Spring Hostess Gifts, olive oil, Organic Saffron from Morocco, large white beans and more at chefshop.com/enews EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBER 5% OFF CODE spring  Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog Spring is in the air! (along with the pollen) May is the time for Hostess Gifts! If you have ever traveled to Tokyo and ridden on the the subway, you know that their subway system is very efficient and lots of people use it. About 3 billion trips a year, in fact. To me, the most memorable part of the Tokyo underground is that there seems to be a continuous row of shops in every station you go through. We saw beautifully wrapped cookies and candies, and giant sized fruit in amazingly constructed wood crates - for lots of money! Given the tradition of gift giving in Japan, which dates back centuries, this is not surprising. A culture that believes in the importance of "the hostess gift", gifting has subtle but significant nuances based on wrapping, the effort in getting the item, as well as the price. The "hostess gift" is a wonderful way of showing your appreciation to the person you are visiting, the value of your friendship, and your level of respect - all told by the gift you give! As the summer season opens up, grilling, and just afternoon parties are in the air (along with the pollen) and we are seeing an uptick of "gifts" for dinner purchases in the store. And the go-to gift is a bottle of wonderful Olive Oil. Nothing says it like olive oil! Skip the bottle of wine and give something that lasts and they will remember you by. Be sure to help them open the bottle too! Check out our go to faves for thanking any host! Check all the oils we have - click here! 1) Organic Meyer Lemon olive oil This is a fabulous, fantastic oil to share with your bestest hostess. It is so summery in flavor and, when you pair with the asparagus on the grill or your wild Alaskan salmon, (coming soon) it is like a match made in heaven. It is so wonderful an oil, keep a couple always on hand for that go-to-last-minute gift. And it can't hurt to have extra in your pantry .... Shop now for Meyer Lemon Olive Oil! 2) Where shapely is a plus! This oil has so many great things going for it. Not just the shape of the bottle, which will warm the heart of any host, it's what's inside that is the real treat. A very subtle, mellow and complex oil. To the un-olive oil palate, it tastes delicious, and to the very sophisticated, it has amazing hidden flavors. Perfect for any host. Shop now for Moroccan Olive Oil 3) Fruit Noir Olive oil Fruité Noir is not like other classic olive oils, which are pressed from the flesh of freshly picked olives; it's, in fact, coufi olives that are stored in a warm place before pressing. Learn more about coufi and Fruité Noir, and read about why this oil is unique and how it's pressed from selected olives from the "center of the pile". This is a very special oil and your host has to know their stuff. If they do, then they will be wowed by this really unique oil. Many claim it tastes like eating a ripe olive! Shop now for Fruit Noir! 4) 75,000 BLOSSOMS 225,000 Hand-Picked Stigmas Make a Single Pound! According to Greek mythology, there are a few variations to the story as to the origins of the Crocus flower. It appears that the nymph, Smilax, was involved in a relationship with the mortal, Krocus, who, with a bit of bad luck, was turned into the flower that produces Saffron. Saffron is harvested from the fall-flowering plant, Crocus Sativus, which is a member of the Iris family. It is native to Asia Minor, where it has been cultivated for thousands and thousands of years for its medicinal cures and its distinctive flavor attributes in foods. Saffron is a perfect ingredient in many famous dishes, including Spanish Paella Valenciana, French Bouillabaisse, Italian Risotto alla Milanese, and Moroccan Saffron Couscous. Used in small, tiny pinches, the flavor is unmistakable. A stone's throw from Spain and across the Straights of Gibraltar, Morocco produces some of the very finest Saffron in the world. A plant that loves hot sun with no shade, Morocco is a key growing location for many of Europe's bounties. Though Spain is known for its Saffron, they sell more than they can grow every year. Here in America, Morocco is known for foods like Preserved Lemons and Harissa, not for its amazing Saffron. Mehdi now goes directly to the secret special storage location in Morocco and has it sent to him every couple of weeks as the Chefs demand. We are pleased to offer this organically grown saffron in its beautiful tin. Shop now for Organic Moroccan Saffron. 5) Sweet Washington Cherries It's not too early to order your cherries for 2016! The trees are looking healthy and good! Remember that we do not charge before the cherries will be harvested. "The best cherries ever, delivered to your door."--Bon Appetit Magazine Pre-Order Your Sweet Washington Cherries 6) Nature's Amazing Oil When I was growing up, we used to compare apple pies. Back then, it seemed that there were apple orchards scattered all over the place. We would debate over which orchard had the best pickings, and which variety of apples made the best pies, and in the end, it always came down to the crust. The apples were a great addition, but it was the crust that made the pie. And it's the butter and lard that really makes it crumble together ... And it's not just for baking, think re-fried beans or double-fried fries! Shop now for Mangalitsa Lard! 7) The amazing giant Corona Bean This large white bean, corona judiones, is a member of the runner family phaseolus coccineus. Dried corona beans are already about half again as large as the typical white runner, and when cooked, they almost triple in size! This is one reason this heirloom bean has often been called the "poor man's meat." When we first tasted the coronas, we braised them in a simple puttanesca sauce, and they were heavenly, a perfect vehicle for sauce. Their impressive size makes them a natural for an antipasto plate, dressed with a flavorful vinaigrette. Or try them in a delicious recipe with fennel, olives and a lemon-mint vinaigrette. With a little advanced planning for soaking time, dried beans are easy to prepare - and you'll really notice the difference in flavor and consistency compared to canned beans. Put your feet up and soak your Corona beans! Shop now! 8) Honey It's time to use honey! Mix it in with sour cream for topping all the spring/summer fruit in the markets, finish your grilled proteins or add it to the marinade. Drizzle it on your Baklava, Zainab Fingers, or rice pudding. With all these things you can do, now is the time to have a big jar of wonderful honey on hand. And my favorite diet food dish is a drink. Honey in hot water before you go to sleep is supposed to make your stomach stay awake while you sleep. It's like calisthenics inner being. At least it's a nice ritual. Shop now for a honey of a deal from Hawaii!   Just-in-Updates - Cooking Classes Re-stock before it's too hot Chocolate year round is essential. Making brownies at the end of the school year (no matter if you are in school or not) seems like the right sweet to have. Like them tall and fluffy or short and chewed, cocoa powder makes the best ones. The other ideas for cocoa powder this grilling season are using it in a molé, marinade or in a rub for your protein. You can't have enough of the richness of cocoa! Classics With a Twist Take advantage of the last of Spring veggies with some creative takes on some comforting classics - like your mom used to make, only better. Private Chef Lesa Sullivan will share with you her greatest hits of the season. Recipes include: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Bake, Kale Caesar Salad with Fresh Croutons, Mom’s Marvelous Meatloaf and Flourless Chocolate Brownies with Sea Salt Caramel Drizzle. Sign up and bring your comfy pants! Wednesday May 18th Class Thursday May 19th Class   This Weeks Recipes Corona Bean Gratin Recipe Lauren made this Cannellini bean gratin during our Beans Workshop -- and it was so easy, and so good. A great way to add beans to your diet -- and so good your kids will like it too. Spaghetti Puttanesca Recipe The origins of this classically Italian pasta sauce are being constantly debated. I think of it as being a classically Sicilian dish which uses salted anchovies, which are always available at the local food market. You can prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking - and both will be ready at about the same time. Cocoa and Chile Rubbed Pork Chops Recipe This recipe is adapted from chef Tim Love, in an old (June 2009) issue of Food and Wine magazine. This is a delicious rub that uses a bit of sugar to help the meat brown, but cooks over low heat so the sugar doesn't char. The combination of the cocoa powder with the pepper gives a wonderful depth of flavor. See what you missed in previous Newsletters Video: Meet Rene, Million Years Old, Cherries & Salmon Get New at Introductory Price! Umami! Wild Cocoa Marionberry, Huckleberry, Seville, Blueberry, Cherry ChefShop.com Toll-free: 1-800-596-0885 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. Help | Contact | About | Terms | Privacy Policy | Search | My Account DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA