2012 - 2013 ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Partners
 
              

       

              

                        
        

 

As President of the Atlanta Chefs Association, it's always a pleasure to talk about Chefs following their dreams, especially being able to see those dreams come to fruition  first hand. As always, hard work and perseverance will prevail even in a difficult economy. Here is a little information about one such Atlanta Chef following his dream.

Mike Deihl

 

The brainchild of AIA graduate Chef Keith Schroeder, High Road Craft Ice Cream Inc. opened its doors in Chamblee on Halloween 2010.  Pre-High Road, Schroeder spent more than 15 years as a chef in renowned kitchens throughout the country and also served as Executive Chef and Instructor at New England Culinary Institute.  High Road was born because Schroeder, who always dreamed of an ice cream business, wanted to fill a void in the foodservice arena:  top quality, culinary driven, custom ice cream with a nimble service model to accommodate whatever chefs needed, when they needed it.  

 

In less than two years, High Road has become the go-to ice cream for chefs throughout the Southeast and has also emerged as an in-demand retail brand, something that was never part of the original business plan.  Chefs can now get High Road direct, via Atlanta Foods or via Southern Foods...and consumers can buy pints from Whole Foods, The Fresh Market, Central Market, Dean & Deluca and Harris Teeter.  

 

The High Road team goes to great lengths to ensure customers receive exceptional service and impeccable product goes out the door.  They are taking the growth in stride, finding ways to get better every day.

 

 

    

 

 

I'M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY

 

I just returned from a 10 day visit to Montana and the Canadian Rockies so I thought I would highlight a regional ingredient in this month's column. Huckleberries are related to the blueberry but have several important differences. They generally grow in sub-arctic climates, are smaller in size and the berries grow in single branches unlike other berries that grow in clusters, .which makes them difficult to harvest. Attempts to cultivate huckleberries for commercial production have also failed. The huckleberry needs a specific level of soil acidity, some shade and just the right amount of rainfall to grow properly. They are ready to pick in late spring and early summer but reach their peak of flavor in July and August. Another interesting fact for would be huckleberry pickers is that they are a favorite food of many kinds of wildlife that inhabit the growing areas. Grizzly and Black bears especially enjoy them.

 

Huckleberries lend themselves to every application in the kitchen. Less sweet ones can be used for vinaigrettes, syrups and pastry application where their slight tartness is a virtue or balanced by additional sweeteners. I find them better suited for savory items than blueberries since their smaller size makes them easier eat and create a more elegant presentation. The huckleberry is a perfect accompaniment to the foods of Montana and the western Rockies. Elk, bison, venison and other types of game are perfect for the flavor of the fruit. More assertive flavored fish will take quite nicely to flavor of the huckleberry a well.

 

There are southern versions of the fruit that are called huckleberries that grow in the Southern Appalachians. However, they are not considered the true huckleberry but a variation of the blueberry.

 

The Huckleberry is available in Atlanta quite easily in frozen form and only rarely fresh.. If your produce partner tells you they have them buy them quickly or I will.

 

As another bit of trivia, if you remember the phrase Doc Holliday (played by Val Kilmer) in the movie "Tombstone" utters to Kid Ringo after he challenges the Earp's to a gunfight is "I'm your Huckleberry". This was a common bit of American slang in the 1800's meaning "I'm the right man for the job".

 

Enjoy this month's recipe and have a great summer. Hope to see many of you at the national Convention in Orlando!

 

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