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June 30, 2006
Buy Groceries Online: Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc. began selling shelf-stable groceries, including natural and organic products, on its Web site May 25, according to a Reuters article. The online grocery store includes more than 10,000 non-perishable items such as cereal, coffee, tea canned soup, diapers and laundry detergent, as well as specialty products such as Zico Pure Coconut Water and Immaculate Baking Co.organic cookies.(Gourmet News)

June 29, 2006
Surgeon General Secondhand Smoke Report: Restaurant and bar owners concerned about loss of smoking customers challenged some of the broadest public smoking bans in cities and states but the findings report, "There is good evidence that comprehensive smoking bans, such as those in New York City and Boston, don't economically hurt the hospitality industry." The report also said that separate smoking sections don't cut it: Only smoke-free buildings and public places truly protect nonsmokers from hazards of breathing in other people's tobacco smoke. (CNN.com)

June 28, 2006
Mexican Food Popular: The Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists recently reported that although Italian food remains the mot popular ethnic food when dining out, there was a 10% surge of adults who named Mexican food as fighting for the top spot. (chef magazine)

June 27, 2006
New Beverage Book: The Ultimate Smoothie Book : 130 Delicious Recipes for Blender Drinks, Frozen Desserts, Shakes, and More! by Cherie Calbom. When the original Ultimate Smoothie Book was first published in 2001, smoothies were sweeping the country and becoming the hottest item on the menu everywhere from Baskin-Robbins to Jamba Juice. And why not? They're creamy, fruity, delicious, quick and easy to make, and most important--they're good for you! Now, The Ultimate Smoothie Book has been updated by nutritionist Cherie Calbom, aka "The Juice Lady", to include lots of delicious new smoothie recipes, as well as vital new information on: Carbohydrate reduction, with special low-carb smoothie recipes. The recently discovered health risks of soy--and suggested substitutions wherever soy is called for. Coconut oil, the latest diet and health phenomenon.

June 26, 2006
New Cookbook: Southwest Flavors: Santa Fe School of Cooking by Susan D. Curtis, author of Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook and founder of the school, teams with daughter Nicole in this instructive and appetizing look at New Mexican cuisine. Drawing on recipes from the school, the pair pay proper homage to the chili, which features prominently in most recipes. They provide a list of their favorite types of chilis, introducing readers to the spicy, orange aji amarillo; the woodsy, dark red cascabel; and the sweet, smoked monta.

June 25, 2006
New Carmel & Monterey, California Travel Information: Visitors may now take a new wine shuttle to Carmel Valley tasting rooms.  Leisure and conference guests alike can plan a relaxed journey on the new Carmel Valley Grapevine Express (www.mst.org).  Shuttles pick up and drop off passengers at convenient points in downtown Monterey (including Monterey Conference Center and Cannery Row), along Carmel Valley Road and in the Carmel Valley Village, home to several wine tasting rooms and restaurants.  The service runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with hourly stops between 10 am and 8:30 pm (last trip back to Monterey at 9:30 pm).  The service makes exploring the sun-drenched Carmel Valley easy and affordable. For more information: 831-393-8129.

June 24, 2006
New Beef: Wagyu (pronounced "Wah-gyu," or "Way-gyu" ) is a breed of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling, and produces a high percentage of oleaginous, unsaturated fat. Also known as Kobe-style beef, the meat from Wagyu cattle are known world wide for marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high market value (around $50 to $100 a pound, or more). There are four major breeds of Wagyu (wa means Japanese, and gyū means cattle, or simply "Japanese cow"). (Wikipedia)

June 23, 2006
Final Julia Child Book: My Life in France--Julia Child with her grandnephew Alex Prud'Homme coauthored this book, a memoir of her culinary and everyday life, beginning with her time as a newlywed, taking in all that France had to offer, most especially the cuisine. Child describes the meals, friends and experiences that helped her find what she called her "life's calling."

June 22, 2006
New Cookbook: 101 Things to Do with a Salad by Stephanie Ashcraft and Melissa Barlow puts together spectacular and sensational salads with the author of the New York Times best-seller 101 Things to Do with a Cake Mix! Raspberry Chicken Salad Enchilada Salad, Southwest Pasta Salad, Oriental Cashew Coleslaw Chunky Veggie Salad, Cherry Waldorf Salad Banana Cream Salad and more!

June 21, 2006
Wolfgang Puck Empire Expands: Los Angeles, California based Wolfgang Puck Catering will be taking their California cuisine to Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2007. The Source by Wolfgang Puck will be the fine dining spot in the new digs of the Newseum, an interactive museum of news that currently resides in Arlington, Virginia. (Food Arts, June, 2006)

June 20, 2006
Napa Valley, California News: Thomas Keller has purchased the shuttered Wine Garden on Washington Street in Yountville. He doesn't know what he will do with it yet but is toying with the ideas of a burger joint, a streak place, or a sushi restaurant (his favorite food) and aims to open in 2007. (Food Arts, June, 2006)

June 19, 2006
Wine Event: The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) is proud to sponsor the Institute of Masters of Wine's sixth symposium, Lateral Vision, to be held in Napa Valley June 29 to July 2, 2006. The Masters of Wine holds its conference every four years and this is the first time it will be held in North America. For further information or to register please contact Matt Kelly at the Institute of Masters of Wine, mkelly@mastersofwine.org or +44 20 7621 2830, or visit the Institute's website.

June 16, 2006
Travel Deals: Save big with 225 BookingWiz Top Travel Deals in the US and Abroad , which are updated every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day. Specials include hotels, car rentals and cruises.

June 15, 2006
New Cookbook: Faster! I'm Starving!--100 Dishes in 25 Minutes or Less by mother-and-son team Kevin Mills and Nancy Mills reveals the secrets of cooking quick and nutritious meals ready in less time than it takes to watch a sitcom. Look for chapters on Techniques Geared for Speed, Speedy Ingredients, Helpful Equipment, Quick Sides, Emergency Meals and Time Charts.

June 14, 2006
Two New Entertaining Books: Baby Showers and Wedding Showers by Jennifer Adams cover two major milestones in a woman's life, where she gets to be the center of attention and be completely spoiled. These books offer step-by-step party plans, recipes and are a must-have for anyone navigating the shower process.

June 13, 2006
New Cookbook: Salsas and Tacos: Santa Fe School of Cooking by Susan D. Curtis is an outstanding collection of beautifully illustrated, flavorful, fulfilling, and easy-to-prepare recipes. There are 50 mouth-watering unique taco recipes with tried-and-true salsa recipes. Curtis combines two fire-roasted favorites to make one irresistible cookbook bursting with the intricate and bold flavors of the southwest and Mexico.

June 12, 2006
Wine News: Italian vintner Amaldo Capral has embedded a microchip in the synthetic corks on his new Contemporare Sangiovese from Umbria. The Smartcorq can hold, send and receive pages of information on a wine. This is the first time a winery has used Radio Frequency Identification technology in a bottle. Shoppers can learn about individual wines while collectors can use the cork to learn a wine's provenance or manage their cellars. (Wine Spectator)

June 11, 2006
Mushroom Facts: Fresh mushrooms are 90% water while dried mushrooms are 100% mushrooms and wild or exotic mushrooms that are dried have a more intense flavor than their fresh counterparts. Porcini are the king of dried mushrooms. (Jack Czarnecki; A Cook's Book of Mushrooms)

June 10, 2006
Wine Trends: For the first time since 1976, Americans are expected to drink more red wine than white, according to the 2005 edition of The U.S. Wine Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast. Red wine's success is being attributed to studies showing its health benefits and to American's increasing wine knowledge.(Wine Spectator)

June 9, 2006
New Travel Article: Exploring Barcelona, Spain by international writer Sally Aquire who tells us how to get to Barcelona as well as where to stay, what to see, and where to eat and shop.

June 8, 2006
New Cookbook: Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp and Grits by renowned Southern cuisine maven and author Nathalie Dupree offers an entire cookbook dedicated to this famed Southern dish that will inspire people around the world to discover its appeal and versatility for any meal! Think South Carolina Lowcountry cooking at its best.

June 7, 2006
Peanut-free Facility: Clabber Girl, manufacturer of baking products, announced earlier this year the opening of its first peanut-free facility in the U.S. Currently there are no U.S. standards for peanut-free facilities, so Canadian protocol was used to establish the facility, while ingredient suppliers are required to declare products peanut-free, visitors must sign a statement verifying no food is brought into the facility and ingredients are sent to independent labs for testing.(chef magazine)

June 6, 2006
New Avocado Oil: Olivado Avocado Oil: A New Taste Sensation from Down Under, as in New Zealand, has a clean taste that’s rich and buttery. To learn more go to www.Olivado.com.

June 5, 2006
Cheese History: The first marketed cheese in California was in 1859. While the origin of Jack cheese is credited to Spanish Franciscan friars who came to Monterey, California, from Mexico in the 1700s, several theories seek to explain who first marketed it as "Monterey Jack."  Some credit Monterey County resident Senora Juana Cota de Boronda, who used a housejack (press) to make creamy cheese that she sold door-to-door to support her husband and 15 children.  Another story mentions Domingo Pedrazzi, who used a jack to make cheese in the Carmel Valley and still others say that it is a Portuguese cheese.  The most common theory, however, links the name to early Monterey landowner David Jacks, who had a local dairy and sold his creation as "Jacks' cheese."  Legend has it that customers eventually started asking for Monterey Jack and the name stuck.

June 4, 2006
Travel News: Valet parking service is now available at the Central Terminal Area at Los Angeles International Airport. The valet parking lot is located across from Terminal 4 on the Lower/Arrivals Level and will serve Terminal 4 (American Airlines and American Eagle), Terminal 5 (Delta, China Southern and Aeromexico), and the more than 35 airlines in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The daily rate in the valet parking lot is $38, which includes the regular $30 daily parking fee charged for Central Terminal Area. www.lawa.org

June 3, 2006
New Travel Article: Living with the French Aristocracy Chateau de La Verrerie is a fairytale French castle visited by Walter Glaser. Built in the Loire by the Scottish Royals, it was subsequently purchased by a titled French family in whose possession it remains to this day.

June 2, 2006
Food Facts: The Avocado--a culinary darling! Although it doesn't have a sweet flavor, the avocado is botanically considered a fruit because it has a pit surrounded by pulp. California produces 95% of the U.S. crop, primarily Hass avocados with their buttery texture and nutty flavor. (Sante, May 2006)

June 1, 2006
New Food Article: Contributor Toni Lydecker shares Coping with the Blues, as in Blueberries. Devour this summertime treat by the handful or with cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream or in this classic salad called Blueberry-Mango Macedonia.

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