It's summer. You're active. Very active. Sports, gardening, whatever - there comes a time when you need a pick me up treat. Do you go for the processed candy bars? Here's an alternative:

Sweet Potato Cooler

Cook 1 large sweet potato at 400 degrees F for 1.5 hours

Mash leaving skin in mixture

Add your favorite fruit like pineapple chunks or blueberries

Top with nuts - Chill 1 hours before eating - Keep a batch in the frig for just the right moment!

For exquisite food gifts, visit www.GourmetStation.com

Mother’s Day is usually the time we think about flowers and food gifts. But hey – what about Dad? Do you think he may be burned out on gadgets and trinkets? Maybe Dad would enjoy a good gourmet experience (especially if Mom has slowed down on the cooking).

This Father’s Day is the first time GourmetStation has promoted our new Certified Angus ®  Steak Dinner gifts. And we’re offering 15% off the steak dinner gifts, steak dinner gift certificate and steak dinner of the month. All these gourmet gifts are a great value not to mention the eating quality of the Certified Angus ® steaks.

What does Certified Angus ® mean? The animals are fed a high quality all vegetarian diet. No antibiotics or hormones are ever used. No artificial flavoring, coloring, chemical preservatives or other synthetic ingredients are used. And the meat is minimally processed.

Give Dad a certificate or steak of the month program and let him choose between these delicious cuts:

City Slickers Fillet Mignon

Delminoco Ribeye

Kansas City Strip

Baron of Beef Top Sirloin

Rustic Flat Iron

Wild West T Bone

We’re also offering the 15% discount on our Wagyu (Kobe Style) Steak Dinner Gift branded by Australia’s golf legend, Greg Norman.

Each steak dinner gift includes handmade appetizers, two steaks ready to pan sear or grill, whole baby potatoes with rosemary, garlic bread, chocolate truffle cheesecake and a packet of coffee. Price is $89.99 plus shipping. Check our website for the product code and more details.  Happy Father’s Day!

I dedicate this post to these wonderful people - my new friend from India, Ramesh and his lovely wife and family. Ramesh has shown me the warmth and kind nature of the Indian people. I also dedicate this post to my dear friend Johnny Naugle, an Atlanta peace advocate with a great appreciation for Indian culture and the works of Gandhi.

Several months ago my friend Johnny introduced me to Snatam Kaur. I knew she sang sacred music from India and I liked the peaceful emotions her music evoked. That was about it. When we learned she was on tour and Atlanta was a concert destination, it seemed appropriate that Johnny and I attend. I had no idea that I was in for an experience of a lifetime.

Our evening stared with dinner at a local Indian restaurant, Planet Bombay. The owners and staff provided an authentic experience from décor to cuisine. I enjoyed Vegetables Biriyani and Johnny had Tofu Tikka Massala. One taste of the yogart and tandoori spice sauce on Johnny’s entrée and I almost took it away from him. I didn’t; I behaved. But I am going back for this dish – all for myself.

The concert (I use this word loosely) was held at a local yoga institute. The performance room seemed large enough until hundreds of people arrived – most sitting on the floor in perfect yoga form. They knew why they were there and what to expect. Snatam performs Sikh devotional music; the practice of kirtan. In India’s devotional traditions, kirtan is call-and-response chanting. Although Snatam is Colorado born, the influences of her early exposure to India are very obvious. The musical experience was as authentic as the Indian culinary experience.

Now I must say, it was not a concert. When I think of a concert I think of a person or group sending music to the audience. We might hum a familiar tune, but for the most part we listen. Not so with kirtan. This is participatory at it’s best.  The beauty of the melodies, the integration of performers & audience and the nature of the lyrics, soulful praises to God, all create a feeling of Oneness that is beyond words. Oh to have discovered all this 20 years ago – but then I might not have appreciated it then like I do today.

What a nice surprise! The Food Team at Gourmet Gift of the Day Blog selected our International Soup Sampler as a winner. Here's what they have to say:

"I love to sample a number of foods when we go out for dinner.  I especially like buffet-style dining so I can try a little of this and a little of that before deciding what to eat.  That’s why I particularly like the samplers offered by Gourmet Station...." Read More

You know, soups at GourmetStation were an afterthought. When we launched our brand in May 2000 our core offering was a 4 course dinner for two featuring soups. The feedback on the soups was so positive that we launched an entire soup gift category including soup gift certificates and soup of the month clubs. Bon appetit!