CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 20,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Finely curated recipes may not
come to mind when you think about lineworkers or the electric grid,
but Duke Energy's E-Recipe Book may have you thinking differently
when you check out this year's edition, which manages to connect
them in a clever way.
This year's book, "Tools of the Trade," developed in
collaboration with Johnson & Wales
University, was inspired by Duke Energy lineworkers who were
asked about their backgrounds, their motivations, their experiences
and stories, and most of all the role food plays in their
lives.
Duke Energy circulates the book, which is filled with stories,
recipes and energy-saving tips, to its customers across a variety
of channels. Originally conceived as a creative way to encourage
kitchen appliance use years ago, the book, now offered digitally,
has grown to become a favorite staple among the company's 3.7
million residential customers.
"We couldn't think of better inspiration for creative recipes
this year than our lineworkers who are dedicated to helping power
our communities," said Taryn Sims,
Duke Energy's vice president, Marketing, Insights and Customer
Engagement. "Once we had an opportunity to learn more about them
and document their stories, the culinary artists at Johnson & Wales University were able to create
bold, exciting and memorable recipes that highlight their stories
and personality traits."
"We were thrilled to work with Duke Energy again this year and
help create a unique, nutritious, and flavorful customer gift that
showcased the creativity and talents of our faculty and students,"
said Jerry Lanuzza, MS Ed., CHE.,
associate professor, College of Food Innovation & Technology,
Charlotte Campus, Johnson & Wales University. "We are grateful to
Duke Energy for giving our students a unique hands-on opportunity
to work side by side with a professional media team, photographer
and food stylist that not only enriched their academic careers but
has also fostered a culture of community collaboration."
This year's offering includes eight recipes inspired by
lineworkers across several Duke Energy service territories:
- Pork Posole – Eddie (North
Carolina)
- This North Carolina lineworker and winner of the Carolinas
Lineworkers' Rodeo cookoff two years running was willing to share
his story for the E-Recipe Book if it didn't mean divulging his
secret barbecue rub recipe. The first meal that the self-taught
cook ever made himself was hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill.
Eddie was 10 years old at the time, and he's been practicing the
art of grilling ever since. Eddie said that the camaraderie that
comes with his job is what he values most.
- Jambalaya – Taylor (North
Carolina)
- This lineworker does the lion's share of the cooking in
his house and considers his grandmother, a quintessential Southern
cook, his culinary idol. Spices are always on hand in Taylor's
kitchen: kosher salt, coarse-ground black pepper, minced garlic,
red pepper flakes, paprika and his own homemade blackening
seasoning. In terms of the job, Taylor has been in the industry for
17 years and couldn't see doing anything else. He said, "Every day
is different. There's always a new obstacle to overcome."
- Focaccia – Jordan
(South Carolina)
- Jordan chose the profession
because she loves working outside. She said good nutrition is
important to her, and she is always looking for ways to sneak
veggies into a meal. In fact, her favorite ingredient is spinach;
however, she admits the first meal she cooked wasn't so healthy –
macaroni and cheese from a box for her little brothers, which they
adored.
- Yaki Udon Noodles – Brad (Ohio)
- If circumstances had been different, Brad might have been a
chef rather than a lineman, but his culinary school of choice
closed unexpectedly. These days, cooking is his avocation instead
of his vocation. Making dinner every night is an essential part of
his day. "It's a stress relief," he said. "It eases my mind and
gives me time to decompress. All the issues of the day fade from my
mind."
- Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes and Honey Roasted
Baby Carrots – Dave (Indiana)
- Dave, a 24-year veteran, is a mostly self-taught cook whose
former co-workers introduced him to the art of smoking meats. His
first dish on the smoker was chicken. Now absolutely hooked on the
style, he smokes meat every chance he gets. He's even known for
bringing his co-workers brisket, pulled pork and ribs. They can
count on his culinary creations being hearty, tasty and not too
spicy.
- Venison and Spinach Lasagna – RJ (Florida)
- RJ first learned to cook from his grandma, who was known for
her Italian meatball recipe – and for using breadcrumbs to thicken
her tomato sauce. He still makes her meatballs but with some
modifications of his own. As far as being a lineworker, he says the
best part is working with his hands and the camaraderie of being
part of a line crew.
- Breakfast for Dinner Casserole – David
(Florida)
- David, a Florida lineworker and self-declared omnivore, said
he's "on a see-food diet: I see food. I eat it." It's not
surprising that breakfast is his favorite meal, as pancakes were
the first thing he ever learned to cook as a kid. He was inspired
to become a lineworker after seeing the respect and admiration
crews got when restoring power in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma
in 2017.
- Orange Flan with Fresh Berries – Joshua (Florida)
- Joshua, a lineworker who followed his father's footsteps
into the profession, has an innate love for Puerto Rican cuisine,
his family's original home. He tries to cook every day and is
happiest if he's grilling. He lists pernil, a traditional,
slow-roasted pulled pork holiday dish, as his comfort food, but he
doesn't make it because his mother and grandmother have perfected
it.
For those interested in testing these recipes in their home
kitchens, visit the full list at duke-energy.com/2023Recipes.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
Charlotte, N.C., is one of
America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities
serve 8.2 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000
megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6
million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600
people.
Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition
to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural
gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity
generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets
of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for
Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by
2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the
company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy
storage and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies
such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2023 "World's Most Admired
Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More
information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke
Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos
and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories
about people, innovations, community topics and environmental
issues. Follow Duke Energy
on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Johnson & Wales University
Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales
University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution
with more than 8,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at
its campuses in Providence, Rhode
Island and Charlotte, N.C.
An innovative educational leader, the university offers
undergraduate and graduate degree programs in arts and sciences,
business, engineering, food innovation, hospitality, nutrition,
health and wellness. It also offers undergraduate programs in
culinary arts, dietetics and design. JWU's unique model provides
students with the personalized attention, academic expertise and
industry connections that inspire professional success and personal
growth. The time students spend at JWU is nothing short of
transformative, as demonstrated by career outcomes, expected
earnings and economic mobility rankings. The university's impact is
global, with alumni in 125 countries pursuing careers
worldwide.
Contact: Keith Richardson
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy