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Everything today is Pantry Essential and lasts a good long time at chefshop.com/enews |
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| Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog |
I lost my heart to an artichoke On a bright sunny day as I look south to Mount Rainier, I wallow in self-pity because I cannot find the words to put down on paper about my hearts. And I realized there are visual similarities to the heart and Mount Rainier. With the bottom up and the leaves splayed out, it is indeed like Mount Rainier! Now I am not talking about the throbbing thing which is in your chest (and sometimes in your throat), I am, in fact, referencing the heart of the artichoke from Puglia. Known as the Romana Style Artichoke. Artichoke Heart; a heart babied in olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and spices. Almost always the "chokes" you get in the jar or tin can are a variation of these. This is where the olive oil, the wine vinegar, and the chosen spices make a difference! And the artichoke itself is also an important factor in the end result. Now, a true confession, I really do like the artichoke in a jar thing. So much that I am willing to forget that the last big jar I got from a warehouse store was not very good and I still manage to buy a two-pack every once in a while. The real trouble with getting those giant jars is that the chokes are mostly hard, the leaves often unchewable and the oil is gross and oily...good oil is not oily. These Roman style from Puglia are none of those things. They are, in fact, soft, with a wonderful flavor, interesting and pretty much a pleasure in the mouth. Often a recipe will have you slice them up into smaller pieces or dice them up, and this makes sense. On the other hand, if you’re like me, cutting them up a little bit for visual reasons works as well. Or just eat them whole right out of the jar when no one is looking. Like drinking from the milk carton.... To the bite it is soft, with just the right resistance, a gentle soft crunch. The leaves and the heart have their own bite and marry well together. The flavor is a combination of the oil and the choke itself, which is sometimes described as asparagus like (not sure this is quite true) and with a hint of lemon or citrus. And the oil that they come in is, well full of artichoke flavor. (Keep in mind I can’t seem to describe the flavor.) The oil does taste like artichoke. Perfect for a salad dressing or pasta dish. Though I am thinking it might jut be right for a hearty bowl of mixed grains of emmer and lentils topped with veggies including these artichokes. Shop now for Artichoke Hearts Romana Style in Olive Oil! |
Pasta with Artichokes and Capers, Tomatoes and Tuna Recipe This is a standard around the warehouse. Quick to make and always delicious. When artichokes are in season -- you can use the fresh hearts. Though realistically good hearts all ready to go taste pretty special. Click here to see Pasta with Artichokes, Capers, Tomatoes and Tuna Recipe! |
Organic Penne Rigate Pasta Amazing pasta from Sicily. This naturally air dried pasta is made with local grains on the island of Sicily through old fashioned bronze dies. It is truly a wonderful pasta. Penne Rigate is a cylindrical pasta with ribs and cut on the bias. It is recognized often as a pasta shape from Italy. The shape is hearty enough to carry a strong meat sauce and an interesting enough bite to be with a simple tomato and capers sauce. Shop now for Bona Fortuna Organic Penne Rigate Pasta! |
What is a Caper? Capers from Italy Capers are the preserved bud of a flower from a plant that grows like a weed throughout the Mediterranean. Capers may be the most misunderstood of Mediterranean ingredients - after anchovies, that is. Even those who know and love the caper are often stumped when asked to explain what a caper is. 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. Capers are delicious in sauces, salads and with seafood. Try salted or brined capers in pasta, salads, stews, vegetables, poultry and meats, on pizza, or in remoulades and tapenades. Capers go especially well with lemons or tomatoes. Salt packed capers are our favorite! Shop now for Capers! |
Pomodoraccio semi-sun-dried tomatoes Pomodoraccio are semi-sun-dried tomatoes marinated in a mixture of sunflower oil, wine vinegar, herbs, spices and seasoning, and they are oh so soft and supple. Handpicked and cut, each semi-sun-dried tomato is soft and juicy and packed with flavor. These super-convenient Pomodoraccio tomatoes can be used in so many different ways in the kitchen - you can even use the flavorful marinade as an ingredient in its own right! These delicious semi-sun-dried tomatoes can do double duty as a topping for bruschetta and as an ingredient for a whole host of recipes instead of sun-dried or even canned tomatoes. Shop now for Pomodoraccio semi-sun-dried tomatoes! |
Lummi Island Wild Albacore Canned Tuna This tuna is now my favorite, caught locally (to us), it has the bite and the flavor of what you want a can of tuna to be! This sashimi-grade young tuna is individually caught with single hook lines and is flash frozen solid at sea right after it is caught, making it a sustainable canned tuna, as well as a tasty one! Averaging up to 50% less mercury than many common store brands, this tuna has more omega 3 fatty acids than most salmon! Best Canned Tuna "I’ve tried many canned tunas, and this one is the best. It has a fresh mild flavor, with a firm flakey texture. Most canned tunas are more water than fish; a very fishy waterlogged mess in a can. This problem simply did not exist. With most canned tunas I’ve had, the only way to enjoy them is drain and squeeze out all of the water and turn it into a tuna salad. Lummi Island tuna was so good, I could enjoy it straight from the can. Lummi Island Tuna is delicious and I highly recommend it." -- leah Shop now for Lummi Island Wild Albacore Canned Tuna! |
Sorrento Lemon Olive Oil The Californians use Meyer Lemon and the Umbrians use Sorrento lemons. Each with their own personality. We are loving this artisan Sorrento lemon infused olive oil because it's perfect for fish or oven blasted vegetables, like asparagus. To the nose it fills and smells like a wonderful lemon without any bitter notes. To the eye it has a nice yellow-green color and darkens with depth. To the mouth it is pure joy. A sip is lemony. By the mouthful, it takes a moment for the lemon to evolve into a gentle wash that passes through. As the oil swishes the lemon moves to the outside in the cheeks and to the back of the throat. It has a bit of roll around action and when the oil has dissipated, the upper part of your cheeks seem to keep the lemon flavor! The finish has a little bit of bitter on the top outer edge of the tongue and a hint of heat in the lower back of the throat. Enough to create a little cough. It’s so good you can drizzle on pasta and that’s all you need! The summer is awesome with artisan Sorrento lemon infused olive oil from Italy. Shop now for Sorrento Lemon Olive Oil! |
Tellicherry Peppercorns The term "Tellicherry" originated when these large, black peppercorns were exported from the Indian port city of the same name. These Tellicherry peppercorns are pungent, with the deepest hot flavor you'll ever find! Once traded, ounce for ounce, for pure gold, these Indian black peppercorns are still a superlative spice that can add a depth of flavor - first heat, then a tinge of sweetness - to your everyday meals. Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupes of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the pepper, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The drupes are dried in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dried, the spice is called black peppercorn. In general, the later pepper is picked, the better its flavor—maximizing the taste of the Tellicherry peppercorns. But waiting too long to pick is a gamble too; ripe pepper fruits will rot if left too long, and there is also an increased risk of loss to hungry birds or unfavorable weather. Thus, black Tellicherry pepper picked at just the right moment involves a keen judgment, resulting in Indian black peppercorns with truly excellent flavor. Shop now for Tellicherry Peppercorns! |
Herbivaracious Maple Pudding topped with Sweet Spiced Pecans Herbivoracious Video Recipe Making Maple Pudding and topping with spiced pecans is pretty gosh darn easy. Watching Michael make stuff makes you realize how easy it is to make good food. And satisfying! Click here to see the Video Recipe! |
Whole Nutmeg Essential Pantry Malucca Islands in Indonesia. It was once the most carefully guarded spice in the history of spice trading. It was so greatly valued that the Portuguese–and then the Dutch–limited its cultivation to only two islands in the East Indies, putting to death anyone who might elbow in on the business. Luckily, a non-affiliated group of birds carried the seeds throughout the Islands and beyond, ending the nutmeg monopoly. Peppery sweet nutmeg is a traditional flavoring for cakes and gingerbread, biscuits and fruit. It is commonly used in milk puddings, and a little grated into cherry or apple pie adds indecipherable spiciness. It is excellent in savory dishes, especially sausages, fish, and seafood. It is a necessary ingredient in many British-inspired chutneys, and grating just a bit over steamed cauliflower, baked onions or mashed potatoes is a perfect finishing touch. Shop now for Whole Nutmeg! |
Piemonton De La Vera Hot Smoked Paprika Pimentón de la Vera is a paprika made from luscious red peppers (pimientos) grown in the La Vera microclimate of Spain's Extremadura region. When harvest begins in the fall, entire families get involved. The mature peppers are placed in drying houses, where they are smoke-dried over oak fires - the mark of genuine pimenton de la vera. The dried peppers are then stone ground into a powder. La Dalia Pimenton de la Vera is D.O. protected - Pimento de la Vera was the first pepper to receive such designation in Spain. Picante is the "hot" version of smoked paprika, and hence it has a mellow bite flowing into its warm flavor. It has a much more complex flavor than Hungarian paprika, with an aromatic smokiness that puts it in a class of its own. It is an absolutely essential ingredient for many of the Spanish cuisines. Pimentón de la Vera was the first chile pepper product to be granted a Denominacíon de Origen, or controlled name status. Family history and expertise are the soul of Pimentón "la Dalia," a company that has long honored the land, its people and their traditions. Shop now for Piemonton De La Vera Hot Smoked Paprika! |
Pinto Beans from Idaho Pinto beans varieties include Othello, Burke and Hidatsa. The pinto bean is free of cholesterol, low in fat and sodium. And it has good range of minerals, proteins, fiber and vitamins. Like any bean, soak overnight and cook for 2 to 3 hours or more. These beans from Idaho are good, high quality beans! You can never have enough beans! Shop now for Organic Pinto Beans! |
Cocoa Powder! In stock and ready to ship! I went to make some chai tonight, instead I went to make chocolate milk. That didn't go well so I made hot chocolate instead. I should not be drinking milk as I am intolerant of it. Though I feel like right now we should be supporting all those cows out there who have nowhere to sell their milk.... And with great success a little sugar and ChefShop cocoa powder it made for a nice, hot treat tonight. Even though it was warm today, the evenings are cool. I am liking comfort foods these days. Best Cocoa Powder Ever!! "I freely admit that I'm hooked. The ChefShop cocoa powder will do that to you. With just a hint of vanilla, and a dark color and intense flavor, a day is no longer complete without a nightcap of strong cocoa made with this product." -- tony Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder! |
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We are shipping as normal. We are having unexpected outages and addressing them as they come up. Inventory supplies are catching up! | |
Last Weeks #1 Seller! Last week was Flour. So we have added pastry flour sourced locally this week. Shepherd’s Grain premium pastry flour is a blend of renowned soft white wheats and has a lower amount of gluten than all-purpose flour, lending to a lighter and less-chewy crumb or flake. Used in pie doughs and other confections, Shepherd’s Grain pastry flour is a staple of the discerning pastry chef. Great for all sorts of pastries like puffs, croissants, eclairs, cannoli, strudels, and more. Shop now for Shepherd's Grain Pastry Flour! 
Cooking Classes for 2020
We will have classes again. If you have signed up for a class it is still good for any class of your choice when we do start them up again. So no worries. ChefShop Cooking Class
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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 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 |
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Fusilli with Artichoke and Tomato Sauce Pasta Recipe This recipe was adapted from La Cucinna Italiana's Pasta Edition (September/October 2010). If you don't have or don't want to deal with fresh artichokes, you can use jarred ones. Since they are already cooked, you can add them a little later in the cooking process. ChefShop Famous Tuna Butter Dip Recipe This is absolutely one of our go-to recipes, as it is not only delicious and very popular with our guests, but we can make it easily with ingredients from our pantry (except for the parsley and lemon - which we usually have on hand - but can also either be omitted or substituted with lemon olive oil) -- and it only takes about 5 minutes. It has very few ingredients, but the key is ALL the ingredients have to be top-notch. I would not use a domestic tuna for this recipe -- it's just not the same. Basic Soup Starter Recipe This basic soup starter recipe is adapted from Lynn Rosetto Kasper's cookbook, "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper." Lynn says that there are two types of people; those that make their soup stock completely from scratch, and those that buy it in a can or pouch from their local grocery store. Lynn suggests that meeting the two half way may just be your best bet -- and not that hard, either. She claims that every flavor-boosting trick they know is in this recipe. There is garlic, aromatic vegetables and verbs, wine and tomatoes. |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
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Polenta, Mustard Chicken Recipe, Cabbage Side Barista Packs, New Chocolate, New Harvest Yeast, Flour, Eggs, Milk, Honey |
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