| |
Best Food Gifts Under $25!
Show up with something different! This selection of gifts for friends named Martha, or things Martha would like, is perfect for the right person. We have ingredients for chefs, for food lovers, and those who just want to eat. From open and eat, to splash and drink, these winners are good as gifts on hand, or for having about in your home just in case someone shows up at your doorstep and you need a gift in a hurry. And, if you plan like I do, you always want extras for leftovers - for me.
 |
Cocoa Powder from Pernigotti
Who in their right mind would give a bag of cocoa to the hostess? Someone who knows the hostess, that's who. Any aspiring Martha will truly jump for joy when they get handed a bag of this perfect cocoa. Bakers and baristas alike fawn over this treat. |
 |
Panforte
It arrived too late to include in last week's newsletter. Our loss is your gain. We have priced it 20% lower so we can include it in the under $25 list. This classic treat is for a real food lover and anyone who has been in Italy this time of year, from Siena. |
 |
San Giacomo Essenza Balsamic Vinegar
We dropped the price to include this wonderful secret. Essenza is the real deal, disguised in a simple bottle. If you taste and compare this, not to those that are priced the same, but to those that cost 3 to 5 times as much, you will be surprised at how special it is and how much you will want to get every single drop from the bottle. Oh wait, this is a present! |
 |
D'Arbo Elderflower Syrup
This is sweet as it can be. Elderflower Syrup started out in proper circles as an addition to mixed drinks. Eliza has a spoonful in the afternoons as a pick-me-up and recently Tony added it to his "imported" cannolis. Just a touch to a creamed dessert and it transforms. It crosses the divide between drink and dessert! |
 |
Chocolate, Rum & Grapes - Mademoiselle de Margaux
These delicious treats, 16 of them, were chosen by Real Simple Magazine. We choose them, too. These lush grapes are covered in chocolate and soaked in rum. Pop the whole chocolate into your mouth and it will be filled with the warmth of the season. Be sure to have your host open them right away! |
 |
Dark Chocolate surrounding almonds!
La Cucina Italiana Magazine chose this and we did too! Every year I forget how really good this is. Break the disk into chards of chocolate and almond bits. The rich dark chocolate is hard to the bite giving the wonderful rich feel of a great chocolate. The almonds create the right crunch and contrast. |
 |
Sticky Toffee Sauce
I love "spoon-ready" products, and Hawksheads' Sticky Toffee Sauce is the perfect representation of such. Though it's perfect for topping a cake or a pear, think toast or an ice cream sundae. But why ruin a perfectly perfect spoon of Sticky Toffee? Fill your mouth with this creamy smooth sweetness. Your hostess will love you for it and if you're lucky, will open it right then and there. Bring your own spoon! |
 |
Pistachio Torrone from Italy!
From Piedmonte, this soft torrone is a bit sticky to cut, but easy to chew. So easy to chew in fact you might eat half in one sitting. What's the saying? Better to give, than to eat (it?) Wrapped in a green box it's a great presentation. |
 |
Les Terroirs De Marrakech Olive Oil
The most luscious bottle of all the oils we carry. It's not just the bottle that's great, as it's early fans already know. The oil is one of the best of the year! This elegant bottle begs to be held and when you pass it over to the host, they will feel like you handed them a bottle of Domaine Romanée-Conti. Only you will know that it costs less than $25! |
 |
Award Winning Fruitcake.
Perhaps the only fruitcake on the planet where the bakers average age is over 75! Slice this classic treat extra thin and enjoy with a cup of coffee you truly have a holiday treat. Only those who taste with their minds will miss this great tasting fruitcake. |
 |
Stollen for Christmas
This baked weekly Stollen is wonderful. Covered in powdered sugar, what lies beneath is a true Stollen. A bit dry to the touch, as it should be, the first thing you see is the large pockets of almond paste, then the raisins and orange peel. If you can wait, toast it and then slather the first slice with butter. It is divine. Most likely though, it will be the second piece that gets the butter. |
 |
Deep Rich Hot Drinking Chocolate
We taste it all day in the store and it gets oohs and ahhhs! Melting Chocolate to drink; to a chocolate lover, the idea alone is like heaven in a mug. This rich mix is not one you will find anywhere else. We tried a lot of different chocolate combinations, and so far it's been flying off the shelves! The good news is more has arrived and is ready for the holidays! You will be too!
|
| Just-in-Updates - What's coming soon |
Olio Nuovo!
Five of them are here, and the rest will show up over the next few weeks. What's so fun about the new oils is that every year they arrive and we break them open on arrival. Then favorites are picked immediately and discussion ensues about their subtlety and nuances. Come and give us your opinion next Saturday and Sunday at the shop and we'll post your thoughts on Facebook. For those of you a bit further away, be sure to place your order soon!
Panforte!
Nothing like a great Panforte.
Natural bone-in smoked Heritage Ham for Christmas
It's time to place your order for the best smoked ham! Wine Spectator loved it and we do too. This is a smoked-to-order ham. Limited supply. We have a deadline of the 12th, just a few days away.
|
| This Weeks Recipes |
Ham & Leek Frittata Recipe
Eggs are a perfect food -- complete protein, healthy fat, so versatile. This recipe calls for leeks, but you can also use wild ramps. Ramps are foraged in many places in the northern US and Southern Canada in early spring.
Adapted from Mirelle Guiliano's cookbook, "The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook" (Atria Books, 2010)
Ancient Grains with Summer Vegetables
This is an awesome recipe using a delicious and healthy grain, emmer (farro), and seasonal summer vegetables. Michel Nischan (James Beard award winning chef) prepared this recipe at the 2011 Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, CO in June.
Panettone French Toast
Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it's been our favorite for this recipe. But any of the wonderful panettone will work great. This recipe is so divine you'll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!
|
|
DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA
|
|
| |
