12th Annual Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks returns Jan. 17-31, 2022

January 12, 2022 by evebushman

(SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif.) — Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks returns for its 12th consecutive year, Jan. 17-31, bringing with it a variety of special prix fixe price points that showcase the region’s culinary bounty — and the perfect Santa Ynez Valley wines to pair with it.

As with years past, participating Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks restaurants will feature curated, chef-driven three-course prix fixe menus at price points of $30, $40, or $50, plus tax & gratuity. Many area wineries and tasting rooms will also participate at various levels and price points, including offering two-for-one tastings, special tasting flights, and discounts on bottle purchases.

“After the events of the last two years we’re all looking for meaningful ways to reunite or reconnect with family, friends, and loved ones,” says Shelby Sim, president and CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley. “Food and wine make the perfect centerpiece around which to celebrate, and Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks features the best of both in a wonderful setting that numerous media outlets have recently hailed as a must-visit in 2022.”

As Julia Child, who was no stranger to the Santa Ynez Valley, once said, “To be a good cook you have to have a love of the good, a love of hard work, and a love of creating.” These qualities and more will be on full display from participating Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks restaurants, chefs, wineries, and winemakers including:

RESTAURANTS

Buellton

Hitching Post II Restaurant, 406 E Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-688-0676

Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, 555 McMurray Rd., Buellton, 805-688-1000

The Tavern at Zaca Creek, 1297 Jonata Park Rd., Buellton, 805-688-2412

Los Alamos

Bell’s, 406 Bell St., Los Alamos

Full of Life Foods, 225 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805-344-4400

The Maker’s Son, 346 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805-344-1926

Norman at the Skyview Los Alamos, 9150 US-101, Los Alamos, 805-344-0080

Pico, 458 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805-344-1122

Plenty on Bell, 508 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805-344-3020

Los Olivos

Bar Le Côte, 2375 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos

Petros Winery & Restaurant, 3360 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, 805-680-5417

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, 2879 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, 805-688-7265

Nella Kitchen & Bar, 2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, 805-686-1359

Santa Ynez

Ellie’s Tap & Vine, 3640 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 916-390-3595

The Lucky Hen Larder, 1095 Meadowvale Rd., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9448

S.Y. Kitchen, 1110 Faraday St., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9794

Trattoria Grappolo, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-688-6899

Solvang

Cecco Ristorante, 475 1st St. #9, Solvang, 805-688-8880

First & Oak at the Mirabelle Inn, 409 1st St., Solvang, 805-688-1703

Leonardo’s Ristorante & Pizzeria, 632 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, 805-686-0846

Mad & Vin at The Landsby, 1576 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-3121

Ramen Kotori, 1618 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, 805-691-9672

River Grill at The Alisal, 150 Alisal Road, Solvang, 805-688-7784

Sear Steakhouse, 478 4th Pl, Solvang, 805-245-9564

Succulent Café, 1557 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-691-9444

WINERIES

Buellton

Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208

Hitching Post Wines, 420 CA-246, Buellton, 805-688-0676

Los Olivos

Bien Nacido & Solomon Hills Estates, 2963 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, 805-318-6640

Refugio Ranch Vineyards, 2990 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, 805-697-5289

Santa Ynez

Gainey Vineyard, 3950 CA-246, Santa Ynez, 805-688-0558

Kalyra Winery, 343 N. Refugio Rd., #9302, Santa Ynez, 805-693-8864

Roblar, 3010 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez, 805-686-2603

Solvang

Alma Rosa Winery, 1623 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-691-9395

Buttonwood Farm Winery, 1500 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, 805-688-3032

Crawford Family Wines, 1661 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-698-3889

Dana V. Wines, 1588 Mission Dr., Suite B, Solvang, 805-688-3488

Luna Hart Wines, Ballard Canyon, Solvang, 610-880-6412

Piazza Family Wines, Ballard Canyon, Solvang
Royal Oaks Winery, 1687 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-693-1740

Other

Ampelos Cellars, 312 N. 9th St., Lompoc, 805-736-9957

Foxen Vineyard & Winery, 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria, 805-937-4251

For the latest updates on Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks, including participating restaurants and menus, visit www.DineSYV.com or follow Visit the Santa Ynez Valley on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

About the Santa Ynez Valley:

Barely two hours from Los Angeles and a scenic four-hour drive from San Francisco, the Santa Ynez Valley is home to six distinct towns each with their own culture, vibe, and menu of experiences. Blanketed with fruitful farms and vineyards, the California Central Coast wine region’s temperate weather allows for year-round activities of all sorts, spread throughout the historical communities of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang. Destination dining and world-class wines await, accompanied by lodging at every level, all painted into atmospheric backdrops which colorfully mesh Old World and Old West. Visit more than 100 wineries, feast on chef-driven cuisine, and enjoy festive events and design details from Victorian-era to mid-century to modern Danish. For more information, including a listing of wedding venues, restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and events, go to VisitSYV.com.

Nala Robotics Changes The Way Consumers Dine on Global Dishes in 21st Century

December 13, 2021 by evebushman

NAPERVILLE, ILL. (PRWEB) – Nala Robotics—an Arlington Heights, Illinois-based technology firm—is launching the world’s first fully-automatic robotic kitchen in Naperville which can cook millions of recipes from across the world without any human intervention.

With the help of robots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), Nala can master any dish in a matter of minutes. Nala’s recipe catalog will offer dishes from chefs and celebrities around the world. Users can also upload their recipes that are coded and then replicated by Nala. It can also personalize and customize ingredients to the consumer’s liking or in the words of the company’s founder Ajay Sunkara “immortalize your grandma’s recipe,” thereby creating a one-stop eatery for every palate, across multiple cuisines.

On Nov. 11, Nala opened its first restaurant, One Mean Chicken, offering wings and fried chicken in Naperville’s Mall of India. In that same location, multiple restaurants will also be launched soon with the next being Nala’s Thai 76 and Surya Tiffins which features a South Indian breakfast menu. Sunkara’s expansion plans are to open 10 restaurant locations in 2022 and 100 by 2024. The company also partnered with several celebrity chefs to operate their ghost kitchens that are powered by Nala.

“Nala is the first AI and ML-powered multi-cuisine chef,” explained Sunkara. “Being AI-powered, the robotic chef gets better and better every single day. The more it cooks, the more it’s going to learn and master these recipes. It is built to work 24/7; it doesn’t need a break. It’s easily scalable and trainable. It’s a workhorse.”

Creating such a menu of global cuisine as well as leveraging on technology are big food trends according to a recent article from Linchpin SEO, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based internet marketing and web agency. Additionally, Euromonitor predicted the ghost kitchen industry to be worth $1 trillion by 2030.

While there is much talk about the recent labor shortages in the restaurant industry, Sunkara believes AI could be the answer.

“AI is going to create more quality jobs and entrepreneurs through Nala’s Marketplace,” Sunkara explained. “Our Marketplace feature will help home chefs, food influencers, Michelin Stars Chefs and anyone with a good recipe to start their own their own ghost kitchen menu without having to spend thousands of dollars to build their restaurants. By simply coding their recipes into Nala’s secure database they can sell their dishes to customers at every Nala location.“

Since Nala can work 24/7, during the off-peak restaurant hours the company also plans to roll out on-the-go prepackaged foods available at local grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores. It also plans to offer meal plan subscriptions presenting freshly prepared dishes on demand and in special categories such as gluten-free, vegan and keto among others.

“Man’s food journey started as a hunter and gatherer,” Sunkara said. “Nala Robotics brings us the next evolution in our journey where robots cook and deliver food.”

For more information, visit Nala Robotics.

About Nala Robotics:
Nala Robotics is headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and maintains strategic planning and development offices in Fremont, California, Hyderabad, Noida, and Bangalore, India, and Kiev, Ukraine

Rouxbe Launches Updated Plant-Based Pro Course With 25 Hours of New Content

December 12, 2021 by evebushman

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (PRWEB) – Rouxbe, the leading online culinary school, announced the launch of a newly refreshed Plant-Based Pro course, a six-month intensive program focused on teaching home cooks and professionals the fundamentals of plant-based cooking. The course is available for sale now, with the inaugural course launching on December 31st. Students complete Plant-Based Pro online with instructor support and grading on their own time, and from anywhere.

“Plant-based foods have a place in everyone’s diet, whether people adhere to it as a lifestyle or just one night a week,” said Dan Marek, Director of Culinary & Development at Rouxbe. “The updated Plant-Based Pro course includes core lessons derived from our deep foundation and expertise in putting plants front and center, along with the latest plant-based innovations and the necessary techniques that make cooking easier. It’s an incredible, all-encompassing course that students can utilize if they are looking to secure a culinary job, advance in one they already have, or simply want to become more well-informed as they cook for themselves at home.”

New content for the course includes:

Basics of Smartphone Photography – Learn everything from setting your scene, lighting and lens basics
Fermentation – Tips and tricks for working with cabbages, pickles, dips and drinks
Cooking with meat substitutes – Including seitan, jackfruit, mushrooms, falafel and more
Grilling – From smoking to grilling vegetables, fruit and plant-based proteins
Bread Making – Covering fermentation, proofing, and shaping
World flavors – Lessons on foods from India, China, Africa, Mexico and the Middle East
Desserts – An added section of fun, easy to make fruit-forward dishes

Beyond these new additions, the course offers a true foundation for plant-based cooking. Lessons covered vary from plant-based nutrition and knife skills to culinary wellness, plant-based staples and meal planning.

The cost of the course is $1,799.99 but Rouxbe is offering a special introductory price of $1,549.99 through 2021. The course provides 6 college credits through ACE and is industry recognized as a quality training program by the American Culinary Federation (ACFEF), WorldChefs and Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals(ANFP).

For more information and to enroll, please visit https://rouxbe.com/plant-based-certification-course/

# # #

About Rouxbe
Rouxbe is the world’s leading online culinary school, was founded in 2005 to train people of all abilities to become better, more confident—even healthier—cooks in kitchens around the world. With high-definition videos, world-class instructors, peer support and interactive assignments, Rouxbe has set the bar as the new standard in culinary education, providing certificate-level instruction not only to quality restaurants and hospitality organizations but also to serious home cooks and career changers. Rouxbe’s revolutionary online platform delivers cutting-edge e-learning solutions that drive and measure learning outcomes and engagement while providing effective, lower-cost alternatives for training professional cooks. Rouxbe programs are also recognized by both the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation and by WorldChefs as approved training programs.

Basquo! A Gracianna Winery Basque-Inspired Cookbook Newly Released by Gracianna Press

December 7, 2021 by evebushman

HEALDSBURG, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — Gracianna Press is pleased to announce the publication of Basquo! A Gracianna Winery Basque-Inspired Cookbook, in time for the holidays. The book is authored by Gracianna co-founder Lisa Amador, and represents her joy of cooking Basque cuisine and culture, with contributions by cooks and chefs close to her. Gracianna Winery’s namesake, Gracianna Lasaga, was a French-Basque sheepherders’ wife who made gracious meals for the farmers and instilled in the family the concept of gratitude, which is the foundation upon which the winery was built. That is why Gracianna wines are for those with something to be grateful for.

This 74-page, hardcover cookbook features 22 recipes for mains, sides and sweets. The vivid photography brings dishes to life. Easy to follow ingredients lists and step-by-step directions encourage people with no experience making Basque food to try their hand at creating delicious dishes that will gratify everyone at the table. Featured recipes include “Classic Basque Piperade”, “Classic French Rosemary Grilled Chicken”, “Gracianna ‘Gratitude’ Salad Dressing”, and even some Amador family favorites such as Carrot Cake and “Gâteau Basque.”

Renowned around the world for its unique language and distinct culture, the Basque region has produced some of the world’s most highly-rated restaurants and as such has become a major culinary travel destination. Basque cuisine however can be easily brought into the home, and is based in straightforwardness and simplicity, drawing heavily on access to fresh ingredients that blend together to produce delectable creations.

Chef Carlos Mojica from Guiso Latin Fusion, TripAdvisor’s top-rated restaurant in Healdsburg in the heart of the Russian River wine country, writes in his foreword “I…see that the gratitude, graciousness and grace of Gracianna is embodied by this brilliant home chef.”

Author Lisa Amador adds, “Coming together for a meal is a meaningful experience at our house. My interest in cooking started in high school and carried through college to now. Creating a meal in the kitchen fills our hearts, feeds our souls, relaxes our mind and is a demonstrable way for us to know that we are taking care of our friends and family.”

Basquo! can be ordered direct from Gracianna.com: www.gracianna.com/purchase. At the Gracianna store you will also find several gift bundles featuring award-winning wines and a special Basque bundle with a copy of the book, a jar of Piment de’Espelette spice (a staple in Basque cooking) and a bottle of wine.

ABOUT GRACIANNA WINERY
The Amador Family of Sonoma County are the owners of the resilient award-winning Gracianna Winery, a “fruit-first” craftsman’s winery on the Miracle Mile of Westside Road in Healdsburg, CA. Gracianna wines are for those with something to be grateful for.

Gracianna Press produces titles associated with Gracianna Winery and include Basquo! A Gracianna Winery Basque-Inspired Cookbook, Gracianna (the story of the wineries namesake) and Gracianna (the audiobook.)

Rouxbe Announces Availability of Two New Foundational Culinary Courses

September 25, 2021 by evebushman

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (PRWEB) – Rouxbe, the leading online culinary school, today announced the launch of two stand-alone courses now available — The Cook’s Roadmap and Plant-Based Cooking: An Introduction. Both courses focus on foundational techniques ranging from knife skills to core cooking methods, and are geared to individuals at all levels who want to expand their culinary skills.

“Whether the pandemic forced them into their kitchens or they’ve enjoyed cooking for decades, many home cooks want to take their skills to the next level, or are even considering a career in the culinary space, ” said Ken Rubin, Chief Culinary Officer at Rouxbe. “Both of these courses are great introductions to an elevated level of cooking as they provide fundamental skills and knowledge that make creating menus and meals both less stressful and more delicious.”

The Cook’s Roadmap course provides a framework for thinking about cooking food, modeled after the thought process of real professional chefs. This top-down approach helps students not only understand the landscape of cooking, but breaks cooking down into clear, conceptual pieces that can be mixed and matched to better understand, refine or create new dishes. Lessons in this course include knife skills, salads and salad dressings, rice/grains, wheat/gluten, pasta and both dry and wet cooking methods.

Plant-Based Cooking: An Introduction will arm students with the tools needed to live and eat a plant-strong diet, and how to begin integrating more plant-based ingredients into their daily lives. This course will also teach students about steaming, sweating, sautéing, braising, how to make salads, how to cook grains, legumes and so much more.

Both courses are recognized as approved programs by the American Culinary Federation and World Association of Chef Societies. Cooks Roadmap also provides transferable credits from the American Council on Education and both provide CEHs from Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals.

To register for these courses, or the full offerings from Rouxbe please visit https://rouxbe.com/individual-training/

About Rouxbe
Rouxbe, the world’s leading online culinary school, was founded in 2005 to train people of all abilities to become better, more confident — even healthier — cooks in kitchens around the world. With high definition videos, world-class instructors, peer support and interactive assignments, Rouxbe has set the bar as the new standard in culinary education, providing certificate-level instruction not only to quality restaurants and hospitality organizations but also to serious home cooks and career changers. Rouxbe’s revolutionary online platform delivers cutting edge e-learning solutions that drive and measure learning outcomes and engagement while providing effective, lower-cost alternatives for training professional cooks. Rouxbe programs are also recognized by both the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation and by WorldChefs as approved training programs. For more information, please visit http://www.rouxbe.com.

“How to Stuff in Italian” – a collection of family recipes passed down through a long line of Sicilian cooks

July 27, 2021 by evebushman

MEADVILLE, PA. (PRWEB) – “How to Stuff in Italian”: a delicious collection of family recipes. “How to Stuff in Italian” is the creation of published author S. Gary Polozola, a native of Baton Rouge who currently resides in Arlington, TX with wife, Kathy. Polozola earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Texas A&M School of Law and an MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University. The author recently retired from practicing immigration law in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Photo credit: Wallpaper Top Free

Polozola shares, “One of six children born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, S. Gary Polozola grew up with an appreciation of his faith, family, and food all wrapped in a Sicilian tradition. In the years before his recent retirement from the practice of Immigration Law, he began researching his ancestry which now numbers over 70,000 relatives back to the 1200s. Along the way, he amassed a large trove of family photographs, documents, and recipes. Reviewing the recipes, he noted that the most common thread was that of dishes that were not only uncomplicated but stuffed something—an eggplant, a noodle, a steak, seafood, and just about anything that could hold a filling, even dessert. So after culling through the hundreds of family recipes, he selected the ones he liked the most, and this cookbook, How to Stuff in Italian, was born.”

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, S. Gary Polozola’s new book is the result of years of family research and a passion for cooking.

The author shares a diverse collection of favorite family recipes for readers to enjoy with their loved ones.

View a synopsis of “How to Stuff in Italian” on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase “How to Stuff in Italian” at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

The 1st Annual Women in Food and Farming Festival Kicks Off in New York’s Hudson Valley May 8-9

April 28, 2021 by evebushman

STONE RIDGE, N.Y. (PRWEB) – On May 8th and 9th, 2021 (Mother’s Day Weekend), EscapeMaker.com will present the 1st Annual Women in Food and Farming Festival at Stone Ridge Orchard in the Hudson Valley of New York State – 2 hours outside of New York City in Ulster County.

The 2-day-long hybrid live/virtual event will honor women-owned farms, businesses, and entrepreneurs in the food and craft beverage industries. The May 8th live farmers market will host dozens of vendors with products ranging from cakes and cookies to fresh veggies to honey and hot sauce to teas, hard ciders and spirits – all locally sourced and produced and for sale to the public. There will also be a craft beverage tent for on-site beverage purchases.

Mask wearing is required, and although the live farmers market will take place on the expansive 115-acre farm and orchard, attendance will be capped and procedures in place to adhere to all COVID-19 safety protocols and social distancing.

Additionally, for those not able to attend in person, there will be a virtual experience on May 9 of over 25 online tours, demos, and educational presentations on various topics for the public and trade by industry professionals, including Food Network television personalities Chef Maneet Chauhan (“Chopped” judge and Culinary Institute of America alumnus) and Chef Judy Joo, (the host of “Korean Foods Made Simple” and Iron Chef UK). Other presenters of note include the prolific author and activist and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson on “Food & Connection.”

Local changemaker speakers include renowned cidermaker and Breezy Hill Orchard farmer, Elizabeth Ryan with a “Hard Cider Tour,” leading entrepreneur Liz Neumark of Great Performances and the Sylvia Center with a “Farm-to-Fork Tour of Katchkie Farm,” and author and expert reporter Amy Wu on the latest in “Women in AgTech.”

Presented by EscapeMaker and Fulton Stall Market, the farmers market and the virtual event is sponsored by The New York Cider Association, Cabot Creamery, Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider, SnapDragon & RubyFrost Apples, The Diamond Mills Hotel Saugerties, Doorstep Market, VisitIthaca.com, and SullivanCatskills.com, with media partners like Heritage Radio, Edible Hudson Valley and Edible Manhattan.

The event encourages women consumers and entrepreneurs from across the food and farming industries, hospitality service members, chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, craft beverage producers, local agritourism destinations, and lodging operators to attend, shop, taste, learn and participate – either in person or virtually. A portion of ticket proceeds benefits the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

“Now more than ever in this COVID age, women are being forced to leave the workforce in droves. Local food systems are breaking down, and local agritourism is suffering. We’ve got to dig deeper to find solutions, says Caylin Sanders, President of EscapeMaker.com. “A dream of mine for many years, this event will have a live farmers market at the beautiful Stone Ridge Orchard for shoppers to make conscious buying decisions to support women – the perfect fertile ground for new tastes, trends, and new local culinary trip ideas. Plus, it will also virtually bring together women online from all sectors within the industry to empower and inspire each other.”

Women vendors, farmers, producers, and speakers will be featured in two ways:

Saturday, May 8: LIVE OUTDOOR NEW YORK STATE FARMERS MARKET:

Local foods and beverages from women producers and farmers will be for sale to the public, and prize raffles will be held from 11am-4pm at Stone Ridge Orchard. Attendees will receive a to-go swag bag of local products to eat separately at socially distanced picnic tables or 10ft field pods. They can also get info about local agritourism farm escapes and farm-table restaurants, wine, distillery, and cidery trails. Social distancing protocols will allow consumers to watch demos and browse and shop for gifts. Entrepreneurs can gather info about MWBE certification, training, grants, and funding opportunities to either start-up or grow their businesses. A brief kick-off introduction will highlight the importance of celebrating women in business and creating opportunities for growth in the agriculture, food and craft beverage, and agritourism sectors.

Sunday, May 9: ONLINE VIRTUAL EVENT – ON-DEMAND:

The virtual event will offer tours, online presentations and workshops of interest to the public and also budding entrepreneurs. Topics to include –

Cooking demos
Farm tours
Food justice and policy
Craft beverage trends
Food and connection
Holistic nutrition
Foraging
Farming in the COVID age
Social media tips for food businesses
Adding glamping to a farm
Women cookbook authors
Women chef and farmer spotlights

“Women empowerment is a priority at Fulton Stall Market, where our goal is 80% of products from women farmers and producers,” says Bob Lewis, FSM’s Public Market Advisor and co-founder of New York City’s Greenmarket, 45 years ago. We’re excited to have the chance to honor their accomplishments during this event, inspire the next generation, and foster the upstate-downstate local food system connection.”

TICKETS: A portion of ticket proceeds benefits the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

Students 21 and Under: FREE on May 8 only
ALL-ACCESS PASS: $25 and includes live market access and a swag bag of samples on May 8 and virtual event access on May 9. The first 100 registrants will get a free gift box of cheese from Cabot Creamery delivered to their doors.
VIP PASS: $75 and includes live market access and a swag bag of samples and an exclusive live orchard walk and talk with Stone Ridge Orchard farmer Elizabeth Ryan and cider tasting flight under a 300-year old oak tree on May 8, plus virtual event access on May 9.

A portion of the proceeds benefits the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. For tickets and info on the live farmers market and virtual events on May 8-9, visit http://www.womennourish.com.

The Diamond of Duality: Tequila Partida Launches Añejo Cristalino

November 30, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Tequila Partida is excited to announce the launch of Partida Añejo Cristalino, the latest expression to join Partida’s award-winning portfolio. The portfolio, once described as “simply the finest line of tequilas that money can buy,” by leading spirits authority F. Paul Pacult, currently includes a Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. Available nationwide beginning November 2020, the Añejo Cristalino is aged a minimum of 18-months before being naturally filtered through activated carbon, showcasing the complexity of both age and minerality. The Añejo Cristalino follows the launch of Partida Roble Fino, a luxury line of sipping tequilas made in partnership with Edrington’s best in cask management.

“To create Cristalino the right way, the perfect base is needed. We tasted through our portfolio and found that our Añejo retained the most interesting aromas and flavors that typically tend to disappear with longer aging time,” says Maestro Tequilero José Valdez. “With Cristalino, there’s a duality where the flavors of age–chocolate, maple–and the flavors of the field–agave, minerality–meet. This is truly an achievement of cristalino.”

Partida Añejo Cristalino is produced using fully mature blue weber agave cultivated in the Tequila Valley. The freshly harvested agaves are slowly and evenly cooked for 24 hours before they’re aged in white American oak medium toast ex-bourbon barrels for a minimum of 18 months. After the liquid finishes aging, the cristalino is naturally filtered using activated carbon to remove most of the color while still maintaining the aromas and flavors gained through aging. The transparent Añejo is then diluted with demineralized volcanic spring water until 40% ABV.

Silky and delicate with a transparent, full body and light yellow shimmers, Partida Añejo Cristalino offers sweet and woody aromas stemming from its prolonged aging process. After the intense, natural fragrance of vanilla and toasted America oak, a second layer emerges with dry fruits such as raisins, quince and figs. Flavors of butterscotch, agave, vanilla, citrus and banana encapsulate the palate before a gentle, pleasantly dry finish completes the complex tasting experience.

Cristalino is the fastest growing tequila category in Mexico which has helped tequila become the largest spirit category in the country. It’s exponential growth has led to the category’s rise in the US.

Partida Añejo Cristalino will be available nationwide and online at a suggested retail price of $59.99 per bottle.

For more information on Tequila Partida, please contact Andrew Quinzi at Colangelo & Partners (Aquinzi@ColangeloPR.com) and visit: http://www.partidatequila.com/.

About Tequila Partida

Tequila Partida is an authentic, all-natural, estate-grown premium tequila, made from 100% blue agave in the heart of Mexico’s historic Tequila Valley region. From cultivation and harvest to cooking, distillation and aging, Partida maintains exceptional standards of quality and consistency, making Partida “the finest tequila that money can buy,” according to F. Paul Pacult, the leading spirits authority in America. Partida Reposado was recently ranked as one of the top ten spirits of 2019 by the Spirit Journal, the industry’s most respected publication for spirits reviews.

About Edrington

Edrington’s vision is to give more by building the world’s leading portfolio of exceptional super premium spirits. Edrington owns some of the leading Scotch whisky and rum brands in the world, including The Macallan, The Famous Grouse, Highland Park, The Glenrothes and Brugal. Edrington Americas added Tequila Partida to its portfolio in 2017 and Wyoming Whiskey in 2018.

Edrington Americas is headquartered in New York, NY with regional offices in Chicago, Miami and Orange County. To learn more visit https://www.edrington.com, and to find our brands visit https://www.findourspirits.com.

Judith Hollis Jones Named New President of Les Dames d’Escoffier International

November 29, 2020 by evebushman

LOUISVILLE, KY. (PRWEB) – Les Dames d’Escoffier announces its new president for the 2020 – 2021 year, Judith Hollis-Jones. The announcement was made at the 2020 LDEI Conference, which took place virtually on Oct. 17.

Hollis-Jones steps into the role as Beverly Shaffer, owner of Cook. Write Travel. Repeat, a culinary consulting company, transitions into the position of Immediate Past President. In her new role, Hollis-Jones will lead Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s more than 2,400 women leaders and luminaries in the food, beverage and hospitality industries, on its mission to support its members and mentor others in the industry through education and philanthropy.

Prior to her appointment as president, Hollis-Jones served on the LDEI board as First Vice President, overseeing sponsorship and partner development. Hollis-Jones also is a founding member and board member of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Kentucky Chapter.

“LDEI’s members are some of the smartest, most inspiring women in our industries and it’s my privilege to lead this organization – even through a pandemic – as we work to support our industries through education, philanthropy and friendship,” said Hollis-Jones.

Hollis-Jones brings decades of experience to her new role, including executive roles in supply chain management for large multinational food companies including YUM Brands and Wendy’s International. She established her consulting company, Hollis Jones & Associates, in 2009, to help guide companies in achieving their business goals. Hollis-Jones also is a founding partner of Buzzard’s Roost Spirits, a Kentucky whiskey company launched in 2019.

While her career has been at the intersection of food and drink, Hollis- Jones also has been active in industry organizations, including the Global Supply Chain Forum of The Ohio State University, Arizona State University’s Center for Advanced Purchasing Study, and recently, the Kentucky Distillers Association. Her community involvement includes serving as President of the Louisville Jazz Society, board member of the Columbus (OH) Jazz Orchestra, board member of the Louisville Visual Arts Association, and member of Bourbon Women.

LDEI is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the food, beverage and hospitality fields. To do this, 2,400 members in 43 chapters worldwide provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy within their communities. For more information, visit LDEI.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-in and Twitter.

MY LIFE IN GLUTTONY: A CULINARY ADVENTURE

September 12, 2020 by evebushman

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLA. (PRWEB) – Our fascination with food was confirmed on April 19, 1993 when Americans were introduced to the Food Network. Along with increased numbers of celebrity chefs and food-oriented reality television shows, there’s been an ever-growing demand for cookbooks and culinary storytelling.

In his latest book, My Life in Gluttony: A Culinary Adventure, Jeffrey Spear confesses “Living to eat is no longer an admission of gluttony or a problem with self-control. It has, in fact, become a badge of honor.” With this in mind, Spear gives readers a glimpse into his lifetime of culinary obsessions sparked by a willingness to eat just about anything and a job that takes him to some remarkable destinations around the world.

While his adventures in Malawi, Georgia, and Guyana are a bit off the beaten path, Spear also includes culinary encounters right here in the U.S. Readers will find Spear’s obsession with hot dogs in New York and flourless chocolate cake in Washington DC as compelling and engaging as his discovery of char-grilled mouse in Malawi and bunny chow in South Africa.

Over 306 pages, starting from his childhood home in Maryland to exotic destinations around the world including Ghana, Lebanon, Serbia, Hawaii, Paris, Russia, Montenegro, Buenos Aires, and Malawi (grilled mouse is a roadside treat), Spear describes the foods that made indelible impressions along the way. Including 96 crowd-pleasing and easy-to-follow recipes, from the familiar to the esoteric, this book is a gastronomic delight.

My Life in Gluttony is available nationwide on Amazon.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeffrey Spear is an accomplished visual artist, graphic designer, cookbook author, food stylist, television personality, journalist, and cook. He is also a globally recognized food marketing consultant working with growers, manufacturers, chefs, and restaurateurs on every continent except Antarctica; helping them develop and introduce a wide variety of ingredients and brands to buyers around the world. Along the way, he also writes about food for a variety of trade and consumer magazines and online publications.

It goes without saying that Spear is exceptionally well travelled. He has enjoyed countless exotic and intriguing culinary encounters, most recently in Palestine, Malawi and the country of Georgia. He derives his greatest pleasures from everything and anything associated with food. Whether he’s eating, writing, or talking about it, wandering the aisles in a grocery stores, or preparing lavish dinner parties, food is his idea of a really good time.

My Life in Gluttony – A Culinary Adventure is his third and most ambitious cookbook preceded by The First Coast Heritage Cookbook and Yum! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats.

When not engaged with food, Jeffrey can be found relaxing on the sand, reading a good book, swimming in the surf, watching the passing wildlife, and enjoying the sun in his hometown of Jacksonville Beach.