Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Monday, July 23, 2012

Danforth Plant Science Center awarded $12 million to study drought as part of the effort to develop next generation bioenergy grasses

Danforth Plant Science Center awarded $12 million to study drought as part of the effort to develop next generation bioenergy grasses Grant supports expansion of research at the Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels ST. LOUIS, MO, July 16, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a five year, $12.1 million grant to researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and their collaborators at the Carnegie Institution for Science, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, the University of Minnesota and Washington State University to develop a new model plant system, Setaria viridis, to advance bioenergy grasses as a sustainable source of renewable fuels. Drought is the number one stress crops endure which limits yield and is of growing concern due to the globe’s diminishing water supply and climate change. This year, extreme heat and lack of rainfall combined with the mild winter has resulted in an all-time low in soil moisture and is producing new challenges for our nation’s farmers. Reduced yields will likely spark a rebound in global food prices. Drought conditions also have a major impact on crops that serve as sources of bioenergy. Bioenergy grasses hold promise to provide a sustainable source of renewable fuels for the U.S. economy and reduce our dependence on foreign petroleum. These dedicated second generation bioenergy crops can be grown on marginal lands and with fewer inputs than traditional row crops such as corn, which requires energy intensive annual planting and the addition of chemical fertilizers. Bioenergy grasses require water just like all other crops and the next generation of bioenergy crops will need to be bred for important characteristics including drought resistance and other properties that will make them more productive. To engineer bioenergy grasses with the desirable traits needed for large scale production, it is necessary to develop model plant systems that are closely related to bioenergy feedstocks, but which are more amenable to genetic analysis. One of the most promising model species is the grass Setaria viridis. “What we learn in improving bioenergy grasses in many cases can also be applied to cereal crops to improve their productivity. Setaria viridis, the model species that will be used as the focus of our research, is closely related to corn and Brachypodium, another model grass of interest at the Danforth Center that has a genetic makeup similar to wheat,” said Dr. Tom Brutnell, director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels who is serving as Principal Investigator on the grant. Brutnell and his colleagues will utilize genomic, computational and engineering tools to begin the genetic dissection of drought and density response in S. viridis. The research team will produce one of the most extensive molecular characterizations of plant growth in the field to date, generating several million data points that will be collected from physiological and molecular genetic studies. In doing so, they hope to discover the mechanisms that underlie drought responses and identify candidate genes and pathways for improving the closely related feedstock grasses. The ability of bioenergy feedstocks to use water efficiently and to produce abundant yields at high density will be major drivers in the development of improved varieties that can serve as a replacement for petroleum-based fuels. Co-PIs/Senior Personnel, Institutions on the grant include: Ivan Baxter, USDA-ARS/Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Asaph Cousins, Washington State University Jose Dinneny, Carnegie Institution for Science Andrew D.B. Leakey, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Todd Mockler, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Hector Quemada, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Seung (Sue) Rhee, Carnegie Institution for Science Daniel Voytas, University of Minnesota About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center’s scientists, news and research, including the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, the Center for Advanced Biofuel Research, and the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts. Public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new “Roots & Shoots” blog help keep visitors up to date with Center’s current operations and areas of research. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.

The Means to Help Producers Impacted by Drought

This week, we continued to see historic levels of drought grip much of our nation, impacting thousands of farm families. Although the hard work and innovation of our producers has fueled a strong farm economy in recent years, President Obama and I understand the major challenges this drought poses for American agriculture. As of July 20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 1,055 counties across the country as disaster areas due to drought. Significant portions of many crops are impacted – for example, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report, 88 percent of our nation’s corn and 87 percent of our soybeans are in drought-stricken areas. Rising grain prices are threatening livestock and dairy operators with high input costs. Our farmers and ranchers are no strangers to uncertainty – but it’s even harder to plan for the future when we don’t know how much more severe the drought will be. Over the years, American producers have constantly innovated to meet new demands and adapt to new conditions, embracing new methods and utilizing new technology. The same innovative spirit that has positioned American agriculture as a global leader has helped to reduce the impact of the drought. Nevertheless, the uncertainty of drought means this is a very difficult time for many. At President Obama’s direction, USDA is doing all it can within the Department’s existing authority to help. Last week, I announced a final rule to simplify the process for Secretarial disaster designations – both to speed the process for producers and to reduce the burden on State government officials, who are also hard at work to help producers around the country cope with this disaster. I reduced the interest rate for Farm Service Agency Emergency Loans, effectively lowering the current rate from 3.75 percent to 2.25 percent to help ensure that credit is available for farm families who are hit by drought. And finally, I announced that USDA has lowered payment reductions for Conservation Reserve Program lands that qualify for emergency haying and grazing in 2012, from 25 to 10 percent. USDA officials are traveling to states around the country to see firsthand the impact of the drought, and we will continue to look for ways to help. But the fact is USDA’s legal authority to provide assistance remains limited right now. That’s because the 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs, which were implemented under President Obama, expired last year. Prior to the expiration, these programs helped hundreds of thousands of U.S. producers during disasters. If Congress doesn’t act, USDA will remain limited in our means to help drought-stricken producers. That’s why President Obama and I continue to call on Congress to take steps to ensure that USDA has the tools it needs to help farm families during the drought. Disaster assistance for producers is also one of many reasons why we need swift action by Congress to pass a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill this year. I know that many producers are struggling today with the impact of this historic drought. The President and I are committed to doing all we can to help farmers and ranchers in this difficult time. As all of us across America hope for rainfall, and while USDA does all it can to assist America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities, I hope that Congress will do all it can to help us get the job done.

Small business owners available to comment on the July 24 anniversary of the last federal minimum wage increase and why a raise is right for our economy

This Tuesday, July 24, will mark the third year in a row without an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25. If the minimum wage had kept pace with the cost of living since reaching its highest value in 1968, it would be $10.55 today. There are proposals in Congress (Harkin and Miller) to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.80 in three annual steps and then adjust it for inflation. Business for a Fair Minimum Wage supported the last raise in the minimum wage and believes another increase is overdue. Here are some of the small business owners and business leaders available for comment: David Bolotsky, Founder and CEO of UncommonGoods in Brooklyn, New York, said, “Businesses don’t expect the costs of energy, rent, transportation and other expenses to remain constant, yet some want to keep the minimum wage the same year after year, despite increases in the cost of living. That kind of business model traps workers in poverty and undermines our economy. The minimum wage should require that all businesses pay employees a wage people can live on.” Camille Moran, Owner of Caramor Industries and Four Seasons Christmas Tree Farm in Natchitoches, Louisiana, said, “A minimum wage increase is long overdue. It’s not right or smart for any business to pay a wage that impoverishes not only working men and women and their families, but also impoverishes our communities and our nation. Boosting the wages of low-paid workers who could then purchase the goods and services they need is the best medicine for our ailing economy.” Lew Prince, Managing Partner of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis, Missouri, said, “The evidence that trickle-down economics doesn’t work is all around us. People are falling out of the middle class instead of rising into it. Putting money in the hands of people who desperately need it to buy goods and services will give us a trickle-up effect. Raising the minimum wage is a really efficient way to circulate money in the economy from the bottom up where it can have the most impact in alleviating hardship, boosting demand at businesses and decreasing the strain on our public safety net from poverty wages. I’m sick of my tax dollars subsidizing money machines like Walmart and McDonald's that are dribbling out wages their workers can’t live on, lobbying against minimum wage increases, and draining the lifeblood out of our local economies.” Marilyn Megenity, Owner of Mercury Cafe in Denver, Colorado, said, “We opened our doors in 1975, and I know that raising the minimum wage is not only affordable to restaurants and other businesses – it’s crucial for our economy. It's important that all employees be able to make a decent wage, in order to pay rent and all the other costs of living. Our government needs to take charge of this now, just as it did in the past. We cannot continue a minimum wage that keeps even people who are working full time, year round in poverty.” Jim Wellehan, President of Lamey Wellehan Shoes in Auburn, Maine, said, “Our family business is nearly a hundred years old, and clearly our country does better when all believe that their hard work will bring good results for them and their loved ones. Now, as Bloomberg BusinessWeek Magazine reports, the USA has higher income inequality and lower social mobility than most industrialized countries. If you are born poor, you are quite likely to die poor. Raising the minimum wage is a step to correcting this worsening situation. And the ability of a broad segment of our society to have a bit more spending money will benefit every area of our economy. Our increasingly unequal economic structure has no long-term viability.” Brian England, Co-Owner of British-American Auto Care in Columbia, Maryland, said, “Have you ever wondered why every time you visit some businesses the staff has changed? Well chances are it is because they only pay an inadequate minimum wage. Instead of paying a fair wage, they are inviting costly constant turnover and unreliable customer service. In raising the minimum wage, we should be moving people away from just surviving. We should be moving working Americans as far away from needing the social safety net as possible. Raising the minimum wage raises everyone up.” Joseph Rotella, Owner of Spencer Organ Company in Waltham, Massachusetts, said, “As a small business owner and an American, I support proposals to raise the federal minimum wage to at least $9.80 by 2014, because I strongly support workers being able to earn a living wage. America should be a country where no one who puts in a fair day's work can't afford to make ends meet, and no business owner who offers a living wage has to be undercut by competitors who do not. Not only is increasing the minimum wage the right and fair thing to do, but it will also help stimulate our struggling economy by putting more money into the hands of workers who need to spend it.”

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Health Groups Urge Surgeon General's Report on Soda

Sugary Drinks’ Contribution to Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease Warrants Call to Action from Nation’s Top Doc, Groups Say WASHINGTON--Nearly 100 national and local health, medical, and consumer organizations, several municipal public health departments, and more than 20 prominent individuals are calling on the Surgeon General of the United States to issue a report on the health effects of soda and other sugary drinks. Citing the importance of the 1964 landmark Surgeon General’s report on tobacco use, the groups and individuals say a report on soda would appraise the health-damaging effects and alert health professionals, government officials, and consumers to the public-health impact of over-consuming sugary drinks. “Soda and other sugary drinks are the only food or beverage that has been directly linked to obesity, a major contributor to coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, and a cause of psychosocial problems,” the groups wrote in a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. “Yet, each year, the average American drinks about 40 gallons of sugary drinks, all with little, if any, nutritional benefit.” The groups say that soda and sugary drinks have a devastating effect on the health of young people in particular. Each extra soft drink consumed per day was associated with a 60-percent increased risk of overweight in children, according to one important study. Type 2 diabetes, which used to occur primarily in middle-aged and older adults, is now becoming more common among teens. Though soda consumption has declined somewhat in recent years, consumption is still dangerously high, according to the letter. Even almost half of two- and three-year-olds consume sugary drinks every day, according to the group. “Previous reports and calls to action from the Surgeon General, on topics as varied as tobacco, underage drinking, and obesity, have helped galvanize policymakers at all levels of government,” said Center for Science in the Public Interest executive director Michael F. Jacobson. “Unlike just about any other product in the food supply, sugar-based drinks are directly connected to obesity and diet-related disease. Reducing their consumption should be one of the main pillars of the government’s prevention strategy.” The call for a Surgeon General’s report on soda and sugary drinks was organized by the CSPI, and included the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, Consumer Federation of America, National Hispanic Medical Association, Prevention Institute, the Trust for America’s Health, and Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Public health departments in Boston, El Paso, New York City, and Philadelphia also signed the letter to Sebelius.

Friday, July 13, 2012

RESTAURANT ASSOCIATIONS SUE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, CHALLENGING REGULATIONS THAT EXCLUDE KITCHEN STAFF FROM TIP POOLS

(Portland, Ore.) Restaurant industry trade associations have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on behalf of restaurants and restaurant employees who share in tips and participate in tip pools. The lawsuit was brought by the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, the Washington Restaurant Association, the Alaska CHARR and the National Restaurant Association, along with a Portland, Oregon restaurant and an employee of that restaurant. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court in Portland, asks the court to declare recent DOL regulations prohibiting back-of-the-house (kitchen) workers from sharing in tips left by customers unlawful and not applicable to restaurants that pay employees who share the tips at least federal or the applicable (if higher) state minimum wage with no tip credit. In 2010, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit—the federal appellate court with jurisdiction over numerous Western states including, among others, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington—ruled that federal law does not prohibit an employer from instituting a tip pool that includes back-of-the-house workers if that employer pays its employees who share in tips the full minimum wage and does not take a tip credit. Cumbie v. Woody Woo, Inc., 596 F.3d 577 (9th Cir. 2010). DOL responded approximately a year later, publishing regulations in direct conflict with the Woody Woo decision. Shortly after the DOL published these regulations on April 5, 2011, restaurant trade groups and at least one United States Senator contacted the DOL to raise concerns about these regulations and the confusion they create for employers, particularly in the Ninth Circuit, given their conflict with the Woody Woo decision. Enforcement of DOL’s new regulations against employers in the Ninth Circuit was left unclear by DOL at that time. However, on February 29, 2012, DOL issued a field assistance bulletin clarifying its position by rejecting the Ninth Circuit’s Woody Woo decision and declaring: “The Wage and Hour Division will enforce nationwide the 2011 final rule [including against employers in the Ninth Circuit] explaining [DOL’s position] that a tip is the sole property of the tipped employee regardless of whether the employer takes a tip credit . . . .” In March 2012, restaurant trade associations again asked DOL to reconsider its position on this issue, to withdraw its February 29 Bulletin, and to clarify that employers in the Ninth Circuit who pay their employees the full minimum wage and do not take a tip credit may legally implement tip pools that adhere to the Ninth Circuit’s Woody Woo ruling. DOL rejected this request. As a result, the plaintiffs felt they were left with no choice but to seek court intervention. It is their position that, not only are the DOL’s 2011 Regulations unlawful, but they fail to take into consideration the intent of the customers who leave tips, as well as of the employees who share in the tips. As one example, they point to the fact that the employee who joined this lawsuit is currently working as a server for the plaintiff restaurant, and is the one who initiated getting the restaurant’s tip pool to include its back-of-the-house employees. As the court complaint explains, this was done as a matter of fairness and to recognize the fact that back-of-house employee performance directly impacts guest satisfaction and tips left by those guests. Jackson Lewis LLP, a nationwide labor and employment law firm, and Paul DeCamp, a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office and former Administrator of DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, represent the plaintiffs in this litigation. “This issue is about fairness to restaurant workers, and it is extremely important to those who earn their livelihood preparing and serving our food,” said Paul DeCamp on behalf of the plaintiffs. “Simply put, federal law clearly allows a restaurant to give kitchen personnel such as cooks and dishwashers a share in a tip pool when the restaurant pays its employees the full federal minimum wage and does not take a tip credit. Plaintiffs are asking the court to compel DOL to respect that law.”

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Worldwatch: Nine Population Strategies to Stop Short of 9 Billion

On World Population Day, Worldwatch explores nine polices to help stabilize population growth Washington, D.C.----Although most analysts assume that the world's population will rise from today's 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050, it is quite possible that humanity will never reach this population size, Worldwatch Institute President Robert Engelman argues in the book State of the World 2012: Moving Toward Sustainable Prosperity. In the chapter "Nine Population Strategies to Stop Short of 9 Billion," Engelman outlines a series of steps and initiatives that would all but guarantee declines in birthrates-based purely on the intention of women around the world to have small families or no children at all-that would end population growth before mid-century at fewer than 9 billion people. "Unsustainable population growth can only be effectively and ethically addressed by empowering women to become pregnant only when they themselves choose to do so," Engelman writes. Examples from around the world demonstrate effective policies that not only reduce birth rates, but also respect the reproductive aspirations of parents and support an educated and economically active society that promotes the health of women and girls. Most of these reproduction policies are relatively inexpensive to implement, yet in many places they are opposed on the basis of cultural resistance and political infeasibility. Eschewing the language and approaches of "population control" or the idea that anyone should pressure women and their partner on reproduction, Engelman outlines nine strategies that could put human population on an environmentally sustainable path: • Provide universal access to safe and effective contraceptive options for both sexes. With nearly two in five pregnancies reported as mistimed or never wanted, lack of access to good family planning services is among the biggest gaps in assuring that each baby will be wanted and welcomed in advance by its parents. • Guarantee education through secondary school for all, especially girls. In every culture surveyed to date, women who have completed at least some secondary school have fewer children on average, and have children later in life, than do women who have less education. • Eradicate gender bias from law, economic opportunity, health, and culture. Women who can own, inherit, and manage property; divorce; obtain credit; and participate in civic and political affairs on equal terms with men are more likely to postpone childbearing and to have fewer children compared to women who are deprived of these rights. • Offer age-appropriate sexuality education for all students. Data from the United States indicate that exposure to comprehensive programs that detail puberty, intercourse, options of abstinence and birth control, and respecting the sexual rights and decisions of individuals, can help prevent unwanted pregnancies and hence reduce birth rates. • End all policies that reward parents financially based on the number of children they have. Governments can preserve and even increase tax and other financial benefits aimed at helping parents by linking these not to the number of children they have, but to parenthood status itself. • Integrate lessons on population, environment, and development into school curricula at multiple levels. Refraining from advocacy or propaganda, schools should educate students to make well-informed choices about the impacts of their behavior, including childbearing, on the environment. • Put prices on environmental costs and impacts. In quantifying the cost of an additional family member by calculating taxes and increased food costs, couples may decide that the cost of having an additional child is too high, compared to the benefits of a smaller family that might receive government rebates and have a lower cost of living. Such decisions, freely made by women and couples, can decrease birth rates without any involvement by non-parents in reproduction. • Adjust to an aging population instead of boosting childbearing through government incentives and programs. Population aging must be met with the needed societal adjustments, such as increased labor participation, rather than by offering incentives to women to have more children. • Convince leaders to commit to stabilizing population growth through the exercise of human rights and human development. By educating themselves on rights-based population policies, policymakers can ethically and effectively address population-related challenges by empowering women to make their reproductive choices. If most or all of these strategies were put into effect, Engelman argues, global population likely would peak and subsequently begin a gradual decline before 2050, thereby ensuring sustainable development of natural resources and global stability into the future. By implementing policies that defend human rights, promote education, and reflect the true economic and environmental costs of childbearing, the world can halt population short of the 9 billion that so many analysts expect. Worldwatch's State of the World 2012, released in April 2012,focuses on the themes of inclusive sustainable development discussed at Rio+20, the 20-year follow-up to the historic 1992 Earth Summit, which was also held in Rio de Janeiro. The report presents a selection of innovations and constructive ideas for achieving environmental sustainability globally while meeting human needs and providing jobs and dignity for all.

Time for Congress to do something real and defund Obamacare

July 10, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued today the following statement in response to the upcoming vote in the House of Representatives repealing Obamacare: "It is time for the House of Representatives to get serious about Obamacare. A vote to repeal it that the Senate will reject is just theatrics. The Obama Administration is spending hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to implement Obamacare, and it is time for the House of Representatives to cut the purse strings. Not a single dollar can be spent on implementing Obamacare without the House of Representatives allowing it. If Republicans truly view the takeover of health care markets by the federal government as a serious threat to liberty and freedom, they can simply stop paying for it. It's time to end the shadow boxing and do something real."

Cheesecake War – Round II

‘CESCA New York, NY Slugs it Out Again with Davio’s Philadelphia, PA to Determine Which City Has the Best Cheesecake! WHAT: “You know what they call cheesecake in Italy? ‘Philadelphia!’ It’s time to finally decide which cheesecake takes the cake- Philadelphia or New York,” said Ettore Ceraso, General Manager of Davio’s Philadelphia about an upcoming challenge between New York and Philadelphia to see which city has the best cheesecake in celebration of national cheesecake day on July 30th, 2012. The Northern Italian Steakhouse is known for their classic and creative desserts including their signature Oreo Cookie Crunch and alcohol infused “Ice Pops” created by Pastry Chef Thomas Heck. In seeking a fair competitor, Davio’s did their research last year throwing the gauntlet down to ‘CESCA an upscale Italian eatery on Manhattan’s upper west side who has been noted as one of the best places to get cheesecake at a restaurant in New York City. Since the results were a tie last year, Davio's will be pitting their new “Orange Creamsicle” cheesecake against 'CECA's classic "Mascarpone cheesecake with orange cream and orange brittle." According to ‘CESCA General Manager Todd Whiteman “There is no dessert more universal than the cheesecake, it offers something for everyone. We are proud of our cheesecake and are willing go up against some of the best.” Each restaurant will ship their cheesecake desserts to the others’ restaurants with serving instructions. From Thursday, July 26th, 2012 to Saturday, July 28th, 2012, guests that order the ‘Cheesecake War Dessert’ will be served 1/2 portions of both the Philly-favorite and ‘CESCA’s acclaimed New York dessert on a plate along with a comment cards. With the honor system at work, each restaurant will tally their numbers and announce the winner live on each other’s Twitter and Facebook pages along with a photograph of the losing restaurants general manager wearing the other cities baseball jersey and eating a little humble pie. The Cheesecake War Dessert special is $10.00 and is available July 23rd, 2012 – July 27th, 2012 during dinner service only at ‘CESCA located at 164 West 75th Street, New York, NY. Phone: 212-787-6300 Web: http://cescanyc.com/ and at Davio's Philadelphia located at 111 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA. Phone: 215-563-4810 Web: www.davios.com. The winner will be announced on National Cheesecake Day, July 30th, 2012 via social media by both restaurants! WHERE: Davio's Philadelphia | 111 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | 215-563-4810 | www.davios.com / ‘CESCA located at 164 West 75th Street, New York, NY | http://cescanyc.com. WHEN: From Monday, July 23rd, 2012 to Friday, July 27th, 2012 COST: $10.00. For more information or reservations, please call 215-563-4810. ### About Davio's: In 1985, at the young and ambitious age of 24, Steve DiFillippo purchased a locally-owned family restaurant called Davio’s on Newbury Street in Boston’s trendy Back Bay. As Boston’s culinary tastes evolved, he transformed the location into a destination, retooling the menu, the space and wine list. The new Davio’s soon garnered rave reviews. The concept behind Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse is simple. Regional Italian food with a focus on the grill. Everything is prepared by hand from the best ingredients. Davio's serves everything from aged steaks to simple-yet-unique pasta creations. Davio's takes great pride in serving guests with an expertkitchen and attentive staff in the dining room, seeing to every customer's enjoyment of their meal. About Cesca: At the heart of the Upper West Side’s transformation into a premiere dining destination, ‘Cesca serves equal portions of elegance and relaxed ambiance. Borrowing from New York Magazine restaurant critic Adam Platt, it is “very fine, though unrelentingly rustic”… an authentic dining experience borne of its founders’ Italian heritage and the pedigreed experience of its executive chef. Chef Kevin Garcia presents simple yet extraordinary fare, offering a highly personal menu he describes as “interpretive Southern regional Italian cuisine”. Garcia’s insistence upon using the finest ingredients in his classical preparation continues to earn rave reviews from customers and critics alike. Owner and Italian-wine expert Anthony Mazzola has created an incomparable list of Italian wines to complement your world-class meal. Through annual trips Mazzola continues to explore all the regions of Italy, keeping ‘Cesca’s menu fresh and exciting with new wine and food discoveries.