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| Issue: 99 |
June 2018
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Limoneira.com
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With the advent of June, summer swings into full gear. It's time for great outdoor activities like picnics at the beach, hiking in the mountains, and a variety of great family time pursuits.
It's also time for outdoor grilling and while we don't want to stereotype, dads typically take on the role of BBQ culinary creativity. We've got some great citrus grilling tips from new dad Aaron Roosevelt (daughter Ella Grace was born on April 17th).
Aaron is best friends and husband of Limoneira One World of Spokesperson, Megan Roosevelt.
We also feature some great Dad bloggers this month from different corners of the world. These dads are pretty savvy, and we enjoyed featuring them. June is also the month for graduations, and we take an opportunity to highlight the many interesting careers in the world of agriculture. Like many fields, technology has entered this sphere, and it's been wonderful to utilize it in feeding a hungry world.
Fathers Day is on June 17th which provides us all to celebrate the fathers in our lives (past and present). It's interesting to note that one of the first father's Day celebrations was held on June 19, 1910, at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, the civil war veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children.
She was also a member of Old Centenary Presbyterian Church (now Knox Presbyterian Church) where she first proposed the idea. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909 at Central Methodist Episcopal Church, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday to honor them.
However, in the 1920s, Dodd stopped promoting the celebration because she was studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, and it faded into relative obscurity, even in Spokane. In the 1930s, Dodd returned to Spokane and started promoting the celebration again, raising awareness at a national level. She had the help of those trade groups that would benefit most from the holiday, for example, the manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes, and any traditional present for fathers. By 1938, she had the help of the Father's Day Council, founded by the New York Associated Men's Wear Retailers to consolidate and systematize the holiday's commercial promotion.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak at a Father's Day celebration. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed throughout the entire nation, but he stopped short at issuing a national proclamation. In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a Father's Day proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus singling out just one of our two parents. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
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 Celebrating Grads and Dads with Limoneira Citrus
As summer truly begins, it's time to celebrate dads and grads - and Limoneira is here to help get those celebrations off on the right foot. This month, join Limoneira spokesperson Megan Roosevelt and special guest (and brand new dad) Aaron Roosevelt as they outline some of their favorite summertime lemon recipes. As always, look for new recipes from Megan on the Limoneira YouTube channel all month long.
For a helpful demonstration, you can watch Megan and Aaron create the recipes below here on the Limoneira YouTube channel. Don't forget to subscribe - videos with more wonderful recipes, tips, and tricks not detailed in this release will be added to the channel each Friday throughout the month.
Limoneira has also partnered with additional global chefs and mixologists, nutritionists, and beauty lifestyle and gree
n cleaning experts to share their knowledge with the customers of our grocery and food service partners around the world. Their biographies can be found on Limoneira's website.
Take a look at some of this month's featured recipes below.
Grilled Lemon Chicken Street Tacos - Bust out the grill! This recipe has all the flavors of that favorite neighborhood taco truck in one healthy little package.
Ingredients:
2 Limoneira classic lemons
2 chicken breasts
2 mild green peppers
Salt & pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Taco shells
Diced onion
Fresh cilantro
Directions: Marinate the chicken. Add two chicken breasts to a bowl, cut in half. Add salt and pepper. Add mild green peppers, cut in half to bowl. Cut lemons in half and juice them into bowl with chicken and peppers. (For extra flavor, add a bit of zest to the bowl.) Add ¼ cup of olive oil for best lemon-to-olive oil ratio. Mix ingredients together and cover on counter for 2 hours while ingredients marinade or leave covered in fridge overnight for a stronger infusion.
Next, grill the marinated chicken and peppers on medium high for about 5 minutes per side. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once grilled, chop or shred and serve on warm tortillas (taco shells). Top with diced onion and cilantro to taste and serve.
Pink Lemon Strawberry Margarita - Served as a non-alcoholic mocktail or a refreshing summertime cocktail, this margarita has something for everyone.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp Limoneira pink lemon juice
1 tbsp agave syrup (or sweetener of choice)
6 oz soda water (for mocktail)
4 oz gold tequila (for cocktail)
Frozen strawberry skewer
Directions: Add liquid ingredients to medium sized glass (remember, choose soda water OR tequila ), add a couple of ice cubes and stir. Salt rim if desired. Finally, garnish with strawberry skewer and pink lemon slices and enjoy.
Each month, Megan will be featuring another wonderful facet of citrus living. Subscribe to Limoneira's Youtube channel for more information on the many ways this endlessly versatile fruit can improve life inside the home and beyond.
About Megan Roosevelt and Healthy Grocery Girl ®
Megan Roosevelt is an internationally published author, cooking show host and producer as well as a nutrition expert for regional and national television and magazines. In addition to being a plant-based Registered Dietitian, Roosevelt through Healthy Grocery Girl® provides her extensive audience with online cooking videos and says "I love helping people get healthy in ways that are realistic and fun".
Roosevelt is the spokesperson for Limoneira's One World of Citrus™ campaign and says "As one of the largest growers of citrus in the United States, the partnership with Limoneira made a great deal of sense", she said. "It's synergistic. We all know that citrus is among the healthiest products people can integrate into their diets". One World of Citrus ™ highlights a variety of ways that lemons can be integrated into consumer's lives. These include recipes, natural cleaning, beauty and health tips as well as lifestyle applications.
About Aaron Roosevelt
Aaron Roosevelt is the co-owner and director of video production & operations at Healthy Grocery Girl. Married to Healthy Grocery Girl founder Megan Roosevelt, Aaron also loves to spend time in the kitchen creating quick, tasty meals. Aaron films & edits all Healthy Grocery Girl videos, manages customer service, website updates, accounting & helps with recipe development & testing. Prior to joining Healthy Grocery Girl, Aaron worked in food service & hospitality management for 16 years where he developed his culinary, efficiency & organization expertise. In his spare time, Aaron loves to be outdoors hiking, snowboarding, and boating.
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Congratulations To Our
Graduates
Graduation means accomplishment and perhaps additional skill attainment. In June we take a look at the changing world of agriculture and careers that are possible in feeding the world.
Studies from the department of agriculture estimate that demand in agriculture and life science-related fields will be strongest for plant scientists, water-resource scientists and engineers, farm animal veterinarians, and precision ag and pest control specialists, among other positions.
"There is a tendency to look at agriculture through a very narrow prism of production agriculture," USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack told CNBC. "It's not just production agriculture now but this is an expanding, entrepreneurial, creative, opportunistic aspect of our economy that I think will continue."
"Jobs in ag offer fairly stable kinds of opportunities to maintain careers over time," said Allan Goecker, assistant dean emeritus of Purdue's College of Agriculture.
"People are starting to discover this is a pretty good industry to be in. It's incredibly diverse." -Mike Gaul, career services director, Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
About 15,500 job openings, or 27 percent of the professional employment opportunities within the food, ag and related space, will be in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
"Agriculture is going through a transformation itself into more of that digital space," said Melissa Harper, vice president of global talent acquisition at Monsanto. "Many of the roles that we need-and those in ag need-didn't exist just five years ago."
Within agriculture and food, about 25 percent of the existing professional workforce is 55 and older-and that means more of those baby boomers will near retirement age and create new opportunities for a steady flow of young people. "We've got a quarter of the population that will be migrating out in the next number of years, so it's important to prepare for that," said DuPont Pioneer President Paul Schickler.
Careers in Agriculture
There are approximately 22 million people who work in agriculture-related fields. Unlike agriculture of our grandparents' day, today's agriculture offers over 200 rewarding and challenging careers.
Career Categories
Agricultural careers may be divided into various categories. These include Agribusiness Management, Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications, Building Construction Management, Agriscience, Resource Development and Management, Parks, Recreations, and Tourism Resources, Packaging, Horticulture, Forestry, Food Science, and Fisheries/Wildlife.
Job Descriptions
Agribusiness Management focuses on the managerial functions performed by organizations throughout the food system. Sample job titles: Commodity Trader, Agricultural Production Specialist, Purchasing Manager, Financial Manager, Farm Owner and Manager, and Wholesale/Retail Buyer Manufacturing Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: Seneca Food Corporation, Ralston Purina Co., Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Dow Elanco and Limoneira Co.
Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications focuses on careers in journalism, public relations, and advertising/marketing. Sample job titles: Marketing Communications Manager, District Sales Representatives, Advertising Manager, Reporter, Editor, and Account Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: Upjohn Co., USDA, Michigan Milk Producers Association, National Dairy Council, and Michigan Farm Bureau.
Building Construction Management
focuses on land development and structural buildings. Sample job titles: Project Manager, Estimator, Construction Scheduler, Controller, Purchasing Agent, Site Manager, Field Engineer, Land Developer, and Real Estate Appraiser. Companies that hire for these positions: Turner Construction Company, Pulte Homes, Perini Building Co., and General Motors Corporation.
Agriscience provides a foundation for careers in agricultural and natural resources industries. Sample job titles: Agriscience Educator, Extension Educator, Farmer, and Human Resource Director. Companies that hire for these positions: Crop Production Services, John Deere, and Gerber Co.
Resource Development and Management focuses on policy analysis, planning, evaluation, budgeting, and program management. Sample job titles: Environmental Analyst, Environmental Planner, Solid Waste Coordinator, Water Resource Specialist, and Economic Development Specialist.
Companies that hire for these positions: Cooperative Extension Service, The Clinton River Watershed, The National Park Service, Enviroscope, Senate and House Policy Offices, Lobbying Organizations, Banking Organizations, City and State governments, and Hospitals.
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Resources-focuses on planning and managing programs, areas, and facilities that are designed to meet people's leisure needs and enhanced quality of life. Sample job titles: Park Ranger, Interpreter/Naturalist, Environmental Educator, Travel and Convention Planner, Youth Program Director, Camp Counselor, Park, and Recreation Director, and Tourism Consultant. Companies that hire for these positions: Hilton and Marriott Resorts, Hospitals, YMCA, Golf Courses, Six Flags Great Adventure, and the Walt Disney Company.
Packaging-focusing on food packaging, and pharmaceutical packaging, and industrial packaging. Sample job titles: Packaging Engineer, Quality Control Coordinator, Laboratory Manager, and Package Designer. Companies that hire for these positions: Coca-Cola Co., Hershey Chocolate USA, Johnson and Johnson, 3M, IBM Corp., and Amway Corp.
Horticulture-focuses on the science and art concerned with culture, marketing, and utilization of high value, intensively cultivated fruits, flowers, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Sample job titles: Retail Manager, Landscape Designer, Entrepreneur, Agronomists, Florist, Contractor, Nursery Grower, and Nursery Stock Buyer. Companies that hire for these positions: Gerber, Mawby Fruit Farms, Ball Corporation, Monsanto, Do Rights, J.G. Boswell and Pan American Seed.
Forestry-focuses on the science and art of managing natural resources that occur on forest lands. Sample job titles: Forester, Forest Ranger, Consulting Forester, District Ranger, Arborist, Naturalist, Timber Buyer, and Forest Nursery Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: The Mead Corporation, John Hancock Financial Services, City Governments, and USDA Forest Service.
Food Science-focuses on the development of new foods, investigation of new production and processing methods, and research ways to ensure a safe, nutritious and economical food supply. Sample job titles: Food Technician, Laboratory Technician, Food Chemist, and Quality Control Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: Pepsicola, Kraft/General Foods, Hygrade Food Products, Kellogg Company, General Mills, Pillsbury, and Heinz USA.
Fisheries and Wildlife-focuses on environmental management, conservation, and wildlife ecology and management. Sample job titles: Land Management Specialist, Water Quality Specialist, Habitat Specialist, and Fish Hatchery Manager. Companies that hire for these positions: US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, State and local divisions of surface water quality, land and water management, and US Fish and Wildlife Services.
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This June, Limoneira Management Will Be At United Fresh in Chicago
This June in Chicago, United FreshMKT Expo, International Floriculture Expo, United FreshTEC Expo, Global Cold Chain Expo, and the new SmartFood Expo™ will come together at McCormick Place on one trade show floor, allowing customers the opportunity to explore the newest fresh produce, floral, better-for-you products and the tech innovations that support growth, development, promotion, transportation, and expansion across the supply chain.
82% of retailers report that consumers' desire for health and wellness - above price or brand loyalty - will positively affect their sales and profits. In addition, 77% report that consumer's desire to use their food choices as preventive health measures also will have a positive effect. Limoneira is perfectly positioned to help our Grocers and Food Service Customers with this opportunity.
CUSTOMERS, TRADE MEDIA AND LIMONEIRA COME TOGETHER ON JUNE 26TH AT THE ROOF AT WIT-CHICAGO NIGHTLIFE.
ROOF, the rooftop lounge at the Wit, has earned international acclaim for its expressive design, sweeping skyline views, entertainment, and unique hand-crafted cocktails and cuisine. The lounge with Chicago's best views is the place to be seen and on Tuesday, June 26th, festive citrus treats and cocktails will be on hand as our guest gaze out over the glittering expanse of the Windy City.
We will hold a mixology contest with some of the City's great bartenders. Meet our judges:
Daniel Gerzina is the editor of Eater Chicago, the media outlet for all thing culinary in the City of the Big Shoulders. Daniel has covered the wild world of Chicago restaurants for the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Reader, Michigan Avenue, and Time Out Chicago.
Ashley Hutchinson
is the force behind Sed Bona her food and lifestyle blog. The term originates from the Latin phrase Pauca Sed Bona meaning 'quality over quantity', a sentiment she is passionately exploring every aspect of her life. Ashley is a Chicago native, who dabbles in photography, fashion and food - and notes that she is "just your average girl seeking an inspirational life". She is the proud 'mother' of two handsome pugs, Apollo and Johnny, and wife to her incredible husband Ian.
Gino Williams is the writer and photographer for Chicago Alphabet Soup. In his writings and photography, he has captured hundreds of restaurants that represent countries near and far. Gino has provided photography for several restaurants in the metropolitan Chicago area. One of his favorite pastimes is eating good food. What better way to find out about fantastic restaurants than to read a review and his takes on his culinary adventures through Chicago translate beautifully for his audience.
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Totally Local VC's Dinner at Lemon Orchard
At 5:30 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2018, Limoneira Ranch was the place to be. A sold-out dinner was produced by Kat Merrick the visionary behind Totally Local VC, with creations by talented chef's Jason Collis (Plated Events), Tim Kilcoyne (Scratch) and Michelle Kenny (La Dolce Vita). Delightful vintages from Four Brix Winery and Cantera Cellar, Spirits from Channel Islands Distillery, craft beers from Ventura Brewing Company and Poseidon Brewing, mouth-watering cuts of meat from Ventura Meat Company and satisfying seafood from Ocean Pride Seafood helped make the evening memorable as did Beacon Coffee.
If you've ever been to an event at Limoneira Ranch, with music by Franciso Leon and outfitted for the occasion by Heidi Whitcomb from Ventura Rentals, you know what pampering is all about.
Kat and Totally Local VC celebrate the best of Ventura County and her series of dinners are always in high demand. Congratulations on another beautiful event Kat.
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Fresh Direct Produce Celebrates 15 Years
Limoneira customer Fresh Direct celebrates it's 15 year anniversary and we were happy to support a special feature on the Company in Canadian Grocer. This innovative retailer is an online grocer that delivers to residences and offcies in the New York City metropolitan area.
Fresh Direct also offers next-day delivery to much of New York City metropolitan area. It also offers next-day delivery to much of New York City and part of Nassau and Westchester Counties, New York; Fairfield County, Connecticut; Hoboken, Newark, and Jersey City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, DC.
FreshDirect custom-prepares groceries and meals for its customers, a manufacturing practice called Just In Time that reduces waste and improves quality and freshness. Fresh Direct is always evolving and constantly innovating to bring their customers the freshest. They've been described internationally as a "home delivery success story."
About Canadian Grocer Magazine
Canadian Grocer magazine reaches over 17,000 head office executives and store-level managers in a wide range of food outlets such as grocery, club, mass and convenience stores.
The magazine provides readers across the country with features on new product launches, industry trends, category reports and in-depth analysis of grocery retailing from coast to coast.
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Food Share
We received an urgent call from Food Share Ventura County.
They were very low on boxes for delivery of much-needed food for their constituents. Did we have any we could spare? Tony Ecuyere, Limoneira's Packinghouse Director to the rescue.
Much needed pallets of cartons were picked up by Food Share's Warehouse Manager, Here's a picture of Andy Murphy with an assist by Carlos Nunez, Limoneira's Pre-Pack Manager.
More than 40 years ago, eight citizens performed a good deed by distributing food to those who were in need underneath a Ventura bridge. The early philanthropic movement quickly formed into what is now Ventura County's regional food bank, FOOD Share, which has grown from serving a few hundred hungry people per month to 74,500 people.
Today, staff and volunteers distribute more than 12 million pounds of food annually from its distribution site; more than 180 partner agencies, which include neighborhood and church food distributions and soup kitchens; as well as hunger assistance programs. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, FOOD Share is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization. #FoodShare #FoodInsecure.
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Celebrating Dads at Father's Day
Like, moms, one day during the year, isn't really adequate to celebrate our dads and all the things they do support all of us and our communities.
At this special time of year, we'd like to celebrate a couple of great dads who have taken to their keyboards and cameras to record the cool things going on with their kids and families.
Whit Honea- Los Angeles
Before he became a dad blogger, Whit Honea, author of the Parents' Phrase Book, starred in the stage production of Disney's Newsies.
He began his site Honea Express as a way to chronicle the lives of his children for his family, all of which lived in a different state He says "It wasn't long before I realized that the platform allowed me the opportunity to develop and share my writing with a relatively receptive audience, which is nice." Whit grew up in a small town called Marana, Ariz., (adjacent to Tucson), and his dad is the mayor. He and his wife have lived in San Diego and Seattle and now reside in the greater Los Angeles area with their two boys, Atticus and Zane. They have two dogs and one cat overlord.
He wrote a book called "The Parents' Phrase Book", a guidebook to empathy, reconnecting to our own childhood and opening channels of communication that encourage kids to follow their own path and be comfortable in their own skin. Over the years he has contributed to a number of parenting sites like Babble, BabyCenter, the Stir, GeekDad ... it's actually a pretty long list. My byline has also appeared on TODAY, Fandango, Orbitz, CBS.
Jeff Bogle, Pennsylvania
Jeff Bogle's Blog "Out with the Kids" was born as a way of documenting and sharing that journey. He notes that he tries to write humorously about parenting, family travel, and All Things Childhood.
His stories have been published in The Huffington Post, Esquire, Cosmo, PBS, Traveling Dad, Family Vacation Critic, and other print and online outlets. In 2016 he won the Iris Award for Photography at the Mom 2.0 Summit.
In 2015 The Huffington Post and Mashable named him of the top dad bloggers and Buzzfeed named his Instagram feed one all parents should be following.
Sid Balachandran is an independent writer, multi-award winning blogger for his blog "I wrote Those" and a short-story author, who has been published in a number of leading magazines and online portals. professionally an engineer, Sid is now a work-from-home Dad, and he writes on parenting, social satire, humor, lifestyle and writing in general. You can find his pieces and by-lines on HuffPost India, Women's Web, Buzzing Bubs, Complete Wellbeing Magazine, Times of India, Parent Circle, to name a few. His blog, I Wrote Those, won Best Personal Blog in India in 2015 by BlogAdda.com as well as the Best Dad Blog in India (and was a runner-up in the Humour category) at the 2017 Orange Flower Awards held by Women's Web.
"Funnydadinc" is a compellation of jokes, blogs, and videos on the funny business of parenting from corporate comedian and Chicago Tribune humor columnist Greg Schwem.
A former newspaper and television reporter in West Palm Beach, Florida, Greg made the leap to a full-time stand-up comedian in 1989, causing his former employers to scratch their heads in bewilderment and his parents to weep uncontrollably. Traveling the country in a shiny red Nissan Sentra, Greg played comedy clubs everywhere from Hermosa Beach, California to Destin, Florida.
His nightclub material about business and technology caught the eye of corporate event producers, who soon hired Greg to entertain the likes of Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, McDonald's and Verizon Wireless. Along the way, he has appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1, the Arts & Entertainment Network and FOX News. In 2013 the Chicago Tribune hired Greg as a weekly humor columnist, syndicating his column everywhere from New Delhi India to Naples, Florida. In 2014 the National Society of Newspaper Columnists recognized Greg for outstanding humor writing.
Ingus Wan - Canada
Ingus Wan is the power behind Dad Mode: his blog that is as he says the most productive way of keeping track of life - as well as keeping him sane as a new dad. He initially started this blog to track his wife's journey through pregnancy, but since the birth of their daughter, he learned that there's so much more to talk about and do as a dad, and dad blogger.
He's been recognized as one of the top Dad Bloggers of 2016, 2017, and 2018; as well as been featured on MovingBabies.
Aaron Gouveia - Boston
Aaron Gouveia, the author of the Daddy Files is his blog on parenting, sports, and politics. He has been featured in TIME, HuffPost Parents, Parents Magazine, American Baby, and more. He's a proud husband, father of three boys (7, 2, and 5 months), and director at a Boston PR firm. He began his blog by documenting his thoughts as a new dad to provide some support and a voice for other dads in the same predicament.
Then he found a small network of other dad bloggers, and soon that network grew, and now here they are talking about how men/dads are portrayed in the media, making a concerted effort for dads to be equal partners in parenting, and tackling the messy and controversial subjects that have been taboo for far too long.
Nigel Higgens -
Australia
"DIY DADDY" is the brainchild of Nigel Higgens, dad of five (including twins) and husband. His children range in age from three to nineteen years old. Over the years he's found being a dad challenging and interesting, but most of all it's the most rewarding experience of his life.
As a self-employed painter and decorator for over 20 years, he's taken on all sorts of interior and exterior jobs including full house paints, renovations, and every possible painting job
He began his blog because he wanted a place to share his experiences of a being a dad and maybe one day have his children look back and read it with happy and fond memories. He also found that there's no simple advice around when it comes to achieving the perfect look and finish for your home. On DIY Daddy, his audience can find tutorials, tips and more
Sources: Life of a Dad and The Baby Spot
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Ritch Eich - Leadership CPR
"A desk is a dangerous place from which to see the world." - John le Carré
Throughout his highly successful career spanning four different industries, leadership expert and business mentor Ritch Eich has lived this credo daily. In his fourth book, LEADERSHIP CPR, he offers a practical primer to younger and older aspiring leaders alike on how to excel in turbulent, uncivil workplaces where power plays and distrust often abound. Look for it on Amazon.
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Ambassador Catherine Pappas
Catherine Cappiello Pappas is a recipe developer and founder of Living the Gourmet. LTG has grown into a popular food site with an active and growing community of like-minded food enthusiasts.
Catherine notes that The heart of our homes lies within the kitchen. For us, it is so much more than a place where meals are created; it is where memories are made over meals that are meant to be shared.
It was from this belief that Living the Gourmet was born. Every gathering centers around the table. Suffice to say, it takes more than just fresh ingredients to formulate the perfect meal. We mix together quality and care and sprinkle each serving with love. Our recipes are tried and true, from our table to yours.
Catherine was doing menu-planning for Mother's Day, envisioning a back porch luncheon with little tea sandwiches, some lavender lemonade and, to keep with the theme, a batch of these Lemon and Lavender Ricotta Bundts.
She decided upon lavender and lemon for two reasons. I've always enjoyed the taste of lavender especially in lemonade which is a warm-weather staple in our home. It's an unexpected, elegant twist that everyone seems to love. I thought it would play well into some spring menus I've been organizing. Secondly, I recently received a beautiful gift box of California lemons from our good friends over at Limoneira.
The California lemons were perfectly ripened and every bite was bursting with that bright lemony taste, but not in an overpowering way. The ricotta gives the cakes a delicately moist consistency which plays well into the lighter Spring menu theme I'm going for. When I first took the cakes out, I thought they would have been denser, but they are deceptively light.
The tricky part about this recipe for me was incorporating the lavender buds. When I make lemonade, I first begin with a simple syrup infused with lavender. I played around with putting some of that simple syrup into the cake batter but I would have to scale down the sugar, which resulted in a very moist batter.
So ultimately, I decided to grind the lavender buds- with the sugar. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sugar which I pulsed with 3 teaspoons of lavender buds in a bullet blender. The sugar instantly turned to powder with a faint purplish tint and a beautiful floral aroma that filled the air when I unlocked the lid of the blender.
The final product was exactly what I was aiming for. The cakes were more citrusy but not bitter. The lavender was subtle and sweet but more like an afternote. I topped each cake off with a citrus icing but if you want to scale down a bit on the bright lemon flavor, you can always just go for a classic icing. In this case, I whisked powdered sugar with vanilla and lemon juice. Simply swap the lemon juice for cream or milk.
Yields 5-6 bundts
Lemon and Lavender Ricotta Bundt Cakes
5 min Prep Time
25 min Cook Time
30 minTotal Time
Ingredients
1
½ cups AP flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar pulsed in a blender with 3 teaspoons lavender buds
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1½ cups Ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
Lemon Icing
½ cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini bundt pan and set aside.
In the bowl of your mix master with the paddle attachment, beat eggs, ricotta, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Once it is all incorporated, add flour and baking powder. Beat again until a smooth batter comes together.
Divide the batter between the bundt molds and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the lemon icing. If you prefer a regular icing, just swap out the lemon juice for cream or whole milk.
Once the cakes have cooled, drizzle each with icing and a sprinkle of lemon zest and some additional lavender buds for garnish. Serve and enjoy!
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Limoneira's Winner Block
This month our lucky winner is Sean Og, from St. Petersburg, Florida. As our monthly winner, Sean has won a Limoneira Orchard Fresh or Lifestyles Gift.
Congratulations
!
For your chance to win, make sure you're on our mailing list to be entered into our monthly drawing. To join
click here
or visit our website at
www.Limoneira.com.
Be sure to check out our other contests and drawings for additional changes to win prizes.
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