National Food Holidays for the Month of October

October is more than just Halloween and Pumpkin smashing at its very finest. October is home to a wide variety of National Food Holidays both odd and amazing. As October draws closer and closer we feel that it is our duty to hit you off with a list of all the wonderful National Food Holidays that take place during the month that you should enjoy as much as we do.

Eat up, drink up, relax and enjoy trying different things with your loved ones and friends. In these trying days and times it is all we can do to help save us all from going insane.

And for our dedicated followers, the month of October will see The Supreme Plate holding two drawings for chances to win either a Le Creuset Roasting Pan or a Le Creuset Stainless Steel Tea Kettle.

For a detailed list of daily holidays  and a few pretty amazingly carved pumpkins, take a peak at our easy to follow National Food Holiday calendar after the break.

Cheers.

October is National:

Eating Healthier Month

Eat Country Ham Month

National Apple Month

National Applejack Month

National Caramel Month

National Chili Month

National Cookie Month

National Dessert Month

National Pickled Peppers Month

National Pizza Festival Month

National Popcorn Month

National Pork Month

National Pretzel Month

National Seafood Month

The 1^st Week of October is:

National No Salt Week & National Chili Week (how that works out I cant figure, looks like one wont be getting celebrated this year by us!)

The 2^nd Week of October is home to:

National American Beer Week

National Food Bank Week (The Most Important Week of Them All!!)

National School Lunch Week

National Pasta Week

The 3^rd Week of October is home to:

National Kraut Sandwich Week (Disgusting However You Look At It)

National Pickled Peppers Week

And finally the 4^th Week of October is home to:

National Chicken Soup for the Soul Week

Special Request Recipe Of The Day: Spicy Corn Fritters

We recently posted up a recipe (literally only a few minutes ago) for Spicy Lobster Cobb Salad and we got hit up by a faithful reader asking how we could put up a recipe for Cobb Salad if we didn't put up a Corn Fritter recipe?

New to us is the combination of Lobster Cobb Salad & Corn Fritter, but hey who are we to argue with 2 great foods coming together in the name of love? We had to give up our classic Spicy Sweet Corn Fritter recipe, just because these things deserve to be shared with everyone. In fact I think I might even cook up some tonight for anyone who just so happens to slide by the house this evening.

Enjoy and don't burn yourself up with the Sriracha Sauce!!

Recipe Of The Day: Spicy Lobster Cobb Salad Rolls

Seafood and salad, what a great combination. There is nothing like having a fresh salad with the right dressing topped off with either some delicious Tiger Shrimp, blackened Salmon or grilled Lobster, we are going to use Lobster today because we feel like it works great with the vinaigrette. 

The citrus and Balsamic Vinegar in the vinaigrette mixed with the crisp lettuce and juicy lobster meat is like an explosion of flavor in each bite. True Lobster can be a bit expensive but if you catch your local store at just the right time you can either get some amazing fresh Lobster tails at a phenomenal price or as a substitute some great priced King Crab Legs & Claws.

This salad is great for any day of the week because it truly doesn't take much time to make and is rather inexpensive depending on what form of seafood you choose to run with and is really healthy for you.

If your going to try for the lower carb style of meal, forget the roll all together and double your salad serving.

Enjoy!

Brooklyn Projects & Jae Bueno Present... "Quiet Storm"

Passion Punch, Because Everybody Deserves A Great Libation

British soldiers are credited with discovering punch in India in the 16th Century (if they found it there, doesn't that mean that the natives discovered it? Anyways more of those kind of rants in a moment.)

The name punch derives from the Hindu word for 'five,' referring to the five ingredients in the beverage.

Some believe five refers to the distinct elements necessary in punch - sweet, sour, bitter, weak and alcoholic. Here's a modern punch to try featuring Culinary Traditions Passion Fruit.

Passion Punch

Adapted From Recipe By Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist

1 ½ Oz. Barsol Quebranta Pisco

½ Oz. Myers’s Rum

1 ½ Oz. Culinary Traditions Passion Fruit Concentrate, Thawed

2 Oz. Fresh Orange Juice

2 Oz. Fresh Lemon Sour

2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters

1 Dashes Ground Nutmeg

Combine all ingredients (except bitters and nutmeg) into a pint glass filled with ice.

Shake with a Boston Shaker for 10 seconds.

Pour into a cocktail glass, top with bitters and nutmeg and serve.

For more tasty cocktail recipes, please visit www.perfectpuree.com

Nike SW x Koi Fusion = Destroyer Burrito

This is a great example of Co-branded marketing that makes sense. Many years before the shoe collecting craze broke out, select individuals from around the globe were making some seriously hard to top co-branded pieces of apparel and footwear.  Hundreds of millions were being dumped into shore stores and pay-pal accounts just so someone could be seen with the latest and most sought after shoes on their feet.
Today although the thought process behind what Co-Brands are being made has somewhat deepened, it almost feels not as organic as it used too in certain instances.
None the less progression is what we are all about and enjoying what comes of the future is what you should be thinking about as well.
Low key, for those that haven't thought about it, even the most un-hip individuals can become popular just by being at the right moment or being connected to the world via whatever form of Social Media they may use.
This video should prove to you, that a bit of attention paid to all the thousands of messages we receive daily could truly provide a bit of unexpected joy in our lives.
Food For Thought.

International Banana Day / 5 Step Banana Cream Pie

Nothing says skilled in the kitchen like being able to pull off a fancy plated dessert that tastes as wonderfully fresh and amazing as it looks. The problem is that with desserts, they often take so long to make that no one really has the time to pull them off before a big gathering. All to often people are forced to settle for store bought creations that fail in comparison to what they could do at home simply because of time restraints.

Today is International Banana Day (I am truly curious if they are celebrating this day in other Nations to be honest.)

School has started back up, the weather is quickly changing and that only means one thing; some huge eating holidays are right around the corner. This year don’t stress having to attend multiple family functions and what you should bring with you. After you whip up this simple 5 ingredient / 5 step recipe for some amazing Banana Cream Pie, you will be a sure fire hit everywhere you go (and do yourself a favor and don’t let on that it was as easy as it was, keep some mystery about yourself and your skills.

Remember to let it set overnight in the fridge and serve it cold, covered in fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!

Soulful Sunday... Gwen McCrae - 90% Of Me Is You (1974)

National Cheeseburger Day / The Supreme Plate Turkey Burger

Today is National Cheeseburger Day and we recently sent out a tweet letting people know just what it was. Instantly we got a few hits for our Supreme Turkey Burger recipe so we knew we had to share it with the people. This recipe is an adaptation from our classic Bacon Cheeseburger Recipe, only in this recipe instead of BBQ sauce we use ketchup so as to not overpower the delicious flavors of the ground turkey.
The key to this one is not overcooking the burger, leaving you with something tougher than your great granddaddies elbows.
Enjoy this one quickly and often because on top of tasting really good, it is actually pretty healthy for you.

National Food Holiday / Recipe Of The Day: Supreme Spicy Guacamole

Happy National Guacamole Day (Now Take A Shot & Celebrate!!)

Today is National Guacamole Day and living in Southern California, one thing is abundantly clear; Guacamole may not have been invented here, but it sure was perfected here.
Talk about a state full of spots that can whip up some amazing green goodness in so many different ways, flavors and styles that it never ever becomes old or mundane.

I am blessed to have a wide array of friends who hail from so many different walks of life, and for the most part take great pride in their history, culture and heritage. With so many of my loved ones and close friends having a fondness for avocados, it is only by the grace of god that we all live in California, home to the most amazing avocados on the face of this Earth (don't let anyone tell you anything different either!)

This recipe is spicy and should not be eaten by the kids or those that can't take the heat. Its 2 Jalapenos and 1 Habanero bring some full fledged heat to the table and the smooth spice from the Tapatio rounds this killer recipe out just right.
Make sure you add your lemon juice as soon as you get the avocados in the bowl, no one wants to eat brown Guacamole.
Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill.
Enjoy!!

"30 Ways in 30 Days" Get Involved & Take Action To End Child Hunger

	HUNGER RELIEF ADVOCATE
"Call Your Member of Congress Day" is part of Hunger Action Month. Explore "30 Ways in 30 Days" at hungeractionmonth.orgto learn about other actions you can take to reduce hunger and support Hunger Action Month. Would you like to become a Hunger Relief Champion? Provide your name and phone number in the space below, and we'll call you to discuss how you can get more involved. Current child nutrition programs will expire September 30 if Congress doesn't act. Congress shouldn't wait another day to take action on child hunger, and neither should you. Get ready -- we'll be calling soon to connect you directly to your Representative's office so you can tell Congress to pass a strong child nutrition bill now! Many children go hungry simply because they don't have access to child nutrition programs when they are away from school. The child nutrition bill before Congress has the potential to dramatically reduce child hunger by making sure that children are connected to programs in their community. But Congress is running out of time to pass the bill before programs expire September 30. For many children, access to nutritious food ends with the school day, leaving them without enough to eat at breakfast, afterschool, on weekends, and during the summer. Soon, you'll be hearing from one of our Hunger Champion Coordinators who will call to connect you to your Representative's office. Help us make sure that children have access to the nutritious food they need to learn and grow by following these simple steps once you're connected: Tell them that you are a constituent and state the name of the town you are calling from. Say that you are calling about Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Deliver this message: Far too many children -- especially low-income children -- lack the nutrition they need to be healthy and successful. Please fund and pass a strong child nutrition bill that increases children's access to healthy meals both in and out of school. Background Child nutrition programs offer the most nourishing meals that many children receive each day. The child nutrition bill before Congress provides an opportunity to reduce hunger among low-income children and improve nutrition for all children, but it won't happen without your support. By urging your member of Congress to improve children's access to nutritious meals, you can help make sure that all kids have the healthy start they deserve. Call your Representative today! We can do more to ensure that vulnerable children have enough to eat, especially on weekends, after school, and during the summer when they can't rely on school meals. Tell a FriendTell your friends and family to call too!  Post our link www.hungeractioncenter.org/fastaction on Facebook and Twitter to spread the word!

First Lady Michelle Obama to Restaurants "Rethink Your Kids' Menus"

First lady asks restaurants to serve healthy foods

By MARY CLARE JALONICK (AP) – 1 day ago

WASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama is prodding the nation's restaurants to add more healthy options to menus, label those items more prominently and market nutritious foods to kids.

Speaking to the National Restaurant Association on Monday, Mrs. Obama pleaded with restaurants small and large to take a little butter or cream out of their dishes, use low fat milk and provide apple slices or carrots as a default side dish on the kids' menu.

What's 4 Dessert: Chocolate Glazed Raspberry Cream Filled Donuts

Today is one of those days where everyone deserves to eat a unhealthy treat seeing as how it is National Cream Filled Donut Day. This glorious day brought 2 things to mind, first off why should you waste your time going to a donut store that probably hasn't been cleaned properly in who knows how long? 

And secondly how could we come up with a recipe for a donut that is better than anything you would find at your local donut shop?

This recipe is not for those who want to get in and out of the kitchen fast like you see these Chef's do on TV. 

This recipe is those people who want to spend a bit of time perfecting a skill that results in a dessert that will amaze anyone who eats it, someone who takes pride in creating their own culinary artwork at home.

The filling for these donuts is creamy and delicious, not to overly sweet and really easy to make. When topped off with the Chocolate Glaze, these things become irresistible.

Enjoy!

Perfect Puree Roasted Red Pepper & Leek Soup / Sweet & Sour Margarita

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Culinary Traditions™ Roasted Red Pepper   Our Roasted Red Pepper puree is made from field-ripened sweet red bell peppers - fire roasted, steamed, skinned and seeded by hand. The pepper "meats" are pureed with a touch of olive oil added to make a perfect base for soup, flavored aioli and savory sauces. The roasted flavor and orange-red color makes this a truly special puree. Red Pepper & Leek Soup Yield: 4 - 8 oz. servings 12 oz. Culinary Traditions Roasted Red Pepper puree, thawed 2 oz. unsalted butter 6 oz. chicken broth 1 cup chopped leeks, white part only ½ tbsp. olive oil Salt to taste White pepper to taste In a large saucepan, heat butter and oil until butter is melted. Stir in leeks and sauté, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes or until leeks are soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken broth and salt to taste. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, or until leeks are very soft. Transfer mixture to a food processor; cover and process until smooth. In a large bowl, combine leek mixture with Roasted Red Pepper puree and white pepper to taste. To serve hot, transfer mixture to a saucepan and heat through over medium-low heat. Do not boil. To serve chilled, refrigerate until cold. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish as desired.   Beverage Artistry™ Classic Sweet & Sour   An essential ingredient for both sweet and citrus notes, our Classic Sweet & Sour blend is the ideal base for classic cocktails and twists on the classics. Partners well with Tequila, Vodka, Bourbon and Gin.               Easy Premium Margarita Dana M. Bruner, The Perfect Purée 2 oz. Beverage Artistry Classic Sweet & Sour, thawed 1 oz. Patron Tequila ½ oz. Cointreau ½ lemon, juiced   Combine all ingredients into a pint glass with ice. Shake vigorously with a Boston Shaker for 10 seconds. Pour into a margarita glass filled with ice.  Garnish with a wedge of lime and serve. Visit www.perfectpuree.com for more recipes and new products!

Soulful Sunday

Sunday being the last day we all have to ourselves before the madness of the week begins, should always be used to make our lives a little more peaceful.
So with that ladies and gentlemen here is Soulful Sunday, a little something to get your mood right and set the tone for the day.
Enjoy

Recipe Of The Day: Braised Chicken Thighs w/ Button Mushrooms & White Rice

We got a few tweets from someone who was in dire need of a recipe that called for chicken thighs. We have all sorts of recipes we wanted to give them especially for our Gumbo but they said that it had to be strictly chicken and also include some form of mushroom. When we heard that we knew right away it was time to hit them our favorite braised chicken dish, that goes perfect over rice, egg noodles, steamed vegetables, you pretty much can add any side dish to it and its gonna fly off the table.
The key to this is allowing everything time to merry together and cook down. If this is rushed, this will truly be bitter and horrible. You cannot rush flavor and there is no substitute for patience when it comes to cooking (I don't care what hi tech gadget you think you may own, when it comes time to cook down a sauce, you have to give it just that, TIME.)
This is great for those dining on a budget because it is cheap and goes a long way and makes for great leftovers.
Get ready for the new format in recipes we are about to start using, it will be much easier to follow and much easier to print out for your use at home.
Enjoy.

September 7, 2010, 10:57 PM

What If Restaurants Stopped Hiring Illegal Immigrants?

By SARAH KERSHAW

In the 2004 film “A Day Without a Mexican,” all of California’s Mexicans suddenly disappear. The state wakes up to a world with no gardeners, nannies, strawberry pickers, maids, cooks, dishwashers. Through extreme exaggeration, the mockumentary makes point that without the Mexicans, the economy would essentially grind to a halt, and it satirizes those who want to send immigrants back across the border — or stop them from coming in. Presumably, if these abandoned low wage jobs were filled by legal workers making legal wages, everything would cost a whole lot more.

So in real life: What if the restaurant industry — one of the largest employers of immigrants, a good number of whom, it is no secret, are undocumented — had to do it all above board? (According to 2008 estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center, illegal immigrants make up about 20 percent of the nation’s chefs, head cooks and cooks, and about 28 percent of its dishwashers.) That’s the intention, at least, of the Obama Administration’s intensified crackdown on employers that hire illegal immigrants, with businesses includingrestaurants now facing more scrutiny than they have in decades.

Some restaurateurs say that the cost of a meal would shoot up if they were forced to comply with immigration and labor laws.

“At the end of the day, the customer is going to end up paying for it,” said one TriBeCa chef and restaurateur I interviewed, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to draw attention to his business. “We’ll have to pay higher wages, more taxes and then we will have to charge more.”

Are you willing to pay more for a steak because it’s cooked by someone with legal working papers who is making minimum wage? How much more? If every restaurant meal you ate went up by, say, 10 percent, would you eat out just as often?

If you knew exactly which restaurants followed immigration laws and which didn’t, would it affect where you eat?

And if you work in a restaurant with undocumented employees, how much more would your business be paying if all its employees were legally eligible to work? Will legal workers take jobs as dishwashers for minimum wage? Two dollars above minimum? How much would it all add to the cost of a check?

The Nokia Green Phone?

Imagine how quickly and drastically our World would change if we discovered that our cell phones could be powered by a little splash of Coca Cola?  After designer and forward thinker Daizi Zheng “discovered that conventional phone batteries are: expensive, harmful to the environment and difficult to dispose of. In addition, the conventional battery manufacturing process consumes many valuable resources” it wasn’t long before a solution to these problems was dreamt up and brought to life.

Bring Some Bling To Your Dishes.

Everyone loves to embellish a bit in life. Some in the form of stories about the things they own, people they know or places they have been, others about what they do for a living and so on. To some embellishment in the excesses that life has to offer is merely a right of passage, for that is all they know. For others faking it until they make it is all they can do. Either way you look at things, pulling of the façade of life is always fun if you have the proper tools and the right state of mind.

There are few things in life that are forever even memories and love fade over time. But with the help of Esslack and their Gold & Silver Food Finishing Spray, memories that were made in your kitchen will be able to stand the test of time just that much longer. 

Eno at Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Announces "ENO-Versity" Classes For Summer/Fall 2010

 

DANA POINT, CA— The popular Eno-Versity classes continue for 2010 at ENO, Southern California’s premiere wine, cheese and chocolate tasting room located at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Through informative classes, guests develop an understanding a wine’s history, type of grape, and region of origin.
Eno-Versity offers guests the opportunity to become wine connoisseurs in a fun, communal and comfortable environment. The intimate classes allow both novice and expert participants alike to interact and learn from the guest winemakers.

OC Foodie Fest. Good Times & Great Food

Anaheim, Calif. - On Saturday, August 28, at the Honda Center, the inaugural OC Foodie Fest took place with more than 8,500 foodies venturing to their favorite picks of 49 gourmet food trucks from Orange County and Los Angeles. The sold-out event, on top of the delicious cuisine, offered attendees shopping from Patchwork vendors, art and live painting from eVocal, live local music and entertainment, and a kids area hosted by Pretend City.

OC Foodie Fest believes in giving back to the community and that's exactly what a percentage of the proceeds did, including three local charities - Child SHARE, St. Vincent's Meals on Wheels and Pretend City. The attendance was proof enough of the great amount of funds raised for these nonprofits.

Orange County showed immense support for the gourmet food truck movement yesterday. OC Foodie Fest was meant to bring exposure to the growing market in OC as well as give the opportunity for LA trucks to branch out into a new area.

At the end of the fest, three trucks were chosen for Yelp's "Best of the Fest" Food Truck Award. Patrons were able to vote for their favorite truck. OC's The Lime Truck took first place, Chunk-n-Chip took second place and Great Balls On Tires took third place. -- OC Foodie Fest

All in all this was a great event that brought together many of the things that make California great. Watching as thousands of people from all walks of life devoured plate after plate of food created from the heart, it felt great to be standing in the middle of some well orchestrated chaos. The event staff, the trucks, and Southern Californians in general should be proud of the unity displayed at (the) OC Foodie Fest.

Job Well Done

Thanks to the great folks @ Roaming Hunger for supplying some fresh photography and everyone who attended the event, showed love to all the vendors and most importantly, who said what's up to The Supreme Plate.

Thirst Quenching Labor Day Libations, That Will Have Guests Begging For Round After Round

Libations to Celebrate Labor Day With What's on your beverage menu this Labor Day? As Summer winds down, will you prolong it with Margarita or Mai Thai or will you welcome in Fall with a warm snifter full of Cognac? Either way you go here are a few recipes that are sure to inspire you featuring Culinary Traditions™ purees and concentrates and Beverage Artistry™ fruit beverage blends.  The FEED Flag VeeV Açaí Spirit 1 ½ oz. VeeV Açaí Spirit ½ oz. Culinary Traditions Strawberry, thawed ¾ oz. simple syrup Club soda Fresh blueberries, for garnish In the bottom of a high ball glass, put Strawberry puree. Add ice, VeeV and simple syrup (in that order). Top with club soda and garnish with floating blueberries. Stir with a straw or shake quickly. Summer Setting H. Joseph Ehrmann 1 ½ oz. Beverage Artistry Yuzu Luxe Sour, thawed 1 ½ oz. Square One Botanical Spirit 2 in. rosemary sprigs Strip rosemary leaves from stem and combine all other ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds with a Boston Shaker. Double strain and pour into a martini glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serve.  Pomerita Seth Hammond, Pomegranate Bistro 1 ¾ oz. Cuervo Gold Tequila 2 oz. Beverage Artistry Classic Sweet & Sour, thawed ½ oz. Culinary TraditionsPomegranate Concentrate, thawed ½ oz. Culinary Traditions Raspberry, thawed ¾ oz. Grand Marnier ¾ oz. triple sec squeeze of lime lime wedge and crystallized sugar for garnish Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a pint glass. Add ice and shake vigorously with a Boston Shaker for 10 seconds. Rim glass with crystallized sugar. Pour over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wedge. Serve. Charbay Blood Orange Vodjito Dana M. Bruner, The Perfect Purée 2 ½ oz. Beverage Artistry Mojito, thawed 1 ½ oz. Charbay Blood Orange Vodka 1/8 oz. Culinary Traditions Blood Orange Concentrate, thawed 2 oz. club soda Combine Mojito and Vodka in a pint glass with ice. Shake with a Boston Shaker. Strain into an ice filled glass. Top with club soda and Blood Orange. Stir gently and serve.