January 2010

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Join Chukar for a Romantic Evening of Chocolate Pairings at Pike’s ChocoFest!

January 29, 2010 in Uncategorized by jamen

Pike Place Brewing’s 2nd Annual Pike Chocofest, 2/11/10

Join Chukar, Pike Place Brewing and dozens of local chocolatiers, wineries, breweries and distilleries for a romantic evening of chocolate pairing at The 2nd Annual Pike ChocoFest! We’ll be sampling our delicious chocolate cherries, paired with local wines and Pike Brewing’s Extra Dry Stout beer.

Thursday, February 11, 2010
6:00 to 9:00 pm
The Pike Pub’s Microbrewery Museum Room
$25.00 per person
R.S.V.P. to Michael St. Clair

 mstclair@pikebrewing.com

206 812 6613

 

Bring your Valentine (and friends!) and get a taste of delicious Washington chocolates and spirits. See you there!

 from Pike Brewery’s website:

 Pike’s Chocofest, billed as “foreplay before the big day” is a romantic and educational way to discover the wide variety of chocolate treats from here and around the world. Stations set up throughout the Micro Brewery Museum and Naughty Nelly Room feature different chocolate treats, each presented by an expert (usually the chocolate makers themselves). Adjacent to each chocolate table is a drink table staffed with experts to sample and explain their beverages.

Say “Be Mine” with a Cherry Quartet Heart Box!

January 25, 2010 in Northwest Gifts, Valentine's Day by jamen

Chocolates in a heart-shaped box are a Valentine’s Day classic.  But a truly romantic gift should be filled with the best. The Best of Nature, Best of Chocolate, that is. So for lovers of chocolate-cherry-lovers, our Cherry Quartet Heart Box is the perfect way to say “Be Mine.”

 

Try pairing our sweet Classic and Bing Milk Chocolate cherries with a light voignier dessert wine and the decadent Cabernet and Amaretto Rainier Dark Chocolate cherries with a rich port. Order online and receive flat rate $5.95 standard shipping to anywhere in the continental United States!

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How to fall in love with winter veggies

January 22, 2010 in 21 Days to Health, Cherry Facts, Northwest Recipes, Tips for Health by jamen

 The very best way to make your diet healthier is to eat more fruits and veggies, and winter is a perfect time to start. Winter vegetables like brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips and beets may have a bad rap, but they’re actually quite delicious. Better still, they’re all known to be packed with vitamins and minerals and low in calories and fat.  

Winter Veggies

The key to enjoying winter veggies, especially if you turn your nose up to turnips or think you hate brussel sprouts, is to find recipes that combine them with flavors that you love. Try, for example, the salads below that mix crunchy cabbage with tangy Chukar Dried Cherries and savory Italian dressing or roasted beets with the sweet and sour flavors of honey, lemon and dried Tart Cherries.

To find the freshest veggies, take your family to the local farmer’s market. It’s a great way to get out into the fresh air and support local agriculture, plus most farmers will readily supply you with tips for selecting and preparing their fruits and veggies. Just make sure to bring your recyclable bags!

Cabbage Cherry Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups shredded red and green cabbage
  • 1/2 cup Chukar® Dried Cherries, any variety
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning herb mixture
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • Dash black pepper

    • Directions:

    Combine cabbage, dried cherries and green onions in large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, then toss with cabbage. Cover and chill several hours. Yields 6 servings.

    Beet Carrot Cherry Salad

    Ingredients:

  • 3 medium-size beets (canned or roasted and cooled)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Chukar® Dried Cherries, any variety
  • 2 teaspoons minced cilantro

    • Directions:
    With a small sharp knife, peel beets. Cut into quarters and grate with the grating disk of a food processor. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad. Cut the carrot into chunks and grate with the grating disk of the food processor. Put the lemon juice, honey and salt into small jar, cover and shake to blend. Add the olive oil and shake again until emulsified. Combine the beets, carrots, dressing, dried cherries and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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    Impress your sweetie this Valentine’s with Chukar’s Decadent Chocolate Cherry Torte

    January 21, 2010 in Northwest Recipes, Valentine's Day by jamen

    Nothing ends a romantic meal quite like a slice of decadent chocolate torte. We use espresso (or strong black coffee) to make this torte even richer and fold in naturally-dried Tart Cherries for a bit of tanginess. Top with Red Sour Cherry Preserve or, for the die-hard chocoholic, our Dark Chocolate Cherry Dessert Sauce and finish with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a glass of Port wine.

    Chocolate Cherry Torte

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup cocoa
    • 6 tablespoons butter
    • 1 cup espresso or strong coffee, brewed
    • 8 ounces Chukar® Tart Dried Cherries
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Directions:

    Cover dried cherries with hot water in bowl and let stand 10 minutes or until softened. Drain well. Melt butter in espresso, add cocoa and stir until smooth. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Transfer cocoa mix to large bowl. Add flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix gently, but well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Fold in dried cherries. Pour into two 2 x 9 inch greased and floured pans. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream and crown with Red Sour Cherry Preserve & Topping or  Dark Chocolate Cherry Dessert Sauce.

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    Why have a hamburger when you can have THIS??

    January 20, 2010 in 21 Days to Health, Northwest Recipes, Tips for Health by jamen

    We love Cooking Light magazine, especially when it offers us healthy and scrumptious recipes like this Dried Cherry-Toasted Almond Turkey Salad Sandwich:

    It’s perfect for dieters who miss the creaminess of mayo-based chicken or tuna salads and can be enjoyed on a bed of lettuce with shredded carrots as a hearty entrée salad. We use a half cup of chopped Cherry Medley instead of ¼ of dried cherries and a ¼ cup of golden raisins- the tanginess of the tarts and honey notes of the Rainiers are a nice touch.

     Dried Cherry-Toasted Almond Turkey Salad

    If you don’t have leftover turkey to use in this recipe, go to the deli section of your local grocery store and ask for a thick, eight-ounce cut of roasted turkey breast meat. For a quick meal, serve with baked chips.

    Ingredients:
    1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce)
    1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
    3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
    1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
    1/4 cup chopped red onion
    1/4 cup dried cherries
    1/4 cup golden raisins
    8 ounces roasted turkey (or cooked chicken) breast, chopped
    4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, cut in half

    Directions:

    Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; cook 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside. Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, ginger, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add almonds, celery, and next 4 ingredients (through turkey), stirring well to combine. Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture into each pita half.

    Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

    CALORIES 398 (20% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.4g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 93mg; CARBOHYDRATE 56.1g; SODIUM 501mg; PROTEIN 25.9g; FIBER 6.9g

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