Food & Food Equipment News

Napa Festival del Sole 'Feast for the Senses' Returns July 13-22

Festival del Sole, produced in partnership with IMG Artists, returns for another spectacular season, July 13-22, 2012, in California's beautiful Napa Valley.

Set among lush, rolling foothills and breathtaking vineyard landscapes, Napa Valley Festival del Sole blends world-class artistry, gourmet cuisine, fine wines and lifestyle programs in a unique celebration of the art of life, all during a ten-day experience the New York Times calls a “feast for the senses.”

Among the artists appearing this season are violinist Joshua Bell, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, sopranos Danielle de Niese and Lisa Delan, baritone Nathan Gunn, cellist Nina Kotova, guitarist Angel Romero, pianist Hélène Grimaud, the Russian National Orchestra, and the Bolshoi Ballet.

Other highlights include the Napa premiere of 24 Hour Plays, an exciting feat of extreme theater, which involves writing, rehearsing and performing a series of plays in just 24 hours—in this case four plays with musical interludes from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

­­Audiences will also enjoy the popular Bouchaine Young Artists Series, the annual Taste of Napa event featuring fine foods and wines from local purveyors, wellness programs, and an opportunity to experience yoga in the vineyards.

Bringing together the legendary hospitality of over 70 of Napa’s finest wineries and estates over the past six seasons, as well as stunning venues including a castle courtyard, a historic theater and concerts under the stars, Festival del Sole is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Tickets go on sale March 1. Purchase online at www.festivaldelsole.org or by calling 888-FDS-NAPA [888-337-6272] or in person at the festival office, 1556 First St., Suite103A in downtown Napa.

Individual ticket prices start at $39. The Bouchaine Young Artists Series and Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival concerts are free (tickets are required for admission).

VIP Packages—from the full Passport to daily and evening only passes—includes exclusive access to vintner's luncheons, gala dinners and other special events, and prime seating at performances. Pricing includes a tax-deductible contribution in support of the festival. For information and purchases, contact Lisa Pavageau at Lisa@FestivalDelSole.org or call the festival office at 707-200-1314.

For further information and schedule updates, please visit www.FestivalDelSole.org.

Boar's Head Brand Introduces No Salt Added Turkey Breast

Boar's Head Brand, a leading manufacturer of premium delicatessen products, announced today the launch of its new No Salt Added Oven Roasted Turkey Breast. With 55 mg of sodium per 2-ounce serving, Boar's Head No Salt Added Turkey Breast is the brand's lowest sodium turkey and the newest addition to its expansive line of lower sodium products.

As of 2011, there are nearly 50 million Americans at risk for high blood pressure and 52 percent monitoring their salt intake. With this startling statistic, it's important to explore lower sodium options to help control hypertension, obesity and reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke. Certified heart-healthy and with a taste reminiscent of Thanksgiving turkey, Boar's Head No Salt Added Turkey is a delicious addition to a lower sodium diet.

"We are proud to offer this new, lower sodium option to consumers," said RuthAnn LaMore, Director of Communications for Boar's Head Brand. "Boar's Head has been providing lower sodium alternatives for the past 25 years and there are more than 20 meats and cheeses in our lower sodium portfolio. The No Salt Added Turkey Breast continues to deliver on our commitment to provide healthy, nutritious choices without compromising on taste."

In conjunction with The City of New York, Boar's Head Brand was the first deli meat and cheese manufacturer to sign on to the National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) announced by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year. With a longstanding commitment to producing nourishing, high quality foods, Boar's Head began meeting the 2012 and 2014 category sodium targets more than 25 years ago, recognizing the important role sodium plays in one's diet.

"Most Americans consume twice as much salt as health guidelines suggest," said Jill Weisenberger, MS, RD, CDE. "Salt is an important part of your diet, but like most things, in moderation. Consider opting for Boar's Head lower sodium deli meats and cheeses to enjoy your favorite foods without sacrificing your health."

Boar's Head No Salt Added Turkey Breast is available nationwide at thousands of select supermarkets, gourmet stores and fine delicatessens. For more information about Boar's Head Brand, please visit www.boarshead.com, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/boarshead and follow us on Twitter @Boars_Head.

Americans Getting 'Curried Away'

Curry no longer defines Indian cuisine, but it has certainly helped bring it further into the ethnic food limelight. Indian food,  which now surpasses Chinese food in popularity two to one in the U.S., has secured a new generation of consumers intent on health and convenience, attributed mainly to its supply of exotic flavors and recent grocery store debut. Those unique, convenient flavors and health attributes stem from curry.

Today's curry is healthy, innovative and can refer to a blend of spices, sauce or complete dish. Aside from waking up your taste buds, curry wakes up your brain too. The various spices that make up curry boost memory and even prevent against Alzheimer's disease, according to numerous published health studies. Furthermore, curry powder has been used in beauty lotions and over the counter drugs for its antioxidants, which fight skin aging and act as an anti-inflammatory.

Think Sushi Curry; Curry ketchup; Grilled Chicken Curry Fingers. These are just some of the food items already popular in Europe, and are predicted to be the next big thing in American supermarkets. "In recent years, curry has made its way into a multitude of kitchens and cuisines," says Mike Ryan, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Tandoor Chef, "and has evolved to become a well-loved, familiar favor profile."

Recognizing curry's rising, widespread acceptance and favorability in today's foods, Tandoor Chef has launched Get Curried Away, a quick and easy to enter contest that will award five years of frozen Indian cuisine to one lucky winner. Consumers—from collegiates to empty-nesters—are getting curried away with making at-home Indian innovations like the recipe below. To submit your entry or learn more about curry, visit TandoorChef.com or Facebook.com/TandoorChef.

Very Veggie Curry
Ingredients
1/4 C Butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 Large onion, finely chopped
2 Large carrots, sliced
2 Large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp Curry powder
1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Pinch Red Pepper flakes
1 Cauliflower head, broken into small florets

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and carrots; stir until tender. Season with curry powder, turmeric, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add cauliflower and potatoes to the skillet and stir to coat with spices. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender.

Kung Fu Plaza Restaurant Serves Up Elvis Presley (Wine, That Is)

Kung Fu Plaza, which is the oldest and most authentic Thai restaurant in Las Vegas, is adding a selection of wines from Elvis Presley Wine Cellars. The winery is located in the San Joaquin valley of California.


Last year, Kung Fu Plaza added wines from the William Hill Estate Winery in support of local music programs and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. The fundraising effort concluded at the end of last April.

“We are slowly growing our wine lists that have a natural link to Las Vegas, making wine tasting more fun for visiting Thai people and carefully selected wines that we already know will taste good with the food,” said Alan Wong, General Manager of Kung Fu Plaza. “The Elvis wines fit well on both counts. They have a Vegas-connected brand and also bolder flavors that match very well with Thai and Chinese cuisine.”

Adding a selection of Elvis Presley-branded wines is part of Wong’s effort to find the best wine matches for Thai cuisine after being inspired by the increasing interest in European wines by the Chinese. In addition to encouraging an interest in wine, China is home to several vineyards that produce Chardonnay and Riesling wines in the Sichuan region.

“The wines we serve are mostly from Southern California, but I’ve been researching wineries from all over the world,” said Wong. “Naturally, people generally avoid tannic wines with hot and spicy foods, but not all Thai foods are spicy. Red wines can work with heavier dishes. One of our favorites from the Elvis Presley Wine Cellars is the Blue Hawaii, which is a sweeter tropical Riesling. However, a Chardonnay can play well with some dishes.”

The selection from Elvis Presley includes: Jailhouse Rock (a richly flavored Merlot), The King Of Rock & Roll (a flashy Cabernet Sauvignon), Blue Suede (a vibrant Chardonnay), and Blue Hawaii (a tropical Riesling). The Riesling, Wong says, works especially well with spicier foods.

While this is not the first time Elvis Presley wines have been offered on the market, the wine crafters say that this is the first edition line. Occasionally, the winery creates seasonal wines. For example, it offered an Elvis Christmas Pinot Noir last Thanksgiving. The wine cellar also produced 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel.

• Jailhouse Rock: A richly flavored Merlot with an aroma of black cherries and jam, flavors of vanilla and sweet oak, and plush tannins.
• The King Of Rock & Roll: A flashy Cabernet Sauvignon with an aroma of black cherry, plums and peppercorn, with bold tannins and a generous finish.
• Blue Suede: A vibrant Chardonnay with tropical fruit aromas, flavors of pear and melon, and a juicy full finish.
• Blue Hawaii: A tropical Riesling with hints of honeysuckle and spice, flavors of crisp apple and pear, and a juicy full finish.

Ruffino Italian Winery Expands Portfolio With Moscato d'Asti

Ruffino, the trusted Italian winery founded in Tuscany in 1877, announces the debut of its vintage Moscato d'Asti DOCG. The release of the 2011 bottling represents the first sweet, semi-sparkling Moscato Bianco from Ruffino, world-renowned for its award winning Chianti wines and characteristic celebration of la dolce vita. Ruffino Moscato d'Asti follows the launch of the winery's inaugural Prosecco DOC in 2011. With a suggested retail price of $15, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti, available nationally this month, is priced for success in the U.S. market, where Moscato is seeing a surge in popularity among Millennial consumers.

For more than 130 years, Ruffino's philosophy has combined Italian winemaking traditions with state-of-the-art technology. This synergy—a respect for history, balanced with a forward-looking passion for innovation and exceptional quality—is the foundation of the Ruffino house style. Moscato Bianco, believed to be one of the oldest domesticated old-world grape varietals, is therefore a natural fit for the heritage Ruffino brand. The grapes comprising Ruffino Moscato d'Asti were harvested in mid-September 2011 from within the exclusive 25,000-hectare Asti DOCG region situated in the southern part of Piedmont, premiere sourcing for Italian Moscato. Fermented in the Charmat method, which preserves the aromas of the grapes, this fragrant sparkling wine has an ABV of 6 percent and is characterized by light, effervescent bubbles.

The arrival of Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG follows a year of skyrocketing growth within the Moscato category in the U.S. The fastest-growing Italian varietal by volume, with an increase of 178 percent in the 12-month period ending Nov. 27, Moscato is also leading the way in terms of dollar sales growth among all wines, with an increase of 89.5 percent. Studies show that Moscato is the preferred wine of Millennial drinkers aged 22–35, with more Millennial households choosing Moscato than any other generation.

Angus Lilley, Director of Marketing for Ruffino says, "With a belief that la dolce vita can be celebrated in many ways, Ruffino is pleased to offer a Moscato d'Asti DOCG to the U.S. market for the first time, where consumers are discovering a diverse selection of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines to suit their palates. Accessibly priced at $15, Ruffino Moscato is poised to enter a price segment that has experienced triple digit growth over the last year and after the successful launch of our Prosecco DOC in 2011, we feel confident in the prospects for Ruffino Moscato d'Asti."

Bright straw-yellow in color, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti begins with vibrant aromas of sweet citrus, peach and orange blossoms on the nose, giving way to notes of sage and white stone fruit on the palate. Its low alcohol content makes it an ideal aperitivo, or the perfect accompaniment to fruit and bread based desserts, such as Panettone, fresh fruit salads of figs and melon, or with bread and salami. For more about Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG, visit www.ruffino.com.

Sabra Introduces Hummus Flavors Inspired by Gardens of the World

Sabra Dipping Co., the country's leading hummus manufacturer, today unveiled a new line of Garden Variety hummus in two flavors, Southwest and Tuscan Herb. The flavors are inspired by the fresh herbs and vegetables found in different gardens of the world. The two new varieties will be available this February in stores nationwide with two more to follow later this year.

As with all Sabra products, the new hummus flavors are made with the freshest ingredients and these flavors have the extra twist of using authentic flavors from the regions they represent. The Southwest hummus features corn, black beans and jalapeño peppers, while the Tuscan Herb combines red peppers, tomatoes, carrots and spinach with Sabra's smooth hummus.

"We are really excited about the new flavors in the Garden line. Initial retail and consumer reaction has been very strong," said Ken Kunze, Chief Marketing Officer for Sabra Dipping Co. "Consumers love Sabra hummus and look to the brand to bring them a little food adventure. The new flavors are a fresh take on hummus inspired by gardens from around the world. As the market leader, we are looking to take the category to the next level."

The new offerings will join Sabra's family of almost 20 hummus flavors, salsas, guacamoles and Greek yogurt vegetable dips.

The new products will first appear on shelves in February and will be rolled out nationwide in coming months. More flavors of Garden Variety hummus will be introduced throughout 2012 and next year. All varieties of Sabra Hummus are gluten free and certified kosher.

For more information about Sabra's new products, please visit www.sabra.com.

Global Fast-Food Industry, Foodservice Consumer Trends Reviewed in New Report

With huge investment from the largest operators of the world, fast food has become the key driving force of global growth in consumer foodservice. Being the center of innovation in foodservice, the category is continually reaching new consumers through improved menus, dining experience upgrades as well as rapid expansion from pole to pole. In this regard, fast food is sure to become even more dominant in upcoming years.

New market research report “Global Fast Food: Leading the Worldwide Consumer Foodservice Recovery” worked out by Euromonitor International offers true and unprejudiced insights into the size and shape of the global consumer foodservice market, highlights buzz topics, emerging geographies, categories and trends as well as burning industry issues and white spaces.

Report Scope:

• detailed picture of the consumer foodservice market;
• granular analysis of growth sectors and factors driving change;
• in-depth overview of the competitive environment, the market’s top players and leading brands;
• elaborate five-year forecasts illustrating the market’s likely development scenario.

Product coverage: consumer foodservice by location, consumer foodservice by type.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Report Details:

Title: Global Fast Food: Leading the Worldwide Consumer Foodservice Recovery
Published: January 2012
Pages: 56
Price: $2,000
http://marketpublishers.com/report/services/restaurants/global_fast_food_leading_worldwide_consumer_foodservice_recovery_euromonitor.html

Food & Beverage Processing Machinery Market Reports Package Published

What is the size of the food and beverage processing machinery market in different countries? How is the market divided into different types of products? Which products are growing fast? How the market has been developing? How does the future look like? What is the potential for the market? How do the indicators of doing business look like? How easily are the contracts being enforced, or what is the inflation rate and how is it developing? Answers to all these key questions and many more can be found in a new report package.

New research report package “Food and Beverage Processing Machinery–Global” prepared by Global Research & Data Services incorporates 63 food and beverage processing machinery market analyses from a wide range of countries across the globe. Each analysis gives a deep overview of the current situation, developments and future outlook of the food and beverage processing machinery market in the respective country. Each review covers total market value and volume for food and beverage processing machinery, market value and volume for food and beverage processing machinery by type, product prices. Furthermore, overall country overview, macroeconomic and key doing business indicators in each pertinent country are also provided.

Food and beverage processing machinery types covered include: brewery, chocolate, cocoa and confectionery, fruit, vegetable and nut, meat and poultry, pasta and bakery, sugar, other, and parts for food and beverage processing machinery.

Report Package Details:

Title: Food and Beverage Processing Machinery – Global

Published: March 1, 2012

Pages: 3087

Price: US$ 26,237

http://marketpublishers.com/report/industry/machinery_equipment/food_n_beverage_processing_machinery_global_globalresearch.html

FCSI-The Americas Offers Conference Grants to Emerging Leaders

FCSI-The Americas, the only consulting society dedicated to serving independent foodservice design and hospitality management professionals, today announced the availability of several $1,000 conference grants designed to defray the costs of attending the 2012 conference this April in Kansas City, Mo.
Several $1,000 grants are being offered to qualifying foodservice professionals wishing to attend the FCSI The Americas 2012 Conference.
 
Who: Applicants must be non-FCSI members as well as foodservice and hospitality consultants with less than five years of experience.
 
When: The 2012 Conference will be held April 19-21.
 
Where: Kansas City at the Plaza–Intercontinental Hotel, Kansas City, Mo.
 
Why: The FCSI Education Foundation is committed to developing the future leaders of foodservice and hospitality consulting. These grants are designed to encourage independent foodservice consultants to explore the outstanding education and networking that will be featured at FCSI-The Americas’ annual conference.
 
How: Consultants must apply by March 2. You may access the registration form here: 
http://fcsita.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/PDFs/FCSI_2012_Conference_Grants.pdf

Courvoisier Announces C by Courvoisier

Courvoisier, the cognac house of Beam Inc., announced today the addition of C by Courvoisier to its award-winning portfolio. A bold, revolutionary cognac, C by Courvoisier is full of attitude, boasting a daring, intense flavor profile that stands out from the crowd and showcases a new side of cognac.

C by Courvoisier offers consumers an innovative, new option in the cognac category. An intense blend of small-batch-produced cognac specially selected from 50 winegrowers in the Fin Bois Cru, C by Courvoisier is carefully crafted by the house's master blender and goes through a double-barrel aging process to produce a smooth, full-bodied taste experience.

"The liquid is first aged in young barrels to bring out a strong, wood character and give it a full-bodied, intense flavor," said Patrice Pinet, Master Blender for Courvoisier. "It is then aged in mature barrels to round out the taste profile and deliver a silky finish. With hints of carnation, orange peel, clove, toast and crusty bread in its flavor profile, it is best served chilled for a truly unforgettable experience."

C by Courvoisier:

• Is made with an intense blend of small-batch-produced cognac, specially selected from 50 winegrowers in the Fin Bois Cru.
• Offers a bold new taste experience that is perfect for a night out with the guys.
• Has a flavor profile boasting a rich, intense character with a good balance between floral, fruity aromas and wood, with notes of carnation, orange peel, clove, toast and crusty bread for a bold drinking experience.
• Is double-barreled for a strong character with a smooth finish.
• Is packaged in Courvoisier's iconic Josephine bottle.
• Has an ABV of 40 percent/80 Proof.
• Offers consumers a new and exciting spirit option to be enjoyed on every occasion.

C by Courvoisier joins the recently released Courvoisier Rose, a lower-ABV liquid that combines the house's premium cognac with French Red wine grapes for a refreshing drinking experience, and the 2010 release of the Courvoisier Connoisseur Collection—the first cognacs with a declared age statement from any of the four major cognac houses. Like the Courvoisier Connoisseur Collection and Courvoisier Rose, C by Courvoisier is yet another example of the innovative and revolutionary spirit that has defined the cognac house since the time of Napoleon.  

C by Courvoisier will be available nationwide beginning in February. A 750ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $34.99.