River Valley Kitchens, source of six new Ruth-Anne’s products, began as a specialized mushroom farm to help supply the family restaurant, and has expanded to having their own line of fresh vegetable sauces, dips and other products. Located in the Fox River Valley in Burlington, WI, everything is made with fresh, high quality local vegetables, and you won’t find any artificial preservatives, thickeners or anything else not home-grown on the ingredients list.

The River Valley Kitchens Caponata Sauce is a sensation of well blended taste waiting for your appearance. Eggplant based, this sauce includes a variety of vegetables blended in olive oil and red wine vinegar with a dash of salt, pepper and oregano. The flavor is smooth and remarkably fresh, filled with accents of olives and onion and tomato. A thick, chunky sauce, the Caponate does not actually include mushrooms, but is recommended as a topping for a portabella sandwich, as well as breads and pizza. The sauce could add a flavor kick to many dishes and sandwiches.

River Valley Kitchens also supplies us with their Portabella Salsa with cilantro and lime, an excellent new take on an old classic. While including the tomatoes and peppers and garlic like is expected of salsa, this chip dip has portabellas as a main ingredient. The smooth flavor of the mushrooms is then given a kick of zest by lime juice and cilantro, with just a bit of cumin for zip. The blend of spices and flavors makes the classic salsa a whole new product, great for parties or your own personal snack.

Ruth-Anne’s is also proud to present Spicy Pickled Mushrooms. Pickled by River Valley’s own process with pieces of onion, jalapeno and red chili pepper, you receive the taste of mushrooms plus a little, pickled kick. Everyone loves some pickled veggies, and these mushrooms speak for themselves.

If you’re looking for a new, unique appetizer to bring to your next party or social event, check out our River Valley Kitchens Asparagus Spinach Dip Mix. Made with tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, onions and a variety of peppers, this dip is full of substance and flavor as opposed to those runny dips you often find. Mix the ten ounce jar with eight ounces or room temperature cream cheese and then chill, and you have a fresh, different dip to take to any gathering.

If you’re bored of the same old marinara pasta sauce, come in to check out the River Valley Kitchens Wild Mushroom Burgundy Pasta Sauce. Sure it’s still pasta sauce, but it breaks out of the norm with portabella and porcini mushrooms, Burgundy wine, shallots and Thai chili peppers. You get the classic flavor of tomato-based pasta sauce mixed in with the novelty and variety of something a little different, blended together into a perfect whole that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Last, but not to be considered least, Ruth-Anne’s now has River Valley Kitchens Spicy Mushroom Ketchup and Steak Sauce. Made with portabella mushrooms, wasabi, jalapenos, onion and garlic, worstershire and soy and more, this sauce is guaranteed to give a whole new kick to your dinner. All the normal flavors mixed with some new spice and zest, accent you steak, or burger, or marinated chicken, with this not-quite-average sauce. 

If you’re looking for a small snack and like fruit with your chocolate, we have a cherries and almonds in dark chocolate, 1.3 oz bar from Chocolove. Quality dark chocolate is a wonderful balance of sweet chocolate with the smooth bitter, balanced here with the tart sweetness of cherries and mellowed by the woody taste of almonds. A variety of flavors, joined in one delightful snack.

We’ve also brought in a new Alaska Huckleberry Bar, three ounces of fruit chocolate gold. From the same company the brought Ruth-Anne’s the Espresso Caramel Bar and the Raspberry White Chocolate Bars, the new product is milk chocolate with Alaska huckleberries, blueberries and candied hazelnuts mixed in. The finished product has nuts and berries sprinkled on top as well, and is drizzled over with dark chocolate. Indulge yourself.

If you trend towards the cookie rather than the candy bar, We also have Chocolate Delights Cookie Truffino, from Elsa’s Story. Little, bite-sized chocolate covered cookies, they are a unique delicacy type of cookie. Put them out for a gathering, or try a couple with your coffee.

Ruth-Anne’s has also gotten in an excellent example of a time-honored classic, the chocolate wafer cookie. Remember your childhood with the dollar packages, telling your parents No they do not taste like cardboard. Streit’s Chocolate Flavored Wafers do not taste like cardboard, but smooth, light chocolate.

If you’re looking for a new candy or sweet treat, come in to Ruth-Anne’s and try some of our new products. Snack, dessert, or treat to share, they don’t disappoint.

Flirt wine, from Flirt Winery in California, is a red blend meant to be a little bit different, that exciting little foray you can make into the unknown while taking a break from your standby wines. Marked with the tagline “Your other wine will never know,” its unique label with a pair of smiling, mysterious eyes is just asking you to come and find out more.

Made from a combination of Syrah, Tempranillo and Zinfandel, Flirt is a kaleidoscope of flavor and taste. There’s just a trace of sweet and fruit when it first hits your tongue, followed by a more mellow, semi-dry taste from the syrah. There are light undertones of fruit flavors, and the smooth blended flavor of the variety of grapes that it comes from.

Flirt is a wine for every occasion. The semi-dry, smooth red wine flavor would make a fantastic companion to a meal of steak and potatoes, or with an Italian chicken pasta. It would also be a hit at a party that included wine and cheese, a different but widely appealing flavor for people of varied tastes. If you don’t want to share, open it yourself when you’re settling down for a night of solitude: drink Flirt as you read, watch a movie, or eat a piece of chocolate cake.

Mrs. Renfro’s salsa comes to us from Fort Worth, Texas, and delivers an interesting blend of flavors. It is a tomato based salsa, and does carry the fresh taste of tomatoes and vegetable, but also has a bit of sweetness you don’t normally find. The pomegranate adds its own flavor, but balances against and pairs with the rest of the salsa’s taste instead of overwhelming it. There’s also a dash of chipotle pepper. There’s not enough to make it hot – the salsa is rated as medium – but just enough to give it a little zip.

Use the Pomegranate Salsa with chips to have a new chip and dip experience, for your own snack or as part of a party buffet, or try something a little more creative. If you’re looking for an idea to start with, Try this recipe from Renfro Foods.

Pomegranate Chicken Stir Fry

1tbsp olive oil
2 large chicken breast – diced – seasoned with salt and pepper
4 to six medium sized mushrooms – chopped
2 oz. slivered almonds
4 green onions – chopped
2 to 4 cloves of garlic – chopped
¼ jar of Mrs. Renfro’s Pomegranate Salsa
¼ to ½ C low sodium chicken broth
Jasmine Rice – cooked per package instructions

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes, set aside. Combine mushrooms, green onion, garlic and almonds and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the chicken, then combine broth, Pomegranate Salsa and chicken mixture, bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, and then simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over jasmine rice. 

If you’re feeling creative, try adding in other vegetables you like, or adding your own seasonings. This stir fry would make the perfect dinner for the family at home, or a festive addition to the menu at a party. Enjoy!

We’ve gotten in a whole new line of wine racks, of various sizes, shapes and configurations to find one that suits your needs, all made of metal for durability. We have a two bottle basket-style holder (back left) with a convenient handle, if you need wine on the go, or just want a wine basket on your counter.

We also brought in a new six-bottle rack, a spiral holder that keeps your bottles upside down (front left). In addition to being well arranged for proper wine storage, it creates an interesting aesthetic. Add in the metal worked leaves and grape clusters on both this and the basket holder, it creates a very expressive organizational tool.

Ruth-Anne’s also has a new stand up wine rack (front right) that’s a classic design holding seven bottles, with metal worked leaves and glass marble grape clusters adorning the sides.

If you’re into a more modern look for your home space, we also have a new semi-circle shaped wine rack in that holds up to six bottles in a fan (back center). Small, minimalist and with a chrome-like finish, it’s a simple statement of classic taste.

We also have some decorative organization items for your wine post-drinking needs. Three new cork cages enter our ranks: a life-sized rooster whose body is the cork depository, a wine bottle, and a supersized wine glass. The rooster has something of an antique finish, very interesting look, while the wine glass and bottle are in the same style as some of our new wine rackss. Decorated with metal leaves and glass grape clusters, you could go for a coordinated look. The bottle is slightly larger than an actual wine bottle, and the extra-large wine glass cage is thin, allowing a single layer of corks and designed to hang from the wall.

Also check out our new wine stoppers. We have a large headed stopper with lacquered-wood sides and a top modeled after the manual gearshift in a car, the perfect wine accessory for any car or driving lover. We also have some new, colorful smaller stoppers about the same size as a cork – the tapered, slightly pliant rubberized plastic will create a good seal very simply without having to struggle to get the corks back into the bottles they came from. 

Our new strawberry balsamic vinegar is so full of freshness and sweet flavor that you might forget it’s balsamic vinegar, if you aren’t careful. It has a very potent strawberry flavor that identifies itself the moment it hits your tongue, and the sweetness does away with the almost bitter tang found in most blasmics. This sweet vinegar could make for an excellent ice cream topping, just lightly drizzled on for flavor.

Next we have brought in a fig balsamic vinegar, an interesting, slightly lighter fruit flavor next to the strawberry. While the taste of figs is not quite as pronounced as the strawberry is it is most certainly there, and offers both a light sweetness and a bit of a tart zing to the full flavor of balsamic vinegar. Next time you make a pasta or vegetable salad, try adding some fig balsamic to the dressing for an extra kick of fresh produce flavor. It has also been suggested that the new fig balsamic pairs well with our garlic olive oil, if you’re interested in trying some creative combining.

As exciting as the balsamic vinegars are, our new olive oils are not to be outdone. First we have a new cranberry walnut olive oil, and interesting combination. There is a very smooth, woody flavor present from the walnuts, creating a delightful earthy taste. Balance that to the slight tartness and delicious freshness brought in by the cranberry, and this olive oil is light, smooth, and an excellent addition to your pantry. Try it drizzled over pound cake to add some zip to your dessert, or look up a recipe for olive oil muffins and try for your own unique flavor.

Finally and not to be forgotten, Ruth-Anne’s has brought in a basil olive oil. Before you even taste it this oil has a powerful herby scent, and the taste itself does not disappoint. The flavor of basil is pronounced, fresh and satisfying, flavorful without being overpowering. It’s a bit of zest thrown in to the classic olive oil taste, fun and well accented without being dominating. Try it in any meat marinade you have that requires olive oil, or use it as the oil when you next fry up some fresh veggies in the stove.

All of our olive oils and vinegars are available for tasting every day, so if you can’t decide here come in and try them all!

Made from a blend of 69% Chardonnay and 31% Viognier, this wine is both subtle and direct in its experience. The scent of the wine is fruity, with fresh, almost tropical overlays creating a delightful aroma. The flavor, once you taste is, is smooth and rich, the classic taste of chardonnay at the beginning blending and being tempered by fruity, almost apricot-like flavors laced in. The end is almost sweet, not unpleasantly so but like the experience of biting into ripe fruit.

Try our new Oveja Negra as a companion to a meal of fish. Either grilled salmon or herb-seasoned whitefish would be well paired with this wine, adding the perfect finish to a fine meal. Also try it with grilled chicken, or a pasta salad.

Here is a recipe for you to try, something you may not have heard of before: blood orange olive oil muffins.

What you shall need:
¼ cup of Blood Orange olive oil (available at Ruth-Anne’s Gourmet Market)
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg

What you do once you possess the necessary supplies:
Heat your oven to 375 degrees farenheit, and get a twelve muffin pan. Use paper liners or spray the pan with non-stick baking spray. Mix the dry ingredients (sugar, salt, flower, baking powder) in a large bowl, and mix the wet ingredients (blood orange olive oil, orange juice, egg) separately in a medium bowl. Once well mixed, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Divide evenly into the muffin cups in your muffin pan, and sprinkle muffins with sugar. Bake for 16-18 minutes until tops spring back when lightly pressed. 

Make it for your dinner party, or your private family meal, or simply as  a delicious snack for yourself. Try a new recipe and enjoy!

We are newly carrying Wildwood’s Creamy Tomato Basil soup mix, with basamati and wild rice, an excellent blend creating an old classic. The soup is a simple process, straightforward directions leading to an easy meal. It can be made by combining the mix with just water, or you can make a heavier soup involving water, veggie juice and cream; either method is laid out for you to prepare this delicious, flavorful soup.

Tomato basil is classic for a reason. Have it as the soup & salad starter course at a dinner party and wow your guests with flavor and excellent seasonings. Eat it when you aren’t feeling well and need the old stand-by pick-me-up of tomato soup. I would advise trying it with a grilled gouda cheese sandwich, or swiss.

Ruth-Anne’s has also brought in Wildwood’s Apple or Peach Crisp mix, so you also have a fantastic home-style dessert for that dinner party. A flavor-heavy, amazing baked dish, all you need is the mix, the apples or peaches, and a bit of butter to make a final flourish on your meal that will bring people back wanting more. The seasons are designed to bring out the natural flavor of the fruit, baked in butter to bring out the juice and flavor even more. Share it with friends, or keep it for yourself.