Dianne
Coborn’s Natural
Foods Clerk

May is Celiac Awareness Month. Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats. According to CeliacCentral.org, an estimated 1 in 141 Americans has celiac disease, yet 83% of those who have it are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Luckily, there has been a great increase in awareness over recent years. Because of this awareness, more people are getting diagnosed and there has been a proliferation of gluten-free products available.

One of the most important things to remember is to talk to your doctor first if you think you may have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. There are tests conducted, such as a blood test and an endoscopy, to determine celiac disease. If you have been eating gluten-free for a while before taking the tests, the antibodies and damage to the small intestine that would normally show up on a normal gluten-filled diet if you have celiac disease, would not be present. The presence of the antibodies and damage is what determines celiac disease. The tests for celiac disease can come out negative even though you may have it. So see your doctor first!

Tests have shown that I do not have celiac disease, but through an elimination diet, I figured out that I do have intolerance to gluten/wheat, among other foods. A little over a year ago, I started my wheat and gluten-free diet and have never looked back. It’s been a major life change. It’s changed the way I shop, cook and dine out. It’s difficult, but worth it for the way I feel. The couple times I cheated and ate wheat, I regretted it. Wheat tends to depress my immune system and depress me. Since giving up wheat, I have enjoyed weight loss, better dental health (I know, weird, right?), easier digestion, and improved immunity. But like I said, consult with your doctor first!

Luckily, the Natural Foods Department at Coborn’s has many gluten-free products to choose from. I’ve come up with many gluten-free recipes, and this is one of the more decadent ones. It uses my favorite gluten-free flour: almond flour (Bob’s Red Mill makes a wonderful almond flour). Everyone deserves a brownie once in while, so enjoy!

Coborn’s Food
Safety Coordinator
Kim K.

Wow!  Is it finally here?? I can’t believe it! Finally time to start thinking about picnics!  I thought the snow would never leave!  Food Safety’s Recipe for Success can be applied to preparing picnics as well.  Why don’t we take a look the main steps in our “Recipe for Success” when planning a picnic.

• CLEAN – Keeping hands and surfaces clean – running water is always best, but WetOnes typically can do the trick for wiping down picnic tables and washing hands if there aren’t any handwashing facilities available. If bringing raw meat to grill, some extra steps will want to be considered.  Bringing liquid soap and a cooler filled with warm water is a good option.  Hands can then be scrubbed with soap and water.  Another option is to bring plastic gloves.
• SEPARATE – While we’re talking about raw meat, I should take this time to discuss the importance of separation.  Bring the raw meat in its own cooler, so it doesn’t cross contaminate ready to eat picnic food.  An additional measure to be taken with raw meat is to keep various types of meat separated as well.  This is due to the different cooking temperatures.
• CHILL – Remember, even raw meat needs to be kept below 41F prior to grilling.  Also, all salads, cut fruit, and vegetables need to be kept chilled below 41F (and in their own cooler).  One of the items to pay extra close attention to is the temperature outside.  As the temperature outside rises, it is important to keep in mind the temperature of the items in your picnic basket or outdoor buffet.  Items should not sit out for more than one hour when temperatures soar above 90F.
• COOK – Grill meat to the appropriate internal temperatures (listed below).  So, yes….even on a picnic, you should bring your thermometer with you.  It is truly the only way to tell if the correct temperature has been achieved.

Mix Greens & Raspberries

This is an awesome salad especially for those summer backyard parties or picnics at the lake. I have made this recipe and mixed it up a little by doing blueberries instead of the raspberries and fresh mango instead of the pineapple. I have also made this recipe and used it as a main entree by just adding grilled chicken breast over the top.  Enjoy….I did!!
- Jayne, Coborn’s Meat & Seafood Merchandiser

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc

I love sipping Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc on the deck and watching the world go by.  However, pairing this wine and salad (hold the banana’s please) was even better.  The refreshing and crisp lime and citrus qualities in the wine are simply a fantastic compliment to the fruit and greens in this salad.  There is also enough body to the wine where it would even stand up to this dish if you toss in the grilled chicken.
- Mike, Coborn’s Liquor Division Assistant Manager

I served the shrimp as an appetizer and it was a hit at my party, but I have also done this recipe as an main entree.  I have cooked orzo and rice and it makes a great side dish with the shrimp. Don’t forget to add some fresh chopped herbs like thyme or parsley for added flavor.
- Jayne, Coborn’s Meat & Seafood Merchandiser

Andrew
Coborn’s Senior Web Designer & Edgy Veggie

I get a lot of my kitchen inspiration from restaurants. A well developed menu tells a complex tale when you look between the lines. There are questions that can only be answered through experience, and the secret password to get there is always “I’ll try the…”

The most recent restaurant in my neck of the woods to really inspire me is Nick’s Third Floor, located downtown St. Cloud, MN. They have this apple and bleu cheese flatbread that is just insane, it caught me totally off-guard in a good way. Nick’s is a relatively new, innovative restaurant in a unique building slightly older than the oldest person living on Earth today. Most importantly, they follow one of the same principles I follow in my kitchen: Buy Local, Whenever Possible.

This can be a real challenge, especially when it comes to produce in the upper midwest. We’re very lucky to have a wide variety of local, seasonal fruits and vegetables in the summer and early fall, but the winter and early spring are slim pickins. In the following recipe, I used local goat cheese and pizza crust as a foundation. The rest of the ingredients are from the US, but not local.

This recipe makes two pizzas, because if you only make one, you’ll be wishing there was another waiting for you after the first one gets devoured. I suggest making this recipe at home alone the first time, so you don’t have to share. This is pizza, but it doesn’t follow the old template of red sauce and cheese. Consider this an appetizer, masquerading as a desert, that desperately wants to be the main dish. And it’s easy!

Great meals start with great ingredients.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Be careful not to preheat your oven to 450° Celsius (842° Fahrenheit), as your oven would turn into lava and melt through the floor. 

Step 2: Toast Pecans – around 5 minutes. I suggest doing this any time you’re about to have company over. Your home will smell like an Elvish bakery on Christmas.

Every pizza is like a beautiful snowflake.

Step 3: Arrange your pear slices to evenly cover the crust. Extra credit: Analyze the pear slice pattern you’ve created to determine whether you’re an Abstract or Concrete thinker.

Step 4: Crumble Chèvre to cover the crust. If your analysis from Step 3 lead you to the conclusion that you are, in fact, a Concrete thinker, this step may cause you some strife. It’s sticky. Don’t panic. 

Step 5: Add toasted pecans. You will probably sneak a few, make sure to find a plausible scapegoat. I, for one, blamed my cat. 

Step 6: Add red onion slices. Don’t overdo it, just add enough so 2-3 onions are on each slice.

Step 7: Place pizza in oven. Bake 8-10 minutes. Try not to peek. I dare ya. Remove from the oven when golden brown and all delicious looking.

Step 7: Place pizza in oven. Bake 8-10 minutes. Try not to peek. I dare ya. Remove from the oven when golden brown and all delicious looking.

Step 8: Drizzle. Lightly drizzle honey over the hot pizza. Give it a minute to settle and warm, then slice.

Just drizzle, set and slice. Ain’t that nice?

Step 9: Eat. Don’t forget to tell us in the comments if you tried this recipe! 

Friends, Family & Food
with Coborn’s Meat &
Seafood Merchandiser,
Jayne R.

Cucumbers have to be one of my all-time favorite vegetables. A few years ago when I was grocery shopping I discovered a little hidden secret.  I noticed on the shelf a cucumber that was skinny in appearance and was individually wrapped with saran wrap. I checked into it and they are called “English Cucumbers”. I decided to purchase one and try them out. I can tell you ever since that day I have never looked back. They are fantastic and very close to the taste of cucumbers right out of my garden. The best part is the tiny seeds and thin skins that don’t require peeling so they work great for appetizers or a fresh vegetable tray.

I have a wedding shower to attend in the next couple of weeks and volunteered to bring this appetizer. This recipe is a summer staple in our house. It is so refreshing with its light lemon flavor.

This recipe is so easy and a great item to bring to those backyard barbecue parties. Fresh Basil is also one of my favorite herbs so during the summer I also grow this in my garden and use this in my appetizer. Hope you enjoy….I did!

This is a great summer recipe and I make it several times a week during the summer. Large cucumbers have several seeds in them, so you may want to remove them before adding the cucumbers to the salad. Just slice the cucumber lengthwise in half, and use a spoon to gently scoop out the seeds.
- Jayne, Coborn’s Meat & Seafood Merchandiser

Texas T-Bones

My husband does all the grilling and he did a fantastic job on grilling this to perfection.  Never use a fork to pierce the steak because all the juices will get lost, use a tong instead.  My favorite are mashed potatoes and you just can’t have a Texas steak without a side of potatoes so I made extra sauce to pour over the steak and potatoes. Yummy!
-Jayne, Coborn’s Meat & Seafood Merchandiser

Wine Pairing – Cline Ancient Vines Mourvedre

Mourvedre is certainly a grape variety that does not get much attention and after trying this one its really a shame more attention isn’t paid to this grape.  It has very concentrated flavors of plum and cherry with clear chocolate notes and a pleasant hint of eucalyptus.  This wine is a real winner with grilled meats and was a perfect match for these Texas T-Bones!
- Mike, Coborn’s Assistant Liquor Division Manager

Beneath the Cork with Mike H.
Assistant Liquor
Division Manager

For me, a big allure of the wine industry has always been the stories behind each winery.   Today my fascination is with Fred Cline and Cline Cellars. As a child Fred would visit his grandfather Valeriano Jacuzzi in Contra Costa County, California. And yes this is the same Jacuzzi family from invention and marketing of spa’s and pumps. Although I’m sure Fred enjoyed the use of Jacuzzi Spa from time to time his real interest in visiting his grandparents were the acres and acres of vines on the property. With age Fred grew to love agriculture and how it played into winemaking. After studying at famed wine school UC Davis and with the support of his grandparents, Fred opened Cline Cellars in nearby Oakley, California in 1982.

Of course, a good story will only get me to open a bottle of wine once. Only with quality IN the bottle will I or anyone else come back again. With Cline Cellars great tasting wine most definitely resides in their bottles. Two wines that deserve a specific highlight are their Cashmere Red Blend and their Ancient Vines Zinfandel. The Cashmere is a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah. The best way to describe is to call it silky. Tasting it will demonstrate that term. The success of their Cashmere has allowed the Cline Family to contribute over $200,000 annually to Living Beyond Breast Cancer.  Their Ancient Vines Zinfandel is generously supplied by the family’s 80-100 year old vines in Oakley. It is highlighted by dark berry fruit and coffee but I like to point to this wine as an example of what vanilla character can do for a wine. Try this Zin with grilled meats or light tomato sauces.