July 22, 2010 — Chef/Owners Barbara and Jeff Black of Black Restaurant Group are pleased to announce a fundraising initiative at their collection of popular neighborhood restaurants in the Washington, DC and Maryland neighborhoods for fall 2010. The goal is to raise $200,000 to build a new state-of-the-art kitchen that is part of a $5 million dollar expansion at Children’s National Medical Center to support children with diabetes. The new facility is the vision of Dr. Fran Cogen, MD, named as one of the “Best Doctors in America,” who is dedicated to advocating for the needs of patients and their families in managing diabetes.
The origin of this extraordinary effort is a personal one as Barbara and Jeff Black’s son Simon is a patient of Dr. Cogen. To this end, the Blacks are energized to help do their part building a professional kitchen in the new 6,500-square-foot facility at the Diabetes Care Complex at Children’s National Medical Center. They are reaching out to the Washington and Bethesda communities for support to help them meet this fundraising challenge through a series of events in the restaurants in the fall of 2010.
Black Restaurant Group will collectively support national diabetes awareness during the entire month of November, which happens to be National Diabetes Month. The restaurants will be donating a percentage of their sales to this cause: the new Diabetes Care Complex at Children’s National Medical Center. A complete events schedule is posted at the end of this release.
Throughout the month of November, all four Black Restaurant Group restaurants, Black Market Bistro, BlackSalt, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, and Addie’s, will be donating 100% of the proceeds from their signature mussel dish, Addie’s Mussels, to this cause. Each restaurant will also have special promotions in addition to the mussels to support the fundraising efforts, such as happy hour offerings, drink and wine specials, plus featured menu items.
As head pastry chef of Black Restaurant Group, Barbara Black will also be teaming up with her talented team at each of the four restaurants to create delicious low carbohydrate, low sugar desserts to be offered all month long with a percentage of the proceeds going to the fundraising campaign. “As a parent and a chef, I’ve always tried to provide a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and organic and local foods for those at our table-whether they are dining at one of our restaurants or at my own table at home,” says Barbara Black. “It was quite a shock when my son, Simon, was diagnosed three years ago with Type-1 diabetes. I thought to myself, what will he be able to eat? Will he ever be able to have candy or ice cream again ever again? Kids love dessert and Simon like his brother Oliver is no exception.”
According to Black, when people order dessert, they always want something that’s a bit decadent, sumptuous, and sometimes over-the-top, a real treat. The challenge of working within the boundaries of her child Simon’s condition encouraged her to create desserts that are both delicious and special, without sacrificing simplicity since dietary restrictions normally emphasize bland over grand. Moderation and portion control are critical in maintaining healthy eating habits and making smart food choices, especially when considering dessert. So the secret to crafting desserts that are lower in both sugar and simple carbohydrates is this: focus on natural, seasonal ingredients to enhance their simple goodness.
Another option is to offer desserts that feature a trio of smaller portions so one can try more dessert without the worry of additional calories or too much fat. It is really important to be open to new flavors and preparations. Substitute and experiment with almond or soy milk, gluten free ingredients, whole grains, whole wheat flours, and use olive oil in place of butter. For kids or family members who may be diet-restricted, always remember just because they have boundaries, they don’t have to be denied delicious nutritious and great-tasting foods.
For full event schedule:
http://www.heatherfreeman.com/webpage/blacksalt/releases/BRGDiabetesEvents.doc
Contact: Heather Freeman
(800) 987-9806
scott@Heatherfreeman.com
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