Food Forum

GE's new refrigerator is on a road trip

A GE engineer and a TV celebrity chef are featured performers in a new kind of commercial — a reality-type series in a variety of media promoting GE’s new French Door refrigerator.

The chef is Ben Sargent of the Cooking Channel’s “Hook Line and Dinner,” and the engineer is Justin Berger, who works for GE in Louisville, Ky.

The two set out from Kentucky with one of the new refrigerators on a truck and traveled 2,000 miles to a wilderness area of Texas to bring fresh food to a wildlife biologist who, according to the premise, doesn’t have access to fresh food where he’s working.

Along the way, Sargent selects local ingredients from places like an alligator farm, ranches, farm stands and a dairy along the route.

It’s all a buildup for a feast to be prepared by Sargent when they arrive in Texas.

Berger works as a refrigeration design engineer at GE’s Appliance Park in Louisville and is part of the team of scientists that created the new French Door Refrigerator. As a result, GE says, he’s an expert in food preservation.

Freshpedition, the campaign’s name, will include national TV and digital media, and will live on the website Freshpedition.com, which you can find HERE.

It’s shot in the style of reality TV. Commercials and webisodes, created by BBDO, follow the refrigerator and a generator, which are tethered to a pickup truck, on the long road trip.

Waiting to be fed outside Austin, Texas, is the wildlife biologist, Ron Thompson.

Chef Sargent’s menu:

• Roasted Beet and Fruit Salad with Goat Cheese Croutons
• Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps
• Alligator Sausage Stuffed Poblanos with Crawdad Egg Souffle
• Blackened Redfish
• Peach Cobbler with Mint and Peach Ice Cream and Sage

Roasted Beet Salad with Fried Goat Cheese Croutons

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 large beet (or 3 mediums), scrubbed, tops removed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
8 cups romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces
8 ounces of goat cheese (firm kind is better, usually sold in logs)
1 cup of bib lettuce washed and dried
1 cup of arugula washed and dried
3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1 bunch of washed, seedless grapes
Salt and pepper
Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
Oil for frying, heated to 350 degrees F

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place beet(s) in aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap and place on baking sheet. Bake until tender — about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate until cool. Remove skins by rubbing beets with a paper towel. Slice thinly into rounds.

Fried Goat Cheese Croutons

Cut the goat cheese into 8 equal size bites.

Place flour, egg and panko in separate dishes.

Toss each bite in flour then egg then panko until completely covered.

Fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes each or until golden brown.

Cheese should come out soft but not runny.

Combine lettuces into large mixing bowl. Add grapes, croutons, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Toss to combine, and then gently add roasted beet slices to top.

Cohoes cooking contest

If you like watching politicians cook — and let’s be honest, who doesn’t? — mark Friday, July 6, on your calendar.

That’s the day for the Cohoes Farmers Market’s third annual Municipal Cook-Off, starting at 4 p.m. in the big city parking lot at 185 Remsen St. in downtown Cohoes.

Civic leaders will compete for a trophy for the best savory dish that highlights local products from the vendors at the Cohoes Farmers Market.

This year’s lineup is: Cohoes Mayor John McDonald, Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan, Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan, Troy Mayor Lou Rosamilia and Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning.

Parking is free. If you need more information, call 518-238-2232.

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