Christopher Ranch

“Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the happ’, happ’ happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny (explicative) Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat, white (explicative) down that chimney tonight, he’s going to find the jolliest bunch of (explicative) this side of the nut house….”

Ahh, yes…one of Clark Griswold’s most classic lines from Christmas Vacation, which is always a must see this time of year, and a movie that touches a dysfunctional sentimental chord in my heart.

I finally got around to watching Christmas Vacation last night, and my annual viewing consistently marks the official beginning to my holiday season. Sure, the lights and tree have been up for a while, and I’ve been listening to Christmas tunes since June, but until I see Cousin Eddy depositing his mobile toilet waste into the sewer (see above), I can’t fully embrace the Christmas spirit.

Why, exactly, does Christmas Vacation wage such a tremendous influence over me? Not sure. Maybe I can relate…I’m a fan of the turkey neck, too, Eddy.

Therefore, since my holiday fever has finally been ignited, it’s now time to squeeze my remaining Christmas activities into the next four days.

To do:
1.) Christmas shopping – thank goodness for eBay.
2.) Ice skating – preferably with Bailey’s & hot chocolate.
3.) Caroling – does singing Nat King Cole karaoke count?
4.) Cooking – yikes. We’re hosting both Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners this year, and we’ve yet to begin executing meals that begin in 72 hours.

Now, when I say “we’re” hosting these meals, by “we,” I really mean my parents – they’re doing the bulk of the labor. However, this year, I’ve been tapped with planning the meals because, and I quote, my mom “is sick of her ungrateful family complaining that we eat the same thing every year on Christmas.” Now, I love a good challenge and do feel guilty that mom has to annually slave in the kitchen, so I rose to the occasion.

Therefore, while I chuckled throughout Christmas Vacation last night (“is the house on fire, Clark?”), I also began coordinating my menu. Since we’re doing it my way this year, and I’m a fan of appetizers, small plates and fresh garlic, the traditional sit-down dinner is turning into more of a cocktail party. Sorry, mom.

Note – if your mom also has challenged your menu-planning skills, feel free to use.

Drum roll, please (albeit, my lineup is not nearly as exciting as Clark Griswold’s exquisite display of exterior illumination)…

Bombay Sliders With Garlic Curry Sauce

Asian Lettuce Cups

Garlic-Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Fig-And-Prosciutto Flatbread

Tapas-Style Garlic Prawns & Chorizo

Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta With Roasted Garlic

Creamed Mushrooms On Chive Butter Toast

Maine Lobster Cappuccino

Garlicky Spinach Balls

Lamb With Black Olives

So, “if all of this food tastes half as good as it looks, we’re in for a treat.” Thanks, Clark.

Happy Holidays and a very Merry New Year from Christopher Ranch!

Now, I love beer, and I love garlic, but, for reasons unknown, I have never considered combining the two.

Turns out, somebody else came up with the brilliant idea.

Chef Tom Seefurth is the brains behind Mamma Mia! Pizza Beer, a light, 4.5%-alcohol beer, brewed using Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic, fresh basil, oregano and tomatoes.

Hmm…I eat quite a bit of pizza and drink even more beer, but I couldn’t initially wrap my arms around the idea of a Pizza Beer. So, I asked the obvious question – do garlic, basil, oregano and tomatoes taste good in beer?

Surprisingly, delicious, said chef Tom.

“No one’s ever used these ingredients before; it’s the only garlic beer in the world,” chef Tom said of Pizza Beer, which became commercially available in March 2008. “When the batch came out, we weren’t expecting it to taste very good, but the garlic made it taste really cool. You know you’re drinking beer, but you get the garlic aroma.”

Chef Tom couldn’t tell me how much fresh garlic is brewed into the beer – trade secrets, of course – but he did say using California heirloom garlic – as opposed to Chinese garlic – made a significant difference in the flavor.

“It burns at first and is really harsh,” chef Tom said, when describing the flavor of raw Chinese garlic, which was used in the first four Pizza Beer batches. “We fell in love with California garlic – it was sweet, and something we wanted to put in our mouths straight. We knew it was going to change our beer – and for the better.”

Turns out, Pizza Beer is quite popular in the limited markets available, including Illinois – mainly Chicago – Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and a very slim California presence.

It’s primarily retail outlets, such as select Woodman’s Markets and Whole Foods Markets in Illinois and Indiana, and liquor stores, like Binny’s Beverage Depot in Illinois and Beverages 4 Less in Santee, Calif., carrying the beer. However, chef Tom hopes to expand into more independent markets and increase involvement with wine distributors, particularly in California.

“It’s more of the foodies who like it; or people who enjoy a good glass of wine, but don’t drink beer,” chef Tom said of Pizza Beer, which is considered a session beer, or a beer that one can drink consecutively – in a session – without becoming intoxicated.

Chef Tom’s brain child was originally intended to be a marinade, as he and his wife – Athena, better known as “Mamma Mia” – enjoy grilling – and cooking in general – and were constantly using beer as a marinade, while questioning why such marinades weren’t readily available.

Well, chef Tom, a realtor by trade, possessed a passionate idea and a homemade beer-making kit, so, about three years ago, he decided to grab every herb in his garden, and try his hand at brewing an herbal-infused beer. As luck would have it, it was a hit as a drinking beer, earning third-place honors at an amateur beer-brewing competition and entry in the Great American Beer Festival competition.

He now contracts with a brewer in Milwaukee – Sprecher Brewing Co. – to manufacture his beer, which had its fifth brew in October; this time with Christopher Ranch California heirloom garlic. For a peek into the process, see video.

Today, most consumers are purchasing his beer to be drunk, but about 30% buy for marinade purposes, he said. See chef Tom’s Pizza Beer Burgers clip.

He’s also found interest from pizza makers, such as Frank McCarron, chef/general manager, of Valley Center, Calif.-based Portino’s, who are using his beer as an ingredient in pizza crust. In fact, the beer blended so well into the crust of McCarron’s sausage-, garlic-, tomato-pie pizza that it took first place in the Western Region Division of the Best Traditional Pizza Competition – and fourth place in the International Division – at the 2009 International Pizza Expo. (Side note – McCarron’s winning pizza featured Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic!)

McCarron, who’s been in the pizza business for 20 years, also said the garlic presence in Pizza Beer plays a major role in making Pizza Beer pizza so uniquely delicious.

“It’s mainly the garlic in there – beer and crust is no secret,” said McCarron, who’s used Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic for a decade. “But it’s the basil, garlic, tomato and oregano, and it just does something to it. I haven’t figured out what it is yet.”

McCarron sees great potential in the Pizza Beer pizza-crust concept and intends to license the Portino’s name to interested operators, with Pizza Beer as the proprietary product, he said. For more information, click here.

Still, even though multiple people have picked up on the Pizza Beer idea – whether it’s for drinking or cooking – it’s still one of the best kept secrets out there.

Some cats, however, need to be let out of their bag – especially when concerning beer and fresh California heirloom garlic. To find out more about Mamma Mia! Pizza Beer, please visit the Web site.

Who knows? Pizza Beer could be the next Korean BBQ. Weirder things have happened.

Well, I thought I’d heard it all when it comes to fresh garlic.

Scrumptious flavoring component, immune system booster, vampire obstacle, infection fighter, cancer combatant, bad breath creator, cholesterol reducer, etc.

However, this one takes the cake – or the cud.

According to a Welsh company called Neem Biotech, feeding cows garlic might help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by minimizing the million pounds of methane emitted by cows “chewing the cud,” according to The Irish Times article, “Giving Cows Garlic Breath Could Save Planet By Reducing Methane Output.”

Hmmm….I continued reading.

Apparently, allicin, an active nutrient found in garlic, has the potential to minimize the amount of methane, or gas, generated by cattle when they consume grass and feed, by up to 50%, said Dr. David Williams, Neem’s chief executive and chairman, in the article.

About 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions are produced by cows, sheep and other ruminants, as each cow releases 480 litres of methane – considered more volatile than carbon dioxide – daily.

The product should be commercially introduced in one to two years, after on-site trials conducted by the department for environment, food and rural affairs are finished, the article stated.

Currently, Neem doesn’t plan to sell the feed additive to farmers, but, instead, would provide for free and then sell carbon-offset permits to large carbon emitters to generate revenue.

It will be interesting to see how this plan unfolds in the upcoming years. Could garlic be the answer to global-warming problems? Well, that sounds a bit drastic, but you never know…reducing cow gas sounds like a step in the right direction.

For many reasons.

The holidays have a way of motivating people to help feed America’s hungry.

The feeling of giving – and knowing you’re truly enhancing someone’s life – is the greatest high you can experience.

And the need for help has never been so great, as the recession and tumultuous economic events of 2009 have greatly exacerbated the number of America’s hungry. Many experienced unfortunate financial events beyond their control, leading to the present situation.

According to the “Household Food Security in the U.S., 2008? study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17-million households were considered “food insecure” in 2008 – an alarming number that witnessed an 11-percent jump from 2007. Read more in The Washington Post article, “America’s Economic Pain Brings Hunger Pangs”.

Food stamp use also is at an unprecedented level, with one in eight Americans, including one in four children, utilizing the stamps. Not to mention, food stamp aid is not restricted to big cities with high poverty rates – it’s affecting everyday Americans. Take Peoria, Ill., for instance, where nearly 40 percent of children are receiving assistance, according to the “Food Stamp Use Soars, And Stigma Fades” article in The New York Times.

While I’m well aware of the dire situation, its severity recently touched a more local, personal chord.

Last week, I attended a holiday luncheon for the Fresh Produce & Floral Council, which represents Southern California’s produce industry members. It’s an annual event whose purpose is to raise money and food donations for the Orange County Food Bank and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. During the luncheon, a food bank representative stated the number of people seeking food assistance has spiked at least 90 percent above the same time last year, while donations have remained the same.

I was shocked – 90 percent is a very disturbing number.

While California does boast the highest population in the country, I would imagine the majority of food banks are in a similar situation.

Now, the federal government has pledged to assuage the widespread problem and has taken steps to do so, such as contributing $150 million to the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.

While there are accounts of money from the act working, it’s not enough to accommodate the overwhelming hungry population in the U.S.

Therefore, it’s time for us to intervene.

You can make a significant difference by donating extra food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, to a bank in your area. Produce items that aren’t highly perishable – such as onions, potatoes, oranges, grapefruit, fresh garlic, squash and others – work great.

Or, donate your time. That is just as valuable, considering, one hour of volunteer time at a Seattle food bank is equivalent to $17, according to a recent post by food blogger Blue Kitchen.

Listed below are a few links to help you find a food bank in your area.

Feeding America

Food Pantries – A Directory of Food Banks & Soup Kitchens Across America

Hunger Task Force

Get out there, and make a difference. It’s the greatest gift you can give someone – and yourself – this holiday season.

Southern California’s produce industry donated a collective $29,355 to the Orange County Food Bank and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. The feeling was unmatchable.

Sustainability. Locally sourced ingredients. Nutrition.

These concepts ranked among the popular 2010 menu trends, according to the recent “What’s Hot in 2010? survey of more than 1,800 member chefs from the American Culinary Federation.  Here at the Ranch, we embrace all three.

Sustainable – Christopher Ranch follows a comprehensive sustainability program throughout all levels of operations, starting with our garlic, which is grown as environmentally friendly as possible. We rotate our crops every four years to preserve the quality of the soil, apply drip irrigation to one-third of our garlic crop – achieving 10% water savings annually – and apply fertilizer and pesticide levels that are 50% below suggested levels. Further sustainable practices include a packaging line that is 90% recyclable – moving toward increased compostability; transitioning one-third of our forklifts to electric; using an ozone cleaning system to minimize chemical use during equipment cleaning and more. To read more about Christopher Ranch’s sustainability practices, click here.

Locally sourced ingredients – We offer heirloom garlic, grown in California, year round. While opinions vary on what constitutes local, California-grown garlic is definitely more local than the alternatives from China, Argentina, Mexico, etc.

Nutrition – Fresh garlic is believed to offer tremendous medicinal value, equipped with various nutrients, like vitamins B and C, selenium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, allicin, potassium, zinc and many others. Research suggests fresh garlic can battle numerous health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, strokes, diabetes, obesity and others. Interestingly enough, studies conducted by the National Food Laboratory showed that California heirloom garlic contains higher levels of valuable oils and nutrients – vitamins, amino acids, proteins, etc. – than Chinese, Mexican and Argentine garlic, indicating a healthier, more flavorful garlic.

If you’re looking for an ingredient to help make your menu one of the trendiest in 2010, keep it sustainable, local, and nutrititious with California heirloom garlic.

Indeed, wholesale garlic prices in Beijing have soared 15 times as high as March prices and, in certain parts of Shandong province, wholesale garlic prices have jumped 40-fold.

Why the massive jolt?

Several variables, including swine flu fears, speculation and a global shortage, are steering the price, many say.

A renewed demand for fresh garlic as a remedy for the H1N1 swine flu is a likely perpetrator. Case in point – the China Daily reported that a Hangzhou highschool recently purchased more than 400 lbs. of the bulb and required students to eat it daily during lunch to fight the disease.

Many also have begun pointing fingers at speculators, who, industry members claim, are playing the market by controlling as much supply as possible, and then raising the price. A wealth of liquidity – as is the case with Chinese garlic – can easily lead to speculation, according to articles in The Washington Post – “Speculators Blamed For Sharp Rise In China’s Garlic Prices” and CNBC – “Garlic Price Rises Surpass Gold, Stocks In China.”

“You need a warehouse, a lot of cash and a few trucks. That’s how it works,” said Jerry Lou, a Morgan Stanley China strategist, in The Washington Post article. “Basically, what you do is try to arrest as much supply as possible, then you bid up the price. Moving garlic from one warehouse to the other, you make millions of dollars.”

However, the worldwide reduction in garlic is also a significant price motivator.

Due to low returns for Chinese producers, there was a 50% drop in Chinese garlic production in 2008 – a considerable amount, particularly for a country that typically accounts for 75% of the world’s garlic supply. Thus, basic economics suggests, when there’s minimal supply, prices rise.

Regardless of the rationale fueling the present price increase, California growers – like Christopher Ranch – are welcoming the situation, as they have been unable to compete with cheap Chinese garlic in years’ past, resulting in the devastation of much domestic garlic business. At times, the price of Chinese garlic – the product’s most attractive quality – has dipped 50% below the price of California heirloom garlic from Christopher Ranch.

It’s impossible for domestic growers to drop prices to such low levels, as U.S. suppliers adhere to costly strict food-safety and quality control guidelines, including pesticide and fertilizer management, testing for microbial contamination, clean facilities, fair labor and equitable wages and third-party food safety testing, which the majority of Chinese suppliers are not forced to abide by.

Markets are often unpredictable, so it’s hard to forecast the next move. For the time being, however, Chinese garlic’s major price bump is a boon for California growers looking to recoup business that has been lost to cheaper Chinese garlic.

The Obamas hosted their first official state dinner last night in the White House garden, and fresh vegetables were a key ingredient. The menu was created by First Lady Michelle Obama, White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, and NY celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson as a tribute to the best of American Cooking.
Some of the highlights included a potato and eggplant salad with arugula and onion seed vinaigrette; roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney, chickpeas, and okra; and green curry prawns with caramelized salsify, smoked collard greens, and coconut aged basmati rice.
Most of the ingredients were sourced from local farmers and purveyors. The White House garden provided fresh arugula for the salad as well as mint and lemon verbena for garnish. Chefs even used honey from the White House beehive to make some of the desserts.
Nutrition and healthy eating has been a top priority for First Lady Michelle Obama since the family moved into the White House, and one of her first projects was the creation of a vegetable garden on the South Lawn with the help of local school kids. The garden covers 1,100 square feet and features 55 different vegetables used by White House chefs to feed the first family or host official dinners.
Since ground was broken on the “first garden” in March, it has been applauded by proponents of sustainable agriculture by American farmers.
No word yet on whether the garden includes any garlic plantings, but we sure would be glad to run a truck up to Pennsylvania Avenue to deliver fresh, flavorful, and wholesome California-grown garlic!

Move over Botox and facelifts.

Hello, grapefruit, almonds, avocados and garlic.

Why pay for chemicals and surgery, when there are various healthful foods and beverages that can also help prevent aging, in addition to strengthening your health, increasing your energy and improving your mood?

In the book – “Eat This, Not That! 2010: The No Diet Weight Loss Solution”, authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding identify eight foods – eggs, green tea, garlic, grapefruit, Greek yogurt, avocado, bell peppers and almonds – which can help accomplish all four, according to a recent article – “8 Perfect Stay-Young Foods” – on Yahoo! Health.

With the holidays – and copious amounts of food – looming ahead, I’m all ears.

So, what, exactly, makes these foods so nutritious and beneficial?

Eggs – Considered a great food for weight loss, one egg contains only 72 calories, but 6.3 grams of high-quality protein and valuable vitamins, including B12, A and E. A study in the International Journal of Obesity concluded that those on a calorie-regulated diet who are obese/overweight, can drop weight 65% quicker by substituting eggs for bagels for breakfast. Not to mention, people consuming four eggs per week had considerably reduced cholesterol levels than those consuming less than one.

Green Tea – If you’re looking to extend your lifespan, drink up. A 2006 article published in the Amercian Medical Association, which tracked more than 40,000 Japanese adults for a decade, concluded that after seven years, participants who drank five or more cups of tea daily, were “26% less likely to die of any cause, compared with those who averaged less than a cup.” Longer lives can likely be attributed to catechins, the antioxidants found in tea plant leaves, which also are believed to help reduce weight by jump-starting metabolism, according to a separate study.

Bell Peppers – Immune system looking for a boost? Bell peppers, especially the colorful red, yellow and orange peppers, can help bolster immune capabilities, enhance communication between cells, fight sun damage and lower risk of cancer in several forms, due to carotenoids, a powerful antioxidant that is responsible for the vegetable’s bright colors. Chili peppers also are equipped with carotenoids and vitamin C, as well as capsaicins, which studies suggest can battle headaches and arthritis and strengthen metabolism.

Avocados – This rich fruit plays a role in minimizing risk of heart disease, as the good fats avocados store – monounsaturated fats – can help lower cholesterol, reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart disease and decrease additional fats in your bloodstream. You don’t hear “good fat” associated with many foods, so eat up!

Garlic – Garlic is a natural medicinal healer for (what seems like) nearly all medical conditions – especially cardiovascular disease. It is allicin, the sulfur compound in garlic, which is believed responsible for its medical benefits, including its antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities. Allicin is not present until garlic is chewed, crushed, cut, smashed, etc., but once the compound is released, fresh garlic can then begin fighting heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancers, strokes, etc.

Almonds – Eating one ounce of almonds – or 23 nuts – daily, generates almost nine grams of oleic acid – a monounsaturated fat believed responsible for numerous health boons, including strengthened memory. Almonds also can help fight hunger, since nearly one-quarter of an almond’s calories are comprised of fiber and protein.

Grapefruit – New Year’s is right around the corner, and losing weight always seems to be the most common resolution. If this sounds familiar, start stocking up on grapefruit, as the fruit has proven powerful in weight reduction. For example, in an experiment at the California-based Scripps Clinic that observed 100 obese people, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds – on average – during the 12-week trial. Many lost at least 10 pounds, while the controlled group only shed 1/2 pound. Grapefruit, according to the test results, also can enhance the body’s ability to metabolize sugar, seeing as those who consumed the fruit also experienced a drop in insulin levels.

Greek Yogurt – If overeating is a concern, Greek yogurt is likely a good idea, as its protein saturation causes the snack to appease your hunger, more like a meal. Furthermore, a single cup boasts nearly a quarter of your day’s suggested calcium intake. A plus, considering tests indicate people on calcium-heavy diets eliminate body weight more rapidly, with one study citing that those on such diets “lost 70 percent more body weight than those on a calorie-restricted diet alone.”

* Information attributed to “8 Perfect Stay-Young Foods” article

Heading to the grocery store. Checklist looks like:
1.) Eggs
2.) Green Tea
3.) California Heirloom Garlic
4.) Grapefruit
5.) Greek yogurt
6.) Avocado
7.) Bell Peppers
8.) Almonds

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At last week’s joint hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes, “Exploring The Link Between Sugar-Sweetened Drinks & Obesity,” we heard how different sugars in different forms can trigger varying levels of harm to the body.

For example, sugars – such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup – found in sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda, Vitamin Water, Gatorade, juices, teas, etc.) can be particularly detrimental. These sugars increase caloric intake and strengthen the risk of obesity-related and cardiovascular conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high-fasting insulin – all of which are early diabetic signs, according to several panelists and various studies, such as UCLA’s “Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California.”

Therefore, a strong relationship exists between drinking sugar-sweetened beverages and diagnosis of obesity and diabetes – a debilitating disease that can cause amputation, kidney failure, blindness and others, according to panelists, like Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D. and co-founder and director of the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and Francine Kaufman, M.D. and chief medical officer and vice president of global medical affairs at Medtronic Diabetes, director of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, director of the Comprehensive Childhood Diabetes Center and author of “Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America – And What We Must Do To Stop It.”

Obesity and diabetes, panelists said, are assisting in the rise of such alarming health and economic numbers, as:
- 24 million Americans have diabetes;
- 1 in 3 children are expected to contract diabetes;
- Diabetes causes more deaths than breast cancer and AIDS;
- $174 billion in health care costs were attributed to diabetes in 2007;
- There are 164,000 youth with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, the argument stands that lowering intake of these beverages would lower the population’s obese and diabetic, as well as health care dollars spent on the diseases.

The opposing side states calories are calories, and you can’t point such a strong, accusatory finger at sugar-sweetened beverages, as numerous variables facilitate obesity and diabetes, argued Maureen L. Storey, Ph.D. and senior vice president of science policy at the American Beverage Association.

There was, however, one element that both sides agreed upon – “diabesity” is a rapidly escalating issue in the U.S. and needs to be combated before its severity increases.

This is where fresh garlic – particularly California heirloom garlic – enters the equation.

Numerous studies suggest fresh garlic can help fight obesity, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, with its natural digestant and anti-inflammatory properties and ability to help control heart rate and lower cholesterol. This ability is largely attributed to the sulfur compound, allicin, activated in fresh garlic when it’s chewed, crushed, cut, sliced, etc., and two different compounds – alliin and alliinase – are combined.

Now, just to be clear – we at Christopher Ranch are not doctors, and we’re not claiming that fresh California heirloom garlic can cure obesity and diabetes. Far from. Rather, we’re sending a friendly reminder that consuming fresh garlic is one simple, natural step to build a healthier body to help contest such diseases.

Popping a clove a day might help keep the doctor away.

Halloween’s a popular holiday for garlic, particularly for those looking to ward off vampires.

Except, Twilight’s Edward Cullen, of course.

Still, cooking garlic can also keep the vampires at bay. So, remove that garlic clove from your neck, chop it up and toss in a tasty, ghoulish Halloween dish – characterized by a pumpkin ingredient or orange hue.

Perfect for a night awaiting trick-or-treaters, for trick-or-treating fuel or while doing the Monster Mash at said Halloween bash.

Pumpkin & Yellow Split Pea Soup

Pumpkin Soup With Smoked Paprika

Roasted Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Seed Pasta

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Cavatelli With Spicy Winter Squash

Pumpkin & Crispy Pancetta Risotto

Pumpkin-Turkey “Ghoulash” With Caraway Noodles

Caramel Apples

Disclaimer: these recipes are so scrumptious, you might wind up attracting the vampires you were hoping to scare away. It’s a risk worth taking.

Happy Halloween, and happy eating!

Flavor is a well-orchestrated symphony of the senses.
Nothing beats the experience of sinking your teeth into a perfectly ripe strawberry or a nice juicy peach. However, sometimes the senses fail us... ever felt the disappointment of a piece of fruit that looks and smells exquisite, but just doesn’t taste as good as anticipated? So how can you select fruit that will deliver mouth watering flavor, bite after bite, every time? Fortunately, we have another resource to support our pursuit of flavor…BRIX!

Named for Adolf Ferdinand Wenceslaus Brix who developed the scale in the 1800s, BRIX measures the concentration of dissolved solids (usually sucrose) in a solution. BRIX has long been integral in the winemaking industry to measure sugar content of grapes and determine when they are ripe for harvest (There’s even a fantastic restaurant in the Napa Valley named BRIX in tribute ). Recently, BRIX measurements have become increasingly common throughout the produce industry as a means to quantify flavor using a handy device known as a refractometer. Refractometers measure the degree to which light is refracted when passed through a solution, thus indicating the density of solids.

Customers of Pocono Produce in Northeastern Pennsylvania enjoy the benefit of weekly “Brix blasts” issued by Executive Chef Doug Petruzzi. Petruzzi and his staff use portable refractometers several times a week to determine which fruits and vegetables are extraordinarily flavorful and then communicate that information to their customers.

In field operations across the country, inspectors for retail chains take BRIX measurements to determine whether everything from melons to peppers meet quality specs. If the product makes the grade, it ships. If not, the inspectors move on to another farm, and the pursuit of flavor continues.

BRIX measurements have been integral at Christopher Ranch, where America’s leading supplier of fresh garlic works to differentiate its product from the glut of imports flooding domestic markets. While "sweet" may be the last word people would choose to describe garlic, BRIX is still instrumental in identifying the compounds that give garlic its distinct aroma and flavor. In tests conducted by a 3rd party food lab, Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic hammered its Chinese counterpart by a score of 38° to 29° . Every 100g of Christopher Ranch garlic contains 38g of solids including amino acids, essential oils, and other minerals, which is 23% higher than water-saturated imports. Chefs agree that this has a huge impact on the quality of their dishes, confirming that Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic has a more pronounced and consistent flavor than Chinese…. It’s all about the BRIX!

The days of corn dogs and tater tots for lunch might soon be over.

Perhaps to the chagrin of K-12 students throughout the U.S. – what kid doesn’t consider tater tots one of the essential food groups? – much-needed nutritional reform is likely on the way, which will give school meals a makeover that looks more like salads, apples, carrots and sandwiches and less like fiesta pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and sloppy Joes.

The health wave might take some getting used to for the 40-million kids eating school meals, accustomed to traditional pizza and cheeseburgers, but our kids – and population – are among the most unhealthy and obese in the world, and in real danger of serious health conditions linked to unhealthy eating habits, which, scaringly, have been reinforced at schools.

Our kids are the future, and they deserve to lead a long, healthy life.

The produce industry, through the advocacy of the United Fresh Produce Association, strongly supports such menu changes, which haven’t been revamped in 14 years.

Such moves for nutritional change include:

1.) The Child Nutrition Act expired in September, and there are hopes the program will be renewed and expanded to incorporate additional and more accessible fresh produce. United Fresh, according to a release, has several suggestions for the act, including:
- Enacting a national “Salad Bar In Every School” policy.
- Increasing the current reimbursement rate for all school meals to reflect rising food, labor and transportation costs and to meet current nutrition standards and the Dietary Guidelines.
- Urging USDA/AMS to significantly expand its commodity purchases of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables for schools.

2.) The Institute of Medicine’s “School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children” report has quantified the portions of healthy foods that need to be incorporated into school menus, according to a release, including:
- Increasing the amount of fruit offered in school breakfast to one cup per day for all students.
- Increasing the amount of fruit offered in school lunch to one cup per day for students in grades 9-12.
- Increasing the amount of vegetables offered in school lunch to 3/4 cup per day for grades K-8 and to one cup per day for grades 9-12 and others.

3.) Rep. Sam Far (D-CA) is expected to introduce the Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act of 2009 in Congress, which supports and emphasizes several of the Institute of Medicine’s suggestions and endorses salad bars as a way to encourage fresh produce consumption in cafeterias, according to United Fresh.

Overhauling school cafeterias is a major undertaking. However, it will benefit the health of children and general population for years to come and can be accomplished with your help. We encourage you to support the move by contacting your representative in Congress.

Like they say, do it for the kids!