~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News from el Restaurante Mexicano
The monthly online newsletter from el Restaurante Mexicano magazine
July 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
Dear (Contact First Name),
Want el Restaurante Mexicano delivered by e-mail? If so, sign up to start receiving complete issues of el Restaurante Mexicano online, starting with the July/August issue. No te preocupes, foodservice professionals still may receive the "hard copy" print edition of the magazine.
Also this month, el Restaurante Mexicano announces the debut of a newsletter publishing service for our readers. Our creative team can create a custom-designed newsletter you can post on your website, give to your customers, hand out at street fairs or send to prospective patrons. For more detailed information on design and pricing options, call 708-488-0100 or e-mail the publisher.
|
|
|
Industry News: Restaurants fight 5 food safety hazards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The National Restaurant Association and the International Food Safety Council encourage restaurant and foodservice operators to plan for the 15th annual National Food Safety Education Month. Every September, the industry raises awareness of its commitment to food safety. This year's campaign names five practices that compromise food safety:
- Purchasing food from unsafe sources
- Failing to cook food adequately
- Holding food at incorrect temperatures
- Using contaminated equipment
- Practicing poor personal hygene
As part of the September campaign, free weekly training activities
and free posters will reinforce the theme "Food Safety Thrives When
You Focus on Five." They will be available for download in mid-July at servsafe.com/nfsem.
|
Independent Restaurant Watch: Creative summer events
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A paella cooking class, Latin-themed music nights and a traveling food truck are just some of the ways Mexican and Latin restaurants are reaching out to customers this summer. At Chicago's Eivissa, Executive Chef Dudley Nieto will lead the special "Paella 101" cooking class on July 18. Participants will learn the proper cooking and preparation techniques for Paella Catalona. The $25-per-person class includes instruction, samples and sangria. A Take-Home Paella Kit will also be available: eivissachicago.com  In Philadelphia, Pa., Chef Jose Garces' The Lounge at Chifa is hosting Latin-inspired music nights every Thursday in July. The special nighttime menu features a $5 menu of Chifa's acclaimed Latin-Asian cuisine until midnight and special pricing on cocktails: chifarestaurant.comAnd out West, customers can order gourmet tacos, quesadillas, ceviches, and more from the traveling Border Grill truck. "Too Hot Tamales" hosts Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger are bringing the modern flavors of Mexico to several neighborhood locations in and around Los Angeles: bordergrill.com |
Chain News: Taco Bell signs with NBA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The National Basketball Association is thinking outside the bun. Taco Bell has signed on as the league's new official quick-service restaurant in a four-year deal. The deal ends McDonald's run as the NBA's official fast-food sponsor, which began in '90. Industry sources said the deal includes a heavy media component on NBA rights-holders ABC, ESPN and TNT, promotions at the chain's 5,600 restaurants, themed advertising, title to the All-Star Saturday Night Skills Challenge and an associate sponsorship of the NBA's Jam Session All-Star Game Fan Fest: sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/131444
 Taco Del Mar named among best family restaurants
Taco Del Mar made Parents magazine's list of America's "Top 10 Best Fast-Casual Family Restaurants." The Parents magazine's survey is the result of a two-month study that honors restaurants with a variety of healthy kids' menu offerings, family friendly conveniences and overall value. During July, all kids' meals will be free after 5 p.m.: parents.com/big-kids/nutrition/nutrition/best-fast-casual-restaurants
|
Retail/C-store Report: Hispanic Chain acquires El Paso markets
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Pina family, operators of three Vista Markets, has acquired
Quality Food Mart, a five-store group, and plans to
operate them under the name Vista Quality Markets, according to local
reports: supermarketnews.com/news/quality_food_0708
|
| Vendor News: La Costeña embarks on Feel the Heat Jalapeno Tour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 La Costeña is on a mission to remind Americans budget cuisine does not have to equal bland cuisine. At each stop on its fourth annual Feel the Heat Jalapeño Tour, La Costeña plans to award $200 to the person whose taste buds can endure the "spicy sport" by speed eating jalapeños in one minute. La Costeña has pledged to donate an assortment of its authentic Mexican food products to local food banks and hunger relief agencies for each jalapeño consumed during these contests: hispanicprwire.com/news.php?l=in&id=14425&cha=18
|
|
From the Archives: The history behind Hispanic desserts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 From the September-October 2004 issue of el Restaurante Mexicano
Historically, desserts have played an almost inconspicuous role in Latin culture and cuisine. Most postres are prepared for holidays and festivities, and include such nibbles as Pan de Polvo (Mexican wedding cookies), cajetas (caramel treats) and jamoncillos (goat milk candies). Other traditional Mexican desserts include fruit pastes called ates, chongos (desserts made with cooked milk curds), and cicadas (coconut sweets). Most traditional Mexican desserts, including flan, were developed during years of Spanish colonial rule. Nuns introduced European pastry, which took on the region's fruits and flavors. During France's short occupation, crepes, rolls, and other yeast breads emerged. Traces of the past are still savored in the form of bread and rice puddings and delicate caramel-filled crepes. (Source: University of Texas-Pan American; Edinburg, Texas)
More from the September-October 2004 issue: Magnificent Moles
|
|
Recipe: Salpicón's Crêpes con Cajeta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 From the July-August 2005 issue of el Restaurante Mexicano
Salpicón's Crêpes con Cajeta
(Cinnamon Crêpes with Goat's Milk Caramel Sauce)
Courtesy of Salpicón restaurant, Chicago, Ill.
Serves 6
The Caramel Sauce
2 qts. goat's milk
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1 T. water
1-in. cinnamon stick
In a medium saucepan combine milk, sugar and cinnamon; bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the baking soda and water, remove milk from heat and add the baking soda mixture little by little. Bring the milk to a boil and keep it boiling at medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours, or until the milk caramelizes and becomes a medium brown color.
The Crêpes
1/2 c. milk
1 lg. egg
1/3 c. flour
1-1/2 T. melted butter, divided
1 pinch salt
1 med. size mango, peeled, pitted and diced
6 tips of fresh mint
Powdered sugar for garnish
In a blender, mix the milk, egg, flour, salt and 1/2 T. melted butter. In a 6-inch, non-stick skillet, heat a little bit of the remaining melted butter. Add one ounce of the batter and cook until the rim gets dry, flip the crêpe and cook a little bit more. Remove from heat and repeat with the remaining batter until all crêpes are made. Place one crêpe on a dessert plate and top with some of the diced mango. Fold it over, cover with the cajeta sauce and bake for 2 minutes. Garnish with the fresh mint and powdered sugar.
More great recipes from our archives: restmex.com/recipes
To subscribe: elrestaurantemexicano.com
|
Trade Show Watch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Hispanic Retail 360 Summit. Aug. 9 - 11, Venetian Resort & Hotel, Las Vegas. Visit hispanicretail360.com or call 646.654.5883. Pick up a copy of the July-August el Restaurante Mexicano at the Summit. 
Expo Comida Latina San Diego, co-located with the Western Foodservice
& Hospitality Expo, Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, San Diego Convention Center,
San Diego, Calif. Visit expo-comida-latina.com. Visit el Restaurante Mexicano at Booth #402.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
