Sample award winning wineries including Auriga Wine Cellars located in El Dorado County. Their wines have earned Silver & Gold Medals at both the California State Fair and the El Dorado County Fair. This year, the 2008 Shiraz received Double Gold and Best of Class at the California State Fair and a Gold Medal at El Dorado County Fair. Auriga winery will be paired with Primo’s Italian Bistro, a wonderful new restaurant in South Lake Tahoe. Specializing in homemade pastas, hand tossed pizzas and mouthwatering weekly specials using seasonal ingredients; Primo’s is quickly becoming a local’s favorite. Add in fresh herbs from Sacred Paths Farms, an organic and bio-dynamic farm in Camino; this triad will delight even the pickiest of palates.

Another exciting pairing of flavors combines Lava Cap Winery, The Getaway Café, and Overland Meat & Seafood Company. Lava Cap Winery has been in operation since 1986, and their wines have been winning medals across the country year after year. This year, the 2009 Estate Bottled Barbera took home Gold at the California State Fair and the Tasters Guild International. Their tasting booth partner, The Getaway Café, opened in Meyers in 2006 and specializes in Alpine Comfort Cuisine. Their fresh, unique dishes, including Mushroom Meatloaf and Southern Fried Chicken, have earned this place 4.5 stars on Yelp! Overland Meat & Seafood Company is the only full-service meat market on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. Featuring all natural meats, free range and organic poultry, fresh seafood and amazing daily specials, the friendly crew at Overland has won Blue Ribbon Awards for their excellent service.

The next tantalizing trio pairs Café Fiore and Amber Oaks Raspberries, alongside Bumgarner Winery. Café Fiore is an intimate 7 table Italian restaurant in South Lake Tahoe, with a wine list that has earned Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence since 1992. They have also been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle as well as the Sac Bee, and were noted as one of “The Best Places to Kiss in Northern California”. Amber Oaks is a family farm in Auburn that has been in operation since 1980. Berries, chestnuts, tomato, kiwi and pumpkin are just a few of the offerings that you will find year round at the farm. Bumgarner Winery in Camino is family owned and operated, allowing each of their unique wines to be personally handled from fruit, to barrel, to bottle. Add in the rich, bold flavors of a 2008 Tempranillo named Double Gold, Best of Class at the San Francisco International, and you will definitely be left wanting more!

This is just a sampling of the 15 tasting booths to look forward to at the festival; each featuring a different restaurant, winery, and farmer. The festival marketplace will showcase unique, handmade products made right here in our backyard, including soap, spices, jewelry, photography, pastel paintings and more. Live entertainment will include the Trey Stone Band as well as the Inaugural Sierra Chef Challenge. Onstage, two local chefs will go head-to-head as they are each presented a box of fresh produce and asked to come up with their best dish.

Labor Day Weekend in South Lake Tahoe is full of activities, fun for the whole family. From Sternwheeler Races to a Fireworks Extravaganza there is no shortage of entertainment for all budgets. For a list of our lodging partners offering special rates, please visit samplethesierra.com. For a complete lineup of scheduled Labor Day Weekend events in South Lake Tahoe, please refer to the attached calendar, or visit tahoesouth.com. Please address any further questions to Event Coordinator, Emily Abernathy at 775-588-1728 ext. 303 or email Emily@tahoechamber.org.

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2011 – First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin today unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.

The MyPlate icon is available to view and download in PDF and JPG formats. The MyPlate video announcement can be viewed here.

“This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”

“With so many food options available to consumers, it is often difficult to determine the best foods to put on our plates when building a healthy meal,” said Secretary Vilsack. “MyPlate is an uncomplicated symbol to help remind people to think about their food choices in order to lead healthier lifestyles. This effort is about more than just giving information, it is a matter of helping people understand there are options and practical ways to apply them to their daily lives.”

“The new icon is simple and easy to understand, with more emphasis placed on fruits and vegetables,” said U.S. Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin. “This new tool can be a fun way to help individuals and families make healthier meal choices. I encourage all Americans to follow the new dietary guidelines and become familiar with the new icon because it will serve as a compass to a healthy and fit nation.”

Originally identified in the Child Obesity Task Force report which noted that simple, actionable advice for consumers is needed, MyPlate will replace the MyPyramid image as the government’s primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. MyPyramid will remain available to interested health professionals and nutrition educators in a special section of the new website.

ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information. As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children. Later this year, USDA will unveil an exciting “go-to” online tool that consumers can use to personalize and manage their dietary and physical activity choices.

Over the next several years, USDA will work with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’sMove! initiative and public and private partners to promote MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate.gov as well as the supporting nutrition messages and “how-to” resources.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, launched in January of this year, form the basis of the federal government’s nutrition education programs, federal nutrition assistance programs, and dietary advice provided by health and nutrition professionals. The Guidelines messages include:

Balance Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Coupled with these tested, actionable messages will be the “how-tos” for consumer behavior change. A multi-year campaign calendar will focus on one action-prompting message at a time starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

“What we have learned over the years is that consumers are bombarded by so many nutrition messages that it makes it difficult to focus on changes that are necessary to improve their diet,” said Secretary Vilsack. “This new campaign calendar will help unify the public and private sectors to coordinate efforts and highlight one desired change for consumers at a time.”

As part of this new initiative, USDA wants to see how consumers are putting MyPlate in to action by encouraging consumers to take a photo of their plates and share on Twitter with the hash-tag #MyPlate. USDA also wants to see where and when consumers think about healthy eating. Take the plate and snap a photograph with MyPlate to share with our USDA Flickr Photo Group [ http://www.flickr.com/groups/choosemyplate/].

For more information, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. Additional resources include: www.DietaryGuidelines.gov and www.LetsMove.gov.

#

Click Above to Visit Newsome Harlow!

“Eastern spiced leg of lamb with mint basil pesto”
2007 Meritage

Marinade Ingredients:

* ½ cup chopped yellow onion
* 1 T lemon zest
* ½ cup lemon juice
* 3 T olive oil
* 3 garlic gloves
* 1 t pepper flakes
* 1 t ground coriander
* 1 t ground cumin
* 1 t paprika
* 1 t ground ginger
* 1 t sea alt
* 1 boneless leg of lamb, butterflied

In a food prossesor combine all marinade ingredients until smooth. Marinate lamb for at least 3 hours or over night before grilling.

Heat barbeque to direct hot heat (425-550f).

Sear lamb nice and brown on both sides. About 5 minutes on each side. Move lamb to indirect heat and close the lid till desired doneness, about 10-15 minutes without lifting the lid for medium rare. Mean while prepare pesto. Let rest for 5 minutes and drizzle with pesto.

Mint basil pesto:

* ¼ cup fresh mint
* ¼ up fresh basil
* 3 T white vinegar
* 3 T extra virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1 t sea salt
* 2 T shallots

Puree all above ingredients till move in a food processer. chill.

Freshly baked bread is a pleasure well worth the effort involved in making your own. You can use a variety of flours to create an appetizing loaf. Rye, whole wheat, unbleached all purpose, semolina or durum, which has a high gluten content and golden color, and oat are just a few. Some millers are marketing flour especially formulated to duplicate professional baker’s flour. Look for the bags that say bread flour. These are particularly superior when it comes to baking bread..

Jenny’s Saturday Morning Bread
1 ½ cups oatmeal AND boiling water
1/3 cup oil AND honey
2 Tablespoons dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
5-5 ½ cups unbleached all purpose or bread flour
¼ cup wheatgerm & hulled sunflower seeds

Place the oatmeal in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and mix. Add the honey and oil and mix again. Stir in the yogurt, salt and yeast. Add the first four cups of flour two at a time. Work the dough to combine it well. Place a cup of flour on a board. Place the dough on the flour and knead in the flour for ten minutes. Place the dough into a greased bowl. Cover with a greased piece of waxed or parchment paper and place in the refrigerator. Let rise for up to 24 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch it down. Divide it in half. Place the dough in two greased bread pans and let it rise in a warm spot until it is double in size. Bake at 350 degrees without pre-heating the oven for 40 minutes. Yields two loaves.

Well, it’s thyme to go.
Jenny Baxter
Jenny’s Kitchen

www.jennyskitchen.com

Rich Polenta Cakes with Mushroom Sauce
2007 Syrah

* 2 egg yolks
* 1 whole egg
* 8 ounces cream cheese
* 1 cup prepared polenta
* 1/4 cup bleu cheese
* Pastry dough

Preheat over to 350°.

Mix all ingredients except the pastry dough in a medium bowl. Line the bottom of an 8×8 inch pan with pastry dough. Bake for about 45 minutes or until fluffy and set in the middle (middle will be soft). Top with mushroom sauce, enjoy while cake still warm.

Mushroom Sauce

* 1 1 ounce package fried shiitake mushrooms
* 1 1/2 cups hot water
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 6 bacon slices, minced
* 3 shallots, mince
* 4 ounces fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
* 1 cup beef stock or canned unsalted broth
* 1/4 cup red wine
* 1 cup whole milk
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2/3 freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* Fresh Italian parsley, minced
* Additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until fat renders, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add shallots to bacon in skillet and saute 1 minute. Add dried and fresh mushrooms and rosemary; saute 3 minutes. Add wine, stock and mushroom soaking liquid. Boil until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 15-20 minutes.

Add milk and simmer until thick, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, stir until melted. Mix in 2/3 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over polenta cake and garnish with parsley.

Older adults
Infants and young children
Pregnant women
People with HIV/AIDS, cancer or any condition that weakens their immune system

Some simple steps can reduce the risk of illness from foods. The basic food safety measures are clean, separate, cook and chill foods.

Clean
Keep everything clean, wash hands often and well with soap and water. Wash surfaces where food will have contact (cutting boards, dishes, utensils, countertops) before and after each food item is prepared. Rinse fruits and vegetables with water before preparing.

Separate
Avoid having raw meat and their juices near fruits, vegetables and cooked foods.

Utensils used for uncooked foods should be washed before using on cooked foods.

Cook
Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Use a meat thermometer for meat, poultry and fish. Turkey, stuffing, casseroles and leftovers should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chill
Turkey or other frozen meat should never be thawed at room temperature. Thaw meat in the refrigerator.

All cream, custard and meringue pies and foods with custard filling should be kept refrigerated until it is time to serve them.

Refrigerate or freeze food soon after serving. Leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of being cooked. It is best not to eat leftover meat refrigerated more than four days and stuffing or gravy more than two days. Leftovers that are frozen can be eaten for one to three months.

Chocolate mint coffee
½ cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 oz. grated chocolate
2 cups strong coffee
8 Tablespoons Peppermint Schnapps
Chocolate curls (optional)
Beat the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold in the chocolate. Evenly pour the hot coffee into four mugs and add 2 Tablespoons schnapps to each cup. Spoon on the whipped cream and garnish with the curls

Jenny’s Eggnog
Dozen egg yolks
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 cups brandy
Beat the yolks until light in color. Gradually beat in the sugar. Add the brandy very slowly beating constantly. Let the mixture stand for an hour at room temperature. Add mixing well:
2 qts. Whipping cream
2 cups brandy
Chill in the refrigerator for three hours.
Beat:
12 egg whites until stiff. Fold into the nog mixture. Grate some fresh nutmeg over the top

Mulled Merlot
In a large pot combine:
1 ½ liter bottle of Merlot
1 cup honey
1/3 cup Grand Mariner
Juice of one orange
Zest of an orange
Spice pack containing:
12 cloves
12 allspice berries
2- 3 inch cinnamon sticks
3 crushed cardamom pods
Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally until it is hot, but not boiling, about 30 minutes Transfer to a crock pot and keep warm

Well, it’s thyme to go.
Jenny Baxter
Jenny’s kitchen

www.jennyskitchen.com