17 Jan 2012

Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend set for March 23-25, 2012

By Rick Martin
GALENA, Ill. - Tickets are available online now for Galena's extremely popular Grand Tastings during Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend. This year's event is slated for March 23-25, with Grand Tastings being offered on Friday, March 23 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 from 3:30-6:00 p.m. at the Galena Convention Center, 900 Galena Square Drive, in Galena, Illinois.

"This year's Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend promises to be even more fun-filled," said event sponsor Tim Althaus, owner, Family Beer & Liquor. "We do highly recommend early purchase for Grand Tasting tickets as we have sold out quickly in past years."

After selling out three weeks before the event in 2009, the committee expanded to offering two Grand Tastings in 2010, both of which also sold out. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, subject to availability, and may be purchased online at www.wineloversweekend.com.

Why are the Grand Tastings so popular? They provide epicureans of all levels the opportunity to choose from more than 300 varieties of hand-picked wines and spirits to sample. Admission also provides you with a keepsake wine glass and an opportunity to win a wine-themed trip to San Francisco. Additional trip chances may be purchased for $15 each. The wine silent auction includes items such as vintage wines, artwork, large format wine bottles and related items of interest.

Now in its seventh year running, Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend is a community-wide celebration of good wine, good food and good friends. Wine lovers of all sorts are invited to enjoy three event-filled days of fine wine, culinary delight, celebrity chefs, wine makers, pampering packages and all of the stops Galena can possibly pull out.

Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend is a spirited way to warm the winter and add romance - whether it is for vino, gourmet cuisine or the love for a town with history and charm all of its own. Wine-inspired dinners, spirit tastings, spa experiences, history tours, cooking demonstrations and shopping welcome and enchant visitors.

Lodging specials and package deals fuel the passion. From dining packages to pampering in luxurious accommodations and the warmest of hospitality, Galena's finest provide a variety of options to cater to every taste and budget.

Visit www.wineloversweekend.com for a detailed listing of extended-weekend activities, links to lodging, and an opportunity to purchase tickets online. For information about room availability, shopping, dining, attractions, events and more, please go to galena.org, the Web site of the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, or call 877.464.2536 toll-free.

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13 Jan 2012

Great River Brewery launches Root Beer in Honor of Chad Pregracke

By Larry McDonald
Davenport, Iowa - Great River Brewery, where legendary craft brews are made has come up with a new product, and this one has gained its legendary status almost instantly. It is named in honor of environmentalist Chad Pregracke, Founder and President of Living Lands & Waters and recipient of countless awards. The product will be unveiled to the public in a tapping celebration on Wednesday January 18th at 5:00 pm at the Great River Brewery, 332 East 2nd Street, Davenport.

In announcing the new product, River Rat Root Beer, GRB Brewmaster Paul Krutzfeldt was quick to praise Pregracke. "I'm a recent transplant to the Quad Cities, but even in my landlocked former home in Iowa, I'd heard of him and the work he was doing. It's impressive. When we opened the brewery here and Chad became a fan, it was like having a celebrity in attendance."

Pregracke, who has been honored by Presidents and was chosen by Mitchum as "The Hardest Working Man in America," couldn't be more thrilled. "When the idea for the River Rat Root Beer was first presented to me, I thought it was a fantastic idea... and an honor all in one. There are so many people who have, and continue to do great things for the Mississippi River. The Root Beer tastes awesome and promotes a great cause. I just want to thank GRB for choosing me to highlight."

The product concept and package design was the work of longtime Quad Cities marketing strategist Larry McDonald. "Great River Brewery gave me a blank sheet of paper with this product, but I know that the brewery is very supportive of worthy causes. Living Lands & Waters naturally came to mind. After I roughed out a series of concepts, the idea of making a younger Chad the star of the package kept coming to the top. After all, he's a heck of a role model and young people are known to drink root beer. I'm really glad that Paul chose a formulation that lives up to the standard."

Product samples will be available and refreshments will be served. An official tapping event, open to the public, will be held that same day at 5:00 pm.

River Rat Root Beer is made with 100 per cent pure cane sugar using a traditional recipe. It is packaged in 16 ounce can four-packs and will be available in Quad Cities grocery stores within days. Great River Brewery products are currently distributed through a seven state area.
13 Jan 2012

Country Style Now Served at Bettendorf Hy-Vee

By Jake Glimco
Bettendorf, IA / January 13, 2011 - Quad-City dieters looking for a low-cal treat that won't blow their diet can now enjoy Country Style Ice Cream at Bettendorf's Hy-Vee cafeteria!  The first cones of the "Taste Like Homemade" soft-serve product were served up last month.  Country Style's original rich vanilla and new dark chocolate flavors are being served separately and in twist cones or cups and are being very well received.

Hy-Vee Dietician Stacy Mitchell, a long-time fan of Country Style, was surprised to see how healthy a choice Country Style is, compared to other frozen confection.  "Talk about a really satisfying treat that can fool you!  I've even said to my family, 'I don't want to know how many calories are in this stuff.'"  Both Country Style flavors, even if consumed in a one-cup serving is 100 calories less and about half the fat of regular soft serve.  It also has 2-3 grams less of saturated fat.   Country style is also gluten-free, kosher and contains no high-fructose corn syrup.  According to Mitchell, even diabetics can enjoy Country Style, as a single carbohydrate exchange, if they savor a half-cup serving.  Customers at the Bettendorf Hy-Vee can now package quart-size containers to serve at home.  Country Style is also available in the Milan Hy-Vee.

Country Style Ice Cream was founded in 1947 when Wayne Lindgren and his brother Chester "Whitey" Lindgren collaborated to produce a quality soft serve mix and opened the first Country Style on 23rd Avenue and 43rd Street in Moline, Illinois. Wayne eventually bought out Whitey's share of the business. Committed to quality, Wayne and his wife, Desyl, set out to establish Country Style as the finest quality soft serve ice cream in the country. Kent Kindelsperger took on the Country Style tradition and purchased Country Style on February 8, 1988 and continues to head the company today.

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11 Jan 2012

2ND ANNUAL HOLIDAY EOOD DRIVE IO SUPPORT THE RIVER BEND EOOD BANK

By Tammy R Wilson
Lisa L. Bierman and the Rock Island County Circuit Clerk's Office held their annual holiday food drive during the month of December 2011. The food collected will benefit  the River Bend Foodbank. River Bend will be collecting the donations this Week.

Circuit Clerk staff were encouraged to bring in food donations and then were eligible to wear jeans for the day. The Circuit Clerk staff were divided into teams based on department and given another incentive of a pizza party for the team that collected the most items at the end. Our staff were also encouraged to solicit others in the Courthouse to donate to their teams to boost their numbers in an attempt to gather the largest numbers of donations. In the end the Traffic Division Won!

"Working with the public everyday makes you even more aware ofthe need for this kind of help, which is so important to our community," says Circuit Clerk Lisa Bierman.

"We have Wonderful staff here and they are always eager to help participate with such a valuable resource for those in need. This is actually our 3rd food drive that We have conducted and plan to participate in many more in the future."

For more information with how you can organize a food drive or help The River Bend foodbank, go to www.riverbendfoodbank.org or call 309-764-7434.
04 Jan 2012

Celebrating our favorite things - ARC Taste of Galena

By Rick Martin

22nd Annual ARC Taste of Galena - February 3, 2012

GALENA, Ill. - It's time to eat for a cause.

In Galena, it's hard to choose just one place to be. One favorite thing. The Galena Art & Recreation Center (ARC) is making it easy and bringing all of their Galena favorites together in one place. Just for you.

On February 3, Galena's best - ranging from restaurateurs to winemakers and cheesecake bakers to caterers - will gather together at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa from 7-10 p.m. to celebrate "Our Favorite Things" for the Galena Art & Recreation Center.

Now in its 22nd year, the ARC Taste of Galena has become a sought-after event that promises an evening of pleasure for your taste buds. Past years have presented delectable dishes such as: slow roasted glazed pork loin, Yukon Gold mashed potato bar with toppings, blue cheese soup, lobster ravioli, salmon with béarnaise on potato galette, pan fried pork dumplings, sushi, Louisiana crab cakes, Southwest tortilla chip soup, gourmet pomegranate balsamic and blood orange olive oil salad, homemade fudge, toffee, assorted cheesecakes, and chocolate molten cake with caramel sauce. And that's just a partial listing. Is your mouth watering yet?

Your taste buds won't be the only thing thanking you. Your feet will thank you, too, as they may be keeping rhythm to the catchy beat of the Rob Martin Quartet, a live jazz ensemble, who will perform throughout the evening.

For a complete and up-to-date listing of ARC Taste exhibitors and menus, view the event's useful website at www.tasteofgalena.com. The site also provides attendees with a quick and convenient way to purchase Taste tickets online. In addition to online sales, tickets may also be purchased at the Galena Art & Recreation Center, 413 S. Bench St. or the Galena Territory Association Owners' Club Complex, 2000 Territory Dr., both in Galena. Cost is $30 per person.

"We are really excited about this year's 'Taste' where our favorites will be showcasing their favorite 'tastes','" said Sarah Petersen, the ARC's executive director. "It's always a fun evening, and this year promises to be one of the best yet. I recommend purchasing your tickets early as this event has sold out in the past. The Galena ARC also extends special thanks to Miss Kitty's Grape Escape, First Community Bank of Galena and Galena State Bank and Trust Co. for their sponsorship and support."

This year, childcare is again available. The Galena Thunder Volleyball team will sponsor a "Kids Night Out" starting at 6 pm at the Galena Art & Recreation Center the same evening. To register, contact Jane Holland at 815.238.6010 or email hollandcamp19@mac.com.

The ARC Taste of Galena is a core fundraiser for the Galena Art & Recreation Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides programs for all ages. The funds raised at the ARC Taste are included in the ARC annual operating budget and will assist with the ongoing process of balancing the budget and achieving financial security.

To learn more about the Galena Art & Recreation Center and the community programs it offers, visit www.galenaarc.org. For information about room availability, shopping, dining, attractions, events and more, please go to galena.org, the Web site of the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, or call 877.464.2536 toll-free.

 

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27 Dec 2011

Support Local Agriculture: Fresh Deli by Nostalgia Farms CSAV's Now Available

By Ed Kraklio

(Davenport, IA) - FRESH DELI by Nostalgia Farms will open in early 2012 as the first business within the Food Hub at the Freight House in downtown Davenport; however, fans of locally grown food don't have to wait for a ribbon cutting to support the cause.  The deli is already selling Customer Supported Agriculture Vouchers (CSAV's) via phone and email.  The vouchers can be redeemed throughout the year for discounted food purchases at the deli; meanwhile, the money raised through the sale of the vouchers will also provide funding to help cover the typical costs associated with launching any new small business.

"Nostalgia Farms has utilized the sale of CSAV's to successfully launch and sustain our current business over the years," said Ed Kraklio, co-owner of Nostalgia Farms and FRESH DELI.  "Although it's uncommon to see CSAV's sold by a restaurant, our unique nature as a significant provider and supporter of locally grown food makes the sale of the vouchers a perfect fit for the deli, too.  Customers get a great discount as well as an opportunity to show their support for local agriculture and the Quad Cities economy."

Customers can buy vouchers in $200 increments towards food purchases over the next twelve months, which provides an overall discount of $40 per year.

FRESH DELI will be carrying made-to-order items off the grill, prepared sandwiches, as well as soups and salads featuring the deli's own dressing lines and mustards.  Customers can expect to find a large selection of "Take -n- Bake" items such as soups, pies, casseroles, and lasagnas, too.  Vegetarians will be pleased to hear that FRESH DELI by Nostalgia Farms will also have a large selection of vegetarian dishes.

FRESH DELI isn't just using produce and meats from Nostalgia Farms, though.  The restaurant will be utilizing products from many local producers including Sawyer Beef, Geest Farms, Winters Bison, Avante Cheese, Behnke Poultry, Happy Hollow, Oak Hill Acres, and more.  Krarklio plans to have FRESH DELI partner with as many local producers as possible throughout the Quad Cities region.

"We're still finishing construction on the space; however, we encourage those who support local agriculture and fresh local food to purchase a CSAV today," noted Kraklio. "Purchasing a CSAV is a great opportunity to take advantage of for individuals and companies alike."

Karklio plans to have the deli open six to seven days a week; more details regarding hours will be revealed upon its grand opening.  FRESH DELI accepts Debit, Credit, (Visa, MasterCard) EBT, Cash and Checks.  The deli will also offer delivery to a limited area in down town Davenport and Rock Island.

To purchase a CSAV or to ask additional questions, please call 563-940-0634 or email freshdeli@nostalgiafarms.com.

23 Dec 2011

Food smoking holiday tips

By Shults Media

Simple Succulent Smoke

BBQr's Delight www.bbqrsdelight.com smoke cooking through the holidays and winter.

IDEA: Smoke flavoring ham or fowl adds a truly old time seriously rich succulent edge to food.

PROBLEM: Too much smoke can overpower the natural flavor of the food and smoking food can be labor and time intensive and requires special equipment.  Not true any more!

SOLUTION: Lightly smoke the food before you cook it in your oven. Put BBQr's Delight pellets in aluminum foil and make a pouch by folding the foil over and sealing the edges closed.  Poke one or two toothpick holes in the pellet filled pouch.  Now using your barbecue grill place the pouch directly above (on the grate) medium heat (yes, even in the winter).

Once the smoke begins, place food into the grill set a bit away from the heat and adjust the burner to low. The idea in this scenario is to smoke flavor the food NOT to cook it. Close the hood and smoke for an hour or so. The result is an incredibly rich wood flavor and mouth watering aroma. Now remove from the grill and begin cooking in your kitchen oven as normal. The good part is you need not be a BBQ smoke cooking expert to do this; just be skilled enough to fold aluminum foil.

 

 

BBQr's Delight Real wood pellets in foil pouch or cast iron pot make cooking with smoke incredibly tasty, economical and easy

Smoke for grilling: For grilling steaks, fish, hamburgers, etc. prepare BBQr's Delight pellets as above  and place on your grill's grates with the burner set at high heat and wait for the smoke. When the smoke starts pouring out, place in food, sear, and then reduce the heat to your preferred final grilling setting, close the hood and finish grilling as normal.

Cooking sets: BBQr's delight makes great cooking gift and sample kits some which even include a cast iron pot to switch out for the aluminum foil pouch.  Now you can simply pour BBQr's Delight pellets into the pot and place it on the grill for smoke in a few minutes.

Affordable: A $3.99 one pound bag can do at least 8-10 flavor packed outings so if you can afford about 40-50 cents per outing to make your food taste outstanding then this is for you.

Regardless of method, you have 14 favors of genuine wood smoke (not artificial chemicals) to pick from and no water soaking is necessary as with wood chips--yeah it is that simple!

With BBQr's Delight you can pick from or make your own secret mix: Mesquite, Hickory, Orange, Apple, Cherry, Pecan, Sugar Maple, Oak, black Walnut, Mulberry, Sassafras and genuine Jack Daniels Whiskey Filtering Charcoal, Alder and Savory Herb.

Clean up takes about ten seconds.

 

BBQr's Delight

P.O. Box 8727,

Pine Bluff, AR, 71611

877-275-9591

www.bbqrsdelight.com

12 Dec 2011

Cody Road Bourbon a Near Sell Out

By Ryan Burchett

LeClaire, Iowa, December 4, 2011 - After its much anticipated release, Mississippi River Distilling Company's Cody Road Bourbon Whiskey was a near sell out within a day of its release on Friday, December 2, 2011.

"We had a line waiting outside the distillery starting at about 9 a.m. before we opened at 10 on Friday," Ryan Burchett, owner and distiller says.  "We had a steady line of people until about noon and sold all 120  bottles we had at the distillery in four hours."

As of Sunday afternoon, Rock Island Hy-Vee still had some of the Cody Road Bourbon for sale but was only putting it out one bottle at a time.  Hy-Vee's in both Ankeny and Marion, Iowa also still had small quantities left.  But most retailers had sold their entire stock by the end of the weekend.

The distillers have been keeping fans and followers updated on where they can find bottles via Facebook and Twitter as they hear updates or are able to call retailers.  Many area stores sold out within a day of delivery, some selling as many as 60 bottles.  The state of Iowa limited retailers to no more than 60 bottles per store.  Within 24 hours, the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division had sold out of all the stock they had.

"We had hoped this would go over well, but we very pleasantly surprised when the state had orders for all the cases we sent them," Garrett Burchett, owner and distiller says.  "Unfortunately, it moved so fast that it was gone before some retailers didn't even have the chance to order it from the state."

In total, MRDC made just short of 1,000 bottles of this first batch.  The bourbon is made from grains harvested from within 25 miles of the distillery.  Corn comes from LeClaire and the wheat and barley come from Reynolds, Illinois.  The spirit is aged for nearly a year and distillers only released the first 6 barrels they made.

The Burchett brothers have been busy for the past year planning for the demand and have continued making and barreling their bourbon.  The next release of Cody Road Bourbon will be Friday, March 2.  Moving through 2012, larger releases of bourbon will become more regular to help catch up to demand.

"We anticipate having more in this next batch.  Supplies will be tight through the year, but we hope to have enough for everyone's stockings by next Christmas." Ryan says.

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12 Dec 2011

Machine Shed offers free Holiday ebook

By Stacy Christofferson
Machine Shed Restaurant offers a free "Holiday's in the Heartland" ebook:  A holiday guide that includes gift ideas, demonstrations and favorite recipes

The Machine Shed restaurant is sharing some of their best advice for creating an effortless and memorable holiday season with a complimentary "Holidays in the Heartland" ebook available on their website or Facebook page.

The ebook includes:
• Delicious Gift ideas for your gift exchange
• A demonstration on how to repurpose a wreath
• A downloadable holiday meal planner
• Three favorite holiday recipes - which includes the recipe for the Shed's famous
cinnamon rolls.

Information found in the ebook was created, sourced and shared by the Machine Shed chefs and staff.

To receive a complimentary copy, "Like" the Machine Shed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MachineShedRestaurant or visit the website at www.machineshed.com

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29 Nov 2011

Freight House Farmers' Market open on Tuesdays

By Rick Martin

The Freight House Farmers' Market continues to be open on Tuesdays at 421 W River Dr in Davenport.  Although the outdoor vendors have taken shelter for the winter, the indoor market is open and ready for your business!

Stop in and pre-order all your Christmas, New Year's and other holiday needs, from baked goods to sauces, jellies and salsas to Sawyer beef to homemade gifts and on and on. 

Visit us on Tuesday from 3pm until 6pm on River Drive between Ripley and Western Streets, facing the Mighty Mississippi.  The Market is also open on Saturdays from 8am until 1pm.

http://freighthousefarmersmarket.com or find us on Facebook®.

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