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| Food for Thought History of the Tomato |
 First Bite...
For many centuries in both Europe and the United States, tomatoes were considered a forbidden fruit. It was theorized (with no factual evidence to back it up) that eating a tomato was certain to prove fatal. This hypothesis was turned on its head on September 26, 1820 when Colonel Robert G. Johnson devoured a basket full of tomatoes on courthouse steps in Salem, NJ.
Vegetable or Fruit?
In 1893, the Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes were to be categorized as a vegetable (even though botanically they are a fruit). Due to the fact that vegetables and fruits are subject to different import duties, there was a legitimate need to define it as one or the other. The court ruled in favor of calling tomatoes a vegetable given that it was much more commonly eaten as one.
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| New from FoodMatch Roasted Garlic Cloves |
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DIVINA ROASTED GARLIC CLOVES
 Just the Facts:
Item Name: Divina Roasted Garlic Cloves
Item #: 73000
Origin: USA
Case Pack: 3/4 lbs
Roasted with aromatic herbs to mellow, carmelized perfection, Divina Roasted Garlic Cloves are a mouth-watering and irresistable addition to any mediterranean bar or foodservice application. Grown in California, the whole garlic cloves are ideal sauteed with chicken or fish and make a wonderful addition to pasta. This product is so versatile, you can even simply spread it on top of a warm and crusty piece of bread.
Featured Recipe: Roasted Garlic Potatoes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS
2 lbs Baby Yukon Gold or Red "New" Potatoes - Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
10 cloves DIVINA Roasted Garlic - Quarter potatoes into uniform pieces and
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil place into a ziploc bag.
1 Tbsp Honey - Smash Roasted Garlic cloves until smooth
2 Tbsp Fresh thyme, chopped and add to bag.
Salt - Mix all other ingredients into the bag until
Freshly Gound Pepper all of the potatoes are coated.
- Place potatoes onto a baking sheet and
roast in oven until brown and tender. 25-30
minutes.
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| Breaking News Oldways updates the Med Diet Pyramid |
| Oldways, a Boston-based non-profit educational organization, prides itself on effecting the way people eat through positive and practical culinary and educational programs that have their roots in science and tradition.
As creators of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, Oldways recently held an international conference with leading nutrition scientists to review recent studies that expand upon already known benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Based on new findings, the following updates were made the Med Diet Pyramid:
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- All plant foods have been combined into a single category. Included in this group are fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole), beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, herbs and spices (a new addition to this Pyramid).
- It is now suggested that you incorporate fish into your diet at least twice per week.
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The actual pyramid illustration has been changed to celebrate and honor the vibrant and exciting foods of the Mediterranean. It is argued that we "eat with our eyes first," and the newly designed Mediterranean Food Pyramid takes major steps forward in getting consumers interested and excited about the delicious and healthy foods of the Mediterranean.
The New Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
Source (and for more information), visit Oldways.
For more information on FoodMatch and the Med Diet, visit FoodMatch.
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| Featured Item of the Month Peppadew Deli Cups |
 Peppadew (Sweet Piquante Peppers)
Peppadews are a unique South African pepper that have a distinctive sweet-hot-spicy flavor profile that awakens and excites the palate.
Its crisp texture and unique shape make Peppadews a popular item to stuff with soft cheeses. Other uses include:
- Saute with your favorite proteins and vegetables
- Use the brine as a marinade for chicken or fish
- Chop or slice to add flare on pizza and salads
Divina Deli Cups
Divina Deli Cups are fresh packed and sealed for the refrigerated case to ensure optimal flavor. They are all-natural, with no preservatives or artificial coloring.
Divina Deli Cups are the ideal item to merchandise next to your hummus and cheese section and boast an impressive 12-month shelf life.
We invite you to contact your local FoodMatch sales representative for more information or samples of Divina Peppadew Deli Cups. For our customer service department,
call toll-free at (800)-350-3411.
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| In the News Anti-Cancer Properties Found in Olives |
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 "Let food be our medicine" - Hippocrates
Two recent scientific stuides have found evidence suggesting that there are properties in olives that may be helpful in fighting colon and breast cancer. Experiments performed on olive skins in Barcelona and Granada show that cancer treatments using maslinic acid can potentially slow down cell growth and in some cases even kill colon cancer cells. The concentration of maslinic acid in olive skin can be as high as 80%. This is much greater than other medicinal plants containing the same acid.
A second study, this one on extra-virgin olive oil, found that certain plant chemicals in the oil can help fight breast cancer. Extra-virgin olive oil is produced by cold-pressing olives without using chemicals. This process preserves beneficial compounds which would otherwise be lost. When tested against HER2 (a gene that promotes breast cancer), compounds in the oil called polyphenols caused the cancerous cells to die.
In both studies, scientists suggest that the results could lead to new treatment agents in the fight against both colon and breast cancer. At the very least, these findings are further support for the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.
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| Food Industry Trends The Rise of the Home Cook |
 As the United States economy continues to impact the daily lives of Americans, people are looking for new ways to save money while retaining some of the luxuries they had grown accustomed to. So it should come as no surprise that home-cook related businesses and media are thriving.
At New York City's Institute of Culinary Education, enrollment is up 15% from a year ago. These classes, while costly, will eventually save a home-cook money if the lessons learned in the classroom are brought back to the kitchen table. High-end kitchen retailer Sur La Table has found that offering luxury goods for a discount if purchased online can lead to big profits. Their sales are up almost 5% in 2009. Even food websites and magazines, most of which offer information and subscriptions at a low cost are cashing in on advertising revenue from increased readership. Epicurious.com reports a year-to-date increase in online traffic at 10% while magazines such as Saveur and Bon Appetit are thrilled with record circulation.
Highly rated television shows such as Bravo's "Top Chef" and culinary focused channels such as Food Network inspire and encourage budding home-chefs. For the food industry, this can only mean good things. Increased knowledge and know-how will hopefully be something that contributes in sustaining our industry through challenging times.
Source: The Associated Press
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Thank you for reading this edition of FoodMatch Focus.
FoodMatch, Inc.
Phone: (212) 244-5050 Fax: (212) 334-5042
Email: Info@foodmatch.com Web: www.foodmatch.com
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