Welcome back! We have lots of things to share with you this month. Our newest test kitchen recipes, Rick's appearances, a profile on one of last year's Frontera Farmers Foundation recipient... plus much more.
Check it out.
Peeks into the chef's inspiration: This
fabulous dessert is part of the new Celebration Tasting menu this
month in Topolo. De Blanco a Negro which consists of two
ultra-creamy cremas: dark chocolate with Kahlúa and macadamia, and
white chocolate with Yucatecan Xtabentun liqueur. Check out
thismenu, plus all the
new dishes on the Frontera
menu. Dates and places Rick will be appearing: Rick is traveling around the country this month promoting our PBS show "Mexico - One Plate at a Time," and helping local PBS stations raise money during their pledge drives. He'll be on-air at MPTV in Milwaukee on March 7th, KETC in St. Louis on March 14th and UNC in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina on March 22nd. In addition, he's competing in a dance contest at the 4th Annual Dancing with Chicago Celebrities Benefit, which is being held at the Hyatt Regency on March 13th. Click on this link, if you'd like to make a donation to this worthy cause. The Housewares show is coming to Chicago this month and Rick will be there on March 23rd for a demo and book signing.
Profiles of Frontera Farmer Foundation recipients. Here's a truly inspiring story about what two young men can accomplish. Meet Justin Kilgus, who along with his brother Trent, are the owners of Pleasant Meadows Farm in Livingstone County, Illinois. They started their business about three years ago with three boer goats when Justin was just 14 and Trent was 12. They applied to the foundation last year for the money to expand their business. They used that money to construct a covered 40 x 64 foot building for the goats. They now have a herd of 80 goats. The building allows them to not only be more efficient, but also more profitable. Way to go!! Our next Farmer Foundation benefit is Sunday, June 14th.
I'll update you about details starting in May's newsletter. Kitchen gadget adventure. My new fav is the Oxo hand-held mandoline. Easily adjustable for slices in three thicknesses just by turning a knob. The food holder protects your fingers and also doubles as a blade guard when not in use. The bottom has a soft foot which allows it to hook over a bowl. Food glides easily over the stainless steel blade, which makes for uniform slices faster and easier than you can accomplish with a knife. It fits easily in a drawer and is available wherever Oxo products are sold for under $20.
Our Library. Check out Nick Malgieri's newest book "The Modern Baker: Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes and Cookies". It's filled with 150 easy to follow, step-by-step recipes. I haven't baked any of the recipes yet, but I have post-its throughout the book with all the recipes I'm dying to try. Cocktail time. Try this month's cocktail Paloma Rosa, which is based on a classic Mexican cocktail. We've paired it with our newest collection of brunch recipes. Let me know what you think. Q: We are so envious of your avocado scooper/masher tool. We have searched the internet and all sources are sold out. Any idea how we might find one? Or, is there a chance that you might be offering such gadgets in your Frontera line? A: I’m sorry to say that the avocado scoop is no longer being manufactured. It's a long and convoluted story, but the short version is that our partner for this specialty line was Copco/Wilton and in the 1 ½ years that the line was available, the company was sold several times. During the last sale, the decision was made to no longer market our product line. We’re in the process of looking for a new partner, so that products like the avocado scoop and the chile roaster will be available again.
New Recipes from the Test Kitchen. Hope you
enjoyed last month's Valentine's recipes. This month we
tackled make-ahead brunch dishes. Check out our new
recipes for Mango Stuffed French
Toast, Smoked Salmon with
Mushrooms and Poblano Bread Pudding, and
our version of a Potato
Tortilla.
Sustainability. This is a huge topic that covers many areas, but one that is very close to our hearts. One aspect of sustainability is supporting local farmers. Check out Local Harvest.org web site. It does a great job of identifying local farmers, their products, CSA, events in your area, etc. across the U.S.
Chicago Restaurant Week. Come to Frontera Grill and Topolobampo for a pre-fixe lunch now extended through March 13th!! A lunch only special 3 course menu is available for $22 per person. (Does not include beverage, tax or gratuity.)
Well, that's all for this month, and as they say in the trades, keep those cards and letters coming. Sincerely, Deb Silberstein Test Kitchen Director/Web Site Culinary Director
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