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Amazing New Drinking Vinegars from a James Beard Award Winning Chef, White Chocolate and more at chefshop.com/enews |
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Water! It is good for you they say! And carbonated (sparkling) water is about as good for you as plain old still water. Contrary to some opinions. And sometimes plain water, either still or bubbly, needs to be dressed up. After work, after dinner, after...well any meal would work. Now it is most likely that carbonated drinks like cola (with the high fructose syrup) are not the same and almost positively not good for you. But plain carbonated sparkling water, including Perrier and San Pellegrino, has shown in a extremely limited sample to help with swallowing (for those that are having trouble), lower calorie intake (because you feel full), relieve some of the symptoms of constipation (yes, really), reduce heart disease (35%), and better calcium retention than drinking plain water. Not sure these small sample sizes are ones you can hang your hat on, but perhaps what we can draw from this is that carbonated water is at least neutral to the health benefits of plain water. Which they say is life for you. So, dressing up your carbs(onated) water is a great way to get more of this essential element (h two oh) into your life. And that’s where these new Som tart, sweet, vinegar cordials come in. Created to make great non-alcoholic “drinks” by using organic cane vinegar and cane sugar, melded together with fruits, spices and botanicals. The result is delicious! By concentrating all these elements you get this compacted, almost explosive flavor, resulting in a sweeter punch than vinegar pucker that swims across your taste buds! Som recommends a ratio of 1 part Som to to 4 parts soda water plus ice. Of course it works well in more sophisticated drinks and with cocktails of all kinds. And don’t stop with liquid for uses, think about incorporating these vinegars into your next salad dressing or as the secret ingredient in your favorite marinade creation. Each and every one is a treat all on it's own. You could just sip these vinegars and be happy! The sky is the limit with this agrodolce vinegar cordial. Cordials are (even when over ice) a warm, welcoming treat, before, during and after any beautiful dish. Shop now Som - Tart and Sweet Mixers! |
White Baking Chocolate I know, I know! It’s not chocolate if it is white. Let’s clear this up write away. White baking chocolate is not chocolate because it does not contain cocoa solids, thus missing the elements of riboflavin and thiamine, key ingredients of chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor is usually made up of at least 50% cocoa butter, a product of ground roasted cocoa beans, and those solids mentioned earlier. And Valrhona white chocolate is made up of 33% cocoa butter, whole milk powder, sugar and vanilla extract. It is interesting (confusing?) that white baking chocolate is not chocolate, but chocolate is not chocolate without cocoa butter. Well, that isn’t completely true either, because now chocolate can be chocolate without cocoa butter, I think. You can decipher at the FDA site for Cocoa Products. In Europe, they can now use a small % of non-cocoa butter oil, in place of cocoa butter, to extend how much chocolate can be made. And not all chocolate makers do this. Here, in the US we can use vegetable fats in place of cocoa butter. (Yuk!) I expect this is why good chocolate is good and not so good (chocolate) is slimy in the mouth. So now all that is now established, it’s still called "white chocolate", and when white chocolate is good it is really, really, really good! It was my sister's favorite chocolate of all and I have a love of it, too! Pop a few in and warm them with your mouth. Like their cousin, dark chocolate, you are rewarded immediately with the cocoa butter and vanilla flavor. Rich and satisfying as candy or baking your best holiday cookies. It all started in 1924 when a pastry chef from Tournon created a chocolate factory, which eventually achieved a worldwide recognition, and in 1984 became the first to offer a chocolate with 70% cocoa. Valrhona in Tain l'Hermitage is considered by most pastry chefs and chocolatiers as the premier chocolate company in the world. Their focus is solely on their chocolate, and to ensure the highest quality, and optimum flavor, they grow their own cocoa beans, their own cane sugar, and their own vanilla on plantations all around the world - now that's quality control. Valrhona has finally begun to offer its professional products, cocoa and couvertures, packaged for the home pastry enthusiast, a palette of subtle flavors, to create and elaborate delicious chocolate preparations. With 37% cocoa butter content, this Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate couverture is exceptional. It has a good balance between milk and sugar, with delicate flavors and a very fine texture. Shop now for Valrhona Ivoire White Baking Chocolate! |
Olive Oil! Nicolas Alziari Long a favorite of Francophiles, this oil has always been a cherished oil. It has wonderful notes and is very French with a light and buttery feel! You've probably eaten Niçoise olives before - you know those little black things scattered about that Niçoise Salad. More than likely, however, the salad was not made with Niçoise olive oil since it is a rarity on these shores. The silky golden oil of this little black olive - technically known as the callietier variety - is highly prized in the South of France, and points beyond. We have secured a shipment of some of the best. Rarely seen outside of Nice, Nicolas Alziari's golden oil is a must for the true olive oil aficionado. The oil is light and buttery with the full flavor of ripe olives and a silky smooth finish. It is one of our most versatile oils, just as good for making salads as it is for finishing a prepared dish. Shop now for Nicolas Alziari Olive Oil! |
Wild Burgundy Snails Henri Maire Escargot Snails are good for you. This is an example of how flavor and nutrition go together. 100 grams of snail contain 119 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA - a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid usually found in seafood. They say an average intake of 250 milligrams a day of this kind of fatty acid may lover your risk of heart disease. A serving of French Escargot contains 382 milligrams of potassium, but only 70 mg of sodium -- which makes it the perfect fare for a low-sodium diet. Snails provide 3.5 mgs of iron, or nearly 20% of the daily recommended value. The iron is also in the heme form, which is easier for our bodies to absorb. Other nutrients include Vitamin B12, selenium, vitamin E, phosphorus, and magnesium. These French Escargot also contain a glycoprotein, which is believed to have cancer-fighting properties. And let's not forget, that they taste great - especially nestled in their shells with a little butter and lots of garlic! Great Escargot "Very flavorful. I order these for my middle school french students, cook them in the shell with a simple snail butter, and they are delicious every time." -- ben So glad I ordered enough for seconds "Their escargot were plump, clean and savory. So glad I ordered enough for seconds. My son and I truly "pigged out". A real treat. My thanks to CHEFSHOP.COM WILD BURGUNDY SNAILS are delicious." -- store customer Shop now for Wild Burgundy Snails |
Escargot Shells How do you serve l'escargot without the shell? Well, you certainly can use mushroom caps, and they can be delicious that way, but if you want to stick to tradition, it's snail shells and herbed garlic butter all the way. We've got 12 re-usable snail shells here, and that's the perfect number for 2. Shop now for Escargot Shells! |
Back-in-Stock in the Can! Uncle Joe's Mint Balls! They "keep you all aglow"! This is the premium English Mint. Who would think just three ingredients could make you feel so good! Masterfully blending golden brown cane sugar, cream of tartar, and oil of peppermint creates a treat that keeps you on the happy side. Perhaps the very best on the planet, it's not just a "mint", not just a "candy"; we consider Uncle Joe's Mint Balls food. Established in 1898, the award winning Wm. Santus & Co. LTD. is run by a fourth generation confectioner who still guards the secret recipe that makes this sweet the sweetest! THIS IS Back-in-stock! You can't have enough cans in your pantry (or your glovebox). You just never know when you will need to get you glow on! Shop now for Uncle Joe's Mint Balls! |
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Mama Lil's Sweet Hot Peppas Hungarian Goathorn Peppers in sweet brine of vinegar, sugar, garlic, maple syrup, fennel seed and salt. Simple, hand made, these are so fun to eat. Add these sweet, hot peppers to any sandwich or with cheese, the addition of the vinegar makes for the right punch! Not hot when cold, they are more spicy than hot. From Abruzzi, Italy to Youngstown, Ohio and then to the Yakima Valley in Eastern Washington comes a recipe that has moved with the people. At the core of this condiment is the Hungarian Hot Wax, known as the Goathorn Pepper. It took a young man who moved to Seattle who learned early on that his one jar allotment from his Mom every year was not enough to satisfy his cravings. If he wanted to share with his friends, he needed to make it himself. In 1992 he did just that. In the basement kitchen of the Seattle Unitarian Church, the first batch of these sweet pickled hot peppers was born. Over the years Mama Lil's has transformed from the Church Kitchen, to a robust food service business, serving hundreds of hot dog joints and fancy, dancy eateries. Mama Lil's peppers should be a staple to any kitchen arsenal. The Goathorn pepper grows best in the Yakima Valley, where the ashen enriched soil, arid climate, and the cold nights during harvest create a firm, natural-sugaring orange and red chile pepper. It's this sweetening that gives Mama Lil's peppers their universal charm. These sweet pickled hot peppers play well with almost every dish! Picking and pickling all in the same day keeps the commercial tasting flavors away. Pickling for as long as needed and then draining for the same, creates a product that is just as it was in the Church Kitchen almost a decade ago. Shop now for Mama Lil's Sweet Hot Peppas |
Real San Marzano's grown in Italy While the tomato originated in the New World and didn't make it to Italy until the 17th century, it made up for lost time quickly! Not only is Italian cuisine, of course, renowned for tomatoes, but the San Marzano region near Naples is considered one of the best tomato-growing regions in the world - a true tomato heaven! These are the real thing, certified from the Sarnese-Nocerino area. Why are these Rega Rega tomatoes so good? Because they take healthy, ripe tomatoes and process them the day they are picked, preserving all of the genuine freshness and perfume of the tomato. Control exactly how much salt you'd like in your recipe, with no worries about excess sodium. Like some other wonderful European agricultural products, these tomatoes have a D.O.P. certification (Denominazione di Origine Protetta), ensuring their provenance and quality. They are also perfectly cooked outside the can, and then heated just enough in the can to seal in all that delicious flavor. Perfect every time. Tasty! "I was pleased with the depth of the taste that the Rega Rega tomatoes added to the soup I prepared. Going forward I will choose these canned tomatoes for the soups, etc. that I prepare." -- peggy Shop now for Rega Rega San Marzano D.O.P. Tomatoes! |
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Sustainably-Grown White Basmati Rice This is a beautiful rice. When cooked the grains of rice separate into wonderful slivers of texture. This light and fluffy rice is known to be originally from India and used in many dishes like Indian curries. I love when it is cooking as the house fills with the wonderful smell of Basmati. This rice is so luxurious and can be used with just about any meal. As a bed for a nice New York steak or in a stir fry. It is really well suited for one pot meals. Where it can carry a jambalaya and still stay as independent grains. Easy to scoop and place, from a little to a lot. This is a wonderful rice. Shop now for Sustainably-Grown White Basmati Rice |
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Italian Candied Lemon Peel Strips This lemon peel looks orange, yet the taste is lemon. Like many candied peels it has a sticky exterior. Though it won't keep you from eating out-of-hand as a treat. Use for your next fruitcake or baked scone. A great taste and without any of the fake chemical taste that is so common with many peels! Shop now for Italian Candied Lemon Peel Strips |
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100% Natural - Not a Nut A fruit or drupe, this nut is not a nut and not nearly as dangerous as one is led to believe. Contrary to popular belief, these nuts are not deadly. As the common saying goes “if the fall doesn't hurt you, you'll be better for it. “ Just a few hundred people a year die from coconuts falling on their head worldwide, so one is reasonably safe unless there's a coconut tree nearby. Coconut milk and water on the other hand have been touted recently as exponentially, unbelievably, very fabulous for you. We don't know about that but we do know that the coconut milk that we use is indeed fabulous! Consisting of just two ingredients: coconut kernel extract and water. That's it. Filled with lots of B vitamins and other good stuff, coconut milk is a versatile and surprisingly useful ingredient to have in your pantry. Coconut milk useful for desserts such as coconut cream pie, coconut cupcakes, coconut hot white chocolate, and of course coconut ice cream. It’s also a wonderful ingredient in savory dishes. Think of a Thai Curry for your shrimp or a coconut rice (use coconut milk to cook the rice) or a wonderful curry garlic pepper milk sauce for your fresh fish! We opened and tasted a boat load of coconut milk and this is the best we have used! Shop now for Coconut Milk! |
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Beaufort Cheese - Alpine Summer This cheese is so smooth and wonderful! It's an amazing cheese. Big, like a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, inside this cheese is different, firm yet soft, smooth and luxurious! The flavor is just so...wonderful! Though it feels firm, it melts (its flavors) in your mouth. Make the most memorable toasted cheese or make cheese fondue. This cheese is fondue. Emmental and Gruyére de Comte are the most mentioned cheeses for fondue (and there is a Swiss Fondue), but Comté, Téte de Moine and Gruyere de Beaufort are quite perfect for this dipping dish as well. We are getting ready to cut the cheese, so get your order in.... Shop now for Beaufort Cheese!! 
Cooking Classes! More classes coming. Check them out here! Click here to see the upcoming classes.
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Store Hours - Monday Thru Saturday! Monday thru Saturday 10AM to 5PM. ChefShop.com 1425 Elliott Ave W Seattle, Wa 98119 206-286-9988 Our parking lot is north of the shop and next door (south of) Champions Party Supply. Easy open parking lot. Click here to see the map. |
| This Week's Recipes |
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Parmigiano-Reggiano with Three Dipping Sauces Recipe The Swiss love their fondue, but when you have an authentic Grana cheese, as wonderful and tasty as authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano or even Granglona Pecorino, why not enjoy their peak flavor straight-up? Here are three sauces that will make a perfect party appetizer to be served with drinks or at the beginning of a bigger meal. Potatoes au Gratin Recipe This is one of my favorite recipes. If you know how to make a classic white sauce, the rest is pretty easy. The guys at the warehouse loved it -- a large baking dish disappeared in about 12 minutes. Coconut Milk Pancake 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. |
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Umami Packed, Italian Pesto, Chai is More Than Tea Special Deal on Amlou - Colomba has Landed! Beautiful Exotic Short, 27 Awards Winning Olive Oil, Umami Packed |
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