Tailgating: September 28, 2008

SAKS Key to the Cure - Just Before Third Thursday!

Looking for something to do between leaving the office and heading to our Third Thursday event? Why not stop by and do a little shopping at SAKS and support the Wellness Community? See below for details!

2008 Key to the Cure Charity Shopping Event to benefit The Wellness Community's
free cancer support programs!

FREE Preview Party:
Thursday, October 16th; 5-9pm
SAKS - Downtown Cincinnati
Includes light refreshments, hors d'oeuvres and complimentary valet parking.
RSVP to 513.791.4060

Shop for the Cause:
Thursday, October 16 thru Sunday, October 19
2% of the proceeds will be donated to
http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/

Third Thursday - September

Thank you so much for coming last night! We had a great time feeding you and we hope that you had as much fun being fed. We hope you will join us again.

Note that the pictures are posted below. There have been some reports that the first 3 photos rotate through a few times before the others pop up. I am not sure why that is happening as I did not build the slideshow that way (if anyone has an Photobucket tips I am all ears). So, please be patient - there are more than 3 photos from last night!

Thanks for making the evening so great!

Thank you, thank you for coming tonight! We had a blast!

FUN at Fox 19

In case you have not yet heard, Caitlin was on television this morning. Caitlin, Molly, and I started our day in the Fox 19 studios with the oh-so gracious Rob Williams and Sheila Gray, anchors of the Morning News, and the crew (including Len, Arthur, Dale, and Eileen) that makes their show happen.

Caitlin was, as usual, "on" and unflappable. She grilled her well-loved Caprese Burger with Sundried Tomato Mayo that filled the morning air with the smell of yum. She chatted and smiled all the while whipping it up with our hosts who were charming and engaging and very kind. (You can watch the clip whenever you wish just by clicking on the title above.)

Molly and I, on the otherhand, were perched just outside the set hanging on every gesture and word like nervous stage mothers. We made ourselves available to pat brows, spritz water, and generally support the talent. As you can imagine, it was exhausting. :)

We had a great time and are very appreciative. Thank you, thank you, Fox 19!

-- Kelly

Eggs - So Many Choices But Just What Does It All Mean?

In an attempt to make your trip to the grocery store a bit less stressful, I thought that the attached article on eggs could offer some good insight. I know that I am never sure what size to buy (this is Molly writing), organic or free range... What does it mean and what constitutes a good egg.

If you are reading this and are located in an area recently affected by bad weather (and have been without power for days), before you re-stock your fridge, be sure to take a quick read through the attached on eggs. We are helping you to unscramble your questions.

Tailgating on the Square - Before the Windstorm

One minute we were dealing with "that darn wind" and trying to keep our paper products from flying away, and the next we were holding onto our tents - with all of our weight and with the help of a few new friends who were patiently waiting for a burger - to keep them from completely blowing away. It sure was quite an experience and one that we will never forget. A special thanks to our friends from "across the pond" who were chasing down buns and helping us - and many others - to dismantle safely. Wow.

We also wanted to give a shout out to the three guys from "the New York area" who were in town with Alicia Keys. I heard that the concert was unbelievable (and you were amazing) and I was sorry that we had all blown away by the time that you came back for your second burger. Just let us know the next time you will be in town, and we will be there. :) Our picture is posted below - thanks for making me get in the photo.

Again, thanks to everyone who helped on Sunday. It sure was an experience. Below are some pre-wind photos. The recipes for the burgers will be up on Wednesday (sorry for the delay, I literally just got power).

Tailgating on the Square - Before the Windstorm!

Quite a Nifty Marketing Tactic...Create a Jingle for Your Business...

So, it is often joked that, due to Kelly's influence, the Cooking with Caitlin crew lives as though we are in a musical. Voice mails for each other are unknowingly left in song as we are driving along the road or coming from a meeting. If you watch us carefully, you will see someone (usually Kelly, let's be honest) dancing along to some song that just may only be in her head...but it is a song nonetheless. We just can't help it.

And so, it was more than FUN to see this new marketing initiative by Intuit (Quickbooks to be exact) in which they will create a jingle for your business. Of course I got sucked in and just had to try it out. So, below is our very own Cooking with Caitlin jingle. I hope you will be half as entertained as I was in making it (it took minutes) but sure does have me talking...hmmm great marketing.

http://www.thejinglegenerator.com/index_recip.php?id=http://content.thejinglegenerator.com/userdata/flv/6995b8d53007f88c05c43a7ca507be4bfa4af348_1221616482.flv

Newsletter 9-16-08

Good day to you!

If you are getting this email and not our brand spanking new newsletter, please click on the following link to join Club Caitlin: www.cookingwithcaitlin.com/about/subscribe. You will not be disappointed.

Va-va-va-voom New Venue

You do not want to miss September’s Third Thursday. This week, Thursday, September 18th, we kick off fall foodie-style at our gorgeous new venue – The McAlpin on Fourth Street (www.themcalpin.com/landmarklocation/map.asp). With cooperative weather, we will gather on the rooftop deck with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and cascading flowers. Not to mention a view like none other. If the weather is anything less than desirable, plan to dine in the oh-so swanky penthouse suite. Either way, The McAlpin (www.themcalpin.com/landmarklocation/map.asp) promises to deliver.

If you have already registered for Third Thursday, hooray! See you there. If you have yet to save your seat, register right now at (www.cookingwithcaitlin.com/pages/events). Don’t wait another second; register (www.cookingwithcaitlin.com/pages/events) now.

25 for $25

Celebrate Third Thursday-style any day of the week. Invite 25 of your friends with 25 of their dollars and the Cooking with Caitlin crew will be at your door dishing up deliciousness for two hours. You provide the beverages and we provide the food, two servers, and the Caitlin. Not just any Caitlin either, THE Caitlin. Cooking in your kitchen, we serve a nine-item menu in petit-four proportions. Not a soul will leave your home hungry.

Email me right back to begin crafting your 25 for $25 menu.

What’s Happening Right Now… Kelly by Candlelight

As I write, actually write (as opposed to type or text or typewrite), this to you, I sit beside a tall sparkly candle I always thought was too beautiful to burn, burning brightly. It cuts through the darkness of a power-less home in post-windswept Cincinnati. By the time this gets to you, I will have transferred this text at a furious speed in the 90-minute computer session I bargained for at the home of the one friend I know with electricity.

I appreciate the opportunity to think about my work after a day of worrying about water and gasoline and diapers. I appreciate that my work is Cooking with Caitlin, that I get to love my work, and that I get to work with people I love. Most importantly, however, I am reminded of how very lucky I only am to have been tousled by wind and not tortured by hurricanes. For my inconvenience I am grateful; for the suffering of others I am prayerful. To you who have been ravaged by the weather, our hearts go out.

Upcoming Events

September 18 – Third Thursday at the McAlpin (register at www.cookingwithcaitlin.com/pages/events)

September 28 – Tailgating on Fountain Square
Bengals vs. Browns kickoff 1pm

And while you're waiting for Thursday, check out the newly-posted Orange Chicken Burger recipe and Roasted Turkey video.

Thank you, thank you,

Kelly and Molly and Caitlin too

www.cookingwithcaitlin.com
513.602.2458

Thank you, thank you!

Just how do you prevent freezer burn...

Here's another helpful hint when it comes to the basics or working your way through a kitchen: the best practices for freezing food!

To whet your appetite:

"Containers filled with food to be frozen need an inch of head space, allowing for expansion. And for optimum freezing and defrosting, food should be no more than two inches deep, which suggests the need to keep a variety of freezer container and bag sizes on hand."

If you so desire to learn more about these freezing basics, be sure to click here.

Salt - What Kind Should You Use?

If you are an avid watcher of Caitlin's videos, you will hear her say that she prefers one type of salt over another, depending upon what she is making. I have often questioned her about this and she has patiently explained that salt heightens flavors, and depending upon what type you choose to use, you can have more or less control.

I thought that the article, SALT: Scraping the surface of the ultimate seasoning provided a great explanation for the different types of salt available. Give it a read, and the next time Caitlin calls out a specific type of salt, you too will know exactly why she chose it!

So we know you are reading...

...just not commenting. What will it take? We want to know! As Kelly always says: tell, tell. Would it be more helpful if we started to pose questions to invite more discussion?

If that's the case, I have a question for you: have you ever tried to pick someone up in the grocery store?

Spices: Just How Long Do They Last?

We have recently been getting questions on herbs and spices - what rubs to use when grilling, what herbs are best for chicken, what is the difference between fresh herbs and dried flakes? Is one better than the other?

But, perhaps what we are asked most is How Long Can You Keep Dry Spices?

We came across the following article that nets it all out for you (click on the link above). Hope you enjoy!

- Molly, Kelly and Caitlin too