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Wholesome Choices, Happy Kids…Ph

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by C

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ignSee page 10 for our feature article: Investing in The Chefs of Tomorrow

For the Love of Food…

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January 2013 Volume 2, Issue 3

Badass Mom The Three Kitcheeers

Larry Woodham Gluten Free by Beverly

Tony Dertouzos & Amity Hoffman

Cover Design by Cruz Portrait Design

Happy New Year and welcome to another great issue of TownTaster! We hope you have enjoyed all the fun and exciting articles, tips and reader reviews that we have been sending your way. If you have, you will be thrilled to know that this coming year is bringing even more additions, changes and improvements. We are so eager to continue to bring you the most current food happenings and special interest articles. We are brimming with new ideas, fresh articles and intriguing specials, so be sure to keep an eye out. One of our goals from the beginning has been to develop a magazine that reflects our community and the interest of our readers. We love hearing your ideas, comments and suggestions – some of our best articles have come from hand written notes or emails from readers with their thoughts!

In this issue, we had the pleasure of working with three local companies who have a mission to cultivate the cooking and eating habits of our youth. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, friend, caregiver, or neighbor of a child (yeah that means YOU) – we all have a commitment and responsibility for the growth and education of our future community leaders. We hope our fun and enlightening articles will open your eyes to the endless culinary possibilities and opportunities that our community has to offer! Let us know what you think. We love hearing from you (email, call, mail, or text – we love it all).

We welcome Badass Mom to the TownTaster family as she shares her adventures in motherhood and the life of sustainable food. Known for her blog at www.SarasotaDay.com, she is full of fun and interesting information for our readers! Don’t forget to check out our Taste-ful Events calendar this month for all the latest and greatest food events around town. An iconic feast for your senses… Forks & Corks is back in Sarasota and will have the best of the best in food offerings. For complete details visit FreshOriginals.com/forksandcorks. Another fun tradition – the Manatee County Fair is sure to satisfy your craving for fair food. We look forward to seeing you around town as we taste the goodness that our local culinary masterminds have prepared for us!

HappyNew YearFrom the Editor

Valerie Longo

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“Love and food are the two greatest thingsin the world, and I’ve got a love for food.”

~ Carmen

Carmen & Kay Rizzo, Owners

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January 2013 Volume 2 • Issue 3FREE

TownTasterM A G A Z I N E

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Wholesome Choices, Happy Kids…

Phot

os by

Cru

z Por

trait D

esign

See page 8 for our feature article: Investing in The Chefs of Tomorrow

For the Love of Food…

ON THE COVERWholesome Choices, Happy Kids Investing in the Chefs of Tomorrow

IN THIS ISSUEWholesome Choices, Happy Kids For Kids, By Kids ...................6 Nurturing Kids with Goodness ....................7 Investing in The Chefs of Tomorrow .......8

Gluten Free by Beverly .........10

Reviewed by You ..................12

Sustainable Life .....................14

The Three Kitcheneers Keeping Our Kids Healthy While On The Go ...............16

The Green Winer Does It Matter How Your Wine is Made? ..........21

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J A N U A R YTASTE-FUL EVENTSJanuary 3Café L’Europe Celebrates 40 Years!Café L’Europe invites you to the unveiling of their new sign and announcement of the logo contest Grand Prize Winners at 11:30 a.m., 431 St. Armand's Circle, Sarasota, FL 34236. Guests who stay for lunch will receive a complimentary glass of wine with the purchase of any regularly priced entrée.

January 11Gourmet Dinner & Wine Pairing IMG Academy presents a 5 course meal with wine professionally paired for each course. $39.95 per person. Reservations - 941-758-1467. www.imgacademygolfclub.com

January 23Elvis is in the House!IMG presents a dinner & show for $29.95. Starting at 5:30pm. Tickets - 941-758-1466. www.imgacademygolfclub.com

Jan 17-27The Annual Manatee County FairCotton candy, elephant ears, corndogs & more at the annual Manatee County Fair taking place at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St. W., Pal-metto. General admission: $8 for ages 13 and older, $7 for seniors 55 and older, $5 for kids 6-12, free for ages 5 and under. manateecountyfair.com

January 135th Annual Jewish Food Festival9 AM to 3 PM at Temple Sinai. All the traditional comfort foods and more. Free Admission. Eat in or take out. 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. For more info templesinai-sarasota.org or 941-924-1802.

JAN 24Cooking Demonstration, “Party Lite Bites”Hosted at Renaissance on 9th, Thursday, January 24, 5:30pm. Learn how to make a variety of delicious appetizers from start to finish, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday! Guests will enjoy samplings of each dish, a glass of wine and recipe book to take home. Cost is $25 per person. 1816 9th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205. RSVP by January 21 to 941-749-0100.

Jan 25A Night to Remember7 - 10pm at Mixon Fruit Farms, 2525 27th St. E. Bradenton. The night is featuring the Masquerade and Jimmy Mazz. Cost is $22 per person or $17 per person for tickets purchased prior to January 17th. Beer, wine and appetizers will be available for purchase. Price includes desserts and coffee from 9-10pm. For more information call 748-5829 x 256.

January 25-28Forks & Corks 2013Showcasing the delicious and diverse cuisine of over 50 members of The Sarasota-Manatee Originals, Forks & Corks is a world-class weekend of food, wine and beer. www.freshoriginals.com/forksandcorks

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Gecko’s Grill & Pub

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help whomever needs it. Jim is a great guy .”Nominated by: Pat Oros

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Current City: Sarasota, FL

Favorite TownTaster Column: The Three Kitcheneers

Favorite Gecko’s Dish: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

with cheddar cheese and baconOrganizations Served:

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For the Love of Food… That is what we are all about! There is nothing quite like the feeling of comfort and joy you get while savoring every bite of your favorite meal. What we think is more fulfilling though, is sharing your love of food with a child. When children are young, their food knowledge and habits are molded by influences all around them. From the smallest of patrons who order off a pint-sized menu and order school lunches to those students who are walking the path to success in the food service industry – each of us has a lot of input on these influences come from. Looking around our community, we are thrilled to see that our friends and neighbors are stepping up and committing themselves to making a good impression in the lives of our future leaders. We are excited to bring you a glimpse into some fabulous discoveries we made right in our own backyard!

"For Kids, By Kids" is the new mission and menu that has recently rolled out at Currents restaurant in the Hyatt Sarasota. Gone are the days of mac & cheese, chicken tenders

and grilled cheese sandwiches… Kids can now dine with Mom & Dad in the sophis-ticated yet warm atmosphere of Currents and be proud to order like one of the big kids! Developed for Kids, by Kids, Hyatt’s new menu boasts healthier, fun, fresh items that allow kids to be in the drivers seat when ordering.

Menu items like Build your own Whole Wheat Sub, Top Your Own Taco, and even a Natural Grilled

Petite Steak. Along with their new everyday kids menu, a special Alice Waters Organic seasonal menu

is available promoting seasonal eating. This three course menu let’s kids feel involved and enjoy the same type of meal as Mom & Dad in a three-course format. How cool is that? This gets two thumbs up in our book!

Hyatt’s philosophy is simple and to the point: Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served. This says it all! Chef Leo Gianulis is bringing this mission to a whole new level by seeking out only the best ingredients from local, sustainable and organic farmers. At their recent event “Planting the Seed” at King Family Farm in Bradenton, they brought awareness to children in the community about the importance of where food comes from and the benefits of eating local, seasonal products. With a fabulous spread of tasty kid friendly foods, Chef Leo was thrilled to be able to prepare a menu based on fresh ingredients right out of the garden at King’s Farm. Watching the cooking demonstrations and seeing the change from raw produce to yummy plate ready dishes gave the kids a reason to pay attention. Chef Leo put it perfect when he said, “You know good quality fresh produce,

when you hardly have to do anything to it to make it taste amazing”. He is right on the money… as Shelby King proved to be true by plucking off a few peppers and cutting them open on the spot for us to enjoy – WOW! The children, who attended this event, took away more than just full bellies! The educa-tional “hay ride” by Ben King took the children on an in depth tour of the farm, including a fishing stop at the pond to catch an all natural, sustainable tilapia. The highlight of the ride was a visit to the cornfields. We have never seen children devour fresh whole ears of corn so fast… what a difference when they could hand pick right from the fields! There couldn’t be a better teaching tool than this. All of this attention to quality is something that is becoming more and more noticeable in our community and we applaud Chef Leo & Currents for taking that jump.

Wholesome Choices, Happy Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Shelby King and Chefs Leo & Chef Sean try a variety of peppers right from the King gardens and rave about the incredible flavor.

Natural Beef Petite Steak

Salad Kabob

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Nurturing Kids

WITH GOOdNESsThere is no reason to sacrifice quality, nutrition and taste when it comes to finding wholesome food for kids. Feeding growing children is an important job and we were happy to know that local schools are making the commitment to bringing healthy lunches into the picture. A concern that should be on the minds of everyone in our community (whether parents or not) is educating children on the importance of nutrition. While speaking with Tammy O’Dell, Lunch Program Director at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, we learned about the steps being taken to promote awareness of health and nutrition in the school. Children as young as elementary school levels are exposed to the school’s garden and have regular curriculum in the importance of the nutritional values of food.

Over the past year, they have begun incorporating a regular lunch menu with choices from a local company called Nutrition Kitchen. Our introduction to them led to a discovery of a small local business who is making big strides in the fight against the sub-standard “norms” that have come to be called school lunches. Owned and operated by Jennifer & Mac deCarle, Nutrition Kitchen’s motto is “WE POWER KIDS” and their mission aligns with parents of school-aged children. Seeing a need in the area of improving school lunch offerings, Jennifer & Mac decided it was time to take matters into their own hands. As parents of a 5 & 10 year old, they were not ok with pizza rolls and boxed macaroni & cheese being considered an acceptable nutritional lunch. The decision was a no-brainer for the couple. Jennifer is a former catering director for Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Mac is an executive chef at The Concession Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch and has had the honor of presenting two dinners at the James Beard House in New York City.

Now serving 15 schools from Bradenton to Osprey, meals are homemade and delivered to schools daily. Their monthly menu is ever changing and with more than 20 different meals, there is never a meal repeated during a given month. Their menu is chalked full of amazing choices such as soft chicken tacos, meatloaf, and homemade mac & cheese. All meals come with a vegetable, a fruit and carton of milk and they use seasonal, local and organic ingredients whenever

possible.

When children are exposed to good food choices each day and see their friends eating the same, they are more likely to continue with these habits and be more willing to branch out and try new things. Unfortunately, for many children a school lunch is the only nutritional meal they will eat during the day and Mac & Jennifer are hoping they can make a difference one step at a time. By giving children choices that are wholesome and fun – they have a chance to learn and grow!

The need for change in the diets of our youth is not contested, and we are so very lucky to have pioneers like Jennifer and Mac in our community willing to make a difference in the lives of our children. For them, it is personal and they are amazed at how much they have grown in just 1 year. In fact, they were recently nominated for a Jamie Oliver Food Revolution Award recognizing their dedication to food excellence.

For more information, visit their website at www.wepowerkids.com or call 941-928-7619.

Wholesome Choices, Happy Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Investing in the Chefs of TomorrowOne of the greatest things for a food enthusiasts like us to see are teenagers buzzing around a kitchen happy as can be creating decadent pastries, colorful platters and learning the ropes about all things culinary. You would never know you were stepping into a high school classroom when you set foot in Jacque Allen’s kitchen at Southeast High School. Working like a well-oiled machine, the group of six intern level students in the first period class worked like a team of professionals. They are use to the structure as one of their duties is to host, serve and cook for the Southeast High Staff Café. Learning responsibilities of front house management, service and line order cooking, these students have the opportunity to get hands on experience before setting out into the real world and diving into college ma-jors. Danielle, a senior, tells us that she enjoys learning how to communicate and work as a team with her classmates.

Some of the students joined the Culinary Club as freshman and have worked their way through the program, with a clear intention of going to college for a culinary degree. Justin, was excited to report he had been accepted to Johnson & Wales and will be studying baking and food service management. For some, what started off as a hobby has turned into a passion that will propel into a career, while others have a knack for baking and consider it a hobby although they will be taking different career paths. We met Sabrina a few months ago at Mixon’s Culinary Competition where she took first place in the dessert category. While her love of baking shines through, she looks forward to going to school to be a doctor and continuing to cook as a relaxing hobby. She remembers growing up always being in the kitchen with her dad. We watched as she handled herself like a pro in the kitchen, being a supportive mentor to some of the others. Most of the allotted time, Sabrina and Aarien were working well together prepping a plate of kiwis for an upcoming school show. As sophomore, Aarien already has his plans in place as he looks forward to continuing in culinary school and one day opening up a restaurant with his brother, who is a Johnson & Wales graduate as well. Being in the kitchen is certainly a concept that is learned young and cooking with family surely has a strong influence with this group. Samantha, a sophomore, began taking the class as an elective because it looked like fun, but she has learned to love to experiment in the kitchen and often brings her knowledge home to cook for her family. Her interest is in baking, especially pies, as she enjoys being able to improvise and be spontaneous while in the kitchen.

The lifelong lessons that are being learned in this kitchen are astounding. Professor Allen has much to be proud of as she is helping to teach valuable skills to our future business owners of our community. Another winner in the Mixon’s Culinary Competition, Luke tells us how his favorite part of the curriculum is the creativity involved. He hopes to one day own his own restaurant and looks forward to the creativity that goes into creating a dynamic menu.

The group has participated in cooking com-petitions and contests, but most recently participated in an Iron-style gingerbread house decorating contest at the CYD Ginger-bread Festival. While most may not know that there is culinary learning happending right around the corner, we want you to know that in the next few years you will surely become aware of the expertise that was cultivated in this classroom. Keep an eye out for young inspired culinary artists to be showcasing their skills around town!

Wholesome Choices, Happy Kids Continued .......

Students of Southeast High School's Culinary Class

Photos by Cruz Portrait Design

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This issue of Town Taster is devoted to kids—and one of our readers, who is a mother of a Gluten-Free child, graciously gave us questions she faces regularly regarding the gluten-free lifestyle for children.

How can I make my child feel the same as the others at school when eating gluten-free? My children were not concerned with wanting to be the same as everyone else regarding food because they knew what was healthy food for them. I think they sort of figured that they were better off than those who were eating “all that junk”—as they said. Granted that may have been because they always ate gluten-free along with me. Nevertheless, they never experienced problems with others because of this diet either. Food is an area where strong likes and dislikes may exist so choices made by one person are not usually the subject of discussion by others. I think the days of expecting your children to be blind conformists are passed. We all are different from one another (thank goodness). I believe that today’s children know that. I think your attitude may need readjustment so you don’t transmit to your child that gluten-free is a burden to bear. If parents teach their gluten-sensitive children that this diet is composed of the most healthy foods they can eat, if they see that the problems they suffered go away with the diet, if it becomes a lifestyle, they will adapt easily in social situations. It doesn’t need to be a big deal.

A lot of new sufferers (and parents) wonder why packaging may say it is gluten-free, but manufactured in a facility that processes wheat’, and whether it is safe to eat? The FDA only requires products to be made with ingredients that are gluten-free to say that they are gluten-free. That means that there always is a threat of cross-contamination from products produced in the same facility—that do contain gluten. It may be small, but it is a chance and, for

those who are very sensitive, it will call for excluding that food product from their diets. There are companies that require their food product manufacturer to meet certain product-handling specifications and inspections in order to be allowed to put the new GF label on their packaging. Some companies will state that a product is produced in a gluten-free environment, those will always be the safest for the most sensitive.

How do I make my six-year-old feel included at another child's birthday party when there are cake, cookies, and piñatas filled with candies that contain gluten? Most parents I know buy or make gluten-free treats for their child to take with them to parties or other events. I am sure it is never easy for either child or parent to cope with the feelings of being different or left out, but your encouragement and acceptance that it simply is a better choice for the health of your child is going to be a big contributing factor and the less you make an issue of it, the more likely your child will adapt easily. Send enough with your child to share with others, that will reduce the sense of being isolated and give the child a chance to introduce others to their gluten-free foods. Their friends can become familiar with these foods and realize that these treats are very similar to

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foods with gluten. Of course, fruits are a popular substitute for other sweets, but my guess is that gluten-free cup cakes and cookies both would be easier, and, make them seem more similar to the other foods served.

I see that king size candy bars, snack size candy bars, and holiday shaped candy bars have gluten in them—but their regular sizes do not—why is that, and how do I explain to my child she can have one, but not the other? I do not know why the ingredients for a large size candy bar would be any different than a small one of the same brand. The only reason I could possibly think of, would be that there are two different manufacturing facilities making the different sized candy bars and one has their own (different) formula when producing the candy, or, their source for some of the ingredients differs and is not gluten-free. Careful reading of labels is a required life skill for those living gluten-free! Teach your children to be discriminating, it is essential for them to be healthy and soon they will do it automatically.

Some of the tasty kid's toothpastes and fun soaps have gluten in them; how important is it to buy gluten-free soap and toothpaste?That depends on the sensitivity level of each individual. Generally I would say that toothpastes that are not gluten-free certainly should be avoided because inevitably, some will be swallowed, and, nutrients are absorbed into the body right from the mouth. Soap usually is not ingested (where gluten wreaks havoc), and it usually is rinsed off of hands, so you will have to determine whether your child is likely to put soap or soapy hands into their mouths. Try to break the tie between “fun” fads and good health for your children, nothing should seduce children into using products that are unhealthy just because misguided advertising creates great demand for them.

Thanks to Jill L. for these questions and I hope our answers make it a little easier for families who must be gluten-free.

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Tell Us What You Think

APPROVED

1114 12th Street WestBradenton, FL 34205

941-201-6647www.artsandeatsfl.com

Each month, our TownTaster reviews are completed by loyal readers who want a chance to share their dining experiences.

If you would like a chance to be chosen as a TownTaster and enjoy a dinner for two - register on our website TownTaster.com

A special thanks to this issue's TownTastersTony Dertouzos

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stamp of approval to Arts & Eats!

About our TownTasters:Age: 36-53 Hometown:

Brooklyn, NY & Wichita, KSCurrent City: Bradenton

Favorite Food: Everything

R E V I E W E D B Y Y O UR E V I E W E D B Y Y O U

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Soup of the Day• Redlentilsoup

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R E V I E W E D B Y Y O UR E V I E W E D B Y Y O U

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Warm sun, slight breeze, cool metal chair, perfectly selected healthful lunch, biodegradable paper bag filled with produce and all-natural products by your feet… surrounded by people going to and from yoga class, shopping for

their families, grabbing lunch between work, young people with tattoos, dreadlocks, piercings and an eclectic style. You may recognize this setting as our lovely downtown Whole Foods.

Green, organic, natural, sustainable… these terms have be-come culturally mainstream - creating a large group of health savvy, environmentally aware people. We’ve become aware of the many benefits of eating organic produce, staying away from processed, chemical filled foods and consuming naturally raised meats. Some may have even begun recycling, started composting and possibly even added juiced vegetables to their diets! What is the root of these changes? What drives us to spend possibly twice as much on our grocery bill, to replace the convenience of microwave meals with self-prepared meals, to remember to bring our own reusable shopping bags and to actually take time to pay attention to the ingredients on the label? Is it perhaps the new fad, like when a movie star endorses a new diet and it spreads like wildfire? Has a place like Whole Foods actually become the popular place to be seen, the fashionable, even prestigious place to shop? Or is it the desire to return to our roots, to get back to the natural and unaltered form of nutritional quality that our ancestors thrived on?

Although the reasons vary for each individual, it seems the majority are sincere and have a legitimate concern for their health and quality of life. To do something as simple as buying groceries with intention and even conviction, this is a beautiful and powerful thing! Yet perhaps there is a depth beyond just changing our grocery store of choice or ordering a soy latte instead of a breve. If we truly wish to transform our lifestyle to support a more sustainable way of being then there are some more steps to be considered. Namely – supporting local organic farmers. Are there even organic farms in the Sarasota area? Will they have the produce I need? Isn’t that more hassle than it’s worth when I can just swing by a mainstream store on my way home from work?

We are blessed to have so many quality, local farms to choose from. There are more than I can name, but here are a few local farms to get you started. Check them out!

• Hydro-Taste: A hydroponics farm that has over 150,000 hydroponic plants including strawberries, blueberries, cabbage, corn, and much much more. Check out what else they have to offer online at: www.hydrotaste.com. 7308 Verna Bethany Road, Myakka City, FL

• Jessica’s Organic Farmstand: Whether grown in their fields or imported from other farms, the food sold at Jessica’s is 100% Certified Organic. There are no genetically modified organisms, pesticides, or syn-thetic fertilizers in their organic produce, and no an-tibiotics in the dairy sold. The eggs come from Amish raised, grass fed, free range hens.You can find out more about them at: www.jessicasorganicfarm.com 4180 47th Street, Sarasota, Florida.

• Fruitville Grove: A Farm Fresh Family Market that brings you a wide variety of fresh produce. Their citrus grove is non-certified organic. Visit their produce stand for as-sorted fruits and vegetables. In season they carry lots of local organic produce and are growing many non-certified organic vegetables at the farm; cucumbers, bell peppers, okra, and strawberries and much more. And you can’t turn down some also authentic Amish-made goods! Deli-cious varieties of cheeses, and wonderful jams. And last but not least, they’re open 7 days a week! Get more details at: www.fruitvillegrove.com 7410 Fruit v i l le Rd. , Sarasota, Florida

• Worden Farm: Wor-den Farm is dedicated to producing organic foods of the highest quality, cultivating com-munity connection to the farm, and promot-ing the viability of the family farm through stewardship and inno-vation. You can f ind them at the Sarasota Farmers Market on Sat-urday mornings too! Check them out at: www.wordenfarm.com 34900 Bermont Road, Punta Gorda, Florida

Sustainable Life

BadAss Mom

Sustainable LifeBadass Mom: Keeping it real and sharing the adventures of motherhood. Follow my blog on www.sarasotaday.com and like my page on facebook!

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Will they have the produce you need to make that special recipe for dinner? Here is where I’m going to challenge you a little… only in the past 70 years (think back to your grand-parents or great grandparents) have we had the convenience of purchasing out of season produce whenever we want it. Before, we thrived off of what the earth gave us in due season. If you truly wish to live an earth-friendly lifestyle and make your “footprint smaller” as they say, then you may want to consider more than just convenience. Consider the impact of regularly supporting local business versus a huge corporation. Consider supporting those that care for and are connected to the very earth that surrounds our community.

Taking care of our city, our earth and ourselves isn’t always as simple or as convenient as we would like. So, are you willing to sacrifice some convenience to support your community, are you willing to take action to promote local businesses and farms? Let’s get off our nicely toned yoga pant wearing butts (ugh, I just pictured everyone wearing yoga pants… not a great mental image…) and make some changes, let’s be truly environmentally aware by first starting with our environment!

Hunsader Farms5500 CR 675, Bradenton, FL 34211

www.hunsaderfarms.comFarm Market: 941-322-2168

Birthday Parties • Playground • Petting Zoo

Homegrown Fruits & Vegetables

Available Daily

U-pick Hotline: 941-331-1212Daily Updates for current picking

Now AvAiLABLehomegrown strawberries,

broccoli,cauliflower, lettuce, mustard & collard greens

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Thanks To our sponsors for Their supporT!

Forks & Corks 2013 6th Annual a feast for your senses!

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For Details & Tickets at FreshOriginals.com/forksandcorks

save The DaTe January 24Th - 27Th 2014

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Check out www.ThreeKitcheneers.com for recipes, articles and webisodes. All food, all the time.

As a mom, I have always been able to control what foods come into my home and land onto my children’s plate. But what do you do when you’re not at home, when you’re traveling out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, it’s just impossible to avoid a meal out. I mean how can you avoid that while traveling? Being stuck in an airport with a child who is starving is never fun. How do we manage to juggle schedules and keep our children healthy. Of course we plan ahead, most of the time, but for those times we don’t, we need to teach our children to make healthy choices.

Teach them to always make substitutions when ordering. Try the salad or vegetable option instead of the french fries or chips.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! We can never have too much water, especially when we’re on the go.

Try leaner meats like turkey, chicken or fish and remember that fast food doesn’t have to mean fried food. Ask for your portion grilled, baked or broiled.

Again, planning ahead is always your best option. Load up on apples, nuts, protein bars, dried fruits and use those BPA FREE containers to store your children’s favorite on-the-go snacks. You will all be so grateful you did.

We wanted to share one of our favorite go-to-snacks (or stay at home snacks) with you. A little trickery never hurt anyone, has it. We love making this decadent flourless cake recipe and turning them into bite size brownies. The children love them and have no idea they are packed with protein from garbanzo beans!

Keeping Our Family HealthyWhile On The Go

Flourless Chocolate Cake4 Eggs1 tbsp Dagoba Organic

Chocolate Cacao Powder1 tbsp Organic Peanut Butter6 large semi-sweet

Chocolate Squares1 tbsp Organic Almond Milk

(Vanilla Flavor)1 15oz Organic Garbanzo Beans3/4 cup Organic Turbinado Raw

Cane Sugarpinch of sea salt

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan. Set aside.On the stove top, in a small pot, combine the chocolate squares and almond milk. Melt on low heat. Stirring often. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.In a food processor or blender, combine garbanzo beans, eggs, cacao powder, peanut butter, sugar and salt. Blend until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and blend.Add the mixture to the greased cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.

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Planning a Super Bowl Party? Publix Event Planning Team will help you put together the perfect spread. Meat & cheese trays, sandwich & wrap platters, seafood platters and so much more. They can do it. Stop by the event planning desk with your ideas or let them help you transform your Super Bowl Party into a feast. You focus on the guest list and fun – Publix Event Planning Team has you covered!

From Sushi to Pizza there is something for everyone at the January Publix Aprons Cooking classes. Warm up your soul with a hearty bowl of soup and find the perfect comfort foods for entertaining on a cool crisp night. Take a look at the line up of classes that will turn any date night or social gathering into a fun filled and educational event!

For help planning your party – call the Apron’s Event Planning team at 941.358.7781

You Have All The FunYou Have All The FunWE DO THE WORK

941.358.7781

Couples Cooking: Thai for Two (H) ................................................................................................Jan 1New Year’s Resolution Cooking (H) ........................................................................................ Jan 2, 19Soup for the Winter Soul (H) ..................................................................................................... Jan 3, 19Sushi 101 (H) ....................................................................................................................................Jan 4, 22Going with the Grain (H)....................................................................................................................Jan 5Bowl Season (H) ...................................................................................................................... Jan 7, 23, 26Dim Sum a Yum Yum (H)....................................................................................................................Jan 8The Queen of Tarts (H) .......................................................................................................................Jan 9This is Vegetarian? (H) ................................................................................................................Jan 10, 30Basic Knife Skills (H) ...........................................................................................................................Jan 11Pizza Pizzazz (H)..................................................................................................................................Jan 12Warming Winter Wine & Dine (D) .................................................................................................Jan 12The Basics of Culinary (H) - 6 part series ............................................Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18Indian Home Cooking (H) ...............................................................................................................Jan 15One Pot Wonder (H) ..........................................................................................................................Jan 16French Bistro Dinner (D) ..................................................................................................................Jan 18Got Shrimp? (D) .................................................................................................................................. Jan 24Wine & Dine in Spain (D) ................................................................................................................. Jan 25Simply Succulent ............................................................................................................................... Jan 26Taco Loco.............................................................................................................................................. Jan 29International Soup Kitchen (H) ......................................................................................................Jan 31

Call or stop by for times and cost and to reserve your seat today.(D) Demonstration • (H) Hands On

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WE DO THE WORKWhen standing before a huge selection of wine at our local

beverage center, what motivates our final wine selection?For each of us, the motivating factors are loaded with

commonalities. A few of the most common reasons for buying a bottle of wine are…‘Price, Fancy & Colorful Labels, Color of the Wine, Clarity of the Wine, Saw it Advertised on TV”.

Of course, “NONE” of these are valid reasons for buying a bottle of wine. Yet, every day, we give our hard-earned money to wealthy wine barons based upon these criteria.

Just maybe, we need to consider some really important factors! Just maybe, we need to consider “HOW” our bottle of wine was made!

Of course, most factory wineries are a little vague on the “How’s”. However, we can pick up a few important hints about the ‘How’s’ by looking closely at the wine label.

To begin, we should consider these four words on a wine label as the ‘Holy Grail Rule’ of wine making….”GROWN, PRODUCED, VINTED and BOTTLED”!

These four words state that the winery that created this bottle of wine does… “Everything”! There’s a great probability that this bottle of wine was created with a huge amount of passion and love. It was made to be the best that it could be! After all, they have grown ‘ALL’ of the grapes or fruits that go into making their wine. They have invested in farmland and provided jobs and employment in their community. Most probably, they are a family farm.

So, the first step in selecting your bottle of wine is to compare it with the “Holy Grail Rule”. By the way, every winery is required (by law) to give you these facts on their label.

The second important criteria that you want to use in selecting your bottle of wine is to determine if it is…“Unfiltered”.

No matter where an ‘Unfiltered Wine’ is created, they will always tell you, on their label, that their wine is ‘Unfiltered’. They are pleased and proud to let you know that it was made to be the very best that it could be. Usually, the word ‘Unfiltered’ is prominently displayed of the front label.

If a winery makes a ‘Filtered Wine’ they will ‘NEVER’ tell you on their label. By the way, the law says that they are NOT required to tell you…and they Don’t!

The third important criteria to use in selecting your wine is to verify that your wine was made from ‘Whole Fresh Fruits’ that were grown in the U.S.A. Admittedly, this is not going to be as easy as looking at a wine label. One way that you can tell that your wine was made from ‘whole fresh fruit’ is to look for the word…’Natural’ on the wine label.

Per the Feds (BATF) the only way that a winery can use the word “Natural” is if the wine is made from ‘100% Whole Fresh Fruit’. However, you may have to email or call the winery directly. Since most factory wineries are not committed to growing anything, they are mostly using juices imported from off-site sources. Many are importing juices from other countries that fall far short of our U.S.A. agricultural standards. Lest we forget, America has the “Highest” agricultural standards in the world and were designed to protect our health.

Lastly, don’t be swayed by the words “Mixed & Blended, Clarity, Consistent Color or Hints & Notes”. They have no positive impact upon the quality of your wine. Most are used by wineries that ‘filter’ our wines.

Hopefully, this handful of wine facts will make your wine selection a little easier.

So, until next time…”Salute and Happy Days”!

(This ‘Green Winer’ wine Blog is created by me, Larry Woodham. The views and statements contained herein are exclusively mine. They DO Not necessarily reflect the views of TownTaster magazine. If you have

any comments or questions on this Blog or suggestions for future Blogs, please email me at BunkerHillVine@aol.com.

Does it Matter “How” Your Wine is Made?

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Riverhouse Reef & Grill995 Riverside DrivePalmetto, Fl 34222

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IMG Academy4350 El Conquistador Pkwy

Bradenton, FL 34210941-758-1467

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Mr. Cheesecake & More1128 30th Ave. W.

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The Master Cabinet

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Minto Communities12300 Manatee Ave. W.

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El Sombrero 1330 US Hwy 301 N.

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Pita's Republic8215 Tourist Center Dr.

Sarasota, FL 34201941.359.1234

www.pitas-republic.comAny 2 Pitas for $9.99mention TownTaster

Carmen's Italian Cafe515 27th St. E.

Bradenton, FL 34208941.745.1540

www.carmensitaliancafe.com

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant1216 1st Street

Sarasota, FL 34236941.952.1036

www.ceviche.com

Dining in

Weekly Events Open to the PublicWednesday’s - Buy One Get One Meals Saturday’s - 2 for $29 Wine & Dine (Includes glass of wine with meal)Friday & Saturday - 2 for 1 Happy Hour 5-7PM

4350 El Conquistador Pkwy, Bradenton, FL 34210941-758-1467 • imgacademygolfclub.com

The New Year

Wednesday, January 23Elvis is in The House! Dinner & Show $29.95 per person Starting at 5:30pm. Tickets - 941-758-1466

Saturday, January 19Vegas Casino Night$19.95 per person Featuring a tribute to Frank Sinatra

Friday, January 11Gourmet Wine Pairing$39.95 per person 5 course meal with wine professionally paired for each course

Pita’s/GyrosOverstuffed Wraps100% Fruit Smoothies

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Each week we will select a random number from those who sign up to receive a FREE gift certificate to a local restaurant!

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