News Release |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE: September 3, 2004 |
CONTACT: Stefanie Zakowicz 716-635-5885 |
ULTIMATE FOOTBALL FAN FEAST-NEO
Score big at your next tailgate with Tops Markets |
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Williamsville, NY Football season is just around the corner and that means tailgating will be in full force at stadiums across the country. Not only are football fans cheering for their home team, but also indulging in their favorite foods. Chances are you are one of the 36 million Americans who participated in a tailgate party during the past year. Before you indulge in your favorite tailgate foods, Tops has some tailgating tips to help make your next party a winner! Ø Make a list ensure nothing gets left behind on game day. This includes food, chairs, stereo and of course your game tickets! Ø Have a theme consider a theme for your next tailgate. For example, enjoy clam chowder when your team faces the New England Patriots or fish sandwiches when the Miami Dolphins come to town. Ø Dress for the occasion dress appropriately for several hours outdoors and be prepared for Western New York temperature changes. Ø Timing arrive early (3 to 4 hours before game time is ideal) to beat the crowd. Ø Set-up set up near a grassy area for a more comfortable setting. Parking at the end of a row can give you more partying space. Ø Food make sure your food is ready 1 to 2 hours before game time, so you have enough time to eat, clean up and make your way to the stadium. Ø Put out the fire if you use a charcoal grill, bring along extra water to douse the embers and a plastic garbage bag to put the cold coals in. Ø Clean-up make sure to bring plenty of extra garbage bags to clean up your tailgating area. -more- Tailgating with Tops Page 2 of 3 To kick off the season, Tops Markets offers a selection of party platters to meet all of your tailgating needs whether tailgating at home, at the office or at the stadium. From wings to subs to cheese trays and brownies, each of these platters can be pre-ordered and picked up on the way to the stadium. Ranging in cost from $9.99 to $77.99, these fan-tastic platters are available without pre-ordering at all Tops locations. When planning your tailgating menu, shish-ka-bobs can be a great alternative to traditional foods such as hamburgers and hot dogs. They can also be bought already prepared from the Butcher Block at your local Tops Markets. For $5.99 a pound, you can choose between chicken and beef. A great accompaniment to shish-ka-bobs is potato salad made without mayonnaise, so its easy to store. If you want to go the sandwich route, there's plenty of creative ways to make an old standby a new favorite (see recipes attached). Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches allow fans to purchase a Big Pack of boneless chicken breasts starting at $2.99 lb. to make preparation easy for a crowd. And for sandwiches packed with meat and veggies, roast beef scores with all tailgaters. Tops deli roast beef can be sliced thin, and starts at about $6.99 lb. Celebrate Food Safety Month in September The start of tailgating season is also the start of food safety month. As a reminder, follow the four basics of food safety, as recommended by the Partnership for Food Safety Education; Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill, when preparing your next football feast. (See attached sheet for detail.) Tops Markets, LLC is one of six retail-operating companies under Ahold USA, one of the leading supermarket operations in the U.S. Tops currently operates 161 Tops Markets and 204 convenience stores under the Wilson Farms, Sugarcreek and Tops Xpress banners, in New York, Pennsylvania and northeast New York. Tops website can be found at www.topsmarkets.com. -more- Tailgating with Tops Page 3 of 3 Sources: www.about.com www.sportsfansofamerica.com Attached: National Food Safety Month Information Sheet Recipe: Shish-Ka-Bobs Recipe: Classic Potato Vinaigrette Salad Recipe: Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches Recipe: Roast Beef Pocket Sandwiches Recipe: Our American Hero -end- ULTIMATE TAILGATE FEAST Tops Markets offers fan-tastic party platters To kick off football season, Tops Markets offers a selection of party platters to meet all of your tailgating needs. Each of these platters can be pre-ordered and picked up on the way to the stadium. Platter Name Platter description Cheese and Meat Nibbler$39.99 An assortment of Swiss, Muenster, Jalapeno Jack and cheddar cheese, complete with beefstick, pepperoni and a nutted cheese ball. Serves up to 16 fans. SENSATIONAL Deluxe Meat and Cheese Tray$34.99 & $59.99 A fresh assortment of roast beef, turkey breast, cooked ham and your choice of two cheeses; Swiss, American or Provolone. Available in two sizes to serve 8 to 10 or 16 to 20 fans. Superb Party Sub$35.99 At approximately 3 feet long, this sub is sure to please all appetites at your next event! This sub is piled high with wafer sliced meats and cheeses, and all of the trimmings. Choose from Deluxe Assorted, Cooked Ham or Turkey. Roast Beef is available at an additional cost. Serves 15 to 18 fans. Buffalo Chicken Wings $22.99 Our jumbo-sized wings are prepared with our World Famous Hot and Spicy or Barbecue sauces. Served with bleu cheese and celery sticks. One of the Northeast's favorite party foods. Our 50-count tray serves 5 to 7 fans. Italian Style Pizza$ 18.95 Our Italian style pizza is specially made with the best ingredients; our signature sauce, aged pepperoni and 100% mozzarella cheese. Our sheet pizza's 24 large slices serves 8 to 10 fans. *Additional toppings available Fried Chicken$10.49 - $77.99 We prepare this mouthwatering chicken with our signature blend of spices and seasonings. A mixture of white and dark eat is fried to perfection. Available in a variety of sizes for your special event. Poppers and Sticks$11.99 & $19.99 Our "super-snacking" Cream and cheddar cheese poppers and lightly breaded mozzarella sticks are perfect for any get-together. These fully cooked items are ready to "heat and serve". Best with our dipping sauce. Available in two sizes to serve 8 to 10 or 12 to 15 fans. Brownie Lovers Tray$ 11.99 24 large fudge brownies that will satisfy the sweet tooth of chocolate lovers For a complete listing of Tops party platters, log on to www.topsmarkets.com. NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH Tops emphasizes Four Steps to Food Safety September marks the tenth annual National Food Safety Month (NFSEM), an annual observance to focus attention on the importance of safe food handling and preparation in both home and commercial kitchen. Food safety is also important in your tailgating kitchen. You do not want to be tackled at the next game by eating food that has not been properly prepared. Be Aware When You Prepare is this years theme and Tops Markets emphasizes the Four Steps to Food Safety to increase public awareness on the important steps to take to ensure your food is properly prepared. Microorganisms that may make food unsafe when the four basic messages, Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill are not followed. Clean! Everything that touches food should be clean. Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing food-borne illness. Make sure to buy the freshest produce and meat. Even with food safety inspection and monitoring at Federal, State, and local government facilities, the consumers have the role of ensuring that food is handled safely after it is purchased. Make sure all of your food has been cleaned before packing it up to head to the big game. Separate! Fight cross-contamination! Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, and utensils. An example of cross-contamination is cutting raw meat, poultry, or fish on a cutting board and then slicing salad vegetables on the same cutting board without washing the cutting board between uses. To prevent cross-contamination, use separate coolers when you pack both raw meat and ready-to-eat foods. Raw meat should be wrapped tightly and placed in plastic resealable bags for added safety. Cook! Bring a food thermometer when you are grilling. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful microorganisms. Measure the internal temperature of foods, such as meat, hamburgers, and poultry to ensure that a safe temperature is reached and that harmful bacteria are destroyed. To avoid cross-contamination, do not put cooked meat on the same plate where raw meat has been placed unless you have thoroughly cleaned and dried the plate. Chill! Make sure the temperature in the refrigerator is 40 °F or below and 0 °F or below in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow most rapidly in the Danger Zonethe unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 °Fso it's important to keep food out of this temperature range. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours of purchase or preparation, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F. Thaw food in the refrigerator. For quick thawing, submerge in cold water in airtight packaging, or thaw in the microwave, and cook the food immediately. Sources: www.foodsafety.gov www.topsmarkets.com TOPS TAILGATING RECIPE Shish-Ka-Bobs
INGREDIENTS: § 1/2 cup soy sauce § 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed § 3 tablespoons hot mustard § 2 medium sweet red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces § 1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces § 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices § 1 medium onion, cut into wedges § 1 package (16 ounces) precooked smoked bratwurst, cut into 1-inch pieces All of the ingredients in this recipe are available at Tops Markets. METHOD: § In resealable plastic bag or bowl, combine soy sauce, juice concentrate and mustard. § Add vegetables and seal. § Refrigerate 1 hour. § Drain and reserve marinade. § Thread sausage and vegetables alternately on skewers. § Brush with reserved marinade. § Grill over medium-hot coals, turning and basting often, for 15 to 20 minutes or until sausage is hot and vegetables are done. § Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Source: www.razzledazzlerecipes.com
TOPS TAILGATING RECIPE Classic Potato Vinaigrette Salad
INGREDIENTS: § 2 pounds small red potatoes § 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar § 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard § 1 teaspoon salt § 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper § 2 tablespoons olive oil § 1/4 cup minced shallots -- or red onion § 1 cup finely chopped celery § 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley All of the ingredients in this recipe are available at Tops Markets. METHOD: § Boil potatoes in salted water, just until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Cool slightly; dice. § Whisk vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Add shallots and warm potatoes; toss. Cool. § Stir in celery and parsley. § The potatoes should be warm when tossed with the vinaigrette so they will fully absorb its flavors. § Makes 6 cups. Source: www.recipesource.com TOPS TAILGATING RECIPE Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches INGREDIENTS: § ¼ cup Dijon mustard § 2 tablespoons honey § 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves § ¼ teaspoon garlic powder § 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) (1/8 to ¼ teaspoon) § 1 teaspoon water § 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) § 4 whole grain sandwich buns, split § 8 thin slices tomato § Leaf lettuce All of the ingredients in this recipe are available at Tops Markets. METHOD: § Mix mustard, honey, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper and water. § Brush on chicken. § Heat coals or gas grill. § Cover and grill chicken 4 to 6 inches from medium coals 15 to 20 minutes, brushing with mustard mixture and turning occasionally, until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. § Discard any remaining mustard mixture. § Serve chicken on buns with tomato and lettuce. § Makes 4 servings. Source: Betty Crocker recipe TOPS TAILGATING RECIPE Roast Beef Pocket Sandwiches These are terrific take-along sandwiches when the yogurt mixture is packed separately and added just before serving. INGREDIENTS: § 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt § 1½ teaspoons snipped fresh dill OR § ½ teaspoon dried dill weed § 1 teaspoon mustard § 1 cup chopped bell pepper (about 1 medium) § 2 pita breads (6 inches in diameter), cut into halves § 1/3 pound thinly sliced lean roast beef § 1 cup alfalfa sprouts All of the ingredients in this recipe are available at Tops Markets. METHOD: § Mix yogurt, dill weed and mustard. § Stir in bell pepper. § Fill each pita bread half with 1/3 cup yogurt mixture and ¼ of the beef and alfalfa sprouts. § Makes 4 servings. Source: Betty Crocker recipe TOPS TAILGATING RECIPE Our American Hero Bursting with color, this sandwich is a meal in itself. A generous amount of basil stirred into the mayonnaise gives it a fresh edge, while the arugula gives it a peppery bite. INGREDIENTS: § ½ cup light mayonnaise § ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil § ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper § 1 (16 ounce) loaf Italian or French bread § 1 pound thinly sliced lean deli roast beef § 1 large tomato, cored and thinly sliced § 1 cup thinly sliced red onion § 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded an thinly sliced into rings § 1 cup trimmed arugula, watercress or lettuce leaves § 1/8 teaspoon salt § 1/8 teaspoon pepper All of the ingredients in this recipe are available at Tops Markets. METHOD: § Combine mayonnaise, fresh basil, and ground pepper; chill 15 minutes. § Cut bread loaf in half horizontally. § Spread mayonnaise mixture over bottom half of bread. § Top with roast beef, remaining ingredients, and top half of bread. § Cut loaf into 6 pieces. § Makes 6 servings. Source: Cooking Light, July 1997, p. 62
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