No can opener needed - chefshop.com/enews
|
|
 |
EXCLUSIVE
SUBSCRIBER
5% OFF CODE |
 |
|
|
|
|
In this issue:
|
Cru Sauvage
More Than Gourmet
Pomegranate Molasses
Back in Stock
Recipes of the Week
|
Thousands of Flowers
This honey is as beautiful as the location it comes from. The northernmost tip of Umbria juts between the regions of Tuscany and Marche, a beautiful landscape, in the heart of Italy's central Apennine Mountains.
 |
|
|
|
One has stood out in a forest of others!
We have been chasing the elusive Cru Sauvage for the last five months. Demand has been high and we have sold tons ... (figuratively.)
There is nothing like a good story to pique the interest of the masses, and this is one good story. The story starts innocently enough with a bite of good chocolate, and then a plane ride into the jungles of the Amazon. When I read it for the first time online, it was hard to put down (can you do this with a screen?) For sure it was the longest article I have ever read on screen, and I couldn't flip the pages (?) fast enough.
Re-reading the article I feel like I'm reading it for the first time, like a refresher course in chocolate school. It's written with an edge, and if you shy from exciting language, you might not want to read it thoroughly - but it is worth a good skim.
Come back after you've read it and order up a pound for yourself. We don't have it in some fancy bar, just small bite-sized disks. And, it's a lot cheaper than the $60 a pound the author paid...
If you like good writing,
Outside Magazine
seems to contain a bunch. Out of my view for many years, it's a sleeper that's worth poking at. Check it out when you are done reading about
Cru Sauvage.
Shop now for Cru Sauvage
|
Where There is Steam, There is Soup
What makes a great soup taste good? Is it just the love of something hot on a cold day?
They say for a good soup you need a good base. And, whether you are making a chicken base or a veggie base, nothing beats starting with a good stock. I really like making stock. There is something satisfying about putting a whole turkey into a pot and boiling it down over three days to make a gelatinous base.
Along the way, I always pull some liquid out, steal some meat, and with a little leftover rice, I eat for days. Fighting off the winter chill by cupping the bowl with my cold hands as the steam rises in my face, I get a much needed winter facial. By the time the stock is finished, my desire for soup has diminished. I end up giving it away or freezing it for another day.
Of course, I never really use this stock. It's a big pain to remember to thaw in time and, given my long days, it's much easier to rout around in the shelves of the refrigerator and find one of my many More Than Gourmet stocks and, with just a spoon, make soup. Though I think my stock is better the reality is it is only better some of the time. A big pot always seems to makes a better stock, and More Than Gourmet uses a bigger pot than I do.
Shop now and fight the chill and make soup
|
|
|
|
|
Pomegranate Molasses
Long a favorite ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian cuisine, pomegranate molasses (or paste) is starting to be recognized more and more here for its versatility and the rich, distinct sweet-tart flavor flavors it brings to a wide range of dishes.
Pomegranate molasses is made from 100% tart pomegranates, with nothing added. It is reduced to a thick, molasses-like consistency, and rather than the bright red of the fresh fruit, it's a dark, syrupy mahogany color, sometimes with a slightly grainy texture.
Traditionally, pomegranate molasses appears more in savory dishes than sweet, adding a tangy, fruity note to dips, spreads and main dishes of all kinds. It's a great addition to stir-fries, thickening the sauce and adding its own flavor notes. It makes beautiful salad dressing, particularly when combined with walnut oil.
Page through Middle Eastern cookbooks, and you'll find myriad recipes for this wonderful elixir, or search our Recipes section for enticing treats like Pomegranate Cranberry Smoothies, Chicken Thighs Braised in Pomegranate Molasses, and more.
Shop now for Pomegranate Molasses
|
|
|
| |
Mustard
In 1634, out of concern for the quality of its mustard, the city of Dijon imposed the first statues on the mustard-making trade. Even before this date the region was well known for the quality of its mustard.
The 18th century discovery of verjuice - juice from unripe grapes harvested in Burgundy - put the finishing touch of quality to this fine product. Adding verjuice to the brown mustard seed and grinding the mixture using traditional grindstones - so as not to damage the heat-sensitive paste - helped to earn DIJON MUSTARD a worldwide reputation for quality.
Edmond Fallot has been producing mustard in the town of Beaune, just to the south of Dijon, in Burgundy since 1840. They are very proud and protective of their tradition; the seeds are selected for their quality and are still ground as before using traditional millstones. Now as before, Fallot looks to the mustard-maker's craft to guarantee a quality product, which is why they still use traditional millstones in their process.
|
|
| Recipes of the Week |
Apple, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pizza Topping Recipe
We received a great new cookbook in the mail today, The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel. Kim is a customer of ours and I happen to know from conversations with Kim that she is NOT a vegetarian. Being a carnivore myself, I liked the idea of a whole cookbook dedicated to delicious meatless fare for meat-eating folks like myself. I am always happy to gain a little motivation and straightforward inspiration to help me stick to my New Year's resolution to eat more healthily, with a focus on increasing my consumption of fresh vegetables, beans and lentils – without giving up flavor.
She has recipes for every season, which helps if you are looking to cook with vegetables that are available locally. But, I was particularly attracted to the all-seasons section in the back, specifically the pizza dough recipe and two of the non-traditional recipes for pizza topping. Of course, any of these recipes can be made on pre-prepared pizza dough. Nothing like comfort food that the whole family can enjoy making and eating.
Mushroom and Rosemary Pizza Topping Recipe.
|
|
DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA
|
|
