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Damson Plum Ketchup, Spices, Ligurian, Cornbread and more at chefshop.com/enews |
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Spoon Ready Ketchup So good, you can eat it with a spoon! To understand why you might get excited about ketchup, or why you might even think it is “spoon ready”, you need to know the history of ketchup. We won’t dive too deep, just a quick timeline. Ke-tsiap is a name of a fermented fish sauce from an area in China called Hokkien. The British are believed to have brought it to England in the late 17th century and attempted to re-create the dark fermented sauce. Then it would have had ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, oysters and anchovies. It wasn’t until 1812 that tomatoes were introduced into the “ketchup”. Then someone added preservatives, mostly coal tar, which helped get a red color and sodium benzoate to slow spoilage. Then a man called Wiley said these things were bad for you, and partnered with a man named Heinz. Heinz made a recipe that used ripe red tomatoes, which had natural pectin, and used vinegar to reduce the spoilage factor. Over all these years, there are still variations along the road to the ketchup we have here, though most don’t start with fermented fish. And this brings us to Mark’s Damson Ketchup. No tomato here. Instead he uses Damson plums, a pitted fruit, as the first and main ingredient. To the nose, at first, you recognize the smell, though on the second whiff, the recognition is gone. And with more whiffs you find yourself desiring to identify the flavor notes. Via the nose this is tricky and difficult. So when you tip some out onto a spoon or into a bowl you see it is dark in color, firm in constitution, and a little bumpy. To the mouth, it is sweet, full of taste that reminds one of a nice meaty dish. As the flavors roll away, there is a little bit of bits to play with and chew up, really just something to move about on your molars and then you might move the pieces to the incisors up front just to entertain you for awhile. Along with the familiar taste that you don’t recognize, there is the sweet tang of acid, the feel of garlic, allspice, a twinge of ginger heat and cinnamon. It is a wonderful trip that you take inside your mouth when you have a tip of a spoon tasteful. A whole spoonful would be too much, way too much! It is as if the flavors move through your mouth, each bit introduces themselves to you and then steps aside for the next flavor. And what you thought was in the middle of your tongue is gone and now something new to taste is on the outside, on the vertical edges of your tongue. It is so wonderful to taste and even after all the bits are gone you will still find yourself sucking in your cheeks to have more joy! On a hot dog or hamburger it would stunning. Yet you could also share it on a chunk of cheese or a nice pork chop! This is perhaps the ketchup that is the bridge between the first fish sauce and the more modern tomato-based one we are so used too. Even with its different approach, in a way this seems very much like a ketchup and one I think is always worth having on hand next to my Heinz. Limit 2 jars per order. Extremely limited supply Shop now for Hawkshead Relish Damson Ketchup! |
Blueberry and Peach Salsa Recipe Recipe A seasonal and local twist on Sheila Lukins’ original recipe for Fresh Mango Salsa. Perfect on grilled or baked white fish, such as Halibut, Halibut Cheeks or Black Cod. Click here to see the Blueberry and Peach Salsa Recipe! |
The Hénaff Pork Pâté The original from France The Genuine Hénaff Pâté is eaten by the million each year all around the world. This famous Pâté is made only with pork (96%) including hams and fillets, salt, spices and a fraction of sodium nitrite to keep its lovely pink color. Of course, to make the famous Hénaff Pâté it must be enhanced with the little secret “je ne sais quoi”, which is a closely guarded Hénaff family secret. Made exclusively with fresh meat, did you know that the longer it stays in your pantry, the better it gets? That's why they keep it in their warehouse for at least 6 weeks after production. Jean Hénaff wanted to do something for his village, his friends, and the local farmers, who had to deliver their green peas and French beans to factories in Pont- l’Abbé or Quimper. What seemed to be needed was a cannery in Pouldreuzic to process on site, the vegetables produced in the surrounding areas. On April 30, 1907, with his two associates (Aristide Gantier and Joseph Stanislas Moreau de Lizoreux), Jean Hénaff started building his cannery just a few meters away from the heart of the village of Pouldreuzic, in the middle of the Pays Bigouden. Jean Hénaff was then 48 years old. In 1933, Jean Hénaff left the management of the company to his four sons. One of those sons, Corentin, was mayor of Pouldreuzic for 36 years. This function was given up by his father who also left his position as dean of the General Council of Finistère. In 1963, Jean-Jacques Hénaff, grandson of Jean Hénaff and son of Michel Hénaff, took over the company, having just graduated from the business school ESSEC, and having just come back from the USA where he studied at the University of Oregon as a Fulbright scholar. Shop now for Henaff Original Pork Pate. |
Black Tellicherry Peppercorns Grinding your own is the only way with peppercorns to reach the full potential of using pepper in any dish! The term "Tellicherry" originated when these large, black peppercorns were exported from the Indian port city of the same name. These are the most pungent black peppercorns with the deepest hot flavor you'll ever find! Once traded, ounce for ounce, for pure gold, Tellicherry pepper is still a superlative spice that can add a depth of flavor - first heat, then a tinge of sweetness - to your everyday meals. Black peppercorns are 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. 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 from India, picked at just the right moment, involves a keen judgment and results in large peppercorns with truly excellent flavor. Shop now for Black Tellicherry Peppercorns! |
Organic Whole Coriander Its flavor is warm and sweetish with strong overtones of citrus, especially orange peel. Along with cumin and anise, coriander is one of the most essential spices in any kitchen. Shop now for Organic Whole Coriander! |
White Basmati Rice There are 40,000 varieties of rice in the world. Commonly, we know just a few by name. Jasmine and Basmati are well known beyond the generic short grain, long grain, "white rice" and "brown rice". Basmati is a common type of white rice grown in India, Pakistan and the Himalayas. It is a long grain rice and cooks to a "dryer", more individual grain of rice. It works well supporting sauces and curries. Shop now for Rue Forsman Sustainably Grown White Basmati Rice! |
Ligurian Basil Authentic Pesto from Genovese Pesto has only taken root in North America in recent history, becoming popular in the 80's as a grocery store item. One could speculate that the ancient Romans, who made and ate a paste of cheese, herbs, salt, oil, vinegar, and nuts are the originators of pesto. The nucleus of modern day pesto started in North Africa and India, when basil became the main ingredient. Basil pesto took hold in Provence (as pistou) and in Liguria (as Pesto alla Genovese). In the 1860's a recipe for pesto with basil is published in La Cuciniera Genovese. Then the recipe traveled with the immigrants to the New World. Italian basil pesto was introduced to a much wider audience when Italian immigrant and University of Washington Professor Angelo Pellegrini's pesto recipe was published in a 1946 issue of Sunset Magazine. The recipe consisted of a little bit of this and a little bit of that, with no precise measurement. This makes sense when you think that pesto, which means to crush or bash, is a combination of just a handful of ingredients mashed together. You can see how you might want to add a little more or a little less of one thing or another to match your palate. To make a typical pesto, you crush fresh young basil, Italian pine nuts, add Parmigiano-Reggiano, sea salt and olive oil. (The Silver Spoon New Edition). That's all it takes; a mortar and pestle, elbow grease, and you can make your own. Or, you can use a food processor, though the results are less textural and more mushy, like a moist paste. Click here for Pesto alla Genovese! |
Whole Cumin Seeds Whole cumin was grown in the fertile valleys to the west of Marrakech, between Chichaoua and Essaouira on the Atlantic Coast, and it is some of the most flavorful cumin in the world. It has a spicy-sweet aroma, and a pungent, powerful, sharp flavor with a slightly bitter finish. Along with coriander and anise, cumin is one of the most essential spices in the kitchen. "This cumin is heads above any I've had. I toasted it in a dry cast iron skillet then ground it with mortar and pestle, and by then the fragrance is making me swoon. It has a much richer flavor than what I have had previously, and that is magnified when it has a chance to develop in a recipe. Because it is so full flavored, you need a bit less, but so good you will want to use more! I put a large pinch in vinaigrette, a secret ingredient that surprises and is a wonderful addition. Also great to toast with mixed nuts for cocktails. " -- jodi Shop now for Whole Cumin! |
Brown Butter Cornbread Herbivoracious Video Tip Michael shares his secret key ingredient that makes this over the top recipe for cornbread. Click here to see Brown Butter Cornbread - a video recipe! |
Ingredients you can eat with a spoon... (and think it's a meal). I have been making dinner for my Mom for almost ten years now. Except for when I am in Aspen at The Food & Wine Classic for a week and during a few odd camping trips with my son, he and I share a meal with her every night. We know we are so lucky to have her in our life. It has become more difficult over the last few years as her taste memory is now much better than her taste buds. And a loose jaw and less teeth limit our choices of what we can make. It has been a good challenge to find foods that taste good to her and that she can mange. She has always been one of our best food testers. She is very opinionated about all the things she tries. And holds no opinion back from telling us, adamantly, when she does not like something. We don’t always agree with her (she can’t eat acidic foods for instance, so Vinegars are off the list to try), but she makes good points with her criticism. Though she does like La Vecchia Dispensa Balsamic 30th Anniversary. Over the years, more than the most recent five, my Mom has a few favorites. Ingredients that she eats with a spoon. Sometimes they work for breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. They have really tasted the test of time! There are no complex accolades, it is simple; she likes them because they taste good. Her favorites are: 
Ortiz Bonito Del Norte Tuna Tin
Brontedolci Pistachio Crema
Cru Sauvage - Wild Cocoa Baking Chocolate 68%
Mandelin Premium Almond Paste
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Our Dutch process Cocoa Powder has 22% to 24% cocoa butter with real vanilla (not vanillan). As seen in Saveur Magazine (Saveur 100) and Chocolatier Magazine. Ingredients: cocoa powder, vanilla 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. "I've used this cocoa for years ... I just love it. " -- d Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder! |
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Our normal outages with product, otherwise we are re-stocking daily. There are still a few random delays. The store has picked up as well. 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. If you want a private shopping time, early or late, in the store please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request. | |
Back-in-Stock from Italy! Rice Vialone Nano Vialone Nano is an Italian white rice that has short, plump grains and cooks to a beautifully, creamy consistency - a great choice for risotto. A bit shorter and fatter than Carnaroli, it's as highly prized in the Veneto region as Carnaroli is in Piemonte. **COOKING TIP** To preserve the high starch content of this and other Italian rices, it's important not to rinse the rice. Starch contributes to the creamy consistency of the rice as well as the flavor. About the Producer The Azienda Agricola La Gallinella has for many generation been the property of the same family that directly manage and oversee the cultivation. Agriculture at la Gallinella is the fountain of life, tradition, pride, and their profound tie with nature. Located on the Lombardy side of the Po plain, La Gallinella produces excellent Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone Nano rices using certified organic methods. Shop now for Fior di Riso! 
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! If your order has been confirmed as ready 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 |
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Classic Smoky Romesco Sauce Recipe Romesco is a classic Spanish tomato-based sauce with smoky overtones from the Pimenton de la Vera smoked Spanish paprika, and the toasted ancho chilis. Makes a wonderful alternative to ketchup or marinara sauce when used as a dipping sauce with Fried Polenta Sticks. Or with prawns as an alternative to cocktail sauce. Fresh Sweet Cherry Clafouti Recipe It is cherry season ... finally! It is hard to resist those beautiful, round, amber-colored jewels. Although sweet cherries were really created by Mother Nature to eat plain - crisp and cold, straight from the fridge - undoubtedly, there are some that just aren't perfect, or you just need a a new way to use a few of them and share them with friends. Ricotta with Fresh Berries & Saba Recipe The trick with this recipe is to use an excellent quality, artisanal ricotta, and drain it very well until it is quite dry. You might also try this with other berries -- add some raspberries or blackberries for a different twist. |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
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Special Jam, 2X, Chocolate Covered Harissa, Yuzu, Super Hot, Flowers Koji Magic Grilling Yuzu Hot Sauce, More |
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