Syvlia Schur -- a recipe developer for Betty Crocker, cookbook writer for companies like Campbell's and creator of products like Clamato, Cran-Apple juice and the pre-Slim-Fast diet drink Metrecal -- has died at the age of 92.
The cause of death was respiratory failure, her daughter, Jane S. Smith, told the New York Times.
Clamato, a cocktail juice made with tomato juice, onions, celery, spices and a dash of clam juice, is known for being a key ingredient in the Michelada. It is made and distributed by Mott's.
Along with independently helping food corporations develop new products, Schur was the founder of her own restaurant and food company consulting business, Creative Food Services.
"She was a pioneer of modern food usage," her Creative Food Services coworker Heidi Kost-Gross told the Times. "Her company was at the cutting edge of how food should look and taste, and above all, how it should be used."
When it comes to cranberry sauce, I've always been partial to the canned stuff. I like the shape that the can makes, and I like the simplicity of it - just crank it open and give it a couple of jiggles. However, this year, when I went to pick up the standard can, I happened to read the label and discovered that my beloved Ocean Spray is made with high fructose corn syrup. Despite those commercials that the corn refiners started running earlier in the fall, trying to convince the public that HFCS is just fine, I've been trying to avoid it. So back on the shelf went the can and I determined to make my own sauce, albeit as close in consistency to the canned version as possible.
I cooked down a bag of cranberries with some maple syrup, Meyer lemon juice and zest and some cherry cider (I would have used cranberry juice, but I didn't have any) until the berries were all popped and juicy. I then ran the whole mess through a food mill to smooth it out and get rid of the skins (I know that they are very healthy, but I wanted a can-like consistency and so they had to go). I toyed briefly with pulling out a mold (I have a few from my great-aunt) but decided that was overkill and just chilled it in a glass bowl so that you could see the bright redness.
The resulting cranberry sauce was pleasantly tangy, but with a discernable sweetness. It was still cloudier than the canned sauce and not quite as set, but I continue to be happy with the results. After a couple of days in the fridge, it's become like jam and I'm considering making more to can and give away as holiday gifts. More specific details, like measurements, after the jump.
If you live in New York and have walked by Rockefeller Center today, you were probably taken aback. Oh no wait, if you're a New Yorker, you're never taken aback.
You think you've seen everything? Well, Ocean Spray, for the third year, has constructed a sizable pit at Rockefeller Center and filled it with a cranberry bog. They call it "The Big Apple Bog." The bog will be moving next to L.A.'s Kodak theater, and then to Boston. The purpose? Education, and the celebration of the cranberry harvest!
The people wading around in there are real cranberry farmers, and are there to answer questions. There's also cranberry farm equipment placed around the square. Have a look in the gallery!
Gallery: Cranberry Bog by Ocean Spray at Rockefeller Center
Today as I was rearranging the food in my fridge, I accidentally dropped a bottle of Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice on my foot. But instead of throwing the bottle across the room and swearing my head off, I decided to check out the Ocean Spray web site and see what they had for cranberry cocktails.
I always try to turn a negative into a positive, and I find alcohol helps.
Although cranberries have long been a favorite part of the holiday meal, it seems like craisins have finally come into their own. The sweet, dried cranberries are popular year round, although 80% of sales are still around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Craisins, made by Ocean Spray, are probably the single biggest brand of dried cranberries and account for most of the sales. Their sales have doubled in just the past two years, prompting Ocean Spray to plan the opening of a new factory for processing them. The berries are first dried and, unlike some other brands of dried cranberries, they have the juice removed and it is later injected back into them, creating a slightly sweeter final product that helped the catch on with fans of sweeter raisins and other dried fruits. Craisins go well in salads, baked good and with main dishes, in sauces or on their own, and company executives say that the sales are split evenly between retail consumers and manufacturers of cereals, baked goods and other products. They also attribute their continued popularity to the fact that consumers are constantly seeking out snacks that are at least as portable, but healthier than some of their less good-for-you favorites.
Even experienced cooks can use and extra hand around the holidays, and unless you have a personal chef already standing by to coach you through your problems, you might need to call in some help. Literally. Several organizations set up hotlines for food advice, so whether you need help with your turkey of help with dessert, you'll have someone to turn to.
Butterball- 1-800-BUTTERBALL; Nov. 1 to Dec. 31; 8am-8pm - This is the place for all turkey-related questions, staffed with specialists who have completed 'Butterball University.'
Crisco - 1-877-367-7438; Through Dec. 31; 8am-8pm - They have advice for any and all pie-related questions, such as how to get a more tender crust or prevent the crust from shrinking away from the sides of the pan.
OceanSpray - 1-800-662-3263; Year-round; Mon.-Fri., 9am-4pm - Limited to cranberry questions, but great for last-minute tips or questions about specific products.
USDA - 1-888-674-6854; Year-round; 10am-4pm - If food safety is a worry, whether you need advice on food sensitivities or just have a question about food-borne illnesses, call this line.
Seems like I always miss the fun stuff whenever I'm out of town. Case in point: the gigantic cranberry bog that Ocean Spray brought to New York City's Rockefeller Center from November 1 to November 3. The 1,500-square-foot cranberry sea was constructed as part of the company's Bogs Across America campaign. I imagine the campaign is an effort to remind people not to forget to serve cranberries at Thanksgiving.
Celebrity chef Ming Tsai was on hand at Rock Center for a cooking demo that included sweet-and-sour cranberry chutney. No word yet as to whether any rowdy Gothamites decided to jump into what Ocean Spray dubbed its Big Apple Bog.
The cranberry campaign touched down in Chicago today with the Windy City Bog, which will remain at the Chicago Tribune Tower until November 9. And if you happen to live in Los Angeles, you too can view a ridiculous amount of cranberries. The Red Carpet Bog will be at the city's Hollywood & Highland Center from November 14 to November 16. [via: Grub Street]
Although cranberries have long been a favorite part of the holiday meal, it seems like craisins have finally come into their own. The sweet, dried cranberries are popular year round, although 
Even experienced cooks can use and extra hand around the holidays, and unless you have a personal chef already standing by to coach you through your problems, you might need to call in some help. Literally. Several organizations set up hotlines for 
Seems like I always miss the fun stuff whenever I'm out of town. Case in point: the gigantic cranberry bog that Ocean Spray brought to New York City's Rockefeller Center from November 1 to November 3. The 1,500-square-foot cranberry sea was constructed as part of the company's 
What Can I Get You Folks? - Server Revenge
Reality-Show Celebrities Serve Up Chef Curtis Stone's 'Hundred-Dollar Burger'
Foods Celebrity Chefs Hate
