|
Pejer e Sandri Estate, Italian Syrup, Canoroli, Recipes and more at chefshop.com/enews |
 |
|
||||
| Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog |
Cold Pressed Quince Syrup from Pojer e Sandri Estate The quince is a fruit that may have started the Trojan War according to fruit lore. It all has to do with Helen of Troy, daughter of Zeus, a kidnapping, a rescue, various suitors, an affair, a marriage, a slaying or two, and the golden apple fruit, or was Helen the fruit? It seems that the appearance of a whole or cut quince is the best reflection or teller of its supposed tale. The outsides of this voluptuous fruit, when ripe has a yellow skin that is lumpy and bumpy. Inside it looks similar to its pome brethren: the apple and pear. And when it comes to the taste, it is not the expectation the visual has given you. Quince, when ripe, is at best super tart. The skin is tough to chew and the flesh is not smooth, more like a mealy pear. Yet, when it is cooked down it becomes quite pleasurable. A wonderful texture of a firm jelly and smooth tofu. Though, often sugar is added when making quince jelly, quince has this wonderful natural sweetness that is in perfect harmony with its tartness. It is this harmony that makes this very special quince syrup so wonderful! Surrounded by a forest, the orchards of Pojer e Sandri Estate grow the Ronda and Silver quince species organically. In the fall they harvest the quince and hand select the fruit to be cold pressed in a unique vacuum process. This unique process concentrates the flavors, creates a sweetness without sugar or heat, transforming the quince into a syrup. Open the jar and you get an instant waft of a recognizable smell...really a combination of recognizable smells. Is it plum or tropical fruit? It is definitely quince. It has a wonderful mahogany color in the spoon that is more like a rich oak color when dry. To the nose it has all those elements described above and not a twinge or twisty acetic hit but a sweet alluring tartness. At the point of taste (and anticipation), this unique and very wonderful sweet fruitiness starts and rolls around as you press your tongue up to the roof of your mouth where there is a tartness that explodes as it marries with the flavor of the fruitiness. This is the essence of the quince. The tongue speaks on its own about the tickles of tartness interspersed with sweetness of sweet. From savory foods to sweet with drinks in between, this syrup is crazy versatile. Ready to go and even marry with soft or hard cheese, a good pork chop, or in a unique martini, shaken or stirred. This very special, unusual, unique, Cold Pressed Quince Syrup is absolutely wonderful. Truly culinary happiness. Shop Now for Pejer e Sandri Estate Cold Pressed Quince Syrup! |
Membrillo (Quince Paste) from Corazon se Sol Membrillo is a paste made from fresh quince. When raw, the beautiful, yellow-gold fruit has a pleasant aroma with notes of pineapple, but is hard and too astringent to eat. But when quince is cooked with sugar, it turns rosy pink and delicious, with a rich, apple-pear-like flavor and texture and soft floral overtones. Membrillo is a preserved version of cooked quince, and ours is made from organic fruit grown in southern Spain. It contains just the quince, raw cane sugar and lemon juice. Membrillo is true perfection when sliced and served with Manchego cheese, a gloriously simple Spanish end to a meal. It can also be the prelude to a meal - it's hard to beat an afternoon plate of membrillo, sliced apples and good cheese, accompanied by a glass of wine. It's a great way to add an undertone of flavor to apple or pear tarts, and it's wonderful on morning toast. For a savory option, make a sweet-and-sour Membrillo Sauce that's delicious on ham, baked fish or roast meat. Our membrillo comes to us from Cal Valls, a family owned and operated company in the town of Vilanova De Bellpuig in the Lleida province of Catalonia. Its proprietor, Manolo Valls, is a leader in the organic food movement in Spain. Shop here for Quince Paste! |
Sciroppo di Noci Verdi Italian Green Walnut Syrup This green walnut syrup is young by food standards. Just ten years old, its inspiration is Nocino. Nocino is a liqueur of Emilia-Romagna. Nocino in the Roman times was made from green walnuts placed in alcohol and aged in barrels of wood. A simple syrup is added, as well. There is also recorded history showing that when drunken you could talk to elves, goblins and goddesses. I did not, unfortunately, when tasting this green walnut syrup, have any conversations with aforementioned. Perhaps the missing alcohol is the reason.... I did, however, have a blissful moment when I first plunged my tongue into a spoonful of Sciroppo di Noci Verdi! This thick, syrupy elixir is like the very best Vermont Grade A Dark Amber Maple syrup. It is a wow moment! To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what the taste would be like, and was a little trepidatious to what was to flow from the mouth of the bottle to mine. Instead, the reward is a hard to describe flavor, rich in depth, and a green, fresh feel. A green walnut, a wet walnut, is a regular walnut that is picked before the outer shell starts to form. This green walnut has a hint of spiciness and sourness. There is a sweet hit with a round flavor of walnut(?) and a finish at the tip of vanilla. The ingredients are sugar, green walnuts (28%), citric acid, vanilla. This is one wonderful syrup. Use like you would a real maple syrup from Vermont in the morning. Try it on vanilla ice cream, rice pudding, or drizzled over a Napoleon. Think of using it in a salad dressing or drizzle into a one vegetable soup. Drizzle like you would a royal vinegar. A soft cheese would be a perfect pair. Versatile sweetness and personality is what is in this bottle. When I started I thought "interesting", after ten spoonfuls I am not sure I can go on without it. Limited supply. Shop now for Italian Green Walnut Syrup! |
Rye Biscuits from Effie's Homemade When you think of rye, you think of savory and you think of sandwiches. Pastrami on Rye, corned beef, or a fabulous Reuben. That's what you think of when you hear rye. So, when you first open Effie's Rye Biscuits you get the rye taste right away on the back edge of your tongue. And with the first bite there is a sweetness that comes out, and you crave for more! Not immediately savory, the fabulous familiar crunch (that all Effie's have) brings on the thoughts of what to pair it with. As you bite into your third "cake" you read the package in search of the "secret" that makes it so good! Joan and Irene (owners of Effie's) recommend a good sharp cheddar, by the way. Shop now for Effie's Homemade Rye Biscuits |
Summer to Winter Parmigiano-Reggiano! We are done with summer and moving on to winter, of seasonal cheese that is. Parmigiano-Reggiano has 4 seasons and flavors. Each season is based on what the cows eat. The romanticized version of this story is when the cows get out of the barn after a snowy winter they graze on the spring flowers in the mountain fields. In the summer, they eat the wonderful grasses. In the fall, it is a combination of grass and hay. In the winter, it is hay of those same summer fields. Of course, the cows can eat more than this. For instance, a cow needs 60 pounds of dry feed to produce 100 pounds of milk and they typically forage about 38 pounds of dry. How do they all taste? Well, different. Is it night and day? Steak or Tofu? No, not at all. Side by side, can you tell the difference? Yes, we think so. It is subtle? Yes. Is it pronounced flavor? Maybe. It is pronounced in how it is in the mouth? Yes. If you can tell the difference by your taste buds you can tell when you eat it. Not all Parmigiano-Reggiano is produced the same. Much of what we see in the grocer is a Parmigiano-Reggiano that comes from cows that have the same diet year round in an effort to produce a consistent product. The goal is to remove variables so the consumer is never disappointed. We like variables. Keep in mind age matters, too. 24 months is good and older, 30 to 36 months is better. What comes with age is more taste, more pockets of crystalline crunch, and more defined and confident personality. Where a wheel is not disappointing because it is different, instead it is heralded as excellent because it is different. When your Parmigiano-Reggiano is different like this, it is meant to be reveled like a hero. Slice slivers to eat alone as a snack, or make small chunks to drizzle or drip your very best balsamic vinegar on. When the Parmigiano-Reggiano is this good it makes a simple pasta, out of this world! Pulse a chunk in the food processor or use your Microplane to make a light floating snowstorm. Or make a simply divine risotto. Parmigiano-Reggiano is more. Winter Parmigiano-Reggiano is special, a favorite of at least one customer who has been waiting patiently for this season to arrive. Limited supply, order now. Shop now for the Winter seasonal Parmigiano-Reggiano! |
The Basic Risotto with Parmigiano-Reggiano from Marcella Hazan If there is only one risotto you ever make it should be this one! Risotto (riso = rice) is defined as rice cooked until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is not just any creaminess. It, when done to perfection, is like no other rice dish in any culture that we know of. It all starts with the rice itself. The rice is important because not all types of rice can create a creamy texture without being mushy. A good rice creates a delightful creamy texture with definition. There are many options and many more opinions for which rice to use. This now classic recipe is from Marcella Hazan's (The Author Who Changed the Way Americans Cook Italian Food: NY Times) cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which brings 2 of her classic cookbooks into one. If you have only one Italian Cookbook it should be this one. See the Parmigiano-Reggiano Risotto Recipe from Marcella here! |
Carnaroli Rice for your next creamy Risotto Of all the rice varieties grown in Italy, Carnaroli rice is the most difficult to grow and process. However, it has the highest amylose content – amylose is a form of starch that has a great affect on the finish of the rice when it is cooked, making it worth the effort. The relatively high amylose content of Carnaroli gives it the qualities you want - it absorbs a lot of liquid - the Veneria Carnaroli averages 24.1% of the total weight. Unlike Arborio and its daughter Baldo, Carnaroli rice has a relatively significant window between cooked and overcooked. This makes a creamy, flowing risotto, not a sticky one. Carnaroli rice is classified as a superfino, not because of its nutritional composition or cooking qualities, but because of its dimensions – Italian rice classification is determined by the ratio of length to width with a high ratio of length to width resulting in a classification of “superfino”. It is therefore ideal for the preparation of risottos, in which the rice needs to be fluffy, as well as rice salads and all fine cuisine dishes, thanks also to the pleasing aspect of the grains. Shop now for Carnaroli Rice! |
Essential Stocks from More than Gourmet Great stock is wonderful to make. The best thing about making your own is the process. Finding the base of bones or vegetables and then heating them at low temps for a long time. When you want to make risotto tonight with a good meat or chicken stock you might not have a stock on hand ready to go. This is where More Than Gourmet comes out for the impromptu dinner. Having the small containers on hand for those dish inspirations or have the bigger ones in the fridge ready for a quick anytime. All the stocks keep for a super long time in the fridge! Try some with your next risotto! Shop Now for Essential Stocks! |
The basic easy Red Pasta Sauce This is a family recipe that we have made over and over. It's meant to be fun and easy to make. Time and practice has allowed the formula to evolve into a not so classic, Italian tomato-based sauce. Anyone can make this with great success. Be sure to make enough and plan on at least 3 hours of simmering. Even better, simmer all day or even keep on the stove for 2 days to be just right to allow the flavors to meld and thicken. This is a "sharing" recipe, meaning great to make enough to share with everyone. Or, eat all week with different shapes of pasta, over rice (jasmine or brown rice), or just plain, like a thick soup or stew topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano. And remember, modify this recipe as you want. Don't like mushrooms, cut them down or don't include them at all! Add more or less, it all works out and make it "yours". Click here to see a Basic place to start Easy Pasta Sauce! |
Organic Garlic Granulated Sure, a real fresh garlic head broken off into cloves and diced, smashed or chopped is wonderful. And in certain situations nothing beats fresh. For all those other times, garlic powder works great. Not all garlic powder is equal. Some are great and some, not so much. This garlic powder is not really a powder, it is granulated garlic. Little tiny pieces. They don't dissolve on contact and they need to cook or get moisture to release their inner beauty...the beauty of these morsels of garlic really shine when you fry them in a little oil. Or top a steak or simply add them to a tomato based pasta sauce. I have come to rely on these little guys to brighten up a dish or two. Bring flavor, bring garlic, brighten up. Shop now for Organic Granulated Garlic! |
Hot Controne Pepper Flakes These hot peppers are air dried and hand ground to create a nice pepper grind. Bigger than the powders you often see, this gives the punch you are looking for. Shop Now for Hot Controne Pepper Flakes! |
Black Tellicherry Peppercorns! These Tellicherry peppercorns are one of the few ingredients I have no satisfactory replacement for. When I run out, which seems to happen always, no matter how hard I plan for that not to happen, it does when a recipe specifically calls for it! Peppercorns like these are a great substitute for salt when you must have a low salt diet. And they open the nose and the palate to flavor! 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! |
|
Farfalle with Broccoli and Anchovy Recipe Super tasty and easy. Get everything ready and it all comes together quickly! See the Farfalle with Broccoli and Anchovy Recipe! |
Farfalle Bowtie Pasta from Sgambaro Farfalle is a shape that goes back to the 1500's coming from the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardi regions. Also known as the butterfly pasta in Italy, its rectangular is shape cut from a wide flat noodle, often with an edge that looks like it was cut with pinking shears to give it a ruffled look. And then it is pinched across the middle to give the distinctive "bow" tie look. This shape has a wonderful "bite" and for many, a wonderful childhood memory. Made with locally grown, certified Italian Grown Durum wheat. Shop now for Sgambaro Farfalle Bowtie Pasta! |
Salt-Packed Anchovies from Scalia Once you learn to love them and realize they are a natural flavor enhancer, not just a salty fish, you can never have enough. Thankfully, they are available in this very cool reusable container with a lid. Keep covered with salt to preserve almost forever. This large resealable container is full of excellent, salted whole anchovies, acciughe salate. For true aficionados, it's a real bargain. Italians use these little, aromatic, preserved fish in almost any conceivable dish from one end of the peninsula to the other. Try these delicious, meatier morsels in your favorite Mediterranean dishes, from appetizers to pasta to dips and spreads. In our opinion, Scalia produces the next best thing to fresh anchovies with salt: anchovies cleaned by hand and packed right away in salt and salt alone, as soon as possible after they are caught. Salted anchovies are a bit more work, but worth it! The backbone and tail only take a few seconds to remove. Then, soak the fish in cold water for about 15 minutes (or if you're in a hurry, just rinsed) to yield up their heavenly flavor. We actually find them less salty, once rinsed, than oil-packed anchovies. Once the container is opened, keep the remainder in the original airtight container (also glass is good) covered with all of the salt and brine. This little fish is a small, warm water relative of the herring, a Northern European staple. And just as the people of the north salted their herring to preserve them, the anchovy has long been salted by fishermen and packers in the Mediterranean, where it is a staple. Anchovies are packed in one of two ways, brined fillets that are packed in olive oil (that is, the good ones are packed in olive oil!) either in jars or cans, and whole salted fish packed in salt, usually in large cans. Of the two, salt-packed anchovies are often preferred for their meatier flavor. What is most important about these little Sicilian blue fish is that they are only taken during the proper season - otherwise they will have a mushy texture when they are preserved - and cleaned and salted as soon as possible after they are caught. Because of Scalia's attention to detail it is possible to discover the flavor and texture of the ancient Mediterranean. From one end of the peninsula to the other, Italians use these little, aromatic, preserved fish in almost any conceivable dish. While in the south, they seem to show up with practically the same frequency they use olive oil, they are also a common addition to numerous sauces, salads, and other dishes in the north. Shop now for Salt-Packed Scalia Anchovies! |
Colomba The Panettone Easter Cake Sometimes, no matter the season or the reason, it's good to have a dove-shaped bread to share with those closest to you. Just like the ever-loved Christmas Panettone, except they are shaped like a dove to represent a symbol of innocence, gentleness, and affection. On the inside, the Colomba Easter cake is the same cake as the panettone; the luscious bread made with lots of butter, eggs, sugar, some flour, and a 60 plus year old starter yeast. On the outside, they all have sweet, sugar glazes giving them added sweetness and moisture. It will have been about 90 days since we last sank our teeth into a lemon panettone. And, it will be another 240 days until we can have another. Though there is a rumor that Panettone will be available year round some day, that day has not arrived. So, we look forward to an Italian Easter cake shaped like a dove. For some reason I feel like eating the whole thing in one day...well, maybe a wing. Just a little bit shorter or less lofty makes it a tiny bit denser and, some say, better than panettone! Let's face it, a cake that takes days to rise and then hangs upside down to cool—it's gotta be good! Extremely limited supply. Shop now for Colomba Easter Cakes |
Sorrento Lemon from Albertengo Colomba This package hand-wrapped in the traditional Easter wrapping, is one of the most delicious colombas you will find. Doesn't Get Any Better than Colomba!! "This is a fabulous panettone and do not pass up the opportunity to purchase this." -- chris Shop now for Albertengo Colomba Sorrento Lemon! |
ChefShop Cocoa Powder! It is great to have cocoa powder around and on hand. More versatile than anything when it comes to make as many chocolate included foods you can think of. Best Cocoa Powder Ever ***** "I freely admit that I'm hooked. The Chef Shop 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 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 BACK TO NORMAL: Monday thru Saturday: 10 to 5 Closed Sunday. Please let us know if you would like a private shopping time and we will do our best to accommodate you. We now have multiple HEPA medical grade air filters running 24 hours a day now in the shop. Please keep in mind we are limiting the number of people in the shop at one time and masks are required. Please if you are feeling sick for any reason please choose a different time to visit. We may perform random temperature checks. | |
#1 Best Seller Last Week! Great tasting Chocolate Chips!! Not only do they melt like favs for incorporating into a chocolate creation, they really are the perfect "drop" or "chip" for your next cookie. Don't stop there. Not just for cookies, you can add it to the top of a cake or inside a cheesecake. Ice cream, chili, hot chocolate, banana bread, brownies, meringues or mix them into a snack mix. Organic and milk free, these chips are special. A perfect and delicious option for your next batch of Toll House cookies. Agostoni Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips have an intense fruity opening with a smooth, sweet and slightly dry finish. 45% cocoa mass. Chip count: 900/pound. Shop now for Agostoni Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips! 
Give the Gift of Love through Food
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 - Monday thru Friday 10 to 5, 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 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 |
|
Curried Carrot Soup Recipe Shauna Ahern, The Gluten-Free Girl, is an amazing person, an amazing writer, and an amazing cook. Add to that, a very talented husband chef, and you have a winning combination, and a great book. Middle-Eastern Tuna Salad with Tahini Dressing Recipe A delicious salad from the Levant adapted from a recipe found in Gourmet magazine, many, many years ago. Baked Halibut with Israeli Couscous, Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes Recipe Israeli couscous is a wonderful base for grilled or baked fish. The earthy spinach and juicy tomatoes make this dish a complete meal. The halibut may also be grilled rather than baked. |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
|
Chocolate Chips, Crumbles, Lemon Curd, Recipes Jam, Chocolate, Pickles, Relish, Recipes Mung Beans, Spices to Spice Up Your Dishes, Easy Recipes |
|
||||
| DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA |