S SE A H IS E RC TH ZIN P PU OF GA HEL T R A M ILL PO D W UP BC SA real food spring 2008 e on oe-t on of er ow ep th spring 2008 Swing into volume 4 number 1 04 $3.95 Fresh Brunch Menu | Roast Chicken Recipes | Seafood Soups Tropical Desserts | Tortilla Dishes | Mushroom Guide Sendik’s Food Market open 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily Elm GrovE 13425 W. Watertown Plank Rd. Elm Grove, WI 53122 (262) 784-9525 Franklin 5200 W. Rawson Ave. Franklin, WI 53132 (414) 817-9525 GraFton 2195 1st Ave. Grafton, WI 53024 (262) 376-9525 mEquon 10930 N. Port Washington Rd. Mequon, WI 53092 (262) 241-9525 WauWatosa 8616 W. North Ave. Wauwatosa, WI 53226 (414) 456-9525 WhitEFish Bay 500 E. Silver Spring Dr. Whitefish Bay, WI 53217 (414) 962-9525 CominG soon! GErmantoWn N112W15800 Mequon Rd. Germantown, WI 53022 GrEEnFiEld 7901 West Layton Ave. Greenfield, WI 53220 www.sendiksmarket.com Cassandra Horten (pink) from First Stage Children’s Theater and Bridget Clementi (purple) from the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin receive the donation checks from the spring and summer 2007 issues of Real Food magazine sales. Pictured with Margaret Harris. ur mission at Sendik’s is to provide our customers with the best shopping experience—period! While freshness, quality, selection, and value all play a role in meeting this mission, at its core is a tradition of service. For many years, Sendik’s base of customers was fairly limited to the North Shore communities, and especially Whitefish Bay. We have been very pleased to be in a position to expand into additional communities, which has allowed us to reach more customers on a regular basis. Rather than customers traveling to us, we have brought our stores to their communities. In 2008, our tradition of serving customers will expand even further. For several years, we have received countless requests from customers who live in the Germantown area to open a store there.We are delighted to report that we will be opening a new store in Germantown near the corner of Mequon and Pilgrim Roads in a space previously occupied by a Jewel store.We also continue to expand in the southwestern portion of Milwaukee with a new store planned for Greenfield.This store will be centrally located at 79th and Layton Avenue with easy access from the Rock River Freeway. We look forward to continuing the tradition of service to these two wonderful communities. As we head into the spring season, and to help better serve our customers, this issue of Sendik’s Real Food magazine is filled with amazing recipes and ideas. Learn more about the huge help a rotisserie chicken can provide beyond just slice and serve. Discover ways to use the fresh flavors of spring to create a fantastic brunch menu. Plus, we all know the benefits of a varied diet that includes seafood. Learn how fish feels right at home when it’s swimming in the rich broth of soups and stews as you make “Seaworthy Soups.”This issue also contains informative articles regarding tropical fruits, the humble tortilla, and exotic mushrooms along with recipes on how to prepare them. In the fall of 2007, we presented the community with a new exhibit, a pretend Sendik’s Food Market at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. If you have not had a chance to see the exhibit, we have included O A Tradition of Serving welcome The Balistreris from left to right: Nick, Ted, Margaret (Balistreri) Harris, and Patrick. some photos of this exciting educational play area in this issue. Special thanks to our vendor supporters, Alterra Coffee, Breadsmith Breads, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Golden Guernsey Dairy, Palermo’s Pizza, Sargento Cheese, and Usinger’s Famous Sausage for helping make the exhibit possible. As we have stated in the past, we are blessed to have what we believe are the best associates anywhere. Learn more about two of them—Fred Springer, the meat manager at Sendik’s Franklin, and Al Kingsreiter, meat manager at Sendik’s Elm Grove—in this issue’s “Meet the Staff ” on page 4. Fred, Al, and their staff members have done a superb job of making the meat departments at these new locations second to none. Marc Goodman, Sendik’s director of wine and spirits, has some excellent suggestions regarding spring wines on page 11. Please don’t hesitate to ask Marc and his staff for suggestions with your beverage needs. Part of serving is giving and we are again pleased to donate $1 of every purchase of this magazine to our charitable partner, which is ABCD (After Breast Cancer Diagnosis) this issue. Founded by Melodie Oldenburg, ABCD is a local support group for those who have received a diagnosis of breast cancer. Thanks to all of our readers for helping to support ABCD. Learn more on page 12. We look forward to continuing to provide our existing and new communities with a tradition of service.We promise, as an organization, to work hard to provide our customers with the best grocery shopping experience—period.Thank you for making Sendik’s your store of choice. Sincerely, —The Balistreri Family www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM Sendik’s Food Market community education Playing with Food Sendik’s Food Market Exhibit Opens at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. T he Sendik’s Food Market, an exciting new exhibit featured at Milwaukee’s Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, debuted on October 25, 2007 and is receiving rave reviews from little shoppers throughout southeastern Wisconsin. The pretend child-sized grocery store is modeled after a real Sendik’s Food Market and is now a permanent addition to A Trading Place, the museum’s popular exhibit that helps children learn how a community works. The Sendik’s Food Market exhibit features exciting role-play and hands-on learning opportunities that engage children in make-believe play. While the activities provide endless amounts of fun as children pretend to be the customer or the employee, they are designed to help young children develop a variety of academic and social skills, including basic math, problem solving, financial literacy, early literacy, and fine and gross motor skills. Children will find information about choosing healthy foods as they shop in the produce, floral, meat and deli, dry and baked goods, dairy and frozen food sections. Parents and caregivers are assisted by helpful tips to maximize the learning experience and engage their child as they play. The exhibit has a wide variety of kidfriendly merchandise to sort, stock, and shop for, and collaboration with Wisconsin-based vendor partners adds a homegrown appeal and a sense of realism as children play with miniature-sized versions of products carried by the exhibit’s local participating sponsors: Alterra Coffee Roasters, Breadsmith, GG Golden Guernsey Dairy, Journal Sentinel Inc., Palermo’s Pizza, Sargento Foods Inc., and Usinger’s Famous Sausage. The Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is the only area museum dedicated to early learning, providing hands-on exhibits and educational programs for children age 10 years and younger. Its premier lakefront location at O’Donnell Park makes the museum unique among more than 300 children’s museums nationwide. The museum is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon – 5 p.m. Sunday, and is closed on Monday (September–May). Admission is $6 per person, $5 for seniors, and free for members and children younger than 1 year. Call (414) 390-KIDS (5437) or visit www.bbcmkids. org for more information. Kids engage in hands-on make believe shopping or even “work” at the deli counter assisting “customers.” SFM  real food spring 2008 Sendik’s Food Market community education Special Winter Activities Curious GeorgeTM: Let’s Get Curious! Exhibit sponsored locally by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation Through June 1 Discover Curious George’s favorite places, including a park, construction site, farm, and even a rocket ship as you have fun learning about math and science. Valentine Ice Cream Social presented by Sendik’s Food Market February 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free with regular paid admission. Build your own delicious sundaes and enjoy fun games and prizes at Sweet Stops sponsored by Breadsmith, GG Golden Guernsey Dairy, and Sargento Foods. Families can receive a free admission pass to this event by purchasing select vendor sponsor products at Sendik’s Food Market. Visit www.bbcmkids.org for details. Little Sweetheart Dinner Dance February 9 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dress up for a special night out with your little Valentines! Enjoy dinner, ice cream, and sweet treats galore at this annual museum fundraiser. Tickets are $45 per adult and $25 per child. Children younger than 1 year are free. Museum members receive a discount. Advance reservations are required and can be made by calling (414) 390KIDS (5437), ext. 240. Proceeds benefit the museum. Wauwatosa Savings Bank and FOX 6 Neighborhood Night Enjoy free admission on the third Thursday of each month from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM The child-sized pretend grocery store at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is modeled after a real Sendik’s Food Market. In the Exhibit Classic Delivery Truck Children can pick apples in the pretend orchard, collect them in crates, load their produce in a kid-sized Sendik’s Food Market delivery truck, and climb into the cab to deliver their produce to the market. Fresh Produce Little shoppers can sort and match different fruits and vegetables in the produce department, weigh “fresh” items on the hanging scale, and stock the faux iced shelves. If freshly squeezed orange juice is on the shopping list, then a push of a button sends the juicer whirring so that shoppers can “fill” their juice containers. Deli/Meat Counter Kids can serve the next customer at the meat counter by changing the digital “now serving” display, calling the next number, and helping them with their meat, poultry, and seafood selections. At the deli, a variety of prepared food selections can be packaged, weighed on the digital scale, and made “to go.” Specialty sandwiches can be made to order at the deli’s sandwich stacking station, and the soup of the day can be ladled from the tureen. Grocery Shelves/Freezer & Cooler Whether shopping for staples or collecting items from a prepared grocery list, children can grab a basket or cart and shop for dry and canned goods or today’s newspaper in the grocery aisles. Helpful stockers can wear an apron, and graphics featured on the shelves will aid them as they group and restock grocery items in the correct place. The smell of ground coffee will fill the air as coffee beans are poured into the pretend coffee grinder, the dial is set to the desired fineness, and the button is pushed to “grind.” The freezer and cooler, complete with sliding doors, hold some favorite household items—milk, cheese, pizza, and brats. Bakery Counter Shelves are filled with an assortment of baked goods, including loaves of bread, rolls, muffins, and cupcakes. For that special occasion, children can arrange and assemble the pieces of a special cake-shaped puzzle, flipping it over to choose “Happy Birthday” or “Congratulations.” Floral Department Children can mix and match different kinds of flowers to create their own floral bouquets and practice tying a bow to secure their creation. Checkout Lane Cashiers at the checkout have a working register with play money, a scanner that beeps, and a phone that can call the deli department or other businesses in A Trading Place. Children will learn money management skills as their purchases are totaled and they pay the cashier. Purchases are placed in a bag, and then slide down a chute to be collected, sorted, and restocked in the market. ■ Sendik’s Food Market “meat” the staff BY TOM TAYLOR MeeT Al KingsreiTer Meat DepartMent Manager, elM grove hen you visit the Sendik’s store in Elm Grove, walk past the meat counter, and see a smiling guy that reminds you of a teddy bear, that’s the meat department manager Al Kingsrieter. Al used to work for the Sendik’s in Whitefish Bay, and when Sendik’s was preparing to open a new store in Elm Grove, Al was asked to head up the meat department. Undoubtedly Al’s 20 years of experience had a lot to do with his selection, but it’s his focus on customers and quality that closed the deal.When I spoke with Al on the phone to find out what he’s all about, I was immediately struck by his easygoing manner. Al told me that he was originally recommended to Sendik’s by a vendor. He got a call W from Ted Balistreri, they met, and “that was that…I joined Sendik’s.” Al worked about three years at Whitefish Bay and learned the Sendik’s approach to the meat business. I asked what was unique about the Sendik’s approach based on his past experience. “It’s the standards they have set for quality products and taking care of customers. Another thing is the working environment they maintain.You feel like you are part of a family and not just another employee on the payroll.” Al’s philosophy on running his meat department is interesting. He said, “I work to teach the people on my team to do my job. I would be very proud if some of my guys are selected to run meat departments in future Sendik’s stores.” At one point early on, Al thought he might want to be an architect, so I asked why he stayed in the food/meat business. “It was simple. I loved my work and was having fun, so I stuck with it. It’s been great. No regrets here.” I spoke with Al about the difficulties of opening a new store. “Oh yeah! It was hard work and stressful at times but it was a lot of fun too, and there’s something neat about having a brand new department with brand new equipment.” The things Al likes best about working at Sendik’s are the freedom and flexibility he has to try new things and respond to customer suggestions and requests.“They encourage creativity and support us when we experiment to find new things our customers might like.” Al also loves the full service meat counter where you get to actually work with customers and get to know them on a person-toperson level. “It’s great and I’m having fun. I have a great team of people to work with. You really can’t ask for more.” ■ MeeT Fred springer Meat DepartMent Manager, Franklin red was only fourteen years old when he went to a small grocery store in his hometown of Marathon, Wisconsin to buy some candy. They must have seen something special in young Fred, because they offered him a job on the spot.Thirty years later Fred is the manager of the meat department at Sendik’s in Franklin.With all those years in the business you might think Fred’s energy and enthusiasm would be tapering off. No way. Just talk with Fred for a minute and it’s clear he’s having fun and loves his work. Fred actually worked to setup Franklin’s (Sendik’s newest food market to date) meat department from the ground up. He said the most challenging part of the process was selecting the products his customers wanted to see in the meat case.“Each Sendik’s caters to the special preferences of their customers. We were brand new so we spent a lot SFM  real food spring 2008 F of time making sure we selected the items that our customers would prefer.” Fred’s philosophy in running a successful meat department is straightforward. “It’s got to be clean, organized, and the products have to be the freshest and best quality available.” Undoubtedly the clean and organized part came from his first job in a meat department as a clean-up person.As for freshness, Fred stresses to his crew that “If it isn’t the freshest…we don’t want our customers to have it.” “One-on-one contact with the customers…that’s my favorite part of the job. I just love being able to make things right for the customer and getting to know them on a first name basis.” I asked Fred exactly what that meant. He said it meant helping someone find just the right cut of meat, and helping them know how to prepare it so it’s perfect when they serve it. Fred talks about his crew with obvious pride and said, “We get the work done, but we have fun too. I think the customers really feel it when we are having fun serving them. It helps make their whole shopping experience at Sendik’s pleasurable.” Having spent time working in other stores over his career Fred said, “What’s really unique about Sendik’s is that it feels like an old-time small town market. It’s the old-fashioned way of doing business, knowing your customers, and taking time to make things right for them. Even though we are growing and adding new stores, it’s kind of unique that we still have that small town market feel, and that’s just the way I like it.” If Fred weren’t a meat cutter what would he like to be? Without even having to think about it he said, “a chef…I always enjoyed cooking and learning about different foods and how they are prepared. Maybe someday I’ll head back to school to become a chef. After all, it would be a great complement to my experience with meat.” For now, though, Fred has more than enough to keep him busy—growing his department at Franklin, getting to know the shoppers, and “making it right for his customers.” ■ Sendik’s Food Market Lamb Time Flavorful lamb brings fresh options to the dinner table. meat department l amb is a popular meat selection in the healthy Mediterranean diet. If you haven’t had it lately, spring is the perfect time to give it another shake. It’s a good source of iron and an excellent source of zinc, not to mention protein and various vitamins. When choosing lamb, look for cuts with firm, creamy white fat. The flesh will range from pale pink to light or dark red—baby lamb will be pale pink and regular lamb will be pinkish-red. Generally, the darker the color, the older the lamb and the stronger the flavor. There are many different lamb cuts, suitable for a casual meal or special occasion. Here are some of them: Breast: This is one of the most economical cuts and is quite versatile. It can be roasted on the bone, boned, stuffed and rolled, or used for burgers or kebabs when well trimmed. Strips are ideal for barbecues. Flank: A tougher cut from the loin area, this is usually sold as ground lamb. Foreshank: Also known as lamb shanks, this flavorful cut is good for slow roasting, stewing, and braising. Shanks are most often cooked in liquid until the meat starts separating from the bone. Leg: This prime cut with little fat is one of the more expensive cuts and is probably the most versatile. It’s excellent for roasting and is often cut into lamb steaks that can be fried, grilled, or cubed for lean kebabs. If the bone is removed it can be treated like beef and cut into lean steaks. Leg steaks with the bone still in are called middle leg. A whole leg can serve six or more. Loin: The tenderest part of the lamb, this is where loin chops, medallions, noisettes, and roasting cuts come from. Somewhat leaner than rib cuts, care must be taken to not overcook loin cuts so they don’t dry out. Delicious roasted, the smaller cuts are also excellent for frying and grilling. Neck: One of the tougher cuts, this is generally sold for stewing or made into ground meat. Pieces are suitable for long, slow, moist cooking. Rack: A “rack of lamb” is a tender and flavorful cut, and is often more expensive than other cuts. It’s suitable for dry-heat cooking, such as roasting or grilling. This cut has a layer of fat that can be trimmed down but is best left on when roasting since it melts and bastes the meat during cooking. Racks often receive showy treatment and can be “Frenched,” which means the upper ends of the bones are scraped clean of meat and fat, exposing the bones. This method can be used to create a “crown,” with two racks tied together to form a circle and the middle filled with stuffing. One rack of lamb can usually serve about three people. Scrag: The scrag end or neck end is one of the tougher and cheaper cuts. It’s usually more fatty than others and sold chopped or diced for use in stews and casseroles. Shoulder: This is often sold as two separate joints, the blade and knuckle. The whole shoulder is sometimes called “square cut” which consists of the arm, blade, and rib bones.Tougher and more flavorful than the loin or hind leg, shoulder is suitable for roasting and is available boned and rolled. Shoulder meat is also sold trimmed of fat and cut into cubes for casseroles, curries, and kebabs. Shoulder chops can be pan-fried, grilled, or braised. However you prepare your favorite cut, a meat thermometer is the best guide for checking doneness. The USDA recommends cooking lamb patties and ground lamb, such as meatloaf, to 160°F. Steaks and roasts may be cooked to 145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium, or 170°F for well done. ■ Another cut of natural lamb that Sendik’s features is a boneless leg roast. This is a whole muscle seamed from the leg that weighs an average of two pounds. This is perfect for lamb lovers with smaller groups. They are easy to prepare and combine well with your favorite fresh herbs and seasonings or marinades. All of the lamb Sendik’s features is processed locally from Strauss Lamb and Veal in Franklin, Wisconsin. www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM Sendik’s Food Market general merchandise Seeing the light with fluorescent bulbs can save money and the environment. Li∫¬t SeeinΩ the BY PAuL DOTY name a few.The real way to measure the color temperature of a CFL is in units of Kelvin (K). For instance, the light that many of us are used to from our incandescent light bulbs is a “warm and soft white” light that has 3,000 K or less.The CFLs that we sell in our stores are all bulbs that emit a similar light to this except for our “daylight” models. only 22% as much energy as the equivalent incandescent bulb. In addition, a standard incandescent bulb will last between 750 and 1,000 hours (under normal circumstances) and a CFL will last between 6,000 and 10,000 hours—or 10 times longer! Many variables come into play when determining the life expectancy of a CFL. These bulbs are designed to run for longer periods of time (such as 3 hours or more) but little loss in life should be noticed if used for at least 15 minutes at a time. Simply put, the longer you leave a CFL on and the less frequently you turn it on and off, the longer it will last. If you do the math you can imagine how much you can save over time, both on your electric bill and on the cost of replacing bulbs. W ith environmental and energy concerns growing at an exponential rate, we all want to do whatever we can to help save the environment and conserve energy. Unfortunately, going out and spending $24,000 on a new hybrid automobile may not be practical for all of us. Fortunately, there is something simple that we can do that will save us money in the long run and most importantly, help out the environment! Just change some light bulbs. Making the switch from your old incandescent light bulbs to new compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will not only save you a ton of money in the long run, but it will really help out the environment in more ways than one. Savings While you are shopping in our general merchandise aisles and come across the CFLs, you may be surprised by their price tag. The CFLs Sendik’s sells are made by Sylvania and range in price from $2.49 for a 13 watt (60 watt equivalent) to $11.99 for our 3-way bulbs. When you compare these costs to those for traditional bulbs, you would be paying $2 less for an incandescent 60-watt bulb and $10.50 less for a 3-way bulb. While you think about the fact that the incandescent bulbs cost 80 to 90 percent less than CFLs, also keep in mind that the CFLs use roughly Misconception The compact fluorescent bulb had a rough introduction into the consumer industry. Years ago, all CFLs were large, ugly bulbs that were not only really expensive but also took forever to start up and even longer to warm up.The least attractive part about these bulbs was the hard blue or white light that they emitted.Today however, CFLs start and warm up quickly and are available in all types of color temperatures such as “daylight,”“cool white,”“white,” or “warm and soft white” to SFM  real food spring 2008 Sendik’s Food Market general merchandise The Environment CFL light bulbs have received criticism due to their mercury content. Many people have heard about the case of a resident of Ellsworth, Maine who was charged over $2,000 by a cleaning service to clean up one broken CFL. The truth is that a CFL contains one hundred times less mercury than an average dental amalgam filling or mercury thermometer. Several retail outlets such as Ace Hardware allow you to simply drop off your old CFLs to be recycled.This process recovers over 95 percent of the mercury inside the bulb.The real issues with mercury lie in the hundreds of United States coal power plants that are the largest manmade contributor of mercury into the environment. According to the Earth Policy Institute in Washington, DC, a nationwide switch to CFLs would permit the closing of 80 of the nation’s coal power plants.The Energy Star program states that if each home in America replaced one incandescent bulb with a CFL, the energy savings would be equivalent to that needed to light three million homes and the greenhouse gases prevented would be the same as those emitted from 800,000 automobiles. For more information about CFLs visit www.energystar.gov. Applications 3 CFLs now come in all the shapes and sizes that you are used to with incandescent bulbs in order to fit all the different types of fixtures in your home. Dimmable CFLs are also becoming more and more popular. The average CFL is designed to work most efficiently in temperatures above 0 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason, you may want to look for CFLs designed for colder climates for all your outdoor lighting needs because a standard CFL may not start up and will have a much shorter lifespan in colder weather. This last Christmas, my brothers and I took an inventory of all the light bulbs in our grandparents’ home and, as a present, replaced all of their incandescent bulbs with an equivalent CFL.We did this inconspicuously to see if our grandparents would notice any difference. They could not tell at first but they did about three weeks later when the electric bill came. CFLs can be the gift that keeps on giving. ■ www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM Sendik’s Food Market produce row Versatile Vegetables Onions are an essential vegetable to add flavor to most any dish. W ith a knack for adding flavor to an array of foods, onions pop up in recipes almost as often as salt and pepper. These versatile vegetables can be grilled, sautéed, pickled, boiled, baked, fried, and more—dishes just wouldn’t be the same without them. While you may think an onion is an onion, there are subtle differences between the different categories—the basic groupings are the familiar dry storage onions, fresh spring/summer sweet varieties, and green onions—and even within them. Fresh onions are available in yellow, red, and white throughout their season, usually March through August. Often referred to as sweet onions, these are typically sweeter and milder than storage onions because of their higher water content.Their delicate taste works well for salads and lightly cooked dishes as well as dips and salsas. Sliced, they’re a great complement to burgers and sandwiches. Sweet onions are usually larger than storage onions and more susceptible to bruising. There are several different varieties, which are often named for the region in which they’re grown:Vidalia, Walla Walla, Sweet Imperial, Texas Spring Sweet, Oso Sweet, Arizona, and Maui. Storage onions have multiple layers of thick, papery skin. These mature onions, which are available year-round, have intense flavor and are the best choice for dishes that require longer cooking times and more flavor. The versatile yellow onion is the “go to” variety when a recipe just calls for “onion.” It has a higher sulfuric compound (the stuff that makes your eyes tear) so are more strongly flavored than the other colors. Usually too pungent to eat raw, yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and become milder and sweeter. The red onion has a sweeter flavor and is a good choice to use fresh or in grilling and charbroiling.White onions are the traditional onion used in classic Mexican cuisine since they have a cleaner, tangier flavor than yellow SFM  real food spring 2008 onions. They turn a golden color and have a sweet flavor when sautéed. High heat makes onions bitter, so when sautéing them, make sure to always use low or medium heat. To reduce tearing when cutting onions, first chill them for 30 minutes. Cut off the top and peel the outer layers, leaving the root end intact.The root end has the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds that make your eyes tear. When purchasing storage onions, look for dry outer skins free of spots or blemishes. They should be heavy for their size and there shouldn’t be a noticeable scent. Store them in a cool, dry, ventilated place—not in the refrigerator.And don’t store whole onions in plastic bags; lack of air movement reduces storage life. Fresh onions are more delicate than storage onions—store them in a well ventilated cool, dry place or the refrigerator. Chopped or sliced onions can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Green onions have a small white bulb and green stalks that are long and straight; both parts are edible. They’re usually eaten raw, but can also be grilled or sautéed. Though green onions are often referred to as scallions, true scallions generally have a straight rather than bulbous base and a milder flavor than green onions. They’re available yearround but are at their peak in spring and summer. Leeks look like large green onions, but have a more complex flavor. Chives are an herb related to the onion and leek. The slender greens are hollow and have a mild onion flavor. Snip them with a scissors to add pieces to spreads, toss in salads, or add to cooked dishes towards the end of the cooking process to retain flavor. With only 30 calories per 1/2 cup serving, fresh and storage onions are sodium-, fat-, and cholesterol-free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients. They also contain an antioxidant which studies show may protect against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, as well as a variety of other compounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Since the average American eats 21 pounds of fresh and storage type onions per year, according to the National Onion Association, we’re not only getting a flavorful addition to our diet but a health boost to boot. ■ MAKES 1²⁄3 CuPS 2 1 1 1 cups finely chopped onions tablespoon olive or vegetable oil teaspoon paprika cup regular or light sour cream salt and pepper, to taste Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion; cook over medium heat stirring often, 3 minutes, or until barely tender. Stir in paprika. Combine onion mixture and sour cream in medium bowl. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve in onion bowl: Cut off top third of large red onion. Trim small edge off root end to make flat support. Peel onion. Scoop out inner layers, leaving outer two layers intact. Spoon dip into hollow onion. RECIPE AND PHOTO COuRTESY OF THE NATIONAL ONION ASSOCIATION Creamy Onion Dip Sendik’s Food Market Fun Facts Where in the world have you seen a Sendik’s shopping bag? While the intended use of our Sendik’s shopping bags is to carry groceries, we’ve heard there are many other great uses—from toting items to the office or school or even around the world! Here are some globetrotting customers who have put their Sendik’s bags to good use on their travels. Nancy M in SalzbecKinley-Ehlinger with Charrg, Austria yl Granatell a. Nancy McKinley-Ehlinger at the Prague Airport, Czech Republic Willette Knopp in Rwanda Ed Ribbo National nPs at Khorgo Terkh ark in Mon golia. Where in the world have you seen a Sendik’s shopping bag? The next time you’re in a faraway place and spot a fellow Sendik’s shopper—or you’re traveling yourself—snap a picture and send it to us at sendiksmarket.com and click on “Where in the World.” And remember, bring your bags back to Sendik’s and get 5¢ off your receipt for every one you reuse to carry groceries. www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM er in custom rica dik’s n, South Af Sen tow Cape Sendik’s Food Market seasonal celebrations Corned Beef and Cabbage SERvES 4 TO 6 GoinG green Everyone is a wee bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. This easy-to-prepare classic meal kicks off the party. 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet 10 small red potatoes 5 carrots, peeled and julienned 1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges Place corned beef in large pot and cover with water. Add spice packet. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender. Add whole potatoes and julienned carrots, and cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook 15 minutes more. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Slice meat across the grain and place on platter with the vegetables. Serve with mustard or horseradish if desired. s t. Patrick’s Day has come to be associated with everything Irish and anything green. In Ireland, most businesses (with the exception of restaurants and pubs) are closed in honor of St. Patrick on March 17.While it’s not a national holiday here, even folks who aren’t Irish often find it’s fun to celebrate the day. As with any party, food is central to the celebration.You can host a St. Patrick’s Day dinner or party with just a couple classic dishes. Irish soda bread is a traditional staple and is easy to make. More than a century and a half ago, out of necessity, it was common to make bread using baking soda rather than yeast in areas of rural Ireland. This means it can be made rather quickly, to be served warm either before or with the meal. You can also add raisins or nuts to make it more of a dessert bread. There are many versions—some are sweetened with sugar, and some cooks may add caraway seeds or cardamom. But one ingredient all recipe versions have in common is buttermilk.The baking soda has to be combined with something acidic in order to do its work, and buttermilk does the trick. Cor ned beef and cabbage is a classic core of a St. Paddy’s meal. Just keep in mind that for tender, flavorful corned beef, you will need many hours for it SFM 0 real food spring 2008 to cook. Corned beef is beef brisket that is cured in a salt brine. (The meat stays pinkish red even after cooking due to this curing process.) It’s often boiled with seasonings such as peppercorns and bay leaves—many corned beef briskets come with a seasoning packet. Carrots and potatoes often accompany this meal, and a mustard sauce is a traditional condiment for corned beef. Before these classics, you can start your meal with an appetizer of Irish cheese accompanied by nice crusty bread. Dubliner cheese is a good option. A sweet, mature cheese, it has a distinctive tang that combines the sharpness of mature cheddar, nuttiness of Swiss cheese, and a bite of Parmesan. There are also aged Irish cheddars that would be a delicious choice. Sweet treats to top off the meal can consist of any number of green frosted items such as cookies, cupcakes, or even green pie. ■ Irish Soda Bread with Raisins MAKES ONE LOAF 2 2 1 1 ½ 3 ½ 1 1 cups unsifted all-purpose flour tablespoons sugar teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt tablespoons butter, softened cup dark seedless raisins cup buttermilk tablespoon butter, melted Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease the surface of a small baking sheet with solid vegetable shortening. Set aside until bread is shaped. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Add softened butter and cut into flour mixture, using a pastry blender or fork until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add raisins and toss thoroughly. Pour buttermilk into flour mixture. Gently toss mixture together with a fork until all dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not overmix. Gather flour mixture together by hand and press firmly into a ball. Place dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead gently with the palms of your hands until dough is smooth (about 1 minute). Shape into a smooth round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten dough with your hands into a circle that is about seven inches in diameter. (Dough will be about 1½-inches thick.) Slice an “X” about half-inch deep into top of dough with a large floured knife. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and sides with a wooden spoon. Remove and place on wire rack to cool. Brush top with melted butter and later, dust with flour. Sendik’s Food Market wine Great Grape reViVal A fter years of sitting quietly while taking a backseat to the ever-popular Chardonnay, Riesling has been kicking the headrest and making a little noise lately. Germany’s native grape, Riesling is one of the best and most versatile white wine grapes. Able to make impeccable dry wines or delicious sweet dessert wines, Riesling has a spicy, fruity flavor sometimes described as having hints of peach or apricot. And if you’re looking for a wine with staying power, many Rieslings have the ability to age in the cellar for decades. This hardy frost-resistant grape grows well in cooler climates. Wines from its homeland can range from dry Kabinetts to super-sweet late harvest styles such as Spätlese and Auslese. Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Rheingau are among the areas that make wines of note and are often used as benchmarks for Rieslings from the New World. Excellent Rieslings are also made in France’s Alsace region, which produces wines that tend to be drier than their German counterparts. Northern Italy’s Alto Adige region also produces Rieslings of note. Washington state, Oregon, and NewYork, especially its Finger Lakes region, have had good luck with Riesling. Finger Lakes Rieslings may be considered some of the best produced in this country and can have hints of lime, minerals, and tropical fruit flavors. They may be light and easy drinking or complex and age-worthy wines that range from dry or off-dry to sweet late-harvest or ice wines. Washington state is a good home for this grape, and its offerings have a characteristic hint of tangerine aromas and flavors of apple, lemon, or dried apricots and a crisp acidity. California Rieslings today are more delicate and lighter than in years past and are medium-sweet wines often made in the German style. Australian Riesling tends to be drier than the German Riesling yet still has the characteristic complexity and zest. The long, cool autumns in such areas as Eden and Clare Valleys help produce some of the best offerings from Down Under, which have also been known to develop with age into complex wines. Melbourne and Margaret River are also producing some good options. The Aussies were the first to seal with screw cap closures on a large scale and started with Riesling, so expect to open many of these wines with a twist. Riesling pairs extremely well with a variety of food, including Chinese and other spicy Asian cuisines, since its slight sweetness strikes a nice balance. For the appetizer course, Riesling works well with a range of cold meats, fresh salads, neutral hard cheeses, and smoked fish. A rich pâté or soft cheese can pair beautifully with an older, sweeter style such as Spätlese (which means the grapes were picked at least seven days after regular harvest in order for them to ripen longer, therefore developing more sugar). For the main course, Riesling is a perfect match for pork, poultry, and veal, as well as sautéed, broiled, or grilled seafood. It also pairs nicely with homeland favorites such as sauerkraut or Alsatian smoked ham.To top off a meal, lateharvest Riesling or ice wine can be a dessert itself, but the sweeter styles also complement treats that aren’t overly sweet, especially those made with apples, peaches, plums, pears, or apricots.A wine this food-friendly and versatile shouldn’t need to ask,“Are we there yet?” If you’re willing to take it for a spin, you’ll find it has arrived. ■ Riesling to Try Gustav adolf schmitt niersteiner rehbach spätlese 2005 Rheinhesses, Germany Just what you’d expect from a German Spätlese—full-bodied, honeyed melon flavors with an extra dose of zesty acidity keeping its focus and creating a wonderful balance with its sweet fruit, achieving a great balance rarely seen at this price point. $9.99 domaine Wachau Federspiel “terrassen” riesling 2006 Austria Dry and fragrant with rich tropical citrus and beeswax flavors, this is a wonderful food wine. Pair with light salads, fish, poultry, and your favorite spicy Asian dishes. $15.99 Jacob’s Creek riesling Australia A staff favorite for a steal, this Aussie dry style Riesling is made for easy drinking and priced for the everyday affair. Easy on its own or great with lighter foods. $6.99 Prices are for 750 ml and may be subject to change. www.sendiksmarket.com real food  SFM Sendik’s Food Market community support ABCD: Help, Hope & Support for Breast Cancer Patients A BCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis is proud to again partner with Sendik’s Food Market to let those affected by breast cancer know that help, hope, and support are available through ABCD. This grass-roots nonprofit organization was founded in 1999 by a group of Milwaukee area breast cancer survivors, led by former television journalist Melodie Wilson. They saw a need among breast cancer patients and their friends and family for free, personalized information and one-toone support, and set about filling that need. Since last being featured in this magazine more than two years ago, ABCD has broadened its reach both north and south, training mentors in Racine, Kenosha, and Green Bay. ABCD also has provided special culturally focused training in the African-American community, and soon will train mentors in the Native American community as well. ABCD has more than 200 mentors who have provided support for nearly 3,000 breast cancer patients and their friends and family members. On this page, you’ll find examples of some of the mentors and participants who have been connected through ABCD. ABCD is funded by contributions, grants, and workplace giving through Community Health Charities. It is not affiliated with any health care provider or institution but works with all to provide its unique services to people affected by breast cancer. If you or someone you know has been touched by breast cancer please call ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis at (414) 918-9222.You’re welcome to check out ABCD’s website at www.ABCDmentor.org. ■ Gertie Payne (left) found that her ABCD mentor, Camellia Givens, gave her hope that she could survive breast cancer. When Dixie Yeck (left) was diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband, Mike, was in Iraq. Dixie calls ABCD mentor Teri Frailing her lifeline during that tough period. the power of one-to-one Diagnosed with breast cancer when she was only 37, Angela Edwards (left) found great reassurance in her ABCD mentor, Nancy Schiro. SFM  real food spring 2008