August 22, 2014 - West Des Moines, IA - Fried food was not the only fan favorite at this year's Iowa State Fair.  Hundreds of people took the time to stop by the Ag Building and sample original Mori-nu Silken Tofu-based salad dressings presented by four professional chefs as part of The Soyfoods Council and Iowa Restaurant Association's 2nd Annual Soy Salad Dressing Competition. The Professional Chef's Competition took place Monday, August 11 at the Agriculture Building. Some of the area's top chefs were invited to showcase their artistry in this delicious and healthy competition.

Top Chefs Wow the Crowd
The competitors included: 
· Chef Michael Kelley of the Great Caterers of Iowa, Pleasant Hill
· Chef Eric McDowell of Prairie Meadows, Altoona
· Chef Brian Pomerenk of the Iowa Machine Shed , Urbandale 
· Chef Robert Sanda of Tally's, Beaverdale

The Chefs were challenged to make salad dressing recipes which were consumer friendly, used Mori-nu Soft Silken Tofu as the base of the dressing and were delicious enough to put on their own menu.  Each chef demonstrated the process of making the dressing, then served five judges as well as a crowd of fair-goers who then cast their vote for People's Choice award winner. 

Contest judges included Tom and Susanne Oswald of the Iowa Soybean Association, Liz Cox of the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, Wini Moranville of KCWI's Great Day segment Great Foods, and certified culinary instructor Phil Carey of the Iowa Culinary Institute.

Sanda Wins, McDowell is People's Choice
Chef Robert Sanda won first place with a refreshing Walnut Silken Tofu Vinaigrette dressing. He received a $250 prize. Chef Kelley received second place for his Tofu Miso Soy Salad dressing and Chef McDowell received third place with a Summer Beef and Broccoli Salad with Miso Blue Cheese Vinaigrette dressing. Chef McDowell impressed the crowed with his elaborate recipes and received People's Choice award.

All of the chefs' recipes are available for download on both the Iowa Restaurant Association and The Soyfoods Council websites. 

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Iowa Restaurant Association
The Iowa Restaurant Association is an advocacy organization supporting Iowa's industry with educational and promotional programs across the state. www.restaurantiowa.com

The Soyfoods Council
The Soyfoods Council is an affiliate of the Iowa Soybean Association.  The mission of The Soyfoods Council is to serve as a catalyst, leader and facilitator to mainstream soy-based foods into the global marketplace?America and beyond. 
www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com .

Iowa Mixology Championships Will Name State's Top Mixologist

-- Public will be able to sample and vote

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2014 - West Des Moines , IA -Twelve mixologists from across the state have battled their way to the finals in hopes of being crowned Iowa's Top Mixologist - and the public is invited to participate. The 2014 Iowa Restaurant Association Mixology Championships will be held August 27 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Americana Restaurant & Lounge in Downtown Des Moines. Attendees can sample all 24 creative competition cocktails and cast their vote for the People's Choice award winner. In addition to cocktail samples, complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served. Tickets are $30 and this event is expected to sell out. Tickets are available at www.restaurantiowa.com

2014 Top 12 Mixology Finalists

Jet Evangelista, Popoli Ristorante & Sullivan's Bar, Cedar Rapids
Josh O'Connell, Cobble Hill, Cedar Rapids
Brandon Cross, Texas Roadhouse, Council Bluffs
Vince Eberhard, Hounds Lounge, Council Bluffs
Eric Lindquist, Biaggi's, Davenport
Chris Martin, Graze, Iowa City
Tyler Ward, Vesta, Coralville
Chris Steele, Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, Des Moines
Amanda Schreiber, Crème Cupcake, Des Moines
Rex Schulze, Splash Seafood, Des Moines
Mark Alkire, The Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon, Logan
Kortney Barbee, SoHo Kitchen & Bar, Sioux City

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Wine Aficionado Shares Tips for a Full-Bodied Experience

Slide over, sweaty mug of brutish beer; wine has stepped up its game!

In the past two decades, zins, cabs and chardonnays have soared in popularity among imbibing Americans. The preference of just one in four in 1992, its now the alcoholic beverage of choice for 35 percent of us, according to a 2013 Gallup poll. At the same time, beer has taken a tumble, from the favorite of nearly half of us to just 36 percent.

"Wine is an adventure in a glass - something other cultures have recognized for centuries," says Howard Kleinfeld, author (as Howard K.) of "Dial M for Merlot," www.DialMforMerlot.com, a fun novel about a lovelorn nerd whose world snaps to life with his first wine tasting.

"For a long time in this country, we viewed wine as an elitist beverage. Just to be eligible to uncork a bottle required a scary level of sophistication. I have great respect for connoisseurs and the sommeliers, but if you've ever attended a wine tasting, you quickly see wine is actually the great equalizer."

For those who've never visited a vineyard or sipped a Gewurztraminer, Kleinfeld offers these tips to free up your palate -- and your psyche -- for a full-bodied experience.

1.  What's the best wine?
You'll find all kinds of lists purporting to distill the top 10 or top 100 best wines of the thousands upon thousands of new releases each year. They are a wonderful resource for information and a great starting point, but there is no substitute for personal exploration.
"The best wine is always whatever's in your glass at the moment," Kleinfeld says, "unless whatever's in your glass makes you grimace, in which case ..."

2.  Don't drink it if it doesn't make you happy.
Life really is too short to not make the most of every moment - and every sensual experience.
"I learned that in 2007 when I was diagnosed with throat cancer at, what I felt was, a very young age," Kleinfeld says. "I got through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation with the love and support of my family and friends, but I lost my sense of taste for a few years."
Cancer-free and with all of his senses intact, Kleinfeld says he has resolved to enjoy every sip of life.
"Don't waste your time on wine you don't enjoy. Save it for cooking," he says. "Drink something that puts a smile on your face. And remember - there are all kinds of smiles."

3.  Go ahead and shell out $50 or $100 on a wine you just have to taste again.
A lot of us think California and Napa Valley when we think domestic wines, and while The Golden State is the No. 1 producer in the country (followed by Washington, Oregon and New York), every state now has wineries. That means that wherever you are, there's a wine tasting room within driving distance.
"If you go to a wine tasting and you sample something you absolutely love, something you know you want to taste again - maybe with a steak, which they don't usually have at wine-tasting rooms, go ahead and buy it," Kleinfeld advises.
"Forget that it costs three or four times what you (might) usually spend for a bottle of wine. Splurge. See tip No. 2."

4.  Forget the red with meat, white with fish and chicken rule - unless it works for you.
The idea of pairing red wines with red meats has to do with the bolder flavor of both. Fish and chicken tend to have milder flavors, as do many white wines.
"But there are so many exceptions to those 'rules' you may as well just toss 'em," Kleinfeld says. "They don't take into account the range of flavors of meat, fish and chicken, especially when you consider all the different ways they can be prepared. And if you're not a fan of Riesling, for instance, you won't like it no matter what you pair it with."
Be an adventurer, he advises. Open a few different varieties of wine when you sit down to eat and explore different pairings.
"The entrees and wines you best enjoy together are the perfect pairings for you."

About Howard Kleinfeld (Howard K)

Howard Kleinfeld is a full-time wine enthusiast, part-time foodie, and first-time author. His new novel, "Dial M for Merlot," www.DialMforMerlot.com, written under the pen name Howard K, follows a 30-year-old math whiz's intoxicating journey of wine discovery. Kleinfeld is a longtime singer-songwriter whose compositions/productions for advertising, TV shows and indie films have earned him Emmy, Telly and Addy, awards.