Frieda’s Specialty Produce partnered with Cooking Light for the brand’s first-ever Light Up The Night tasting event, presented by Citi, held at The High Line in New York City last month.
The sold-out event on Sept. 21 brought together the best of what Frieda’s and Cooking Light provide to consumers—fresh fare made with the highest quality ingredients. The partnership was a match made in produce heaven as Frieda’s provided seasonal fruits and vegetables to many of the participating chefs and mixologists who created custom dishes and cocktails in Cooking Light’s signature style—bold flavor, light approach, according to a news release.
“Cooking Light reached out to Frieda’s because we are the company that is changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables. It really was a coordinated effort of joining two forces together,” said Karen Caplan, president and CEO of Frieda’s Inc. “It was an amazing experience to be a part of Cooking Light’s Light Up The Night, presented by Citi, and to work closely with the brand’s roster of notable chefs.”
Cooking Light’s Light Up The Night was launched as part of the brand’s 25th anniversary celebration. The tasting event was a culinary experience with an array of creative cocktails, craft beer, wines from Sonoma County and a gourmet menu featuring custom-created dishes for the event.
Frieda’s produce was on display in an edible garden centerpiece and was touted as a crowd favorite. Sangria Artichokes, Baby Golden Beets, Purple Kohlrabi and Holland Red Bell Peppers were lined along pumpernickel “dirt” with touches of rosemary. Frieda’s award-winning Black Garlic was used in a chicken sate and an Acai Tequila Cocktail featuring Frieda’s MOAB Superfruit Blend juice was passed out to the crowd.
“We put together a phenomenal line up of chefs and mixologists to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary, and Frieda’s, with its wide assortment of specialty produce, was a great partner,” said Cooking Light Publisher Karla Partilla. “At Cooking Light, we believe that high-quality ingredients are an integral part of healthy cooking, so it was a natural fit to work with Frieda’s.”
