of America’s most livable cities.
Pittsburgh is home to the Andy Warhol Museum and the Carnegie Museum of Art, boasts a fine symphony, and has a long tradition of jazz, blues and bluegrass music. There are four resident companies of professional actors at the Pittsburgh Playhouse alone. If it’s family fun you seek, the beautiful Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh became the largest Silver LEED certified (eco-friendly) museum in the country in March of 2006, and the innovative design won awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Institute of Architects.
For foodies it’s also a place where dessert gets taken very seriously. According to China Millman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “…there are a growing number of pastry chefs in Pittsburgh who have both the skill and the necessary support to create desserts that are unmissable and unforgettable.”
Ms. Millman’s article identifies seven restaurants that will enchant foodies with their dessert offerings. Mio Kitchen and Wine Bar was noted for having emphasized dessert from the beginning. Executive chef and owner Matthew Porco is quoted, explaining, “As you eat rich and savory things and you move into something sweet I think it really complements everything and brings it all together."
If you’d like to read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article cited above go to: Here's to the restaurants that take dessert seriously
If you’d like to read a New York Times article on Pittsburgh's successful use of principles of sustainability to both preserve and revitalize its historic structures go to: The Greening of Pittsburgh
Brown Eggs (photo by Clara Natoli, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Lovers of omelettes, soufflés, custards and cakes take heart, BBC News has reported that, "A University of Surrey team said their work suggested most people could eat as many eggs as they wanted without damaging their health."
There is a popular misconception that eating more than three eggs a week increased the risk of heart disease. But the Surrey team of scientists wrote in the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin that, "eating saturated fats was far more likely to cause health problems."
The BBC News report quoites Researcher and Professor Bruce Griffin, "The UK public do not need to be limiting the number of eggs they eat - indeed they can be encouraged to include them in a healthy diet as they are one of nature's most nutritionally dense foods."
If you’d like to read the BBC article cited above go to: Regular eggs 'no harm to health'
Fresh Food & Fine Design (photo by Mary R. Vogt, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Good economic news has been less plentiful than we’d like of late, but we just got some very encouraging news from our friends at American Farmland Trust:
According to the new 2007 Census of Agriculture, direct farm-to-consumer food sales at farm stands and farmers markets rose 49 percent, and sales of organic foods were significant. These statistics are two of many in the new census that give a comprehensive look at what constitutes U.S. agriculture today. Such market growth offers producers fresh opportunities to stay economically viable, a key factor in helping our farmers keep their land in agriculture.
This not just good news for farmers. More and more folks are getting to know the farmers who grow their food, and that is great news for everyone who wants a healthier and more sustainable food system. Buying from a local farmer means you’re getting the freshest, best-tasting and most nutritious food available. The sharp rise in the number of people who want that experience means slow food thinking is becoming increasingly pervasive. As it does, ever more folks will have access to food that is "Good, Clean and Fair."
If you’d like to learn more about the efforts of AFT go to: American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
French Winery in Aquitaine (© Photowitch | Dreamstime.com)
Even the rarified world of collectors who obtain rare vintages and investment-grade wines is feeling the pinch of a difficult international economy. Aabalat Fine & Rare Wines, a seller of investment-grade wines in Petaluma, California, has seen prices drop approximately 25%. Despite the sharp decline in prices, the volume of sales has not increased.
The slumping luxury wine market is in stark comparison to recent boom times. Says Bob Orlandi, owner of Aabalat Fine & Rare Wines:
Back in 1998, wine was just beginning to gain mass appeal and more and more people began collecting wine for either personal enjoyment or investment. By the beginning of 2008, we could barely keep up with demand for the 2005 vintage Bordeaux, large formats, and other ultra fine wine. As a result, prices dramatically increased over that 10-year period.
There may be a silver lining to the weakened market. The folks at Aabalat believe “…a sharp rise in sales when the economy begins to rebound is inevitable…because wine is finite. Once a vintage is produced, you can’t make anymore. Therefore the laws of supply and demand apply more rigorously.”
For additional information on Aabalat go to: Aabalat Fine & Rare Wines
 
A good friend from Maine has sent us a splendid recipe for a hearty entrée to serve your guests on a wintry evening. A well-prepared loin of pork is tough to beat when it comes to succulent flavor. Our friend Pastor Chuck’s recipe combines the terrific taste of loin of pork with the unrivaled flavor of his organic apple butter.
Pastor Chuck’s organic apple butter is a big step up in flavor from what can typically be found on a store shelf. The ingredients couldn't be more wholesome; organic apples, organic apple cider, and organic spices. The all-natural apple butter is made from apples grown in Pastor Chuck’s organic orchard in Maine.
Ingredients
• 1 Pork tenderloin
• 4 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 Garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 Jar of Pastor Chuck’s Organic Apple Butter
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Split the pork tenderloin lengthwise.
3. Flatten it out.
4. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, spaced evenly, lengthwise.
5. Add two garlic cloves quartered lengthwise.
6. Spread half of an 8-ounce jar of Pastor Chuck’s Organic Apple Butter lengthwise.
7. Sew or tie it up.
8. Spread remaining Organic Apple Butter on both sides.
9. Place the tenderloin on a rack.
10. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour per pound, turning several times.
If you'd like to try some amazing organic apple butter go to: Pastor Chucks Organic Apple Butter
Thistle Hill's John & Janine Putnam (photo courtesy of Thistle Hill Farm)
Thistle Hill Farm in Pomfret, Vermont has been a certified organic farm for over 15 years, having started out as a part time endeavor of the family of John and Janine Putnam. While making improvements to the farm they decided to pursue dairy alone, but it was not enough to sustain the family and farm and John continued his work as a lawyer.
In 1999, the Putnams went to Switzerland, where they visited almost every major cheesemaking region in the Swiss, French and Italian Alps. They’re quest was to find a cheese they loved that was produced in conditions matching as closely as possible the climate of Pomfret in the hills of Vermont. The journey led the family of six to Beaufort, France. There they were told of a Frenchman in the mountains above Moutiers who would tell them all they needed to know.
They found him at home on a Sunday afternoon. Having milked his cows, made some cheese, tended chores, and cleaned the kitchen, he had an hour for himself before evening chores and milking. So he seemed less than overjoyed to see two lost souls on his doorstep at a time when a nap seemed like a good idea. He let John and Janine struggle in French for a while before inviting them in for coffee in perfect English.
He makes Beaufort "alpage" from the milk of 100 Tarine cows, twice a day, everyday, all summer long. He is famous for his cheese, and for falling asleep at dinner. He said "to make Beaufort is too meticulous for you". That was the hook. He found the Putnams an apprentice and both have helped the family ever since. He now thinks that "maybe our job is OK". The Putnam’s Thistle Hill Tarentaise is the happy result, among the most superb cheese creations anywhere in the world, garnering prestigious First Place awards from the American Cheese Society in both 2004 and 2006!
If you'd like to purchase a 1/2 wheel or full wheel of the Putnam's Tarentaise go to: Organic Tarentaise Raw Milk Cheese
Birches in Winter (photo by Harri, courtesy of morguefile.com)
It is difficult to remember a time when some affordable family fun was more in order. If an outing amidst a wintry landscape sounds good, Upstate New York’s Maple Weekend is coming up. Families will be welcome free of charge at sugarhouses across the state on the weekend of March 21-22, and again on the weekend of March 28-29, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day.
Over 100 maple producers will be hosting free open houses to demonstrate how maple syrup and other maple products are made. Guests entering the sugarhouses will be struck by the amazing aroma of the syrup. While there they'll be able to sample and purchase maple delights. Some of the sugarhouses will provide a variety of other activities to make visits especially memorable.
Maple Syrup's Origin
The first people to make maple syrup were the Native Americans of the Northeast, who called their delicious syrup, "sinzibukwud," which means, "sweet buds." The Native Americans used it as a flavoring for breads, stews, teas, vegetables and cranberries. We’re all forever in their debt for teaching their trade to French and English settlers.
During the colonial period maple sugar became the principal sweetener in North America. When cane sugar was introduced, many colonists still preferred dried maple sugar because it did not involve West Indian slave labor.
For a list of participating maple producers sorted by county & maps to their locations go to: NYS Maple Weekend Locations
If you can’t make it to a sugarhouse but would like to purchase some of Upstate New York's fine syrup go to:
100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
Children Playing on the Beach (© Chris Johnson | Dreamstime.com)
Gourmet Retailer has reported that, "Approximately 76 million Americans -- one in four -- are sickened by food-borne diseases each year, according to Trust for America's Health (TFAH). Of these, an estimated 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die, costing the United States $44 billion annually."
The unprecedented recall of peanut products and the sometimes fatal consequences for those who were victims of the Salmonella-tainted food have made it clearer than ever that the U.S. needs to develop a healthier and more sustainable food system. Yesterday, President Barack Obama called for a "complete review" of the operations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the wake of the ongoing outbreak.
"The disruption of moving to a government-wide single food safety agency, in a very short period of time, may actually weaken things for a while rather than strengthen them," Dr. Jeffrey Levi, executive director of TFAH, said in an interview. "So our hope is that the first step in the process is creating a separate food safety agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to strengthen systems that are already in place."
Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk from tainted food. TFAH released a comprehensive report identifying major gaps in the country's food safety system, including obsolete laws, misallocation of resources, and inconsistencies among major food safety agencies.
The full report can be found at: Fixing Food Safety: Protecting America's Food Supply from Farm-to-Fork in 2008
Caliza 2006 Syrah (Photo courtesy of Caliza Winery)
Caliza Winery’s 2006 Syrah won Best of Class in the Syrah category and won the Sweepstakes Award for Best Red Wine overall in The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. What makes this accolade even more extraordinary is that this is winemaker and winery owner Carl Bowker’s first release.
The SF Chronicle Wine Competition is a major American wine competition with over 4,000 entries from around the world. Bowker entered the Caliza Syrah in the competition last December and had essentially forgotten about it until receiving phone calls telling him he had won.
“I got a few congratulatory calls from friends but I really couldn’t comprehend what they were talking about” said Bowker. “I knew we had entered the competition, but at best we were hoping for a little recognition. Nothing of this magnitude even entered my mind – I was literally blown away!”
The winning wine was sourced mainly from the Russell Family vineyard. The grapes were hand-harvested in September of 2006, and gently de-stemmed. After fermentation the wine spent 18 months in 50% new French Oak barrels from five different artisan coopers before bottling. Two hundred cases were produced, and the wine is available direct from the winery at a suggested retail price of $45 per bottle.
Carl Bowiker, a successful convention show contractor, and his wife Pam considered growing grapes and opening a winery after a trip to the Italian and French wine country several years back. It was then that they fell in love with the lifestyle and scenery. A few years later they decided to make the dream a reality. They traveled extensively from their home base in San Mateo looking for a California vineyard and winery location that would enable them to bring their fantasy to life.
They found their dream property in the Templeton Gap in Paso Robles, about a three hour drive from San Francisco. With the help of local winemakers, Scott Hawley, Eric Jensen and Erich Russell, Carl set out to craft his wines. A six year project in the making, Caliza Winery consists of two separate vineyards totaling 20 acres and an intimate tasting room that opened on Thanksgiving of 2008.
If you’d like to read the press release on which this item was based go to: Best Red Wine At SF Chronicle Wine Competition Comes From First Time Winemaker
Highlands of Scotland (photo by Daniele Musella, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Rob Roy MacGregor was a hero or an outlaw, or a bit of both, born in Scotland in 1671. A Jacobite sympathizer, he faced deportation to Barbados on charges of High Treason until he was pardoned by King George I in 1727. Rob Roy’s exact history is debatable, but his legend has been immortalized in print and film. His name has also been given to a classic cocktail that employs one of Scotland’s great gifts to the world, the country’s famous whiskey.
Rob Roys were quite popular when I began working in restaurants and I recall them being a particular favorite of Catholic Priests way back then. More recently our friend Gary Regan, author and Founder of Ardent Spirits, dispelled a claim that the original Rob Roy recipe called for dry vermouth rather than sweet vermouth, citing "The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book." Ever a creative man, when Gary makes a Rob Roy he always adds a little Peychaud's bitters. He says, “The anise notes play well off the Scotch and the bitters add complexity to the drink.”
Gary knows as much about the history of spirits as anyone I’ve ever come across, but he’s not overburdened with a sense of tradition. He’s well capable of daring the unconventional and re-imagining the makings of a classic cocktail for contemporary imbibers. With an adventurousness befitting a drink named after one of Scotland’s legendary heroes, Gary has provided us with two premium versions of the Rob Roy, employing sweet and dry vermouth in turn.
The Rob Roy
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• 2 Ounces Chivas Regal 18-year-old Scotch
• 1 Ounce Noilly Prat sweet vermouth
• 2 Dashes Peychaud's bitters
• 1 Maraschino cherry, for garnish
Preparation
1. Stir Scotch, vermouth and bitters over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
2. Add the garnish.
The Dry Rob Roy
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• 2 Ounces Johnnie Walker Gold Label Scotch
• 1 Ounce Martini & Rossi dry vermouth
• 2 Dashes Peychaud's bitters
• 1 Lemon twist, for garnish
Preparation
1. Stir Scotch, vermouth and bitters over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
2. Add the garnish.
If you’d like to purchase Gary’s newest display of wit, charm & knowledge go to: the bartender's GIN compendium
If you’d like to purchase the book on spirits & cocktails that Gary Regan calls, “My Baby” go to: The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft
If you’d like to purchase a terrific bartender’s guide authored by Gary's partner Mardee go to: The Bartender's Best Friend: A Complete Guide to Cocktails, Martinis, and Mixed Drinks
To visit Gary and Mardee’s wonderful web site and sign up for their very witty newsletter go to: Ardent Spirits
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