Friday, August 31, 2007

Fantastic Specials

Arteminia Breaded oyster (42% breading, 31/40 counts/LB).
This is an ideal appetizer item. The price for US Foodservice customers is only $3.90/LB, ($0.11 cents each) as compared to $6-$7/LB from other brand name companies.

US Food's item# 4638359.


A heaping plate of Wild Pacific Shrimp Spring Rolls, bursting with ginger flavor. Served with a sweet chili dipping sauce.

Great appetizer item! Approximately ½ oz each, yet nearly 4” long for great plate coverage. Hand rolled ginger shrimp lumpia with a generous shrimp tail hanging out one end. With a portion cost of only $.13 each, an appetizer plate of 10 will only cost $1.30 add another $.20 for garnish, and you are taking $4.50 to the bank with every order! US Food’s Item #606889



Red Hook Battered 31-35 count shrimp. This was a whole peeled cooked tail off white shrimp. The texture of the shrimp was excellent and the signature Red Hook flavor jumps out at you in a pleasing way. With a per piece cost of approximately .17 cents each this makes a versatile menu item that can be cross merchandised as a special, an appetizer, an entree, or a banquet item. US Food Item # 1495928






Thank You For Service


P E B B L E B E A C H C O M P A N Y



Memo


Date: August 30, 2007


To: Dan Geissbuhler, Melody Oshea, Phil Collins

From: Rommel Esteybar


Subject: Thank you for the best Concour de Elegance ever!!!



It was a record crowd and the weather was awesome!


I would like to thank the entire US Foodservice team, from the Transportation Dept. to the Warehouse Pickers and Loaders, from the Sales Team and Customer Service Dept., for all your help in making this such a successful event!


In addition, I would like to thank these three star and key players that have been a tremendous help to me and they are Larry King, Bruce Raymond and Brian Isaeff. We were able to handle any given situation and emergency through our combine effort, pre-planning and teamwork. Both the 2007 AT&T Nat. Pro-Am and Concours were ran smooth and efficiently due to these three special staff of yours.


Thank you for coordinating our deliveries and ensuring early deliveries to all outlets!

Thank you for respecting our guest needs by keeping the noise minimal during delivery!

Thank you for lending us your trailers and pallet jacks!

Thank you for allowing us to have extended days of deliveries during the week of the event!

Thank you for monitoring the trailers and making sure the temperature is right!

Thank you for helping us locate and procure some last minute specialty request for our guests!

Thank you for processing our returns so quick and for sending us our credits early!

Thank you for coordinating the donations to Meals on Wheels for helping us expedite the clean up process at the 18th Hole!


We were able to clean up the golf course especially the 18th hole due to your extra help that Sunday night. Thank you for staying late with us in gathering food and beverage supplies and all of the equipment and paper products!


We could not done it with out you!!!


Thank you!!!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Did You Know?

The word “Ravioli” comes from the Italian verb ravvolgere, meaning to wrap.

Legend has it that noodles were first made by 13th century German bakers who fashioned dough into symbolic shapes, such as swords, birds and stars, which were baked and served as bread. There are more than 600 pasta shapes intentionally produced worldwide. Several thousand more are unintentionally shaped by me with my Ronco pasta maker kit.

Cooked “al dente” literally means “to the tooth” which is how to test pasta to see if it is properly cooked. The Pasta should be a bit firm, offering some resistance to the tooth, but tender.

One cup cooked spaghetti provides about 200 calories, 40 grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of total fat, no cholesterol and only one gram of sodium when cooked without salt.

Pasta is one of America’s favorite foods. Last year, 1.3 million pounds of pasta were sold in American grocery stores.

The average person in Italy eats more that 51 pounds of pasta every year. The average person in North America eats about 15 -1/2 pounds of pasta per year.

Monday, August 27, 2007

The Weekend

Transitions happen all the time, some are insignificant, some seem more significant than others.

I turned 40 this year and my 20 year old told me that was significant, but it wasn't to me. I asked her "what can you do at 40 that you can't do at 21?" Nothing right? At 40 and one half though I have found you get more out of life. More balding, more belly, and so on! Well instead of working to be the life of the party, old guys have to be working out more.

Speaking of work, after 2 weeks without a break, I took Saturday off. My 13 year old was camping, my 14 year old was out with her mom so I took the dogs and we went hiking up in the former Fort Ord. The trails are wide the ascent is gradual for the most part. I think you can go from 70' above sea level to 300'. These trails are dog friendly-no leash law- and Bear and George made some new friends. I have to say I ran them ragged (while walking that is, you look good when your dogs are normally couch potatoes).

When I got home I started on a cooking binge. Lasagna, smoked chicken thighs, and smoked pork two ways (recipes below). These are multi-day meals to allow for interference from real life. I already know we have a parent meeting, the second-monthly- business Shin-Dig at the Mucky Duck, a cross country meet, and I can guarantee one night I just won't want to cook at all.

Several personal events occured this past couple weeks in the midst of all the work events. We had a "family reunion" of sorts Concours weekend. My cousins held a 40 year wedding anniversary/surprise party for their parents. We got together with family we haven't seen in 7 years. (Actually there was a couple there I haven't seen since 1981). It was all the same though albeit lighter alcohol, and you had to repeat yourself alot to be heard.

After the party Trisha my 20 year old left to her mom's house. The following day while I was back at Equipment Central at Pebble Beach for the big day at Concours she flew into Texas, and then on to Florida. One week of vacation and then she starts school at Bob Jones University in South Carolina. 5 quarters she is planning on being out there. It seems like she has been around for like 20 years or something..strange that she is gone!

Tim showed up briefly (he doesn't like social events..show up late leave early). He brought his girlfriend Jasmine and they had to put up with all kinds of honest/uncomfortable questions about school, work, and life in general. Mainly from the Colorado Tim, that's my brother in law, who is retired Army and now works for the Department of Homeland Security. Tim's new position is called something like "Assistant Director of Future Operations", if I'm not mistaken. He gets to worry about hurricanes, missles, bird flu, and whatever else can enter our borders. I can still remember him as the long haired kid that was dating my older sister-who used to wake me up to help push start his GTO so that he could go home after bringing her home from their date. My Tim probably see's him as retired Army and the Assistant Director of Future Operations, the crawl inside of me why don't you leave me alone and quit asking questions Uncle Tim.

Tuesday one of my few friends that is still alive came down to vacation in Carmel for a few days, with her family. Heller "Wheels" Stanton, and I were on the Bonnie Brae Barracudas swim team from 3rd grade on. She was sure to remind me (in front of my kids)as to what a putz I was growing up. For her part she married to a great guy..Dan Stanton and has two great young sons. Jakob is 5 and Soren is 2. I learned alot about Star Wars over pizza at Gianni's. And Soren and I had a pretty good game of Peek-A-Boo going on.

I'm off to put the simmering smoke pork butt in the fridge and finish the dishes. I hope the next few weeks are as much fun as the last few!

Four Cheese Lasagna with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Chopped Onions
3/4 Cup Finely Chopped Carrots (Ask Chef Ben for a template)
¼ Cup Zucchini finely diced
2 Tblsp Minced Garlic
½ Lb Ground Beef
½ Lb Hot Italian sausage
28 oz Can of Crushed tomatoes
6 oz Can Tomato Paste
¼ Cup Chopped Basil
1 Tblsp Brown Sugar
1 Tblsp dried Oregano
2 Bay leaves
1 Tsp Dried crushed red pepper

Lasagna
12 Dry Lasagna Noodles
1 Quart Ricotta
1 Cup Grated Parmesan
10 oz Frozen chopped Spinach thawed, drained, and squeezed.
2 eggs
1 ¼ Lb Grated Mozzarella

For sauce heat olive oil in saucepan, add onion, carrot, zucchini, and garlic. Saute until softened. Add beef and sausages. Saute until cooked, breaking up meat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until sauce is about 5 cups, stirring occasionally.

Boil Noodles.

Mix Parmesan, Ricotta, Spinach and season with salt a pepper. Then add eggs.

Spread light layer of sauce over bottom of lasagna pan. Place 4 noodles over sauce, overlapping if necessary.
Layer Ricotta mix, then mozzarella and sauce.
Repeat layering.
Arrange final noodles. Spread remaining sauce. Top with extra Mozz, Parm, and some shredded cheddar.

Bake covered with foil at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes or so and serve.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Pebble Beach to the rescue with Food & Wine



By MIKE HALE
Herald Food Writer
Monterey County Herald
Article Last Updated:08/23/2007 01:48:03 AM PDT

When the famed Masters of Food & Wine ended its gluttonous 21-year run earlier this year, whispers quickly began about someone organizing a similar event.
But who? In retrospect, there was only one entity capable of resuming the culinary tradition of the famed event — Pebble Beach Resorts. Only Pebble has the financial and logistical credentials to pull off such an annual miracle (housing the chefs, buying ingredients, tracking down rare vintages, plying food writers with obscene amounts of champagne and caviar).

So it is, then, that our famed resort will host in March of next year the first-ever Pebble Beach Food & Wine. That's it. No flowery nouns such as "gala" or "extravaganza" — just Food & Wine (geez, with all the creative energy behind such a project, they could at least impress us out of the gate with some innovative wordplay).

I digress. The important thing to remember is that a giant culinary void has been filled — and an economic one, as well. We are a tiny region driven by big-time events, and March 27-30 will provide a four-day boost to our local economy.

Local food and wine enthusiasts Robert Weakley and David Bernahl are the first two people to thank. Weakley is the former food and beverage director for the Park Hyatt Highlands Inn and pulled all the strings behind the last few Masters events. Bernahl is founder, president and CEO of Pacific Tweed in Carmel and self-professed gourmet and connoisseur of wine.

Weakley and Bernahl are careful not to compare this event to the Masters, which continues its legacy, albeit in South America next year, alternating sites around the globe. But let's be honest; it may not be a direct rip-off of the Masters, but it certainly looks, tastes and smells very familiar.

The list of chefs for the March event is impressive. Look for, among many others, Cat Cora, Gary Danko, Daniel Humm, Michel Richard, Charles Phan, Eric Ripert, Rick Tramonto, Mark Miller, Hubert Keller and Jaques Pepin; huge names, but still regulars at past Masters. Add Chef Mark Ayers (the muscle behind the Masters at Park Hyatt Highlands Inn for years), Bernardus Lodge Executive Chef Cal Stamenov (former top chef at Highlands), and locals such as The Cheese Shop's R. Kent Torrey, and the scent of familiarity fills the air.

Improvements will abound, however. Speaking of top chefs, restaurateur and television personality Tom Colicchio (Bravo's "Top Chef") will join the party, along with "Top Chef" regular Ted Allen. And the four-day spectacle will handle larger crowds (more than 2,000 to be sure). The events will be spread throughout the property, using facilities at The Inn at Spanish Bay, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Casa Palermo, The Beach and Tennis Club and the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

There will be four celebrity chef cooking demonstrations each day, four cult wine tastings and many other side events. The most prestigious event takes place Friday night when well-to-do culinarians fork over $1,000 a seat for the Pinnacle Dinner at the Beach and Tennis Club at Pebble. The dinner includes a rare wine auction and plenty of supreme sipping.

All total, more than 200 wineries from around the world will participate. Part of the proceeds from the event will be given to local charities and to help create culinary and enological scholarships.

For information, visit the newly constructed Web site www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com. The home page describes the event as "the most memorable experience in culinary history."

Let's not get carried away, yet allow the excitement to build. Only seven more months until the first ever Pebble Beach Food & Wine ... thingie.

Chicago restaurants sidestep foie gras ban


By Lindsey Klingele on 8/24/2007 for Meatingplace.com

Nearly one year after the controversial ban of foie gras from Chicago's menus, restaurants are finding creative ways to bypass regulation and serve the dish, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Citywide restaurateurs have managed unique ways to serve the popular dish since its ban on Aug. 22 of last year, including offering it as a garnish or serving it as a complementary item with other meals. City inspectors have deemed these acts as compliant.

Only one restaurant has been fined for serving foie gras after the ban was passed. Doug Sohn, owner of Chicago's Hot Doug's, was fined $250 for serving a foie gras and duck sausage sandwich. He has since stopped serving the item.

Chicago Chefs for Choice, a coalition that was formed to oppose the foie gras ban, continues to lobby for a repeal of the ordinance. Chicago's Department of Public Health also would favor such.

"Every hour we spend on foie gras is an hour we don't spend protecting people from food-borne illnesses," Department of Public Health spokesman Tim Haddac told the Tribune.

Your Chance To Own Gorda Springs On The Big Sur Coast


This enchanting ocean front resort is on Highway 1, 65 miles south of Carmel, Calif. and 25 miles north of Hearst Castle. The drive to Gorda along the Big Sur Coast is breathtakingly beautiful.

Since the opening of Highway 1 in 1937, Gorda has been a stopover oasis for millions of travelers. The gardens and scenic wonders at Gorda are a nature lover's and photographer's paradise. There are many nearby hiking trails, fishing coves, & beaches for surfing and beach combing.

Because of the deep waters immediately offshore, Gorda is one of the most unique Pacific locations for whale watching. The beach below Gorda is also a designated sanctuary for a spectacular colony of elephant seals.

Historically
Gorda's natural spring water was enjoyed by the Costanoan and Esalen Indian tribes for centuries before Gorda was first settled in 1878 as a stage coach stop. During the Big Sur gold rush in the 1880's Gorda developed into an important mining town bordering the famous Gorda and Los Burros gold mines.

DESCRIPTION: Seize The Opportunity To Own An Entire Set Of Businesses Located On The Famous Big Sur Coastline. Offering An Array Of Goods And Services To Passers-By, This Package Is One-Of-A-Kind And You Will Not See An Offer Like This For A Long Time To Come. This Enchanting Ocean Front Package Is On Highway 1 Near The Natural Feed Of Hearst Castle In San Simeon.
Included In This Offer Are:

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* The Pacfic Market Deli & Gift Shop. Selling Food Delicacies, Fresh Baked Goods, Sandwiches, Snacks, And Beer.
* Garden Espresso Bar Featuring Unique Home Brewed Beverages, Including Coffee Drinks.
* Americo Gas Service Station
* Antique Shop

The Big Sur Coastline Is One Of The Major Tourist Attractions Of California.
Over 4,500,000 Vehicles Pass Big Sur's Remote Highway Every Year, And During The Summer Tourist Season The Vehicle Count Is Over 1000 Cars A Minute. Wouldn't You Like To Be The One Who Is Serving All Of These Visitors' Needs? Excellent Income With Terrific Upside Of Fun, Relaxation, Fresh Air And Awesome Ocean Views. Great Place To Retire And Enjoy Life And The Beauty That Is Naturally Provided Daily, Including High Traffic Of The Whale Population Out Each Window. Totally Self Contained With Generators, Water Source, And Employees Living On Site. Enjoy Peace And Serenity.

This Package Is Unique In Structuring As It Includes 25+ Acres Of Real Estate, All Improvements, Equipment, Buildings, Fixtures, Licenses, Permits, Full Liquor License, Two Homes For Paying Guests, And All Employees Live On Site, So This Is Totally Self Contained, Even With Full Generators.

The Absentee Owner States Net Earnings In The 800,000 Plus Range. You Could Live On Site, Enjoy Breath Taking Views, Peace And Serenity, And Feel As If You Retired To Heaven In Infamous Big Sur Coastline Recently Voted One Of The Top 5 Places To Visit!

All For Only 12.5M. Open To Various Options. Principals Only! Must Present Financials Immediately Per Owners Request Before Tour Or Financials Can Be Released.

To Inspect: By Appointment, Please, With This Office As Owner Does Not Want Customers And Employees To Know The Businesses Are For Sale.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

U.S. Buffalo Wing Eating Championship


The sixth annual National Chicken Wing Fest will take place in Buffalo, N.Y., over Labor Day weekend.

Buffalo's annual festival will feature wing-friendly activities including: the crowning of a Miss Buffalo Wing, the naming of a U.S. chicken wing-eating champion and the carving of Theresa Bellissimo, the original creator of the Buffalo wing, out of a live tree. More than 15 tons of chicken wings and 100 varieties of sauce will be served at the festival.

Over the last five years, the National Chicken Wing Festival has drawn in more than a quarter of a million people, served more than a million wings and raised more than $95,000 for local charities, Brown told WBFO News.

Of course with the Buffalo Wing Festival comes the U.S. Buffalo Wing Eating Contest!

Drew Cerza's legendary Wing Fest will once again feature top Major League Eating talent. Last year, Chip Simpson rocked the crowd at Dunn Tire Park, winning with 158 Buffalo Wings. Humble Bob Shoudt and Sonya Thomas tied for 2nd, and Arturo Rios rounded out the top four.

Prize Money Breakdown:
1st Place: $1500
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $300

Registration is being taken at www.buffalowing.com.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Open season on Tomatoes

What can you do with the prized produce? Almost anything
By BRENDA MOORE
Herald Staff Writer
Monterey County Herald
Article Last Updated:

No homegrown tomatoes in your yard? Too bad. But there's always second best: Prime tomato season is finally here, and good specimens are showing up at farmers markets and some grocery stores.
After savoring a few in their plain old natural state, what can you do with them? Just about everything, according to the experts.

Gary Ibsen, aka the Tomato Man, has tasted them every which way at his annual Carmel TomatoFest. The gathering at Quail Lodge, scheduled for Sept. 16, brings together chefs from the Monterey Bay and beyond, who come up with new and different ways to serve the prized produce, from salads to sorbets.

After all the testing and tasting, Ibsen always finds himself returning to an old favorite.

"Fried green tomatoes have always been a staple of our summer's tomato harvest," he said. "I love these as snacks, or alongside any meal, especially barbecues. Most any of the larger beefsteak heirloom tomato varieties are perfect for making fried green tomatoes. I like to pick them green with a change of color starting, which would indicate some sweetness forming in the fruit."

Ibsen's recipe, which follows this article, "features just enough of a peppery spark to complement the sweet tang of the green tomato."

Among his other top tomato-recipe picks is a twist on old-fashioned fare: Heirloom Tomato B.L.T. Soup.

Bacon, lettuce and tomato soup? Ibsen said it's an all-time favorite and won the $5,000 grand prize in 2005 in the national TomatoFest Tomato Recipe Contest.

It was created by Jerry Regester, now executive chef at The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards and a former chef at Monterey-area hot spots including Pacific's Edge, The Lodge at Pebble Beach and Cielo in Big Sur.

The TomatoFest is one sure way to know tomato season has arrived. Another? The appearance of the "Deconstructed Tomato Tower" on the menu at Stokes Restaurant & Bar in Monterey.

"People start calling in February asking me when it's going to come," said Brandon Miller, chef-partner at Stokes. "I don't do it until the tomatoes are perfect. That's about mid-July until October."

The dish is Miller's version of insalata caprese, the classic combination of heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Many people serve it in a layered variation, alternating tomatoes with cheese, slightly overlapping like a spread-out deck of playing cards. Miller's is more free-form.

The "deconstructed tower" name is his poke of fun at a trend that has, thankfully, mostly gone by the wayside: building sky-scraping architectural — but nearly impossible to serve or eat — wonders on a plate.

"What this used to be was three slices of cheese and three tomatoes stacked in a big tower," Miller said. "One year I said, 'You know, let's take it down and make it more real.'"

The deconstructed, horizontal version starts with a chunk — about six ounces — of fresh mozzarella cheese, surrounded by a colorful mix of heirloom tomatoes, big and small, weighing in at about eight ounces. It's finished with some fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of basil oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

The tomatoes, obviously, are the key to this dish. The makeup can vary depending on what's fresh. A recent version included Brandywines, Purple Cherokees, Lemon Boys and Sun Golds.

Fresh cheese also is critical. Stokes makes its mozzarella daily from curd that it buys.

"I've been making mozzarella since I worked up in Napa in the late '80s at Tra Vigne restaurant," Miller said. If you're making the dish at home, Miller said, "go find the best cheese you can, hopefully in liquid."

Stokes goes through about 60 pounds of mozzarella a week for the deconstructed towers when tomatoes are in season.

"It might be the most popular thing I've ever had on my menu," Miller said.

For Julia Wiley, the warm summer tomato-ripening season is the perfect time for cool soup, as in gazpacho. She has a favorite version she likes "because it's simple and I can often wing it with whatever I have in my kitchen."

She can also wing it with what she has in her "yard." She and her husband operate Mariquita Farm near Hollister, growing organic specialty vegetables, greens and herbs for sale through a subscription system and to Bay Area restaurants.

For her gazpacho she uses "whatever ripe tomatoes we have around," she said. "We have San Marzanos, Green Zebras and Cherokee Purples, and several other heirloom varieties as well."

"I'm not a fan of green bell peppers — I find them bitter — so my recipe doesn't include them," she said. "But it's fun to put in red or gold bell peppers."

She also adds cucumbers.

"I love cucumbers in any form, and they give the gazpacho a bit of crunch," Wiley said.

In the mood for something even cooler? How about tomato sorbet?

At first blush, it sounds weird. But Colin Moody, executive chef at Asilomar Conference Grounds, is sweet on it.

"This recipe was developed specifically for the TomatoFest, and came out of another dish I had done for a high-end VIP function a few weeks prior," Moody said. "The original dish was a chilled heirloom tomato soup with avocado sorbet. I was looking at tomatoes as a fruit, then thinking, what would I do with a fruit, for an outside, sunny event in Carmel Valley? Well, I would do a refreshing sorbet.

"My other thoughts about it were that it would be a nice palate cleanser, in between the multitude of dishes that all the guests would be enjoying that day. And then it ended up winning the Tomato Lover's Choice Award in the national recipe contest the next year."


|Deconstructed Tomato Tower|

6 oz. fresh mozzarella

8 oz. heirloom tomatoes, mix of varieties, sizes and colors

Basil oil (olive oil flavored with basil)

Fresh basil leaves

Sea salt

Pepper

Steps: Place brick of cheese on plate and arrange tomatoes around it. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste.

|— Brandon Miller, chef-partner,

|Stokes Restaurant & Bar, Monterey


|Fried Green Tomatoes|

4 green, unripe, hard-as-rock tomatoes, sliced approximately ½-inch thick

6 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup polenta

½ cup yellow corn meal

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup semolina flour

1 T. paprika

1 T. dark chili powder

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 T. salt

2 tsp. celery salt

2 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. ground bay leaf

½ tsp. ground fennel that has been roasted

½ cup butter

½ cup olive oil

Steps: Grind polenta for 12 minutes in food processor until granules become fine and small. Mix all the dry ingredients together (flours, corn meal, polenta and spices) and place in a shallow dish.

Scramble the eggs and the half-cup of milk. Place tomato slices into egg mixture and then dredge in the flour mixture.

Heat skillet with butter and olive oil, medium heat. When butter is melted, add coated tomato slices. Cook on one side 2-3 minutes, and turn once, cooking another 2-3 minutes, until tomato is tender but coating is crunchy.

|— Gary Ibsen, founder of

|Carmel TomatoFest


|Heirloom Tomato B.L.T. Soup|

3 lbs. heirloom tomatoes

1 red onion, diced

3 oz. olive oil

1 T. chopped garlic

5 pieces smoked bacon

1 T. chopped thyme leaves, fresh or dried

1 pint red wine

2 T. sherry vinegar

3 slices rye bread

1/3 lb. mixed greens

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Steps for the soup base: In a medium saucepot cook the onions, garlic, thyme and four slices of the bacon in 1 oz. of the olive oil. Cook slowly over low heat and season with a little sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, trying not to brown the onions. When the onions are translucent, add the sherry vinegar and let cook for approximately 2 minutes.

Add three-quarters of the tomatoes to the pot and let them stew for about 15 minutes, then add a little pinch of salt. Add the wine to the tomatoes and reduce by one-third.

Pass the soup base through a food mill and strain to remove any skins and seeds.

For the garnish: Dice the bread and toss in 1 oz. of the olive oil and toast in a 325-degree oven until golden brown; set aside.

Julienne the remaining slice of bacon and sauté over medium heat until crispy; set aside.

Ladle the hot soup into your soup bowls.

Dice the remaining tomatoes and cook with the greens in the remaining olive oil until the greens are wilted (about 2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and spoon into the center of each bowl.

Sprinkle with the croutons and the crispy bacon.

|— Jerry Regester, executive chef,

|The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards


|Fresh Tomato Gazpacho|

5 pounds ripe tomatoes, any color

1-2 cloves garlic

2 T. lime juice

2 T. olive oil

1 T. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. dried or 1 T. fresh oregano, chopped

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1 sweet bell pepper, red or yellow, finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped celery

1 cup finely chopped, seeded cucumber

1-2 jalape o chiles, seeded and minced

Accompaniments: seeded and chopped red bell pepper, diced avocado, fresh chopped cilantro leaves, garlic croutons, thinly sliced radishes, thinly slivered cabbage, lime wedges, creme fraiche.

Steps: Seed and finely chop 1 tomato; reserve. Coarsely chop remaining tomatoes and combine these with garlic in a blender (you may need to do this in two batches) and process until smooth. Press through a sieve into large bowl; discard seeds. Whisk lime juice, oil, vinegar, salt and oregano into tomato mixture. Stir in reserved chopped tomato, green onions, red pepper, celery, cucumber and chiles. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours to blend flavors.

At serving time, stir soup well and ladle into chilled bowls. Pass accompaniments to be added according to individual taste.

Note: I love cucumbers and red bell peppers in my gazpacho, but if you prefer the bitter tang of a green bell pepper you can add that as a garnish or in the blender stage.

|— Julia Wiley, Mariquita Farm of Hollister, which sells its produce through a subscription system. Information: www.mariquita.com


|Swirled Zebra and|

|Marvel Striped Tomato Sorbet|

(Served on a mini ginger cone with a Parmesan crisp)|

For the Zebra Tomato Sorbet

1 pound Zebra or other heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1½ T. champagne vinegar, or other dry vinegar

½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. chives, finely sliced

1 tsp. tarragon, finely sliced

½ cup simple syrup (1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup white sugar brought to simmer until sugar is dissolved, and let cool)

Kosher salt to taste

White pepper to taste

For the Marvel Stripe Tomato Sorbet:

1 lb. Marvel Stripe Tomatoes (or other heirloom tomato) peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1½ T. champagne vinegar, or other dry vinegar

½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. chives, finely sliced

1 tsp. tarragon, finely sliced

½ cup simple syrup

Kosher salt to taste

White pepper to taste

For the Parmesan crisp:

¼ lb. shaved, or grated Parmesan cheese

Cones:

12 sugar cones for mini-style cone. Carefully cut cone in half with a serrated bread knife, using the bottom half as a petite cone.

Steps: Since this is a duplicate recipe, you may prepare/combine all the ingredients from the sorbet recipes, except the tomatoes, in one big batch, then divide in half and use with each kind of tomato.

For the sorbets, put the Zebra tomatoes in medium saucepan, and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. Place tomatoes in blender with remaining ingredients and purée until smooth. Press mixture through chinoise, or fine sieve. Chill quickly in freezer or ice water bath until cold. Freeze mixture in ice cream machine (follow manufacturer's instructions). Place in the freezer.

Turn the Marvel Stripe Sorbet. Repeat above steps. While the Marvel sorbet is still soft from the machine, gently swirl into the Zebra Stripe tomato sorbet. Do not over-mix, or the colors will combine; mix just enough to get a marbled effect. Place in the freezer overnight.

For the Parmesan crisp, preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a cookie sheet, place parchment paper and spray with aerosol oil or use silpat. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the pan, about -inch thick, trying not to leave any holes or gaps in the cheese. Bake until cheese melts and just begins to brown, about 5 minutes; keep a close eye on it, as it happens fast. Take out of the oven and let cool. Cut or break into smaller pieces and use to garnish the sorbet.

To serve, put a small scoop of sorbet on a ginger (sugar) or other cone, and serve between courses or as a light starter before the meal. Place cut Parmesan crisp in the sorbet and serve.

|— Colin Moody, executive chef,

|Asilomar Conference Grounds


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go ·What: Carmel TomatoFest ·When: 12:30-4:30 p.m. Sept. 16 ·Where: Quail Lodge, 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel ·Cost: $95 general, children under 12 free with parent ·Information: www.tomatofest.com, 1-800-965-4827

Scallops Packed Without Chemicals

Buying scallops, those delicious, sweet white morsels of shellfish muscle, used to be simple: you had your large "sea" scallops and your small "bay" scallops, and you could get them fresh or frozen anywhere. Now, in addition to these choices, scallop buyers need a whole new vocabulary, including "chemical free," "dry pack," and "day boat" scallops.

Lets put it simply. Dry pack means “chemical free” or “unsoaked”. For years, inexpensive frozen scallops (as well as many other frozen seafoods) have routinely been treated with phosphates, particularly sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), to reduce so-called "drip loss." STP and other related phosphates are GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food additives, and used in moderation, they help bind the natural moisture in seafood through the freezing and thawing process.

As useful as phosphates are with frozen seafood, they are subject to abuse when applied to fresh seafoods, especially scallops. If a little STP can keep the natural moisture in seafood, a lot can cause it to soak up additional water -- increasing in weight by up to 25 percent -- and since water is a lot cheaper than scallops, there is a powerful economic incentive to "soak" them.

Reports of abuse of phosphates in fresh seafood processing led to a crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration in the early 1990s, and the establishment of an upper limit on the moisture content of scallops that can be sold as natural and unadulterated. If the amount of moisture exceeds 80 percent of the weight of the scallops, presumably the maximum natural water content, they fall into a separate product category which must be labeled "scallop product -- water added."

In practice, this standard does not prevent the use of STP on fresh scallops, but it prevents processors from using STP to increase the weight of scallops without labeling them as such.

Chili Garlic Scallops

Ingredients:
2 ea Harbor Banks Dry Pack U-10 Scallops
1/2 oz Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
1/2 Tsp Chipotle Chilies finely diced
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 oz Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley
2 oz Fresh Spinach
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
Heat Olive Oil, Lightly Season Scallops And Saute' Until Golden Brown. Add Garlic And Chilies And Saute' Until tender. Add Lemon Juice, White Wine, Butter And Parsley And Let Simmer Until Scallops Are Cooked.

Plating:
Serve Over Fresh Spinach Topped With Fried Presentations Battered Vegetable Sticks.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Special Events Coordination, Concours d'Elegance Pebble Beach

By Brian Isaeff, Editor PFN
Although preparations begin a year in advance,

US Foodservice Trucks Set Up At The Chalet Tent At The Pebble Beach Concours

the actual physical set up for an event like the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours is limited to a couple weeks before the actual event. Parking lots and horse property become complete kitchens, banquet facilities, and amphitheaters. Portions of the preparations are delayed as other events take place. For instance the area used for Centralized purchasing located near the Equestrian Center could not be set up until after the Horse Show ended one week before Concours.

Trailers are set in place, steps built, tents erected, and

Parc du Concours Kitchen At The 57th Annual Pebble Beach Concours

Commercial kitchens complete with fryers, stoves, ovens, refers, and diswashers appear and are stocked up.

As a food distributor it is crucial to be prepared with usage forcasts at least 6 weeks before a large event in order to bring par levels up on products. Not only is it important to have enough product for special events, but also to cover the week to week customers that use certain products. Constant communication between customer, sales consultant, and distributor purchasing agents make large events run smooth. Nothing is worse than having an items like, for instance a 6-in-1 coarse ground tomato in puree that the distributor sells 14 cases per week on a regular basis. The special event orders 60 cases, the 49 in stock are shipped, shorting the event 11 cases, and eliminating all stock for the regular customers..with a three week gap before more product can be brought into stock! (This is what we call a lose-lose-lose situation)

Having an onsite distributor representative during the event eliminates much stress for the customer.

Executive Chef Rod Uncango With His FedEx'd Alaskan King Crab

Having made that statement, let me qualify it by saying that during the recent events I have been at I have witnessed distributors who are onsite in order to get tickets and perks that only succeed in irritating and further confusing busy customers. What the onsite person needs to do is assist the customer with last minute requests, runs on products that exhaust back stock, and extra attention to delivery instructions.

Bruce Raymond And Owen Appelt At The Lodge At Pebble Beach And Some Face Time With Executive Chef Benjamin Brown At The Beach Club

At this most recent event I was able to find 4 Alaskan King Crabs (they were running around in Alaska on Monday and were on the buffet table on Thursday), 900 slider burgers from Colorado, sliced green olives from Musco Olive Company in Tracy CA (Thank You Too Steve and Jean Tarbell For Going Above And Beyond!), Il D France Brie (from Livermore), and a Smokeroma pressure smoker from the other Bay Area. In the past District Manager Bruce Raymond was spotted sliding under the rolling doors of various Costco

Bruce Raymond And Rommel Esteybar During "Breakdown" After The Concours

warehouses in order to deplete their hoagie buns to get event cash concessions started for a new day of sales.

Rommel Esteybar, Special Events Coordinator at Pebble Beach has a large staff of people to keep his events running smoothly.

Rommel Esteybar On The Grill With A Line Up Of Admirers

In order to keep them moving he often has to jump on the food line himself to get them fed. His reputation for feeding his people well has spread and now at every event folks storm

Pat Bohan, Linda Falling, and Dina Selak Lend Their Support To Rommel

his tent from various departments to sample his fare.

Although not new to the Purchasing department, but a new recruit for the Commissary Kitchen,

Adrian's sirloin steak breakfast burritos were a huge hit!

After all is said and done, there is clean-up. All hands are on deck to wrap up, clean up, and close down the event.

Enjoy the rest of the pictures from the Concours and Historic Races Below.



Nancy Rohan and Otton With Marinated USDA Certified Stockyards Angus Tri Tip







Kathy Duron, "The Driving Force" Behind Purchasing At The Lodge







David Frazier, The Backbone Of Purchasing At The Inn At Spanish Bay






Ray Ray, The Happiest Guy In Foodservice






Nicole Prepares Fresh Fruit For The Buffet

Monday, August 20, 2007

Contessa Builds The First Ever "Green" Food Mfg Plant

Greetings from Contessa,

Many of you have heard me speak about Contessa building the first ever “green” food-manufacturing plant in the world. I am so excited and proud to share some new information about our plant. Read on about green facility features and how it will help minimize our impact on the environment:
Materials and Resources
Water Conservation
Indoor Environmental Quality
Sustainable Site Planning
Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection

Also, learn more about carbon footprint and some additional interesting facts from the “Why Go Green?” pamphlet.

This is truly an admirable achievement for Contessa and one that we all can take pride in supporting.

Best regards,

Zeljka Boyd

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Official 2007 Best Of Readers Poll Winners

As selected by the readers of the Monterey County Weekly

The Best of Monterey County winners were selected by the Weekly's readers in a poll that ran in the issues of Feb. 1-7 and Feb. 8-14.

SHOPPING & SERVICES (III):
Best Grocery Store:Trader Joe's
Best Selection Of Liquor:Bottles N Bins
Best Wine Market:Rancho Cellars
Best Seafood Market:Sea Harvest Fish Market
Best Organic Produce Market:Whole Foods Market
Best Gourmet/Kitchen Shop:Clementine's Kitchen
Best Neighborhood Market:Bruno's Market & Deli

ARTS AND ENTERTAINNMENT (II):
Best Happy Hour:The Mucky Duck Restaurant & Bar
Best Pub:The Crown & Anchor
Best Martini:Lallapalooza Restaurant
Best Margarita:Baja Cantina & Grill
Best Neighborhood Bar:The Mucky Duck Restaurant & Bar
Best Drink With A View:Schooners Bistro On The Bay
Best Selection Of Wines By The Glass:Rio Grill
Best Selection Of Beers On Tap:The Mucky Duck Restaurant & Bar
Best Place To Shoot Pool:Easy St Billiards
Best Bar For Darts:Penny Farthing Tavern
Best Sports Bar:Knuckles Historical Sports Bar
Best Singles Bar:The Mucky Duck Restaurant & Bar
Best Coffeehouse:Starbucks Coffee
Best Movie Theater:Osio Plaza Theatre
Best Place To Hangout After The Movie:Cafe Noir

RESTAURANTS (I):
Best New Restaurant of 2006:Cantinetta Luca
Best Restaurant More Than 10 Years Old:Fishwife Seafood Cafe
Best Restaurant In Monterey County:Pacific's Edge
Best Restaurant/Big Sur:Cielo At Ventana
Best Restaurant/Carmel:Casanova Restaurant
Best Restaurant/Carmel Valley:Will's Fargo Restaurant
Best Restaurant/Marina:AJ Spurs
Best Restaurant/Monterey:Montrio Bistro
Best Restaurant/North County:Phil's Fish Market & Eatery
Best Restaurant/Pacific Grove:Passionfish
Best Restaurant/Pebble Beach:Roy's At Pebble Beach
Best Restaurant/Salinas:Hullaballoo Restaurant

RESTAURANTS (II):
Best Restaurant/Sand City:Papa Chano
Best Restaurant/Seaside:Fishwife Seafood Cafe
Best Restaurant/South County:The Windmill
Best Breakfast:First Awakenings
Best Cheap Eats:Turtle Bay Taqueria
Best Place For A Business Lunch:Tarpy's Roadhouse
Best Family Restaurant:Bubba Gump Shrimp Co
Best Chinese:Tommy's Wok
Best French:Fifi's Bistro Cafe
Best Indian:India's Clay Oven
Best Italian:Little Napoli
Best Japanese/Sushi:Robata Grill & Sake Bar
Best Korean:Orient Express

RESTAURANTS (III):
Best Mediterranean:Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant
Best Mexican:Peppers Mexicali Cafe
Best Thai:Yangtse's Taste Of Thai
Best Appetizers:Montrio Bistro
Best Outdoor Dining:Forge In The Forest Restaurant
Best Restaurant For Vegetarians:Tillie Gort's
Best Restaurant For Steak:Whaling Station Prime Steaks & Seafood
Best Restaurant For Seafood:Monterey Fish House
Best Clam Chowder:Old Fisherman's Grotto
Best Restaurant To Splurge:Marinus At Bernardus Lodge
Best Wine List:Passionfish
SPECIALTY FOODS:
Best Restaurant For Romantic Dining:Pacific's Edge
Best Bakery:Layers
Best Bagels:Bagel Bakery
BEst BBQ:Curly's BBQ
Best Burger:In & Out Burger
Best Burrito:Chipotle Mexican Grill
Best Calamari:Abalonetti Seafood Trattoria
Best Deli Sandwich:Compagno's Market & Deli
Best Butcher Shop:Grove Market
Best Cheese Selection:The Cheese Shop Inc
Best Takeout Food:Tommy's Wok
Best Cup Of Coffee:Acme Coffee
Best Desserts:Rosine's Restaurant
Best Ice Cream:Coldstone Creamery
Best Pizza:Gianni's Pizza
Best Salads:Crazy Horse Restaurant
Best Juice/Smoothies:Jamba Juice
Best Local Red Wine:Bernardus Winery
Best Local White Wine:Talbot Vineyards
Best Local Beer/Brewery:English Ales Brewery

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

BBQ Boss Arrives At The Concours

Peninsula Foodnews was on-site today at Pebble Beach for the continuing preparations for the 2007 Concours d'Elegance.

Banquet Chef David Duron Questions Gil Takemori About The BBQ Boss' Smoking Capacity

Gil Takemori of Western Specialty Freezer brought down a single well BBQ Boss Pressure Smoker, for Executive Chef Rod Uncango and staff to use at the Parc du Concours hospitality tent.

In the next few days we will have a follow up review on the results of this trial.

Gil Explains The Difference Between Hot And Cold Smoking With The Smokeroma BBQ Boss With Executive Chef Rod Uncango

To get more information about the BBQ Boss right now, type "BBQ Boss" in the search box at the top of the page. For more about the history of pressure cooking..see below.

The History Of Pressure Cooking

Early Development
The first version of a pressure cooker was created in 1679, by French physicist Denis Papin. He made a large cast iron vessel with a lid that locked. His version raised cooking temperatures by 15% over boiling, and accordingly reduced cooking time. However, regulating the steam and temperature was difficult, and explosions were common.

The Beginnings of Canning
The canning process is a product of the Napoleonic wars. Malnutrition was rampant among the 18th century French armed forces and as Napoleon prepared for his Russian campaign, he needed a better means to provide food for his troops, so he offered a prize of twelve thousand francs to someone that could find a way to preserve food.

The process was invented in France in 1795 by Nicholas Appert, a Parisian candy maker won the prize of 12,000 francs offered by Napoleon for a way to prevent military food supplies from spoiling. Appert, called his method "appertisation" , and he was the forerunner of canning as we know it today. Appert placed fresh products (meat, vegetables) in wide-mouthed glass jars which were then heated in a boiling water bath. Finally, the jars were hermetically sealed with corks.

Although the causes of food spoilage were unknown at the time, Appert was an astute experimenter and observer. Noting that wine store in airtight bottles didn't spoil, he filled wide-mouth glass bottles with meats and vegetables, carefully corked them and sealed them with pitch, and then heated them in boiling water. By 1804, Appert opened his first vacuum-packing plant. His nephew, Raymond Chevallier-Appert improved upon the design by inventing (and patenting) an early version of the pressure canner to vacuum seal foods in clean jars, leading to the eventual development of the canning industry.

The canning process was so important that it was a French military secret, but it soon leaked across the English Channel. In 1810 Peter Durance, an Englishman, patented the use of metal containers for canning,which was perfected by Bryan Dorkin and John Hall, who set up the first commercial canning factory in England in 1813. By the next year others had opened factories. The troops that faced off at Waterloo had canned rations, and soon, these "tinned" foods were used to feed the British army and navy. Thomas Kensett, who emigrated to the United States, established the first U.S. canning facility for oysters, meats, fruits and vegetables in New York in 1812. More than 50 years later, Louis Pasteur provided the explanation for canning's effectiveness when he was able to demonstrate that the growth of microorganisms is the cause of food spoilage.

Early Use
In the USA the first pressure cooker patents were granted in 1902. Early commercial pressure cookers were huge industrial-size pressure vessels. In 1905 they were known as "canner retorts," and were primarily used by commercial canneries. Soon fifty gallon capacity pressure pots for hotel and institutional use were developed. Next, thirty-gallon canners for hotel were manufactured by National Presto, then called Northwestern Iron and Steel Works. for pressure cooking meals rather than canned goods. Soon thereafter, the ten-gallon models, more suitable for home canning, were also developed.


Light weight aluminum was used in manufacturing large-size pressure canners for home use to promote home canning as a means of preserving food in the days before refrigeration. In 1917, the United States Department of Agriculture determined that pressure canning was the only safe method of canning low-acid foods without risking food poisoning. Pressure canners were in widespread use since refrigeration was mostly non-existent at that time and canning was the main method of preserving food.
In 1915 the term "pressure cooker" first appeared in print and National Presto installed an aluminum foundry for the specific purpose of manufacturing large-size pressure canners for home use and thrifty housewives everywhere wanted one. In 1938 Alfred Vischler introduced his Flex-Seal Speed Cooker at a New York city trade show, the very first pressure saucepan for preparing meals rather than canning. (Believe it or not people are still trying to use these old relics) Vischler's idea was so successful that it wasn't long before other manufacturers in America and Europe were making many brands of pressure cookers to keep up with the growing popularity.

As people migrated from the country, and a farming lifestyle, to the cities and suburban living they wanted all the comfort foods that mom made in the big pressure canner at home. Housewives wanted a smaller, more convenience size so the new "pressure saucepan"was developed. Smaller than the big farm-sized canning kettles, the new, smaller aluminum pressure cookers were perfect for the smaller size of new families and the modern kitchen.

War Time Popularity
In 1941,at the start of WWII, smaller, cast aluminum pressure cookers enjoyed widespread popularity in most American homes. The production of pressure cookers by eleven major manufacturers was tightly regulated during World War II, as aluminum was needed for the war effort, and it wasn't long before the manufacturing of aluminum pressure cookers came to a halt. In 1943 Presto made the following statement in Life magazine:


The manufacturing facilities of the makers of PRESTO COOKERS are now devoted to war production. Once victory is won – there will be Presto Cookers for everybody. Until then, if you own one, share it, won’t you? It’s a good neighbor policy.
Cooks held onto their prewar pressure cookers and often several families shared a single cooker. In a time when fuel and food were rationed and shortages were commonplace, the pressure cooker was fast becoming a necessity rather than a mere convenience.


During the war years larger canners made of steel (not the stainless kind) continued to manufactured under approval of the War Production Board for the extremely important victory gardens. Food and fuel shortages forced a return to home canning, and several government programs supported the home front.

The End of the Beginning
By 1945, with the war ending, the pent-up demand for pressure cookers was tremendous. The demand exceeding the supply and homemakers everywhere put their names on waiting lists. In following years there were 85 US manufacturers trying to convert from war products to making pressure cookers and canners, but what they DIDN'T know about pressure cookery brought about the decline and fall of pressure cooking in America.

Competition was steep, and manufacturers tried to cut costs by producing cheaper, poor quality pressure cookers. Production methods favored quantity rather than quality and these inferior products flooded the market from the late 40's through 50's.

Busy cooks who had replied on their pre-war cookers rushed to buy new ones. New families were in the making and the newly married wives bought pressure cookers so they could cook the same recipes that mom made. Cooks suddenly found exploding pressure bombs in their kitchens and as the word spread about these flawed pressure cooker, people became reluctant to use them. The frequency of pressure cooker accidents founded the familiar expression of "...in a pressure cooker", implying disaster is imminent.

The old horror stories still abound, just as those aged, antique, and vintage pressure cookers still do. A great many of those dangerous old pressure cookers are still around, and are often sold at places such as EBAY, garage sales, and estate sales, as well as passed on from generation to generation as family keepsakes. Unfortunately the problems also persist to this day, as people find these poorly manufactured pressure cookers in the attics and basements of their grandmothers and great aunts and still try to use them.

Decline and Fall
One by one manufacturers went out of business as cooks stopped using the post war pressure cookers. Only a few manufacturers could afford to stay in business as sales plummeted. The few diehard pressure cooker users were demanding a better quality pressure cooker, but manufacturers, burdened with overstocked warehouses, were slow to comply with consumer demands. When the new and improved models finally came on the market it was too little, too late and pressure cookery began a steady decline.
Marked with a bad reputation, pressure cooker usage continued to decline, and coupled with newer, modern cooking methods such as the arrival of the microwave oven, the art of pressure cookery nearly disappeared in the US. In the 70's there was a brief resurgence in pressure cooker popularity with many younger cooks drawn to a rural, back-to-nature lifestyle.

European Style
While American cooks were storing their pressure cookers down in the basement, Europeans were still happily using their old reliable pre-war cookers and never had the problems of their American counterparts. By the 1950's European and Asian manufacturers were reaping the benefits of the War Reparations Act. Capital was invested for research and development to produce new designs and improved safety features that lead to the modern pressure cookers of today.

European and Asian manufacturers developed new valve systems, redundant safety features and updated pressure release methods. American manufacturers have again been slow to adapt the new designs and the jiggle top remains the US standard. In the early 90's European manufacturers cracked the American market, importing the newest models and bragging about their new safety features, quiet operation and the scorch-resistant layered bases. American cooks are once again discovering the benefits of pressure cookery with fast, economical, efficient and nutritious meals that appeal to busy and health conscious American consumers.
Millions of cooks in Europe and Asia continue to rely heavily on pressure cookers. In countries where the cost of fuel, natural gas, propane, and electricity is very high, pressure cookers are an economic necessity in every home. India, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany manufacture several brands of pressure cookers that are exported to the US.

Pressure Cookers Today
New pressure cookers, with their multiple safety features and improved vent systems, are once more catching on in the US market. Busy cooks with hectic schedules, demanding jobs, an active family and little spare time are looking for fast, economical ways for preparing home-cooked, nutritious meals. TV ads market overpriced pressure cookers with fancy new names, touting the "latest, greatest, new invention" to cooks who would never have considered buying a pressure cooker. Wide spread advertising has brought with it a popular resurgence of interest in pressure cookery, and this old-fashioned cooking method is suddenly new again.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Wienermobile Gets Parking Ticket

CHICAGO (AP) -- A parking ticket topped the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile after it was left parked illegally on a downtown Chicago thoroughfare.

The 27-foot fiberglass sausage was ticketed Thursday morning after its driver parked it on Michigan Avenue and left it on the side of the six-lane road with the hazard lights blinking.

A police officer ticketed the vehicle and radioed for a tow truck, but the car's driver and passenger returned before the truck arrived.

"The situation was resolved without the use of ketchup, which in Chicago is a big thing," said Matt Smith of the city's Streets and Sanitation Department.

Smith said a city tow truck could have done the job, if necessary.

"We have access to tow trucks that could have handled a Polish sausage, not just a hot dog," Smith said.

Parking on a street marked "Parking/Standing Prohibited Anytime" is a $50 violation, said Ed Walsh, a spokesman for the city's Department of Revenue.

Kraft spokeswoman Sydney Lindner said the Wienermobile is on a nationwide tour promoting a contest to sing the Oscar Mayer jingle in a commercial.

She said illegal parking is against company policy, "even if you're driving a company vehicle that's shaped like a giant hot dog."

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Artemiana International Breaded Oysters


Dear Brian:

US Foodservice has just stocked our breaded oyster (42% breading, 31/40 counts/LB). US Food's item# is 4638359.

This is an ideal appetizer item. Our price for US Food is only $3.90/LB, ($0.11 cents each) as compared to $6-$7/LB from other brand name companies. Quite a few Indian casinos have decided to use it.

Attached are two product photos.

Thanks again for posting our Crispy Ginger Shrimp Lumpia at your Peninusula Foodnews.

Best Regards,

Lei Zhang
Artemiana International, Inc.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Welcome To Monterey's Mucky Duck!


Welcome to US Foodservice's latest customer, the Mucky Duck Monterey.

The Mucky Duck is nestled in the heart of Monterey California where a vast array of shops, activities and experiences abound.

Owners John, Eric Waddell transport you to what feels like a secluded restaurant

Eric Waddell Working The Patio, Keeping Guests Happy

hideaway in a 1924 Spanish-style adobe structure. The fire lit outdoor patio and old world feeling indoor dining rooms are decorated with numerous pictures, mugs, and fireplaces, which contribute to the Mucky Duck restaurant's traditional yet relaxing atmosphere.


Chef Troy Preparing His Three Cheese Fried Raviolis

The Duck has long been a locals spot and is often named as a singles hot spot.

Owner Eric has been networking in the community to build awareness of their terrific menu. Since taking over the restaurant 4 years ago, an overhaul of the kitchen and kitchen staff was a priority. The menu was redone to reflect the pub, and Chef Troy a veteran of Pebble Beach and Bixby's Bistro in Carmel now runs the kitchen.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

US Foodservice, We Do It Right

I am pleased to announce that US Foodservice-San Francisco has been designated a
Certified Operations Excellence Division. This is only the third such award within our Company. This award recognizes the high standards of excellence in 102 different
metrics across all functional areas. San Francisco achieved this level of excellence
through the implementation of new technology and the demonstrated pattern of excellent results from many new initiatives. You have heard many of the names; Red Prairie,Truckbuilder, Xata, Roadnet, EOQ, FuelQuest, and many more.

The certification process involved a three day review by managers from the two other
certified divisions, the Regional VP of Operations, the VP of Operations Excellence and the Executive Vice president of USF. The process is rigorous and extremely thorough. The business case for becoming a Certified Operations Excellence Division is to drive improvements in customer service, productivity, safety and sustainability.

Tom VanOrman, Vice President of Operations played the key role for San Francisco.
Tom and all of our managers and supervisors in Operations, and in every other
department also invested great amounts of time and energy into the implementation.

I am confident our customers will benefit from the continued quality improvement in our service. I am also certain U.S. Foodservice will reap the rewards of this high standard of excellence for many years to come.

Respectfully,

Phil Collins