Win Big With the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest

By von Rabenau Media

Celebrate Small Town USA and the dining establishments, chefs and menu items that make these communities so irreplaceable. This summer, General Mills Foodservice is kicking off the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest, a competition challenging and celebrating the one-of-a-kind dishes at independent family dining or neighborhood restaurants. They’re calling on these independent restaurants to spotlight and submit a favorite recipe for the chance to win up to $50,000 ($40,000 cash plus a $10,000 donation to give back to a local charity).

From Aug. 1 through Sept. 30, 2014, restaurants may submit their favorite original breakfast, entrée or dessert recipes or create a new special dish that uses at least one ingredient from General Mills’ list of eligible products. Three category winners will be selected, from which, two will each be awarded a $10,000 first prize, and one will earn the Grand Prize.

Intended to inspire culinary creativity, the Neighborhood to Nation recipe contest is open to foodservice operators, chefs and line cooks at independent family dining or “neighborhood” restaurants.

“We are inspired by the local flavor our customers cook up every day in neighborhoods across the country, and [we] look forward to celebrating these one-of-a-kind dishes with the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest,” says Grace Gilbertson, senior marketing manager for General Mills Foodservice. “Recognizing the strong connection these neighborhood establishments have in their communities, we are particularly thrilled to award our Grand Prize winner an additional $10,000 to share with a local charity.”

The recipe contest also offers operators an opportunity to experiment with high quality and consistent products from General Mills as well as exclusive access to trend information, insights and ideas to help them differentiate their menus and delight their diners. Entries will be judged based on taste, appearance, creativity, and foodservice viability. The top 15 finalists and recipes will be announced in February, 2015, and the three Recipe Category Winners will travel to General Mills’ headquarters in March for a day of celebration and culinary inspiration along with the announcement of the official Grand Prize winner.

RULES:

Recipe submissions must include at least one ingredient from one of General Mills Foodservice’s participating brands: Pillsbury (biscuits), Gold Medal (baking mixes) and Yoplait (yogurt). Entrants can receive one $20 rebate for each recipe submission, up to a maximum of one rebate per participating brand during the entry period. The recipe contest ends Sept. 30, 2014. For more information on eligibility, complete contest details and official contest rules, independent family restaurants should contact their General Mills Foodservice sales representative at 800/215-6120 or visit www.NeighborhoodtoNation.com.

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Unilever Food Solutions launches SandwichPro.com

By von Rabenau Media

Which sandwich meat is most popular? What breads are customers scrambling to buy? How much more will guests pay for a branded condiment? Staying abreast of the latest, most important industry news can be a daunting challenge, but there is now a one-stop resource: SandwichPro.com, powered by Unilever Food Solutions. The site features insightful tidbits based on the company’s years of experience and product offerings.

The research tab of SandwichPro.com can help you develop pricing strategies, menu innovation and more. Take upscale ingredients, for example. The Sandwich Pro team has discovered that sandwiches with aioli can menu for significantly more than other sandwiches.

The Parisian Sandwich

Most importantly, the findings are broken down into easy-to-read graphics and articles so that the most important insights are right at your fingertips.

Sandwich Stats: quick-read charts on consumer preferences and areas of industry growth/decline
Know Your Customers: survey results on sandwich attitudes, favorite ingredients and other consumer preferences
Quality Ingredients: information on specific sandwich components, like condiments or vegetables
Trend Reports: new ideas and developments in the industry, as well as data broken down by segment, including quarterly reports and “hot and not” assessments of different sandwich types

Visit SandwichPro.com.

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Bob’s Red Mill launches “Spar for the Spurtle” Porridge Making Contest

By von Rabenau Media

Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods' “Spar for the Spurtle” Porridge Making Contest invites home cooks and professional chefs alike to submit videos demonstrating a unique recipe that makes use of Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats – the World’s Best Oats. From the entries, three finalists will be flown to Portland, Ore. to compete in a live cook-off. The winner of that cook-off will travel with the Bob’s Red Mill team to compete in the 18th Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in Scotland.

The Golden Spurtle competition is held every year in Carrbridge Iverness Shire in Northern Scotland. Bob’s Red Mill first competed in the championship in 2009, becoming the first American representatives to do so. That year, they won the coveted Golden Spurtle and the title of World’s Best Oats (a spurtle is a Scottish kitchen tool dating back to the 15th century that is traditionally used to stir porridge and prevent it from becoming lumpy).The world title is awarded to the porridge-maker deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using oatmeal, salt and water. Now, the company is looking for assistance in winning its first title in the Specialty Section, which is for porridge that includes any additional ingredients.

To enter the contest, visit www.SparForTheSpurtle.com to submit a video demonstration of an original recipe that makes use of Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. Videos should be no longer than three minutes and should demonstrate a creative use of the oats. Dishes can be sweet or savory – they just need to be able to be created from start to finish within 30 minutes.

The videos will be posted on www.SparForTheSpurtle.com where fans will be able to vote for their favorites. The top three contestants will be selected as the finalists to be flown to Portland for the live cook-off. Finalists will also receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bob’s Red Mill facility led by Bob Moore himself.

During the live 30-minute cook-off, the three finalists will prepare their oatmeal recipes from scratch for a panel of celebrity judges in conditions that mirror those of the Golden Spurtle competition. The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Scotland, including $2,500 in cash, to compete in the 18th Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship.

Prizes:

Based on the video submissions, three finalists will be chosen to receive the ultimate trip for Bob’s Red Mill fans. The finalist prize package includes:

Roundtrip airfare to Portland, Oregon
Three-nights’ accommodations at a downtown Portland hotel
A tour of Bob’s Red Mill led by company founder Bob Moore
A gift basket filled with Bob’s Red Mill products and merchandise
$100 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card
A spot in the live cook-off for a chance at the Grand Prize
$100 for cook-off supplies

The winner of the live cook-off will receive the grand prize, which includes the following:

Round-trip airfare for two to Scotland to help represent the Bob’s Red Mill team at the 18th annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in October 2011
Two nights’ accommodations in Edinburg, three nights’ accommodations in Carrbridge (for two)
Rail transportation between Edinburgh and Carrbridge
$2500 cash

The deadline to submit entries is July 30, 2011.

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Idaho Potato Commission's "Wake Up to Excellence" 2011 recipe contest winners

By von Rabenau Media

School foodservice professionals across the country jumped at the chance to share their favorite Idaho® potato breakfast recipes in the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) first “Wake Up to Excellence” 2011 Recipe Contest. Stephen Ganser, general manager at Metz Culinary Management in Elliottsburg, PA won an all expense paid trip to the 2011 School Nutrition Association’s Annual Conference (July 10 - 13) for his winning recipe, Idaho® Potato Cheesy Biscuit Scramble.

Idaho® Potato Cheesy Biscuit Scramble is an easy-to-prepare breakfast item that provides the perfect combination of protein and carbohydrates. Muffin tins filled with dough rounds are stuffed with scrambled eggs, crisp turkey bacon, Idaho® potato hashbrowns, then mixed with peppers and onions and topped off with a light sprinkle of cheese. To view the recipe visit http://www.idahopotato.com/recipes/id-902/ .

The winning recipe, Stephen Ganser's Idaho® Potato Cheesy Biscuit Scramble

The Wake Up to Excellence 2011 Recipe Contest was open to school foodservice professionals only. Recipes had to include fresh or value added frozen, refrigerated or dehydrated processed Idaho® potatoes and conform to federal nutrition standards and costs for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. The Contest ran from February 1, 2011 through May 31, 2011.

One Grand Prize winner received airfare, hotel accommodations and admission to the annual School Nutrition Association’s Conference in Nashville, TN. Five Honorable Mention winners were each awarded $250, and all entrants received an Idaho® Potato Spuddy Buddy puppet.

The five Honorable Mentions include:

Minnie Batten’s Low-Sodium Breakfast Taco (Shawnee High School, Shawnee, OK)
Sonny Burns' Breakfast Lasagna (Franklin Regional, Murrysville, PA)
Judith Diane Davis' Sizzling Spuds (Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, NC)
Sylvia Kravitz's Potato Sun Blast (San Diego, CA)
Jo Ann Moor's Eye Popping Potatoes (Shawnee School District, Shawnee, OK)
All winning recipes are available at http://foodservice.idahopotato.com/wakeup_contest.

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TABASCO calls for "street food" recipe entries for 2011 TABASCO Brand Hottest Chef Contest with $10,000 grand prize

By von Rabenau Media

Chefs across the United States are challenged to rise to a new recipe competition showcasing the popular street food trend sweeping the foodservice industry. For a chance to win a hot cash prize in the 2011 TABASCO® Brand Hottest Chef Contest®, contestants must submit their entries by July 18, 2011 online at TABASCOfoodservice.com or by mail.

The “street foods” themed contest invites professional chefs, sous chefs and lead line cooks at restaurants and non-commercial foodservice establishments, as well as chefs-in-training, to create an original entrée recipe inspired by some of the world’s most popular ethnic cuisines found in street foods today — like Latin American, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean. Qualifying entries must be easy to prepare in a foodservice kitchen, incorporate easily sourced ingredients, and include one or more of the following three flavors: Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce, TABASCO® brand Green Jalapeño Pepper Sauce, and TABASCO® brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce.

The contest awards a $10,000 grand prize to the professional chef with the winning recipe; one culinary student will be awarded $2,500 for the winning recipe in the contest’s student category. In addition to winning cash and merchandise prizes, the professional and student category winners will be featured along with their winning recipes on TABASCOfoodservice.com. Paul McIlhenny, president and CEO of McIlhenny Company, maker of TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce, and top New Orleans chefs will comprise the judging panel and select the professional and student winners on September 14, 2011.

More information, contest rules and the contest entry form are available at TABASCOfoodservice.com or by calling 1-888-HOT-DASH.

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King & Prince Seafood launches new foodservice website

By von Rabenau Media

Seafood supplier King & Prince Seafood launches its new website, designed to support the culinary and information needs of foodservice professionals. Kpseafood.com provides chefs and operators with product information, menu solutions, promotional offers, trend insights and more.

The new King & Prince foodservice website features:

Recipes – A comprehensive resource with menu ideas, searchable recipe database, cooking video demos, seafood trend information and more.
Our Products – See the extensive line of shrimp, fish, calamari, crab, Surimi, oysters, scallops, crawfish and seafood blends. Includes details such as product codes, ingredients, nutrition facts and cooking instructions.
Promotions – Download seasonal materials with menu application ideas or current rebate offers on key products.
About Us – Learn how King & Prince is committed to sustainability and environmental best practices overview as well as about the company’s history.
The site also includes an interactive homepage, broker & site searches, e-newsletter sign up & news room.

Visit www.kpseafood.com.

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Barilla Foodservice launches www.barillafoodservicerecipes.com

By von Rabenau Media

Barilla Foodservice has launched a new online resource for foodservice professionals. The site features chef tips, detailed instructions for cooking pasta in commercial volumes, and over 100 recipes developed by and for foodservice chefs. It is updated quarterly with new recipes, a featured chef and trend analysis. All of the recipes include complete nutrition information.

The site also includes an innovative search function, allowing visitors to search the database with a number of different criteria to find recipes that are exactly what they’re looking for. Recipes are currently searchable by operation type (e.g. school foodservice, restaurant), nutrition criteria (low-sodium, whole grain), pasta cut, or by what’s in the pantry.

Visit www.barillafoodservicerecipes.com.

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Menu idea gallery launched for chef-developed potato dishes

By von Rabenau Media

Every year, chefs from leading foodservice and retail chains meet at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley to engage in some friendly competition and creativity with potatoes. This year, the U.S. Potato Board has collected those ideas in a photo-gallery to help chefs in all foodservice channels spark their own creativity.

The ideas photographed for the Idea Gallery were generated by 14 of the top minds in the industry who represent over 8,800 units and $3 billion in annual sales. The ideas demonstrate some of today’s hottest trends and are available to help any chef capitalize on the versatility and profitability of potatoes.

For more information and to see the idea gallery, visit http://www.potatogoodness.com/foodService/ideaGallery.php.

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Top chefs competed against each other at the 3rd annual Idaho Potato Side Dish Challenge

By von Rabenau Media

On February 24, the nation’s most talented chefs competed for a ‘good cause’ at the fifth annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Burger Bash® hosted by Rachael Ray. In addition to the battle to create the best burger, their love for spuds was tested during the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) Side Dish Challenge. The IPC enlisted the participants to show off their culinary excellence by preparing an exceptional Idaho® potato side dish. The Grand Prize was a $5,000 donation to Florida International University made by the IPC on behalf of Chef Carlos Barillas, Corporate Chef of Burger & Beer Joint in Miami Beach. Chef Jose Garces, Chef/Proprietor of Village Whiskey in Philadelphia snagged the Over the Top! side dish prize and a second donation of $1,500 was also awarded to the university.

Lee Schrager and Rachael Ray congratulate Chef Carlos Barillas (center),
along with Frank Muir and Mr. Food for his Grand Prize winning Truffle Baked Idaho® Potato Salad.

The judging team included Frank Muir, IPC President & CEO; Don Odiorne, IPC Vice President, Foodservice and the syndicated TV personality Art Ginsburg, aka “Mr. Food." Chef Barillas earned the title of Grand Prize Winner for his Truffle Baked Idaho® Potato Salad. Chef Garces’ Over the Top! Yellow Finn Poutine was also a prize-winning hit.

For recipes, tips and additional information about Idaho® potatoes, visit http://foodservice.idahopotato.com/

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James Beard winners of "Best Chefs in the Northeast" for 2010 to release new book, Maine Classics

By von Rabenau Media

MAINE CLASSICS: More Than 150 Delicious Recipes from Down East by Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier, winners of the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chefs in the Northeast” for 2010, will be released in late April 2011.

Mark and Clark have been supporting their local Maine farmers, food artisans and food suppliers for decades. In fact, more than twenty years ago they pioneered sustainable dining with the opening of Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine, where their farm-to-table philosophy still governs the restaurant today. Their new book shares their passion for fresh, seasonal food and introduces readers to the artisan bakers, organic farmers, and sustainable fisherman that make it all possible.

MAINE CLASSICS covers all of the areas that make Maine cuisine what it is known for today – the shore, the sea, the forest, the farm, the garden, the dairy, the bakery and the root cellar – and bring readers as close to the true Maine experience as possible with such classic Maine dishes as Oyster Fritters with Remoulade, Lobster Shortcake with Rum-Vanilla Sauce and Slow Braised Pork Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables, just to name a few.

The hardcover book will retail for approximately $30.00 everywhere books are sold beginning in late April 2011.

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From the Sugarmakers of Vermont: Experience the possibilities today!

By von Rabenau Media

Jeremy Smith of Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel Wins Maple Leaf Farms "Discover Duck" Challenge

By von Rabenau Media

More than 200 chefs recently battled it out for the top billing in Maple Leaf Farms' “Discover Duck” Chef Recipe Contest, but it was Jeremy Smith who ultimately came out on top.

Chef Jeremy Smith of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel receives his $5,000 first prize in the “Discover Duck” Chef Recipe Contest from Cindy Turk, marketing manager of Maple Leaf Farms.

Open to professional chefs from all foodservice segments and culinary students, this contest challenged entrants across the country to use their culinary creativity to showcase duck in innovative appetizers, salads, soups and entrees.

Dishes were judged on originality, flavor, simplicity (easily sourced ingredients and ease of preparation) and accuracy of the recipe ingredients and method. In the end, Southern Crusted Duck with Wild Bunch Demi earned its creator, Chef Jeremy Smith, $5,000. Lead line cook at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel, Marble, N.C., Smith wooed the judges with his potato-chip/pecan-crusted duck breast served with a mix of cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.

Other winners are as follows: Thomas Tannozzini, executive chef at Acts Retirement Life in Lansdale, Pa., snagged the $3,000 second prize for his Open Faced Tuscan Duck Sandwich; and Duck and Apple Tacos netted $1,500 for third-place winner James Kremer, executive chef of the Country Club of Peoria in Peoria Heights, Ill.

“We were awed by the passion and talent demonstrated by the chefs and their breadth of creative duck preparations,” said Maple Leaf Farms’ marketing manager, Cindy Turk.

To view the “Discover Duck” winning recipes, click here.

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Le Pigeon chef wins Wild About Game Cook-Off

By von Rabenau Media

At the 10th annual Wild About Game Cook-Off last month, chef Gabe Rucker of Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore., took top honors with his butter-poached quail with foie gras gnocchi, chanterelles, leeks and pickled peaches (recipe below). The annual festival and Iron Chef-style competition, sponsored by Nicky USA, promotes the use of sustainable, free-range game birds and meat.

(l to r) Wild About Game Cook-Off winner chef Gabe Rucker of Le Pigeon and chef Eric Moore of Victory, Portland, who was Rucker's sous chef during the competition

The nine competing chefs had two hours to prepare an original dish using game meat or birds. The second place winner was Naomi Pomeroy, chef of Beast in Portland, who prepared a pheasant and chanterelle pot pie with sherry cream and foie gras fennel and wild flower salad. Third place went to Chris Carriker, chef of the Gilt Club in Portland, who made roasted venison rack with huckleberry mazzafegati and hunter's pie.

The festival took place Sept. 18 at The Resort at the Mountain, Mt. Hood, Ore., and also included cooking demonstrations and a pig butchering seminar. For more information, visit www.nickyusa.com.

Butter Poached Quail with Foie Gras Gnocchi, Chanterelles, Leeks and Pickled Peaches

Gabe Rucker, chef, Le Pigeon, Portland; wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

Yield: 4 servings

1 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 lb. foie gras, cubed
4 semi boneless quail
Salt, to taste
4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cinnamon, divided
Rice oil, as needed for frying
1 1/2 c. water
6 whole eggs
1/2 c. leeks, sautéed
1/2 c. chanterelles, sautéed
Foie Gras Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Pickled Peaches (recipe follows)
Fresh parsley leaves, whole
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, to squeeze
Fleur de sel, for garnish

Method (1) In a bowl, combine softened butter and foie gras cubes. Mix until thoroughly blended. (2) Season quail with salt, and place in shallow baking dish. Melt 1 lb. foie gras butter, and pour over quail--it should almost cover them. Cover dish with foil, and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. (3) In a shallow dish, combine 2 c. flour, nutmeg and 1/4 t. cinnamon. Remove quail from foie gras butter; reserve butter. Dredge quail in seasoned flour, and fry in rice oil at 350°F for 4 minutes until golden brown. (4) Bring water, 6 oz. foie gras butter and 1 T. salt to a boil. Add remaining 2 c. flour and 1/4 t. cinnamon; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until dough forms a ball. (5) Transfer to a standing mixer with a paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time. (6) Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a medium tip. Pipe gnocchi in small batches into a pot of boiling water using a paring knife to cut dough as it comes out of bag. When gnocchi float, remove from water, transfer to an oiled cookie sheet and reserve. (7) Shortly before service, fry gnocchi in reserved quail butter at 350°F. Drain on paper towel-lined sheet tray. Toss gnocchi with leeks and chanterelles. Season with salt, and squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon over. Toss with 1 T. of Foie Gras Vinaigrette, and spoon gnocchi onto center of plate. Top with 1 quail each. (8) Toss Pickled Peaches, parsley and red onion in a bowl. Top quail with peach salad. Spoon reserved Foie Gras Vinaigrette around plate. Finish with fleur de sel.

Foie Gras Vinaigrette
4 oz. foie gras butter (from preceding recipe)
1 shallot, minced
1/2 c. aged balsamic
1/2 t. thyme, chopped
Salt, to taste

Method (1) Melt butter, and combine with remaining ingredients. (2) Season with salt, and set aside in a warm spot.

Pickled Peaches
1 peach, stone removed
1/2 c. Moscatel vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. salt
2 T. water
1 T. Wild Turkey bourbon

Method (1) Cut peach into matchstick shapes. (2) Combine all other ingredients, and bring to a boil. Cool, and pour over peaches. Leave peaches in pickling liquid for 40 minutes at room temperature. Hold until needed for service.

Wine pairing: Bonaccorsi Wine Co. Pinot Noir "Fiddlestix" 2007 (California)

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Cheese, please: Adding value to seasonal dishes

By von Rabenau Media

by Lacey Griebeler, Chef Magazine

This article is an online exclusive for Chef Magazine's September 2010 issue.

Chefs often turn to cheese when a menu item needs a flavor boost--which makes perfect sense. Aged varieties are rich with umami, such as a pungent and tongue-tingling cave-aged Stilton. International samples provide exotic allure and story, like the buttery, semifirm Mahón from the island of Menorca off the coast of Spain. Thanks to its universal palate-pleasing appeal, a mouth-watering cheese call-out on the menu will result in guests responding with their forks (think: "Lamb sugo topped with ricotta salata, served with creamy mascarpone polenta").

Sure, the world is full of cheeses that underwhelm. American author and broadcaster Clifton Faidman (1904-1999) put it best: "A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be oversophisticated. Yet it remains cheese--milk's leap toward immortality."

Helping you pinpoint the dairy products that are worth praise, Chef Magazine offers up the following award-winning cheeses that resonate with chefs and customers alike, as well as fall-inspired, cheese-centric recipes.

[Editor's note: In the Autumn 2010 issue of our sister publication, Chef Educator Today, we featured an article entitled, "An homage to fromage," by Dana Cox, a chef-instructor at Kendall College and a veteran of Chicago's fine-dining scene. Her tips on how to tell a cheese's story could assist in staff training as well. Read the article here.]

Goat cheese stands firm

When Cypress Grove introduced Midnight Moon firm goat's milk cheese in 2002, the company received a "Best New Product Award" from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. This year, the cheddar-like, nutty aged cheese received "Best of Class" honors at the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wis. Since its introduction, Midnight Moon has won over quite a few chef fans, too, including Erik Schuster of the historic Langham Hotel in Pasadena, Calif., who makes melt-in-your-mouth Midnight Moon chips, and Dan McHugh of Cafe Brio and F Street Cafe (now closed), who has used it to top a Mediterranean-inspired pizza with roasted peppers, olives and crispy shallots (recipe, below).

It's worth noting that several other goat cheeses in Cypress Grove's catalog took home honors at this year's American Cheese Society competition in Seattle. In the "Fresh Goat's Milk Cheeses (No Rind)" category, Cypress Grove Chevre Log was awarded first place, and the company's Natural, Fresh Chevre won second. Signature Humboldt Fog surface-ripened goat's milk cheese took third place in the "Soft Ripened Open Category for Cheeses Made from Goat's Milk." Truffle Tremor, a ripened cheese infused with truffle, was awarded second place in "Soft Ripened Flavor Added Goat Cheese."

The Goat Pizza with Crispy Shallots
Dan McHugh, chef, formerly of F Stop Café, Eureka, Calif.;
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

Yield: 1 14" pizza

Chef McHugh says: "The longer you wait to eat the pizza, the more you risk the crust becoming soggy. It usually depends on what you put the finishing product on: Ceramic is the worst, and wood is the best."

1 package active dry or fresh yeast
1 t. honey
1 c. warm water, 105°-115°F
3 c. all-purpose flour (high-gluten flour also works well and promotes elasticity)
1 t. kosher salt
1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1/3 c. grated Cypress Grove Midnight Moon cheese
1/3 c. Cypress Grove Fromage Blanc cheese
1/3 c. roasted peppers
1/3 c. Mediterranean olives mix
Crispy shallots (recipe follows)
Fresh thyme, for garnish

Method (1) In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 c. warm water. In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture and the remaining 3/4 c. water, and process until the mixture forms a ball. (2) The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, and knead by hand 2-3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel, and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (3) Divide the dough into even balls, and shape; let rest at least 1 hour before tossing. (This dough will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days if it is tightly wrapped.) (4) Preheat oven to 450°-475°F, and fit the oven with a pizza stone. Bring the dough to room temperature, and flour lightly to shape. Push the dough out from the center to make a circle. Once you have the shape and thickness you desire, place the dough on a cutting board or pizza peel dusted with semolina flour. Brush the edge of the pizza dough with olive oil. (5) Dress the pizza with goat cheeses, peppers and olives. Slide pizza onto the stone in the oven, and close the door. It is important that the pizza stone is hot to develop a nice crust. Depending on the oven, you may want to rotate the pizza on the stone to ensure even cooking. (6) Once the outer crust has achieved the desired color, remove pizza from the oven, garnish with generous amounts of Crispy Shallots and fresh thyme, and serve right away.

Crispy Shallots
5 large shallots
3 c. canola oil
Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Method (1) Slice shallots thin but not paper thin or they will burn. Spread them out in a single layer to dry out while the oil heats; this will result in a crisper shallot. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 325°-350°F. (2) Fry shallots in small batches until they turn from white to golden brown. Remove from the oil, and salt immediately. Once the shallots cool completely, they'll become crisp. They will keep for at least 24 hours covered tightly at room temperature.

Wine pairing: Casa Silva Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009 (Chile)

Cheddar like none other

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar--full of layers of nutty, buttery flavor--recently won the blue ribbon in the "Bandaged Cheddar, Sharp to Aged" class at the biennial World Championship Cheese Contest. Cabot Clothbound Cheddar has previously been awarded "Best of Show" at the American Cheese Society competition and a gold medal at London's World Cheese Awards. This bandaged cheddar ages on spruce boards and is hand-turned and brushed at the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vt. While Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is fantastic on its own--try serving it with a nutty brown ale to boost its aged cheddar flavor--Cabot Sharp Cheddar is an excellent ingredient in appetizers, entrées and even desserts (recipe below). Cabot Creamery produces several varieties of cheddar and other cheeses with local milk from the herds of its Northeast dairy farmers cooperative.

Dried Cherry, Apple, Almond and Cabot Sharp Cheddar Turnovers

Stephanie Sokolove, chef/owner, Stephanie's on Newbury and Stephi's on Tremont, Boston;
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

Chef Sokolove says: "Diners at the restaurant love the tang of the dried cherries, the sharp cheddar cheese and the sweetness of the apples combined with the flaky puff pastry as a delicious and delightful end to their sophisticated comfort food meals. ... I have to say, we love Cabot Cheddar cheese."

Yield: 8 turnovers

3/4 c. dried cherries
2 c. warm water
2 T. Cabot Unsalted Butter
About 3/4 c. sugar, divided
3/4 t. ground cinnamon, divided
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into medium-small dice
3/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
2 oz. (about 1/2 c.) Cabot Sharp Cheddar, grated, plus slices for garnish
Salt, as needed
2 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 c. apple juice
1 large egg
1 T. heavy cream
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed

Method (1) Soak cherries in warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. (2) Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium-high heat, combine butter, 2 T. sugar and 1/2 t. cinnamon; stir until butter is melted. (3) Add Granny Smith apples and cook, stirring, until golden brown; transfer to bowl, and set aside to cool. (4) Drain cherries, reserving liquid. Add cherries, almonds, grated cheese and pinch of salt to cooled apples; set aside. (5) In saucepan, combine McIntosh apples, apple juice, remaining 1/3 c. sugar, remaining 1/4 t. cinnamon and reserved liquid from cherries. Add enough water to cover apples if needed. Bring to simmer, and cook until apples are very tender, about 15 minutes. Cool and purée in food processor or food mill. Set applesauce aside. (6) Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, whisk together egg and cream. Cut 8 5" by 5" squares from puff pastry. Brush each square with some of egg mixture. (7) Place small dollop of applesauce in center of each square, then top with 2-3 T. apple/cherry mixture. Bring two opposite corners of pastry together, pressing together to seal. Repeat with other two corners. (8) Place turnovers on baking sheet. Brush tops with more of egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (9) Bake puff pastry for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with remaining applesauce and slices of Cabot Sharp Cheddar.

Wine pairing: Domaine Pinnacle Apple Ice Wine NV (Canada)

So Gouda

If you're searching for near-epic Gouda, look no further than Old Amsterdam--which scored 99.6 and won "Best of Class, Aged Gouda Category" at this year's World Championship Cheese Contest. Old Amsterdam, produced by Westland Kaasspecialiteiten BV, out-ranked nearly 40 other aged Goudas from around the world to win these honors. Smooth yet robust, this cheese is flecked with fine ripening crystals thanks to the master cheesemakers who carefully craft and monitor this family recipe for Gouda. Old Amsterdam is easy to slice and shred, making it not only a great addition to a cheese plate but also a stellar ingredient--such as an apple and aged Gouda dip (recipe, below).

Hudson Valley Apple and Old Amsterdam Gouda Dip
Michael Defonzo, executive chef, P.J. Clarke's, New York City;
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

8 green apples
1/4 c. sweet butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of salt
1 c. heavy cream (40% butterfat)
3 c. Old Amsterdam Gouda Cheese, grated and divided

Method (1) Peel, core and slice apples. Melt butter with sugar, spices and salt. Add apples, and cook for 10 minutes on low heat until apples are just tender. Let cool, then chop to desired size, 1/4" pieces are preferred. (2) In separate pot, heat 1 c. cream; add 2 c. Gouda, and turn off heat. Stir until cheese is melted. (3) Pour melted cheese sauce into apple mixture. Put apples and cheese into desired baking dish, and bake covered at 350°F for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1 c. Gouda on top, and bake for another 5 minutes, uncovered. Serve warm with choice of bread.

Wine pairing: Gonzalez Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Oloroso Dulce Solera "1847" NV (Spain)

Farm charm
There is something inherently special about farmstead cheese. Perhaps it's that bucolic mental image of the herd animals happily munching on grass while the cheese, made from their rich milk, is brought to life in a separate barn overlooking the fields. Whatever it is, farmstead cheeses are indeed hand-crafted and delicious--and customers appreciate seeing them. Some farmstead cheesemakers find regional or national distribution routes for their products. For some ideas, check out the American Cheese Society's 2010 winners in the "Farmstead Cheese" category on its website. This year, Extra Aged Pleasant Ridge Reserve, produced by Uplands Cheese Co., Dodgeville, Wis., not only took first place in the Farmstead Hard Cow's Milk Cheese (Aged over 60 days) category, but it also won Best of Show.

But often, half of the draw of farmstead cheese is that it's made locally; thus, purchasing directly through the cheesemakers at local farmers' markets not only promotes area businesses, but also provides the freshest product out there. For instance, Josh Lanning, sous chef and pastry chef of June in Peoria Heights, Ill., swears by the fresh chèvre from Champaign-based Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, which sells to Chicago area farmers' markets. The chèvre's rich creaminess can be attributed in large part to Prairie Fruits Farm's herd of Nubian and La Mancha goats who forage on surrounding alfalfa and grass hay fields. After contemplating how to incorporate this cheese into the fall menu for June, Lanning says, "I'm going to make goat cheese ice cream and dip it in apple cider caramel and dip it in a little citric acid powder. It will sit on top of candied fennel, ... roasted apple layered with a fennel custard and strudel." (recipe, below)

Roasted Apple with Fennel Custard, Strudel, Caramel-Covered Goat Cheese Ice Cream and Sassafras
Josh Lanning, sous chef and pastry chef, June, Peoria Heights, Ill.;
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman;
photo courtesy of Jeffery Noble

Yield: 6-8 servings

Goat Cheese Ice Cream (recipe follows)
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce with Sassafras (recipe follows)
Strudel (recipe follows)
Fennel Custard (recipe follows)
Roasted Apples (recipe follows)
Candied Fennel (recipe follows)
1/2 t. citric acid
1 T. sugar
1 drop of apple extract (if available)

Method (1) Once Goat Cheese Ice Cream is frozen, scoop onto a sheet pan, and place a skewer in each scoop. Freeze until very hard. (2) Working quickly, dip each scoop of ice cream into the room-temperature Apple Cider Caramel Sauce with Sassafras, and immediately return to freezer. (3) Place the Strudel pastry round in the middle of the plate, and top with Fennel Custard. Take Roasted Apples and spoon on top of the Fennel Custard, allowing some juices to run over the side and to soak into the puff pastry. Place the Candied Fennel alongside and on top. (5) Mix together citric acid, sugar and apple extract to make citric powder. Plate a small dish of citric powder. Dip the Goat Cheese Ice Cream into remaining citric powder, and add on top of Roasted Apples.

Goat Cheese Ice Cream
2 1/3 c. milk
2 1/3 c. cream
2/3 c. honey, divided
6 oz. goat cheese (preferably Prairie Fruit Farms)
6 egg yolks

Method (1) Prepare an ice bath (fill a bowl with ice and place another bowl on top of the ice). (2) Warm the milk, cream and 1/3 c. honey together. (3) Meanwhile, place goat cheese in a bowl; in another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and other 1/3 c. honey. Slowly whisk the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks. Place this mixture back into a pot over medium heat, stirring constantly. (4) Once the mixture coats the back of the spoon, pour over goat cheese and stir until smooth. Strain and place in ice bath; once cool, process in an ice-cream maker.

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce with Sassafras
4 c. apple cider
1/4 c. sassafras (found at specialty stores)
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 t. molasses
1/2 stick butter

Method (1) Combine cider, sassafras, sugar and vanilla bean, and bring to a boil; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let steep for 30 minutes. (2) Strain, and return to pot. Add molasses and butter; stir to combine, and cook over medium heat until the caramel thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, and reserve warm.

Fennel Custard
3 1/3 c. cream
1/2 c. toasted fennel seed
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cold water
2.5 packets gelatin
5 c. plain yogurt

Method (1) Combine cream, toasted fennel and sugar, and bring to a boil; remove from heat, and let infuse for 30 minutes. (2) Stir together cold water and gelatin until gelatin dissolves; stir in yogurt. (3) Taste the cream, if the fennel flavor isn't strong enough, allow to infuse for another 15 minutes, or until desired flavor is reached. Strain infused cream into yogurt mixture, and then portion into cupcake molds sprayed with nonstick spray; fill to halfway and refrigerate. (4) Invert the Fennel Custards from the cupcake pan onto a sheet pan lined with parchment; cover and reserve.

Strudel
1 package puff pastry or phyllo dough
Water, as needed
Brown sugar and cinnamon, as needed

Method (1) Cut frozen puff pastry or phyllo dough into rounds (the same diameter as the cupcakes). (2) Brush with water, sprinkle with a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon, and bake at 325°F for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Roasted Apples
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 stick butter
1/2 c. light brown sugar

Method (1) Stir together all ingredients in a pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and glazed. Reserve.

Candied Fennel
1 head fennel
Butter, as needed
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

Method (1) Julienne the fennel, and sauté until light brown; add sugar and vinegar. Cook until thickened and the fennel is glazed. Reserve.

Wine pairing: Solms-Astor Cape Jazz Shiraz (Sparkling) 2009 (South Africa)

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Gaining exposure through cooking classes

By von Rabenau Media

by Maggie Shea, Chef Magazine

This article is the online exclusive Business Wise column for the September 2010 issue of Chef.

The chef has become omnipresent in today's food-obsessed American culture, with an influx in recent years of celebrity chef appearances, cooking shows, chef-authored cookbooks and culinary products. The exposure has made many previously unknown chefs into household names and has undoubtedly helped fill seats at their restaurants. But the majority of chefs spend most of their days behind the stove rather than on camera, and--aside from an occasional pass-through in the dining room--few of them get the chance to regularly interact with customers. Cooking classes are a great marketing tool for those busy chefs looking to capitalize on the food movement and bring in new customers.

At Markethouse, a contemporary American restaurant that opened at the Doubletree Hotel in February 2009, executive chef Scott Walton started offering free cooking classes this summer to create buzz around his fledgling restaurant situated in a sea of distinguished Chicago eateries. "We did it to draw attention to the restaurant," he says. "Being a new restaurant in [the Streeterville neighborhood] and not having a lot of identity, we were trying to build our customer base in the neighborhood."

Chef Scott Walton shares some of his tips for preparing pork during one of Markethouse's complimentary summer cooking classes.

An education in farm-to-table
The three demonstration and Q&A classes covered pork selection and preparation, buying and cooking fresh seafood and working with seasonal produce from Markethouse's rooftop garden. Walton created the educational series to reflect the restaurant's farm-to-table cooking style, which celebrates Heartland flavors through a largely locally sourced menu. During the pork and seafood classes, he brought in the respective purveyors with whom he regularly works to answer questions about selection and preparation techniques--showing guests the importance of knowing the source of their food. For the gardening class, Walton took attendees to the roof to tour and sample from the restaurant's edible garden. More recently, Markethouse has been offering the classes for $45 alongside a five-course seasonal wine pairing dinner, where Walton prepares seasonal items from the restaurant's garden and answers questions throughout the meal. See below for chef Walton's recipe for Creamless Creamed Corn, from his "Taste of Our Garden" cooking class, with wine pairing by Chef wine consultant Marlene Rossman.

"People sometimes don't understand what we do in the restaurant as far as the style of cooking we do and the farm-to-table aspect," Walton says. "I know a lot of restaurants like to talk about farm to table, but when it's really true, it's cool that you can just take them upstairs and show them where their dinner is coming from and the ingredients that have taken five months to grow."

His own spokesman
Walton wasn't expecting the classes to be so popular, noting that many of them filled less than a day after he posted them. "The response has been great--it's really surprised me. We had to turn down people every time because we were full," he says. "One time I opened the class to 65 people, which was way too big. I want to keep it to the point where I can do the Q&A and walk around and touch everybody. Once it gets too big, you lose that effect."

Chef Walton working in Markethouse's rooftop garden, which has been the subject of several of his cooking classes.

He says the exposure he's gotten from teaching the classes has not only boosted restaurant traffic, it also has raised his profile in the community. "We see a lot more repeat customers at Markethouse who have come to the class. And I've run into some of the people who've taken my classes. When I did a cooking demonstration [on Sept. 11] at the Windy City Wine Festival, there were some regulars there who had attended my other classes."

Walton says his favorite part about teaching classes is the chance to interact with guests because he and they share a passion for food, albeit in different ways. "I'm not as visible in the restaurant as sometimes I'd like to be and I'm not able to talk to guests because we're busy," he says. "I like letting them understand how I feel about food. They're there because they're passionate about food, too. And we just share it in a different way--I mean, I live it every day and they don't get a chance to because they work in an office or whatever it may be. So it's their chance to come out and really ask questions and get honest answers. Then they get to see it and touch it and I'm right there with them."

Moreover, the chance to act as his own spokesman has allowed him to communicate openly with guests who would otherwise get much of their food information from third parties and the media. "The educational factor of getting across to people and to really touch them in a different way from what they read in the paper or watch on TV is great because it's so personal. I can really answer their questions honestly without another source--it's me and them."

Creamless Creamed Corn

Scott Walton, executive chef, Markethouse restaurant, Chicago;
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

Yield: 8 servings

15 ears of fresh sweet corn
3 yellow onions, chopped
10 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
15 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
1 Vidalia onion, small dice
3 T. olive oil or butter
1 T. truffle peelings, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mixed seasonal fresh greens, for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for garnish

Method (1) Cut all the kernels off the cobs. Using the back of your chef's knife, milk the cobs to get all the extra juice out; reserve the cobs. (2) Combine cobs, yellow onion, peppercorns, bay leaf, 5 thyme sprigs in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour. Strain, and reserve. (3) In a sauté pan, heat oil or butter and sweat Vidalia onion. Add the corn kernels and remaining thyme, and cook until just tender (you don't want any browning). (4) In a blender, blend half the sautéed corn and truffle peelings with corn stock, as needed, until smooth. In a pot, combine the whole kernels back in with the purée, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, top with remaining truffle shavings, seasonal fresh greens and extra virgin olive oil, and serve.

Wine pairing: Schug Chardonnay "Sonoma Coast" 2008 (California)

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CanolaInfo partners with World Heart Federation

By von Rabenau Media

As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, CanolaInfo has joined with the World Heart Federation to promote global heart health. Six culinary experts from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, Japan and India are working with CanolaInfo to create a "World Heart-Smart Recipe Collection" that incorporates traditional ethnic flavors and healthy ingredients. The recipes are all made with canola oil, which has the least saturated and most Omega-3 fat of all cooking oils and is cholesterol- and trans fat-free.

The contributing chefs include Carla Hall, chef/owner of Alchemy Caterers, Washington, D.C.; Gene Kato, executive chef of Japonais restaurant, Chicago; Mairlyn Smith, cookbook author, Toronto; and Alfredo Oropeza, host of "Al Sabor del Chef" and cookbook author, Mexico City.

Below is a heart-healthy recipe from the collection, with wine pairing by Chef Magazine wine consultant Marlene Rossman.

Steamed Snapper with Citrus Sweet and Sour Sauce

Gene Kato, executive chef, Japonais restaurant, Chicago

Chef Kato says, "Using both traditional and unique ingredients for Japanese cuisine, this fish dish combines ginger and cilantro with a tangy sauce for a medley of flavors and aromas. The addition of red, green and orange vegetables creates a beautiful plate and the canola oil finish on the fish makes it melt-in-your mouth perfect."

Yield: 4 servings
1/2 c. lime juice
1/2 c. rice vinegar
2 T. granulated sugar
1/4 t. red chile flakes
1 t. coriander seed
1/2 c. white wine
2 cilantro stems, leaves removed and reserved
4 snapper fillets, skin on, deboned, about 4 oz. each
1/4 c. fresh ginger, peeled and julienned ultra thin
20 leaves fresh cilantro
2 T. plus 1 t. canola oil, divided
2 carrots, cut into 2" by 1/4" pieces
2 zucchini, cut into 2" by 1/4" pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2" by 1/4" pieces

Method (1) In saucepan, add lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, chile flakes, coriander seed, white wine and cilantro stems. Simmer on medium heat 5-8 minutes or until sugar has fully dissolved. Discard cilantro stems, and reserve. (2) Preheat steamer. Lay out each snapper fillet skin side up and sprinkle even amounts of ginger and five cilantro leaves per fillet on top. Place fish in steamer skin side up, and cook on high 6-8 minutes. (3) Meanwhile, add 1 T. canola oil to hot sauté pan and cook carrots 3 minutes. Add zucchini and bell pepper, and cook until tender. Set aside to keep warm. (4) Pour 1/4 c. sauce on serving dish, and arrange vegetables in alternating rows. Place steamed fish on top, skin side down. Heat remaining 1 T. plus 1 t. canola oil until smoking, and spoon 1 t. over each fish fillet (be cautious as oil will splash). Serve hot.

Wine pairing: Persimmon Creek Vineyards Seyval Blanc 2008 (Georgia)

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Creative street-food brunch at '10 NRA Show

By von Rabenau Media

On May 22 before the start of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago, Land O'Lakes Foodservice hosted a brunch for more than 400 of it customers. The event, held at the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), was put on by Land O'Lakes Foodservice's sales, marketing and culinary teams.

Capitalizing on the street food trend, the brunch was inspired by the theme "Carnival of Cuisine," which included stylish displays to coincide with an array of unique product offerings in an amusement-park atmosphere. Major entrées included Coney Island Pups (recipe, below),

Ribeye Roast with Black Garlic Alfredo and Bumper Car Omelets made with Land O'Lakes cheeses. Other on-trend recipes were highlighted, such as Fire-Eating Queso made with Land O'Lakes Extra Melt and Golden Velvet, and Blue Ribbon Desserts prepared using Land O'Lakes butter.

"Our whole intent was to inspire our guests and spur their imaginations with exciting new menu ideas that can be used to differentiate their menus," Land O'Lakes corporate chef Michael O’Donnell (pictured, left) said in a press release.

For more information, visit www.landolakesfoodservice.com.

Coney Island Pups

Land O'Lakes Foodservice;
wine pairing by Chef Magazine's wine consultant Marlene Rossman

Yield: 60 hot dog pups

12 oz. (2 c.) Sysco Classic cornbread mix
9 oz. buttermilk
2 oz. water
6 good-quality skin-on hot dogs (3/4" diameter)
60 toothpicks, at least 3 1/2" long (standard toothpick is 2 1/2 inches)
Jalapeño Mustard (recipe follows)
Buttery Ketchup (recipe follows)

Method (1) Combine cornbread mix, buttermilk and water. (2) Cut hot dogs into six 1/2" slices. Pat dry. (3) Insert toothpick into the side of each piece of hot dog. Dip into batter; allow excess to drip off. (4) Hold battered hot dog (by the toothpick) in 350ºF oil for 10-15 seconds to set batter. (If corn dog bites are to be frozen, place on a parchment-lined sheet tray at this point. Place in blast freezer until firm.) (5) Release into oil and continue frying for 30-45 seconds until golden brown, turning if necessary. Drain. (If cooking from frozen, fry corn dog pups for 3 minutes.) (6) Serve Coney Island Pups hot with 1-1 1/2 t. Jalapeño Mustard and 1-1 1/2 t. Buttery Ketchup.

Jalapeño Mustard (makes scant 2 c.)
8 oz. yellow mustard
6 T. fresh jalapeño, diced fine
2 t. Cholula sauce
4 oz. Land O'Lakes Butter Sauce Base

Method (1) Combine mustard, jalapeño and Cholula in a food processor. (2) Add Butter Sauce Base. Process to combine. (3) Heat to 165°F.

Buttery Ketchup (makes 3/4 c.)
4 oz. ketchup
2 oz. Land O'Lakes Butter Sauce Base 2 ounces

Method (1) Mix ketchup and Butter Sauce Base.

Wine pairing: Blackstone Zinfandel 2008 (California)

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National Pie Championships Best in Show is Andrea Spring

By von Rabenau Media

At the 16th annual American Pie Council (APC)/ Crisco 2010 National Pie Championships, the Best in Show professional division winner was Andrea Spring, owner of Sign of the Mermaid Restaurant, Brandenton, Fla., with her Chocolate Walnut Raisin Pie (recipe, below).

Andrea Spring poses with the California Raisin after winning Best in Show at the National Pie Championships

The APC/Crisco National Pie Championships were held April 23 to 25 at the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate in conjunction with the APC Great American Pie Festival. This year's professional competition consisted of 170 pies entered in nine categories: apple, Crisco classic cherry, Crisco classic chocolate, citrus, cream, fruit and berry, nut, open and raisin. First place winners were chosen in each of the nine categories with Best of Show selected from among the first place winners. As the professional Best in Show winner, Spring received $5,000, a new Sears Kenmore range and a Crisco gift basket. A complete list of winners is available at www.piecouncil.org.

Chocolate Raisin Walnut Pie

Andrea Spring, owner, Sign of the Mermaid Restaurant, Brandenton, Fla.,
wine pairing by Marlene Rossman

1 1/2 c. Crisco shortening
1 t. white vinegar
2 T. milk
1/2 c. hot water
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. salt
1 T. cornstarch
3 eggs
2/3 c. granulated white sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. dark corn syrup
3/4 c. milk chocolate chips
1 c. dark raisins
3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Method (1) Combine shortening, vinegar and milk. Pour in hot water. Mix well. In separate bowl, mix together flour, salt and cornstarch. Combine flour mixture with shortening mixture until dough forms. Separate into four equal balls. Wrap in film wrap and refrigerate 1 portion and freeze remainder for future use. Refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. (2) Mix eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, butter and corn syrup until well blended. Add chocolate chips and walnuts, mix well. Set aside. (3) Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out one portion of pie dough. Place in 10 " pie pan. Sprinkle raisins over bottom of pie shell. Carefully pour filling over raisins. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F. Lower temperature to 350°F for 30 minutes or until center of pie is just set.

Wine pairing: Santa Julia Torrontes “Tardio” (dessert wine) 2007 (Argentina)

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