Directions: In a large mix container place the milk, cream, PreGel Orange Fortefrutto® and PreGel Vanilla Velvet Traditional Paste (American Vanilla). Mix together all of the dry ingredients to remove any lumps. With an immersion blender, combine the liquid ingredients while slowly adding the dry ingredients. Mix well for 2-3 minutes. Place in cold process… Read more »
Berry Healthy: What’s Cooking? Safety in the Kitchen
Working in a kitchen environment is fun and fast-paced; however, there are many risks in daily kitchen life. The following guidelines will help you create a safe, functional operation that protects your employees and produces safe food products for your customers. Avoid Injuries Workplace injuries cause a range of problems, including injured personnel, loss of… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: What Type of Vanilla Is Right For You?
To think of vanilla as a simple, basic flavor is to highly underestimate its complexities and sophistication. From the great lengths we go to in harvesting vanilla beans, to the broad range of flavor intensities and distinct properties, it is clear that true vanilla is fit for the finest of palates. To satisfy the wide… Read more »
Tree Talk: Have You Joined Our Social Media Pages Yet?
Have you joined our Facebook pages yet? There’s a lot of exciting things happening on Facebook, YouTube and more, and we would love to have you as a friend. Here’s a sneak peek at what our pages offer and why you should join. PreGel AMERICA Fan Page (www.facebook.com/PreGelAMERICA) • Find the Professional Training Center’s up-to-date… Read more »
Tree Talk: New Faces Join PreGel’s 5-Star Pastry Ambassador Program
National Pastry Demo Program Has Well-Rounded Cast of Chefs A couple of new faces will join PreGel’s 5-Star Pastry Ambassador Program this year. The program features four prominent pastry chefs who are responsible for presenting a minimum of two technical product demonstrations a year in the regions they represent. The purpose of the 5-Star Pastry… Read more »
Recipes: Triple Chocolate Brownie Explosion
Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Blend with immersion blender. Pour in batch freezer and freeze. Decorate with brownie pieces and PreGel Gran Stracciatella Reale Arabeschi® (Chocolate Chips) on the top of the gelato.
Recipes: Chocolate Raspberry Frozen Yogurt
Directions: In a large mix container place the 1% milk, yogurt, PreGel Prontociocc Traditional Paste (Chocolate) and PreGel Raspberry Fortefrutto®. Mix together all of the dry ingredients to ensure the powder disseminates completely. With an immersion blender blend the milk and yogurt while slowly adding the latter. Mix well for 2-3 minutes. Place the latter… Read more »
Branching Out: Tuxedos: A Truly Formal Dessert
Directions: Chocolate Mousse Whip PreGel Ovissimo (Pasteurized Egg Yolks) to ribbon stage. Whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Melt the dark chocolate. Heat milk and place in a bowl; whisk in PreGel Textura (Mousse Base– Gelatin Replacement), PreGel Cacaopat Traditional Paste (Chocolate – Unsweet) and dark chocolate. Fold in the whipped PreGel Ovissimo (Pasteurized Egg… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Delicious and Nutritious: Doctors Say “Yes” to Chocolate
“Take a piece of chocolate twice a day while symptoms persist.” Isn’t that what you wish you’d hear during visits to the doctor? Well, good news for those of us who have been self-medicating with chocolate all along: There are actually valid reasons to follow this advice while maintaining your healthy lifestyle. Many recent studies… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: Chocolate
Chocolate: The word alone invokes pleasure for most of us. Its crisp, smooth texture with rich and bold flavor creates an always-satisfying experience. “Simple Magnificence: The Cacao Bean” walks us through the origins of chocolate’s fundamental ingredient – the cacao bean. The process flow diagram ( below) provides an overview of how cacao beans are… Read more »
What Makes You a Dessert Expert?
The value of formal education continues to be a widely debated topic among culinary professionals. Some of the industry’s most revered chefs have risen through the ranks of a family-owned bakery or restaurant, while others studied at some of the best culinary institutions around the world. So what is it that makes chefs and culinary… Read more »
Tree Talk: Ron Paprocki Named First StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition Winner
The pastry chefs of New York City continue to thrive and make headlines, and such was case the moment Ron Paprocki of Gordon Ramsay at the London, NY, was named the 2010 StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition winner. Presenting the final round elements that included a chocolate showpiece, bonbons and an entremet, Chef Paprocki found himself… Read more »
Tree Talk: 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Line Features Six New Pastes
PreGel is expanding its dynamic 5-Star Chef Pastry Select line to encompass six new pastes. The six new pastes include: • Almond Paste Description: Thick and creamy with tiny pieces of almond, this is a classic almond paste. • Coconut Paste Description: A smooth and milky paste with an intense coconut flavor. • Donatella Paste… Read more »
Recipes: Coconut Basil Gelato
Directions: In a large mixing container, place the milk, cream, PreGel Coconut Traditional Paste and fresh basil. Mix together the PreGel Diamant 50 (Milk Base) and sugar to remove any lumps. With an immersion blender, mix the liquid ingredients while slowly adding the dry ingredients. Blend well for 2-3 minutes, until the basil is in… Read more »
Recipes: Banana Thyme Sorbetto
Directions: In a large mixing container, place the banana puree, lemon juice, thyme and water. Mix together all of the dry ingredients, PreGel Fruttosa® (Water & Milk Base) and sugar, to remove any lumps. With an immersion blender, mix the liquid ingredients while slowly adding the dry ingredients. Blend well for 2-3 minutes. Pour into… Read more »
What’s Blooming: Herbal Infusions: Interesting and Innovative Flavor Development
Heating up the culinary charts as a major trend the last few years is herb infusion. Known to enhance savory dishes and add appeal to desserts, unique and exotic flavor creations are being found in restaurants and cafés across the United States by simply adding a little herb. Best defined as “extracting flavor from a… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Understanding Kosher
What Is Kosher? The word “kosher” is derived from Hebrew and translates to English as meaning “proper” and “pure.” In a general sense, kosher may refer to any person, thing, food or situation that may be deemed acceptable according to certain standards. While originally used in Judaism to describe ritual texts or practices, nowadays kosher… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: Wheat Flour
As diets and societal trends have evolved, so has our use of wheat flour–a principle grain and staple food item in our everyday diet. The Economic Research Service (ERS) division of the UDSA estimates that U.S. per capita consumption of wheat flour averaged 137 pounds in 2008. This number is down from 225 pounds per… Read more »
Tree Talk: Views from the Tree Receives 2010 Hermes Creative Platinum Award
Views from the Tree received a coveted 2010 Hermes Creative Platinum Award in the Magazine/Publication category. The top honors were awarded to the Summer/Fall 2009 issue. Views from the Tree’s editorial and creative direction is primarily produced by PreGel AMERICA with design outsourced to WhiteSpace Creative. The magazine is printed at United Printing in Charlotte,… Read more »
Tree Talk: Fig Arabeschi® & Salted Caramel Super Sprint 2010 sofi™ Silver Finalists
PreGel AMERICA’s Fig Arabeschi® and Salted Caramel Super Sprint have been selected as Silver Finalists in the Condiment and New Product categories for the 2010 sofi™ Awards Competition, held by the National Association of Specialty Food Trade (NASFT). With over 1,500 entries across 31 categories, being recognized as a Silver Finalist for the Specialty Outstanding… Read more »
Tree Talk: StarChefs.com Announces Its First Annual International Pastry Competition Presented by PreGel
Leading international and U.S. pastry chefs will gather September 20–22, 2010, in New York City to compete at the first annual StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition presented by PreGel to be held in conjunction with the fifth annual StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress. Over three days, 20 of the industry’s top pastry talent will go through two… Read more »
Recipes: Strawberry Guava Sorbetto
Directions: Place all the ingredients into a large mixing container. Mix with an immersion blender for 3–4 minutes making sure everything is dissolved. Place in the heat treatment portion of the batch freezer and process according to the machine. Extract the gelato into a pan. Garnish with fresh strawberries and guavas.
Recipes: Peanut Butter & Jelly Fro Yo
Directions: Place milk and yogurt in a large mixing container, preferably twice as large as the amount you are mixing. In a bowl, mix sugar, PreGel Yoggi 30® Powdered Flavor (Yogurt – KSA Dairy) and PreGel Fruttosa® (Water & Milk Base). With an immersion mixer, blend liquid ingredients while slowly adding the powders. Add PreGel… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel AMERICA Web Site Unveils New Recipe Database
PreGel AMERICA is thrilled to announce the unveiling of their new recipe database on the company’s existing Web site www.pregelamerica.com. Launched Spring 2010, the recipe database contains hundreds of recipes for gelato, sorbetto, Tenero (soft serve) and pastry. Highlighting recipes created by PreGel’s Corporate Pastry Chef Frederic Monti along with the PreGel Training Center team… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: “Billions of ‘Friendly’ Live Active Cultures” in Your Frozen Yogurt
As we scan our local grocery stores and eateries, it seems that more and more product labels and marketing materials are boasting pro- and prebiotics. If you’re like most people, we’re left asking ourselves, “Since when did I order bacteria with my frozen yogurt?” Turns out you’re not alone, and a closer look at these… Read more »
Tree Talk: Four Unique and Trendy Products Make PreGel’s 2010 Novelties List
PreGel AMERICA recently announced its 2010 Novelties, and unlike previous years, it’s a small selection of unique and chic products. Representing a gamut of trends in the industry, the four new products are extremely versatile and true palate- pleasers for all areas of specialty desserts. Salted Caramel Super Sprint – A perfect combination of salty… Read more »
Tree Talk: Tenero, A Concept Redefining Soft Serve
Tenero is the next generation of soft serve products reinventing the frozen dessert experience for both consumers and operators across the United States. Encompassing both ready-to-use and more customizable products and recipes for frozen yogurt, gelato, sorbetto and ice cream, Tenero is a new, healthy and gourmet solution to the time-treasured classic of soft serve…. Read more »
Tree Talk: From Master Chocolatier to World Champion MOF, 2010 5-Star Chef Series Continues to Wow
The PreGel Training Center kicked off the 2010 5-Star Chef Series with amazing talent in February. True forces in the industry, Master Chocolatier Jean-Pierre Wybauw and MOF Olivier Bajard led dynamic 5-Star Chef Series seminars on the Art of Chocolates and Bonbons, and Techniques for Entremets and Tarts. “It was a pleasure to refine my… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel Presents Premium Pastry Line
5-Star Chef Pastry Select line features products uniquely created for pastry chefs in both formula and packaging A new product brand called the 5-Star Chef Pastry Select is PreGel’s latest endeavor to cater directly to pastry chefs around the world. The brand features a line of pastry products with new formulas specially tested and approved… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice
They say that variety is the spice of life, and there certainly is a lot of variety among spices. While some such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger have become familiar household names, a few spices remain fairly elusive and unknown to the general public. Some of these often underutilized spices offer incredible flavor and an… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: Hot or Cold Process?
When it comes to gelato production, the answer to this question is not always an easy one. What are the main differences between the hot and cold processes? Is one better than the other? Can I do either in my shop, with my equipment? Will the choice between the two affect my bottom line? You’ve… Read more »
Tree Talk: Trade Shows – Your Ticket for 2010
Every year, trade shows are held around the country to provide easy access to industry information. In one location, you can meet suppliers and vendors in the industry, attend educational seminars and demonstrations, and learn about the newly released products and technologies. It may seem like now isn’t the best time to attend a trade… Read more »
Tree Talk: Next Chapter at PreGel Begins… Production
PreGel AMERICA is pleased to announce that, after much anticipation, it has launched production at its Concord, N.C., location. This is a large step for parent company, PreGel, located in Reggio Emilia, Italy, as manufacturing has been centralized at the headquarter’s location since the company’s beginning in 1967. The decision to open a second production… Read more »
Tree-Talk: 5-Star Chef Series Kicks Off Its First Year with Masterful Pastry Creations
2009 marked the beginning of a new educational series for the world of pastry called the 5-Star Chef Series. The series of exclusive seminars featured some of the most current world-class pastry chefs: Laurent Branlard, Dimitri Fayard and Stephane Treand. Focusing on their respective specialties, chefs Branlard, Fayard and Treand each led a three-day class… Read more »
Branching Out: Savory Appetizers: PreGel Products Go Beyond Desserts
Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Add PreGel Peanut Traditional Paste, combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust flavorings to achieve a sweet/hot peanut flavor. Directions: Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Prepare a lightly greased baking sheet. Use a fork to mix the egg and water in a small bowl. Lay the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet…. Read more »
Berry Healthy: The Sweeter Side of Summer
Swimming pools and sunshine are just two of the things that summer brings, as fresh fruit starts to appear at farmer’s markets and on seasonal menus across the country. As you enjoy some cool strawberry gelato, relax with warm cherry pie or bite into a juicy watermelon, it’s hard not to think about the health… Read more »
Basics 101: Emulsifiers and Stabilizers
Many of the foods we know and love today are combinations of natural components that may otherwise not naturally get along with one another. For example, oil and vinegar make our favorite salad dressings; however, these two liquids want nothing to do with one another and will separate at the first given chance. In order… Read more »
Tree Talk: Happy Gelato® Party Craze Comes to America
Happy Gelato® parties are the latest craze sweeping gelaterias around the world – straight from Italy where they began, America is now joining in on the fun. Presented in the U.S. by PreGel AMERICA, the parties feature a trained performance artist who excels at the art of entertainment and gelato – combining both to offer… Read more »
Tree Talk: Pink Grapefruit Super Sprint
Named Outstanding Dessert or Dessert Topping of 2009 sofi™ Gold Winners announced by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Winners were announced June 29, 2009, for the 37th sofi™ Awards for the outstanding foods and beverages of the year. PreGel AMERICA’s Pink Grapefruit Super Sprint took top honors in the Dessert or Dessert… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel America Launches Marketing-In-A-Box Promotion
PreGel AMERICA is proud to announce, after much anticipation, its Marketing-in-a-Box (MIB) promotion. PreGel AMERICA’s MIB promotion is a part of the ongoing initiative to provide customers with one-of-a-kind service. PreGel AMERICA is a company that believes in helping its customers grow from the ground up, always striving to offer unique and creative solutions to… Read more »