The National Food Holidays of February 2013

Ladies & Gentlemen, we are now starting off the second month of the year and with that we hope that you are sticking to your New Years resolutions as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This time of year sees the Super Bowl taking place, sports greats being inducted into various Halls of Fame as well as some fantastic food events that pop up all across the Nation. Events such as the Napa Valley Mustard Festival in Napa Valley, the Big Sur Chanterelle Cook Off, Atlantic City Restaurant Week, Bocuse d’OR USA Finals in Hyde Park New York and many more are taking place and should be checked out to expand upon your culinary knowledge and experiences.

February is:

National Fresh Berry Month

Canned Food Month

Celebration of Chocolate Month

Great American Pies Month

National Fiber Focus Month

National Hot Breakfast Month

National Grapefruit Month

National Snack Food Month

National Cherry Month

National Potato Lovers Month

National Sweet Potato Lovers Month

The First week of February is:

Shape Up w/ Pickles Time

The Second week of February is:

Great American Pizza Bake Week,

Jell-O Week,

Kraut & Frankfurter Week

The Fourth week of February is:

National Pancake Week,

National Food Checkout Week

The Second Monday of February is:

National Oatmeal Monday Day

February 1    National Baked Alaska Day

February 2    National Heavenly Hash Day

February 2    National Crepes Day           

February 3    National Carrot Cake Day

February 4    National Homemade Soup Day

February 4    National Stuffed Mushroom Day

February 5    National Chocolate Fondue Day
February 5    National Pancake Day

February 6    National Nutella Day

February 7    National Fettucini Alfredo Day   

February 8    National Molasses Bar Day

February 9    National Bagels & Lox Day

February 9    National Pizza Day

February 10  Cream Cheese Brownie Day

February 11  National Peppermint Patty Day

February 12  National Plum Pudding Day

February 13  National Tortellini Day

February 14  National Crème-Filled Chocolates Day

February 15  National Gumdrop Day

February 16  National Almond Day

February 17  National Indian Pudding Day

February 17  National Café Au Lait Day

February 17  National Cabbage Day

February 18  Crab Stuffed Flounder Day

February 18  National Drink Wine Day

February 19  National Chocolate Mint Day

February 20  National Cherry Pie Day

February 21  National Sticky Bun Day

February 22  National Margarita Day

February 23  National Banana Bread Day

February 23  National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

February 24  National Tortilla Chip Day

February 25  National Clam Chowder Day

February 25  National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day

February 26  National Pistachio Day

February 26  National Chili Day

February 27  National Strawberry Day

February 27  National Kahlua Day

February 28  National Chocolate Souffle Day

February 29 (Leap Day)  Surf & Turf Day

Other Culinary events taking place are the:

BostonWine Expo

FoodNetwork’s South Beach Food & Wine Festival

YakimaValley Red Wine & Chocolate in Yakima Valley, Washington

The Glendale Annual Chocolate Affair in Glendale Arizona

TheBaltimore Annual Chocolate Affair

MichiganAnnual Winter Beer Festival

Bands,Brew & BBQ in Orlando, Florida

SantaCruz Clam Chowder Cookoff in Santa Cruz, CA

El Plato Supreme - (Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan & Bob Odenkirk's Super Bowl XLVII Commercial)

Seth Rogan, Paul Rudd & Bob Odenkirk give it up to El Plato Supremè if only we could afford a commercial during the NFL Super Bowl XVLII, imagine what we could accomplish.

Don't Halfstep On Game Day, Bust Out A Few Recipes From Chef Aaron Sanchez & Impress Your Guests

When people ask you what you will be doing for the Super Bowl they really mean what are you cooking & drinking as well as where will you be watching the game. If you haven’t starting making plans yet you need to get on the fast track quickly. No one should wait until the last minute to pick up the needed libation mixers and finger foods to keep the party jumpin’ no matter what team prevails in the end. Although he is a certified Celebrity Chef, we prefer to refer to Chef Aaron Sanchez as a down to Earth, beast in the kitchen who creates the kind of dishes even the most judicious of tongues can’t turn down. 

Having met Chef Sanchez at a few events, you get the feeling this is the type of guy you can sit and shoot the breeze with over strong drinks without ever realizing your in the presence of kitchen royalty. For Super Bowl XLVII Chef Sanchez has laced our readers with an authentic recipe right from his stash-box.

Your guests will think your making the big money or have catered in something special when they get a taste of these Carne Asada Tacos w/ Roasted Tomatillo Salsa & fresh made Pickled Onions. 

The recipe is incredibly easy to follow and provides for about 8 servings. If that isn’t enough for you, make em early and enjoy em all alone. Then when your guests arrive and wonder what has the house smelling so amazing, tell them “I dunno must be something I burned prior to your arrival.”

Thanks for hook up Chef! 

(for the Entire Recipe, click Read More)

African Rhino Peri Peri Sauce

January 16^th marks National Hot & Spicy Foods Day. One of our favorite things to do on this day is to try out different sauces we have never seen or had before and working them into some of our classic recipes. One of our latest finds was African Rhino Peri Peri Sauce, which is made using exclusively grown peppers directly from Botswana & Mozambique. 

Made by the good folks over at the Kalahari Pepper Company, this sauce can go on just about everything from seafood to poultry and beef. We use it in our Huevos Rancheros & as a dipping sauce for our hot wings, which we will be doing in abundance this coming Super Bowl and you should too.

Check out their site for more info: www.KalahariPepper.com

Beyonce X Pepsi = $50m & One Hell of a Show Slated for Superbowl 2013

As if Beyonce didn’t already “Run The World” the incredibly beautiful and talented Mrs. Carter has now signed on to be the newest superstar spokesperson for PepsiCo. Pepsi being the shrewd businessmen they are have given creative control over the campaign to Beyonce, who will not only perform during the Pepsi Halftime Show at Super Bowl XLVII, but will also be unveiling a newly designed Pepsi can that will sport Beyonce’s face right next to the Pepsi logo. When asked why Pepsi, Beyonce responded "Pepsi embraces creativity and understands that artists evolve. As a businesswoman,, this allows me to work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without sacrificing my creativity." 

For those that don't remember this isn't the first go time Beyonce and Pepsi have worked together, in fact she has been repping the brand since the early 2000's and after signing this new $50m dollar venture, it doesn't appear that the two will be ending their business relationship anytime soon. Congrats on getting another huge check.

What we don’t understand is why would Pepsi release the cans in Europe first.

Check the rest of the photos after the jump…