21st Annual ARC Taste of Galena - February 4, 2010

GALENA, Ill. - It's hard to believe that eating this well is actually all for a good cause.

On Feb. 4, Galena's best, ranging from restaurateurs to winemakers and cheesecake bakers to caterers, will gather together at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa from 7-10 p.m. to celebrate "Serving the Best" for the Galena Art & Recreation Center.

Now in its 21st year, the ARC Taste of Galena has become a sought-after event that promises an evening of pleasure for your taste buds. Past years have presented delectable dishes such as: slow roasted glazed pork loin, Yukon Gold mashed potato bar with toppings, blue cheese soup, lobster ravioli, salmon with béarnaise on potato galette, pan fried pork dumplings, sushi, Louisiana crab cakes, Southwest tortilla chip soup, gourmet pomegranate balsamic and blood orange olive oil salad, homemade fudge, toffee, assorted cheesecakes, and chocolate molten cake with caramel sauce. And that's just a partial listing. Is your mouth watering yet?

Your taste buds won't be the only thing thanking you. Your feet will thank you, too, as they may be keeping rhythm to the catchy beats of the Rob Martin Quartet, a live jazz ensemble, who will perform throughout the evening.

For a complete and up-to-date listing of ARC Taste exhibitors and menus, visit the event's website: www.tasteofgalena.com. The site also provides attendees with a quick and convenient way to purchase Taste tickets online. In addition to online sales, tickets may also be purchased at the Galena Art & Recreation Center, 413 S. Bench Street, Galena and the Galena Territory Owners' Club, 2000 Territory Drive, Galena. Cost is $30 per person.

This year's event will also be judged by the best! The Galena Art & Recreation Center welcomes Chicago Sun-Times food columnist David Hammond - and you, our Taste attendees - to vote for your favorite offerings.

"We are excited to be 'Serving the Best' - the best exhibitors, the best sponsors, and the best supporters and now the best judges at our 21st annual ARC Taste of Galena. Every year I look forward to the diverse menu, and this year's event is guaranteed to please!'" said Sarah Petersen, the ARC's executive director. "We are planning a lot of special things for this event, including a digital presentation of photos through the years, a silent auction and a 50/50 drawing. I recommend purchasing your tickets early as this event has sold out in the past."

The ARC Taste of Galena is a core fundraiser for the Galena Art & Recreation Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides programs for all ages. The funds raised at the ARC Taste are included in the ARC annual operating budget and will assist with the ongoing process of balancing the budget and achieving financial security.

For information about room availability, shopping, dining, attractions, events and more, please go to galena.org, the Web site of the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, or call 877-464-2536 toll-free.

In 2009, the Galena Art & Recreation Center celebrated its 40th anniversary. Forty years strong...and still growing: visit www.galenaarc.org.

Secrets of a Johnny's Chef with Chef Steve Hall

Culinary Class January 11th at 6:30

The culinary class is $40 per participant and the fee is all inclusive: two glasses of wine, generous samples of each course, recipe cards, class fee, tax and gratuity (or 2 martinis for $45). Space is limited; for more information or to sign up, please call Johnny's Italian Steakhouse at 309.736.0100.

The class will be held the second Tuesday of every month in 2011. Below is a complete schedule.

January 11th

A Fresh Look at Supperclubs

Lump Crab Dip with Seasoned Pita Chips

Steak and Seafood Combo

Lava Cake

February 8th

Wine and Dine for Valentine's

Deluxe Bruschetta

Goat Cheese Salad

Beef Wellington

Strawberry Shortcake

March 8th

Cooking with Wine

Chilled Shrimp with Brandy Louis

Pork with Cabernet Demi-glace

Chicken Madeira

Atlantic Salmon with Beurre Blanc

Mixed Berries with Marsala Zabglione

April 12th

Do It Yourself Celebrations

Spicy Seared Scallops with a Lemon Cream Sauce

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Goat Cheese and Asparagus

Bananas Foster

May 10th

VIP Access - Johnny's Signatures

Veal Sinatra

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

Buffalo Mozzerella Caprese

June 14th

Casual Summer Party

Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Spiedini

Insalata Spinaca with Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Classic Chicken Picatta with Italian Style Green Beans

July 12th

Everyday Italian with Local Produce

Baby Spinach Salad

Chilean Seabass Caprese

Limoncello Cake with Berries

August 9th

A Trip through Italy

Tuscany: Ribollita - Bread thickened vegetable soup

Rome: Vittelo Saltimbocca (Veal with prosciutto, lemon and sage)

Pomodori Ripieni (Tomatoes stuffed with rice)

Umbria: Crostini Umbriachi (Drunken Bread or Toast)

September 13th

Dinner with a Vibe

Bruschetta Wedge

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Cabernet Demi-glace

Warm Banana Bread Sundae

October 11th

Classic Dinner Party

Rumaki Sampler

Trout Amadine with Haricot Vert and Wild Rice Pilaf

Crème Brulee

November 8th

Hollywood at Home

Shrimp Cocktail with 3 unique presentations

Prime Rib

Tiramisu

By Senator Tom Harkin

For too long, we've allowed trips to the grocery store to be a gamble for American families.  In fact, while the food supply in the United States is one of the safest in the world, each year about 76 million illnesses occur, more than 300,000 people are hospitalized and 5,000 die from food borne illness.  Meanwhile, an increasing portion of our food now comes from overseas.  The FDA has struggled in recent years with outbreaks of food borne illness and nationwide recalls of contaminated food from both domestic and foreign sources.  The fact of the matter is, our food safety system was designed 100 years ago and was appropriate for a world in which most of our food was grown and processed domestically.  These are serious concerns that Iowa families shouldn't have to worry about - and that is why I am so pleased that at long last the Senate passed historic legislation to overhaul our food safety system.

S.510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, is a true victory for American consumers and will help prevent food contamination and improve our outbreak response.  The bill was a bipartisan effort and passed by a vote of 73-25.  I was honored to cosponsor and help shepherd the legislation through the Senate as Chairman of the Health Committee.  Specifically, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act will:

• Improve prevention of food contamination by identifying hazards before food becomes contaminated.

• Allow the FDA to issue mandatory recalls in the event that businesses do not voluntarily recall harmful foods.

• Require grocery stores and other food retailers to notify consumers if they have sold food that has been recalled.

• Improve disease surveillance so outbreaks can be discovered earlier.  

There are, unfortunately, many myths circulating about this bill and I have heard from many concerned farmers and small business owners in Iowa.  In reality, the bill was written to protect consumers while not burdening our agricultural producers or small businesses.  To debunk just a few of these rumors: the bill will not bring more FDA inspectors to farms, it will not outlaw home gardens and family farms, it will not charge famers and small businesses new registration fees, it will not criminalize seed savings, it will not require farms to perform new record keeping and it will not outlaw traditional organic growing methods.

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is an important step towards keeping Iowans - and all Americans - safe, and represents what can be accomplished when we work across the to benefit families and consumers.  For more information on the bill please visit http://Harkin.Senate.Gov or call my office at 515-284-4574.

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