28 Aug Fri 2009
I Love The South, I Love Tailgating, I Love California Heirloom Garlic!
Ahh…..how I love the South’s hospitality and ambiance…
It was evident when I first arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee yesterday, and my cab driver did three things you don’t find in LA: he helped me into the cab, called me ma’am (definitely not necessary, but very indicative of the South) and even engaged me in friendly conversation (beyond asking me where I was going and arguing about the rate).
Albeit not a Southerner myself, my Mississippi roots, family in New Orleans and many a trip to the Carolinas, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana have definitely familiarized me with the culture, which boasts friendly, polite folks; slow, Southern drawls; sweet tea; rivers (I swear – there are always rivers in the South); barbeque and – my favorite – a deep, ingrained passion (borderline obsession) with college football.
I happen to share that obsession, though mine is driven by the perks that come along with football season – i.e., tailgating.
(I’m a firm believer that anticipation is usually better than the event you’re actually anticipating.) Case in point – I went to Kansas State University and, although our once storied football program has been shaky – at best – for a few years, we definitely excelled in tailgating. The games were always more bearable after a few adult beverages.
Therefore, being in Knoxville – home to another big football school, University of Tennessee – on the brink of football season – akin to Christmas Eve – has made me positively giddy, with tailgating on the brain. (To see how much I love tailgating, see picture above – at the USC/Ohio State game last year. Did we go into the game? Absolutely not. But, we sure did tailgate.)
Tailgating is one of my favorite pastimes for several reasons:
1.) A reason to throw back a few PBRs on a Saturday afternoon. Yes, I said PBR…I am from Kansas, remember?
2.) The atmosphere – it’s positively electric. The sights, the smells, the noises…thousands decked out in school colors, people tossing the ol’ pig skin around, the smell of barbeques, Jimmy Buffet or 50 Cent bumping in the background (depending on your age range), the deep red, orange and gold hues of fall leaves (unless you live in LA – then the deep greens of the palm trees)….Ok, you get the idea.
3.) I feel like I’m back in college for a day…then, on Monday, realize I’m not when I’m suffering a two-day hangover.
4.) TAILGATING FOOD – arguably my favorite part.
This is where California heirloom garlic comes into the equation. Did you know it can be incorporated into nearly all tailgating dishes? Well, it can.
To prove it, we gathered up some of our favorite tailgating recipes. Or, ones that sounded particularly appetizing. We also wanted to put a new spin on traditional tailgating food, as we’re bored with the same old cheeseburgers, potato salad and beans.
Roasted Garlic, Pablano & Red Pepper Guacamole
Herb & Garlic Shells With Spinach & Bacon
Grilled Asparagus In Thai Garlic Sauce
Grilled Baby Back Ribs With Garlic/Ginger Glaze
We know you’ll have a good time in the parking lot – as long as PBR is available – but to make sure you’re having a tasty time, get yourself some California heirloom garlic, and try out these recipes.
Let us know what you think! Better yet, feel free to chime in with your own.
Now, back to my Southern activities…..time to go drink sweet tea with friendly people by the river and talk college football.
Happy Tailgating Season!
25 Aug Tue 2009
The Lifecycle of Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic, a 9-Month Adventure
They say all good things must come to an end.
That is definitely true when it comes to wrapping up harvest of Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic. Sad face.
Our harvest throughout California’s Central Valley is nearing a close, expected to wind down in late August or early September, after commencing in early June. Time sure does fly when you’re growing garlic.
Once complete, those three months of harvest will have generated more than 60-million pounds of fresh heirloom garlic, and thanks to state-of-the-art storage techniques, the flavorful, fresh, healthy and safe goodness that is California heirloom garlic will be available year round.
When picking up a bulb of California heirloom garlic in the grocery store, it’s difficult to fathom the steps required in moving garlic from our field to your fork. Because the end of harvest always makes us a little nostalgic, it’s the perfect time to walk down memory lane and share how the 2009 season came to be…
To put things into initial perspective, a garlic bulb is similar to a baby (bet you don’t hear that comparison everyday). At least in the regard that it takes nine careful months to grow. After that, the similarities weaken drastically – garlic definitely doesn’t need to have its diaper changed.
Following are the basic steps in the evolution of California heirloom garlic:
Step 1 – Planting: this occurs in October and November.
Step 2 – Tending to the crop for six months: November through early May. Ensuring garlic grows according to plan and handling any interruptions.
Step 3 – Cutting the water: will start early May or early June (depending on early or late variety) and continue six to seven weeks. This is the first stage of a roughly nine-week curing (or drying out) process. It is essential fresh garlic dry out before storage because if stored wet, it becomes prone to moisture-related issues, like mold.
Step 4 – Undercutting the garlic: will start mid-June or mid-July and continue until harvest ends (either late June or late August, depending on variety). Undercutting is physically pulling the garlic from the ground – a rather labor-intensive activity that requires thousands of workers during peak harvest in late July. Undercutting is done mainly by hand, as there is no machine delicate enough to harvest bulb garlic. Garlic that will be processed (peeled, chopped, crushed, minced, etc.) is machine harvested, however.
Step 5 – Wind rowing: upon undercutting, the garlic is then laid in wind rows in the fields to further cure – or dry out – in the wind and sun for about two more weeks.
Step 6 – Topping: occurs late June/early July or late August/early September (again, depending on variety). Topping is the final stage of harvest, when the garlic’s stalk and roots are manually topped, prior to shipment to the packing facility.
There you have it. The precious lifecycle of California heirloom garlic.
And, because we pride ourselves on growing the most flavorful, fresh, healthy, safe and sustainable garlic possible, we abide by the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety and quality control guidelines.
We also strive to farm as sustainably as possible. As farmers, we’ve always been stewards of our precious land.
For example, we rotate our crops once every four years, in an effort to prevent overfarming and ensure the soil can replenish its natural vitamins and minerals, lending to a more flavorful, healthier garlic.
We also apply drip irrigation to 1/3 of our crop, which emphasizes precision in water and reduces annual water usage by 10%.
Finally, we use 50% fewer pesticides and fertilizers than suggested.
Similar to a baby, growing garlic requires a little patience. And, even though good things come to an end, they also come to those who wait.
Look for California heirloom garlic year round at your local grocer.
19 Aug Wed 2009
Fresh Crushed Garlic More Heart Healthy than Dried Garlic
For a healthy heart, make sure your garlic is fresh crushed and not dried.
That’s what we California garlic growers have been preaching for years, but new research published in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows the “first scientific evidence” that freshly crushed garlic is more beneficial for the heart than dried garlic.
The study also contradicts the perception that the majority of garlic’s “heart-healthy” attributes are linked to its high-antioxidant content. Rather, the study points to hydrogen sulfide – a chemical compound that forms once garlic is crushed or cut.
Apparently, hydrogen sulfide behaves like a “chemical messenger in the body, relaxing blood vessels and allowing more blood to pass through.” The more blood that flows to the heart, the happier the heart.
(Numerous studies also indicate that allicin – a sulfur compound that also is generated when garlic is chewed, crushed and cut – is largely responsible for garlic’s nutritional value).
Dried and cooked garlic, however, are not able to produce hydrogen sulfide.
Therefore, science has spoken: for a healthier heart, fresh garlic is the best. Ditch the dried.
We suggest California heirloom garlic.
14 Aug Fri 2009
Watch What You Eat – Not How Far You Jog. And Eat California Heirloom Garlic.
The title on the cover of this week’s Time, “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin,” jumped out at me like the boogie man when I was perusing Barnes & Noble yesterday.
What?!! I stared in disbelief. Have I really been living a lie? Those six words forced me to shell out $5 to find out.
Before I proceed, let me make one thing clear – I know eating fresh, healthy, lean foods is essential to my well being, and I do eat healthily the majority of the time. However, I’ve always been in the mindset that I could eat a double cheeseburger and fries – if I pleased – as long as I punished myself by running six miles afterwards. Or, at least, reward myself with a bowl of ice-cream after an hour-long yoga session.
However, after carefully dissecting Time and other trusted news sources, I uncovered multiple studies shedding newfound light on the importance of a balanced, nutritious diet – rather than exercise – for the health of the body and the brain.
Therefore, when I read the line, “It’s what you eat, not how hard you try to work it off, that matters more in losing weight,” in the Time article, “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin,” a vision of California heirloom garlic popped in my head (more on that later).
The article cited various studies that indicate, when it comes to weight loss, eating healthful foods is arguably more crucial than exercising, as vigorously working out makes you hungrier and “erodes the brain’s self-control muscle,” prompting you to reward yourself with more food or foods high in fat. If that’s the case, too much exercise might even make you gain weight.
One such study, supervised by Dr. Timothy Church, chair in health wisdom at LSU, consisted of four groups of women, wherein three of the four were told to exercise for 72 min., 136 min. and 194 min. a week, while the fourth was told to adhere to a regular workout schedule: all were told to maintain regular eating habits. Interestingly enough, all four groups lost weight, but the three subjected to aggressive workout schedules failed to lose significantly more weight than the controlled group.
As psychologist Kelly Brownell – who once oversaw a Yale lab that treated obese patients with a “more exercise, less food mantra” – stated, in hindsight, about his program – “I would probably reorient toward food and away from exercise.”
(Disclaimer – the Time article is not stating exercise is bad. Obviously, exercise helps prevent disease, strengthens the heart, improves the brain and others, but the article questions what level and extent of exercise is required when trying to lose weight and lead a healthy lifestyle, when compared to the role of nutritious food.)
I further contemplated the meaning of the Time article when I logged onto The New York Times this morning, and the first headline I saw was – “Fatty Foods Affect Memory and Exercise.”
This article discussed the quick consequences of eating “fatty foods” because, according to a new study, consuming high-calorie foods appears to have an immediate negative influence on your brain’s short-term memory and exercise capabilities.
While it’s well known that habitually eating unhealthy foods can cause weight gain, heart disease and cognitive degradation, the new research points out that eating fatty foods, for merely a few days, has nearly instant mental and physical implications – before weight gain is even evident.
Yikes – that’s the last time I maximize an all-you-can-eat buffet.
However, jokes aside, I had a holistic epiphany this morning. Perhaps I should alter the way I look at exercise and food, as there is a proven delicate balance. On one hand, I don’t earn more food because I biked farther, and vice versa, if I eat too much, I can’t bike as effectively as normal. Which is why – everything in moderation. And, for the most, part, keep that moderation healthy.
This is where California heirloom garlic reenters the picture. Truly, the power of one clove of California heirloom garlic should never be underestimated.
Studies demonstrate fresh garlic is a powerful health-boosting agent that can combat a variety of medical conditions, including high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, heart disease, cancers, diabetes, arthritis, strokes, the common cold and others. This is due to fresh garlic’s antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to a high-nutrient content, including phosphorous, potassium, zinc, allicin, selenium, calcium, iron, germanium, polyphenols, arginine, manganese, Vitamin C, B and others.
In my humble opinion, it’s hard to say what’s more important for each individual – eating healthily or exercising, as bodies and genes are subjective, and I believe, if moderated, the two are complementary.
Incorporating California heirloom garlic is an easy and advantageous step in the direction toward healthy living. So long as it’s not consumed on a double cheeseburger following every run.
11 Aug Tue 2009
Yellow School Buses, The End of Summer, Farm-Fresh Produce...and Trapper Keepers
Oh, boy…you can tell summer is nearing its close when you see the yellow school buses, once again, commandeering the streets.
I remember as a kid – or even in college – the buses were a sad reminder that my days of freedom were almost over.
However, in grade school, the advent of the school year was also met with excitement, as it meant a new Trapper Keeper and pair of jellies for the first day of school.
In college, summer’s end meant no longer would I be subjected to my dad in his undies at 2 a.m., reminding me that his house was not a hotel for coming and going whenever I please, and – instead – a welcome return to Ramen Noodles and Natty Light with the friends.
Ahh…now that’s freedom. But that’s an entirely separate story.
In my older age of 26, my reasons for sadness due to summer’s conclusion have changed. I now get a little teary-eyed thinking about the end of an extensive array of farm-fresh produce at my local farmer’s market.
True, I live in California, so our season is longer than most. However, you can’t compete with the swaths of summertime fruits and vegetables available from May through August: tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peaches, nectarines, basil, kale, onions, cucumbers, avocados, berries, okra, eggplant, melons, sweet corn, snap peas, peppers, collard greens, beets and, of course, California heirloom garlic. Hmmmm……
To pay homage to another great summer – and the bounty of fruits and vegetables I’ve grown accustomed to – I’ve compiled a list of scrumptious summer-inspired recipes to utilize in the upcoming weeks. Similar to my youth, I’m going to hang on to summer as long as possible…..
Zucchini Spears With Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Mushrooms, Red Onions & Garlic
Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken Kebabs
Sauteed Beet Greens With Pancetta & Sundried Tomatoes
Eggplant Lasagna Tart With Parmesan-Basil Crust
So, like the Trapper Keeper and Natty Light with friends, now, when summer ceases, at least we have two things to look forward to – fall vegetables and college football.
Education and Good Times at the PMA Foodservice Conference
Monterey, Calif., typically known for its array of delicious, fresh fish, recently evolved into a produce town for a weekend, attracting some of the most insightful, influential produce industry members.
The Produce Marketing Association, a leading global trade association known for its industry advocacy, consumer and industry research and networking opportunities, played host to one of its biggest events of the year – the PMA Foodservice Conference.
Several hot industry topics were highlighted throughout the weekend, such as strengthening fresh produce in restaurants, sustainability and food safety, with plenty of time devoted to culinary events and – three of my favorite pastimes: eating, drinking and socializing.
Reflecting on the successful show, I thought I would share my experiences and perceptions of the weekend. As they say, my 2 cents is free!
Saturday morning began with an “Executive Think Tank” roundtable – featuring leaders from the National Restaurant Association, the International Foodservice Distributors Association, Bon Appétit Management Company, Subway and more. There, PMA president Bryan Silbermann and fellow industry leaders discussed produce and foodservice trends, as well as strategies for incorporating more produce in restaurants. Silbermann projected an ambitious goal of doubling use of fresh produce in restaurants by 2020 and outlined effective ways to do so, like moving produce toward the center of the plate… I don’t think anyone in the room complained about that!
The PMA also provided great industry research with promising numbers:
• 92% of fine dining operators said they would pay more for fresh produce, if safety is guaranteed.
• 72% of operators agree that fresh produce attracts customers.
• 2 out of 3 restaurants want a relationship with produce growers.
Then, it was on to the following session, which focused on rethinking business strategies to appeal to the emerging generation – Generation Y.
Our industry is hopeful that Gen Y will boost restaurant sales, with the idea that Generation Yers’ love of food and little kitchen interest will encourage restaurant business. However, the speaker also referred to Gen Y as spoiled and high maintenance. Speaking on behalf of Gen Y, we think that is completely false!
Sunday morning began with a Q & A session, including some culinary figures you may know… Ted Allen, Chef Jeff Henderson, and Chef Robert Danhi. Chef Danhi, who was a James Beard Foundation Book Nominee for his Southeast Asian Flavors, emceed the session. He spoke with Allen and Chef Henderson about the importance of food, namely produce, and how it’s influenced eating choices throughout their lives.
Chef Jeff Henderson delivered an inspiring success story, as he grew up in poverty and consumed most produce out of a can. Still, his family ate and cooked together, forming a strong bond through food.
His life initially followed a tumultuous path, however, ending up in prison to serve 10 years. While working in the prison kitchen, he realized his passion for the culinary world. He read many books and learned techniques that would help him when he emerged, and, upon release, he started at the bottom of the kitchen totem pole and worked his way up to Executive Chef at the Bellagio in Vegas. He now has his own show on the Food Network called “The Chef Jeff Project,” which teaches at-risk young adults how to use the power of food to handle problems and better their lives.
Ted Allen often consumed produce growing up – lots of fresh and lots in can – but believes fresh is best. He cooks with fresh produce frequently, and says fresh produce enriches his life. He’s been very successful, starring in the former “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” judging on “Top Chef” and “Iron Chef America” and now hosting Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Food Detectives.“
After the Q &A session came the best part… the cooking demo!
Chef Danhi, Chef Henderson and Allen each prepared a savory and sweet dish. The savory dish had to include two ingredients: broccoli and grapes. The sweet dish had to include avocado and blueberries. While they weren’t the best-sounding combos, these guys are inventive and came up with amazing recipes – which we were fortunate enough to sample at the end!
My favorites? For the savory dish, I loved Chef Henderson’s scallops with broccoli puree, topped with grapes. For the sweet dish, I loved Chef Danhi’s avocado and blueberry parfait, topped with slivered almonds.
The expo began shortly after and went very well. One perk of this year’s event was the happy hour on the show floor – nice touch, PMA! Overall, it was a great event for the produce industry. Looking forward to it next year…
06 Aug Thu 2009
Good News For Christopher Ranch & Fellow Domestic Garlic Growers
Low Chinese garlic supplies entering the U.S. and strong domestic demand for fresh garlic has subsequently raised the price of Chinese garlic here in the U.S. – welcome news for domestic garlic growers, like Christopher Ranch, who have been burdened by unreasonably priced Chinese garlic imports for years, according to an article in The Produce News.
In recent years, domestic garlic producers have experienced great difficulty competing with lower-quality Chinese garlic that is dumped at an incredibly low price in U.S. markets, due to cheap production costs (very little food-safety and quality-control guidelines) and mass volumes. The situation elevated in 2008 when, for the first time, imports of Chinese garlic surpassed domestic garlic production, threatening the livelihood of U.S. farmers and potentially the health and safety of consumers.
The recent spike in Chinese prices reflects the market’s replacement of irresponsible Chinese garlic prices (which have failed to consider the overall costs to the environment, to the farmers who aren’t getting a reasonable return and to the consumer receiving inferior product), with more realistic price points. Because many Chinese farmers have not been justly compensated throughout the last several years, they’ve been forced to cut garlic acreage and opt for more profitable products – the main force behind the drop in Chinese garlic volumes, according to the article.
Because Christopher Ranch (and many other domestic growers) have always focused on growing a high-quality, flavorful, safe product – and paid higher operating costs to do so – it has been impossible to lower prices to that of Chinese garlic.
Christopher Ranch abides by strict food safety and quality control practices, including the Food and Drug Administration’s Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices and is subject to third-party food safety audits. Christopher Ranch also has an extensive traceback system in place, wherein we can track product from the consumer to its point of origin, in the wake of a product recall. Money is involved in all these programs, which, to Christopher Ranch, are far too important to ever be eradicated.
Meanwhile, China’s record on food safety has been less than exemplary, and consumers are unable to receive the same level of assurance regarding the safety and traceability of Chinese produce, as they can with domestic produce.
Furthermore, Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic is more flavorful, fresher and healthier than Chinese garlic, considering Chinese garlic can take between 30 and 60 days to reach U.S. markets, eroding all three aspects. Multiple independent tests also have confirmed the superior flavor and health of California heirloom garlic.
Tests conducted by the National Food Laboratory revealed that California heirloom garlic contains higher levels of essential oils and nutrients, including vitamins, amino acids, minerals and proteins, than Chinese garlic, translating to a consistently more robust flavor and stronger health-improving agents.
Additionally, leading chef, Cary Neff, conducted a sensory evaluation comparing Christopher Ranch’s California heirloom garlic and Chinese garlic, wherein he created three recipes using equal amounts of both varieties. The results consistently showed that California heirloom garlic maintains its flavor throughout the life of a dish, whereas the flavor of Chinese garlic dropped dramatically – at times, losing up to 50% of its intended flavor. Money also is involved in testing, which Christopher Ranch values as a critical and credible endeavor.
The good news is, for the time being, it appears the tide is slowly turning, as Chinese suppliers are being forced to charge a more equitable price.
Price aside, consumers deserve the most flavorful, fresh, healthy and safe product possible – California heirloom garlic.
To ensure you’re selecting high-quality California heirloom garlic, either look for the Christopher Ranch label, or – if it’s bulk garlic in a bin – look for bulbs that are off-white in color and more heart shaped, with roots intact. Those traits indicate California grown. Chinese garlic, in contrast, is bright white, with flatter, rounder cloves and shaved roots. Retailers are required to post Country of Origin labeling on all produce items, but items are often mislabeled, or not labeled at all, so be sure to ask the produce manager if you’re unsure.
Remember – All garlic Is Not Created equal!
Chef Missy Robbins from "A Voce" uses Christopher Ranch California heirloom garlic in the latest chef video on www.behindtheburner.com!
Missy Robbins, executive chef at A Voce – a New York City restaurant dedicated to original, yet innovative, Italian cuisine – values fresh garlic in her Italian cooking.
Therefore, to ensure Robbins used the most flavorful, fresh garlic when preparing her Garlic-Infused Tubetti and Grilled Calamari for Behind the Burner’s latest chef video, Missy opted for California heirloom garlic from Christopher Ranch.
Robbins’ cuisine “focuses on simplicity, highlighting flavorful ingredients and referencing traditions from diverse regions throughout Italy (according to her profile on Behind the Burner),” and Northern Italian is Robbins’ forte, having trained in several kitchens in Northern Italy’s Tuscany region.
Robbins’ Italian skills were further honed at Chicago’s Spiaggia, where Robbins worked as executive chef prior to A Voce.
Check out the latest video for a “Behind-the-Burner” peak at how Chef Robbins prepared this delectable, summertime dish, as well as tips on how to enhance the flavor using California heirloom garlic.
Remember – All garlic is Not Created equal!
Behind the Burner is a site boasting culinary insight and expert advice – via video, recipes, Q&As, etc. – from such widely-regarded chefs as Wolfgang Puck, Dan Barber, Todd English and many more.
30 Jul Thu 2009
Gilroy Garlic Festival, Round 2-May The Stink Be With You
As promised, a few more garlic highlights and miscellaneous thoughts from the 31st annual Gilroy Garlic Festival this past weekend…
A scrumptious pasta, beef tenderloin, tomato succotash and watermelon tomato salad was the winning combination of the 3rd-annual Garlic Showdown cooking competition. Ryan Scott (shown above), former “Top Chef” star and popular Bay area chef, was the winner in the “Iron Chef-”esque battle, which took place July 26. Scott was awarded the prestigious title “Garlic Showdown” champion, as well as $5,000. Fabio Viviani, also a “Top Chef” veteran, played host to the showdown.
Scott’s complete four-course meal featured:
-Homemade Hand-Torn Pasta with Baby Tomatoes, Tomato Broth & Mozzarella
-Sun-Dried Tomato, Black Garlic-Encrusted Beef Tenderloin
-Sungold Tomato Succotash
-Watermelon Tomato Salad with Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette
Garlic truly is an ingredient for all courses, as the Spicy Garlic Butter Cookie with Garlic Goat Cheese and Honey was the winner of this year’s Great Gilroy Garlic Cook-Off. Andrew Barth, of Winnetka, Calif., was the 2009 winner and recipient of the notorious garlic crown and $1,000 prize.
On A Parting Note – The annual Gilroy Garlic Festival is not only about celebrating California-grown garlic – it’s also purposed to raise money to help support local charities and non-profit organizations. Celebrating is more fun when it’s contributing to a good cause.
A big thank you to everyone who organized, participated in and attended the 31st-annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. We at Christopher Ranch truly appreciate your enthusiasm and support for California heirloom garlic. Remember – All Garlic Is Not Created Equal!
28 Jul Tue 2009
Tales of the Gilroy Garlic Festival
The man proudly parading around in the garlic bulb costume – and arguably only that – summed up my first experience at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. This bulb-swathed gentleman was walking proof of the widespread, infectious enthusiasm for California-grown garlic abound at the festival.
Now, I love California garlic – we all do at Christopher Ranch, as we are based in Gilroy – "The Garlic Capital of the World" – and have been growing California heirloom garlic since 1956.
However, I was not prepared for the magnitude of California garlic love that I witnessed at the 31st annual festival…it was as if the festival was a sort of pilgrimage for the 108,519 garlic lovers in attendance at this year's event. License plates from all over the U.S. filled the parking and a variety of languages and accents rang throughout the air, but everyone was there for the same reason – California-grown garlic. Ok, now I'm getting a little cheesy, but it truly was a fantastic event – a three-day garlic tribute.
As I sit at my desk Monday morning, I'm having difficulty focusing – even more so than a typical Monday – as my garlic-induced memories keep flooding back…let's reminisce, shall we?
My personal Gilroy Garlic Festival journey began at noon last Friday, when we entered the festival and all senses were immediately stimulated by garlic.
In fact, it was a brief moment of garlic-filled anxiety – what do I eat first: a garlic kabob, a garlic pepper steak sandwich or garlic fries?
What event do I watch first: the garlic-bulb shucking competition or the chef cooking competition?
Which festival-goers do I gaze at longer: the man wearing the garlic bulb or the swarms running around in garlic bulb hats?
We decided to stay calm – we had the entire afternoon to absorb all garlic activities and sights.
We intrinsically gravitated toward the food first, since the moment you walk in, you are greeted with mouth-watering smells of garlic calamari, garlic barbeque, garlic shrimp, garlic corn-on-the cob – you name it. It was a difficult choice, but I selected the garlic chicken and shrimp skewers, and as my nostrils suggested – they were scrumptious.
After stuffing our garlic faces, it was on to the chef cooking competition, where we took in a "heated" seafood-themed battle between Luca Rutigliano, executive chef of CordeValle Golf Club, and chefs Gene Sakahara and Sam Bozzo. Think “Iron Chef” – Gilroy garlic style.
Following the chef competition, we watched Bill Christopher, Christopher Ranch owner, MC the garlic-bulb shucking contest, which was quite impressive, not to mention intense. It featured three Christopher Ranch employees racing the clock to see who could shuck the most bulbs, and after the winner was awarded (Fernando this year!), the garlic was dumped in the center of the ring for the crowd's reaping. I haven't seen people pounce so aggressively since a Victoria's Secret clearance sale two years ago, when I was pummeled by a lady vying for the same pair of $2 skivvies.
From there, we perused the various booths and vendors, boasting food, beverages, fresh California heirloom garlic, garlic bulb hats, arts and crafts and more, and then headed to the Gazebo to take in some live music. As luck would have it, the Corvairs – whose lead singer is Christopher Ranch's very own Pat DeStasio – were center stage, with Pat crooning to the rock 'n' roll sounds of the 50s & 60s. Terrific tunes – I particularly enjoyed the “Unchained Melody” rendition, myself – and great visuals – nothing like seeing “The Garlic Bulb Man” shake his bulb to Janis Joplin.
Once the music ended, though, we, too, had to call it a day. Sadly, I only got to take in one day of the festival – unfortunately I had to get back to "reality" in LaLa land – whatever that reality is. Yet, we left with smiles on our faces and wonderful garlic memories of great food, great events and great people – all in the name of California-grown garlic.
I'm already counting down the days 'till the 2010 Gilroy Garlic Festival…only 363 more to go.
Stay tuned – more festival pictures and updates to come!
Research Chefs Association Members celebrate California Heirloom Garlic at Christopher Ranch
To kick off this weekend’s garlic-filled festivities at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, Christopher Ranch, co founder, played host to Research Chefs Association members at the home of the Ranch Thursday evening in Gilroy, Calif.
The RCA, which is the leading professional community for food research and development, got an inside look at the Ranch’s operations and the garlic world, including a lesson in garlic braiding, a tour of the ranch and a taste of several garlic-infused dishes, including scampi, pepper steak sandwiches, calamari, pesto pasta and – the famous – garlic ice cream!
A good time was had by all, including such chefs and culinary experts as Chef Robert Danhi – author of “Southeast Asian Flavors – Adventures in cooking the foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore,” culinary consultant, former culinary professor and more; Rachel Zemser – food microbiologist, caterer, chef, culinary scientist and sauce developer; Don Christopher, founder of Christopher Ranch, and wife, Karen Christopher and many others.
22 Jul Wed 2009
Packaging-The Greener, The Better
We also realize, particularly being farmers, that we play a major role in preserving the Earth.
This is why we at Christopher Ranch strive to operate as sustainably as possible, minimizing our resource consumption, using alternative resources and reusing materials as often as possible throughout production of our California heirloom garlic.
Packaging is one area where reuse is prevalent and strengthening, as we continue increasing the use of post-consumer recycled content and minimizing the materials used in packaging.
Presently, Christopher Ranch’s packaging is 90% recyclable, as all cardboard, plastic jars, glass jars and plastic vexar bags are 100% recyclable.
To achieve such a status, several sustainable packaging changes have been made in recent years, including removing white cardboard from our packaging options and using fewer petroleum-based packaging materials in manufacturing.
We’re also working with suppliers to phase out PET (polyethylene terephthalate) containers with other packaging materials and maximize palletization in trucks to enhance transportation efficiencies.
Christopher Ranch’s latest environmentally friendly packaging innovation is the 6-ounce vacuum pack for our fresh-peeled garlic, which uses 80% less packaging than the previous 6-oz. jar.
We’ve decided to take environmental matters into our own hands, and packaging is a segment that demands sustainability.
When it comes to packaging and preserving the Earth, the greener the better.
17 Jul Fri 2009
Happy Hot Dog Day-California Garlic Style!
July is truly a great month for celebrating – summer’s in full swing, 4th of July, California garlic harvest is underway and – are you sitting down?
(Drum roll, please)… July is National Hot Dog Month!
In fact, July 19 is National Hot Dog Day, so Happy Early Hot Dog day to you and yours. For a fanatic of hot dogs like myself, July 19 is nearly on par with Christmas…if only there was a fat man with a beard that came down my chimney and delivered hot dogs, life would be complete.
Since we will be busy stuffing our face with foot-long dogs, preferably fully loaded with fresh California garlic, relish, jalapenos, cheese, ketchup, mustard and chili – if I’m feeling bold – we decided to honor the epic day in advance.
To recognize National Hot Dog Day, we compiled a list of our favorite garlic-incorporated hot dog recipes. If you think a hot dog is heaven in your mouth, you ain’t tasted nothin’ until you pile a little minced, fresh California garlic on top.
Manchego Cheese and Garlic Hot Dogs – if you like anything hot, spicy and cheesy, this Spanish-infused recipe’s for you.
Garlic Mojo Hot Dogs – a Cuban recipe, with a zesty, citrus flair
Hot Dog Cheese Rolls With A Parsley & Garlic Spread – similar to pigs in a blanket – a cheesy, hot dog pastry.
So, happy Hot Dog Day and Month! What better way to enjoy it than with a side of California-grown garlic.
15 Jul Wed 2009
Gearing up for 2009 Gilroy Garlic Festival
Have you purchased tickets for the 2009 Gilroy Garlic Festival yet?!
If not, you should, as you are bypassing the largest, most electric garlic party in the world: a weekend-long celebration of everything that is California-grown garlic…celebrity chef demonstrations, musical performances, the “Great Garlic Showdown,” munching on garlic french fries and much, much more.
In fact, more than 100,000 garlic lovers are expected to attend this year’s event, July 24-26 in Gilroy, Calif. – otherwise known as “The Garlic Capital of the World!”
Here’s a little taste – garlic taste that is – of what you’ll experience throughout the three-day garlic party:
* Fabio Vivani, star of Bravo Television Network’s “Top Chef” series, is hosting the Gilroy Garlic Festival Showdown (professional chef cooking competition) July 26. Fellow “Top Chef” contestant, Jamie Lauren, will participate in the contest, as well;
* The Gilroy Garlic Cookoff & Cooking Competitions, featuring a slew of competitions and celebrity chefs, such as Andrea Froncillo of The Stinking Rose;
* Gourmet Alley – come hungry, as Gourmet Alley is your destination for delicious, garlic-infused eats and drinks. More than 50 vendors align the alley, preparing such delights as stuffed mushrooms; pasta con pesto; calamari; garlic steak tacos; Italian sausage sandwiches; garlic fries; garlic bread and numerous others.
* A variety of musical performances and sounds for all preferences, including country, classic rock, folk, blues, jazz, soul, funk, rockabilly, reggae, pop and more.
* And, of course – the 2009 Miss Gilroy Garlic Queen – Jessica Brewka – and her court.
As you can see, it’s a once-a-year event you don’t want to miss. If you don’t have tickets, don’t fret – there is still time. Just visit the Gilroy Garlic Festival Web site to purchase tickets and find out additional festival information.
We look forward to seeing you in Gilroy and joining Christopher Ranch in celebrating wonderful about California-grown garlic!