Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

WATERCOLOR SNACKS by Volta Voloshin-Smith

From a syrup-drenched stack of fluffy pancakes and a perfectly golden-brown flaky croissant for breakfast to an overflowing bowl of comforting ramen (complete with egg, meat, mushrooms, and nori sheets!) for dinner and an adorably sweet three-layer frosted strawberry cake for dessert, Watercolor Snacks: Inspiring Lessons for Sketching and Painting Your Favorite Foods [978-1681987156, $24.95, Rocky Nook, July 2021] by Volta Voloshin-Smith details everything needed to create mouthwatering images for every meal of the day.

Perfect for food lovers, beginning artists, and anyone who wants to explore the world of watercolors through easy and accessible prompts and exercises, Watercolor Snacks is a colorful guide that walks you through basic techniques and how to apply them to create beautiful, delicious-looking paintings. Noted artist and instructor Volta Voloshin-Smith shares step-by-step lessons for sketching and painting 35+ foods for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, dessert, and drinks.

Voloshin-Smith, who grew up in Moldova during the dissolution of the Soviet Union before moving to the US in 2002, is the founder of Color Snack, her creative agency where she makes ready-made prints and commissions.

“I love painting foods because it’s a way to celebrate people’s culture and create community,” she said. “My favorite part about food is being able to share a meal with someone else. Food brings people together and I try to celebrate that fact and also the ingredients with watercolor illustrations and animations.”

The first of its kind, this book also includes recommended watercolor supplies, basic watercolor techniques, color theory basics, and common watercolor problems and solutions.

Gather your supplies and your favorite snack, and take a bite out of this tasty guide as you create watercolor paintings of your favorite treats!

For more information click here

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Healthy Coffee, and a Healthy World – Nora’s Naturals

I wasn’t expecting this to be whole beans! So my review is a bit later than it would have been, I had to buy a grinder.

It was worth it. This coffee is exquisite! Some of the best I’ve ever had, and I drink a lot of coffee. With a strong yet delicate aroma and taste that’s even better, I’m going to be enjoying this for a long time. I kind of like the grinding part.

Here are some details from their website:

Nora’s Naturals organic coffee is grown on a multi-generation family farm in the Nicaraguan Finca Isabel mountain range and hand roasted in Santa Barbara. The beans are grown in volcanic soil, rich in silica, essential for anti-aging collagen production.

Rainforest Alliance and Smithsonian Bird Certified.

3% of profits donated to the Environmental Defense Fund.

– review by Chuck Gregory, Fort Lauderdale, FL

For more information click here

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Old Amsterdam Debuts Two New Flavors for Summer Grilling Season

Old Amsterdam Cheese, the market leader in Branded Aged Gouda in Holland and a product of the third generation 100 percent family-owned and run Westland Cheese Company, debuts two new flavors: Old Amsterdam Mild and Old Amsterdam Reserve. The new products join the current line, which includes Old Amsterdam Classic, the number one Aged Gouda in Holland and Old Amsterdam Goat, named the number one Hard Goat’s milk cheese in the world. These delicious cheeses are perfect for pairing with favorites, for amazing cheeseboards, the perfect burger, tall sandwiches, and summer salads.

Old Amsterdam Cheese leads the Branded Aged Gouda Market in Holland, and overall, Gouda cheese continues to grow in the U.S. and worldwide. Both Gouda and Goat cheese have risen in popularity among specialty cheeses over the past year. Premium and specialty cheeses continue to perform well with more people eating and entertaining at home, and many Americans have expanded beyond traditional favorites to full-flavored specialty products.

All Old Amsterdam Gouda cheese products are produced using high quality ingredients, providing a good source of calcium and protein; and being naturally lactose-free, and gluten-free.

“We are very excited to add two delicious and appealing flavors to our Aged Gouda and goat line” says Rob van Mourik, Commercial Manager Export for Old Amsterdam in North America. “The timing is right to diversify the current Old Amsterdam line up with varieties and flavors perfect for burgers, sandwiches, salads and snacking. The new flavors join the delicious line up of Aged Gouda and Goat Cheese, offering our consumers more deliciousness The Old Amsterdam Way.”

The Old Amsterdam Cheese new flavors include:

· Old Amsterdam Extra Aged Gouda, known as The Reserve. This very special cheese is aged for a minimum of 18 months and has a multitude of deep, rich flavors with bourbon, caramel, and pecan undertones and a firm, crumbly texture sparked with lots of ripening crystals. The uniqueness and flavor profile makes this an excellent treat for anytime or special occasions. It is great paired with your favorites, such as sweet and spicy roasted nuts, mixed marinated olives, honey mustard, and sweet and savory bread. It is also great with your favorite cocktail or wine.

· Old Amsterdam Mild Gouda, known as The Mild. This cheese is a worldwide favorite, due to its accessible flavor. This young Gouda is aged for a minimum of four months and has a creamy and semi-soft texture, making this an excellent cheese for melting, sandwiches, and snacking. It is great for a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, with mild meats and sourdough bread and with seasonal fruits such as green apples.

The current and popular lineup includes:

· Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda, known as The Classic. This is the #1 Aged Gouda in Holland. This Classic Gouda is aged for a minimum of eight months and has a perfect balance between sweet and savory. It has rich butterscotch undertones and a dense, smooth texture sparked with fine ripening crystals. This popular and well-loved favorite from Holland has won numerous awards and is loved internationally. It is ideal for cheese platters, recipes, and other pairings, such as almonds, jam, fruit chutney, fruits, raisin nut bread and crackers, as well as paired with a favorite wine, beer, or cocktail.

· Old Amsterdam Goat has been voted the number one Hard Goat’s Milk cheese in the world. This goat Gouda is aged for a minimum of eight months and has a very surprisingly and pleasant flavor profile and is refreshingly sweet with caramel undertones and a smooth, creamy texture with fine ripening crystals. The sweetness and texture make this great on salads, sandwiches, and in many recipes. It pairs well on a platter with hazelnuts, figs, fruits, and your favorite IPAs.

Old Amsterdam’s cheeses have won numerous awards in the past, including Best Aged Gouda and Best Hard Goat’s Milk Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest (United States), Best Gouda at the World Cheese Awards (United Kingdom), and Best Dutch Cheese at The International Cheese and Dairy Awards (United Kingdom).

During the 2020 World Champion Cheese Contest in Wisconsin, Old Amsterdam Goat won “Best in Class”, achieving the highest score from over 30 entries from six countries and was voted the #1 Hard Goat’s Milk cheese in the world. The judges called it “a fantastic cheese with sweet notes and a nice body” and chose it in the Top 20 Cheeses of the show. This was a major achievement, as nearly 4,000 cheeses were entered. Old Amsterdam can be found at such retailers as King’s, Raley’s, ShopRite, Albertsons, Trader Joes, Gelson’s, HEB, Hy-Vee, Lunds & Byerlys, Mariano’s, Pavilions, Safeway, and Sprouts. Old Amsterdam is also available on the Norseland e-commerce site at www.shop.norseland.com

Try this delicious burger recipe featuring Old Amsterdam for a memorable experience!

Ingredients

· 2 red onions

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 2 tablespoons sugar

· 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

· salt and freshly ground black pepper

· 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

· 2 teaspoons spicy pimentón (Spanish paprika) powder

· 1.6 lbs. minced beef (ask the butcher to coarsely mince beef shoulder, or use a mix of pork and beef meat)

· 2 tablespoons soy sauce

· 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

· 4 tablespoons olive oil

· 8 slices pancetta

· 4 slices Old Amsterdam

· 1 big tomato

· 8 slices of rustic, heavy bread

· 4 lettuce leaves, rinsed

Preparation

Slice the onion into rings. Melt the butter and use this to fry the onion rings with the sugar. Caramelize the rings, then add balsamic vinegar and fry for another five minutes on low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Next, mix the mayonnaise and the Spanish paprika. Take the meat from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Mix the meat with the soy sauce and the Worcestershire sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. Roll balls of approximately 6 oz. each and flatten these to form burgers. Coat the burgers with olive oil and fry in a frying pan for four to five minutes on each side, until browned. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in another pan, until they are slightly crispy. Lay pancetta and a slice of Old Amsterdam on top of each burger. Cover with the lid and let the cheese melt for about 30 seconds. Cut the tomato into four thick slices. Spread a thick layer of the spicy mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Add a slice of tomato, a burger, and finally a good helping of the caramelized onion rings and top it with another slice of bread each.

For more information click here

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Get your kids to grill with you – tips from Sugar Plum

6 Tips to Get Grilling with Your Kids This Summer

Make Menu Planning a Family Affair

Kids love to be part of the things we do, so menu planning as a family makes the meal more meaningful to your kids. Children are also more apt to try new foods when it’s something they’ve helped plan and prepare. Let them browse online for fun recipes or get out the old cookbooks!

Bring Up Your Own Little Sous Chefs

One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to be my mom’s little sous chef. She would tell me what I needed to do, teach me what I didn’t know and really let me be part of the whole cooking process. Get your own kids involved by having them wash the veggies, help make the marinade for the meat, thread the kabobs, learn to season the meat and veggies and begin doing some chopping and dicing with a kid safe knife. There’s no definitive time when a child is deemed ready to use a real knife—use your own judgement and gage the readiness and maturity of your child. They can practice by using a butter knife and a banana or a stick of butter.

Prep the Grill Together

As you know, grills get very hot! Teaching your child the potential dangers of being around a hot grill is crucial. They need to know how far to stand back from it when it’s on, what it can potentially do if you’re not careful and how to handle injuries associated to the grill. While it’s still important to have an adult with a child around a grill at all time, they can be part of the initial set-up of the grill, where to put wood chips, charcoal, propane. It’s also important to explain how it all works to help you cook delicious foods. Once familiar with being around the grill while heated, they can help flip the burgers, rotate the veggies,

It’s the Perfect “Season” to Grill Together

Creating marinades and seasoning the meat and veggies before they go on the grill is one of the most perfect jobs for kids. It’s a fairly easy, fun task for younger kids, it helps them learn measurements, and how different flavors and spices can work together to make some of their favorite foods yummy! Developing a taste for different spices is super beneficial for their ever changing and growing palate.

Set a Fun and Festive Tablescape Together

Setting the table in a festive way for your family meal is half the fun. Let the kids lay out a tablecloth, the plates and silverware, fill the glasses with water or lemonade and make homemade place cards with each family member’s name on it. Each step in the family meal process helps children develop a love and commitment to the family meal time. The more important you make it, the more important it will become to them as the traditions become permanent.

Clean-up, Clean-up, Everybody Clean-up!

While not as fun as cooking, cleaning up is an important part of the cooking process. Teach your kids young that cleaning up is a family event and they’ll grow up knowing it’s just something you do together. They can help with washing, drying, and putting away dishes. Be creative and don’t be afraid to make this part of the process fun!

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Summerfest

Sunday, August 1 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Liberty Pines Academy

Free! An event by Access Church
Food • Water Fun • Bounce Houses • Shaved Ice • Face Painting • And More!
Come as you are and enjoy environments for the whole family at 10:30am, then stay after for Summerfest.

For more information click here

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Ponte Vedra Council – Networking Mixer

Wednesday, July 28 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Pusser’s Bar and Grille, 816 A1A N, Ste 100, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Ponte Vedra Council – Networking Mixer
Please register for this free event: https://mdweb.mmsi2.com/nefarss/deeplinks.pl?type=CV&id=PV072821

Join us Wednesday, July 28 for our second social event of the year! Enjoy a fun evening of networking with old friends and new from 4:30-6:30PM at Pusser’s Bar and Grill (816 A1a N Ste 100, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082) in the heart of Ponte Vedra in a nice open environment that will be safe for all who want to attend. Appetizers will be served. Bring your business cards.

For more information click here

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Speed Networking – Culhane’s Irish Pub

Monday, July 26 at 5:30 PM
Culhane’s Irish Pub, 967 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, FL

What we’ll do
Speed Networking for your business at Culhane’s Irish Pub Atlantic Beach!

TIckets at: http://MixItUpNetworking.Eventbrite.com

Connect one-on-one with 15-25 other business professionals though a series of 3 minute mini-meetings.

Make new contacts, generate referrals, establish new Joint Venture relationships, acquire leads and customers and make new friends.

Tips on How To Speed Network Effectively
• Take plenty of business cards.
• Be gracious. Allow the other to speak first unless he or she defers.
• Exchange business cards with everyone. Sometimes, ways in which two people may be beneficial to each other are not immediately apparent. Having a business card allows for the opportunity to follow up with additional questions.
• Make quick notes on cards collected as reminders of what was interesting about a particular person. It will make follow-ups easier.
• Don’t forget to follow up. Too many times people make a great connection and then fail to follow through.
• After the event, make note of what worked well and what didn’t. Consider how to change your presentation to make it more user-friendly and more persuasive.

Register at http://mixitupnetworking.eventbrite.com

The cost is $10 if you register and pay in advance, $15 if you pay cash at the door and includes free light appetizers and open networking between 5:30 and 6:00.
Let’s network!!!

For more information click here

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Block Party Half Marathon

Saturday, November 20
Jacksonville

GET READY TO PARTY, JACKSONVILLE!

NOVEMBER 20, 2021
The inaugural Block Party Half Marathon & 5K is coming to Jacksonville, FL for a thrilling day of running and celebrating all things Jax! You’ll have a blast running through the heart of downtown Jacksonville and along beautiful St. Johns River, with the run triumphantly concluding in bustling James Weldon Johnson Park where the festivities are just getting started.

The post-race block party will feature local businesses and vendors, rockin’ music, and delicious craft beer! Plus, we are proud to support the St. Johns RIVERKEEPER, a non-profit watchdog organization dedicated to defending the St. Johns River and advocating for its protection.

For more information click here

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Whiskey Wine and Wildlife

Thursday, September 9 to Sunday, September 12
Jekyll Island, Ga

A CULINARY WEEKEND LIKE NO OTHER
Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife artfully combines renowned beverage tastings and inspired cuisine from some of the South’s best chefs and local culinary superstars, with a chance to experience coastal wildlife up-close, all in one weekend!

The weekend’s events will raise funds and awareness for programs of the Jekyll Island Foundation, with the island’s research and education experts on-hand Friday and Saturday, showcasing some fun, interactive programs with coastal wildlife, from sea turtles to alligators!

It’s a culinary weekend experience like no other. Expect to sip and savor great whiskey, spirits, wine, beer and culinary tastings – all oceanfront with music and a relaxed island vibe.

For more information click here

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Tequila Dinner – Visit Savannah

Saturday, July 24 at 6:00 PM

Join us for a night of celebrating good food, good spirits, and good conversation!

From 6-6:30 p.m. we will be welcoming you to our cocktail hour where you will sip bubbles as Tequila Ocho’s distilling expert, Jesse Estes, speaks about tequila and its history.

From there you enter our private dining room where you will indulge in a 6-course dinner.

Each course will be paired with a cocktail incorporating various types of tequila. You will also be given tastings of each tequila to allow you fully appreciate the spirit.

As you make your way through the dinner, Jesse will discuss the uniqueness of each tequila and how it is made.

Each guest will be gifted with specialty glasses from Tequila Ocho.

For more information click here

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Vosa: Ultra-Premium Vodka Infused Sparkling Water Cocktail

Vosa made its U.S. launch at the Sports Illustrated swim show Saturday, July 10th at the Mondrian Hotel Miami Beach, inaugurating the official partnership between the hotel and the new ultra-premium vodka-infused sparkling water cocktail.

More than 1000 guests attended and celebrities such as TikToker Jade Kircus, actress Jena Sims, TV personality Nicole Williams English, Marcel Katz a.k.a The Art Plug, Taylor Morland, models CJ Gibson & Taylor Morland, NFL’s Wes Saunders, Duke Riley, & Olumide Ogunjobi and others were seen enjoying this very unique water cocktail.

Vosa is now distributed up and down the East Coast from New York to Miami and will be launching on the West Coast in Autumn 2021.

Vosa sets itself apart from other libations within this category by using all ultra-premium ingredients and is 100% organic and natural. Sparkling water instead of hard seltzer, real fruit juices, and six-time distilled vodka as opposed to using a malt-based liquor like many of its competitors. It has a very clean, light, and refreshing taste. Vosa only has 99 calories, zero sugars, zero carbs, and is gluten-free! The product was a real hit with the Sports Illustrated models.

For more information click here

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