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What is Koji? From 200 AD to now. Slow food Umami in a vinegar and more at chefshop.com/enews |
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Widespread aspergillus oryzae mold has infiltrated many kitchen cupboards and refrigerators. Though reported to be from 200 A.D. in China, the most recent outbreak has come from many sources and is one of the most active microbial activities going on right now! Unlike the unplanned fungus I have been known to grow on foods in the dark recesses in our refrigerator, this super-cultivated mold is known as Koji. This super-food fermentator makes many of the foods you know. Think Sake and Soy Sauce, or Miso and Mirin. It’s not as simple as it sounds though, and you don’t add a spoonful of Koji to your toast to get an umami boost. Instead you're “growing” stuff by mixing it into rice (or other stuff) and it eats the starches and breaks them down into sugars creating bliss, at least if your a microbe. Koji has floral, citrusy, and yeasty aroma and is just at its infancy stage in modern cuisine. Chefs in the west are experimenting to find out what they can create with the koji. From venison to fried chicken, scallops and griddle cakes. And then there is Koji Brown Rice Vinegar. This secret sauce gets all the cool stuff that koji has wrapped up in a vinegar that is not sharp. It has a unique flavor with a brown rice finish to it. Just topping rice it is special, or add it your favorite salad dressing or splashed over your favorite vegetables! Why is this vinegar different? It’s the process and the Koji! Click here to read more about how this vinegar grows! |
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 Dry Rice Koji!Koji is one of the key ingredients used in making miso. It is prepared from steamed rice inoculated with "koji starter", consisting of spores of the mold ASPERGILLUS ORYZAE, then incubated for about 45 hours until each kernel of rice is covered with a bloom of fragrant white mold. The function of mold is to produce enzymes that will later break down the miso proteins, carbohydrates and oil into more readily digestible nutrients. Using high-quality koji is the secret to making good miso. Shop now for Koji! |
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 Hardneck GarlicWe have just a little left of hardneck garlic from Farmer Georgie. The pre-orders have been filled and shipped. Check out what’s still available and order it up. Smaller than the normal “seed-stock”, the powerful, spicy, hot punch is still packed away in every clove. We had less available than normal this year due to a fire that wiped out the barn of Georgie Smith’s Willowood Farm (you can see Georgie and her Dad in the window of the barn). They lost all the farming equipment inside the barn so it has been a tough time since March. Read about it here. So if you have been waiting, don’t delay as this is what we have this year. Thanks. Shop now for Hardneck Garlic! |
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 Bitters AisleBitters have a great history as a medicinal hit packed with herbs and encased in alcohol. Today it is a fabulous ingredient for adding a nice explosion to your baked goods and also mixed drinks. Shop now for Bitters! |
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 It's the perfect Time for TunaWith the changing unpredictable weather comfort food is what we are craving. And making tuna fish salad is so easy and so satisfying and since there is no cooking, just mixing, it's ready as soon as you open the can! Fork at the ready, you eat immediately. And, for me, it's like the best diet food! It's all about satisfaction. Shop now for Tuna! |
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 Baked BeansComfort food is baked beans to me. Soak overnight and cook all day (sort of). It's so easy to make and it is so perfectly satisfying and filling! Check out the recipe here! |
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Recipe! Tuna Fish Salad Sandwich. Classic recipe with a twist. Canned tuna followed lobster, crab and salmon into the sandwich along with the “dressings” that were common at the time. Classic recipes might have included eggs, apple, red onion or shallots along with lemon juice. Get the recipe here! |
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 Meyer Lemon Olive OilWhat makes this so great, of course, are the careful choices that Albert and his team make in choosing and blending his olives together (when to pick, press, the mix/percentages etc.) to make the baseline of this oil. It is also the topping on the cake, so to speak, of the crushing of the sweet, tart, lemony, Meyer Lemon addition. And together that makes this one of the most anticipated oils (of all oils) of the year. Shop now for Meyer Lemon Olive Oil! |
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 VanillaVanilla, extract and beans. Shop now for Vanilla! |
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 Stocks for soups
And more. Gluten Free except one! What this means is no filler added of excess salt, flour, soy, whey proteins, etc! And no hidden secret MSG which you might find in almost all stocks. Its great to make your own, therapeutic for sure. Let's face it, when you can scoop a spoonful and broth is ready you can't beat it for making that last minute carrot soup! Stock up now for Soup! |
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Chutney & Relish!One good chutney and relish can make your day great. Think a sauce for cheese and crackers. Or a fresh plate of protein. These complex tastes packed in a jar whose only job is to complement and enhance another. A friend for your food. If you haven't tried chutney maybe it's time. Shop the aisle of Chutneys & Relishes! |
| Cooking Classes |
Cooking Classes
2017 Classes are ending soon. Check out the remaining classes of the year here. 2017 final classes, Special Pricing for Newsletter readers! Store Hours Monday thru Saturday 10AM to 5PM. Come stock your Essential Baking Pantry!! ChefShop.com 1425 Elliott Ave W Seattle, Wa 98119 206-286-9988 Store Parking The big one is much easier to park in. Click here to see the map. |
| This Week's Recipes |
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Yellow Split Pea Soup Recipe This fabulous spread adapted from Kokkari by Erik Cosselmon and Janet Fletcher (Chronicle Books, 2010) is infinitely versatile and absolutely delicious. Similar in consistency to hummus, this traditional Greek dip is perfect on crusty bread, pita, and crackers – or even as a dip for crudité. It pairs wonderfully with grilled fish or incorporated into a salad dressing. This recipe requires some time for the lentils to cook, but the hands on time is minimal, making it the perfect dip to make while you're busy with the rest of the meal. Meyer Lemon Dressing for Grilled Salmon Recipe This is a nice lemony dressing – perfect for grilled wild salmon – even sockeye, which has a strong salmony flavor. This is a creamy style dressing – so stays put on the fish. Also great on grilled white fish, or grilled asparagus. Adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe – prepared at the 2008 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen (Food & Wine Tasting Notes, 2008). Coconut Milk Pancakes Recipe This is such an easy recipe. And it is amazing how just a little coconut milk and shredded coconut can change a plain pancake into something extraordinary. |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
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Sweet Sixteen Pasta Sauce Dinner Methylglyoxal and Your Honey, Why Store Eggs Fat End Up Get Ready for Baking Season, Stock Up on Essential Pantry Items |
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