Irving, Texas-based Gruma Corporation, Mission Foods, one of the country’s largest tortilla manufacturers, is collaborating with Sara Foster to promote its versatile line of tortillas and Foster’s newly released cookbook, “Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking.”
“Salads are meals, sandwiches and quesadillas qualify as respectable grown-up dinners (or breakfasts or lunches, for that matter), and eggs can be eaten any time of day,” Foster says. Her latest cookbook sheds new light on the tortilla with such delicious recipes as Barbecued Chicken and Chickpea Quesadillas, Pan-Seared Tuna Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa, and Breakfast Tostadas with Fried Eggs and Guacamole. “Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking” (Clarkson Potter, March 2007, $35 hardcover) has ranked in the Top 25 on Amazon since its release a few weeks ago.
Foster is one of the country’s most beloved and respected experts on simple, honest food. She has authored three cookbooks and has appeared on the “Today Show” and “From Martha’s Kitchen.” A contributing editor to Cottage Living, Foster also has been featured in such publications as the New York Times, Bon Appetit and Martha Stewart Living.
A favorite amongst children and adults, tortillas rank second in sales of bread products, outranking all other ethnic breads such as bagels, English muffins and pita bread, according to the Tortilla Industry Association. The tortillas versatility makes it easy to incorporate into meals and snacks in non-traditional ways, such as wraps, pizza crust, pasta substitute or as a replacement for the traditional hamburger or hot dog bun.
The company’s new, expanded website has helped to position Mission as a culinary leader in the online world, attracting over 50,000 visitors monthly. Serving as a useful and innovative resource for families, www.missionmenus.com features recipes alongside grocery lists and tools that help visitors choose the perfect recipe for their specific needs.
The company’s collaboration with Chef, Entrepreneur and Cookbook Author Sara Foster exemplifies the innovative thinking that is at the heart of the Mission’s culture. The alliance offers a unique opportunity to enhance the Mission brand, while encouraging new and inventive uses for its extensive line of flour tortillas.
After working as a chef for Martha Stewart’s catering company in the 1980s, Sara Foster moved to Durham, North Carolina to open Foster’s Market, a cheerful, country-style market that serves upward of 1,000 people daily. In 1998, she opened a second market in Chapel Hill. Sara has written two previous cookbooks: “The Foster’s Market Cookbook: Favorite Recipes for Morning, Noon, and Night” (Random House, 2002) and “Fresh Everyday: More Great Recipes from Foster’s Market” (Clarkson Potter, 2005.)
