Hot Off the Presses
Mondelēz International congratulates the winners of the 2022 RITZ Crushed Crackers Recipe Contest presented by Chef’s Roll. Contest participants included U.S.-based chefs, professional cooks, restaurant operators and culinary students and yielded 155 entries featuring original recipes incorporating RITZ Crushed Crackers. Recipes were judged on originality, image appeal and creative use of RITZ Crushed Crackers as an ingredient. Here are the winners:
- Grand Prize: Chef Lauren Katz, Pimento & Bacon Pastry Poppers made with RITZ Crackers. A jalapeño is filled with bacon, pimento cheese, and scallions, and then dipped in a layer of RITZ Crushed Crackers, spiraled with a little puff pastry, and baked. Chef Lauren received $5,000, plus a custom painted Luna mixer from Waring Commercial and a custom blade from Meglio Knives. Chef Lauren is currently the Executive Chef at The Difference Baker in Ashburn, VA. She also won the first season of “Great American Baking Show” and has competed in over 50 cooking competitions across the country.
- Second Prize: Chef Justin Gaspar, Peanut Butter Crunch Pie made with RITZ Crushed Crackers. A RITZ Crushed Crackers crust filled with peanut butter white chocolate with RITZ Crushed Crackers, salted caramel ganache, and white chocolate RITZ Crushed Crackers and toffee on top. Chef Justin won a $1,500 cash prize and custom blade from Meglio Knives. He is a partner at Hommage Bakehouse in San Diego and was a winner of the show “Baker’s Dozen” (season one, episode eight) that aired in October 2021.
- Third Prize: Chef Erin Hungsberg, Trail Mix Tart made with RITZ Crushed Crackers. RITZ Crushed Crackers tart shell filled with chocolate fudge ganache, white chocolate & cranberry blondie bars, dulce de leche, roasted pistachios and topped with brulee meringue. Chef Erin won a $1,000 cash prize and a custom blade from Meglio Knives. She is a self-taught chef and recipe developer.
- Culinary Student Winner: Chef Rosalie Phan, Pistachio Rose Tart with RITZ Crushed Crackers. RITZ Crushed Crackers meringue filling with the flavors of pistachios, cardamom, and rose water on a base of RITZ Crushed Crackers Pate Sucree tart shell. Topped with a floral and tart raspberry lychee sauce. Chef Rosalie won a $500 cash prize and a custom blade from Meglio Knives. She is currently a student at SUNY Schenectady Hospitality.
Kari-Out Company, a leading manufacturer, importer and nationwide distributor of paper, aluminum, and recyclable packaging products in the restaurant takeout industry, today announced a significant move to bolster its innovative line of sustainable packaging solutions. The company’s largest investment to date will expand manufacturing capabilities in its Specialty Quality Packaging (SQP) facility in New York, where Kari-Out’s popular Food Trays, Eco Box™ and Eco Earth™ paper food containers are produced. SQP, founded in 1981, has been a Kari-Out company for over fifteen years and has helped Kari-Out drive innovation with a highly experienced manufacturing team.
The California Avocado Commission’s 2022 pre-season forecast projects a 306-million-pound crop, which is nearly a 15% increase over the last fiscal year. The majority of the harvest will be the Hass variety; Lamb Hass, GEM and other varieties also are being commercially grown. Market conditions will be a key factor for when California avocado growers begin harvesting; some growers have already begun to pick. Volume is expected to ramp up in earnest around March. While the Commission’s fiscal year runs from November 2021 through October 2022, about 80% of the California avocado season volume is expected to occur from April through August, with the season winding down starting in September.
Products on the Market
There’s a new mitt in the market making life a little more germ free as we navigate the current climate and beyond – and with the success of its online sales, this new mitt is on its way to stores and hotels. As people continue to get out more - from traveling via airports and staying at hotels to dining at restaurants to simply running more and more errands - sanitizing efforts are still top of mind and there’s a new product making headlines: Fend Wellness Antibacterial Hand Wipe Mitts. These mitts are the first wearable hand wipes that provide a protective liner between you and all surfaces that come in contact with your hands. This wearable, multi-use sanitizing mitt kills germs and 99.9% of bacteria on your hands with its 75% alcohol sanitizing solution – ideal for traveling in airport and hotels and for anyone concerned about germs, sanitizing efforts, and fending off bacteria. And they won’t dry out your hands – this one-size-fits most mitt has a comfortable liner to create a barrier around the hands and keep them completely insulated from whatever is lurking on the surface you’re touching.
