14 May 2012

Mean Mel's offers outdoor seating on deck overlooking Mississippi River

By Rick Martin

Mean Mel's Steakhouse, located at 708 South Main Street in Port Byron, has opened up their outdoor deck for additional seating while dining at the restaurant.

The deck overlooks the Mississippi River and gives diners a wonderful view of the river and the landscape along and across the river.

Please call Mean Mel's Steakhouse at (309) 523-2877 to make reservations (accepted but not required).

For more information, visit: http://www.rcreader.com/quad-city-local?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=10&sobi2Id=2118

10 May 2012

SAWYER BEEF - The Best Beef You Can Bite

By Rick Martin

Sawyer Beef is local grown Black Angus beef from Princeton, Iowa. A family farm that is 5 generations strong raising some of the best beef this side of the Mississippi! We now have Grass Fed beef raised on rotational pasture grazing.

  • Sawyer Beef is Beef without routine antibiotics, hormones or preservatives!
  • Sawyer Beef is locally raised on our Quad City area farm.
  • Sawyer Beef is federally inspected for meat sold outside of Iowa and state inspected for meat sold in Iowa.

We have all retail cuts and sides of beef available for purchase at the farm, several farmer's markets and grocery retail locations around the Quad City area.

We now have ¼ Beef Bundles available. Click here to learn more about the Beef Bundles.

Visit us online at www.sawyerbeef.com

Thank you for choosing buy locally and support local farmers and the local economy.


 

09 May 2012

JOIN US FOR MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH and MORE!

By Laura Prichard

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH

Sunday, May 13 • 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. $13.00 per adult / $7.50 per child (ages 4-12)

Brunch entrees include a variety of quiches, breakfast casseroles, brown sugar bacon, roasted pork, herbed potatoes, hearty lasagna, fresh-baked pastries including our popular cinnamon rolls, fruits, cheeses, desserts and more!

GRADUATION CATERING

Our catering options will make your high school or college graduation a unique, fun and memorable experience! We offer a wide variety of gourmet sandwich trays, supberb side dishes, custom cakes and cupcakes to accommodate any of your needs! Stop in to pick up a catering menu or visit whiskawaycafe.com

COOKING CLASSES

ADULT CLASSES

Perfect Picnics
Thurs., May 17, 7-9 p.m. • $25.00
Whether it's a romantic date or you're just feeling adventurous, picnics are the perfect way to enjoy a meal during the spring and summer months. Learn everything from how to plan the menu to how to prepare the dishes in this class.

Pies of all Kinds
Thurs., May 31, 7-9 p.m. • $25.00
Want to know the secret to making a flakey pie crust? This class is for you! We will teach you to make sweet and savory pies that will impress everyone at your next gathering.

ALL KIDS (3-18)

Mother's Day Gifts
Thurs., May 10, 6-7:30 p.m. • $15.00
Kids of all ages are invited to this event where we will create beautiful and fun edible Mother's Day gifts.

JUNIOR CHEFS (ages 9-14)

Oh the Pastabilities!
Mon., May 21st, 6-8 p.m. • $15.00
In this hands-on class kids will learn the basics of making their own fresh pasta, fillings and sauces. They will also learn to use vegetables to color pasta, making it fun and healthy!

TINY CHEFS (ages 3-8)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Sun., May 27th, 3-4:30 p.m. • $15.00
It will be raining homemade meatballs, spaghetti cupcakes and more during this class for tiny chefs.

Location:

919 6th Avenue, DeWitt, Iowa 52742 (MAP IT)

Find us on Facebook!

Facebook.com/whiskaway

09 May 2012

Great River Brewery wins Canny Award

By Larry McDonald
San Diego, CA - The buzz at the annual Brewers Association convention is all about canning craft beer, the segment of the industry that seems to be growing, as bottle and tap sales lag. Today's Canny Awards announcment, showcasing the nation's best designed cans included Davenport's Great River Brewery Hop•A•Potamus Double Dark Rye Pale Ale. The can placed first in the Best Illustration of Name Catagory, one of seven catagories awarded. The competition included 231 entries from 83 craft breweries. The Hop•A•Potamus can was designed by Quad Cities designer Larry McDonald who is responsible for much of the GRB packaging and branding, and features illustration work by Kevin Deichmueller.
The Canny Awards honor craft beer and the distinctive graphics created in an industry known for unique brands and brews. The competition is sponsored by four leading suppliers to the canned craft beer industry - Ball Corporation, Cask Brewing Systems, Hi-Cone and Mumm Products. Besides Great River Brewery's award in the Best Use of Illustration category, other awards included Best Shelf Presence, Best Graphics, Best Use of Color, Best Seasonal, Best Character, and Best Local Tie-In.
According to McDonald, "The competition allowed each brewery to submit only three entries and GRB's products are strong in so many ways, it was a job to pick which category to enter which product. This product is brewer Scott Lehnert's baby and I know Kevin really worked hard, it's really their award."
02 May 2012

Mother's Day the Most Popular Holiday to Dine Out Jump on Those Brunch Reservations

By Robert Jackson Jr.

May 2, 2012, Des Moines, Iowa– Don't wait to make those restaurant reservations, Mother's Day surpasses even Valentine's Day as the most popular holiday on which to dine out according to research from the National Restaurant Association. In fact, nearly half of moms would pick a favorite restaurant as the place to celebrate Mother's Day. The study also indicated that restaurant gift cards and certificates are a top gift pick for moms, with one in five saying this is their preferred gift.

Children Important Part of Choice
"There's really no need to worry about how to celebrate the moms in your life," said Jessica Dunker, president and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association. "Moms love restaurants. Not only do restaurants provide a much-deserved reprieve from cooking at home, they also provide a celebratory atmosphere."
Atmosphere can be an especially important factor because children are a major part of the mix when dining out on Mother's Day.  The study found that two-thirds of those dining out on Mother's Days this year will have children under the age of 18 in their party.
Mother's Day Celebrated at All Meals
Dunker noted that it is important to get on top of making those Mother's Day restaurant reservations. "It's not too soon to make those reservations regardless of the meal you're planning to celebrate," said Dunker.  Fifty-eight percent of Mother's Day diners will go out to a restaurant for dinner, 32 percent lunch, 24 percent brunch, and 10 percent for breakfast.  In addition, one in five Mother's Day diners (19 percent) will go out for more than one meal that day.
Find a Restaurant
Looking for a new restaurant to try this Mother's Day? Dunker encourages people to check out Dine Iowa, a free statewide restaurant directory.  Available online as well as a free smart phone app and on Facebook, Dine Iowa allows consumers to check out menus and hours, as well as run unique searches on everything from Gluten Free offerings to patio seating.  It is available at www.dineiowa.org.
Iowa Restaurant Association
The Iowa Restaurant Association is an advocacy organization supporting Iowa's hospitality industry with educational and promotional programs across the state.  www.restaurantiowa.com.

# # #

02 May 2012

Mothers day brunch at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse

By Anne Coffman
Special Brunch on Sunday, May 13 from 10am-2pm

Johnny's Italian Steakhouse is hosting a special Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday May 13th, 2012 from 10a-2p. The brunch will feature; Chef carved prime rib, Baked ham, Chicken Marsala, Lasagna, Waffle and Omelet Stations, Seasonal fruits, Gourmet desserts and much more!

Johnny's is located in John Deere Commons, 1300 River Dr, Moline, Il. Make your reservations today at 309-736-0100 or online at Johnnysitaliansteakhouse.com

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02 May 2012

PIZZA RANCH EARNS IOWA FARM BUREAU'S RENEW RURAL IOWA ENTREPRENEUR OF MONTH AWARD

By Rick Martin

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - May 1, 2012 - A well-known Iowa family-owned pizza restaurant chain is being recognized for its commitment to good food, community involvement and support for international needs. Pizza Ranch, headquartered in Orange City, is the winner of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation's (IFBF) Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur of the Month award.

The company started with one restaurant in Hull three decades ago and has grown to 66 locations in Iowa and 100 more in eight other Midwest states.

"It started in an area where there is a spirit of entrepreneurialism and had the resources to get a company like this started," said Matt Schuiteman, president of the Sioux County Farm Bureau. "Pizza Ranch makes a positive impact in every community they're in."

In small-town Iowa, where many Pizza Ranch restaurants are located, the business brings jobs and supports local schools with fundraising opportunities.

"Pizza Ranch provides many opportunities for jobs and has an economic impact on our community that's very special," said Orange City Mayor Les Douma. "It raises the bar for all commercial entities."

In addition to its local community focus, Pizza Ranch is also working to support educational efforts in Ethiopia. Owner Adrie Groeneweg is switching coffee brands and working with farmers in Ethiopia to help keep a portion of coffee bean sales in the African country to support schools there.

Renew Rural Iowa (RRI) is an IFBF initiative supporting new and existing businesses through education, mentoring and financial resources. For more information, go to www.renewruraliowa.com.

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01 May 2012

MRDC Releases Queen Bee Honey Whiskey May 4

By Ryan Burchett

Le Claire, Iowa, April 30, 2012 - Fans and whiskey enthusiasts will soon be able to find another Mississippi River Distilling Company whiskey on store shelves.  Queen Bee Honey Whiskey will be released for sale this Friday, May 4.  This is a corn whiskey infused with fresh honey from beekeepers near Preston, Iowa, just 30 miles north of the distillery.  The use of fresh honey is unique says owner and distiller Ryan Burchett.

"There are several honey whiskey products on the market, but if you look closely at the label you'll see that they are actually labeled as liqueurs and not whiskeys," Burchett comments.  "That's because once you add sugar to a product, you can't call it whiskey anymore.  Queen Bee is whiskey with real honey added to it, nothing else, which provides a nice smooth sweetness without overwhelming the palate."

Queen Bee Honey Whiskey is the latest seasonal product to be released by MRDC.  Each seasonal product is a limited bottling, usually 3,000 - 4,000 375-ml bottles total available for distribution.  The idea behind each seasonal spirit is to bring some unique products to the market and also partner with other local businesses to incorporate new local ingredients.

The distillery is limiting production to 6,000 bottles of Queen Bee Honey Whiskey.  "It's our biggest seasonal yet," said owner and distiller Garrett Burchett.  "We did 3,200 bottles of our seasonal rye whiskey in February and distributors were sold out in six weeks.  We're making a little more of this one, so hopefully it will last a bit longer."

Friday, May 4 will also be MRDC's "First Friday" with a Cinco de Mayo celebration from 5:30 to 8 p.m.  The First Friday feature event is a free open house and May marks the one year anniversary of these monthly evening socials.  Chef Stephanie is preparing a honey mustard sauce with the new Queen Bee Honey Whiskey and celebration the fiesta night with fried bananas.  The bar will feature a couple different kinds of margaritas prepared with River Baron Artisan Spirit and River Rose Gin.

Mississippi River Distilling Company is open from 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday and from 12 to 5 PM Sundays.  Free tours are offered to the public daily on the hour from 12 to 4 PM or by appointment.  The tour takes visitors through the entire distilling process.  Tours end in the Grand Tasting Room with free samples of products for those patrons over 21 years of age.  Mark your calendars now for the next release of MRDC's Cody Road Whiskey on Friday, June 1.
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01 May 2012

Thunder Bay Mother's Day Brunch

By Rick Martin

Mother's Day Champagne Brunch on Sunday, May 13 from 9am-3pm

Thunder Bay is having a special Mother's Day Champagne Brunch from 9am-3pm on Sunday, May 13, 2012. The Brunch will Prime Rib, carved ham, peel & eat shrimp, smoked salmon, omelet station, homemade waffles and salad bar, pastries, fresh fruit and your favorite breakfast items. Also the brunch will be featuring a chocolate fountain and a champagne fountain.

Adults will be $20.99, Children 5-10 years old will be $9.99 and Children 2-4 will be free.

The restaurant is now taking reservations for this Mother's Day Brunch so call today to reserve your table. The dinner menu will be available after 3pm. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Thunder Bay Grille 563/386-2722 or now you can make your reservations online at www.thunderbaygrille.com.

Thunder Bay is located at 6511 Brady St, Davenport

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30 Apr 2012

Happy Joe's Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

By Rick Martin

Happy Joe's Celebrates its 40th Anniversary 11/16/12.  We have just established The Happy Joe's Kids Foundation.  This foundation will  be dedicated to helping children with special needs and their families.  Watch for details on a huge event at the iWireless Center in Moline, IL to be held 11/20/12 where Happy Joe's will host a Special needs conference dedicated to our cause.  It will include a breakfast, vendor show, luncheon and special needs dance party!  We have many surprises in the works and are extremely excited.  We plan to make this a legacy event. 

Go to www.happyjoeskids.org to learn more.  The site is still somewhat under construction but will be updated with new details on a regular basis from now until our event.  Joe Whitty, Kristel Whitty Ersan and Larry Whitty will all be available for interviews regarding this foundation and Happy Joe's 40th Anniversary. You may contact Kristel Whitty- Ersan at 563-650-4680 with any questions you may have.

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