Craving Krave Jerky
When you think of jerky, no doubt it’s of those jaw-breaking, tough as shoe-leather strips sold at convenience stores and gas stations that you reach for only in desperation.
Now comes Krave Jerky, which is jerky you’ll actually want to eat.
The company was launched a year ago by Jens Hoj, former general manager of El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma, and Jonathan Sebastiani, a winemaker whose family started Viansa Winery in Sonoma.
What sets these gourmet jerky products apart is that they’re actually tender, soft, moist and even sticky with marinade. They’re so meaty tasting that you almost feel like you might need a knife and fork to eat them. But rest assured, fingers work just fine.
The jerky comes in eight varieties, including Lemon Garlic Turkey, Sweet Chipotle Beef, and Grilled Sweet Teriyaki Pork. The Teriyaki Pork is the most tender of the bunch, with a candied-salty flavor of a perfect Hawaiian plate lunch.
The Basil Citrus Turkey is the most toothsome of the bunch with a mild tang. Surprisingly, it also boasts the most calories at 100 per 1 ounce serving, compared to the 70-80 calories of the others. It also has the most sodium at 610 mg per serving, compared to the 140-400 mg of the others. But the turkey has 0 grams of fat, compared to 1.5-2.5 for the other flavors.
A 3.5-ounce package is $7.
But starting today, for a limited time only, Daily Gourmet is offering a deal on Krave Jerky. The new San Francisco-based company offers gourmet food products in special discounts for limited time offers to members, who are notified via email. Among the products that have been offered or will be are jams and vinegars from The Girl and the Fig in Sonoma, and vegan cinnamon rolls by Berkeley’s Cinnaholic.
A five-pack of Krave Jerky will be $28 (includes shipping) on Daily Gourmet.
The company was started by David Rangel, formerly with Microsoft’s Corporate Strategy Group and an executive at Groupon; and Chad Jackson, a software and Internet entrepreneur.
CookBookKarma for Cookbook Aficionados
If you love to cook from cookbooks, take photos of your dishes and post the results on your blog, you’ll be glad to discover the new site, CookBookKarma.
It’s an online gallery of cookbook reviews by bloggers. Just check out the lovely photos that are sure to make your mouth water. Then, submit your own photo with a link back to your own blog.
It’s a great way to check out recipes from the latest cookbooks, as well as to draw more readers to your own blog.
The site was created by my friend and colleague, Pam Thuman-Commike, who also started ProjectFoodie, a one-stop recipe search portal, which I regularly write for.
Flower Festival in Santa Cruz
India Joze restaurant in Santa Cruz invites you to enjoy the blooms of spring — in edible form.
May 1 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the restaurant is hosting a festival that will feature cooking demos, live music and poetry readings. Enjoy such flowery creations as elder flower fritters, rose petal chicken, lavender scented salmon and lemon verbena shortbread.
Tickets are $45 per person. Advance tickets are required. They can be purchased here.
Meet Curtis Stone in San Francisco
If you’ve been swooning over adorable Aussie Chef Curtis Stone on “Top Chef Masters,” you’ll be glad to know you can meet him at a special Australian wine dinner in San Francisco on April 3o.
It’ll cost you a pretty penny, though. The Penfolds Premiere Grange Dinner at Cellar360 in Ghriardelli Square is $350 per person.
What do you get for that price tag? Stone creating a dinner to accompany five new Penfolds releases. For an added bonus, Peter Grago, Penfolds chief winemaker, also will be opening up four vintage wines for sampling.
For reservations, call (707) 299-3252. The event is limited to 40 attendees.