Grocers have the same challenge as other retailers: how to catch the eye of consumers with something new, and get them to spend more money.

Seeking to sell more to grocers, browers are always on the prowl for new produce varieties, with distinctive flavor and a different look from conventional supermarket varieties.

So today’s tip is: Be on the prowl for what’s new and exciting.

In the raspberry department, what’s new is Double Gold raspberries. A cross-breeding of conventional red and the newer gold raspberries, Double Golds have a deep blush color, combining hues of both red and yellow into a peach-like effect, and a distinctive conical shape.

The berries are naturally bred, never genetically modified or subjected to irradiation.

Said Courtney Weber, a Cornell University small fruits breeder and associate professor of horticulture, “If consumers get a taste of these, they will buy them.”

The variety was released to growers by Cornell, where it was bred, two years ago. The Double Gold plants bear deeply blushed, golden champagne-colored fruit in two crops per season (hence the “double” in the name). New to the retail marketplace, they are being sold under the Driscoll’s label as Sunshine Raspberries.

The plants have also been sold to u-pick growers, farm stands and home gardeners. You can buy the plants from Burpee.com.

Imagine a bowl of the three different colors of strawberries, sparkling like jewels. Or, top pound cake, angel cake or sorbet.

It’s a treat for summer entertaining!

Maple Bacon frozen yogurt with toppings.
Photo courtesy Yogen Fruz.

While there are more than 1300 Yogen Fruz stores worldwide, there’s none anywhere near us. But if you’re within easy distance (store locator) and want to try maple bacon frozen yogurt, head over.

Yogen Fruz says their one-of-a-kind Maple Bacon flavor has a smokey bacon flavor with a hint of maple that. The company recommends optional toppings: a drizzle of caramel and chocolate sauce, chocolate curls and red velvet cake bites.

We’d prefer a garnish candied bacon (recipe below).

Launched in time to celebrate Father’s Day, a four-ounce serving (what you get may be much more) has 120 calories, excluding toppings, and 1.5g fat. as well as being lower in fat

Frozen yogurt is made from lowfat or nonfat yogurt plus sweetener, gelatin, corn syrup, flavoring and sometimes, coloring. Churned in an ice cream machine, it is available soft-serve and hard-packed.

Depending on the brand, the flavor varies from slightly to much more tart than ice cream.

Frozen yogurt both freezes and melts much more slowly than ice cream; yogurt has a much higher freezing and melting point than milk. The beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are believed to be killed when the yogurt is frozen.

If you want to make frozen yogurt at home, you can use nonfat yogurt and milk in place of regular milk and yogurt in the recipes. We recommend that you use a high quality ice cream maker that can get the job done over the longer freezing time.
 
Check out the different types of frozen desserts in our Ice Cream Glossary.

 
RECIPE: CANDIED BACON RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 300°F.

2. PLACE bacon strips flat on a cooling rack screen on a baking sheet. Bake the bacon for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until thoroughly brown and crispy.

3. COOL bacon; brush both sides of the bacon strips with maple syrup using a pastry brush. Place the bacon back in the oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes.

May 21st is National Strawberries and Cream Day, a dish that no doubt dates to a prehistoric day at the dawn of dairying, when fresh cream was poured over the wild strawberries of summer.

Milk-producing animals have been domesticated for thousands of years, long before the ancient Egyptians believed that cows and bulls were earthly manifestations of their gods.

They bred cows for milk and the cheese it yielded, as well as for meat and as field animals, to work the fields and power grain mills and irrigation works.

The strawberry was mentioned in ancient Roman literature, in reference to medicinal use (it was used to treat depression!).

It took until the 1300s for the French to realize its potential; in the 1300s, they replanted wild berries that grew in forests, in their gardens. Charles V, France’s king from 1364 to 1380, had 1,200 strawberry plants under cultivation in his royal garden.

By the 16th century, strawberries and cream took advantage of the newly popular whipped cream, often sweetened for desserts. It was called milk snow in English, neve di latte in Italian and neige de lait (milk snow) in French.

The French term crème fouettée, whipped cream, appeared in print in 1629, and the English “whipped cream” in 1673. The term “snow cream” continued in use through the 17th century.

In early recipes through the end of the 19th century, naturally separated cream was whipped, typically with willow or rush branches. The resulting foam on the surface was skimmed off and drained, a process taking an hour or more, and was repeated until enough cream had been skimmed. (We’d never complain about hand-whipping with an electric mixer!)

Some people use the terms crème Chantilly and whipped cream interchangeably. But there is a difference:

 
We’ll follow American tradition and use the one term, “whipped cream,” unless differentiation is required.
 
 
WHIPPED CREAM RECIPES

 
____________

†The name Chantilly (pronounced shon-tee-YEE) was probably chosen because the Château de Chantilly in northern France had become known for its refined cuisine. There is no evidence that it was invented there, although its creation is often credited, incorrectly, to François Vatel, maître d’hôtel at the Château in the mid-17th century. The terms “crème Chantilly,” “crème de Chantilly,” “crème à la Chantilly” and “crème fouettée à la Chantilly” only become common in the 19th century.

[2] Some people still use a whisk to whip cream (photo © Kuhn Rikon).

[3] We far prefer electric beaters (photo © Moo Recipes).

[4] A dab of whipped cream makes any dessert more special (photo © King Arthur Flour).

Braise & Glaze. Braise meats, glaze vegetables. Any savory recipe that calls for the addition of water can probably be improved by substituting stock.

Cook Grains. Substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the cooking water and your grains will taste so much better. Use two parts stock to one part barley, couscous, rice, quinoa or other favorite grain.

Drink A Cup. Beef and chicken broth are protein-packed alternatives to a hot cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy a cup plain or with cracked pepper, minced herbs and/or a tablespoon of grated Parmesan. Spice it up with a splash of hot sauce or minced chiles.

Make Pasta En Brodo. An Italian classic, soup pasta or tortellini cooked in broth and served in the cooking broth with generous amounts of pasta. You can substitute barley, quinoa or other nutritious grain for the pasta. (Add spaghetti to chicken broth and you’ve got chicken noodle soup.)

A versatile pantry sample. Photo courtesy Swanson.

Make Polenta. While we typically save time by purchasing premade rolls of polenta, the homemade version is so much better—and even better when made with stock instead of water. (In cooking school, which followed French techniques, we were instructed to make it with cream. Nope!)

Make Risotto. We love an excuse to whip up a risotto. You need arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano rice (these starchier varieties create risotto’s creaminess—see the different types of rice). While plain risotto with Parmigiano-Reggiano or other Italian grating cheese is delicious, wild mushroom risotto or seafood risotto is submlime. Seasonal vegetables are another fine addition. Here’s a recipe for asparagus and shrimp risotto.

Make Soup. Add pasta and veggies for homemade chicken noodle soup; use as a base for anything from minestrone to hot and sour soup.

The difference between a stock and a broth is the seasoning. Stock is not seasoned; it is an unfinished product that is an ingredient in another dish. For example, stock is used to make gravy (beef stock is use used for au jus), marinades, risotto, sauces and other soups.

So, if you’re using stock, you’ll need to add salt to your desired level. Broth already contains salt.

Broth is a thin soup is made from a clear stock foundation. The terms bouillon and broth are used interchangeably. However, a bouillon is always served plain (with an optional garnish), whereas broth can be made more substantive with the addition of a grain (corn, barley, rice) and vegetables.

Here are the related types of soups, including consommé and velouté.

Says David: “In my opinion, it’s really not a barbecue without a side of potato salad. While the classic version is near perfection, sometimes it’s fun to play with the flavors (a sure sign of a confident cook!) This dish mirrors the flavor of your favorite barbecued meats.”

RECIPE: BARBECUE POTATO SALAD

Ingredients

1. COVER the potatoes with water and bring to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat, with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes; drain. While the potatoes are cooking…

2. RENDER the bacon until crisp in a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on several paper towels and break into small, bite-size pieces. Set aside.

3. MIX the mayonnaise, mustard, barbecue sauce and hard boiled egg in a large bowl. Slowly add the potatoes to the dressing and let them absorb the liquid, about 15 minutes. Add the celery, red onion, thyme, salt and pepper and refrigerate until well chilled.

4. GARNISH with the bacon and chives just before serving.

Find more of David Venable’s recipes at QVC.com.