|
Wild Salmon Chowder, La Trinquelinette, Sugar, Capers, Shoyu, Shakshuka and more at chefshop.com/enews |
 |
|
|||||
| Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog |
Sometime you just want a strawberry jam! Peanut butter and jelly. Most of us grew up with it. The go to sandwich made with Wonder bread for much of our grade school life until we hit puberty and high school where cool was not a peanut butter and jelly anything. Today we skip the bread and the combination of peanut butter and jelly, split them apart, otherwise known in hip terms as “deconstruction” and a term that is no longer cool either.... Peanut butter in your milk shake and it is a "protein" shake and it makes the ice cream healthy for you. Or for dinner when you are trying to cut your calories (and too lazy to make anything), peanut butter with an apple is easy. And bread is now a delicacy when you bake it yourself, slathered in a couple of tablespoons of protein butter and made from an "exotic" flour called whole wheat that you got at the grocery store. And jam is no longer jam or jelly. We know now that marmalade is different from jam or jelly or conserves or even a fruit spread. And this is a good thing! There is no denying that there are a million great fruit-based spreads out there. Finding ones you like is both easy and difficult. When you crave for a jam any one will often do. If you have time, though, and you’re not traveling, having one on hand that is outstanding is an important job to succeed at. As many of you know that the Abricot (Apricot) jam we sold out a month or so back is divine. One giant spoonful and you are in a happy place. It takes on the apricot and makes it crazy delicious! When it comes to strawberry there are a zillion of those. And these days they are often more jelly like than jam smooth. Some tout their big chunks of berry, which quite frankly ruins the spread-ability of the jam. It is like spreading jam with speed bumps. And many are sickly sweet, not in a happy sugar kind of way. More like a bad taffy that is stuck to your teeth, way. And then there is this Fraise (strawberry) jam from the same people who make the Abricot! It tastes like strawberry, like you want it to. The morsels that are left are not visual chunks of bumps. Instead, they are like packets of strawberry explosions. Or are they more like a bite of strawberry flesh you are eating? In any case the jam is sweet of course, with sugar, yet when you are done with a spoonful, it is the flavor of strawberry that remains. This Strawberry Jam is like what you remember and want it to be. It is worth always having on hand for the daytime and for the late night saltines, peanut butter and Fraise jam. Just like what I used to have in high school. Shop now for La Trinquelinette Strawberry Jam! |
Jacques Pépin's Crepes Confiture Recipe Jacques Pépin's people (son-in-law) contacted our people (me) and asked us to add his recipe of Jacques classic crépe to our recipes. And also offered us his video of the same. Click to see the video and the recipe. From Jacques, " I always had crêpes as a child, and made them countless times for my daughter and granddaughter. There is nothing easier than making crêpes. I put a piece of butter to melt in a skillet, and by the time that butter is melted I have mixed enough milk, flour, and an egg to make half a dozen crêpes. You can serve them with jam inside or something savory, like ham or cheese. Easy and delicious." Produced by Jacques Pepin Foundation click here to see Jacques Pépin's Crépes Confiture Recipe! Check out the Flour Pantry! Superfine Caster Sugar! Shop here for La Trinquelinette Apricot Jam! |
French Abricot Jam Back-in-Stock!!! This sold out the first time lickety split! By Monday they were all spoken for and more! We placed the biggest order we could and half of that is already sold! Limited to one per order! Read on.... For many of us apricots are a “yeah, whatever” or “never touch ‘em” and others can’t wait until May or June when the first of the apricots are ripe on the tree. (This is really a sweet year here for apricots.) A great, fresh apricot is like candy. Hard to comprehend when our first taste of an apricot is a dried one, tart and chewy and quite unappealing. So we think, why bother? So many foods, when you have them fresh, as close to the earth as possible, picked-at-their-peak, can be mind blowing good. Like a fresh apricot. And sometimes, those foods can be transformed, placed into a jar and come out just like you want them to be. Freshly delicious! And that's what we have here. This Abricot fruit cooked in a copper cauldron with brown sugar, where time and patience make all the difference. It is, by all tastes, amazing! It tastes like fresh apricots, though never sharp or sour, and it is like a spoonful of a sweet treat. The flavor of apricot, the way a freshly bitten fruit would be, is all there, swelling like a balloon rising, the smoothness of the flavor envelops all the senses, with the right cheek filling more than the left and then the tongue feels the weight of the flavor. And then suddenly you realize the physical being is gone, and all you are tasting is the memory! And what a memory! It is indeed splendiferous. Limit one per order please. Shop now for La Trinquelinette Apricot Jam! |
Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder Lummi Island Easy Squeezy Meal! Even if we couldn't go camping this summer (we will before the end of the year), we can tell you this is absolutely worth having in your pantry. And even better for your RV and campfire! This chowder is so simple to make. Heat it in boiling water or nuke it! So, when Ian from Lummi Island Tuna mentioned the Northwest Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder, we were a bit trepidatious. We were cautiously optimistic that it might be at least interesting. The pouches arrived to test with a shipment of Tuna and though I was ready to test right away, there was a lag because of all the new ingredients we were testing and the influx of bean orders we were getting. When I did finally find the time, this is what I found out. It takes almost no time at all to make, so finding time wasn’t necessary. You can microwave for 2 minutes or boil for 4 minutes, open into a bowl and eat. That’s it. I chose boiling, not only because I wanted to see how the pouch withstood the process, but also because my very small microwave is too short to allow the pouch to stand up. I cut the top off with one of my cool kitchen shears and poured the contents into one of my favorite bowls, and voila, lunch (at least on that day). How good is it? Pretty gosh darn good! I was going to share with my son, who is home of course, and I did quietly yell for him to come and try, but he couldn’t hear me, so I ate the whole thing and enjoyed every single bite. (This was my third lunch as I had just tested two recipes prior.) When we shoot the package and eat them he will get his chance to test. This is a Northwest chowder with Smoked Wild Keta Salmon in a cream base. It is indeed gluten free and thus, has no mouth-feel of too much filler-thickener that you get at Fish and Chip places or from a can. Though chowder is pretty easy to make, I never make it, a good New Englander I am not. I have been thinking about making chowder like foods, yet to me, I always enjoy them more if someone else makes them. And with a long shelf life (not so long you wonder how is that possible) and easy to make anywhere, it is the perfect companion when you just don’t want to make dinner. And for a camping trip it might just be what the doctor ordered! Nothing like a bowl of warm food to make a day a little better! Enjoy! Be safe. Shop here for Lummi Island Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder! |
Light Muscovado Sugar When Dark Muscovado is too dark, try the Light Muscovado! From Mauritius, this sugar retains much of the flavor of the cane. It has a fine, moist texture, high molasses content and a deep, rich, flavor. Use it in recipes calling for light brown sugar for mouth watering results. Store Light Muscovado Sugar in an airtight container. If the sugar hardens, place it in a bowl and cover with a wet cloth until the sugar softens again. "The light muscovado sugar is excellent, so tasty in chocolate chip cookies, on oatmeal, etc. and I can't find it at the stores in my town. Thank you Chef Shop for carrying it ..." -- sunne Shop now for Light Muscovado Sugar for your pantry! |
Large Pantescan Capers in Salt What is a Caper? Grown on the island of Pantelleria and preserved in the native sea salt for La Favorita Fish. The island of Pantelleria is 70 km away from Africa and 85 km from Sicily. It is considered by many culinary aficionados as the ultimate source for capers. These are large capers, picked just before they were ready to flower. Preserved in sea salt means that none of this aromatic flavor has been lost. The caper is the unopened flower bud of the capparis spinosa or capparis intermis, a bush (well, more like a weed) found just about everywhere in the Mediterranean. Not to be confused, however, with the caperberry - which is the ripe fruit of the caper bush - typically much larger (about the size and shape of a green olive) and milder in flavor, and typically found pickled on antipasti plates - or if you're really lucky, in a trendy Manhattan. Capparis Spinosa and Capparis Intermis bushes can be found growing wild throughout the Mediterranean - spanning from Spain to Greece. In fact, one of the most common places to find the weed-like caper bush is in olive groves - which is why capers and olive oil are often associated with each other. But, there is one place in particular known for having the very best capers: Pantelleria - a small Island in the Mediterranean Sea tucked between Tunisia and Sicily. It is a volcanic Island, and consequently has exceptionally mineral rich soil - perfect for growing capers! Like all vegetables and fruits, the taste of the caper changes depending on the geography, geology, and climate it’s grown in, otherwise known as, terroir. In fact, the Island of Pantelleria is so well known for its fabulous capers that the capers of Pantelleria are the only capers that can garner an IGP (Protected Designation of Origin) certification. The IGP certification ensures that the caper has been grown and packaged on the Island, and is a badge of authenticity and quality. Shop now for Large Pantescan Capers in Salt! |
Organic Granulated Coconut Palm Sugar This is some of the most fragrant, flavorful sugar we've ever tasted. Hints of toasted coconut and caramel waft from the open bag. Not quite as sweet as cane sugar or as overpowering as dark muscovado, it is loaded with toasty flavor. Maple sugar fans will love this. Sprinkle this coconut palm sugar on your oatmeal; use it instead of white sugar on top of crème brûlée; make a syrup from it and drizzle it over some banana nut pancakes; use it as part of the crumbly topping for crisps, crumbles or coffee cake; try it in coffee or herbal tea; use it to add a bit of sweetness to marinades and stir-fries, and experiment with all sorts of desserts. (We've even been known just to pop it right into our mouths for a sweet treat!) In the village of Dawan on the island of Bali, artisans collect the sweet "tuak" sap from the bounty of coconut palms that keeps this coastal village shady and cool. The village of Dawan is renowned throughout Indonesia as the place where coconut sugaring first began, and their golden harvest is highly prized. With the coming of dawn, the silhouettes of island farmers can be seen climbing high into swaying palms, tapping the flowers' spikes that hang within the green fronds. A sweet nectar is released and drips slowly into earthen vessels hung below the flowers. This nectar is "tuak", the sweet sap of the palm. The tuak is boiled over open fires in cast iron kettles and slowly thickens to sugar. At just the right moment the sugars are stirred to form crystals and ladled hot into waiting coconut shell molds and then ground back into granules for transport to America. The art of sugaring the palms is a tradition dating back over centuries, its secrets passed from generation to generation. An artisan sugar made on a scale of kilos a day...nothing short of perfection. Shop now for Organic Granulated Coconut Palm Sugar! |
How to Cook Rice The best way to cook rice consistently without fail is with a rice cooker. The rice cooker is smart, it knows what you want, it can make it soft, hard or in between. It will make bad rice edible and it will make great rice sing. Rice is like olive oil. The good is killer good and the run of the mill is bad. Bad rice does not in any way represent rice's full potential of flavor and taste. If you don’t see a reason to cook rice and stay home, there is no way you’re going to buy a rice cooker. So how do you cook rice with success? This is how. Rinse your rice in water in the pan you are going to cook in. Three complete water changes will do. Then add water to cook. The depth of the water should be twice the depth of the rice in the pan. Place a finger in the rice, touch the bottom of the pan, use your thumb to mark the depth of the rice on your other digit. Then use this mark for the high level water mark in the pan by placing your finger tip on the rice and fill the pan with water up to your thumb on your finger. So the depth of the rice and the depth of the water above the rice should be the same. The beauty of this "rice" way is that it works for any pan, really! Next, and this is the only time you need to pay attention, cover the pan, place on high and wait to boil. When boil happens, turn down heat to simmer, keeping the lid on. Wait for the water to simmer away and you are done. Fluff with a fork and serve. Like it wetter, fluff sooner. Like it drier? Just wait. And if you forget for a little bit? Just don’t scrape up the bottom burnt stuff (not blackened as that is bad) and you’re still good to go. Foolproof! Ok, nothing is foolproof. I had a friend who put the rice in and then added the water. Unfortunately, the friend forgot the inner pot of the electric rice cooker!!! So no, even a rice cooker is not foolproofed. Check Out the Rice Pantry! |
Tamaki Haiga Mai Rice from California Tamaki Haiga Mai Japanese short-grain rice is partially milled: the brown bran has been removed, but unlike white rice, the nutrient-laden germ remains. Haiga-mai ("rice germ" in Japanese) rice is a semi-transparent beige in color, and it tastes and cooks similarly to regular Japanese white rice - but it maintains many of the natural vitamins and other nutrients lost in processing white rice. Rice germ contains Vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E as well as fiber. Prepare Tamaki Haiga Mai rice as you would white rice. Unlike brown rice, it only takes a few minutes longer to cook. Once you taste it, you may never eat fully milled white rice again. And think of all the extra nutrition you're getting - with no sacrifice in flavor or texture! Williams Rice Milling Company produces the Tamaki brand of rices in the heart of the California rice farming community, in northern California's Sacramento valley. Established in 1988, this small mill is dedicated solely to the production of premium quality rice. Farmers in Japan deeply respect the ebb and flow of nature. The folks at Williams Rice have combined traditional farming principles with modern technology to achieve rice of consistent quality and superior taste. Their millers carefully select and refine Tamaki Rice using the latest in equipment and most advanced techniques. To guarantee that the very best rice is delivered to you, Williams maintains control over every phase of rice production, from growing through packaging. All of their growers are carefully chosen, and the rice fields are inspected from pre-planting through harvest. Their quality control department not only checks the rice for grade and appearance, but also for cooking characteristics and taste before packaging. Tamaki Haiga is made from the "Koshihikari" strain of rice, which is considered to be the premier strain of commercially cultivated short grain rice - there are over 300 different strains grown in Japan. Did you know that some of the best rice in the world is grown here in the US? Check around and you might just find some great rice grown nearby. Shop now for Tamaki Haiga Mai Rice! |
Kishibori Shoyu Artisan Soy Sauce from Japan There are many artisan soy sauce (shoyu) producers all across Japan. The finest and most unique Japanese shoyus are produced by small and medium size, family-run shoyu breweries which use traditional ingredients and traditional hands-on production methods. Kishibori Shoyu is manufactured by the Takesan Company. Takesan was established in the early 20th century by Yoshiji Takebe. Located on the small island of Shodoshima which is located between the main Japanese island of Honshu and neighboring Shikoku and has a 400-year-old history of artisan shoyu production. The island is the fourth largest shoyu production region in Japan, with over 30 factories on the island, but only 14 are established members of the Shodoshima Shoyu Association. Takesan is one of the 14 members. To be part of the Shodoshima Association the soy sauce must be meticulously handcrafted from carefully selected ingredients and matured in wooden barrels called “koga”. Of the 3,000 koga barrels in Japan, 1,000 are on the island of Shodoshima. Takesan Company takes the finest quality whole soybeans, wheat, sea salt and mineral water and places them in the 100 year old seasoned koga cedar barrels to ferment for one year. The end result is a delightfully complex shoyu teaming with organic acids, and producing a wonderful active flavor. Unlike mass-produced shoyu, Takesan Kishibori Shoyu soy sauce is not treated with additional alcohol or preservatives and does not have any additives or preservatives. The filtered shoyu is pasteurized and bottled, leaving all its natural umami intact. There are many health benefits of Traditional Shoyu. Similar to miso, traditionally brewed shoyu is a fermented soy food, with many of the same nutritional properties. The fermentation process converts soy proteins, starches and fats into easily absorbed amino acids, simple sugars and fatty acids. A recent study by the National University of Singapore reports that the dark soy sauce has antioxidant properties that are 10x more potent than red wine, and 150 times more effective than vitamin C. It is the high concentration of brown pigment in shoyu that is thought to contribute to its strong antioxidant and anticancer properties. Natural Shoyu is also said to aid in digestion. a gem! "This is the real soy sauce, rich tasting and aromatic. The saltiness does not overwhelm, the way commercial soy sauce does. When you try this product, it's hard to go back to all the artificial-tasting ones." -- nadia very good! "never going back to regular soy sauce. just delicious. rich." -- nadia Order now the big bottle of Kishibori Shoyu! |
Marinated! Flank Steak Recipe!! A terrific, tangy marinade for grilled meat or chicken. We love this marinated flank steak with a simple plate of rice and a green vegetable. Easy, quick to mix, the quality of your soy sauce makes all the difference. The sesame oil and the ginger are key ingredients as well. See the Marinated Flank Steak Recipe here! |
Shakshuka Moroccan-Spiced-Tomato-Sauce! Shakshuka is a delicious dish that is as easy to make as heating a pan and cracking an egg. Shakshuka has a long history with many theories of when and where it originated. An everyday “one pot dish” in a big swath of countries from Tunisia and Morocco and east to Egypt, Israel and Syria. Variations abound with different spices and the addition of lamb, potatoes and artichokes is common. Cultural variations of tomato based sauces span the globe and this Moroccan version is the spicy one! The tomato sauce is absolutely present, along with the spices and an all-around heat. It’s a heat that’s tingly, pleasantly hot (not spicy) and when you finish there’s a wonderful aftertaste. If you’re not careful you’ll eat the whole dish before you know it. The combination of the egg whites, the yolk and the tomato creates a mouth feel of pleasure, that is very rewarding, satisfying and very homey. This meaty dish has no meat, instead your heart is filled with tomatoes and eggs. This dish is simple and plain, easy and quick, just like you want your vegetarians to be! Order your Mina Shakshuka Moroccan Spiced Tomato Sauce! |
Cocoa Powder! Nice dark rich smell. This Dutch process dark unsweetened cocoa powder is in a class unto itself. They have removed less fat from our cocoa (22-24% fat content), which results in a more intense and immediate chocolate flavor. This wonderful Dutch process cocoa powder has a touch of ground vanilla bean. Our regulars know what a great cocoa this is! ChefShop Dutch Process Cocoa Powder is ready to satisfy in drinks and desserts, like a rich Chocolate Sorbet , or Super Dense Chocolate Brownies. Buy unsweetened cocoa powder and add with sugar (to taste) to hot milk, and the aroma will transport you to breezy autumn days in the Piazza della Signoria. Mocha! "I use this cocoa powder to make mocha's at my coffee shop, everyone loves this chocolate!!!" -- kevin Shop now for Cocoa Powder! |
|
Got questions? Call or email and we will do our best to answer your questions! We love sharing our taste opinions about all our products. Local customers please remember to bring a mask or call if you want us to bring out your order to the parking lot. We also have masks if you forget yours. And if you want a private store shopping time, before or after normal hours, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request. | |
Last week's #1 seller! Fratepietro Bella de Cerignola Green Olives in Brine! These are big, bold and green! Olives like these, Cerignolas are, some consider, the best eating out of a jar olives you can have! Named for the town they come from in Italy, Cerignola and is a variety that has the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. An incredibly good bite with firm flesh that has a smooth texture and a pointy pit. Full of flavor and these work so well in recipes because of their size. This variety in any given year can be the largest olives in the world. Shop now for Fratepietro Bella de Crerignola Green Olives in Brine! 
Give the Gift of Love through Food for 2020
Gift Certificate for any amount you choose. Choose the amount in $25 increments by changing the quantity number and we take care of the rest. Share ChefShop with a Gift Certificates
|
Store Hours - Monday Thru Saturday! If your order has been confirmed as "READY FOR PICKUP" in email (or you were called) and want it brought to you in the parking lot, call us when you arrive and we will run it out to you. 206-286-9988 Monday thru Saturday 10AM to 5PM. ChefShop.com 1425 Elliott Ave W Seattle, Wa 98119 206-286-9988 Our bigger parking lot is north of the shop and next door (south of) Champions Party Supply. Easy to reach and wide open parking lot. Click here to see the map. |
| This Week's Recipes |
|
Mushroom, Lentil and Walnut Paté Recipe This "pate" is perfect for fall. Its deep, rich umami flavor profile is an amazing way to get your mouth watering before an equally satisfying meal. Rice & Vegetable Salad Recipe Any short grain rice will work -- but Tamaki Haiga works especially well as it has a little extra flavor. However, you can also use a medium or long grain rice -- just remember to let the rice salad come to room temperature before serving. Tonno e Fagioli (Tuna & Beans) Recipe Fast, easy and traditional -- a perfect quick fix. Hardy and healthy, and perfect for a summer picnic or after skiing the slopes. Best to use European tuna as it is moister and packed in olive oil. |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
|
Olives and Lots of Recipes, Shipping Garlic Cucusa Family Artisan, Saffron Pasta w/ Recipes LIfe with Koji, Wild Redneck Garlic & More |
|
||||
| DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA |