|
Anchovies, The Bee's Knees, Linden Tree and more at chefshop.com/enews |
 |
|
||||
| Recipes | Chef's Pantries | Shop for Food & Ingredients | Food Blog |
Anchovies - umami packed punch in a little package It's what they do that matters Think anchovies...do you think of those super-salty, crinkled-up, spiny, fishy bits on pizza and in Caesar salad? Then think again! Top-quality Spanish and Italian anchovies are seawater-fresh, flavorful and never too fishy. Their firm flesh is retained because they've been preserved with great care, using age-old, proven methods. In short, they're a far cry from most anchovies available in America. We've tried anchovies from many different producers, to bring you the finest bounty from the Cantabrian Sea and beyond. There are 144 different versions swimming around in the warm ocean waters all over the globe. By the time we consume these little fish, who rarely grow larger than 4 inches, they start to blend together without distinction. But be forewarned, not all cans, jars, or other vessels contain the same finished results. Anchovies are cured (they are being transmogrified) by layering them alternately with lots of salt in barrels. This process creates a liquid called Garum, the original fermented fish sauce of the ancient worlds like Byzantium, and also creates the anchovies we know and love. After many months of curing, the little fishies are packed in salt or oil to be used in dishes around the world. These little babies explode your palate with an amino acid! This amino acid we affectionately call Glutamate is naturally found in foods like tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano and kombu. Naturally high in levels of glutamate, Inosinic acid, and guanosine monophosphate, you have what is called today, Umami. The anchovy is one of the ingredients that exemplifies and exudes umami! But caution is important; a not well-preserved anchovy can be mushy (bad sign), fleshy feeling (meaty is better), and overly salty (like a mouthful of salt). Sadly, it is an all too common occurrence with the cheap stuff and why so many of us wrinkle (squish) our nose in distaste. We have found that better is better from the taste, to how it feels, to how long it will keep in the refrigerator and can be the difference between success or not in the kitchen. Kept covered in salt, salt packed should keep a good long time! Anchovies! They are the flavor-packed punch spice! Have no fear, they aren't fishy! Shop Now for Anchovies! |
Bigoli in Salsa Pasta with Anchovies and Onions Recipe This classic recipe is simple, fast and easy. Capers and tuna are often added as well. This is a great way to use anchovies front and center. See the Bigoli in Salsa Pasta with Anchovies and Onions Recipe! |
Anchovy Fillets in EVO - aged Scalia is known for its anchovy fillets packed in extra-virgin olive oil - yes, extra-virgin! Many companies, especially those available in the grocery store, use second-press oil or less flavorful oils - like sunflower or soybean. In addition, these anchovies have been aged for at least 12 weeks, which means richer, more complex flavors. Shop now for Anchovy Fillets with Olive Oil in a Mason Jar! |
Anchovies packed in Salt from Italy 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. The way to go! "If you like anchovies and cook with them frequently, this is definitely the way to go. And Scalia does a great job -- the anchovies are very clean." -- ella Shop now for Scalia Anchovies in Salt! |
Anchovy Fillets in a little Jar packed with Chilies! These gorgeous little fishies are carefully packed into these small jars with hot little chili bits. You can see the quality inside the jar! Not a big anchovy user? This little jar is perfect for you. There is more in here than you might deduce. Remember, you only need one little one for a salad. Or when making a sauce you might only need a couple. Or this jar is perfect for a picnic if you like your anchovies on a cracker by a romantic stream in the Grand Tetons. This is the perfect jar to have on hand in your essential pantry, you never know when you will need an umami hit. Shop now for Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil with Chilies! |
Honey from the World's flowers The Bee's Knees We source and find honey from all over the world. And we are picky. We look for honeys that are not heated above the natural hive temperature. We like mono-florals for their unique flavor and texture. And we like, when we can, to work directly with the beekeepers, though this is not always possible. And of course, taste and texture are incredibly important. We have a few "wildflower" honeys. These are honeys where the bees may feast on multiple flowers to make a generic honey. Except that they are far from generic. Even the multi-floral honeys are unique and special. There is a lot of thought put into raw honey versus all other honey. Simply, raw honey is honey as it comes from the hive. Other honeys can be heated for bottling reasons, or other sugar is added, like high fructose corn syrup. Even in extreme cases "honey" is sold with no honey or bees involved at all. We have been focused on good, great tasting honeys since we started some 20 years ago and continue to learn more about honey every year! Bees are amazing! You can never have enough honey in your essential pantry! And it keeps forever, so you can pass it on to your heirs' heirs with confidence! Shop now for Honey from the World's Flowers! |
Apple tree Honey Mieli Thun Honey is a difficult food to describe. Similar to olive oil, to each palate the nuances are different. We share Mieli Thun's descriptions here: The front note in the bouquet is of apple cider, followed by grassy lymph, moss and baked pippin apples. The incredibly mild taste, which is different from the aroma, begins with floral and plant notes, followed by more well defined sensations of cardoon and boiled artichoke. Although apple trees bloom up and down the peninsula in Italy, finding an apple honey is a true rarity. This honey works well with meats and with cooked fruit or quince mustard. Consider using for brining fowl and game. It also works in cocktails with apple brandy, fermented apple cider or apple juice. This honey is perfect to dress a roast pork or a salad made of wild spring greens. Combine with horseradish, mild mustard, sesame seeds and a cream of hard boiled eggs, or as a sauce for asparagus. Shop Now for Miele Thun Apple Tree Honey! |
Linden Tree Honey from France Known as Linden or Basswood honey in the US, it is known as Lime honey in Europe. To me, "Lime" seems like a more appropriate name, given the flavor of the honey. Always one of my favorites because of the shockingly, citrusy brightness that shocks your palette at the back of the throat. Add a little zip to your English afternoon tea, or morning English muffin. A lightly colored, mostly solid honey that spreads smoothly and melts quickly. Shop now for Les Ruchers de Bourgogne Linden Tree Honey! |
|
Clam Chowder A loosely told story of clams in the U.S. Clam chowder has a history in the U.S. The original Yankees (who are Red Sox fans) of New England were industrious, revolutionary, and core to many of the recipes we consider important to our heritage. And this includes the calm clam chowder. The origins of chowder are not clear, and that’s ok. In New England, it is a staple, considered a complete meal. It is so important to a true Yankee that in Maine in 1939 there was legislation introduced to ensure that clam chowder could not have tomatoes in it. Unlike Long Islanders who think of it as a lowly soup and just an appetizer and add tomatoes. And, clam chowder has an important relationship to the Pacific Northwest. Northwest Pioneers came here to seek fortune and a new life. With them they brought recipes including clam chowder. The people of Puget Sound relied on the foods of the sea to survive the inevitable tough times. So much so that the Mayor of Tacoma, referencing the wide variety of pacific clams, said that “their stomachs rose and fell like the tides.” In 1833, a Yankee Clam Chowder recipe was published in Boston, ”The Cook’s own Book”, and it included a half pint of fat from salt pork, clams, more pork, crackers for thickening and sliced potatoes if you want. Assembled in layers and cooked after boil for 30 minutes. That is not what we have here. This is instead, a recipe from an institution here, Ray’s Boathouse. Northwest Clam Chowder is different than its east coast brethren. It took me awhile to adjust, but the clams here are better and thus the clam chowder is different and unique. No need to find salt pork to make fat. Find fresh clams if you can from your local fish monger. Ray’s Boathouse re-opened last week and if you don’t want to make your own, just go there (or any local restaurant). See Ray's Boathouse Clam Chowder Recipe here! |
Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder from the Wild Northwest Fresh supply arrived this week! These are perfection. RV camping or tent camping or fireplace camping at home. Easy to make from microwave to stove top to boiling in the pouch, it takes just a few minutes. And the result is way better than you expect. Always! This is why it is so perfect for Glamping! So, when Ian from Lummi Island Tuna, mentioned the Northwest Wild Smoked Salmon Chowder, we were a bit trepidatious. We were cautiously optimistic that it might be at least interesting. The pouches arrived to test with a shipment of Lummi Island Tuna and though I was ready to test right away, there was a lag because of all the new ingredients we were testing and the influx of bean orders we were getting. When I did finally find the time, this is what I found out. It takes almost no time at all to make, so finding time wasn’t necessary. You can microwave for 2 minutes or boil for 4 minutes, open into a bowl and eat. That’s it. I chose boiling, not only because I wanted to see how the pouch withstood the process, but also because my very small microwave is too short to allow the pouch to stand up. I cut the top off with one of my cool kitchen shears (I am currently obsessed with finding scissors of all kinds to use in the kitchen). Though really any scissors will do, and poured the contents into one of my favorite bowls, and voila, lunch (at least on that day). How good is it? Pretty gosh darn good! I was going to share with my son, who is home of course, and I did quietly yell for him to come and try, but he couldn’t hear me, so I ate the whole thing and enjoyed every single bite. (This was my third lunch as I had just tested two recipes prior.) When we shoot the package and eat them he will get his chance to test, then. This is a Northwest chowder with Smoked Wild Keta Salmon in a cream base. It is indeed gluten free and thus has no mouth-feel of too much filler-thickener that you get at Fish and Chip places or from a can. Though chowder is pretty easy to make, I never make it, a good New Englander I am not. I have been thinking about making chowder like foods, yet to me, I always enjoy them more if someone else makes it. And with a long shelf life (not so long that you wonder how is that possible) and easy to make anywhere, it is the perfect companion when you just don’t want to make dinner. And for a camping trip it might just be what the doctor ordered! Nothing like a bowl of warm food to make a day a little better! Enjoy! Be safe. Shop now for Wild Northwest Salmon Chowder! |
A classic British Jam a Great Taste Award Winner Damson Jam Damascene is a drupaceous fruit and a species of the plum tree. The name Damson appears to have originated in Great Britain. Less sweet than other, more modern plums, this plum can make you pucker up. Because of this it makes a wonderful jam. This Damson Jam is one of those jams that is the jam of choice for those who like things less sweet. Now don't think of it as sour, because it isn't. What it does do is keep its personality (astringent), even though it is sweetened with sugar. Classically made, this Damson Jam keeps its fruit stones in the process (the pits are not removed) and are crushed in the jam making. This process adds depth to the flavor of the preserve. Watch for the bits in this truly authentic extra jam. Think of breakfast on toast or with your afternoon tea and scones! Delicious and full of flavor! Shop now for Hawkshead Damson Extra Jam! |
|
Pork Chops with Ginger Apple Sauce Recipe This recipe and the cookbook all stem from the original VISA commercials where American Express Cards are not welcome. That is why I went to Fog City Diner in the first place (and because of the cookbook) and I was rewarded with some really gosh darn good food. I haven't been there in years, I think it has changed, though I still cook out of the cookbook and always with success. See the Pork Chops and Ginger Apple Sauce recipe here! |
Corn Cookies Foglie di Mais You'll go crackers for these! They're light, delicate, crunchy and are a delight to eat. What do these cookies have in common with potato chips, Fritos, a good riddle and air? You can't just eat one, good with wine, "how did they do it" and they're as light as air. With a hint of vanilla, these cookies are a perfect crunch that is way better than an Oreo, made with wheat flour and corn. The result is a lightweight snacking cookie that compliments the usual suspects like Moscato d'Asti. It is not too sweet, so you can pair it with something like Crema di Pistachio. Dip in your tea, too. Just remember they also do well alone. A package contains at least 20 cookies. Good for an evening of wine if you can control yourself! They're great tasting to everyone! Amazing! Crunch away! Shop now for Primo Pan Corn Cookies! |
The flour to make amazing French pancakes! Crépes, those wonderfully thin treats, that are a challenge to do just right and outright fun to make. What makes them perfect? It is this flour from the region where they make the best! Even the label says it. Flour for "pancakes". You can watch Jacques Pepin make them here in a video. Shop now for Treblec French Buckwheat Flour! |
Abstract Science A Dark Chocolate Bar This is dark chocolate with roasted cocoa nibs. This is a blended bar, using beans from at least 10 different origins. SOMA doesn't list the origins for the cacao used, but SOMA has been doing this blend for years now. Ella says: The underlying chocolate blend is rich with flickers of citrus and fruits, chocolate banana bread, rich dried fig, and subtle walnut liqueur. The nibs are more earthly and even a bit smoky. They add both unique flavor notes, and a textural contrast to the smooth chocolate. The two complement each other, and this synergy elevates the bar and the nibs beyond their components individually; the combination creates additional flavor notes, elevating the dried fig and revealing a sweet nutty finish. Shop now for Soma Abstract Science Dark Chocolate Bar! |
Bloody Mary Ketchup! This Bloody Mary ketchup sends a wonderful tingle-twinge up the nostrils. Sweet with a hint of angry. It reminds one a little of a V8! To the eye, it is thinner than a "The best things come to those who wait" ketchup, and it pours quickly. With a nice bright red color. To the mouth, the lips taste nothing, the tongue tingles and the back of the throat coughs! All the flavors are mixed together and come out in a racy way. In the end your lips tingle, the edges of your tongue do, too, and if you have enough spoonfulls your body starts to get hot! It is delicious fun, just right for the next dog in your life. Be sure to check out the Ketchup "pantry" as every ketchup we have is different! Shop now for Bloody Mary Ketchup! |
Mandarino from Flamigni Colomba Not an Easter Colomba Cake. This little loaf cake is a treat! No-nonsense slices and you get joy with every bite. We brought it in as a novelty and found out how good it is and so did the shop customers! Gone in an instant the past two holidays, we brought in enough to last (we hope)! Like a mini-panettone, this cake is made with the same "bread base" as Flamigni's panettone and colomba, it's just smaller. This one is studded with candied Ciaculli Manadarines and glazed with hail sugar. It's Panettone for one! (Or two...depending on how much you eat....) Shop now for Flamigni Mandarino Cake! |
ChefShop Cocoa Powder! 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!!!" -- mae Shop now for ChefShop 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: 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 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. | |
Back-in-Stock Finally! Italian Candied Lemon Peel in cubes! This cubed & candied citron peel is ideal in many ways. The cubes are small and easy to work with. They don't clump in a way that makes them impossible to separate, like many candied fruit we have seen. Because of their small size, we don't find it to be an overwhelming cube of "chew". The light green color makes a great cookie twist and shout. Think outside of the box and you just might find them in your morning oatmeal. great for stollen " It was my first time baking stollen and the candied citron was a crucial component. The loaves turned out fabulous and I am so glad I didn't have to settle for the weird assortment of mystery citrus in the grocery store. " -- eliza Shop now for Italian Candied Citron Peel Cubes!! 
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 |
|
Dark Chocolate Dipped Pistachio & Cherry Biscotti Recipe A delicious cookie for the holidays or for every day! Or a perfect home-made holiday gift. Ham and Leek Frittata Recipe Eggs are a perfect food -- complete protein, healthy fat, so versatile. This recipe calls for leeks, but you can also use wild ramps. Ramps are foraged in many places in the northern US and Southern Canada in early spring. Jacques Pépin Crepes Confiture Recipe I always had crêpes as a child, and made them countless times for my daughter and granddaughter. There is nothing easier than making crêpes. I put a piece of butter to melt in a skillet, and by the time that butter is melted I have mixed enough milk, flour, and an egg to make half a dozen crêpes. You can serve them with jam inside or something savory, like ham or cheese. Easy and delicious. - Jacques |
| See what you missed in previous Newsletters |
|
Survival Food, Ketjap Medja, Nostrano, Grapefruit and Gin Amazing New Vinegar, Customer Faves, Choices Hot Chocolate Headlines, Flavor Packed Ingredients, Recipes and More |
|
||||
| DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA |