$1.99 04 $1.99 04

Ham Spectacular at Easter splendid anytime

SPRING 2009

ALL PROCEEDS

from purchases

of this magazine will go to

BAKED HAM WITH MAPLE GLAZE & SAUCEPAGE 41

Chèvre: the Newest Star in Cheese

Orange VegetablesGlow with Flavor

Tasty Quickbreads and Muffins

New York City’s Favorite Scallops

PLUSAmerica’s top chef THOMAS KELLER looks into your kitchen’s future

real food

spring

200

9

volume 5 num

ber 1

www.sendiksmarket.com real food �

Sendik’s Food Market

A s we transition from the snow and cold of winter to the gentle hope of spring, change is all around

us. For Sendik’s, the change of seasons coincides with a desire to continually change who we are as a business in order to better serve our customers. There are many factors that play a role in the ability of a business such as Sendik’s to survive well into its fourth generation of family ownership. However, one of the biggest factors is our willingness to continually reinvent who we are.

Throughout our history, Sendik’s has been willing to change and adapt to busi-ness. Sendik’s original business model was selling produce from a horse-drawn wagon. Over time, the practicality of the wagon proved inefficient and a produce market was established in Shorewood, which was Sendik’s first storefront prop-erty. While certainly a nostalgic picture of the past, it is hard to imagine that a busi-ness could survive today just selling fruits and vegetable. This transitioned to the full line groceries that we have today.

With the recent addition of new locations in new communities, we have had to reinvent the way we go to market. Over the last several months, we have changed our advertising dramatically. Television, billboards, and the

internet have been integrated into our plan, and our weekly specials are now e-mailed to customers in addition to appearing in the newspaper. It is our hope that these efforts will help us reach more of our customers on a more frequent basis.

As the seasons transition, one thing we can promise is that we will continue to work hard to continuously reinvent Sendik’s. We never wish to go the way of the horse-drawn wagon. We believe strongly that we must change in order to provide our customers the best shopping experience—period.

As always, thank you for supporting us as we change and grow, —The Balistreri Family

welcome

Reinventing Sendik’s

The Balistreris from left to right: Nick, Ted, Margaret (Balistreri) Harris, and Patrick.

Elm GrovE 13425 W. Watertown Plank Rd.

Elm Grove, WI 53122(262) 784-9525

Franklin 5200 W. Rawson Ave.

Franklin, WI 53132(414) 817-9525

GErmantownN112W15800 Mequon Rd.

Germantown, WI 53022(262) 250-9525

GraFton2195 1st Ave.

Grafton, WI 53024(262) 376-9525

GrEEnFiEld7901 W. Layton Ave.Greenfield, WI 53220

(414) 329-9525

mEquon10930 N. Port Washington Rd.

Mequon, WI 53092(262) 241-9525

wauwatosa8616 W. North Ave.

Wauwatosa, WI 53226(414) 456-9525

whitEFish Bay500 E. Silver Spring Dr.Whitefish Bay, WI 53217

(414) 962-9525

open 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily

www.sendiksmarket.com

Angela Speed (center) from the Wisconsin Humane Society, receives the donation check from Real Food magazine summer issue sales. Pictured with (L-R) Nick, Patrick, Margaret Harris, and Ted Balistreri.

where in the world: Gail Martin and Pat Powers tote their Sendik’s bags in Moscow’s Red Square.

Sendik’s received the 2008 Second Harvest Hunger’s Hope Award

for its work with the organization.

10 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 11

Sendik’s Food Marketsweetenersfruit

Low in calories and having essentially no fat, strawberries are not only a delicious natural treat, they’re also

a good source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, folic acid, and heart-healthy antioxidants that may help reduce the chances of heart disease and some cancers, and improve memory. Second only to blueberries in antioxidant levels, strawberries have more vitamin C than other berries, and a serv-ing (1 cup, about 8 berries) even has more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are low in sugar (only 7g per serving), making them a naturally sweet delight. But regardless of how healthy these sweet, juicy berries are they’re simply a tasty choice to count toward your daily rec-ommendation of fruit. Strawberries are available year-round but at their peak from April through June so now is the perfect time to enjoy.

While strawberries are hardier than other common berries, they are still deli-cate and should be handled with care. Do not wash them until just prior to use, as moisture can hasten their decay. Keep berries dry and refrigerated. If they didn’t come in a specially designed ventilated plastic container, store them in a single layer (so they don’t crush each other) in a shallow container lined with paper, which will help keep them dry for optimum

freshness . They may be topped with a paper towel to absorb addi-tional moisture then covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerated, under ideal conditions, strawberries will last two to five days.

Enjoy fresh strawberries out-of-hand, in salads, atop cereal, yogurt, and cottage cheese, swirled in ice cream, or blended into a smoothie. Try low-fat yogurt or pudding as a dip. Mix chopped strawber-r ies with cinnamon, lemon juice, and maple syrup and serve as a topping on waf-fles and pancakes. Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and plain yogurt or whipped cream in a wine glass to make a parfait dessert. Prepackaged frozen straw-berries are also a good option, working well in parfaits, over ice cream, in plain yogurt, over angel food cake with some whipped cream, and over waffles and pan-cakes. Strawberry lemonade is a refreshing drink—just make a batch of lemonade and then run it through a blender with strawberries. To create an easy dessert, blend fresh or frozen strawberries with a spoonful of honey and milk or yogurt. Freeze twenty minutes, and then spoon into serving cups. With so many ways to serve strawberries, you’re sure to find deli-cious options—from savory to sweet. ■ P

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There are certainly many very busy bees to thank for that sweet, deli-cious honey you spoon in your tea

or spread on that toast, as they must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. They zip about these flowers to produce honey as food stores for the hive during the winter months when flowers are not in bloom but, lucky for us, they nor-mally make two to three times more honey than needed to feed the colony so the extra liquid gold can be harvested. And that’s something that’s been done for thousands of years—images of bees adorn the walls in Egyptian tombs and jars of honey were placed nearby as food for the soul.

It’s easy for us to enjoy the fruits of the bees’ labor today. There are approximately 300 varieties of honey in the United States and the color and flavor varies depending on the nectar source plants visited by the bees. Color ranges from nearly colorless to dark brown, and generally the lighter color honey has a milder flavor and the dark-colored is stronger.

Most honey is made with nectar collected from many different flowers and the majority is blended to create a consistent flavor and color. There is also honey made with nectar gathered primarily from a single source, say, for example honey made exclusively from the nectar of acacia trees. Clover is the most

common source in the United States. Honey is produced in every state but certain types are produced only in a few regions, such as avocado honey from California. Orange blos-som honey, which is often a combination of citrus sources, is produced in Florida, South-ern California, and parts of Texas; sage honey is produced primarily in California.

When the nectar-gathering bees come back to the hive with their prize, worker bees take over and prepare that nectar for storing by adding enzymes. As this proto-honey is transferred to the wax storage chambers water evaporates and, combined with the enzyme activity, converted into real honey. To harvest the honey, beekeep-ers spin it out of the comb. Before being packed in jars all honey is heated slightly to melt naturally occurring crystals and filter out small organic impurities from the hive, such as wax. This doesn’t damage the natural enzymes, nutrients, or flavor. Honey contains several important vitamins and minerals including niacin, riboflavin, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. While in trace amounts, this still sweetens the deal by adding nutrition that most other sweeteners do not.

Store honey at room temperature in the cupboard/pantry or on the kitchen counter. Do not store in the refrigerator. When stored properly, its shelf life is almost indefinite. ■

Strawberry, Chicken, and Fennel SaladSERvES 6

¹⁄3 cup olive oil ¹⁄3 cup walnut oil 2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon roasted garlic purée ¹⁄8 teaspoon salt ¹⁄8 teaspoon pepper 1 pound grilled chicken breast strips 3 cups (about 1 pound) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and sliced 3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb 3 cups shredded radicchio ¾ cup shredded basil 1½ cups toasted walnut halves

To make vinaigrette, in blender or food processor, purée oils, vinegar, garlic purée, salt and pepper until emulsified. In large bowl, toss chicken, strawber-ries, fennel, radicchio, basil, and walnuts with vinaigrette. Mound salad on 6 plates, dividing it equally.

PER SERvING: cALoRIES 522; FAT 43g; cHoL 40mg; SoDIuM 435mg; cARB 16g; FIBER 5g; PRoTEIN 22g

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Berry DeLiciousStrawberries are a naturally great choice in dishes both savory and sweet.

The Buzz on honey

Honey Chocolate Chippers MAkES 2 DozEN

1 cup honey 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped toasted pecans 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

In medium bowl, beat honey and butter until creamy but not fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. In separate bowl, com-bine flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture until thor-oughly blended. Mix in pecans and choco-late chips. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a spoon. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops are dry. Cool on wire racks.

Honey lends rich sweetness to everything it touches.

PER SERvING (2 cookIES): cALoRIES 463 (51% from fat); FAT 27g; cHoL 59mg; SoDIuM 302mg; cARB 55g; FIBER 3g; PRoTEIN 5g

Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey• 100% pure Wisconsin honey collected by artisan beekeepers, and bottled by hand to

provide the best product.

• Warmed, never heated, strained, never filtered to ensure that valuable enzymes and antioxidants are not lost in the bottling process.

• Raw honey has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Moisturizing masks and natural soothing skin lotions can be made using raw honey.

10 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 11

Sendik’s Food Marketsweetenersfruit

Low in calories and having essentially no fat, strawberries are not only a delicious natural treat, they’re also

a good source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, folic acid, and heart-healthy antioxidants that may help reduce the chances of heart disease and some cancers, and improve memory. Second only to blueberries in antioxidant levels, strawberries have more vitamin C than other berries, and a serv-ing (1 cup, about 8 berries) even has more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are low in sugar (only 7g per serving), making them a naturally sweet delight. But regardless of how healthy these sweet, juicy berries are they’re simply a tasty choice to count toward your daily rec-ommendation of fruit. Strawberries are available year-round but at their peak from April through June so now is the perfect time to enjoy.

While strawberries are hardier than other common berries, they are still deli-cate and should be handled with care. Do not wash them until just prior to use, as moisture can hasten their decay. Keep berries dry and refrigerated. If they didn’t come in a specially designed ventilated plastic container, store them in a single layer (so they don’t crush each other) in a shallow container lined with paper, which will help keep them dry for optimum

freshness . They may be topped with a paper towel to absorb addi-tional moisture then covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerated, under ideal conditions, strawberries will last two to five days.

Enjoy fresh strawberries out-of-hand, in salads, atop cereal, yogurt, and cottage cheese, swirled in ice cream, or blended into a smoothie. Try low-fat yogurt or pudding as a dip. Mix chopped strawber-r ies with cinnamon, lemon juice, and maple syrup and serve as a topping on waf-fles and pancakes. Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and plain yogurt or whipped cream in a wine glass to make a parfait dessert. Prepackaged frozen straw-berries are also a good option, working well in parfaits, over ice cream, in plain yogurt, over angel food cake with some whipped cream, and over waffles and pan-cakes. Strawberry lemonade is a refreshing drink—just make a batch of lemonade and then run it through a blender with strawberries. To create an easy dessert, blend fresh or frozen strawberries with a spoonful of honey and milk or yogurt. Freeze twenty minutes, and then spoon into serving cups. With so many ways to serve strawberries, you’re sure to find deli-cious options—from savory to sweet. ■ P

Ho

To

AN

D R

Ec

IPE

co

uR

TE

Sy

oF

TH

E N

AT

IoN

AL

Ho

NE

y B

oA

RD

There are certainly many very busy bees to thank for that sweet, deli-cious honey you spoon in your tea

or spread on that toast, as they must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. They zip about these flowers to produce honey as food stores for the hive during the winter months when flowers are not in bloom but, lucky for us, they nor-mally make two to three times more honey than needed to feed the colony so the extra liquid gold can be harvested. And that’s something that’s been done for thousands of years—images of bees adorn the walls in Egyptian tombs and jars of honey were placed nearby as food for the soul.

It’s easy for us to enjoy the fruits of the bees’ labor today. There are approximately 300 varieties of honey in the United States and the color and flavor varies depending on the nectar source plants visited by the bees. Color ranges from nearly colorless to dark brown, and generally the lighter color honey has a milder flavor and the dark-colored is stronger.

Most honey is made with nectar collected from many different flowers and the majority is blended to create a consistent flavor and color. There is also honey made with nectar gathered primarily from a single source, say, for example honey made exclusively from the nectar of acacia trees. Clover is the most

common source in the United States. Honey is produced in every state but certain types are produced only in a few regions, such as avocado honey from California. Orange blos-som honey, which is often a combination of citrus sources, is produced in Florida, South-ern California, and parts of Texas; sage honey is produced primarily in California.

When the nectar-gathering bees come back to the hive with their prize, worker bees take over and prepare that nectar for storing by adding enzymes. As this proto-honey is transferred to the wax storage chambers water evaporates and, combined with the enzyme activity, converted into real honey. To harvest the honey, beekeep-ers spin it out of the comb. Before being packed in jars all honey is heated slightly to melt naturally occurring crystals and filter out small organic impurities from the hive, such as wax. This doesn’t damage the natural enzymes, nutrients, or flavor. Honey contains several important vitamins and minerals including niacin, riboflavin, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. While in trace amounts, this still sweetens the deal by adding nutrition that most other sweeteners do not.

Store honey at room temperature in the cupboard/pantry or on the kitchen counter. Do not store in the refrigerator. When stored properly, its shelf life is almost indefinite. ■

Strawberry, Chicken, and Fennel SaladSERvES 6

¹⁄3 cup olive oil ¹⁄3 cup walnut oil 2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon roasted garlic purée ¹⁄8 teaspoon salt ¹⁄8 teaspoon pepper 1 pound grilled chicken breast strips 3 cups (about 1 pound) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and sliced 3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb 3 cups shredded radicchio ¾ cup shredded basil 1½ cups toasted walnut halves

To make vinaigrette, in blender or food processor, purée oils, vinegar, garlic purée, salt and pepper until emulsified. In large bowl, toss chicken, strawber-ries, fennel, radicchio, basil, and walnuts with vinaigrette. Mound salad on 6 plates, dividing it equally.

PER SERvING: cALoRIES 522; FAT 43g; cHoL 40mg; SoDIuM 435mg; cARB 16g; FIBER 5g; PRoTEIN 22g

PH

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ND

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IA S

TR

AW

BE

RR

y c

oM

MIS

SIo

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Berry DeLiciousStrawberries are a naturally great choice in dishes both savory and sweet.

The Buzz on honey

Honey Chocolate Chippers MAkES 2 DozEN

1 cup honey 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped toasted pecans 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

In medium bowl, beat honey and butter until creamy but not fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. In separate bowl, com-bine flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture until thor-oughly blended. Mix in pecans and choco-late chips. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a spoon. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops are dry. Cool on wire racks.

Honey lends rich sweetness to everything it touches.

PER SERvING (2 cookIES): cALoRIES 463 (51% from fat); FAT 27g; cHoL 59mg; SoDIuM 302mg; cARB 55g; FIBER 3g; PRoTEIN 5g

Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey• 100% pure Wisconsin honey collected by artisan beekeepers, and bottled by hand to

provide the best product.

• Warmed, never heated, strained, never filtered to ensure that valuable enzymes and antioxidants are not lost in the bottling process.

• Raw honey has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Moisturizing masks and natural soothing skin lotions can be made using raw honey.

12 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 13

Sendik’s Food Marketwine and spirits

Great Lakes Distillery is a small batch distillery located just south of downtown Milwaukee on 6th and

Virginia Streets. Founded in 2004 by Guy Rehorst, the distillery specializes in produc-ing handcrafted, award-winning spirits. Their Rehorst Gin recently won “Double Gold” at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits competition, and their Rehorst Vodka was awarded 4 stars and rated as “Excellent” by Beverage Experts.com.

Erik Olsen: Doug, can you give a quick overview of the distilling process?

Doug MacKenzie: Yeah. In distilling, all the products start out as either beer or

wine. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water in a pot still or a tower still. The vapors that come off the mash first are alco-hol and then are recondensed into liquid. Our still allows a great amount of flexibility; basically we can make any kind of product we want. It has the reflux column to be able to get 190 proof, which is legally what you need to make vodka. With our whiskey, one of the restrictions on whiskey is that it has to be distilled under 160 proof; we are easily able to do that. The products are then run through the still as many times as are needed. For example, the gin takes two runs, then it’s blended down to the correct flavor and bottling strength.

Marc Goodman: Where did you person-ally start, how did you get into distilling?

DM: I had no past experience with alcohol other than consuming it—I have an archi-tecture degree from UWM. It’s a craftsmen’s kind of thing and if you dedicate yourself to your craft you can be good at it.

EO: Your gin received a Double Gold Medal at the 2008 World Spirits Festival in San Francisco. What would you say defines your gin, what makes it so special?

DM: Our goal was to try to get people who don’t normally drink gin to like it, but we did not want to alienate regular gin drinkers. I’ve met people who say they never drank gin before and they love our gin. I’ve had people say they have been drinking other products for 25 years and now all they drink is ours. The basil as an ingredient adds quite a bit. It gives it a real floral kind of flavor that comes through nice in the nose. We are not a dry gin at all; the citrus really comes through a little more and then the basil adds that little extra touch. It’s the first gin I know of that uses both basil and ginseng in it. The ginseng really just helps bind the other botanicals together.

MG: You have received both Gold and Silver medals. When you get a silver do you feel as though you need to tweak the product to make it better?

DM: We made a commitment to our-selves with San Francisco, to enter each product once and that’s it. I think if we had entered the vodka again in 2008 we would have got a gold as well. Not because it is any different, but they rotate which judges are making the call.

EO: How do you go about selecting your ingredients?

Wine and Spirits managers Marc Goodman and Erik olsen recently had the opportunity to tour Milwaukee’s Great Lakes Distillery and talk with their master distiller Doug Mackenzie, who gave them some terrific insight into the distilling process.

Locally Handcrafted

By ERIk oLSEN, Wine and Spirits Manager, Sendik’s Germantown

wine and spirits

DM: It’s a trial and error process. The gin went through maybe 20 different test batches before we got even close to what we wanted in the end. Using basil as an ingredient came up because I was looking at all these different ingredients and playing with different reci-pes—and my wife is Italian so I really learned how to cook from her. This got me thinking that basil would really go nicely with these other things and luckily it did!

EO: What differentiates your Citrus Honey Vodka?

DM: Others tend to taste like a lemon sucker—they don’t taste real. We thought, let’s do something different. The honey is real subtle; it gives a nice mouthfeel and takes the edge off.

MG: You are working on an absinthe as well. What’s in absinthe?

DM: Anise is predominant. They call it

the holy trinity of herbs; the pre-distillation of herbs is anise, wormwood, and fennel. I use a little bit of the coriander. There are six other ingredients post-distillation:lemon balm, hissab, peppermint, tarragon, parsley, and dill.

MG: Is there any danger in drinking absinthe?

DM: No, it was all myth. They have tested a lot of the pre-ban samples they have found and the only thing that would do any dam-age to your brain is the alcohol.

MG: What is the proof of your absinthe before you add water?

DM: About 126. Then you blend it with chilled water at a two-to-one ratio, which brings it down to about 60 proof. It’s a nice thing to just sit around and sip. I think people will realize you slow down with it, it’s a social thing you just don’t do a quick shot of it.

EO: Is there any product you would like to take a crack at that you maybe have not had the chance to try and create?

DM: Oh, there are tons! For instance, I have done some test batches of whiskey but r ight now I’m doing the first real large batch.

EO: So when do you think this first batch of whiskey will be ready?

DM: Hard to say, you don’t really know exactly what it’s going to turn out like. Essentially it’s try it every year and when you get it where you don’t think it could be any better, then its time to be bottled.

EO: Thanks for your time Doug, all of us at Sendik’s think you are doing some great things here at Great Lakes Distillery. Hav-ing sampled all of your products, we believe them to be truly sensational. Thanks!

DM: Thank you! ■

Great lakes distillery founder Guy rehorst (l) and master distiller doug mackenzie (r) .

12 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 13

Sendik’s Food Marketwine and spirits

Great Lakes Distillery is a small batch distillery located just south of downtown Milwaukee on 6th and

Virginia Streets. Founded in 2004 by Guy Rehorst, the distillery specializes in produc-ing handcrafted, award-winning spirits. Their Rehorst Gin recently won “Double Gold” at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits competition, and their Rehorst Vodka was awarded 4 stars and rated as “Excellent” by Beverage Experts.com.

Erik Olsen: Doug, can you give a quick overview of the distilling process?

Doug MacKenzie: Yeah. In distilling, all the products start out as either beer or

wine. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water in a pot still or a tower still. The vapors that come off the mash first are alco-hol and then are recondensed into liquid. Our still allows a great amount of flexibility; basically we can make any kind of product we want. It has the reflux column to be able to get 190 proof, which is legally what you need to make vodka. With our whiskey, one of the restrictions on whiskey is that it has to be distilled under 160 proof; we are easily able to do that. The products are then run through the still as many times as are needed. For example, the gin takes two runs, then it’s blended down to the correct flavor and bottling strength.

Marc Goodman: Where did you person-ally start, how did you get into distilling?

DM: I had no past experience with alcohol other than consuming it—I have an archi-tecture degree from UWM. It’s a craftsmen’s kind of thing and if you dedicate yourself to your craft you can be good at it.

EO: Your gin received a Double Gold Medal at the 2008 World Spirits Festival in San Francisco. What would you say defines your gin, what makes it so special?

DM: Our goal was to try to get people who don’t normally drink gin to like it, but we did not want to alienate regular gin drinkers. I’ve met people who say they never drank gin before and they love our gin. I’ve had people say they have been drinking other products for 25 years and now all they drink is ours. The basil as an ingredient adds quite a bit. It gives it a real floral kind of flavor that comes through nice in the nose. We are not a dry gin at all; the citrus really comes through a little more and then the basil adds that little extra touch. It’s the first gin I know of that uses both basil and ginseng in it. The ginseng really just helps bind the other botanicals together.

MG: You have received both Gold and Silver medals. When you get a silver do you feel as though you need to tweak the product to make it better?

DM: We made a commitment to our-selves with San Francisco, to enter each product once and that’s it. I think if we had entered the vodka again in 2008 we would have got a gold as well. Not because it is any different, but they rotate which judges are making the call.

EO: How do you go about selecting your ingredients?

Wine and Spirits managers Marc Goodman and Erik olsen recently had the opportunity to tour Milwaukee’s Great Lakes Distillery and talk with their master distiller Doug Mackenzie, who gave them some terrific insight into the distilling process.

Locally Handcrafted

By ERIk oLSEN, Wine and Spirits Manager, Sendik’s Germantown

wine and spirits

DM: It’s a trial and error process. The gin went through maybe 20 different test batches before we got even close to what we wanted in the end. Using basil as an ingredient came up because I was looking at all these different ingredients and playing with different reci-pes—and my wife is Italian so I really learned how to cook from her. This got me thinking that basil would really go nicely with these other things and luckily it did!

EO: What differentiates your Citrus Honey Vodka?

DM: Others tend to taste like a lemon sucker—they don’t taste real. We thought, let’s do something different. The honey is real subtle; it gives a nice mouthfeel and takes the edge off.

MG: You are working on an absinthe as well. What’s in absinthe?

DM: Anise is predominant. They call it

the holy trinity of herbs; the pre-distillation of herbs is anise, wormwood, and fennel. I use a little bit of the coriander. There are six other ingredients post-distillation:lemon balm, hissab, peppermint, tarragon, parsley, and dill.

MG: Is there any danger in drinking absinthe?

DM: No, it was all myth. They have tested a lot of the pre-ban samples they have found and the only thing that would do any dam-age to your brain is the alcohol.

MG: What is the proof of your absinthe before you add water?

DM: About 126. Then you blend it with chilled water at a two-to-one ratio, which brings it down to about 60 proof. It’s a nice thing to just sit around and sip. I think people will realize you slow down with it, it’s a social thing you just don’t do a quick shot of it.

EO: Is there any product you would like to take a crack at that you maybe have not had the chance to try and create?

DM: Oh, there are tons! For instance, I have done some test batches of whiskey but r ight now I’m doing the first real large batch.

EO: So when do you think this first batch of whiskey will be ready?

DM: Hard to say, you don’t really know exactly what it’s going to turn out like. Essentially it’s try it every year and when you get it where you don’t think it could be any better, then its time to be bottled.

EO: Thanks for your time Doug, all of us at Sendik’s think you are doing some great things here at Great Lakes Distillery. Hav-ing sampled all of your products, we believe them to be truly sensational. Thanks!

DM: Thank you! ■

Great lakes distillery founder Guy rehorst (l) and master distiller doug mackenzie (r) .

14 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 15

Sendik’s Food Marketthe cheeseboardbeans

Cheese in Bloom

A Southwestern or Mexican meal wouldn’t seem complete with-out some pinto beans. The name

“pinto,” the Spanish word for “painted,” describes them in their uncooked state, when they’re pale pink oval beans flecked with red-brown streaks or splotches. When cooked, these markings disappear and they become a solid pink-brown color; most Americans are familiar with them in their smashed, “refried” form, though this south-of-the-border staple can also be added as a nutritious component to a range of dishes, such as chili, soups, and stews or blended with sage, oregano, garlic, and black pepper for a delicious dip.

Virtually fat free, pinto beans are an excellent source of plant protein, provide lots of iron and zinc, calcium, folic acid, and potassium and have more fiber than many whole grain foods. A cup of pinto beans has about 16 grams of fiber, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake. This is primarily cholesterol-reducing soluble fiber, which makes pinto beans an excellent heart-healthy alternative to meat. Beans in general serve double duty in two groups of the food pyramid—they get top billing as part of the “meat and bean” group and are also part of the “vegetable” group. They are, of course, also delicious with meat—and then serve as your veggie. Studies suggest eating beans as part of a healthy diet may not only help in the fight against some cancers but also help to manage diabetes and cut the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Pinto beans are available dr ied and canned. When selecting dried beans, look for whole beans with no cracks or evidence of moisture or damage. Select canned that do not contain extra salt or additives. When using dry beans, inspect them carefully and discard any stones or shriveled beans.

Soak them before cooking to help soften and reduce cooking time. Most beans will plump to triple their dry size, so be sure to start with a large enough pot. (One pound—2 cups—dry beans equal 6 cups cooked beans.) For each pound dry beans, use 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least one hour or up to 4 hours. Or for each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water and let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. Strain and rinse under cold water then put the beans and 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface as the beans boil. Lower the heat to medium, add onion or other flavoring and let the beans simmer rapidly for 30 minutes.

Canned beans are a convenient option since they are already presoaked and pre-cooked. Always drain and thoroughly rinse them before adding to a recipe. They don’t need to be “recooked,” just heat them if a recipe calls for it. There are also many brands of ready-made refried beans available in cans or you can make your own. (See recipe at right.) ■

Brie and camembert are bloomy rind favorites of cheese lovers around the globe.

Do you like the soft French cheeses Brie and Camembert? Then you have something in common with

European royalty. Brie, named after the region in France in which it is made, was said to be the favorite of kings—in fact, legend has it that Louis XVI, when facing the guillotine after the French Revolution, expressed a final wish for one last taste of Brie. Camembert, meanwhile, also named for the village it comes from, has been around at least since the late 17th century and was said to be a favorite of Napoleon.

Brie and Camembert are the most famous names in the category known as bloomy rind cheese. Made from cow’s milk, the cheeses are made by pouring milk into round molds in thin layers and letting the milk’s natural moisture drain away. After removal from these round forms one of a number of specialized cheese molds, such as Penicillium candidum is added to the young cheese. These beneficial molds are what grows on the outside of the cheese creating the light crust on the surface known as “bloom” and breaking down the protein and fat inside, making the cheese soft, oozy, and complex. A young cheese is typi-cally aged anywhere from four to eight weeks, during which time the exterior will become softer and downier and the interior will evolve from the white color of milk to the light straw color characteristic of cheese.

The differences between Brie and Camembert are subtle. They are both made of cow’s milk and in much the same way so the variations are mostly in the cheeses’ size and the terroir of their milk—that

is, the characteristics of a geographic region that affect food and wine, such as the climate, and in the case of cheese, the minerals in the grasses and local vegetation on which the cows graze.

Brie is made into larger wheels that range from about 1 to 6 pounds and 9 to 15 inches in diameter. (There are also smaller “Petite Brie” wheels available, which are 5.5 to 8.5 inches in diameter and weigh in at 8 ounces.) Camembert is usually shaped into disks that are 4.5 inches in diameter and 8 ounces. Both cheeses are about 1 to 1.5 inches thick. Brie has a sweet combination of hazelnut and fruit aromas and a savory flavor often said to have mushroom overtones. Because of Camembert’s smaller size, it ages slightly more quickly than Brie so the flavor is generally a little stronger and more robust.

Brie and Camembert should be perfectly ripe for the best flavor so it’s important to select it at just the right point. Look for cheese that is plump and resilient to the touch, not bulgy like a water balloon (over-ripe) or shriveled and hard like a rock (past prime.) When young, Brie and Camembert feel firm to the touch and become softer as they ripen; if given room in a warmer part of the refrigerator (say, in a vegetable drawer) a firm, not-yet-ripe, uncut cheese will ripen of its own accord.

Brie and Camembert are most delicious at room temperature or warm. Simply let

your cheese rest on the counter for thirty to sixty minutes or warm in the oven (at 350°F for about 10 minutes) to further bring out its flavor. The cheese spreads wonderfully on French bread, crackers, and croissants. It pairs well with fruit such as green apples, strawberries, melon, pears, and grapes and nuts. For a spectacular party centerpiece, top it with jam and bake in the oven. Toss chunks—with the rind removed—with cooked pasta for an instant upscale macaroni and cheese. It’s also a classic match with wine, especially reds such as Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir, and whites such as Chardonnay, dry Riesling, and Champagne. All those combinations are fit for a king. ■

We RecommendSendik’s carries many types of whole Pinto Beans, sometimes called frijoles, including dried, canned, and organic from such manufacturers as westbrae, kuner’s, and Eden. Numerous varieties of refried pinto beans can be found at Sendik’s including authentic, fat free and vegetarian from manufacturers such as amy’s, la Preferida, and old El Paso.

We Recommendsaint andré Brie Referred to as the

heavenly cheese. This is a rich, silky, buttery paste cheese, enrobed in a satiny white rind. It is great with a dry white wine. St. André is a French cheese made in Rougergue.

saint albray Brie This is robust French cheese with a unique shape and mixed rind, which is reminiscent of Camembert’s taste. It’s a true cheese mongers cheese. Serve it with Pinot Noir or Chianti.

delice de France Camembert We believe this to be one of France’s finest Camemberts. A handsome table cheese with a slightly fruity and distinctive twang. It has a fragrance similar to mushrooms. It’s best served with a Cabernet Franc or Beaujolais.

Pinto PowerA great source of protein, pinto beans not only taste great but also pack a powerful nutritional punch.

Refried Beans SERvES ABouT 6 AS SIDE DISH

One of the easiest southwestern foods to prepare, “refried beans,” are actually only fried once. The Spanish term for this dish, frijoles refritos, translates as “fried mashed beans.” Add your own touches to this basic recipe with a vari-ety of your favorite seasonings including garlic, chili peppers, cumin, and more. Some cooks swear by preparing refried beans in bacon drippings to add a rich, smoky flavor.

4 - 5 cups cooked pinto beans (or 3 15-ounce cans) 2 tablespoons lard, vegetable oil or shortening, or bacon drippings ½ large white or yellow onion, finely diced (optional) ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, or other) (optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sauté onion, if using. Carefully add beans and mix well with the oil, frying approximately 3 to 5 min-utes. Mash beans with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to your desired consistency. Add a little of the bean stock, chicken broth, or water if needed. Salt to taste. Heat about 10 to 20 minutes until heated through, stirring frequently. Place beans in a bowl and top with cheese if desired. Optional top-pings include chopped onion and green pepper, sour cream, and cilantro.

14 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Market

www.sendiksmarket.com real food 15

Sendik’s Food Marketthe cheeseboardbeans

Cheese in Bloom

A Southwestern or Mexican meal wouldn’t seem complete with-out some pinto beans. The name

“pinto,” the Spanish word for “painted,” describes them in their uncooked state, when they’re pale pink oval beans flecked with red-brown streaks or splotches. When cooked, these markings disappear and they become a solid pink-brown color; most Americans are familiar with them in their smashed, “refried” form, though this south-of-the-border staple can also be added as a nutritious component to a range of dishes, such as chili, soups, and stews or blended with sage, oregano, garlic, and black pepper for a delicious dip.

Virtually fat free, pinto beans are an excellent source of plant protein, provide lots of iron and zinc, calcium, folic acid, and potassium and have more fiber than many whole grain foods. A cup of pinto beans has about 16 grams of fiber, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake. This is primarily cholesterol-reducing soluble fiber, which makes pinto beans an excellent heart-healthy alternative to meat. Beans in general serve double duty in two groups of the food pyramid—they get top billing as part of the “meat and bean” group and are also part of the “vegetable” group. They are, of course, also delicious with meat—and then serve as your veggie. Studies suggest eating beans as part of a healthy diet may not only help in the fight against some cancers but also help to manage diabetes and cut the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Pinto beans are available dr ied and canned. When selecting dried beans, look for whole beans with no cracks or evidence of moisture or damage. Select canned that do not contain extra salt or additives. When using dry beans, inspect them carefully and discard any stones or shriveled beans.

Soak them before cooking to help soften and reduce cooking time. Most beans will plump to triple their dry size, so be sure to start with a large enough pot. (One pound—2 cups—dry beans equal 6 cups cooked beans.) For each pound dry beans, use 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least one hour or up to 4 hours. Or for each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water and let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. Strain and rinse under cold water then put the beans and 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface as the beans boil. Lower the heat to medium, add onion or other flavoring and let the beans simmer rapidly for 30 minutes.

Canned beans are a convenient option since they are already presoaked and pre-cooked. Always drain and thoroughly rinse them before adding to a recipe. They don’t need to be “recooked,” just heat them if a recipe calls for it. There are also many brands of ready-made refried beans available in cans or you can make your own. (See recipe at right.) ■

Brie and camembert are bloomy rind favorites of cheese lovers around the globe.

Do you like the soft French cheeses Brie and Camembert? Then you have something in common with

European royalty. Brie, named after the region in France in which it is made, was said to be the favorite of kings—in fact, legend has it that Louis XVI, when facing the guillotine after the French Revolution, expressed a final wish for one last taste of Brie. Camembert, meanwhile, also named for the village it comes from, has been around at least since the late 17th century and was said to be a favorite of Napoleon.

Brie and Camembert are the most famous names in the category known as bloomy rind cheese. Made from cow’s milk, the cheeses are made by pouring milk into round molds in thin layers and letting the milk’s natural moisture drain away. After removal from these round forms one of a number of specialized cheese molds, such as Penicillium candidum is added to the young cheese. These beneficial molds are what grows on the outside of the cheese creating the light crust on the surface known as “bloom” and breaking down the protein and fat inside, making the cheese soft, oozy, and complex. A young cheese is typi-cally aged anywhere from four to eight weeks, during which time the exterior will become softer and downier and the interior will evolve from the white color of milk to the light straw color characteristic of cheese.

The differences between Brie and Camembert are subtle. They are both made of cow’s milk and in much the same way so the variations are mostly in the cheeses’ size and the terroir of their milk—that

is, the characteristics of a geographic region that affect food and wine, such as the climate, and in the case of cheese, the minerals in the grasses and local vegetation on which the cows graze.

Brie is made into larger wheels that range from about 1 to 6 pounds and 9 to 15 inches in diameter. (There are also smaller “Petite Brie” wheels available, which are 5.5 to 8.5 inches in diameter and weigh in at 8 ounces.) Camembert is usually shaped into disks that are 4.5 inches in diameter and 8 ounces. Both cheeses are about 1 to 1.5 inches thick. Brie has a sweet combination of hazelnut and fruit aromas and a savory flavor often said to have mushroom overtones. Because of Camembert’s smaller size, it ages slightly more quickly than Brie so the flavor is generally a little stronger and more robust.

Brie and Camembert should be perfectly ripe for the best flavor so it’s important to select it at just the right point. Look for cheese that is plump and resilient to the touch, not bulgy like a water balloon (over-ripe) or shriveled and hard like a rock (past prime.) When young, Brie and Camembert feel firm to the touch and become softer as they ripen; if given room in a warmer part of the refrigerator (say, in a vegetable drawer) a firm, not-yet-ripe, uncut cheese will ripen of its own accord.

Brie and Camembert are most delicious at room temperature or warm. Simply let

your cheese rest on the counter for thirty to sixty minutes or warm in the oven (at 350°F for about 10 minutes) to further bring out its flavor. The cheese spreads wonderfully on French bread, crackers, and croissants. It pairs well with fruit such as green apples, strawberries, melon, pears, and grapes and nuts. For a spectacular party centerpiece, top it with jam and bake in the oven. Toss chunks—with the rind removed—with cooked pasta for an instant upscale macaroni and cheese. It’s also a classic match with wine, especially reds such as Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir, and whites such as Chardonnay, dry Riesling, and Champagne. All those combinations are fit for a king. ■

We RecommendSendik’s carries many types of whole Pinto Beans, sometimes called frijoles, including dried, canned, and organic from such manufacturers as westbrae, kuner’s, and Eden. Numerous varieties of refried pinto beans can be found at Sendik’s including authentic, fat free and vegetarian from manufacturers such as amy’s, la Preferida, and old El Paso.

We Recommendsaint andré Brie Referred to as the

heavenly cheese. This is a rich, silky, buttery paste cheese, enrobed in a satiny white rind. It is great with a dry white wine. St. André is a French cheese made in Rougergue.

saint albray Brie This is robust French cheese with a unique shape and mixed rind, which is reminiscent of Camembert’s taste. It’s a true cheese mongers cheese. Serve it with Pinot Noir or Chianti.

delice de France Camembert We believe this to be one of France’s finest Camemberts. A handsome table cheese with a slightly fruity and distinctive twang. It has a fragrance similar to mushrooms. It’s best served with a Cabernet Franc or Beaujolais.

Pinto PowerA great source of protein, pinto beans not only taste great but also pack a powerful nutritional punch.

Refried Beans SERvES ABouT 6 AS SIDE DISH

One of the easiest southwestern foods to prepare, “refried beans,” are actually only fried once. The Spanish term for this dish, frijoles refritos, translates as “fried mashed beans.” Add your own touches to this basic recipe with a vari-ety of your favorite seasonings including garlic, chili peppers, cumin, and more. Some cooks swear by preparing refried beans in bacon drippings to add a rich, smoky flavor.

4 - 5 cups cooked pinto beans (or 3 15-ounce cans) 2 tablespoons lard, vegetable oil or shortening, or bacon drippings ½ large white or yellow onion, finely diced (optional) ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, or other) (optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sauté onion, if using. Carefully add beans and mix well with the oil, frying approximately 3 to 5 min-utes. Mash beans with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to your desired consistency. Add a little of the bean stock, chicken broth, or water if needed. Salt to taste. Heat about 10 to 20 minutes until heated through, stirring frequently. Place beans in a bowl and top with cheese if desired. Optional top-pings include chopped onion and green pepper, sour cream, and cilantro.

16 real food spring 2009

Sendik’s Food Marketcommunity support

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis kicks off its Tenth Anniversary of service by again partnering with Sendik’s Food Market. For a decade, ABCD has helped more people

than ever imagined and shared hope with those who, at first, might not have known where to turn.

ABCD was founded in 1999 by a group of local breast cancer survivors, led by former television journalist Melodie Wilson. These women knew first-hand that the most valuable information and support came from others in similar life circumstances who had similar experiences with the disease.

Most important, they knew support needed to be available whenever needed and it had to be free. So ABCD began building the services it could not find. It developed a customized training program so that volunteers who had already experienced breast cancer would be able to mentor those who were now affected. Now, there are more than 300 mentors who have touched the lives of over 3,000 people. Mentors provide support by telephone so participants don’t have to travel to yet another appointment.

During this first decade, ABCD has learned many things. Today, mentors include family and friends of survivors as well as breast cancer survivors. They provide support in communities from Kenosha to Green Bay, and in communities large and small. In addition, mentors are ABCD’s primary community outreach team, educating the public about breast cancer and spreading the word that free support is available for all. And, for those whose support needs do not involve a mentor match, ABCD developed the Breast Cancer Helpline, which offers up-to-date information on local and national resources.

Local partners help spread the word, too. Many patients are told about ABCD at the time of diagnosis. Others learn about ABCD through its collaborations with the Pink Shawl Initiative or the Sisters Network; or perhaps at a health fair or at the local Sendik’s Food Market.

All this is possible because of generous contributions from indi-viduals, workplace giving through Community Health Charities, grants, or fundraisers hosted by local clubs and service organizations. ABCD’s signature fundraiser is Date with a Plate, metro-Milwau-kee’s premier small plate sampling and distinctive silent auction. Always held the Friday night before Mother’s Day, this year DWP is set for May 8, 2009.

If you or someone you know has been touched by breast cancer, please contact ABCD at 414.918.9222 or 800-977.4121. Or visit www.abcdmentor.org for more information. No one need experi-ence breast cancer alone. ■

ABCD: A Decade of Help and Hope for Breast Cancer Patients

Mentor kathy Shields (left) helped Hedy Daniels (right) maintain a positive attitude during treatment and now Hedy is a mentor too, empowering others diagnosed with breast cancer.

Diagnosed with breast cancer just after she retired, Shirley Williams (left) believes in ABcD because her mentor, Phyllis Holder (right), gave her courage and helped her realize she was not alone.