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Gift Certificate
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Sometimes we want to share and give the best gift possible to someone we truly care about. Sometimes it is easy, obvious, a no brainer. But, sometimes can be extremely difficult, not possible, and overwhelming to find something so perfect that encapsulates your care for another human being.

If you know what it is, you found it long ago: you made it, created it, have it and are ready to share it.

And if you are still struggling, looking, and/or stressing over that special food loving person in your life...then this is a solution that relieves stress on both sides of the gift.

Giving the gift of food is giving a gift of care. You care about their taste buds (because they are your best buds). You care about their core, their gut, their health. You know that what you eat is who you are, and food made with love is for people who love food.

Still, choosing what food to give is more complex than good taste. Or what tastes good. Do they like chocolate? Or do they have too much chocolate? Are they still baking sourdough bread? Do they drink coffee and chai? Spices, hot peppers, olive oil? Or will they misunderstand a gift of Vinegar?

Or, like many of us now (at least when it comes to food), the choosing, the deciding, the research, the exploration, the recipe, and ultimately the exclamation of joy from creating is what we desire the most from the kitchen!

So, if you are still in a conundrum, an abyss, an empty mind (for me it is like a snowstorm with just a hint of trees without a sure way to go), for that special food person in your life, the gift of a Gift Certificate of Food is one of the most precious ways you can share that you care.

A gift certificate of food says that you get, that they get, that life is food. That you trust their judgement to make something really good, that they know what they want, and they are a fun person who will make good choices.

The sharing is what food people love the most. And right now, what we miss the most! Eating and sharing what we eat, that is how we bond, here, there, in the north, in the south, in east and in the west. Across the pond, across the lake, across the ocean, we all can share. We all share a love of food.

Virtual hugs and handshakes from all of us at ChefShop.com to you all. Happy Holidays!

Shop Now for the gift that gives twice, once when that special person receives it and second when they shop! Bonus!!




  La Vecchia Dispensa 100 year Balsamic
A 100 year old Balsamic Vinegar Extremely limited supply

Very limited quantities. Free shipping (sometimes from Italy) included (Contiguous US only).

In our store people always ask if we have ever tasted this amazing 100-year aged balsamic vinegar. Well, I have, thanks to the wonderful sharing of our customers who bought our very first bottle. He cracked it open right then and there at the counter and shared a drop! It was like none other!

Balsamics aged 100 years or more are a rare find these days. They become as dense as molasses, and their fragrance and flavor are deep and heady - think of a 40 year old Tawny Port and you're just scratching the surface. Think as rich as dark caramel, raisin, and a whole host of secondary notes.

Since it ages constantly, the characteristics of balsamic vinegar in the various aging phases vary. After a certain number of years, it becomes denser, loses fluidity and develops a real richness. At this point it should be treated with devotion.

Italian balsamic vinegar of this quality may be appreciated to the full on hunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, on strawberries or on ice cream, or simply sipped at the end of a meal.

This special 100-year aged balsamic vinegar is bottled for us in very small quantities, and is limited to quantities on hand.

Shop now for La Vecchia Dispensa 100 year Old Balsamic Vingar - Shipping included!!



  San Giacomo Balsa Mela Apple Balsamic
Acetaia San Giacomo
Balsamela!

We love just about everything made by Andrea of Acetaia San Giacomo.

Balsamela, or Apple Balsamic, is a particularly inspired creation.

It's made from fresh apples and heated in the same way as traditional balsamic, then reduced and allowed to acidify.

In addition to using it in familiar vinegar applications, Andrea suggests making a unique thirst quencher - just dilute with water and sip.

Shop now for San Giacomo Balsamela!



  San Giacomo Balsamic Condimento

Exquisite Daily Special
Balsamic Vinegar

Just a few years younger than a Red Seal or an Essenza, the viscosity is thinner and the flavor is sharper. One of our all time favorite balsamics! It's one to always have on hand.

Using the same process like the Tradizionale, this real Italian balsamic vinegar is produced solely from cooked-down grape must, carefully aged and fermented in barrels of various woods.

The nose of this medium-thick condimento balsamic vinegar opens both, sweet and tart, with notes of molasses and hints of fruit. Sweet and fruity on the tip of the tongue, a pleasant amount of acid creates an interplay of sweet and sour on the mid-palate that is a sheer pleasure. This delicious condimento leaves one with the impression that the balance of sweet and sour leans slightly to the sweet.

San Giacomo's balsamic condimento is wonderfully versatile. Andrea Bezzecchi of San Giacomo suggests it for salads, grilled meats, young cheeses, and ice cream…and we could not disagree.

Shop now for San Giacomo Balsamic Condimento!



  San Giacomo Agro di Mosto

Agro di Mosto
The balsamic you can use for everything all day long!

This balsamic-like vinegar is balsamic in its early stages. Not viscously thin like young balsamic's that are 6 years old, but much richer, thicker, and sweeter than its early age would have you think. A hint of what lies ahead, this is a treat on its own and a wonderful everyday vinegar that is pulled before it is certified as a thick balsamic vinegar.

Priced to be used liberally, per ml, this is the lowest priced balsamic vinegar we have! Don't be fooled, this is one place where price is not a reflection of quality, but a mirror of quality extracted from that for which all of San Giacomo products are.

Extracted early in the balsamic-making process, Agro di Mosto is only 2-3 years old. It is truly amazing how sophisticated this bottle is given its early age. This is filled from the same battery of barrels on its way to becoming San Giacomo Balsamic, and then Essenza, a truly sophisticated Balsamic, and finally a Tradizionale.

This is a runaway hit in the store. Anyone who tastes it, loves it!

Shop for Agro di Mosto Balsamic Vinegar!




  Fresh Washington Cherries

Fresh Cherries!
The gift you give today and it comes again in June!

This is the gift that gives twice! Anticipation!

Nothing like a cherry certificate this time of year. A little bit of summer in December at the start of the winter. The thought of a ripe, juicy cherry that has a good snap is an excellent way of thinking about the future!

A Cherry Certificate is a wonderful gift.

And remember, we don't charge for the cherries before the harvest.

Shop Now for a 2021 Sweet Washington Cherry Gift Certificate!




  NeoCocoa Black Sesame Seed Toffee Brittle
Favorite Treat of the holiday season
Try it and you'll love them!

One bag, one sitting! These are fabulous. No way around it, these are good!

The first bite is joyous, a crunch that is easy to do, an explosion of subtle flavor of chocolate, with the toasted sesame on the edges of the tongue to tingle and espouse flavor twistys of change. There is a lot more sesame flavor than just what is on top...(look closely at the edge and you will see the black sesame is in the toffee, too)!

Some of the pieces are bigger than a mouthful and need to be snapped into smaller, enjoyable mini-bite size pieces. Don't be afraid though, the dark chocolate won't melt (unless you have hot hands) when you lightly hold to make the break. It snaps so easily (and is strangely rewarding) that you start breaking with abandon!

The enjoyment factor with a small piece is so much better because a large piece gives you a mouthful of "candy", which you consume because you are forced to chew and swallow. With a small, thumb-size piece you can taste the chocolate, enjoy the crunch of the sugar which blends with the dark chocolate and gets the sesame on the edge of your tongue..

You finish with clean molars, and a lovely dark chocolate flavor that makes you want to suck in your cheeks and the sesame.

When you are done with a piece or more, the joy of the bite is still with you to enjoy for quite some time. How good is that! Leaving a good taste in your mouth (instead of a bad like the news does) is a wonderful thing!

Shop now for NeoCocoa Black Sesame Seed Toffee Brittle!




  Marshalls Red Chili Lime Haute Sauce
Red Chili Lime
Haute Sauce

My lips are tingling, my upper lip is sweating and the back of my neck is, too.

The pleasant orange color almost misleads you that it might be a nice citrus marmalade. Your olfactory tells you something else. Some heat and flavor is coming your way.

Perhaps the least complex, this one is hot, not killer hot though, and like the others it allows your body enjoy other flavors all the whilst heating it up.

In a sense, this one is the one to add for pure heat without adding a twist. I can't quite tell, but it might be the hottest. My head is telling me so....

Shop now for Marshall's Red Chili Lime Haute Sauce!


 

  Panettone French Toast Recipe
Panettone
French Toast Recipe

Panettone, the wonderful butter-rich Italian Christmas Bread, is very often consumed straight without leaving a crumb. But should you find yourself with the chance half loaf left, this recipe is a perfect holiday breakfast favorite.

Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it’s been our favorite for this recipe. But any of the wonderful panettoni will work great. This recipe is so divine you’ll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!

See the recipe for Panettone French Toast here!


 

  Panettone Bread Pudding Recipe
Panettone Bread Pudding
Recipe!

Panettone, the wonderful butter-rich Italian Christmas cake, is very often consumed straight without leaving a crumb. But should you find yourself with the chance half loaf left, this recipe will turn a celebratory cake into a memorable dessert centerpiece! It is a perfect holiday dessert or breakfast on Christmas morning.

Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it’s been our favorite for this recipe. But any of the wonderful panettoni will work great. This recipe is so divine you’ll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!

See the Panettone Bread Pudding Recipe here!



  Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
Make your own
Hot Chocolate!

All you need is your ChefShop cocoa powder, heavy cream, half and half or milk. Or any variation including almond or oat milk. Castor sugar (super fine), sea salt, and vanilla extract. And a little patience with a whisk.

The real key to a good homemade hot chocolate is variation. Add some chocolate bitters to enhance the chocolate or add cinnamon or you can toss in a chocolate like cru sauvage!

See the super easy Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe here!



  Col Pabst Malt Amber Lager Worcestershire Sauce
Col Pabst Malt Amber Lager
Worcestershire Sauce!

Worcester - Wuster or Wooster.

Shire is sure, like New Hampshire (new hamp sure, in case you didn't know).

The secret recipe for Worcestershire Sauce was designed by John Lea and William Perrins, two chemists, in Worcester, England in 1837.

The original is still, well, real, and tastes original.

The BBC says that there have been over 30 variations of the Worcestershire sauce sold. As the saying goes, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”.

And sometimes you can make something similar but not the same and even make it better.

Col Pabst All Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire, made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is better. Way better!

Starting with fresh Milwaukee Amber Lager and then blending in 21 all natural ingredients. Along with Tamarind and Anchovies, Col Pabst adds Grenadian Ginger and Madras Curry. Aged in small batches this Worcestershire sauce is more like a fine balsamic than an ingredient.

To the nose, it is like a sweet, hint of anchovy fish sauce, with twists and turns that are hard to identify. It twinkles in the nostrils and is very enticing.

To the mouth, the sauce has a saltiness, a sweetness and this wonderful, complex flavor that rolls around, begging you to taste a little more. You can sip this and sip some more. It's pretty gosh darn good! (Try sipping those other sauces and feel the burn and not in a good way.)

Of course, you can use it anywhere Worcestershire sauce is called for...and more. Pretty much where you think it will work, it will!

Shop now for Col Pabst Malt Amber Lager Worcestershire Sauce!




  Fregula Sarda Sardinian Couscous
Fregula Sarda
Sardinian Couscous!!

The term "fregula" (also "fregola") may derive from the Latin word fricare, meaning chopping up: little fragment, splinter, crumb, scrap, corpuscle. These tasty little balls of pasta are created by rubbing coarse semolina into balls in the presence of water.

Unlike North African or Middle Eastern couscous, the little balls of Sardinian couscous are then toasted in an oven, giving them a toasty, rustic-homey taste. This medium fregula is a staple in the Sardinian kitchen, both on the coast and in the interior.

Fregula Sarda pasta is suitable for meat and seafood dishes, or try it with a bean dish like Fregula con Fagioli, the Sardinian version of Pasta i Fagioli, or Pasta with Borlotti Beans and Kale.

Fregula Sardinian Pasta may be seasoned with tomato and sausage or used to make its most famous dish, "fregula con cocciula" (fregola with clams) from Cagliari. Given its density and texture, it can absorb a ton of liquid without becoming mushy, and so it just may be the ultimate pasta for soups. Serve it like the locals, in “brodo” (broth) - either beef, chicken or mushroom.

Fregula Sarda pasta is best when cooked in boiling water for 10-12 minutes.

La Casa del Grano has been making traditional Sardinian pasta for over 50 years. The “result of ancient traditions,” the company is dedicated to preserving the rich history of their products, using only the finest ingredients, and employing a unique (and top secret!) production method.

Shop now for Fregula Sarda - Sardinian Couscous!





  Linguine with Saffron Morelli Wheat Germ Pasta
Morelli Wheat Germ
Linguine Pasta with Chilli Pepper

Located in Pisa, Italy, Antico Pastificio Morelli was established in 1860 and has been passed down through five generations.

The pasta is kneaded slowly and dried at a low temperature to keep the organoleptic properties intact. One of the keys to Morelli's methods is the inclusion of the wheat germ.

Using artisanal techniques, they process the fresh wheat germ and include it in the pasta while the germ is still fresh. The intense wheat aroma is released during the cooking process, and the water will turn slightly green because of the presence of the fresh wheat germ.

That's what gives the pasta its extraordinary and unmistakable flavor.

Shop now for Linguine with Chilli Pepper Morelli Wheat Germ Pasta!





  Hawkshead Fig and Orange Jam
Fig and Orange Jam Hawkshead!

A fabulously fruity jam that combines the orange of a marmalade with the figgyness of a jam with the crunch from the fig seeds adding a delicious dimension.

Don't use it just as a jam though, try using it to baste a pork chop or roast ham, adding it when you have just 10 minutes of cooking time left, to create a delicious glaze. Or heat and serve with crispy roast duck. Then again -- who can go wrong with a roast duck! Yum!

Shop now for Hawkshead Fig and Orange Jam!





  Almond paste
Almond
Paste

No fancy packaging here, this premium commercial tub of almond paste is the real deal. You can shape this white treat into little animals for your next birthday cake. Or into leaves for the top of an apple pie. Shape and eat! OR just eat it. It's that good.

This is a professional, premium almond paste that is made with 66% almonds, whereas most almond paste is made with 50% or less almonds. Our almond paste contains bitter almond oil for an extra boost of almond flavor, a flavor the Europeans are known for.

Did you know that most of the almond paste used in countries like Switzerland and France is made from almonds grown in California, including some that is exported back here to the USA!

Shop now for Almond Paste!




ChefShop cocoa powder
ChefShop
Cocoa Powder!

Be sure to order your powder soon. Always good to have cocoa powder on hand!

Best Cocoa on the Planet
"I have been using this exclusively for years now. I have a 'secret' brownie recipe that I make with this cocoa, syrup made from the cocoa and only the best ingredients. Everyone goes ga-ga over them. Syrup - so easy to make - anything that calls for cocoa I use this. Sometimes I mix just a touch into my coffee from a treat. If you have not tried this yet you need to. You WILL NOT be disappointed!!!"
-- ellie

Shop now for Cocoa Powder!




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.

STORE HOURS UPDATE: Special hours - Monday: CLOSED, - Tuesday thru Saturday: 10 to 6 Sunday Noon: (12) to 4. Please let us know if you would like a private shopping time and we will do our best to accommodate you. We now have air filters running 24 hours a day now.

Please keep in mind we are limiting the number of people in the shop at one time.

Trio of Ketchups from Hawkshead
Last Week's #1!
Triptic of ketchup

Three bottles of ketchups or sauces with a tomato "base" make a really nice combo to have around. Add one or all to chili or your hotdog!

These three "ketchups" are really fun to have around. They mix up what you expect, yet are easy and make you feel good inside!

The perfect gift to send to your RV glamper, or a stocking stuffer to stuff at home. Or break the trio apart and get three gifts (it's like getting 3 gifts for the price of 2) though I am never for breaking up a trio.

And how can you go wrong with ketchup? Each one of these stand on their own as being special and together they are happiness and joy.

Shop now for Hawkshead Black Garlic, Bloody Mary, and Smoky BBQ!




ChefShop Gift Certificate Give the Gift of Love through Food for 2020

Gift Certificate for any amount you choose.

Choose the amount in $25 increments by changing the quantity number and we take care of the rest.

Share ChefShop with a Gift Certificates

 

Store Hours - Sunday 12 to 4, CLOSED MONDAY, Tuesday thru Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 5

If your order has been confirmed as "ORDER 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

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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

Paula Wolfert's Toulouse-style Cassoulet Recipe

Ahhh, the etherial Cassoulet. The classic and complicated French recipe that, sooner or later, many advanced cooks try to conquer. There are many versions of cassoulet out there -- some more complicated than others. This recipe is adapted courtesy of Food & Wine Magazine, and the famed Mediterranean cookbook author, Paula Wolfert. According to Paula, the dish gets its name from the pot it's traditionally baked in, the cassole, which is often shaped like a wide inverted cone to insure the greatest amount of luscious crust. This version includes duck confit and the French garlic sausages that are a specialty of Toulouse.

Cocoa & Curry Rubbed Chicken Salad Recipe

This is a combination of a few different recipes. The combination creates a perfect summer main dish - lots of flavor, not too heavy, fresh greens that are so abundant in the summer. In this case, we recommend slicing the breast and serving it cold atop your favorite greens, dressed with a simple vinaigrette dressing. As with many simple recipes, the better the ingredients the better the outcome.

Middle-Eastern Tuna Salad with Tahini Recipe

A delicious salad from the Levant adapted from a recipe found in Gourmet magazine, many, many years ago. Canned tuna in olive oil is a staple throughout the Mediterranean. If you have never tried it, it is worth a little extra to give it a taste. But be careful - you may never go back....


See what you missed in previous Newsletters

Time to Panic - Ground Shipping Cut-off - Stocking Stuffers

Candy Cane, Rustic Tools, Giant Peppermint

Tradizionale Deal, Special Chocolate, New Crop Beans


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