The newly published The Berry Bible by Janie Hibler has become one of my favorite books because it not only includes Berry History from A-Z, but also Health News, and Recipes for Coolers, Cocktails, Breads, Soups and Salads, Sorbets, and Pastries. I'm currently experimenting with growing blueberries, gooseberries, and elderberries. Why elderberries you may ask? Elderberries are not only healthy but have an interesting history. Per The Berry Bible, "Hippocrates wrote about the healing properties of elderberry in the 5th century B.C... and many cultures throughout history used elderberry and dried elderflowers to treat a variety of illnesses, from bronchitis to the flu." While I was traveling in the UK on business this year, I bought a bottle of Elderberry Wine to bring back to the U.S. The book mentions a Citrus-Elderberry Summer Cooler Recipe (non-alcoholic) from Chad Finn, a berry expert at Oregon State University who enjoyed this elderberry cordial while on a research trip to England. Here's the recipe: Ingredients: -Juice of 4 large oranges -Juice of 1 large lemon -2 ounces tartaric acid (available at beer & wine making shops) -6 cups sugar -25 elderberry blossoms from a blue or black elderberry (rinsed) Directions: Blend the orange and lemon juices with the tartaric acid in a large bowl until the tartaric acid is completely dissolved. Add 6 cups cold water, the sugar, and the blossoms placing them into the liquid. Cover and macerate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine strainer and discard the blossoms. Pour the citrus-elderberry cordial into bottles and serve diluted, 4 parts water to 1 part concentrate, over ice. It will keep one month in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 2 months. (Recipe courtesy of The Berry Bible) Giveaway Opportunity: Do you have a favorite Berry Recipe, be it breakfast, dessert, cocktail etc? If so, please share it on Facebook. The 5 most creative recipes win a Berry Bible! Enter Here on The Berry Bible Facebook Post. Gratitude Gourmet is excited to be a 2011 Tasty Awards Judge! The TASTY AWARDS is the premier broadcast awards show to celebrate and recognize the year's best achievements in food and fashion programs on Television, in Film, and Online. Winners of the Annual TASTY AWARDS are announced and receive their honors in January at a Red Carpet Awards Show in Hollywood, portions of which are filmed for broadcast on national television to millions of households, as well as on Hulu.com and partner sites. Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards and other Special Awards are also presented to valuable contributors to the industry and the genre. Submit awards nominations for 2011 here from July 19th to September 5th, 2010. As part of a reforestation program in Indonesia's West Java province, couples are now required by law to plant trees to tie the knot. Wouldn't that be a great tradition to start almost anywhere! Check out the video here. Here's an interesting article about how bees' honey is being analyzed for airport pollution. As a result, the air is becoming cleaner. Here's another benefit the bees provide! Per Medical News today, "Approximately 1 million pounds of ground beef products are being recalled by Valley Meat Company, California because it may be tainted with E. coli 0157:H7. The company says the recall applies to certain products produced between October 2nd 2009 and January 12th 2010. The products have been sold in California, Texas, Arizona, Oregon and overseas." The full article is here.
Vote in the 2010 Veggie Awards and Win Prizes. In the 'Favorite Website' and 'Favorite Blog' categories, I would love if you can choose 'Other' and write in 'GratitudeGourmet.com' . Just enter Here. Thank you so much for writing-in Gratitude Gourmet!! Press Club August 11, 2010 6:30 - 8pm The Press Club, 20 Yerba Buena Lane San Francisco, California 94103 Foodies, Do you think a TOP CHEF Judge's job looks like fun? In this case, it will be, because you will be the Judge. If you love pairing Food and Wine, join TasteTV at The Press Club as it films its 1st Annual Wine & Food Pairing Taste-Off. The Press Club is the San Francisco stylish and modern wine bar, lounge and event space that "summarizes the best of San Francisco's wine scene." At the Taste-Off, attendees will sample six great food & wine combinations, and help Press Club decide the best new pairing to put on their lounge menu. Attendees will judge seasonal plates paired with four reds and two whites from their six, Northern California partnered wineries: Miner Family Vinyards, Fritz, Saintsbury, Mount Eden Vinyards, Hanna, and Chateau Montelena. btw - I asked if there will be veggie selections, and there will be two veggie dishes out of the six. Tickets are Advance Purchase, Space is Limited. Go to: http://tasteoff-pressclub2010.eventbrite.com/ Are you a fan of Granola? You have to try Bear Naked Soft Baked Granola Cookies. They're made with 10 grams of oats per serving, nuts, and no trans fats. If you're going to eat a cookie, it might as well be as healthy as possible, right! :-) If you try them and/or the delicious Trail Mixes (Apple Pecan Flax, Chocolate Cherry and Cranberry Protein), let me know what you think! We know scientists say mercury from coal accumulates in many fish. Children and babies exposed to the metal, through mother's milk or eating contaminated fish, are at risk of learning and developmental problems. Adults who eat too many of the fish also face risks. Here's an interesting analysis from Reuters I wanted to share with you stating that Toxic Fish Could Help Obama Hit 2020 Climate Goals.
Are you interested in preparing for Cool Season Vegetable Gardening and growing Garlic, Onions, and Shallots? Check out the Master Gardeners Classes here. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published results of a recent study which says: 1. Vegans have lower vitamin B12 concentrations, but higher folate concentrations, than vegetarians and omnivores. 2. Half of the vegans were categorized as vitamin B12 deficient and would be expected to have a higher risk of developing clinical symptoms related to vitamin B12 deficiency. Make sure you're taking your B12 supplement. Nike Per the Wall Street Journal Article: "A group of 100 well-known apparel brands and retailers have developed a software tool to help them measure the environmental impact of their apparel and footwear, from raw material to garbage dump. Ultimately, the companies hope to display an eco-value on a tag or package, much like the Energy Star rating of appliances. The Eco Index will be rolled out next month at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. The idea is to give manufacturers a common way to look at environment and human-rights impacts when designing their products.Consumers won't immediately be able to see how brands rate. The Eco Index will be rolled out next month at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. The idea is to give manufacturers a common way to look at environment and human-rights impacts when designing their products. Consumers won't immediately be able to see how brands rate. The companies won't say exactly when they'll be ready to go public with the Eco Index, which has been in the works for three years. But eventually, it could help shoppers compare how green garments are." You can read the full article here. |