Obama signs Travel Promotion Act into law

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On March 4 President Obama signed the first-ever Travel Promotion Act into law during a signing ceremony at the White House. The legislation provides resources to promote international travel to the United States.

"This is a significant achievement for the restaurant and hospitality industries," said Scott DeFife, executive vice president for policy and government affairs for the National Restaurant Association (NRA), in a statement. "Restaurateurs depend on travelers, with some segments of the industry attributing as much as 40 percent of annual sales to visitors. The Travel Promotion Act will encourage more international travel and is expected to boost restaurant industry sales, which will spur job growth and help grow the economy."

The Travel Promotion Act creates a public-private partnership campaign to aggressively market the U.S. as a premier travel destination overseas, with the goal of increasing the number of international visitors to the country. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org.
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Restaurant Performance Index declines in January

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Restaurant operators gained confidence about future economic and business conditions in the first month of this year, according to the National Restaurant Association’s index of restaurant activity. Despite increased optimism, the Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) declined 0.3 percent from December's 22-month high due to operators' reports of softening sales and traffic in January.

"Although the current situation indicators remained soft in January, the Expectations Index rose above 100 for the first time in nine months," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the NRA's research and knowledge group, in a statement. The Expectations Index--which measures restaurant operators' six-month outlook for same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions--reached 100.1 in January, a 0.2 percent gain from December.

To read the NRA's complete analysis for January, visit www.restaurant.org/trendmapper.
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APPCA founder named Cordon d'Or
Entrepreneur of the Year

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Candy Wallace, founder and executive director of the American Personal & Private Chef Association (APPCA), has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by the 2009-2010 Cordon d'Or-Gold Ribbon International Culinary Academy Awards. She, along with other Cordon d'Or award recipients, will be honored by Cordon d'Or founder Noreen Kinney at a reception on April 30 at the Don CeSar Resort in St. Pete Beach.

Wallace (pictured, above) founded the American Personal Chef Association in 1996 to provide career and management training to those who aspire to become personal chefs. In 2002 the APPCA established a formal partnership with the American Culinary Federation to award certification to qualified personal chefs. She restructured the organization in 2006 to address private chefs as well, renaming it the American Personal & Private Chef Association. Last month, the Foodservice Educators Network International (FENI) presented Wallace with its Medallion of Excellence to recognize her superior service to the foodservice-education industry.

For more information about the APPCA, visit www.personalchef.com.
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More white wines for wintry dishes

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by Marlene Rossman, Chef Magazine

This article was mentioned in the Beverage & Spirits column (page 10) in the March/April 2010 issue of Chef Magazine.

White wines can be a refreshing change from heavy red wines even during cooler weather. If you're looking for options beyond Chardonnay, Riesling or Pinot Gris, here are some white wines rich enough to complement hearty winter fare.

Wines from Rhône grapes. Some of the richest whites produced in the U.S. are transplants from the Rhône Valley, primarily Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Although Viognier has yet to become a household name, probably because it is hard to pronounce (vee-oh-nee-yay), great Viognier has viscous floral, peach and apricot flavors, and the best Viogniers finish with a kiss of lime peel. The Northern Rhône's Condrieu (Viognier) is highly prized and very pricey. Pair Viognier with confit, foie gras, pork, lobster, citrus-based preps and sweet-pepper dishes.
The other Rhône varietals, Marsanne and Roussanne, haven't captured wine drinkers' imaginations yet, and that's a shame. Their complex flavor spectrum ranges from honey to Fuji apple to orange jam, and they have the body to stand up to pork roast, game birds and fried oysters.
New World picks: Amalie Robert Viognier 2008 (Oregon), E. Sellers Estate Blanc Grenache Blanc/Roussanne/Marsanne 2008 (California) Jazz Cellars Viognier 2008 (California), Griffin Creek Viognier 2006 (Oregon), J. Scott Roussanne 2008 (Washington), Kindred Winery Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier 2007 (California), Penner Ash Viognier 2008 (Oregon), Rockblock Viognier 2007 (Oregon), Seven of Hearts Chatte d’ Avignon Viognier/Roussanne 2008 (Oregon), Silvan Ridge Viognier Reserve 2008 (Oregon), Sol Rouge Gypsy Blanc Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier 2007 (California), Tercero Grenache Blanc 2008 (California), Vie Roussanne 2007 (California)
Chenin Blanc. Another very underappreciated grape is Chenin Blanc. Its home is in France's Loire region, where it is called Vouvray. In the U.S., Chenin has been called a "workhorse" grape (not a very appealing description), because it was used for many years as a blending grape for jug wines. However, some of the world's greatest sweet wines are made in the Loire from the Chenin grape. In the U.S., Chenin Blanc is made into a medium-bodied, dry or slightly sweet wine. Dry Chenin can pair well with fish and chicken. The sweeter styles of Chenin Blanc can balance the spicy heat of some Asian and Latin American cuisines--try with ceviche. The medium-dry styles can also pair well with cream sauces and rich dishes like charcuterie, boudin blanc, creamy chicken stews and fried preps.
Old World pick: Remy Pannier Vouvray 2007 (France)
New World picks: Graziano Chenin Blanc 2007 (California), Daniel Gehrs Chenin Blanc 2008 (California), Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc 2008 (California)
Italian and Spanish whites for winter. Although we are making many world-class white wines here in the U.S., don't forget the great Italian and Spanish whites that are rich enough for cool weather fare. From Italy, try Campogrande Orvieto 2008, Guerrieri-Rizzardi Soave Classico 2008, J. Santa Cristina Orvieto Campogrande 2008 or Tessari Soave Classico "Grisela" 2008. And from Spain, try Hermanos Lurton Rueda 2008.

Blends. If you can't decide which white wine you'd like to try next, some domestic winemakers have saved you the trouble by blending a variety of white grapes, such as Airlie Seven Pinot Gris/Riesling/Gewurztraminer/Pinot Blanc 2008 (Oregon), Francis Tannahill "Jack" Pinot Blanc /Pinot Gris/Chardonnay 2005 (Oregon) or Murrietta's Well White Meritage Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (California).

And if you have any of these marvelous wines left over until spring or summer, you can serve them out on the patio.

Marlene Rossman is a corporate wine studies consultant and instructor for the University of California-Irvine Extension corporate wine program.
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Beware of fish fraud to protect your reputation for quality

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Contributed by chef Mark Eggerding, U.S. Foodservice

Let's face it, fillets of fish can look very similar in weight and species. How confident are you that the order of snapper you just received from your supplier--and paid top dollar for--is the weight promised on the label and is not northern rock sole? It's quite possible you are one of many daily victims of fish fraud. Fish fraud, and, more specifically, short-weighting and species substitution, are illegal practices that costs restaurant owners, operators and distributors millions of dollars each year.

Last month, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP) joined 18 other states in a multi-state frozen seafood investigation. The group tested 52 different seafood products and found that 26 of the products were mislabeled, meaning the packages contained less actual product in weight than was labeled. The CDCP reported that the product was, on average, 4.5 percent less than indicated on the label. Excess ice made up the difference in weight. And according to the National Fisheries Institute's Better Seafood Board, products made up of 10, 20 and 30 percent ice are often sold to restaurants. Whether operators realize it or not, that type of systemic fish fraud is costing operators and consumers.

But short-weight is not the only form of economic adulteration. Species substitution is another intentional fraudulent practice endemic in the industry. For operators who unknowingly serve a different species of fish than indicated on their menu, fish fraud can also damage the reputation and the success of their businesses and even result in violations and fines by regulatory agencies.

When Applied Food Technologies began to identify fish species through genetic testing in 2006, approximately 40 percent of fish tested for its clients was mislabeled. Just three years later, Applied Food Technologies reported a 70 percent reduction in species substitution for all its clients.

Statistics from Applied Food Technologies demonstrate that routine and random testing significantly reduces the likelihood for fish species substitution. But keep in mind that these stats are only for companies actively testing their fish products. Those not testing their fish may have seen little to no improvement.

To ensure that the seafood you are buying is everything it's supposed to be, operators must take an active approach to vetting suppliers. And with hundreds of species of fin fish and shellfish coming from hundreds of sources around the world, operators must depend on these suppliers to be an intermediary.

When you're dealing with seafood suppliers, it is crucial to ask the right questions. If they are willing to answer your questions, it is a good indication they are reputable. Here are some questions every seafood supplier should be able to answer:
  • Where and how is your seafood sourced?
  • How do you know the product is labeled properly for species and weight?
  • Do you have a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan in practice?
  • What measures do you take to mitigate the risk of fish fraud?
What you can do
If you find a problem with the seafood you're receiving, notify your supplier. If you think you're purchasing mislabeled fish, let your local health department and/or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know. You can reach the FDA at (888) SAFEFOOD ([888] 723-3366).

Chef Mark Eggerding is senior vice president of sales and marketing for U.S. Foodservice, one of America's premier foodservice distributors offering more than 43,000 national, private label and signature-brand items and services to more than 250,000 customers nationwide. In the fall of 2005 U.S. Foodservice began working with the Applied Food Technologies lab to develop and implement one of the first fish DNA-testing methods that would help the food distributor better monitor and ensure its seafood supply.
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IPC donates $20,000 for Haiti relief efforts

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The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) announced that it will donate $20,000 to the Feed My Starving Children organization to help assemble and distribute 230,000 Manna Pack-Potato meals to Haitian citizens. MannaPack-Potato is a "first food" designed specifically for malnourished children with diarrhea. It contains potato granules, soy flour, vitamins, minerals and sweet potato flavoring. The Manna Pack-Potato meals will be assembled at a Mobile Pack-Potato event in Boise, Idaho, this August by volunteers who will pack, seal, box and place the 230,000 meals onto pallets and prepare them for loading and shipping.

"The Idaho Potato Commission is extremely proud to support this volunteer-driven, humanitarian organization that provides meals to millions of hungry and malnourished people around the world," said Frank Muir, president and CEO of IPC, in a statement. "Of course in recent days, all of our attention has turned to Haiti. The commission has looked at many different ways to provide aid to the Haitian people. We feel that the Feed My Starving Children donation will allow us to do exactly what we need to do--which is to put nutritional food directly into the hands of those who need it most, especially the children."

For more information, visit www.fmsc.org or www.idahopotato.com.
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