Oser Communications Group

General News GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2015 www.gourmetnews.com GENERAL NEWS 6 Ted Allen, Emmy Award winner and host of three shows on Food Network, including the long-running hit series Chopped, will host the 43rd sofi Awards at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. Allen is a contributing writer for Esquire magazine and author of two cookbooks, including "In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks" (Clarkson-Potter, 2012). He was also a series regular on Food Network's, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," a judge on the first four seasons of Bravo's "Top Chef," and on Food Network's "Iron Chef America." He was the food and wine specialist on Bravo's "Queer Eye," which was nominated twice for an Emmy and won the award in 2004. The sofi Awards are the top honor in the $109 billion specialty food industry. They recognize creativity, innovation and excel- lence in 32 categories, including chocolate, cheese and vegan or gluten free products. Allen will serve as keynote speaker and present the awards at a red-carpet ceremony on June 29, 2015. The awards are the must-attend event at the Summer Fancy Food Show, the largest marketplace for specialty foods and bever- ages in North America. Owned and pro- duced by the Specialty Food Association, the show will take place June 28 – June 30, 2015, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. "Ted brings with him a passion for food," says Association President Ann Daw. "Throughout his career he has influenced millions of people, showing them the im- portance of the craft, care and joy that food can bring. He is a true inspiration to the in- dustry." A strong supporter of anti-hunger initia- tives, Allen will donate his speaking fee for the event to City Harvest, the Fancy Food Show's anti-hunger charity for 26 years. Allen is a member of City Harvest's Food Council and a frequent participant in the or- ganization's fundraising events. "We have rescued close to 2 million pounds of high quality food from the Fancy Food Show and delivered it to hun- gry New Yorkers, and we are grateful for the support of Ted Allen who is gener- ously donating his speaking fee to sup- port our work," says Jilly Stephens, Executive Director of City Harvest. "City Harvest appreciates its 26-year relation- ship with the Specialty Food Association and we are proud to partner again on this exciting event, which is one of our largest annual food rescues." GN Ted Allen of Chopped to Host sofi Awards at Summer Fancy Food Show The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker ® pro- gram, the nation's only advanced training program of its kind for veteran cheesemak- ers, has graduated two new and four re- turning Master Cheesemakers. Wisconsin now has 55 active Masters working in 33 companies across the state. The newest Master Cheesemakers, who were formally certified at a ceremony dur- ing the Wisconsin Cheese Industry Confer- ence in Madison this week, are Adam Buholzer, of Klondike Cheese Company in Monroe, and Chris Roelli, of Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg. Buholzer is a fourth-generation cheese- maker and one of four Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers in the Buholzer family, in- cluding his father, Steve, and uncles, Ron and Dave Buholzer. Adam is now certified as a Master for feta and havarti. Roelli is certified as a Master in cheddar, the variety on which his family's original plant was founded. Since re-opening the business in 2006, he has emerged as an award-winning producer of artisanal Wis- consin originals, including Dunbarton Blue, Little Mountain and Red Rock. Like Buholzer, Roelli is a fourth-generation Wis- consin cheesemaker. Joining the new Masters in the 2015 graduating class are veteran Masters who completed the program again to earn certi- fication for additional cheese varieties. They are Ken Heiman, Nasonville Dairy, Marshfield, Wisconsin, now certified for cheddar and asiago, as well as feta and Monterey Jack; Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Wisconsin, now certified for fontina and romano, as well as parme- san and asiago; Duane Petersen, Arla Foods USA Inc., Kaukauna, Wisconsin, now cer- tified for havarti, as well as gouda and edam; and Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Wisconsin, now certified for cheddar, as well as brick, farmer's cheese, havarti, muenster and specialty Swiss. "It's exciting to see the ranks of Wiscon- sin Master Cheesemakers continue to grow and for this unique program to have such a sustained, positive impact on cheesemak- ing in Wisconsin," says James Robson, CEO of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). "Each year's class takes the advanced training, expertise and in- sights they gain back to their plants and to the teams that they work with and mentor every day. The bar on product quality and innovation within those companies, large and small, just keeps rising." Established in 1994 through a joint partnership of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, Univer- sity of Wisconsin-Exten- sion and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), the Wiscon- sin Master Cheesemaker program is the most for- malized, advanced train- ing program in the nation. Patterned after European programs, it is administered by the Center for Dairy Re- search and funded by Wisconsin dairy produc- ers, through WMMB. Applicants must be ac- tive, licensed Wisconsin cheesemakers with at least 10 years of experience in a Quality Assured Plant. Cheesemakers can earn certification in up to two cheese varieties each time they enroll in the three-year program and must have been making those varieties as a licensed cheesemaker for a minimum of five years prior to enter- ing the program. Once certified, they're entitled to use the distinctive Master's Mark ® on their product labels and in other marketing materials. GN Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program Announces 2015 Graduates BRIEFS It's a Scoop! Clover Launches New Cowlifornia-Made Organic Ice Cream Line Dairy producer Clover Stornetta Farms is launching a new line of premium ice cream made from fresh organic Clover milk and cream. These 12 new, decadent flavors will debut as a six-month exclusive placement in local independent grocers and Whole Foods Market ® . "Giving Whole Foods Market and our independent stores an exclusive, serves our mission to support businesses with like-minded philosophies," says Clover President & CEO Marcus Benedetti. "Craft ice cream is booming. The farming principles behind our nutritious milk coupled with interesting ice cream flavors and partnerships will put Clover's best dairy foot forward." Flavors in the new line are Chocolate Nirvana (made with fair trade Organic TCHO Chocolate in Berkeley), Straight Up Vanilla, Mint to Be, Hoppy Hour (using Bear Republic Brewing Company's Racer 5 IPA ® from Cloverdale), Cowlifornia Sweet Cream, French Press, Eat Your Milk & Cookies, Strawberry Shindig, Creamy PB&C, Pistachio Perfecto, Petaluma Pothole (in honor of our hometown's roads) and Tempt Me Toffee (made with San Francisco's Charles Chocolates English Toffee). Nature's Harvest Rolls Out Whole Grain Breads Nationally Nature's Harvest bread is making its great- tasting varieties such as Honey Wheat and Butter Top Made with Whole Grain White Bread nationally available. Nature's Harvest bread ensures all of its varieties are baked with at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving- no exceptions- so families can feel confident they are making a nutritious choice with Nature's Harvest bread, no matter the variety. "Whole grain options that taste great have not always been the easiest to find, which is why we are very excited to bring Nature's Harvest delicious whole grain breads nationwide for the whole family to enjoy," says Kara Reddy, Senior Brand Manager. 2015 Meijer LPGA Celebrity Chef Cookoff Pairs Chef Mario Batali with Culinary Expert Gail Simmons Nationally-acclaimed celebrity chef Mario Batali and culinary expert Gail Simmons will participate in this year's Meijer LPGA Celebrity Chef Cookoff presented by Kraft. The entertaining and interactive cooking event will be held July 24 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and will showcase their personal culinary creations with event proceeds benefiting the Meijer Simply Give program, which replenishes the shelves of food pantries throughout the Midwest. Both Batali and Simmons will prepare an appetizer and main course while interacting with guests throughout the evening. The event will also feature local pastry fare that will be voted on by the guests. Tickets are on sale at meijerLPGAclassic.com for $100.

• Cover