by Julie Griffin, director of Lunds and Byerly's products
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Each year, right around the time everyone starts dressing in green, I get quite the craving for those delicious Irish foods – Guinness stew, corned beef and cabbage and of course, my favorite, corned beef brisket Reuben sandwiches!
We have a tradition here at our corporate support office for this lucky holiday, just as many families around the globe have their own special traditions. Our talented food experience manager, Molly, whips up the entire office a piping hot batch of her famous Kobe corned beef brisket Reuben sandwiches. What makes this sandwich so special (besides Molly’s fantastic foodie flair)? Why the beef of course!
by Tim Pohland, category manager, online shopping
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
It’s Super Bowl time! (I say that tongue in cheek, for if you know me, you know how much I love my cherished Vikings.) As with most Vikings fan, we believed last year was a fluke. We thought bringing in a 6-time pro bowl quarterback would make everything better. As we soon found out, it didn’t.
So as I saw our season slowly fade away, my only other obvious “joy” was to root against a particular team that plays across state lines. (Sorry Packers fans.) W ell, I lost a bet to my friends, and as you can see it didn’t work out very well. Do you know how hard it was for me to smile?
I still have faith in our Vikings, but it gets tough. So when the going gets tough, the tough get eating? On Super Bowl Sunday we do!
by Kate Selner, FoodE Expert, Byerly's St. Paul
Thursday, December 22, 2011
I've read the Clement C. Moore classic tale, “A Visit from St Nicholas” so many times I couldn't possibly count. When I was little, I thought sugar plums were just that - sugared plums. There was nothing of the sort involved in my own holiday celebration, so these had to be old-fashioned, something from times long ago and lost to modern society.
Just recently, I discovered what a sugar plum (the iconic image that dances in the heads of the sleeping children on Christmas Eve in this classic tale) actually was. Sugar plums are simple concoctions of dried fruit and nuts, chopped fine in a food processor and rolled in coconut or powdered sugar. There's nothing fancy about them and the ease of making them creates a delicious goodie even the youngest of hands can do.
by Julie Griffin, director of Lunds and Byerly's products
Friday, November 18, 2011
Every year, my family gathers at my friend’s house for our traditional “bring your favorite from home recipe” Thanksgiving celebration. One of the dishes we always bring is the staple green bean casserole…but with a twist! We top the casserole with toasted strips of prosciutto. And it always receives rave reviews.
If you’d like to try it this Thanksgiving, purchase a half-pound of thinly-sliced prosciutto from any of our delis. Toast the slices in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes (until crisp). Break the slices into smaller pieces and sprinkle on top of your hot, baked green bean casserole. You’ll have a delicious new twist!
by Colin Lyons, produce buyer
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
I had the pleasure of spending a number of years in a Byerly’s produce department keeping displays full and helping customers with their questions. It was fascinating to see all of the different ways that people pick out their produce. There was a lot of knocking on watermelon, smelling of peaches and cantaloupe, and tasting of grapes. As a side note to all of you grape tasters that are for some reason ashamed of your actions, tasting a grape or two is OK! It is good to see people interact with their food in these ways. It shows a person’s interest and passion for great produce. A desire to put delicious, healthy food on your table is nothing to be ashamed of.
One of my favorite methods of selection was the “pineapple pull”. If you don’t know what I am referring to I will explain. Many people will go up to a pineapple display and start pulling on the leaves in the crown of the pineapple. The theory is that if the leaf pulls free from the pineapple, it is ripe and ready. This very common misconception has not only made some messy pineapple displays, but it suggests that there are a lot of under ripe pineapples out there. The fact is every pineapple in our stores should be ripe and ready to eat.