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Oryx Desert Salt supports !Xaus Lodge community
Transfrontier Park Destinations (TFPD) has a long-held vision of partnering with communities to commercialise their tourism assets, create sustainable job opportunities and encourage sustainable economic activity. It is with the invaluable support of homegrown, global companies that it’s been possible to build on this vision.
One of TFPD’s projects is !Xaus Lodge, (pronounced Kaus, with a traditional click) a now thriving 4-star graded and Fair Trade Tourism certified community-based tourism initiative, offering a unique Kalahari desert environment experience for visitors. It has recently championed the !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park, the ancestral home of the ǂKhomani San and Mier communities, being declared an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
!Xaus means ‘heart’ in the Nama language and the lodge is built on a dune overlooking a large heart-shaped salt pan. Born out of the !Ae !Hai Kalahari Heritage Park land claim settlement of 2002, it is owned by the local ǂKhomani San and Mier communities.
Glynn O’Leary, co-founder and CEO of TFPD, says: ‘ the ǂKhomani San and Mier communities are some of the most marginalised communities in South Africa so we are always delighted to channel funding from local businesses towards upliftment in these communities.”
He goes on to say, “I am excited that the historic multi-million rand global Rooibos industry has recently made its first annual pay out to the National Khoi and San Council and the South African San Council in a world-first, landmark agreement.” The Rooibos industry has pledged its commitment to environmental stewardship and protection of biodiversity, which is in alignment with TFPD’s own values of responsible environmentalism and tourism.
Similarly, Oryx Desert Salt supports !Xaus Lodge on an ongoing basis. O’Leary says, “We’re proud to be associated with Oryx Desert Salt as they sustainably harvest their sun-dried salt from 300 million-year-old underground rivers in a pristine area in the Kalahari Desert as well as package their product in a sustainable way.
It was their generous sponsorship that enabled our head chef, Lientjie Isaks, to travel to the UK for a once-in-a-lifetime UK- chef exchange experience.” Lientjie was able to bring back her freshly acquired skills to !Xaus Lodge, improving recipes and menus.
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Thanksgiving in Philly: perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s… [Find Recipe Inside]
This Thanksgiving in NYC, the perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s brioche. As in St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing
No Thanksgiving spread is complete without a hearty stuffing. While add-ins are a matter of preference, choosing the right bread is crucial. One underrated choice is eggy, rich brioche – and with St Pierre Bakery, you don’t need to go to France to get it.
Thanks to its butter and egg content, St Pierre’s Brioche Loaf provides the perfect balance of crisp toastiness while remaining soft and creamy inside, while its lightly sweet flavor adds a decadent quality that can still lean savory. Attached below is an approachable recipe for stuffing allowing for all the craveable crunch for the whole family with minimal effort required.
St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing
By @BrandiMilloy
Ingredients
1 loaf St. Pierre Brioche Bread
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
3/4 cup carrots, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, just the leaves
1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1 small apple (granny smith works well), peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut brioche bread into 1” cubes and bake for about 10-15 minutes until toasted.
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Meanwhile, into a pot over medium high heat add butter until melted. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until everything starts to soften, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Into a bowl whisk together the eggs, herbs, apples, mushrooms, and salt and pepper. Add your cooked vegetables and mix to combine.
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Pour mixture on top of toasted bread and stir to combine. Bake stuffing for about 45 minutes. If your stuffing starts to get too brown, cover until finished baking. Enjoy!
As America’s favorite brioche brand, St Pierre’s products are widely available via grocery stores nationwide as well as Walmart.
Southern sophistication in the City of Brotherly Love: Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails RTD Hard Tea Pours Nationwide
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails Hard Tea Launches Nationwide
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails Hard Tea – a canned ready-to-drink that launched earlier this spring in 13 test markets – is rolling out nationwide this fall.
The RTD embodies Southern sophistication with a twist.
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails Hard Tea combines black tea, ripe, true-to-fruit flavor resulting in a balanced and sweet finish. With four classic flavors carefully selected, each can was crafted to please the palates of today’s modern drinker.
Country Cocktails can be found in select retail and convenience stores across the country in a 12oz. can (ABV 5%), 12-can variety pack containing four classic flavors: Original, Peach, Raspberry, and Blackberry; with the Original & Peach offered in 16oz. and 23.5oz. single serve cans that deliver consumers a refreshing and high-quality beverage experience for those who appreciate a good tea.
- Original: Known for its full-bodied refreshing take on a Southern classic. Combining the rich taste of black tea with a sweet, true-to-fruit finish, captures the essence of Southern sweet tea. It’s the perfect drink for relaxing on the porch and enjoying good conversation.
- Peach: A floral flavor that brings the juicy, sun-ripened sweetness to life. This option offers a crisp and refreshing experience, where the delicate honeyed taste comes to the forefront of the palate making it a delightful choice for any day of the year.
- Raspberry: Delivering a vibrant tartness, yet balanced with a subtle sweetness; this flavor presents a bold and smooth drink that’s as satiating as it is refreshing.
- Blackberry: Capturing the rich and juicy essence of blackberries, it offers a slightly tangy and flavorsome experience, making it a perfect choice for consumers who enjoy the bold taste of berries with a hint of Southern charm.
Coinciding with Country Cocktails Hard Tea launch is the RTD’s partnership with ACM and two-time CMT Music Award winner, Lauren Alaina, who has accomplished one of country music’s crowning achievements – becoming the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Lauren Alaina’s small town Georgia roots, love for comfort and authenticity make her the perfect ambassador for a beverage that prides itself on delivering a taste of the South in every sip. Both Alaina and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails symbolize Southern charm, together producing a match made partnership.
To celebrate the collaboration, Country Cocktails has partnered with Southern Living to offer fans across the country a chance to enter their sweepstakes and win a pair of tickets and flights to meet Lauren Alaina at her concert in Las Vegas at the Green Valley Ranch Backyard Amphitheater on October 25, 2024.
The sweepstakes will run from September 13 until October 11, 2024 and contestants can enter for a chance to win by visiting the link.
About Jack Daniel’s
Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Bonded, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select, and Jack Daniel’s RTDs. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.
About Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails are premium malt beverages from the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands. Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails was introduced in May 1992.
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails and their respective flavor names are registered trademarks. © 2024 Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel Beverage Co., Louisville, Ky. Flavored Malt Beverage.
For more information, please visit www.countrycocktails.com.
Philly Food: “The Bear” Star Matty Matheson launches #TGISunday with Pacific Foods to Tackle the Sunday Scaries
Pacific Foods, a brand known for its organic and high-quality ingredients, has launched its #TGISunday content series to help people overcome the widespread phenomenon known as the “Sunday Scaries.”
Developed in partnership with chef and television star Matty Matheson, the series is designed to transform Sunday anxiety into a time for culinary joy and inspiration.
A recent survey by Pacific Foods* revealed the deep impact of the Sunday Scaries, with the average American experiencing this pre-Monday apprehension 36 times a year. Typically, the unsettling feelings begin around 3:54 p.m. on Sundays, leading to an average of six hours and six minutes** spent in dread each week—totaling a staggering 219 hours annually.
The Bear Star Matty Matheson launches #TGISunday with Pacific Foods to Tackle the Sunday Scaries
Recognizing that cooking serves as a soothing activity for many with 31% of people finding joy in preparing meals on Sundays, Pacific Foods is addressing these anxieties by offering easy, comforting recipes through the #TGISunday content series on its website.
Matty Matheson and a group of wellness and food aficionados will share curated recipes designed to combat the Sunday Scaries and embrace the calming, restorative power of cooking to unwind and reclaim their Sundays.
Chef Matty Matheson brings his trademark enthusiasm to the kitchen, making his stance on Sundays clear by turning them into a day of culinary excitement. “Look, I know Sundays can be a drag for a lot of folks, so let’s flip that script. Let’s rock the kitchen with some serious cooking that’s all about fun and flavor without it being a chore or another worry. Cooking isn’t just about eating; it’s about chilling out and making something awesome that feeds your soul,” explains Matheson.
Matty’s unique recipe—the Spicy Shrimp Pasta Bake—will be a highlight of the series, which will also feature content from various figures known for their culinary expertise. All recipes and tips will be available through social where viewers of the #TGISunday series are encouraged to share their own meal-hacking tips using Pacific Foods products. Fans can also enter to win a custom illustrated soup mug, designed by Pacific and Matheson, to add to their Sunday rituals.
“Matty Matheson’s vibrant personality and the joy he brings to food make him a natural fit to join us in our mission to take back Sundays,” said Erika Jubinville, head of Pacific Foods marketing. “He inspires all of us to bring more fun and creativity to our cooking routine, and sparks excitement for new ways to use Pacific products.”
For more insights into the #TGISunday series, please visit pacificfoods.com/TGISunday.
About Pacific Foods
Pacific Foods was founded in 1987 in Tualatin, Ore. and was acquired by Campbell Soup Company in 2017. For more than 150 years, Campbell (NASDAQ:CPB) has been connecting people through food they love. Generations of consumers have trusted us to provide delicious and affordable food and beverages. Headquartered in Camden, N.J. since 1869, the company generated fiscal 2023 net sales of $9.4 billion. Our portfolio includes iconic brands such as Campbell’s, Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Milano, Michael Angelo’s, noosa, Pace, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Rao’s, Snyder’s of Hanover, Swanson and V8. Campbell has a heritage of giving back. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 as well as the FTSE4Good and Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indices. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com.
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Atlantic City lights up with 2022 Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience
‘Tis the season to sparkle! Atlantic City is lighting up with the 2022 Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience this holiday season.
Atlantic City will be buzzing this holiday season with so much to do and see throughout the resort, making it the ultimate destination for everything merry and bright.
Join with family and friends for pop-up holiday themed experiences, live music & entertainment, spectacular tree displays, fabulously festive decorations, and New Year’s Eve events to bid farewell to 2022!
Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 1
The official kickoff event to the 2022 Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience will take place on the world-famous Boardwalk at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino on Thursday, December 1, at 5 p.m. Trees throughout the city will be lit simultaneously.
Community Holiday Festival
December 1
Also happening on December 1 to kick off the citywide holiday celebration, Atlantic City residents and visitors are invited to O’Donnell Park for a tree lighting ceremony and multicultural community holiday festival from 6-8 p.m. with holiday singing, hot chocolate and apple cider, pictures with Santa, and more.
Winter Wonderland Parade
December 3
The City of Atlantic City presents the return of Atlantic City’s Winter Wonderland Parade on Saturday, December 3. The parade route is along Atlantic Avenue, between Albany and South Carolina avenues, starting at 12 p.m. Spectators can find a spot anywhere along the parade route or in Center City Park to enjoy the parade, which will be followed by an appearance by Santa Claus along with a drill team performance battle. Rain date December 11.Bally’s Atlantic City
Get in the Holiday spirit at Bally’s Atlantic City! Starting November 23, visit The Yard for its first-ever outdoor Winter Wonderland! This holiday spectacular will feature beautiful holiday decor, holiday cocktails, special food menus with beer pairings, fire pits to keep warm with friends and family, cornhole & so much more! Enjoy live entertainment every weekend with The Yards beer specials – starting at just $5!
Why not also stop at Jerry Longo’s Meatballs & Martinis for dinner and then get drinks at New Jersey’s first rotating bar, The Carousel Bar. Live music starts at 8 PM every Friday & Saturday night.
Tanger Outlets the Walk
Starting November 4th, pick up a FREE Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt booklet from Shopper Services and start searching for hidden elves throughout the outlets!
The event will run until December 24th, when elves will officially be returning to the North Pole. Celebrate the holiday season the right way on November 19th with a tree lighting ceremony! Located in Plaza 200 near GAP, the 40 ft tree will be accompanied with music, free holiday face painting, games and more from 12 PM – 4 PM.
Ocean Casino Resort
Sleigh bells will be ringing, snow will be glistening, and lights will be twinkling as the holiday spirit takes over Ocean Casino Resort once again from Friday, November 25, 2022, through Sunday, January 1, 2023!
The Jingle Bell Bar, a holiday pop-up bar located at 1927 Lounge, returns to bring guests festive cocktails, nostalgic decor, and themed entertainment. On December 11th, Cirque Dreams Holidaze will transform Ovation Hall for a Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus artistry. The play celebrates Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years all in one with breathtaking costumes, acts, music and singers for an unforgettable night!
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
Golden Nugget will be hosting The Midtown Men on December 3. Reunited stars from the Broadway smash hit JERSEY BOYS, will ring in the Christmas season this year with their “Holiday Hits” show.
This evening of songs and stories will feature iconic Yuletide classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Let It Snow,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” as well as their signature renditions of the greatest rock and roll hits of the 1960s. The popular vocal group will treat their audiences to the songs of The Beatles, The Temptations, The Four Seasons, and more!
Additionally, The Midtown Men will perform their holiday single, “All Alone on Christmas,” which they recorded with Stevie Van Zandt and members of Bruce Springsteen’s The E Street Band. Come celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year” with these seasoned Broadway veterans!
Borgata
Don’t feel like cooking this year for Thanksgiving? Don’t worry, Borgata Casino has got you covered! Enjoy chef-curated holiday meals served at five of the resort’s fine and casual dining restaurants: American Bar & Grille, Angeline by Michael Symon, Old Homestead Steak House, B-Prime Steakhouse, and The Metropolitan. On Thursday, November 24th, custom menus with traditional Thanksgiving cuisine allow diners to indulge in sweet and savory meals while spending less time cooking and more quality time reminiscing with loved ones.
Additional offerings perfect for any Thanksgiving feast include Borgata’s exclusive selection of freshly baked pies available each year for pre-order from Borgata Baking Company. Delicious desserts include Pumpkin Pie ($16), Apple Crumb Pie ($18), Pecan Pie ($18), and New York Cheesecake ($24). Pre-orders are being taken in-person at Borgata Baking Company inside the resort starting Monday, November 7. Pick-up begins Tuesday, November 22 at 11 a.m. through Thanksgiving evening at 6 p.m.Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
The Beach Boys are making their way to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino this holiday season on December 3 for their ‘Tis The Season show featuring the Holiday Vibrations Orchestra ! Tickets start at $59. Under the Sun will be coming on December 17. Tickets start at $29. Ring the New Year in the right way with Earth, Wind & Fire on December 30 and 31! Tickets start at $80. For all foodie lovers, Executive Pastry Chef of Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, will be hosting a Holiday Pastry Series on December 10 where participants will be able to create their own chocolate snowman. Tickets cost $45.
Atlantic City Ballet
The Nutcracker, one of ballet’s treasured classics, will be coming to Caesars on December 17th. It’s A Shore Holiday will be coming to Showboat December 21st, 22nd, 27th & 28th. There’s no better way to spend the holidays with family and friends than by sharing and experiencing Atlantic City Ballet’s production of these amazing shows.
Resorts Casino Hotel
Resorts Casino Hotel is getting into the holiday spirit, diving into new happy hour specials, rocking out and winning big! The candy cane elves have moved their village to Bar One! Visit the Candy Cane Lounge Pop-Up for candy cane inspired drinks, live music and more, beginning November 18th and lasting through the Holiday season. Also check out Bar Bingo with a Musical Twist, Sundays from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Test your music knowledge and win slot cash and dining dollars! Spend Thanksgiving at Resorts where guests can enjoy an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner at one of our award-winning restaurants; Breadsticks, Capriccio or Dougherty’s Steakhouse & Raw Bar. Margaritaville and Landshark Bar & Grill will both be home to exciting new happy hours as well. And Air Supply will rock the Superstar Theater for a jam-packed show on November 11th, bringing no shortage of chart-topping hits!
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Philly is Falling in Love! New Restaurant Indigo 52 offers Flavor with a Twist
Philly is Falling in Love! New Restaurant Indigo 52 offers flavor with a twist
Indigo 52 is a Nazareth restaurant gaining big buzz both in the Lehigh Valley and throughout the East Coast.
It’s not your average restaurant. There’s a twist.
The menu, the owner, the ingredients. Everything is special and there’s a reason why.
Lehigh Valley is falling in love with the flavors of Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52
It’s special enough to inspire families to drive hours just to enjoy a meal there. More about that in a minute, let’s get to the food.
Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52 Menu
Restaurant Owner Felicia Rocchino has a “Food Vision” for the items they serve and if you’re a foodie, you’re gonna love this:
All their dishes are:
- Unique – things you can’t find everywhere
- Better than what someone can cook at home
- Plated amazingly – be instagrammable!
Here’s what I sampled on my visit:
Indigo 52’s Cauliflower wings
Cauliflower wings
Grain-free battered cauliflower with maple garlic (you could also choose hot buffalo or mild sauce).
These were delicious and better than what I expected. The flavor, the breading; and each piece held together well, even after dipping.
Indigo 52’s Vegan “Crab” Cake Bites
Vegan “Crab” Cake Bites
Mini heart of palm bites, seasoned, and served with a house made cocktail dipping sauce
Great flavor, very moist. The same tender and moist notes (like most vegan “crab” cakes) also made them fall apart easily. Delicious, but delicate.
Indigo 52’s Hand-cut Sweet Potato Fries
Hand-cut Sweet Potato Fries
Served with house-made maple garlic dipping sauce
I wanted these to be great and they were. Big flavor, excellent snacky side dish and the maple garlic is a winner.
Indigo 52’s Chicken Marsala Rotini
Chicken Marsala Rotini
Anti-biotic free chicken breast, over pasta with julienne onions, mushrooms, organic spinach, fresh herbs, with marsala sauce.
This was the highlight. A very well-balanced dish. On different bites, the onion stood out, then the mushroom, then the marsala. There’s a lot of nuance here and the sauce pulls it together. Also, it’s a big portion. Take the remainder home and give yourself a present for lunch tomorrow.
Indigo 52’s Apple Pie stuffed French Toast
Apple Pie stuffed French Toast
3 slices topped with a house-made fresh apple cinnamon “filling”, house-made cashew cream, and 100% pure grade A maple syrup.
The brunch favorite brings a big bold flavor. And, again, a lot of food. Each bite makes you smile. If you’re into boozy brunches, this plate deserves a glass of bubbly.
Felicia’s Passion for Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52
Felicia is a triple-threat. She has a creative eye, a global expertise in restaurants and retail and she has a personal passion creating this concept to help others.
Creative in the way the restaurant looks and feels. It’s funky. It’s whimsical. It’s playful. As you walk in, the decor gives your eyes flavors to enjoy, while the menu handles your taste buds.
Indigo 52’s Felicia Rocchino and Chef Kadel Woody
Expertise from years at her previous corporate work helping successful restaurants launch and grow into hugely popular brands.
And personal passion. Yes, it’s very personal.
Recently, Felicia was living the life of a big city retail and hospitality professional based out of Philadelphia, helping restaurants grow and fulfill their professional dreams.
Indigo 52’s funky, whimsical, playful decor gives your eyes flavors to enjoy
Problem is, she was always feeling sick; and in and out of dozens of doctors offices trying to understand why. Year after year, test after test, with no answers.
One day, she met the right doctor who decided to give her a different test and there she learned the truth – Felicia has Celiac Disease.
Celiac Disease is sensitivity to gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, which is in… a lot of food.
Indigo 52 is gluten free and dairy free
Truthfully, many of us suffer from different nutrition allergies, with different levels of sensitivity in reaction. The statistic is 1-10 people.
A strong majority of people are un-diagnosed. Some people react with a stomach ache, others are rushed to the hospital for a few days of care.
Those who end up with stronger reactions (like needing a hospital visit) tend to never eat out or get take-out, because the risk isn’t worth it.
Even “gluten-friendly” food tends to not be so friendly. The restaurant and its kitchen needs to enforce incredibly disciplined action and even then, it’s still a risk.
But Felicia Rocchino’s Indigo 52 practices incredibly disciplined kitchen practices to make it safe for immune-compromised people.
And around the country, people are taking notice.
“That’s Just The Way Life Is.” Nah, it doesn’t have to be.
A local family always stops by the Nazareth eatery when they’re picking up their college-aged daughter because their family is immune sensitive and Indigo 52 is one of the only restaurants on the East Coast that truly offers safe food. So they’re willing to drive hours for a meal there.
Indigo 52’s seating and decor
Same thing for a Lehigh Valley couple who became used to not eating out because of the risk. Then they tried Indigo 52 and to their relief, it was perfect. As a result, they even had their anniversary dinner there and Chef Kadel catered the menu toward romance.
Because of the growing unique demand, Indigo 52 has become reservation-only with diners driving from hours away to have a very specific and risk-free meal.
This Lehigh Valley restaurant has become one of the very few healthy (and delicious) stops on the East Coast to offer a consistently safe (risk-free) experience to immune-compromised diner. And word is spreading quickly.
Chef Kadel’s work is Art, Magic and Flavor
Chef Kadel Woody has been working in Lehigh Valley restaurants since he was in high school. Learning his kitchen secrets from time at Widow’s Tavern and Grille, Two Rivers Brewing, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.
Felicia and Kadel connected when she knew she needed someone magical to create these unique and challenging dishes and her first several chefs couldn’t give her the results she envisioned.
Chef Kadel’s plating is art.
Chef Kadel’s ingredients are magic.
And the flavor is in every bite.
The kitchen is open so that diners can watch him create magic from their seat or even step over and get a closer glimpse.
Local Food Brings Big Flavor
Most of Indigo 52’s ingredients are local. Some come from Nazareth farms literally down the street from the restaurant and their delivery is walked over. That’s very local. That’s fresh.
Felicia and Kadel are big supporters of the local community handing out snacks at nearby businesses and contributing delicious bites at neighborhood events.
Indigo 52 Review
Cuisine: Very strong. From their locally sourced ingredients and an inventive menu, to Chef Kadel who’s able to create custom experiences for even the most sensitive diners.
Ambience: Fun, playful. Small town quaint with ambitious creativity
Service: Now that they’ve switched to reservation only, once you’ve been seated you get plenty of friendly and knowledgeable support. The kitchen proudly goes out of their way to service your specific needs.
Hospitality: Because Indigo 52 is such a unique experience, if you visit knowing how special your experience can be, the kitchen and staff go out of their way to surprise and delight you
Indigo 52 is located at:
52 S Main St
Nazareth, PA 18064Indigo 52 is open Thursday – Saturday, 10a- 8pm, reservation only
Make a reservation here.
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Philly Foodies: Chilli No 5 Brings BIG Flavor …and Superfoods to Your Next Meal
Philly Foodies: Chilli No 5 ‘Sauce of Life’ Brings BIG Flavor …and Superfoods to Your Next Meal with an unmistakable spicy hit, combined with superfoods & health supplements.
Providing the flavorful gourmet vegan chilli sauces & gift sets using the most natural & healthy ingredients.
Chilli No 5 Brings ‘Superfood Sorcery’ and Big Flavor
Delivering the best range of your favorite international flavors of chilli, marinades and BBQ hot sauces.
Co-founder Rumble Romagnoli joined me for a conversation about food, family, making chilli healthier and bringing their award-winning chilli sauce to the masses.
Chilli No. 5 Co-founder Rumble Romagnoli
The below conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full, un-edited conversation at our YouTube channel.
When you think about hot sauce, can you tell us about a celebration or a memory, something in life that inspired you to get so excited about hot sauce?
Rumble Romagnoli: Yeah when we’re smaller and we’re in the kitchen, it’s such a magical experience, isn’t it?
I had a real Italian Nonna so an Italian grandmother who always had bubbling pots and pastas and, Mules and fish and meat. My mother and my sister; so great moments as a child cooking in the kitchen and then out on the dining table with all the family.
It was great and now I love cooking and it makes me really relaxed. Just zoning out, cooking for the family, growing my own vegetables, chilies and then gathering around tables with friends and family just to enjoy. And that’s really where this all started.
What does day to day life look like for you. How did you decide to split up some of that time with a hot sauce endeavor?
Rumble Romagnoli: You remember COVID wasn’t really a nice time for anyone. We were there in a small apartment with lots of small children. It was chaos.
We couldn’t see our friends. We couldn’t see our family. They were all over the world and it was desperate times. So I suppose setting up Chili No. 5 was all about this kind of wanting to get back together with people enjoying moments and being together, sharing and getting fresh, healthy food and not lining up in the supermarket.
Chilli No 5 Brings ‘Superfood Sorcery’ and Big Flavor
A lot of chefs who I was very friendly with all had lost their jobs. I was like, Hey, can you make sauce? They’re like, yeah, of course I can. So that’s how it all started.
And we started trying out new flavors and we love world cooking. So that’s how Chilli No 5 started.
From your Chilli expert point of view, what should someone look for on a label that lets us know this is a quality chilli sauce?
Rumble Romagnoli: I think you guys are better at it than us to be fair. You’re fanatics; incredible.
I’m not a real expert. I just love creating great food for my family and friends. And we’ve tried to make… The best world hot sauces but they’re not going to blow your head off. It’s not really a hot sauce. They are chilli sauces.
Chilli No 5 variety of flavors
What I think you should be looking for on the bottle is: great ingredients, as many as you can get. No numbers, no coloring, no baddies.
I’m looking for just superfoods and anything that’s gonna make me glow.
In my world, when I think of chili sauce and hot sauces, I don’t always think of superfoods.
Tell me a little bit about where the idea came from to so strongly cross over superfoods with chili.
Rumble Romagnoli: I love spice and tingling on my tongue and that kind of rush you get from that spice and hot. The hot sauce or the flakes or the chili oil. My wife loves to be healthy. Happy wife, happy life they say, so I just combined.
I was doing something more spicy and she says, why don’t you put some good stuff in there? And I’d been reading a lot about Guana ginseng, maca; and all of these are in our sources. These are natural supplements that you buy in the shop. You have some of that and it really picks you up, increases your concentration, which I need for long days. I need more energy. I’m getting older. So I was like, hey let’s just put them in the hot sauce and then you got the best of both worlds. So that’s the superfood sauce or superfood sorcery we like to say.
That was all my wife’s doing to be honest.
I feel like a lot of chilli sauces are just gunk. When I think superfoods, I think health. Is your Chilli No 5 a health food?
Rumble Romagnoli: Absolutely. I’ll pick out one of these bottles.I wouldn’t say a healthy hot sauce. I would say a hot sauce full of healthy ingredients because you never know there are some sugars in here and you never know what people will find healthy or not healthy.
But we’ve got in this Jamaican jerk, which is great on a barbecue chicken as a marinade as a condiment as a barbecue sauce. We’ve got fresh red onions, fresh spring onions. Chilli No 9 chili. Fresh chilies, which are all really healthy for you. There’s ginger. There’s garlic. There’s lemon. There’s lime. There’s agave syrup.
We tried to tone down the sugar but keep it a little bit sweet, apple cider vinegar, we’ve got, extra virgin olive oil. It goes on black garlic, thyme, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, guarana, maca, Ginseng, l arginine. It doesn’t stop. That is packed to the rims, full of healthy ingredients.
We’ve tried to put the healthiest ingredients we could find and make it as tasty as possible using these ingredients and authentic to Jamaica and their jerk sauce.
It’s a sauce packed full of healthy superfood antioxidant ingredients and that’s maybe why it’s winning all these awards for taste.
Because bottom line is it has to taste nice before being healthy.
Nobody wants a science flavored chili. So I agree with that. Let’s talk about some of your favorite flavors.
Rumble Romagnoli: It’s hard because we have over 15 sources. But one of my favorites which you’d probably love as well is the Mexican Fury. My sister lives in Guadalajara in Mexico. She left the UK and went all around South America and ended up finding a lovely guy and settled down there.
Mexican food is fantastic. It’s just really great. Full of flavors and all sorts of different ingredients that we can’t grow in the UK or in Europe. You guys have got such great weather down there in the South, Miami, Florida. Texas, Mexico between the South of the U. S. and the North of Mexico.
So you’ve got the jalapenos which are just incredible. We’ve got all of these beautiful chilies, the habanero come up with an automatically smoky flavor when mixed with the red peppers, the tomatoes, the red onions. They fuse this on the palate to really pair very well with chicken, prawns, tacos, burritos or even egg for breakfast or pancakes.
The Mexican Fury is a really good one. We won 16 awards for different sauces. I love chipotle, anything smoky in our Louisiana barbecue. We’ve tried to tone down the sugar, add a bit of cognac whiskey, bourbon whiskey. We’ve added the classic American ingredients in there to make a kind of healthy style Louisiana barbecue.
Then the harissa is a great one. It’s really popular. it’s North African full of caraway seeds, cumin seeds, olive oil, lots of of incredible deep ingredients that really sit on the back of the tongue. There’s lots of ingredients there that kind of bring your food to life.
We want to bring life and energy into a barbecue situation, dinner with granny, breakfast before work, sandwich on the bench in Manhattan.
Tell us a little bit about the competitions you’ve entered.
Rumble Romagnoli: We were only a year old and we’d come up with these sauces and we’d thought they were good. The founder Chef Colin and then we had a team of chefs working in our London kitchen and our South of France kitchen and we entered the Great Taste Awards.
These are quite big awards in the UK but it’s international awards where all kind of fine foods, gourmet foods are tested by panels of hundreds of judges. It’s quite a strict competition.
So first year we came in and we won seven stars for 11 products. We’re very happy. It was incredible. The Jamaican jerk really got a good one. The heavenly Harissa came in very well. Our chilli oil called Pizza Pizzazz.
Our chili flakes are all fresh and lovely coming from all sides of the world. Carolina Reaper, the Scorpion, the Habanero, the Ghost, the Number 5 chili from India.
We watched and read all of the judges’ comments and we’re so thankful that they really detailed about acidity, balance, flavor structures.
Then we reworked it. We played around with ingredient quality, we changed vinegars slightly, the cooking process. We started baking the vegetables, the peppers, the onions, the red onions. The tomatoes really started getting more flavor. We put in a bit of olive oil at the start to get the flavors moving around.
Then we came in this year with 13 awards out of 16. With our 7, that makes 16 of our total products have won awards by the Great Taste Awards.
We want to create the best chilli sauces on the planet. That’s my mission.
How is Chilli No 5 going to grow and evolve?
Rumble Romagnoli: It’s happening quite quickly and we have a B2C strategy and service strategy.
We want to have the most delicious sauces in every category. We’re just working on each recipe and we think if we make the best sauce, people are going to love the best sauce, and then they’re going to buy the best sauce.
A bit like Apple, just make the best products and people just keep buying them We’re getting into big stores in the UK, placements in Monaco.
We are in lots of great high end butchers, delicatessens and it’s going really well.
So we’ve got this B2B strategy. We need to impress the professionals. We’ve impressed the people who love healthy lifestyle, love delicious sauce, gourmet. But now we have to impress the industry.
Obviously coming to America is the big move.
Tell us all the ways we can learn more about Chilli No. 5 Tell us your website, social media.
Rumble Romagnoli: The website is the big one, Chilli No.5. Shop us on Etsy. Follow us on instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
We’re also quite present for hot sauce gift sets. We do five or six incredible hot sauce gift sets which are collections of the sauces. And we’ve got mini little minis and you can make your own you can personalize because we’ve got 15 sauces.
We’re very big at Christmas. Very big at Father’s Day, Thanksgiving and we will send the sauces over to you guys in the states. No problem. If anything breaks, if anything’s damaged, we will refund you and resend you the sauce you ordered because that’s the least we can do.
