We all want to eat, drink, and be merry during the holidays. The question is: how to avoid the high fat, high carb overload that greets us at every turn and flows so naturally from hand to mouth. Sure, it’s OK to break out the fat pants for a night, but that doesn’t mean we want to be part of the lemmings running to the gym after New Years! Even Santa has to watch his waistline – they don’t make chimneys like they used to

Who better to give us advice on healthy holiday eating than Chef Michael Stebner of True Food Kitchen? Chef Stebner, through True Food Kitchen’s ever-popular, seasonally focused menu, conveys the value of nutrition and expresses the principals of  Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet and food pyramid. Always curious to know what chefs cook for their families, whether it’s a weeknight at home or ringing in the new year, we chatted recently about his strategies for making your celebrations memorable, but not regrettable

What are your favorite holiday spices?  Cinnamon in everything – try adding it to whipped cream! I love allspice in sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. More warming spices that I favor are ground cardamon, ground cloves and black pepper – experiment with these flavors in pecan or apple pies.

What about appetizers that whet your appetite, not kill it? Appetizers are often the ultimate in high fat and carb overload with cheese plates, cured meats, dips and chips. I do a more vegetable and fruit based appetizer selection. A spicy, zesty antipasto of blanched vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, and green beans along with tomatoes and celery and marinated mushrooms. Add olives and gherkins and a tomato-based vinaigrette spiked with anchovies and horseradish. Also, crostini with smoked salmon or goat cheese with herbs and chives or, my favorite (mine too), bruschetta topped with manchego, pears and walnuts.

What meat will likely grace your table at Christmas? I’m thinking pork roast on the smoker or grill. If you do a turkey, try brining the turkey overnight- remove the wings and neck, and use them to make a good hearty stock the day before. You can use that stock to make your stuffing and gravy.

Besides pies, what desserts do you prefer as a grand finale?  I like roasted apples and pears served with an Italian sabayon or Greek yogurt. Also, a pear and vanilla bean compote over homemade ice cream or sorbet. We have a special at True Food Kitchen of vegan pistachio milk “ice cream” that is incredible. (Note to self.)

Creme brulee is one of my weaknesses, what is a satisfying substitute? I think our Gluten-free chocolate pudding or chocolate cake would hit the spot. Also, the No-Bake Chocolate Tart that I prepare in my demos (I recreated the No-Bake Chocolate Tart for my anniversary and guarantee that this dessert will fulfill your sweet craving.)

What’s new on the winter menu at True Food Kitchen? For the winter months, sturdy greens such as collards are in season and we’re adding more gluten free menu items in 2012.

In October, I made baked apples for a lovely Harvest dinner hosted by Kim of Rustic Garden Bistro to celebrate the completion of their dream kitchen. This simple, rustic dish seemed to unlock childhood memories and effusive compliments followed as my fellow food bloggers savored their sweet, tart, crunchy goodness. When Chef Stebner mentioned baked apples in his interview, my taste memory was sparked and I’m thinking they will be a fresh departure from chocolate, Christmas cookies, Yule logs, eggnog, etc. and a suitable accompaniment to the crown roast of pork I’m planning. Don grew up eating applesauce with pork and to this day feels no pork dish is complete without an apple pairing. Problem solved! And, I’ve “killed” two proverbial birds with one apple – I love when that happens!

Photo of Chef Stebner from GreenLivingAZ.com

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A clafoutis saved Thanksgiving Day at our house this year. While pies were being “oohed” and “aahed” over and providing the grand finale at houses across the country, our pie was a flop. Literally, said pie (a vegan pumpkin pie recipe found online) never set up as it should have and it was looking as if our feast of thankfulness, would end on a not-so-sweet note. Was I ever sorry that I broke one of the cardinal rules of dinner parties: don’t use an untried recipe! To add insult to injury, College Girl has been baking pies with her friends at UC and was  so excited to please her dad with a new twist on his beloved pumpkin pie…

But have no fear, a favorite past issue of Bon Appetit and two very plump and perfect Korean pears from Melissa’s World Variety Produce came to the rescue!

First of all, what is a clafoutis? A clafoutis is a baked French dessert of black cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a flan-like batter, dusted with powdered sugar and served warm. It originated in the Limousin region of France and traditionally contains the pits of the cherries and, according to Wikipedia, when other kinds of fruit are used instead of cherries, the dish is properly called a flaugnarde. Clafoutis sounds pleasantly musical compared to flaugnarde, so I’m sticking with it

Secondly, if you’ve never eaten or cooked with Asian pears, you absolutely must! They are crunchy, juicy, and sweet – a mouthwatering combination of apple and pear. There are 25 varieties of Asian pears – the three that I had were large softball-size, golden Korean Shingo, known for their delicately tangy, perfumed flavor, high water content and crisp, crunchy texture (think jicama). They’re delicious eaten raw, whole or in salads, and their firm, crunchy texture means they don’t turn mushy when cooked or baked like regular pears have a tendency to do. Asian pears are in season, so pick some up this weekend!

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“Thank you for voting my muffins into today’s Foodbuzz Top 9!” 11.11.11

After traveling for three weeks, I’ve returned with renewed vigor, ha!  What I have done, is create a Facebook page that has the same name as my website, finally.  I’ve had a Facebook page all along, but it was called TopMomBlog; and I thank each and every one of you that has “Liked” TopMomBlog. This is the name I chose for my website when I started it two years ago  – which is forever ago in the blogosphere. So much changes in two years – a blog is like a living and breathing entity that changes as you grow and find your niche, voice, passion, etc. My original idea was to honor moms (beginning with my mom, of course) and, in addition to the comfort food with a healthy twist and family friendly recipes that were my focus, to spotlight a mom each month with a dish that she loved as a child, or that her kids love, or that speaks to her culture.

With my girl off to college and recent developments in huz’s health,  my focus began to change. I waited, and waited, and waited for Facebook to allow pages to edit their name, but that would be too easy – even with all the changes they’ve implemented, that wasn’t one of them. So, this weekend I used my extra hour to build my page and begin the task of rebuilding my fan base. To jump start this process and show my appreciation, I’m giving away a signed copy of Mario Lopez’s new book,  Extra Lean Family. In his second book, Mario shows you how to apply the rules from his New York Times bestseller, Extra Lean, to broaden the spectrum of foods you and your family eat and how to enjoy food and maintain your best health.

Look what I went through to get this book signed for you!

In early October, Mario and Chef Jamie Gwen co-hosted Restaurant Rave, a welcome and tasty addition to this year’s Style Week OC at Irvine Spectrum. Once Mario took the stage, most of the hungry crowd took a break from sampling tastes and gathered around the stage to watch him make fish tacos and guacamole. Later, Mario greeted fans and signed copies of his book while chefs from new Irvine Spectrum Center restaurants Capital Seafood, Paul Martin’s American Grill (slated to open later this month)  and CUCINA Enoteca (early December opening) took the stage with cooking demonstrations and food sampling, music, and dance entertainment continued under the glittering Giant Wheel.

Back to the book: I liked that the recipes are simple enough for novice cooks and use ingredients that you can find in any market. They can also be assembled in 20 minutes or less, so are great for the busy people we are! When I do a cookbook giveaway, I think it’s important to test one of the recipes and, being crazy for coconut, decided on the Banana Coconut Muffins. It took me about 30 minutes from gathering the ingredients to getting the muffin tin in the oven because my baking ingredients are not in a central place (way to organized for me) and it was 8:00 a.m. and I was still on my first cup of coffee

Other than, substituting pecans for walnuts and eliminating the salt and half the baking soda (strict sodium restrictions for huz), I stuck to the recipe. The applesauce and bananas add their natural sweetness (so very little sugar is needed) and contribute to the nutritional value and moistness of this mildly coconut-y muffin.  Oh, I added a few organic coconut flakes to the top for texture and a little crispy crunch with every bite.

Extra Lean Family is very down-to-earth – like Mario. His interest in healthy eating and knowledge of the role that food plays in your metabolism stems from his childhood. He was a “big” baby – a sure sign of a healthy baby in his mother’s loving eyes. “My parents taught me to love food, but my Mexican upbringing meant that I didn’t necessarily eat the healthiest foods that I could.” In middle school he became active in wrestling and other sports and by high school he was a wrestling champion and “much more conscious of eating healthy foods for energy rather than devouring whatever was around” and, later, as an actor, realized that being fit was part of his profession.

He’s sharing the life style changes he made and, as one of the most famous finalists of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars which led to him being named People’s Hottest Bachelor in 2008, and now, host of  Extra  -  it’s worked out well for him! He knows that you care about your family and you want them to be healthy, energetic, and live life to the fullest and he wants to help you achieve this with three crucial steps and a five-week meal plan in Extra Lean Family.  Take charge of your food, control the quality and preparation of your meals, and consistently achieve lean results with:

* Simple, delicious recipes that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less

* Double Duty options, offering two quick meal variations with the same ingredients

* Metabolism-boosting and nutritious snacks to combat hunger between meals

* Weekly grocery lists and easy tips for efficient meal preparation

* Practical steps to control your metabolism and maintain target weight

 A “Double Duty” recipe – Beef Taco Wraps and Tex Mex Salad

Mario prepping with his French bulldog Julio Cesar Chavez Lopez

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!

All you have to do is “Like” the new and improved She’s Cookin’ Facebook page and leave a comment here telling me that you did and, tell me what your favorite healthy food is – if you feel like sharing No pressure. You can visit the page and see what it’s all about or just click on the Like button in the sidebar. If you’re new to She’s Cookin’, we’re about simple + seasonal recipes with a heart healthy focus, Orange County restaurant reviews that highlight healthy dining options, the occasional indulgence to drool over, and delicious Travel Eats from destinations near and far. Sound good?

The giveaway is open to residents of the world until 10:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at which time the numerical savant Random.org will pick a winner. And, guys, don’t be shy – I have quite a few male followers and we know you care about your health and family and desire abs like Mario’s, too

Thanks for playing!

“Thanks again for voting my muffins into today’s Foodbuzz Top 9!” 11.11.11

Comments are now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated!

The winner is: Aubrey: littlegray88 at yahoo dot com

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A few weeks ago I was among a group of food writers, bloggers, publishers, lovers, invited by STAR Fine Foods to celebrate the launch of their first Extra Virgin Olive Oil made exclusively from California olives. It is the first locally grown olive oil for the importer which has introduced thousands of Californians and households all over America to premium olive oils from the Mediterranean since its founding by the Guirlani family of San Francisco in 1898. Owned by Borges of Barcelona since 1995, the company also imports balsamic and wine vinegars, green and black olives, peppers and capers from throughout Spain and the Mediterranean.

STAR was thrilled to partner with acclaimed photographers Todd Porter and Diane Cu of White on Rice Couple to throw this little soiree. Not only were we able to do a side-by-side tasting of the EVOO California Olive Oil and STAR’s best selling Extra Virgin Olive Oil and enjoy a delicious spread of vegetarian, gluten-free tapas, but we were the first to see Todd and Diane’s new culinary photography studio! STAR was also excited to show off Todd and Diane’s specially created Gluten-Free Parmesan & Olive Oil Crackers and, because you all are so special, I requested the recipe to share here

Thank you STAR Fine Foods, DGWB, and Todd & Diane for a fun evening and elevating us into olive oil fanatics and connoisseurs!

Photos courtesy of DGWB.

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No one seems to be happy about the state of public school lunches in America – they are quite appalling. When I think back, it seems that complaining about school lunches has always been the norm – it’s just that now we’re more concerned with the actual nutritional value that kids receive from a lunch with a reimbursement value of $2.72. I’m not going to go down that road today… Rather, I was reminiscing about the one day every week – I think it was Friday – that I looked forward to cafeteria fare way back when I was a school girl. Friday was the day the white-haired lunch ladies served up Apple Brown Betty made from scratch. Forget whatever else was on the tray; with your carton of cold whole milk – it was a sweet, satisfying mid-day treat!

With a few peaches left from a carton of juicy, very sweet Summer Flame peaches hubs bought at Trader Joe’s, I decide to splurge and make a dessert that actually included butter and sugar. This is a rare occasion in our house; I prefer savory over sweet and over the years we’ve all but eliminated sugar from our diet except for the occasional batch of cookies that The Young Baker makes when she’s at home. Normally, I would blend the peaches into a smoothie with coconut milk or yogurt, but on this day, I was struck with the desire to make a crisp (or Betty) like the hair-netted lunch ladies used to make.

It’s so simple:  I sliced the peaches (leaving the skin on), placed them in a small saucepan, added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter and cooked the mixture for a few minutes to marry the flavors. Poured the peach mixture into a baking dish. Then, using the same saucepan, melted 2 tablespoons of butter, added a cup of granola and ½ cup of brown sugar, mix them together over low heat and spread it over the fruit. Baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until the topping is browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy this down-home dessert

Besides being quicker and easier to make than a pie because there’s no dough involved, I wondered what exactly differentiates a crisp from a crumble, betty, slump, grunt, etc. (Where do they get these names is my next question!) I perused a few sites and recipetips.com had the best descriptions:

A crisp has baked fruit as the bottom layer and is topped with a crumbly topping which includes brown sugar, oatmeal and nuts that are mixed with the butter, flour and cinnamon that is spread over the baked fruit.

A crumble is a dessert with a crumb topping made from flour, sugar, and butter combined into a mixture that is sprinkled over sliced fruit and baked. The topping is made up of basically the same ingredients as a pastry except it doesn’t contain any liquid. When the crumble bakes the butter melts and mixes with the flour and sugar to create a crunchy, crumbly topping. A crumble is very similar to a crisp except that the topping for a crisp generally contains oats and often nuts, giving it a coarser texture that the crumbles toppings.

A Betty is a baked pudding made of layers of spiced and sugared fruit topped with buttered bread crumbs. Brown Betty is a name given to an early era baked pudding dessert made by those who came to America during the 1600′s. There are now numerous variations of this dessert that use many different types of fruit, but the most well known is Apple Brown Betty or simply Brown Betty. A combination of tart apples, (Granny Smith and Gala work well or other combinations of two to three semi-tart varieties) are cut into slices and mixed with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pieces of bread are torn and baked or browned on the stovetop in butter, basically creating breadcrumbs to be used as a layer or filling. The sweetened and seasoned fruit is then layered with the breadcrumbs to form a baked pudding of fruit and crispy breadcrumbs that is served warm and is often topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

A grunt is a spoon pie with biscuit dough on top of stewed fruit that is steamed, not baked. A popular dessert on the east coast, it consists of fruit, most often berries, which are cooked beneath a crust of biscuit or dumpling type dough. The Grunt was named for the echo of sounds coming from the bubbling fruit under the dough as it cooks. A Grunt is similar in preparation to the Slump with the exception that the Grunt is steam cooked and the Slump is baked.

A slump is a dessert that is basically the same as a grunt as far as ingredients and construction. It consists of fruit, berries, or a mixture of fruit and berries, which are cooked beneath a crust of biscuit or dumpling type dough. The difference between the grunt and the slump is that the slump is baked uncovered instead of steamed. Some recipes call for it to be cooked on the stovetop and others use the oven. The slump was given its name because when served on a plate it has a tendency to slump.

So there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to know about oddly named fruit desserts that are not pies, cobbler, buckles, or clafoutis Have a fantastic weekend!

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Welcome back, or maybe you didn’t do any traveling for summer’s last hurrah, either way – I hope you had a relaxing and fun-filled Labor Day weekend!  Whether it’s with a sigh of relief or a twinge of regret, we wave good bye to summer and return to our school/work routines while anticipating the balmy days of fall.  It’s September and time to say hello to this month’s Top Mom – many of you already know Roxana from her delicious baking blog A Little Bit of Everything, and if you haven’t had the pleasure, I’m pleased to be the one to introduce you to her.

When you see what Roxana whips up in her kitchen you can’t believe that she only began cooking two years ago! I could tell that this is a woman who excels at anything she puts her mind to. After learning she had high cholesterol, Roxana quickly adopted a vegan diet and began sharing amazing recipes for quick breads and desserts that she had adapted to be dairy free and, many of them are gluten free also.

Since baking isn’t second nature to me, I admire people that make it look so easy! 1-2-3 and your whole house is filled with tantalizing aromas and, violà, you have before you a warm slice of fresh-baked bread, a plump roll, or moist fruit-filled muffin – that’s Roxana! She shares simple recipes that are full of healthy ingredients, delicious flavors, and easy enough for the home chef, on her website as well as a number of food blog clubs, communities, and weekly roundups. I wish I had half her energy! Say good bye to summer while enjoying this savory vegan zucchini quick bread – all sorts of healthy deliciousness toasted for breakfast, a lunch box treat, or a savory afternoon snack!

Hello everyone. My name is Roxana and I’m the baker, photographer and writer behind A little bit of everything.  As my blog line states, I bake a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I love baking yeast breads, sweets or not, and after finding out I have high cholesterol I left the butter and cheese at the store and came home with dairy and egg-free ingredients. I was a vegetarian, so going vegan wasn’t as hard as you may imagine. Instead of regular butter I now use soy-based vegan butter. As for the eggs, I have not yet used store-bought egg replacer but used mashed bananas, applesauce or flax seed meal. So far everything went well, with a few failures but that could happen even to the best of us.

When Priscilla asked me to be September Top Mom I jumped with joy. Oh my goodness, I was featured on one of the blogs I enjoy reading. As you know Priscilla is a sweetheart and her recipes always make me hungry.

I’m happy STHM of a beautiful 22 month-old daughter. I’m blessed I have the opportunity of staying home and watching our precious daughter grow. Today I’m going to share with you a vegan bread recipe. As probably some of you know I LOVE zucchini. It’s a yeast bread, perfect with a salad or a bowl of soup. I added some seeds to the dough, just for the crunchy bite.

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not disappointed!  I’d like a few slices of Roxana’s zucchini bread right now

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Lately, it’s become my mission to find heart healthy items on the menus of Orange County’s finest restaurants. I mean, what happened to the emphasis on lighter, lean protein, lower-sodium, fiber rich entrees with those cute hearts used to highlight them on the menu?

Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appétit’s Ask the Foodist, put words to my frustrations when he replied to this question: Dear Foodist: I like the occasional superrich dish, but aren’t today’s restaurant menus a bit overloaded with bacon-this and duck fat-that? –Stuffed. Andrew’s response: … with every gastropub and pork-crazed spot in the country taking up the mantra “more is more,” when it comes to flavor, I’ve had my fill. Remember when appetizers were meant to stimulate the appetite? Now they often bludgeon it. Salt and fat have become culinary crutches for many chefs who’ve adopted the fast-food mentality of more calories and more gimmicks.

Thank you, Andrew, and more importantly, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States. AND, personally, it has had a huge impact on my life.

If you’re a regular reader of She’s Cookin’ you know that most of my summer recipes have featured produce and herbs from our urban garden. We’ve planted a garden for years and what began as a hobby has developed into a solution to the strict dietary restrictions mandated by The Don’s cardiologists to keep him ticking for many more years.

In many ways he’s fortunate, although he was destined to suffer from heart disease due to his family history, he has survived several heart attacks and a quadruple bypass in 2001; an arrhythmia, running through the DFW airport in 2003, that necessitated an ICD (implanted cardiac defibrillator); and, in the past few months, more complications and three hospital stays.

The good news is that recent angiograms show his arteries are in fine shape after ten years, largely due to our wholesome diet, we’re celebrating twenty-two (22!) years of marriage today, and red wine and organic dark chocolate have no sodium and are considered heart healthy in moderation

Which brings me back to True Food Kitchen…

True Food Kitchen in Fashion Island

Great tasting food that’s good for you! Simple pure flavors… Seasonable, sustainable, local ingredients. This is the mantra of True Food Kitchen and one that I subscribe to as well.  So, if you’re looking for a healthy restaurant choice, True Food Kitchen is at the top of the list of Healthy Places to Eat Out.

Earlier this month I attended one of Executive Chef Michael Stebner’s cooking demonstrations to learn tips and techniques on how to avoid the bad-for-you trans fats, moderate fat intake, and prepare meals with healthy, good-for-you fats… yes, there is such a thing as fats that are not only good for you, but necessary to maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich lifestyle! Chef Michael demonstrated three recipes featuring delicious and healthy ingredients:

·         Avocado, Walnut and Manchego Cheese Bruschetta
·         Grilled Steelhead Salmon with Wok’d Vegetables and Sesame-Chili Ponzu (pictured below)
·         Raw Chocolate Tart with Almond Crust

Attendees are treated to a delicious, light lunch that includes the featured recipes as well as other dishes on the True Food menu and you learn about nutrition based on the principals of  Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet and food pyramid. Plus, Chef Stebner is really great about answering questions and has a very friendly, down-to-earth style, so it’s no wonder that his demonstrations sell out quickly (a steal at $35.00!).  FYI, True Food Kitchen sends cooking class details to their email list AND they promote via online calendars & social media, but your best bet is to join True Food Kitchen’s VIP E-Club to get first dibs!

The Medicine Man cocktail (non-alcoholic version)

First things first: lunch. Chef Stebner was happy to see some familiar faces because that means True Food’s idea for these “seminars” is making people happy -  they are designed to educate people who want to know and show us that healthy food can taste delicious.  Then he got down to the business of explaining the difference between monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega 3 and omega 6 oils and began preparing the Avocado, Walnut, and Manchego Bruschetta, which was super easy and, with the good fats in avocado and walnuts, makes a tasty and nutritious appetizer. He pointed out that even though cheese is usually considered a no-no, moderation is key, using very thin slices of quality cheese adds mega flavor.

Moving on to the wok’d vegetables, he shared some wonderful wok techniques like using canola oil because of its higher smoke point, having your wok super hot, and not moving the vegetables around too much because that causes them to steam rather than achieving the slightly charred edges that comes with caramelizing of the vegetable sugars. When it came to the raw vegan Chocolate Tart he admitted to not being a baker – that’s his wife – and was charmingly a bit nervous about attempting this recipe in front of a group.  All went well as you can see in the video.

 Happy Anniversary to us!

True Food Kitchen

451 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660-6936

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Post tags: chocolate tart, dessert, Restaurants, True Food Kitchen

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Hard to believe that it is already June! The school year is coming to a close and the glory days of summer are quickly approaching! I’m thrilled to introduce you to Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking as this month’s Top Mom. Many of you probably know Sandra from the comments she leaves on your posts. She tirelessly visits countless blogs in support of her fellow foodies and her energy and positivity seems to have no bounds.

Sandra has worked in all the areas she dreamed of:  photography, fashion design, chef, artist, and teacher. Twelve years ago she met her husband and fell instantly in love and she’s more in ♥love♥ than ever after 11 years of marriage! She considers being able to stay at home with their three children to be the greatest gift she could ever receive.

When I discovered that Sandra came to the U.S. from Yugoslavia, I asked her if there was a special dish that her mom used to make that she could share here. We’re so lucky that one of the things that Sandra fondly remembers from her childhood are cream puffs ,  which she just recently learned to make! So here’s a gift from Sandra’s kitchen to yours!

I’m not normally a big dessert person, but I’d love a big bite of one of these luscious puffs!

For more instructional photos on the cream puffs and other fabulous family-tested recipes, take a minute and visit Sandra’s Easy Cooking.

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Post tags: Baking, cream puffs, top mom

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You’re all in for a real treat, because our April Top Mom, Kate from Diethood, is sharing her Chocolate Granola recipe with us! What could be better than a healthy Chocolate Granola? Kate’s Chocolate Granola contains oats, wheat germ, and almonds for added protein, and its sweetened with honey and just 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Of course its a great way to start your day, but also makes a good snack or, if you’re like Kate, a late-night snack while catching up on your favorite Tivo’d shows.

Kate lives in Chicago with the two loves of her life, husband Goce and daughter Ana. Her homeland is Macedonia and she writes a lot about the food, culture, and traditions of Macedonia on her blog, Diethood. Before dedicating herself to being a SAHM, blogger, and photographer, she was the Director of Marketing for a network of clinics in downtown Chicago. Take a minute to check out her blog – don’t let the name fool you – it’s not about being on a diet – it’s about a diet of loving food: wholesome, healthy foods, authentic Macedonian dishes and, sometimes, divine desserts that will have you drooling

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Just returned from an amazing tour of Melissa’s Produce in LA;  you may recognize the name, or the logo, if you buy any fruits or vegetables, and especially if you’re a discerning buyer and adventurous cook who likes to experiment with the newest items to hit the produce market. Founded in 1984, Melissa’s is a family-owned company based in LA that has grown to become the leading distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables. The opportunity to tour the Melissa’s facility was arranged by a organization of  Orange County food lovers, eaters, and writers called OC Bites. The tour was interesting, fun, educational, and of course, delicious!

We were stymied when our host, Director of Public Relations, Robert Schueller threw out questions like “Do you know what’s different about the Ojai Pixie Tangerine?“, “What fruit has no seeds?” and “How many varieties of coconuts are available in the U.S?“. Needless to say, we left knowing a few more little-known facts about fruits and vegetables and now refer to him as the King of Produce. Think you know the answer (s)?  Leave it in a comment

We were introduced to several new varieties of fruits and produce items that Melissa’s will begin distributing this year, such as Feijoa from New Zealand.

Feijoa (r) from New Zealand

We saw first-hand the care and attention to detail that Melissa’s practices in receiving, sorting, packaging, and distribution of the hundreds of varieties of organic and specialty produce they ship. They also own some very state-of-the-art technology that is keenly protected from the public eye, so no photography is ever allowed in the warehouse.

And naturally, we were prepared a bountiful feast by two of their corporate chefs, thank you Tom and Ida. I’ll share some pics here, but I should have smuggled a bagful of these Cheddar-Thyme Crisps to have with a glass of wine right now! Fortunately, the recipe is in their cookbook, Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce, and they’re so easy to make that I’m going to stop writing and start baking. But this won’t be my last post about my tour of Melissa’s, so I hope you come back to read more.

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Post tags: appetizers, Cheddar-Thyme Crisps, cocktail food

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