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Italian Holiday Bread, Maraschino, Sour, Chocolate, Cherry, Grenadine, recipes and more at chefshop.com/enews |
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| Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog |
Italian Panettone! The Holiday Bread of Joy!!! Every year as the holidays approach here at ChefShop.com, our warehouse turns into a sort of Grand Central Station filled with desserts. Yes, beginning around late October, our shelves fill to overflowing with Italian panforte and tartuffi, fruitcake made by Trappist monks and Scottish shortbread with ginger, almond macaroons, hazelnut-laden cookies, and of course, chocolate – dark chocolate and milk, chocolates filled with liqueur, with caramel, and with rich gianduja, chocolate surrounding cherries, chocolate accented with sea salt…the list goes on. And every year, one of our lasting customer favorites is panettone, that ethereal Italian Christmas cake, bright and rich, studded with raisins and candied fruit. We love panettone in many guises, but we’ve discovered one in particular that’s become our gold standard: Sorrento Lemon Panettone by Piemontese bakers Albertengo. We thought this panettone was so good that we sent it to The New York Times’ Marian Burros a long time ago. Turns out that year we just missed her holiday deadline, but here’s what she wrote the following year: "The Sorrento lemon panettone from Albertengo arrived too late for inclusion on last year’s list, but I’m still smitten. It is soft and buttery, and its candied lemon replaces the conventional raisins and candied citron." (11/26/06) We’re still smitten, too, after all these years. But we know there’s plenty to be said for traditional panettone, as well – so we’ve got several varieties, and we invite you find your own favorite! Preorder Your Panettone Now! |
Candied Fruit! and CAKE Italian panettone and traditional English Christmas fruitcake have little in common texture-wise – there’s really no comparison between the airy, egg-based cake-bread and the rather brick-like fruitcake – but a closer look reveals that the two really are cousins, after all. Both are traditional Christmas baked goods and feature candied citron, an ingredient no longer common in many other preparations, but that’s not all. Both derive from a tradition of sweetening holiday treats with nuts and candied fruit – fruit which has been effectively preserved from summer into the holiday season. And although panettone is much lighter than fruitcake, it wasn’t always that way. Panettone is a sweet, rich bread that’s wildly popular at Christmas and New Year’s in Italy. Traditionally from Milan, over the years, panettone has become even more more popular in the southern regions of Italy than in its northern birthplace. Panettone as we know it today – tall and cylindrical, with a rich flavor and lighter texture – originated and gained popularity in the 1920s, but Christmas breads have a much longer history in Italy, dating back as far as Roman times. Early versions often involved regular bread dough (unlike today’s panettone, which is much richer and lighter-textured) baked together with other ingredients. A late 14th-century Florentine version included walnuts, pine nuts, dried figs, dates and honey folded into dense bread dough, while a 17th-century TREAT from Emilia-Romagna incorporated raisins, black pepper and candied pumpkin. Preorder your Panettone now! |
MORE MODERN TIMES The explosion of Popularity Panettone as we know it exploded into the Italian Christmas-cake scene in the 1920s. One year, a Milanese baker named Angelo Motta used natural yeast and tall, cylinder-shaped pans to give it its distinctive shape, along with three separate risings, encouraging the lighter, more porous texture and domed top. And he flavored it with raisins and candied orange and citron. The following year, another local baker followed suit, and the ensuing competition led to large amounts of panettone flowing into the Milan market. It was a hit, and soon, its popularity spread throughout Milan and the rest of Italy. Since then, panettone has become ubiquitous throughout Italy at Christmas time. Italian food expert Carol Field notes that panettone for Christmas became a status symbol for immigrants to Milan – once they could afford to have one for the holiday. It has, of course, also reached us as a deservedly popular holiday treat. Enjoy it with after-dinner coffee or liqueur, or as wonderful winter afternoon snack, along with a cup of hot chocolate. Preorder your Panettone now! |
Pasta with Tuna and Capers recipe A great recipe to go with any pasta! So incredibly simple and easy to make. Boil water, cook the pasta, heat the oil and capers, add the pasta to the pan and crumble the tuna on top. Perfect when it's just you and a good book. Or a table of two. Pasta is comfort food to me. When I am stressed, I eat pasta. According to Psychology Today "Carbohydrates help us endure stress because eating any sweet or starchy food (except the carbohydrates in fruit) allows the brain to make new serotonin. Serotonin makes us feel calmer, and as a result we believe we can cope." It is who we are, we will cope. Click here to make this easy recipe! |
Capers Are little buds of punch! Capers are the preserved bud of a flower from a plant that grows throughout the Mediterranean. 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 (and pasta). Read about "What is a Caper" - Click here. Shop now for Capers of punch! |
Grenadine - flash back in time Jack Rudy Cocktail Company has done it again! Taking an essential component, in this case grenadine, and making old new again. It's about going backwards in time and making a grenadine that is absolutely splendid'ish’esh for our taste receptors. Perhaps not just for them, but also in our memories. By taking the old formula of pomegranate (from a single family farm) & cane sugar, along with a few ingredients, in a procedure that is undoubtedly a secret, to make a great grenadine that is not only new but also harkens to the past. From Medieval Latin, pomum granatum, describing apple with many seeds, and grenade in old French meaning pomegranate. It is thus deduced that Grenadines etymology comes from its main ingredient, pomegranate juice. The most modern of grenadine ingredients have changed from these three basic ingredients, to replacing grenade with red currants and other fruit juices. And then, to lower the cost of production even more, manufacturers have turned to a high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, and the addition of flavorings & food coloring number blue, skipping fruit altogether. Unlike pomegranate “syrup”, which has a tendency to be sour and tart, and sometimes even bitter, Jack Rudy's grenadine is the perfect mix of sweet, flavor-rich and sour. It’s so good that you can eat it with a spoon! If we still had the direct flight on Piedmont Airlines from Seattle to Charlotte it would be worth hopping a plane just to get this Grenadine (and a bottle of Tonic Syrup), that's how good it is. Good thing we have our own supply! Shop now for both Tonic and Grenadine! Enhance your life with a Roy Rogers (cola & grenadine), or a Shirley Temple (ginger ale & grenadine). Either way, with a good ginger ale or cola and using the original maraschino cherry, you can definitely go back in time! Shop now for Jack Rudy's Cocktail Grenadine Syrup! |
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries! The original Maraschino Cherry from Luxardo! Made with marasca cherries, sugar, and marasca cherry juice (among other things), this jar has 50% cherries and 50% syrup inside. If you need a Maraschino Cherry—and you know you do, you deserve the real thing! Perfect for a Shirley Temple or a Roy Rogers! Shop now for Luxardo Maraschino Cherries! |
D'Arbo Sour Cherry Fruit Syrup Super Versatile! That familiar flavor from your childhood comes rushing back - in a positive way. Lightly sweet, thickly syrupy, delicious. Perfect as a dessert topping or in your bar pantry. In 1879 Rudolf Darbo laid the foundations for a "fruit steamery" in Gorizia (now in Italy by the Slovenian border). That was the start of what is now one of the most successful companies in Austria's history. Some 50 years later, his son, Adolf Darbo, relocated the company in the Tyrolean village of Stans, concentrating his efforts on producing quality syrups and bottling honey. In 1970, the family company now under Klaus Darbo went into the third generation. Klaus Darbo followed the company tradition - resolutely continuing the strategy of manufacturing products of superior quality. Darbo's capacity for innovation was one of the key factors in the company's success. In 1994, Darbo launched its premium quality fruit syrups line - and we are glad they did. Darbo fruit syrups are highly concentrated fruit juices for dilution with water. Over 80% fruit juice content from selected varieties for a unique taste experience. No chemical preservatives or colorings are used in the production. This is way, way, way, better than kids medicine! This is like adult meds.... Shop now for D'Arbo Sour Cherry Fruit Syrup! |
Espelt de Garnatxa Red Wine Vinegar! This red in color vinegar wine is delicious. Thin in viscosity, when it first reaches your lips it feels luscious, rich, and thick. The tip of the tongue feels the vinegar but the flavor comes to the senses via the lips and a bit of a sting (acid of the vinegar) at the back of the throat. Unlike some vinegars, this gentle bing at the back of the throat dissipates quickly and is more akin to a nicely aged Balsamic. The round flavor of its red wine origins lives in the “nose” and in the “taste”. There is a complete roundness to the flavor of this red wine vinegar. This roundness draws you in and one spoonful is not enough. Perhaps, and even though it is a gourmet wine vinegar, it makes you feel like it is a sweet wine or an aged balsamic, and yet its notes are different than you expect. After much tasting, I still cannot describe the flavor as I would like. Like many, if not all red wines, if you suck in a sip your nose will pucker at the tip, and hints of red wine vinegar will be present. But if you are willing to savor the flavors and the gourmet wine vinegar slowly, you will feel the hints of a red strawberry (creaminess) laced with vanilla and hints of little tiny violets! I can tell you that it is a wonderful, joyous surprise and one can imagine that in everything it goes, it can only be better. What a wonderful treat this is. Agrodolce! Shop now for Espelt de Garnatxa! |
Ginger Ground One of the most fragrant and distinctive spices and a natural for holiday baking, ginger is full of possibilities year-round. Freshly cut/sliced ginger is definitely best for soups, marinades and stir-frys. Candied for cookies works well, too. Though finding good and fresh ginger is not always possible and since ginger is stringy it is not the best for baking. This is where powdered ginger works perfectly. Add the spice and the sweetness to many of your dishes. Add a couple of pinches to stir-frys, sauces for meat or chicken, or stewed fruit or applesauce. It's also a common addition to savory Moroccan dishes. A must, of course, for ginger snaps, gingerbread or any spice cake, ginger also pairs well with chocolate; try it for a little added kick in cakes or cookies. Shop now for Organic Ground Ginger! |
A Chocolate Hazelnut Creme Cookie Recipe! with Feuilletine Flakes! Eating Feuilletine Flakes by the handful is like the best cookie ever, but not quite. By adding luxurious hazelnut creme from Andrea Slitti and a bunch of fabulous chocolate you get a cookie that has just about everything you might want, since it is like a great candy bar! See the recipe here! Great Flakes! "I’ve been seeing these being used on the Food Network for years and when I saw them on your site, I had to order them. The shipping was fast! I gave them a little test by adding a few TBSPs to some leftover ganache I had already made and they were great! The little candies came out crunchy just how I wanted! I’m looking forward to using these crunchy little flakes in other baked goods!" -- holly Shop now for the Feuilletine flakes here! |
Chocolate Armagnac Cherries! The way you want your cherries to be! OMG!!! "I have had these before and they are SOOOOO good!!! I was glad I was able to find them on this website." -- catherine This is what you want Chocolate Covered Cherries to be. They crunch, they explode with liquor just as the cherry pops! And everything goes together into a blended, harmonious, joyous feeling of friendship. Wow! Every year it is one of our favorite treats to share while our happy local "family" waits to check out. We let them know to pop the whole cherry in the mouth and bite down with their lips closed! Otherwise you will have an explosion of liquor all over your lips and chin! And remember the "toothpick" is made of plastic, so you shouldn't eat it. Almost everyone says yes to our little "thank you" and those that don't, are gently berated by those who do... Sadly this year we won't be able to share ... Shop now for Chocolate, Armagnac & Cherries! |
Turmeric! Organic Ground! Think of this as a "fresh" product. It was just hand ground with mortar and pestle in the market in Casablanca and air-shipped in to the chefs. You can tell it is hand ground by the fact that it is not a fine powder. Tur•mer•ic Organically grown, freshly ground, flown in! Tur•mer•ic is one amazing aromatic perennial herb of the Zingiberaceae or ginger family. This tuberous rhizome (root), a flowering plant that grows in tropical locales, is most often ground fresh like wasabi, or boiled, dried, and ground to make a powder. Once upon a time, it was called Indian Saffron (in fact, it is still used to dye impostor saffron) for its deep orange color. It is also known for its powerful health benefits that Indian Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine have been using for 4000 years to reduce inflammation, help with toothaches, and jaundice. Perhaps the true route to its success is how it helps with flatulence and digestive issues. Like a high-quality fresh olive oil, turmeric is showing that it might also be a fighter of Alzheimer's and diabetes. (Caution for diabetics as it can thin blood, always ask your doctor). Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and it is curcumin that is believed to destroy mutated cells associated with prostate, breast, and colon cancers. But it's not just these reasons to have turmeric in your cupboard. It should be in your food for its palette enhancing pleasing bold color. And it's not just palette pleasing, it is also palate perfect for your lentils, when sprinkled on veggies or used to brighten your eggs up. Simply add it to your favorite dishes like Moroccan Fried Rice or Singapore noodles. It seems that the turmeric is a good “preventive” food, enhancing dishes and in turn your body! About turmeric Turmeric is a member of the Ginger family. Though it is also used in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, it is cultivated and eaten most frequently in India. Turmeric is peppery, woody, warm and musky with a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. It is at once peppery and citrusy, with a hint of the gingerroot it resembles.
Curries, pickles, pilaus and spice mixtures would be absolutely bereft without the color and flavor of turmeric. Its very mild taste lends itself well to rice, vegetable and pulse dishes.
Packed in a resealable zip-style pouch.
Shop now for Organic Ground Turmeric! |
It's winter and we have Summer Parmigiano-Reggiano This cheese started 2 summers ago, making this Parmigiano-Reggiano 29 months old. Sourced from cows that live in the mountains where the air is clearer and the wild flowers and grasses combine to make better milk. Great peaceful views make for happy, peaceful cows. Happy cows make happy milk and great cheese! Bella Bella Bella Parmigiano "SO worth the price of admission. My first summer parm and it is my favorite - rich with a lighter texture. Tried by itself and sprinkled on a red wine pasta dish - delicioso!" -- mike Preorder now for Summer Parmigiano-Reggiano - shipping in time for the Holidays! |
ChefShop Cocoa Powder! Check your pantry and make sure you have enough cocoa powder on hand. From hot chocolate to chocolate syrup. It is always good to have enough cocoa powder for planned baking and emergencies. Shop now for Cocoa Powder! |
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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. Change is afoot, we are moving stuff around and adding new fixtures fo the upcoming holiday season. Our goal is to make your shopping an experience with nooks and crannies all the while without other humans nearby... 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! The wonderful Sgambaro pasta is back! Our relationship with pasta has been a long one. For me it started with a local pasta called Prince. Growing up in Boston it was the best, though I am not sure I had anything but. More recently, in the last 15 years, we have had many different Italian Pastas. And our favorite remains Pastificio Sgambaro and its fancy cousin Bigoli Nobili. Eliza has spent the last few years working hard to bring this pasta back in! Well, here it is! Taste first is why we like it, but for the price it is the best deal! Shop now for Pastificio Sgambaro Pasta and Bigoli Nobili! 
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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 |
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Brown Rice, Feta and Swiss Chard Gratin Recipe A meal in and of itself. If your kids like cheesy dishes, they would like this one. And they don't even need to know they are eating brown rice. Who needs to know? This recipe is courtesy of Chef Extraordinaire, Lauren Feldman. She demonstrated it in the "Grains Workshop", and it was fabulous! And so easy to make! Classic Garlic Chicken Stew Recipe Basic Helicopter Pasta Recipe |
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Buttate La Pasta, Fermented, Pollen, Blossom Apple Pie, Sorghum, Salami, Sarrotto Recipe Super Toffee, Favorites are Back-In-Stock |
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