Eve's Wine 101

École Ducasse launches New Programs for the 2022 intakes

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PARIS AND YSSINGEAUX, FRANCE (PRWEB) – École Ducasse, the reference in culinary and pastry arts education, is committed to providing quality training, taught by recognized professionals including Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF), World Champions, Artisans… Each year, the schools in the École Ducasse network welcome a wide variety of profiles, from young students to experienced experts, and lovers of fine food, united around a common passion for taste. In 2022, the school lives up to its reputation and unveils the new names and prestigious programs awaiting future students and trainees.

Outstanding sponsorship
Exceptional new patrons will chaperone the classes beginning their three-year Bachelor’s degree programs in 2022, providing young graduates with technical, managerial and entrepreneurial skills.

The role of patron for the Bachelor in Culinary Arts is assigned to Michel Roth. Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 1991 and winner of a Bocuse d’Or, Michel Roth is recognized as being one of the most successful chefs in France. Above and beyond this undeniable success, this passionate Chef aims to remain accessible while striving to share his expertise with the young generation.

Pastry Chef Christophe Felder will champion the Bachelor in French Pastry Arts. After earning one’s spurs at Fauchon and Guy Savoy, he entered the Hôtel de Crillon at the age of 23 and worked there for 15 years.
Holder of the French distinction of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and passionate about knowledge transmission, Christophe Felder is regarded by many as one of the principal creators of plated desserts.

ENSP: New programs in tune with the times
Once again this year, the ENSP is enriching its professional training offer with an introductory course on 3D modeling and printing, allowing students to learn to design cookie cutters, stencils, decorative subjects, and dies for the creation of molds in food grade silicone or thermoforming.
The institution is also offering a new introduction to chocolate through the “Bean to Bar” course with Régis Bouet, chocolatier-confectioner, teaching the entire process of chocolate making, from cocoa bean to chocolate bar, including bean selection, roasting, shelling, grinding, mixing, conching, tempering, molding and coating.

The ENSP is also further developing its offer in introductory courses with the creation of the CAP Ice Cream Making which trains future ice-cream makers by stimulating their creativity and advancing their technical skills. Developed by Luc Debove, Managing Director of the ENSP and Executive Pastry Chef, École Ducasse, MOF and Ice Cream World Champion, this intensive six-month course, combining practice and theory, includes a two month internship, and is designed for people seeking professional retraining.

Paris Campus: focus on the arts of Hospitality and Culinary Identity
At the Paris Campus, two new themes complete the professional retraining curriculum:

  •     The “Hospitality and Sommelier Arts Essentials” program, designed by Chantal Wittmann, Meilleur Ouvrier de France in the Arts of Service & Table, will be sponsored by Guillaume Gomez, Ambassador of French Gastronomy to the French President, and taught by numerous experts (world champion sommeliers, MOF cheesemakers, MOF coffee, etc.). This intensive two-month course offers profiles in transition a unique opportunity to be trained in hospitality by renowned experts.
  •     Designed and delivered by Anne Garabedian, Editor-in-Chief of the French magazine “Le Cœur des Chefs”, the new “Building and communicating your culinary identity” course will allow professional chefs to successfully forge their own identity and promote it through both social media and media interactions.

New guest chefs in 2022
This year, École Ducasse once again welcomes prestigious guest chefs who will instruct students throughout the year.
Big names in the pastry arts will visit the ENSP to share their knowledge with students: Michael Bartocetti, Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Eric Verbauwhede, Pastry Chef at Maison Pic and Matthieu Carlin, Pastry Chef at the Hôtel de Crillon.
The Meudon Campus will not be left out, with the arrival of Arnaud Faye, Executive Chef at the Chèvre d’Or (two Michelin stars and four Gault & Millau toques), Paul Pairet, head of restaurants Ultraviolet, Mr & Mrs Bund, and Polux in Shanghai; and Alexandre Gauthier, chef and owner of the two-starred institution, La Grenouille.

About École Ducasse
École Ducasse is a network of schools founded in 1999 by multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse, dedicated to the transmission of outstanding French expertise and excellence in culinary and pastry arts.
École Ducasse runs three schools in France – Paris Studio, Paris Campus and the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie – as well as international schools in the Philippines, Brazil, Thailand and India. All are united by a desire to share a passion for gastronomy with seasoned professionals as well as food enthusiasts, career changers and students. This broad portfolio of programs aims to meet all training needs: from short programs for experts or food enthusiasts to intensive two-, four-or six-month programs, to three-year undergraduate programs and bachelor’s degree in culinary and pastry arts.
École Ducasse is part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education.
For more information: https://www.ecoleducasse.com/en

For more information about these courses, please contact:
ensp@ecoleducasse.com
pariscampus@ecoleducasse.com

To apply, download the application form here: https://www.ecoleducasse.com/en/apply

The Nth 2022 Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience: Celebrating 10 Years of Flavor, Distinction and Luxury

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The Nth Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience is back with a bang for its glorious 10th anniversary celebrations, to be held once again at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Resort showcasing the very best our beloved Whisky and Spirits industry has to offer.

There’s no getting away from the fact that the past two years have been as troubling, uncertain and disruptive for the Whisky and Spirits industry as they have been for any other. We’ve seen no shortage of events rescheduled, cancelled, or switched to being held online… so it gives us an enormous amount of pleasure to be back in our spiritual home Las Vegas doing what we do best.

As our 10 year anniversary special, and as our triumphant comeback, we’re pulling out all the stops on the 22nd and 23rd of April 2022 and providing an experience unlike any other. If whisky and fine spirits make your world go round, there’s simply no better place to be.

Nth 2022 is more than just a celebration of fine whisky – it’s a voyage of discovery, a journey into the heart of what makes this world-beating spirit so very special, and an opportunity to take your passion to new heights. What’s more, it’s a chance to share this passion with like-minded individuals, new friends, and experts gathered from around the world, joined together by an unrivalled enthusiasm for sheer excellence.

World class exhibitors, resplendent dinners, meet and greets, Master Classes, Super Pours, High Roller Lounge, opening of new releases, High Roller package (for those seeking to truly make the most of their Nth 2022 experience) justifies its reputation as the world’s leading fine Whisky and Spirits event.

A COVID-Secure Celebration In Style

On the one hand, the team behind the Nth 2022 are keen to ensure that the experience exceeds all expectations in a way befitting all good 10th anniversary celebrations. On the other, we want to ensure that all of our guests and delegates feel safe, remain protected, and that guidelines are adhered to with the latest healthcare advice.

Nth 2022 is, after all, an interactive experience; one at which whisky and fine spirits lovers from across the nation and the globe can come together in celebration, and get up close and personal with their favourite labels. As such, Show Founder Mahesh Patel has been working tirelessly to ensure the safest measures have been taken, with no compromises made when it comes to spectacle and sophistication.

The result? An interactive exhibition experience, which surpasses any of the ten years of whisky convention excellence that has gone before. By working alongside Wynn Resorts, and by adhering to a wide array of health and safety guidelines, we’ve designed Nth 2022 in a way that will keep delegates safe without ever interrupting the pleasure and enjoyment that sits at the heart of the event. The Nth 2022 will go ahead exactly as it should: as a joyful celebration of whisky and spirits. After all, you wouldn’t expect – and don’t deserve – anything less.

A Thrilling Array of Vendors and Exhibitors

There are many reasons why aficionados of fine spirits have The Nth 2022 marked on their calendars as an unmissable date, and just as many reasons why guests will be flocking to Wynn Las Vegas from across the globe. Our exclusive High Roller Experience comes with a stunning array of master classes, super pours, gifts, dinners, networking and tasting some of the world’s most expensive new releases of spirits in the world. However, at every Nth Experience the real big draw is the chance to explore what’s on offer from our incredible array of guest vendors and exhibitors, who represent the absolute cream of the crop of the spirits world. As you’d expect from a 10th anniversary celebration, this year’s event has truly gone the extra mile to include representatives from the world’s most prestigious and exciting distilleries.

We’ve invited exhibitors from Scotland, Japan, the USA, France, and even further afield this year, bringing them together for your pleasure right here in Las Vegas. Guests at The Nth 2022 will be able to pick up tips from the masters, peek behind the curtain of some of the world’s greatest producers, and get up-close-and-personal with some absolute wonders from their archives and cellars. From The Dalmore to Bowmore, Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich, and from The Macallan to Michters and countless others in between, it’s a deep dive into the greatest names and hidden treasures of the industry.

Super Pours and Once-in-a-Lifetime Drams

If the Nth experience is known for one thing, it’s that it gives whisky connoisseurs the chance to truly tick off their spirits bucket list in flawless style. The Nth 2022 has truly upped the ante when it comes to the list of Super Pours on offer this year, with an awe-inspiring list of whiskies and Spirits being brought out for your tasting pleasure and sensory fulfilment.

We’re keeping the list of Super Pours available at The Nth 2022 under wraps for the time being… but recent years have seen incredibly rare and precious whiskies (such as G&M Private Collection Mortlach 1954, Glenfiddich Grand Cru, Dalmore 35YO, Last Drop 1870 Port, and The Glenlivet Atlantic 1965) being poured to rapturous applause. Trust us when we say 2022 features bottles that are right at the top of the wish-lists of the world’s greatest whisky fans, and they’re surely not to be missed.

Master Classes with Industry Icons

The Master Classes at The Nth have always been one of the biggest draws to this industry-defining showcase of fine spirits, and Nth 2022 is shaping up to be the best yet when it comes to panels and seminars hosted by the world’s most celebrated experts. Delegates at last year’s event were able to join Whisky Master Classes including: The Urquhart Family, The Dalmore distillery, William Grants and many more….

Here’s to Ten More Years!

The past ten years of The Nth have been an incredible journey; a chance to rejoice in the love and appreciation of the world’s finest spirits, educate dedicated whisky fans and deepen the joy that masterful distillation can bring.

On the 22nd and 23rd of April 2022, we’re coming together at The Wynn Las Vegas to not only celebrate the zenith of whisky and fine spirit production, but also to celebrate the journey The Nth has been on.

2022 is going to be a year to remember right across the spirits industry – it’s the year of the comeback, the defiant return to form, and of new ambitions and new ideas. The Nth 10 Year Anniversary experience is sure to be the highlight, and we can’t wait to see you there.

For Tickets and Event information please visit www.universalwhiskyexperience.com

https://www.facebook.com/universalwhisky

https://www.instagram.com/universalwhisky/

 

 

Dennis Quaid to host an upcoming episode of “Journey” on Food Safety measures

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (PRWEB) – The informational program “Journey,” hosted by actor Dennis Quaid, will soon be developing an episode exploring food safety measures featuring input from leading industry experts. The show secured content for the program from related organizations in food safety.

Photo credit: The Times.Co.Uk

Every year, millions of people in the U.S. become sick from foodborne illnesses, which can cause serious health issues and, in some circumstances, death. Food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and other various germs makes those who consume the food ill. Improper cleaning, separating, and storing food can often lead to food poisoning.

Many become sick from not washing their produce thoroughly or consuming food that’s come in contact with other unwashed and uncooked foods. Foodborne illnesses are preventable and are often underreported problems. Keeping hands and surfaces clean and storing and cooking foods to the proper temperatures can go a long way in preventing food poisoning.

Journey is a short documentary series that uses its platform to bring awareness about numerous impactful topics to inform viewers of all ages. The show has covered topics in business, advances in technology, and the medical field, amongst many others. The upcoming Journey program will explore additional content about food safety practices and will be introduced by Dennis Quaid.

The educational program “Journey” with host Dennis Quaid is distributed across television stations to bring enlightening content to viewing audiences nationwide. The show is anchored by a diversely talented crew who bring decades of cumulative experience. The Journey development team has received multiple awards for its efforts.

VINEXPO INDIA AND SIAL INDIA HOST THEIR FIRST EXHIBIT IN NEW DELHI

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SIAL India and Vinexpo India hosted their first exhibit in New Delhi from 9th – 11th December 2021 at Pragati Maidan. The show, which was one of its first kind in India in the B2B space, was jointly organized by InterAds Exhibitions, Comexposium and Vinexposium.

The Government of Meghalaya partnered SIAL India for this edition which was inaugurated by Ms. Amanda Strohan, Deputy High Commissioner Embassy of Canada, Mr. Matthias Radosztics, Deputy Head of Mission at the Austrian Embassy, Mr. Eric Fajole, Trade Commissioner and Director of Business France for South Asia Embassy of Paris, and Mrs. Rebecca Suchiang, Chief Secretary of Meghalaya. The three days of show had 119 exhibitors, 80 B2B meetings and saw over 7500 visitors from across Delhi-NCR.

The show hosted interesting masterclasses with experts from the F&B industry. An exceptional program of culinary events: demonstrations, live cooking classes with renowned chefs such as Mr.Manjit Gill, President, IFCA hosted a cooking demo of forgotten Indian recipes whereas Chef Manisha Bhasin hosted a cooking demo for sustainable cooking. The maiden Vinexpo India show in Delhi had participation from 15 wine and spirit companies. The exhibitors included the only dedicated State Wine Board in the country, the Karnataka Wine Board.

“It’s been a wonderful experience with SIAL. We have been recognised and able to meet with different people to introduce our products. Thanks to SIAL for choosing us and shortlisting our products. We are also proud to be the bronze prize winner of the SIAL Innovation Awards”, said a spokesperson of Condor, an exhibitor at the show.

Kartie, a winemaker from Mizoram said, “Vinexpo India has been a great experience! The masterclass has proven to be truly beneficial. The event has been truly informational and knowledgeable. Looking forward to more events like this in the coming years.”

The show hosted a program of masterclasses and tastings for the visitors. Throughout the 3 days, besides the cooking demos, there were Hosted Buyer Meeting, Conferences, Award Shows and Vinexpo Challenge.

Vinexpo India will now co-locate with SIAL India next on 10-12 May, 2022 in Mumbai, the economic capital of India and a major gateway for international trade. Mumbai’s economy is growing fast and its wine and spirits market is booming with a potential of 300 million consumers.

Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium, commented “The success of the first edition of Vinexpo India in New Delhi encourages us to open doors to more territories in India. I am very much thrilled by the perspectives of launching Vinexpo India in Mumbai as soon as May 2022, it is an important milestone for the future.”

For more information, visit Vinexpo India

About Vinexpo India

The launch and establishment of Vinexpo India in 2021 was a first for the global wine and spirits industry. This B2B event is designed to connect producers from around the world with distribution and retail players in a market with strong potential. Vinexpo India is drawing on Vinexposium’s high standards, coupled with close collaboration with its local partner Inter Ads Exhibition and hosted in co-location with SIAL India, the global B2B platform dedicated to the food industry.

About Vinexposium

Owned jointly by Comexposium and Vinexpo Holding, Vinexposium is the world’s leading organizer of wine and spirits trade events. Vinexposium offers an enhanced range of high-performance events, tailored to different market segments, with a portfolio of iconic and recognized events: Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, Vinexpo America, Drinks America, Vinexpo Hong Kong, WOW! Meetings, Symposium “Act for change”, Vinexpo Shanghai, Vinexpo India and WBWE Amsterdam, as well as Vinexpo Explorer and World Wine Meetings.

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

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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/

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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.

EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION’S CARNIVALE DU VIN BREAKS RECORDS FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

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NEW ORLEANS, LA —The Emeril Lagasse Foundation celebrated its 19th annual fundraising weekend on November 5th and 6th in New Orleans, raising a Foundation record $3.75 million to support its mission to create opportunities to inspire, mentor, and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education, with a focus on life skills development.                                  

“After missing our live event last year, we were happy to come back together in person and celebrate with an amazing lineup of chefs and auction items,” says Chef Emeril Lagasse. “Alden and I remain ever grateful for the generosity of our donors, sponsors, participating chefs, and the New Orleans community. Their continued support changes the lives of vulnerable children in our community.”
                  
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s annual fundraising weekend kicked off with events at the New Orleans Board of Trade and The Sazerac House. The Fillmore hosted Carnivale du Vin 2021, the foundation’s nationally recognized wine auction and gala dinner. Culinary greats Frank Brigtsen, Nina Compton, Ken Frank, Ken Lum, Ronnie Rainwater, and Frank Szymanski brought together the best in wine and food for a night of charitable giving. Four hundred guests experienced a four-course meal created by Chef Emeril’s team and culinary students from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.  Hospitality students from Café Hope, Café Reconcile, and Pro-Start received training from Emeril’s front-of-house staff, and together, they formed the service team for the special evening.
                  
The live auction highlight was a six-liter bottle of The Setting Wines 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon that sold for $1 Million—shattering the World Record as the most expensive single bottle of wine ever sold at auction. “We are humbled to be able to offer $1 million to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and its efforts to support youth, ” said Don Steiner, purchaser of the world record breaking lot.
                  
Co-founded by Jeff Cova and Noah McMahon, who both come from philanthropic backgrounds, and famed winemaker Jesse Katz, The Setting Wines first broke world records when a 750-ml bottle of their wine sold for $350,000 at Carnivale du Vin in 2017. “We are truly honored and amazed to make history again, especially as part of an event that means so much to us,” said McMahon, who serves on the Advisory Committee of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. “Inspiring others in meaningful ways is a huge part of our brand ethos, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to know this record-breaking sale will have such a big impact on the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s mission to create uplifting educational and developmental programs for children.” 
 
The Setting Wines 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the prestigious Glass Slipper Vineyard, located in Napa’s renowned Coombsville AVA. Made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this bottling is the first wine ever to be released from this vineyard, which is owned by long-time vintners, Paul and Suzie Frank. Marrying meticulous farming, of which the Franks are known for, with the world-class winemaking skills of Katz, the 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an exquisite wine that showcases finesse and age-ability while perfectly encapsulating the elegant nuances of the region. Only 75 cases and one six-liter bottle were produced.
 
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation continually provides capital and programmatic support to eligible non-profit organizations across the nation through its Community Grants Program. Recent grant recipients include Covenant House New Orleans, Second Harvest Food Bank, Arc Broward, Food for Thought, and NOCCA. The signature program of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation is Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen. This program was created to make a direct, lasting impact on the lives of young people. It reflects the foundation’s mission to inspire, mentor, and enable youth while broadening its reach nationally. Currently, there are five garden & kitchen programs around the country.

Sponsors for the weekend included Visit South Walton, Wicks Family Foundation, All Charities Ocean Reef, The Solomon Family,  Buffalo Trace, Abita, GHMumm, Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, Jones Walker, Shipt, Bradshaw, GoodCook, Sands Cares, Marquee Brands and James G. Fifield Family Trust. 
 
About Emeril Lagasse Foundation: Founded in 2002 by Chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is a 501c(3) public charity headquartered in New Orleans. The foundation’s mission is to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted more than $15.5 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. The foundation was recognized as the 2016 Nonprofit of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Non-Profit Organizations. To learn more about the foundation and its beneficiaries, visit Emeril.org, or follow on Facebook, Twitter , or Instagram.
 
About The Setting Wines: The Setting Wines is a collection of luxury wines created by three friends: Jeff Cova, Noah McMahon and famed winemaker, Jesse Katz. Driven by their philanthropic backgrounds, Jeff and Noah partnered with Jesse to establish The Setting Wines in 2014, a brand that seeks to encourage the appreciation of the simple moments in life, embrace the transformative power of shared experiences, and give back in meaningful ways. Sourcing grapes from esteemed vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys, The Setting produces high quality wines that express a delicate balance between purity of fruit and the unique characters of each vineyard site. Visit thesettingwines.com to learn more.

TASTE THE DIFFERENCE campaign kicks off

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NEW YORK (PRWEB) – From October to December 2021, TASTE THE DIFFERENCE programme will be casting a new light on European PDOs – Protected Denomination of Origin – and PGIs – Protected Geographical Indication – thanks to an intense activity calendar. Aimed at increasing the perceived value of wines with protected origin and national cultural heritage, while ensuring an image of European excellence and tradition, the campaign addresses both press and trade professionals and will be focusing on quality wines made in Spain and Italy.

The campaign is the result of the joint efforts of Prodeca, a Spanish state-owned company supporting agri-food and forestry products from the north-east of the country, and UIV, Italy’s most important wine association representing 660 companies and a total of 150.000 growers.

The lively series of activities, to be run both in person and online, includes active participation in events such as TEXSOM – where TASTE THE DIFFERENCE will support the Volunteer Dinner – the arrangement of dedicated masterclasses in October and November with GuildSomm in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Austin, alongside with an open-to-all virtual seminar series that will remain available online. In addition to this, a Grand Tasting will be run in New York featuring upwards of 40 producers from Italy and Spain and seminars showcasing the peculiarities of the many appellations involved.

The wide series of activities will strengthen the awareness of PDO and PGI symbols and broaden the knowledge of related appellations among journalists and bloggers, wine influencers, key opinion leaders, as well as sommeliers, beverage directors and retailers, thanks also to a social campaign.

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM
The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory.

Promotora de Exportaciones Catalanas (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and added to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of the “Generalitat de Catalunya.

APCOR Partners with San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival® to Promote Environmental Benefits of Cork

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SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) – The Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) and the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, one of California’s largest wine and food events, are proud to announce an environmentally-focused partnership to promote the sustainability of cork closures at the 17th annual festival and culinary celebration on November 11-14.

Born out of the shared goal of raising awareness of the biggest ecological issues facing the U.S. wine industry, APCOR and the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival will be implementing a groundbreaking cork recycling initiative throughout the event, a first for the festival. Utilizing the services of ReCork, North America’s largest recycler of corks, the festival will provide festival-wide recycling bins to consumers, and participating wineries across all events. Following the completion of the festival, ReCork will grind down all of the corks collected and provide the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival with a carbon sequestration total to showcase the positive impact that cork recycling had on the environment.

“We are excited to be partnering with APCOR for this groundbreaking cork recycling initiative,” said Michelle Metter, Producer of the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival. “We think it is important to do our part in raising awareness of the environmental impact of corks. By focusing on the education of cork recycling, the festival’s attendees will leave with insight they can pass on to others about cork recycling and sustainability.”

The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival is an international showcase of the world’s premier wine and spirits producers, San Diego and Baja’s celebrated chefs and culinary personalities, brand experiences and live entertainment. The festival is a 4-day celebration of citywide events, including the Grand Tasting on Saturday, November 13.

APCOR will support the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival’s sustainability efforts with on-site education to help wine lovers learn about the incredible carbon sequestration properties of cork forests, cork closures, and cork as a material in general. Cork is a perfect balance between environmental preservation and sustainable development. It’s harvested without damaging or cutting down cork oak trees, which live for over 200 years. The cork oak forest is one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots, and can retain 14,000,000 tons of CO2 per year. It is estimated that for every ton of cork produced, cork oak forests capture up to 73 tons of CO2. As a renewable and natural product, cork can be recycled to produce a variety of everyday products, and is integral to the continued retention of CO2.

“We are delighted to be working with the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival to launch this first of its kind cork recycling initiative across the culinary celebration, and to support the festival’s goal of raising environmental awareness in its community,” said Joao Rui Ferreira, President of APCOR. “By partnering with one of the country’s premier wine and food festivals, we can educate food and wine lovers about natural cork’s positive environmental impacts, showcasing the intrinsic value of cork as a sustainable and renewable product.”

For nearly two decades, APCOR has been at the forefront of promotional efforts advocating on behalf of natural cork. In 2021, APCOR launched a new integrated communications campaign to promote the environmental benefits of cork, which continues to be the market leader for the premium wine market in the U.S. Natural cork closures have a negative carbon footprint when used to seal wines bottled in glass containers according to recent studies conducted by three of the world’s largest auditing companies. A single stopper has a balance of up to – 309 grams of CO2; numbers for sparkling wine stoppers go even higher at up to – 589 grams.

Working with ReCork, APCOR will be able to help wine lovers around the country learn about the full life cycle of cork closures once they are pulled from a bottle, and highlight the small, but highly impactful ways that wine drinkers can become climate activists through the simple act of recycling cork, starting with this recycling initiative at the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival in November.

About APCOR
Associação Portuguesa da Cortiça (APCOR) exists to represent and promote the Portuguese cork industry and its products. APCOR is the employers’ association of national scope, created in 1956 and is based in Santa Maria de Lamas, at the heart of the cork industry around 30 kilometers from Porto, Portugal’s second largest city. Membership of the association is open to all companies operating in the fields of production, marketing or export of cork products. The organization advocates on behalf of the Portuguese cork industry worldwide and is the driving force of an industry based on tradition, innovation and sustainability.

SAN DIEGO BAY WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL®
Travel to San Diego and Arrive at Awesome. The 17th Annual San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival is an international showcase of the world’s premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods. Held November 11-14, 2021 the festival raises funds for culinary, oenology or hospitality scholarships or grants and has awarded over $450,000 to individuals or nonprofits through previous events. Hundreds of wineries, breweries, and spirit companies and San Diego’s top restaurants participated in the 2019 Festival and the SDBWFF is looking forward to showcasing even more talent in 2021. For more information visit http://www.sandiegowineclassic.com. Produced by World of Wine Events and Fast Forward.

About ReCORK
ReCORK™ creates high-performance, carbon-negative composite materials and components using natural recycled cork. ReCORK™ was launched as a natural wine cork recycling program in 2008 by Canadian footwear company SOLE™. It has since become the largest program of its kind in North America, with an R&D team dedicated to innovation around the cork recycling process. ReCORK’s proprietary material, ReCORK™ Recycled Cork, redefines what’s possible using cork, offering a natural, sustainable, versatile alternative to foams and plastics derived from fossil fuels. ReCORK’s mission is to make petroleum-based foams and plastics obsolete. Learn more at recork.com.

Walla Walla’s Newest Businesses – And A Luxury Wine Resort – Spotlight the Valley’s Bounty

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WALLA WALLA’S NEWEST BUSINESSES SPOTLIGHT THE VALLEY’S BOUNTY
From a luxury winery resort to a refurbished 1930’s Showroom, Walla Walla’s new businesses further the valley’s connection to character and place. 

(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) – Walla Walla is so nice, they named it twice. Honored for the second consecutive year as America’s Best Wine Region,  and boasting a flourishing farm-to-table culinary scene, this rural-chic town in central Washington has earned a reputation for continually building upon its successes as opposed to resting on its laurels. With its sweeping landscape of wheat fields, vineyards, and farmland, not to mention its health and safety-minded Peace of Mind Pledge, Walla Walla continues to delight and entice visitors with no fewer than 11 new businesses opening their doors in recent months.

Yellowhawk Resort, photo from their Facebook page.

Among the most notable, a new luxury winery resort, three new restaurants, three new tasting rooms, and four other businesses, including a curated grocery store, an elevated general store, an artisan showroom, and an educational hops tour.

“It gives me great joy to see these new businesses opening their doors,” Says Robert Hansen, Executive Director of Visit Walla Walla and Walla Walla Valley Wine. “The common theme running through these new businesses is a unified connection to place and community supporting the local landscape, artisans, and history that makes Walla Walla so genuinely unique.”

Following is a list of some of the notable businesses that have opened their doors in Walla Walla in recent months:

LODGING
Yellowhawk Resort (formerly Basel Cellars): Yellowhawk Resort is an 84-acre hillside retreat on Walla Walla’s south side. The resort features a sparkling winery and tasting room with farm-to-table dining, a swimming pool and cabanas, lodging, and event space for weddings, reunions, and corporate retreats. As you enter the gate and wind up the hill to the estate house, the elevated setting provides a sweeping outlook on the fields of wheat, lush vineyards below, and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The property was purchased in December 2020 by Pacific Northwest hospitality leaders Dan Thiessen, Chad Mackay, Scott Clark, Philip Christofides, and Paul Mackay, and is part of the Revelers Club loyalty program. Winemaker George-Anne Robertson leads Yellowhawk’s sparkling wine program.

DINING & RESTAURANTS
AK’s Mercado: One of Walla Walla’s top eateries, Andrae’s Kitchen, which Food and Wine magazine’s Ray Isle once described as “hands down the best restaurant inside a working gas station in America,” recently relocated to its own space on Main St. in the heart of downtown Walla Walla. Focusing on tacos, smoked meats, and other street food, Mercado is inspired by Chef Andrae Bopp’s love for the cuisines of Oaxaca and New Orleans, among other places, with a craft cocktail program curated by local mixology legend Jim German. The venue also features various popups from Secret Squirrel wine, Daylight Plant Co, Walla Walla Cheese Co. and others.

The Kitchen at Abeja: Those with a taste for wine country living have yet another reason to visit Abeja, a 38-acre historic Walla Walla farmstead and home to the acclaimed Abeja winery and bucolic Inn at Abeja. The Kitchen at Abeja, which opened July 13, offers a fine dining experience showcasing innovative wine country cuisine and celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s seasonal bounty. Dinner guests choose from a five or seven-course prix fixe menu, as well as an optional wine pairing menu. Executive Chef Elodie Li, who returns to her home state after two years of cooking in Michelin two-star restaurants in Provence, France, collaborates with Abeja winemakers Dan Wampfler and Amy Alvarez-Wampfler on the menus, updated weekly. Surrounded by the winery’s vineyards and gardens, The Kitchen at Abeja is a rich, refined wine country experience.

The Kinglet at Whitehouse-Crawford (opening early 2022): Farther on the horizon is The Kinglet at Whitehouse-Crawford, a new bistro eatery in the historic Whitehouse-Crawford Planing Mill building, from acclaimed Seattle Chef Maximillian Petty. A multiple James Beard semifinalist, Petty’s menu will range from exuberantly curated items, which built his reputation at Eden Hill, to a bar and lounge area that will stay open later with a snack-heavy lineup, including a pizza oven and an extensive cocktail program.

TASTING ROOMS
Moonbase Cellars: The Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields of Walla Walla enticed Laine and Drew Pauk to call the valley their home. That, and their desire to make wine with a straightforward approach amidst an ideal viticulture climate. Moonbase Cellars’ philosophy is to find fantastic vineyards suited for a specific grape variety, sourcing excellent fruit from premier vineyard sites in the Walla Walla Valley, including multiple locations within the coveted The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA. As for the name, Drew has always been fascinated with space. Though his dream of becoming an astronaut didn’t work out, he managed to combine his love for wine and space with Moonbase Cellars.

Kinhaven Winery:  This new family-owned small lot winery and vineyard is perched atop a picturesque knoll in the Southside winery district of Walla Walla. The property, with 8 acres of Merlot, Cabernet, Carmenere and Malbec, enjoys unobstructed views of the Blue Mountains and is the perfect setting for family and friends to connect while enjoying their thoughtfully crafted wines. Purchased in 2019 by Terry and Lisa Davenport, who also own the recently renovated Boyer House. From dining in the vines to weddings, the combination of Kinhaven Winery and Boyer House sets up for the perfect family and friend gathering.

5 Dollar Ranch Brewing: Self-proclaimed as “Walla Walla’s best new brewery in 2021,” this newcomer opened in June 2021. Located on the south side of town along the Oregon border on twelve acres of farm property, with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains. An evolving menu of hop offerings is fit to appease the novice to beer connoisseur. The location is both dog and kid-friendly. According to brewer and owner Josh Hulett, while he loves all of his beers, the Hazy’s are not to be missed.

Hoquetas Wine Company: Located at the Port of Walla Walla wine incubator facility in the Walla Walla Airport District, Hoquetas Wine Co. opened its doors in September of 2021. Started by musician turned winemaker Robert Gomez and his family, the winery focuses on producing wines that are both expressive and representative of the region’s terroir. Hoquetus, a musical method where vocal parts alternate to create a single melody, speaks to Gomez’s musical approach to winemaking, where the ingredients are carefully composed to create a melodious pour.

Runway Market: Located in the airport district of Walla Walla’s wine region, Runway Market is a sparkling wine bar serving up local bubbles. The Market serves an assortment of food options, including picnic boxes, paninis, flatbread pizza, and various other grab-and-go options. All tastings include complimentary gourmet popcorn. Cathy Bay and her husband opened Runway Market in 2021 with the hopes of being a stop for not only bubbles and food, but laughter and celebration.

SPECIALTY, ACTIVITIES & OTHER
Showroom at Colville: The Showroom on Colville was built in the 1930s as a showroom for auto sales in the center of downtown Walla Walla. In October of 2019, the Showroom on Colville underwent extensive renovations which unveiled the beautiful bones of the structure, and from there the story began to blossom. A corner of downtown Walla Walla honors local history to gather and celebrate the community with local-centric artisans and purveyors. Shops include TMACS, The Market by Andy’s, Wildlings Co. kids boutique, and many more.

Walla Walla General Store: A new home, kitchen & gift store founded by Jean Bender and Peggy Frasse. The store opened to locals & visitors alike on May 6, 2021. From small delights, such as penny cent candy to homewares from makers such as Simon Pierce, Walter G textiles, Riedel and Staub – there is something for everyone at the Walla Walla General Store. Much more than just a retail space, co-founders Jean & Peggy envision the store as a space for community. Following a successful summer Art Series, resident Allison Palmer will host a continuation of “Make for Joy” there this fall. Weekly Monday-Wednesday classes will begin in September, and continue through December.

Walla Walla Brews Cruise: Walla Walla is known for wine, but it’s also home to plentiful craft beer and cider. Alongside thousands of acres of vineyards are century-old wheat fields and orchards stretching across the valley. Generations of wheat farmers have made their home in Walla Walla and now support a growing community of brewers. Walla Walla Brews Cruise tours are knowledge-based tours where you will learn about the process of brewing beers and crafting cider, with a guided discussion of varying styles of alcohol.

Foodscape Walla Walla: Foodscape could technically be described as an online grocer, but it’s so much more. It’s a place to acquire food, talk about food, or gather meaning from food. It was started by Hannah MacDonald, a longtime chef, local, and significant influencer on the Walla Walla food scene over the past decade. Foodscape highlights the area’s bounty, from food to all the agriculture offerings: produce, meat, and seafood. They also directly import hundreds of spices from all over the world, as well as other specialty products like olive oil, seafood, and vinegar. Foodscapes give locals and visitors alike the tools that they need to cook any cuisine under the sun.

About Walla Walla:
As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines’ daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, visit www.wallawalla.org.

What We Saw + Tasted at Pizza Expo 2021

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The Pizza Expo is an event for pizzeria owners, some just starting out and some that have decades of experience, that all come to the Expo for the latest information on everything related to pizza. It’s held at the Las Vegas convention center annually. While we limited our day’s visit to the Expo floor many of the attendees attended four days of seminars for education and demonstrations on everything from employee retention to the newest products.

Photo credit: Ed Bushman

Marketing, the perfect pizza, top trends, menu development, pizza crust boot camp, what customers want in the pandemic, logistics of offering multiple pizza styles, fighting complacency, understanding cheese prices, working with family, using video to grow, cleaning procedures, building a beverage program, the pizza box, history, delivery and carryout – were just a few of the seminar topics. Speakers included pizza restaurant owners, consultants, business experts and culinary schoolteachers.

In the magazine program there were two pages of new products being shown at the Expo, a page of new exhibitors, and the alphabetical listing of all of the exhibitors was at least eight pages long. A category listing, again multi-pages, makes it easier to locate the vendor that sells what you may be looking for. These are just some of the categories: advertising, artichokes, automated systems, banners, bar equipment, beef toppings, bread, calamari, cannoli, cash systems, cheese alternatives, condiments, consultants, chicken wings, coffee, cookware, dinnerware, cutlery, cups, delivery bags, dough proofers, entertainment, flour, frozen products, Italian food and drink, marinades, meat alternatives, menu boards, mixers, oils, olives, onions, ovens, peppers, Philadelphia steaks, pizza cutters, pasta, non-meat pizza toppings, promotional items, barbeque sauce, hot sauce, salami, sandwiches, salad, tomato sauce, seafood, security equipment, slicers and dicers, table tents, soups and stews, tomatoes, vegetables and web development.

From my social media, “So much to see, learn and taste at yesterday’s Pizza Expo! From the grids you can see some of our favorites that included Dole for pineapple on pizza, Nutella for dessert, Eau Galle Cheese is so tasty, Vero Gelato for something cool, Bel Gioioso Cheese has always been a favorite of mine, Tomate San Marzano tastes so fresh I can’t believe it’s canned, Turano Bread is yum-worthy, Killer Brownie looked amazing, Bill’s Lemonade really is so good frozen, Peroni beer had a popular booth, Fire Within Pizza ovens look like something a firefighter would definitely want, Melinda’s Foods hot sauce for pizza, and Ooni Pizza Ovens for pizza at home! (Click this to see three photo grids. Photo credits: Ed Bushman.)

Pizzeria Industry 2019 Trends (From Pizza Today website)

If you want to get an idea of how much the pizzeria industry has changed, find a beautiful photo of pizza today and compare it to a comparable shot 6 – 8 years ago. Pizza is maturing as a cuisine.

Some of the key trends to watch for:

1. Third-party delivery seems to be an answer to many owners delivery problems, Grub Hub, Lyft, Uber and Amazon are all in the food delivery business. The key is agreeing to a contract that benefits both the pizzeria and the delivery service.

2. Online ordering and smartphone appsare critical revenue-generating tools for pizzeria chains and growing in popularity amongst independent operators as well.

3. The introduction of regional styleshas dominated the scene for the last three years. Where there was one style of pizza in most pizzerias, the current trend is to add an additional style or two. Pan pizzas, such as Detroit, Grandma and Roman seem to be the most popular right now.

4. Dome-top ovensdefinitely have the “look” pizzerias are searching for, traditionally fired with coal and wood, BUT gas and electric fired ovens are regaining popularity.

5. The use of Mobile pizzerias is growingfaster than we expected! Food trucks and trailers continue to become more advanced and efficient. Today they’re attracting not only weekend pizzaiolos, but many brick and mortar pizzeria owners are seeing the benefits to adding a mobile unit to their business.

6.  Gluten Free pizzais here to stay. Flour millers now have GF flours that would satisfy even the most knowledgeable consumers.

As the industry’s leading source of Pizzeria Business Information, Pizza Today & International Pizza Expo look to accomplish two primary goals:

  • To increase the success rate of independent and multi-unit pizzerias over and above any other type of food service operation.
  • To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of pizzeria industry suppliers’ marketing & advertising budgets through the use of Pizza Today, Pizza Expo and our other related services

Those have been our primary goals for the last 38 years and they’ll continue to be for at least another 38 years!

Hot 100 Independents by the Numbers

  • 17% have a buffet
  • 34% offer take-n-bake
  • 49% sell spirits
  • 49% offer online ordering
  • 50% sell slices
  • 63% serve pasta
  • 74% have a gluten-friendly menu
  • 75% cater events
  • 77% serve beer
  • 79% serve wine
  • 81% serve sandwiches
  • 89% serve appetizers
  • 97% serve salad
  • 99% use a POS system

Website: https://www.pizzaexpo.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PizzaExpo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PizzaExpo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizzaexpo/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/PizzaTodayMagazine

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.