The chefs at Gourmet Productions and Gourmet Catering are busy in the kitchen prepping for our Thanksgiving orders.  The smells are wafting into the office, and I can barely contain myself.  I have convinced Executive Chef, Jim, to share his recipe for his apricot cranberry relish.  It is great served with the Thanksgiving feast, but I especially like it the day after, on a sandwich with the leftover turkey and a piece of provolone.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup raspberry vinegar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup minced red onion

1 1/2 TBSP minced garlic

3/4 TBSP minced ginger

1/2 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 TBSP crushed coriander

1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes

12 oz cranberries

4 oz diced dried apricots

Procedure:

In large pot, combine all ingredients except for cranberries and apricots.  Bring to gentle boil over medium heat.  Add cranberries and apricots.  Stir every 10 minutes, until desired thickness. 

*Be careful not to turn the heat up too high because it burns easily. 

I recently traveled to Peru and was in awe of every aspect of the country.  From the ancient ruins around every corner to the artwork, to the incredible flora and fauna, and of course, THE FOOD!

For the Quechuan people, food is not just a staple on which to survive; it is a way of connecting with the earth.  They present offerings of nuts, grains, and even alcohol to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).  When I first saw people dumping their chicha (corn beer) on the floor of a restraunt, I wondered why they were being so rude and wasteful, but my new Peruvian friend explained to me that they were respecting their Pacha Mama by giving the first drink to her. 

Peruvians take great pride in their cuisine.  They boast of more than 2000 varieties of potatoes, promote quinoa, and show great excitement when trying to get tourists to try their native favorites of chicharones, ceviche, local trout, and even guinee pig. 

Before embarking on my journey to Peru, I set one rule for myself, which was to try everything that I had the opportunity to try.  I held myself to that rule and I had an incredible gastronomic adventure!

You can not have Mortadella without Bologna and vice versa.  it is part of Bolognese history and culture.  Andrea from Alcisa tells me it is part of his DNA.  You can catch the aroma as you walk down the porticos in the old city.  In my tour of their production facility I learned all about prosciutto and salame as well.  We followed it up with a tasting of their products and a spumante.   Interestingly, Salame is not aged as much as in the states.  

when you have gelato!  After nine days in Italy, I can truly say eating gelato was one of my favorite experiences.  We learned to look for signs indicating that it was made in house or "Artigiano".  From fior de latte, pistachio, deep dark chocolate, salted caramel, gianduja, grapefruit & mango, each flavor made for a refreshing break in the day.  At cioccolat I taliani in Milano there were white, milk & dark chocolate sauces continuously pouring out of spouts ready to top or fill a cone.  As I sat in the sun drenched piazza enjoying my scoop, I could see how this could become a daily habit.

How much pizza is too much pizza?  1 Eggplant Pizza + 1 Margherita Pizza = 2 Much!  Our neighbors seemed to have no trouble each putting down their own pie at Pizzeria Spacca Napoli in Bologna.  The four of us just managed to finish one!  The crust was chewy and bubbly, a far cry from the pre-made crust in Milano.  Although there were blackened spots, it did not have the burned taste that comes from too hot an oven.  The tomato sauce was light, while the cheese was predominant.  Stuffed to the gills, we strolled back with to go boxes, which were shared with the hotel staff.

Recently, Vicky took a 10-day trip to Bologna, Italy.  Over the next few weeks she would like to share her experience with you!  These blogs are direct from her journal.

At restaurant 'Olivio':  Our bartender makes it with Aperol, Spumante and a splash of soda water on the rocks with an orange garnish.  It is most delicious and matches the "red" city with the bright orange hue.  The spumante made from the local pignoletto grape.  This is light and refreshing - Andrea (my new 'boy'friend) tells me it is important to cut the flavor of the mortadella or prosciutto that is eaten at almost every meal.

The staff members here at GP are undoubtedly foodies, incredibly enthusiastic about ingredients and always looking for excuses to throw parties that revolve around food.  This past weekend was my 3rd annual celebration of pork, a pig roast and all-day party known as Porkapalooza.  The GP crew showed up to play lawn games and  feast on a pig that had been cooking over a bed of coals for 11 hours, as well as sides, salads, and desserts--all donned with bacon or ham.  Among the items were Ham and Pea Salad, Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms,  Bacon Dip, and even Bacon Baklava. 

Need an excuse for a party?  Why not have your own celebration of food.  The opportunities are endless, and with Gourmet Productions just a phone call away, Seafoodfests, Pasta Parties, Tomato Extravaganzas, and Wine & Cheese Tastings can all be made simple. All you have to do is send out the invitations!

The 4th of July is fast approaching and what better way to celebrate your independence than with Barbeque Dishes and All American cocktails. 

So choose your spot to watch the fireworks, bring along the grill and try out some of our favorite Gourmet Productions recipes.

Apricot Chipotle Chicken

Glaze:

1oz chopped white onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 8oz can apricots in light syrup

1 oz dried apricots

3 TBSP cider vinegar

1/2 ancho chile pepper

1 tsp chipotle sauce

1 tsp tomato paste

1/8 c. brown sugar          

Simmer ingredents down, let cool, blend till smooth.

Brush the apricot mixture onto the chicken throughout the cooking process.  Chicken should take approximately 6 minutes for each side.

LiberTEA

1 part citrus vodka

1 part light rum

1 part gin

1 part Contreau

1 part tequila

1/4 fresh squeezed lime

1/4 fresh squeezed lemon

dash of orange juice

splash of cola    

Mix all ingredients, pour over ice, garnish with wedge of lemon.

This weekend marks the official start of the Rose Festival here in Portland, Oregon.  At GP we will be celebrating with Rosé Wines for the entire month of June.  Not only are they beautiful, ranging from soft pinks to dark ruby reds, rosés will excite, but not overwhelm the palate, and are a perfect wine for the transition into warm weather.  Though they share many characteristics with red wine, they lack the tannic composition, allowing them to harmonize brilliantly with many of the seasonal foods enjoyed in spring and summer, such as salads and fish.  Rosés are typically served cold, but can also be enjoyed at room temperature, making them a wise choice regardless of weather.  So what's stopping you?  Take a break to stop and taste the rosés!

Gourmet Productions Featured Rosés:

Del Rio Grenache Rosé

Domeaine de Nizas Rosé

Château La Roque Rosé

Imagine this:  You're sitting in a meeting full of nameless big wigs, whom you want to impress.  Your stomach suddenly sounds as if it is impersonating the man-eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors, shouting "Feed me, feed me"!  It's not too difficult to imagine, as the vast majority of man-kind has experienced this, or a similar situation. 

Do you ever wonder why your stomach seems to have a mind of its own?  I did, so I researched the scientific reasoning behind my chatterbox of a tummy.  Discovery Health's website explains that it is due to a hormone called ghrelin which stimulates the appetite by telling the brain to start contractions in an attempt to give you a little reminder that you're hungry.  The actual growling is the vibrations from your stomach walls rubbing together due to a lack of substance. 

So next time your stomach starts growling, maybe you need to heed its advice and get a bite to eat!  Need some suggestions?  Try Gourmet Productions fresh, local creations to comfort the creature within.