A Portion of Proceeds to Benefit MS Society Throughout November

SEATTLE, Wash.-(October 13, 2008)-We all know “pumpkin” is a popular term of endearment, but who knew a simple gourd could do good and taste good at the same time? Answer: icon Grill’s Executive Chef Nick Musser, who has translated his love for his wife into a winning charitable proposition.

After Erin Musser was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, Chef Nick began donating his time and talents in support of the National MS Society. That’s why $1 from each pumpkin cheesecake sold throughout November at both icon Grill and Zephyr Grill & Bar will benefit the MS Society.  This special promotion is timed to begin with the MS Luncheon on October 30^th, one of the Greater Washington Chapter’s largest fundraising events.

“Cheesecake is a classic that’s currently enjoying resurgence in popularity,” says Chef Nick. “”It’s one of those foods that’s homey and familiar, but can also go high-brow.” icon’s seasonal variation is light, fluffy, and perfectly individually-sized; made with the iconic Thanksgiving ingredient, it’s the perfect alternative to pie.

He continues, “People come to our restaurants for this cheesecake every year. With a portion of the proceeds going to charity, I hope we’ll wear out our pastry chefs with orders!”

All pumpkin cheesecakes sold in November will include a recipe card in case fans want to try their hand at home.

icon Grill, open since 1998 is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary this year, and is located at 1933 Fifth Ave. in Seattle, Wash. Open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., bar until midnight; Friday 11:30 a.m. to midnight and Saturday 5 p.m. to midnight, bar until 1 a.m.; and Sunday 5 to 11 p.m., bar until midnight. Executive Chef Nick Musser’s cookbook, Aroused Americana, includes recipes for his highly regarded Ultimate Mac and Cheese and Texas Funeral Fudge Cake. In 2006, icon Grill’s sister restaurant, Zephyr Grill & Bar, opened in Kent, Wash. joining the Livermore, Calif., location, which opened in 2004. Call (206) 441-6330 or visit www.icongrill.net for more information.

With the change of season we begin to re-experience the flavors of autumn.

It can be a dilemma to have to choose between the last of the peaches (in a season that yielded perfect stone fruit) and the first of the apples. When you taste those new foods again for the first time of the season, you also rediscover the memories associated with them.

My first taste of pumpkin this season was not as a soup, instead it came in the form of matefin, a French pancake that is more a cousin to an American pancake than a crepe. One important difference however is that the French version is savory.

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