Ice cream for St. Patrick�s Day

What could be better than green ice cream for St. Patrick's Day? Green ice cream infused with liqueur!

Kansai Bistro in San Francisco created this spectacular dessert combining Silver Moon Desserts� Cr�me de Mint Chip (above) with chocolate cake.

For another flavor in the St. Pat�s Day theme: Silver Moon�s Praline Irish Cream. But you needn�t be strictly Irish, all of their flavors are cause to celebrate.

Green, green, green

It doesn't get any greener than the lettuces from Hollandia Produce. Their "Live Gourmet" butter lettuce, arugula and cress are absolutely fresh, because they're still attached to their roots and alive when you buy them.

A unique product from Hollandia is the gold-medal-winning "Living 3-in-1 Lettuce" -- America�s first living mixed green salad. Three distinct varieties -- Lollo Rossa, Lollo Bionda, and Red Oak Leaf -- are grown together and harvested with their roots intact for the freshest mixed green salad you can buy.

Recipes on SavorCalifornia.com using Hollandia lettuces include: Three Lettuce Salad, Arugula Pesto and Watercress Soup.

Sustenance for

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Basketball Championships for men (since 1939) and women (since 1982) have become one of the United States� best-loved sporting events.

If you are caught up in �March Madness,� you might need a little sustenance to carry you through the exciting basketball action. You can keep your cheering strength up with these out-of-the ordinary snacks:

California Crunchies from Nunes Farms (below) bring you the goodness of almonds seasoned with all natural herbs and spices. Or their popular snack mixes, such as Barbecue Snack Mix with almonds, sesame sticks, rice crackers, pretzels, raisins and a zesty BBQ seasoning.

SnackMasters Jerky is in a class by itself. Range-grown turkey, all-natural beef, wild salmon, and wild ahi tuna, all with no preservatives. Original, Teriyaki and Hot & Spicy.

And then there is the delicious Caramel Corn from L'Estaci Dolce (below). Sesame Almond: Traditional Asian spices blended with popcorn, slow-cooked caramel and almonds. Maple Almond: rich maple syrup, spices and carmel.

What's new

Butter Chef Flavored Gourmet Butters (below).
Certified organic flavored butters to give your cooking an extra zing. Try Caper & Lime Pepper Butter, Toasted Hazelnut & Chive Butter or four other flavors.

Fentimans
Botanically brewed natural sodas, such as Ginger Beer (below), Mandarin & Seville Orange Jigger and Curiosity Cola.

San Angel Mole
Authentic Mole Negro (below), Red Mole and Cascabel Sauce. Complex gourmet Mexican flavors in a jar.

Thinking about going into the gourmet food business?

In the current economy, some folks who find themselves changing course are thinking about marketing one of their gourmet food specialties that has received praise from family and friends.

The best book we�ve seen to guide the beginner through the process of taking a product from your kitchen to other people�s kitchens is �Sell Your Specialty Food: Market, Distribute, and Profit from Your Kitchen Creation� by Stephen Hall.

Stephen has received many accolades, including from Oprah�s O Magazine: "A go-to book for any start-up food company."

Fun with Gene Burns!

Gene Burns is the host of �Dining Around with Gene Burns� on KGO, arguably the most-listened-to radio program in the San Francisco Bay Area. His producer, Joel Riddell, contacted Jane St. Claire for an interview at Fort Mason Center just prior to the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting on February 28.

What a blast! Gene is so much fun to talk with and he was so enthusiastic about SavorCalifornia.com, that over an hour just flew by.

In addition to the interview with Jane, Gene also interviewed Kendra Kolling of Nana Mae's Organics about their apple juices, apple sauces, and apple cider vinegar. Greg Warwick of Fentimans (below) talked about their �botanically brewed beverages� that taste like genuine sodas used to taste. The complex process and ingredients involved in making mole sauces were described by Tim McCarthy of San Angel Mole.

Thank you, Gene and Joel, for a great time and for getting the word out to your audience about SavorCalifornia.com!

Pure goodness

When fresh fruit isn�t in season, dried fruit is portable and healthful � and not messy to eat on the go. Eat them right out of the bag and add them to recipes for every time of the day: breakfast, appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts.

Franny's Raisins (below)
These raisins start their lives as lovely big grapes in California�s Central Valley. Dried, they are the biggest, plumpest raisins you�ll ever see. Raisins are an excellent source of phytonutrients, plus fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, such as iron, potassium and calcium.

Taylor Brothers Farms
Taylor Brothers prunes are a portable, convenient, energy-loaded snack, full of potassium, antioxidants, Vitamin A, and a wide variety of phytochemicals. Prunes also have a low glycemic index and help the body absorb calcium. Make an easy smoothie with prune nectar and Wallaby Yogurt Company. Use prune extract in cooking.

C. J. Olson Cherries (below)
Tart cherries are one of the few known food sources of melatonin, a potent antioxidant that helps with natural sleep patterns. They�re also rich in beta-carotene (Vitamin A), plus Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, folate and fiber. Mix Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate with water for a cherry drink, or use to flavor ice cream or yogurt.

Valley Fig Growers
Figs' full flavor and chewy texture make them a deliciously portable and healthy snack, rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and essential minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium. Figs contain no fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium.

B & R Farms
Apricots are loaded with dietary fiber and beta-carotene, as well as vitamin A, C, magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, silicon, potassium, and the powerful antioxidant lycopene.