Sen Cha
|
Share on
|
| Supporting Family-Owned Artisan Producers of Hard-to-Find Ingredients since 1999 |
If there was a mystery with much mystical information surrounding it that has evolved through thousands of years, this would be it.
Very few things give answers when you are done, especially when all you have left is what you started with, albeit a little wet.
Every culture has its traditions around it. Some evolved from years of practicality. Others adapted to what was new and chose what worked best for them at the time. Like so many things, evolution brings both good and not so good.
Some would argue that in our country, which was based on evolution of traditions, it's not so good. Though every country has its own style - some add cream and sugar, while others disdain the thought of adding anything except the perfect temperature water - ours, at least until recently, has been one or two variations of black. Properly steeped, each is subtle and can create amazing flavors that are expressed in each sip. Though, in the last three years, tutti-fruity has become common in restaurants when you get it iced. Effectively, less "t" and more "eee"!
Two countries, China and Japan, create some of the World's finest. They are both known for growing amazing varieties. But, they have opposite approaches to certain things, like processing and steeping time.
Generally speaking, Chinese varieties are often large and whole leaf, and often, after the water has been added, unfurl into a pot full of greens. Steeping time is usually more than two minutes, and can be 4 minutes or more. A common practice is to put the leaves straight into the cup and just add water as the day wears on.
Japanese varieties, on the other hand, are often broken into smaller pieces. The broken leaves expose more surface area, making for a quick steeping; usually less than 50 seconds and perhaps as short as 20 seconds for the first pot.
Recently, it has become a very crowded category. Good and even very good has become more commonplace - which is a great thing. There are many new labels and new styles of packaging. Yet often, what's in the bag is all sourced from the very same suppliers. A different mix of this-and-that makes for interesting flavor variations, but the grade level remains the same.
Having grown up with some of the very finest, it's been hard to find quality ones that match my expectations. We compared about a half a dozen from this one particular producer. I liked them all. Eliza, who is very particular about hers, liked two of them very much.
Like wine, chocolate and olive oil, good ones have an amazing range of flavors and tastes - spanning the world in styles. As basic as any food, it is water and plant. Simply refined, over centuries of time, the finest are rare to find. But, when you do, stick to them like glue.
What we found
In 2008, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Tea Maestro, won The Best Blended/Flavored Green Tea at the World Tea Championship. Kazue Sugimoto, Master of Temomi, is an award winning Temomi artist and she was chosen to present to the Emperor of Japan in 1997.
Learn more about Hiroyuki Sugimoto's award-winning teas. Click the Sen Cha button below to learn who the winner of last week's "contest 2" is.
|
|
Hawkshead Sticky Toffee Sauce |
No home should be without a jar of Sticky Toffee Sauce. Warm and pour over sticky toffee pudding or ice cream. At home we sauté bananas in butter for a couple of minutes, serve them with Sticky Toffee Sauce poured over the top and with a scoop of ice cream. The sauce can separate in the jar, but will come together when warmed .... not too likely to be a problem once you "spoon" in for a taste.
|
Milk, dark and extra dark .... Now we have Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate that melts perfectly into hot milk. It seems like the perfect middle road - perfect for those who want dark and those who want not-so-dark. Add it to your collection and mix away.
|
|
Last Chance: The Season is Almost Over! |
The end of the Reed Avocados season for the year is near. Your last chance to order in 2010! Like butter in avocado form, it's hard to imagine anything quite this good! Like our Organic Honey Crisp apples, these are untouchable in quality. These softball-sized fruit are on our list of "most amazing foods on the planet"! We keep them in the refrigerator, putting one on the counter to ripen at a time.
Make a dip or slice for a salad - perfect for mixing-it-up this Thanksgiving! Order yours by Friday. Last shipment on Monday.
|
Just a few more days before we cut and ship - just before Thanksgiving. When Parmigiano-Reggiano is cut, oxidization starts to occur. The surface of the cheese, when exposed to air, starts to naturally harden. Though a slow process, the outside surface, without its natural shell of hardened cheese to protect it, starts to expel and disperse the volatiles - taking flavor with them.
When a wheel is just cracked open, the Parmigiano-Reggiano sings a song that should be heard. It's really delicious. When the wheel is 36-plus months old, the cheese really is the "big" cheese, especially when compared to a 24-month-old wheel! Because it is freshly cut, you can feel confident that, properly wrapped, it will last that much longer.
This is the perfect holiday gift to you! Use it throughout the season!
|
The Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali or MiPAAF) and BuonItalia SpA have launched a U.S. campaign - True Italian - in an effort to protect and promote authenticated Italian foods and wines. ChefShop.com salutes this program and is proud to support the Ministry's efforts in educating the American public to the meaning of True Italian ingredients, and we are committed to providing our customers with the best, TRUE Italian product available in the U.S. There are True Italian tasting events and menus throughout Seattle between November 2nd and November 12th. Click here to learn which of your favorite restaurants and retailers are getting involved.
|
Newsletter Subscriber Discount Code
|
Enter this code in the "coupon code" box during checkout (see below). Our thanks for subscribing! (Valid through Tuesday, November 9, 2010. Discount not valid on fresh/perishable items or already discounted products.)
|
This Week's Recipes
We had a fabulous Grains Workshop last week in the shop. Chef Lauren Feldman demonstrated how to prepare five amazing whole-grain recipes - all of which were absolutely delicious. Here is her Millet Flour Crepes Recipe - just to wet your appetite for future classes. The Holiday Workshop is coming up. If you live in or around Seattle, come join us. It will be very fun!
It's that time a year. Fall fennel bulbs galore. As I learned in last week's cooking class, it turns out fennel is very versatile and delicious. Here are two recipes to get your fennel bulb juices going.
LENTIL, FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD
FENNEL SOUP WITH CRANBERRIES AND HAZELNUTS |
Do you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter?
Forward it to a friend by clicking here. |
You've received this email because you have purchased from us or subscribed. We respect your privacy online, and will never share your email address.
|
|
