In the News - Tamarind, Mint Jelly and French Hot Chocolate and much more - chefshop.com/enews
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In this issue:
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Tamarind
Mint Jelly
French Chocolate
Back in Stock
Click on the photos below for great ideas!
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flourless
fruitcake
red yuzu kosho
winter cheese
We still have a little Winter left. Cheese that is. Remember, we don't crack open the wheel until just before we ship. This minimizes the volatiles and sends you more flavor! Order up!!!
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truffle oil
organic chocolate
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Tamarind
Tamarind, not to be confused with the Tamarin, is a tree indigenous to tropical Africa.
Written history implies that the Tamarind tree was transported from Africa across the tropical regions of the earth by man, 7000 BCE. In the 16th century the colonists from Spain and Portugal brought the fruit to Mexico and South America. Today, Tamarind grows almost everywhere that is warm, including here in the United States.
Tamarind is an evergreen tree with bright colored leaves and with a single trunk. It grows well in coastal soil of clay and sand, and grows to some 40 to 60 feet high. Drought and airborne salt resistant, the Tamarind produces tiny flowers and large pod like fruit. This pod like fruit is a indehiscent legume producing 1 to 12 seeds each, depending on the region.
The Tamarind is often described as "sweet and sour". In addition to the sugar and acid in the seed, there is a good supply of B vitamins and calcium.
The names for Tamarind, outside of the British colonies, include Tintidior, tetul, vaalanpuli, asam, sinhala, imli, dawadawa, and má kaam.
Found in everyday items like Worcestshire Sauce and brown sauce, in England. It is used to make juices that are sour and also for sweet drinks. It's interesting sweet and sour notes make it popular as an ingredient for many dishes including Pad Thai.
The healthy benefits for tamarind have been believed to help fight food poisoning, jaundice, yellow fever, and as a skin and blood cleanser. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for gastric and digestion problems. In some studies, it has shown to lower serum cholesterol and blood sugar. Throughout cultures and history, Tamarind in different forms has been used to fight many ailments. Limited human clinical trials puts an asterisk for the health benefits, though, I expect it has been confirmed more than once that to much Tamarind acts like a laxative.
Think of Tamarind, paste, whole, or semi-dried, as an ingredient to add to a marinade, salad dressing, chutney, or as replacement for Worcestshire Sauce.
Shop now for Tamarind!
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Hawkshead English Mint Jelly
contains 4% mint!
Mint Jelly is one of those products we spend an inordinate amount of time on, searching for excellent choices to have with our lamb. Not that we eat that much lamb, but when we do, we want it to be have the perfect accompaniment. My parents, specifically my Dad, really likes to have mint jelly with both pork and lamb.
Unless you have made your own, you most likely have been relegated to mint jelly with the emphasis on the jelly. A typical ingredient list is for store bought is; high fructose corn syrup, water, vinegar, pectin, concentrated apple juice, citric acid, color, mint flavor.
Compare this with Hawksheads Mint Jelly ingredients; sugar, apple juice, acetic acid, gelling agent-pectin, mint (4%), citric acid. Not only does Mark use sugar and not add water, he uses real flavorful English mint. There is so much mint inside you can see it in the jar!
A light and fresh jelly, flecked with English mint (4%), ideal with lamb, pork and game. Made with sugar, apple, mint and pectin, it could not be more simple or taste more pure.
Shop now for Mint Jelly
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L'Ancienne French Drinking Chocolate is back in Stock!
This Hot Chocolate has its followers. Try to convince them their are alternatives, and they give you a blank stare. "Sure, sure," they say, followed with, politely, "Where is it"?
Well, it's back-in-stock and on the "shelves". Lily won't have to worry any more as she can have it in her oatmeal in the morning again! It is more than a chocolate, it's the right combination to make a sweet warming drink.
It's made solely with raw brown cane sugar, cocoa, and natural Bourbon vanilla - it contains no dairy additives and is not Dutch processed. It's recommended that you prepare it by just adding hot milk, but it is suitable for soy milk or water as well.
Shop now for a warming cup of Hot Chocolate!
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Sour Sweet Zinfandel!
Mission Figs!
It turns out that dried figs have more nutritional and medicinal value than the fresh version. Protein, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, potassium, iron and carbs make up the good stuff, along with fibrous material. Plus, the process of drying the figs concentrates the fig's flavor, and the result? "They taste like candy!"
Figs have been an important food group for many for at least a thousand years. In the ancient civilizations of China and Greece, figs were revered for their healthy benefits. Expected to help grow larger muscles, increase potency, and even ordered to be eaten to ward off disease!
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| Don't Forget ... and Cooking Classes - |
Cooking Classes with Chef Erin - The Mexican Kitchen Class
Come celebrate the leap-year Mexican style! Mexican cooking is full of subtle techniques, savory ingredients you never expected, and combinations of flavors that make your eyes pop... and our taste buds smile. And since the class ends with eating on the dishes we prepared, you'll go home with more than enthusiasm for the delicious cuisine. Recipes include: Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole de Tocino y Jitomate, Nopales (cactus) Salad, Frijoles Refritos, Carne con Chile Colorado, Helado de Chocolate y Chile Pasilla.
Naturally Smoked Bone-in Heritage Ham! Easter is way Early this year!
Easter is April 8th! Mark it down and order up early! No leftovers! We have to order early to get them in the smoker in time for the holiday.
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| This Weeks Recipes |
Beef Stroganoff Recipe
My mom used to make the greatest Beef Stroganoff. It was always one of my favorites. She served it on grocery store egg noodles. I recommend an artisan Egg Pappardelle pasta.
Farfalle with Broccoli and Anchovies Recipe
This recipe is adapted from Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kenedy's book, The Geometry of Pasta
Rumtopf Recipe
This rum pot recipe is the tradition of the Rumtopf in Germany and goes back centuries as a way to preserve fruits of the season. The finished product makes a fabulous mixture of rum soaked fruits perfect over ice cream, flan, pudding, cheesecake, or my favorite Italian almond cake. Strain the fruit and you have a liqueur or an after dinner cordial. No matter how you decide to use it, it is well worth the effort.
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DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA
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