Crystal, Crema di Carciofi, Kitchen Imp, Reine-Claude, Garlic Selling fast and more at chefshop.com/enews
|
|
 |
EXCLUSIVE
SUBSCRIBER
5% OFF CODE |
|
|
|
It finally feels like Summer.
New foods to try
It finally feels like summer. Maybe it’s because we finally got smoke from the fires and inhaled air that is terrible, or maybe, even though the temperature is not 100, it still feels hot and sticky. Either way, it feels like summer.
I’m not really a water guy, nor am I an air conditioner person but, both have certainly been calling my name this week. The hot weather means that working at my desk in the morning is the best time. By midday my office is too hot with too many monitors putting out too much heat and the outside temps have risen making office work miserable.
That is when I look to do other things. Sometimes I will do some baking, cooking, sampling or napping.
Unfortunately, I really don’t have the luxury of napping this time of year so instead I try to watch cooking shows in the hopes if gleaning some new information, inspiration or innovation. What really happens is I end up napping while watching.
This habit of napping is acceptable as it allows me to revitalize myself and by around 10 p.m. the temperature drops and the office becomes bearable. The only issue at night is that those little flying things like to bite me, they’re kind of a bummer. I spend a lot of time clapping my hands together, not with joy but with anger.
We have been bringing in a ton of new products, if you look around the site they are the ones without pictures, and sans info...they are ingredients chefs have requested or products customers have asked us for and we go and find them.
And then there are foods that come to us, or we want because they fit into a recipe we are working on.
This week, we are sharing a few of our recent finds.
Click here to see everything in this week's newsletter
|
|
|
There’s a new salt on the table and it is BIG!
And we are loving it!
These giant crystals are gorgeous. No magnifying glass needed here. You can easily see the crystals with your naked eye.
Now, don’t be fooled by their giant size or filled with fear that the crystals will be too hard for your teeth, these babies are crunchable with your fingers, gentle on the mouth, and splendiferous to the eye!
What does all this equate to? Fun!
What fun to have just one giant crystal topping a pat of butter on a butter pat plate for a roll at your next dinner party.
What a fun surprise it would be to have some big-old salt crystals on a plate of brownies!
Or, think when someone says “Please pass the salt”...and when you pass the bowl of Mediterranean Sea Salt of Sardinia Big Crystals it is sure to start a conversation! Really, what fun!
Shop now for Anima di Sale Coarse Sea Salt from Sardninia!
|
|
|
Delizias Semi-Sundried
Sardinian Tomatoes
I had my doubts when I saw this plain jar before me. We see a lot of sun-dried tomatoes here and you know they're all quite good, mostly because sun-dried tomatoes make you happy.
Really good sun-dried tomatoes are really, really good and they are the difference between WoW and just ok. To the nose they smell good, they smell like tomatoes.
Shocking, actually, because I have had sun-dried tomatoes that don't smell like anything at all, or all you smell is bad oil.
To the eye, these sun-dried tomatoes don't look big, and are a dark red.
These Sardinian Plum tomatoes are cut in half and vary in size.
You can expect variations of flavors and different textures when it comes to sun-dried. In this case, these tomatoes are special. They have flavor beyond tomato, and they have a flavoring that is interesting and super tasty.
With an ingredient list of tomatoes, sunflower oil, vinegar and pepper it sure seems pretty simple, but when all are blended together it makes this amazing taste. It is hard to imagine how good these are. They are delicious.
It's kind of weird but you could just be eating these sun-dried tomatoes right out of the jar and feel good about life.
And that's what I'm doing right now. With every bite you feel like you're having a little bite of summer.
Sun-dried tomatoes can go in lots of different dishes. Sometimes they can be the hero and sometimes they can be the supporting cast. These sun-dried tomatoes from Sardinia can do it all. Even though they may never make it as far as your pantry cupboard, these are essential to always have on hand.
Shop now for Delizias Semi-Sundried Sardinian Tomatoes
|
|
|
Crema di Carciofi
Delizias Artichoke Creamy
This simple jar might not attract you at first with a simple hang tag that says Crema di Carciofi.
The color is off-white, a creamy color.
To the nose, it is definitely artichoke. With barely a hint of oil and nothing else.
At first it looks completely smooth, but once you mix it up inside the jar you see that it's not 100% smooth, but in fact has a little texture.
A spoonful will fill your mouth with the flavor of artichoke.
It could simply be used on any cracker available and you would be happy. On a small crispy piece of toast it would be good, too. It's like this easy way of getting artichoke into your life
I'm sure there are many classic ways to use artichoke cream, so far for me, a spoon has been sufficient. This artichoke cream is delicious.
Shop now for Delizias Artichoke Cream
|
|
|
Wonderfully Creative Spice Blends
from The Kitchen Imp
These spice creations are super creative. Mixing and blending spices you know and don't know, then bringing them together in a jar for perfect harmony.
Spices, especially ones that are inventive with roots in tradition, are hard to describe.
These mixes are quite spectacular. They have the tendency to bring out the creative side in you. Toss a little here, pinch a little there, and spoon a bunch everywhere.
Check them out and you might find something that will inspire your next dish.
Shop now for Kitchen Imp's blends of fun!
|
|
Sgambaro Spaghettini 3
Capellini-like Pasta
This super thin straight pasta is a joy to make. It is super fast to cook al dente.
We have known this shape as Capellini. Once you have this shape you find uses for it right and left.
It is delicate in the mouth and enthusiastic in giving you multiple sensory feelings as it shares the sauce with you.
Shop now for Sgambaro Spaghettini 3!
|
|
|
Parmigiano-Reggiano Spring Milk
Preorder now!
This carefully chosen selected mountain farm located in the Mountains of Apennine of Italy, creates some of the finest Parmigiano-Reggiano we have tasted.
This cheese is aged over 24 months and is a very special treat, so place your order now to reserve your wedge. We sell out of our wheels of cheese quickly.
One way in which various Parmigiano-Reggianos differ is the season during which they were started. This is a spring cheese, meaning that it was begun during the spring months. Parmigiano-Reggiano is also made at other times of year, and each of them has its merits.
Spring cheeses are often the most pungent and herbaceous due to the concentration of fresh, spring grasses and young wild herbs and garlic where the cows forage - as compared to, say, milk collected in the winter when the cows are fed a higher concentration of dry hay.
This once a year seasonal Parmigiano-Reggiano is delish!
Preorder Spring Milk Parmigiano-Reggiano Now!
|
|
|
Lemon Risotto
Recipe
This Lemon Risotto recipe was adapted from a recipe in "Taste of Italian" magazine. In this version, we are using preserved or cured lemons, instead of fresh lemons.
See Lemon Risotto Recipe Here!
|
|
|
Carnaroli Rice
perfect for 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 give 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 large window between cooked and overcooked. This helps make 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!
|
|
|
Verjus Rouge
Red Verjuice
Verjus (pronounced vair-ZHOO) is the tart, fresh juice of unripe wine grapes. It is a culinary ingredient indigenous to the world's wine producing regions that is used in sauce making, for poaching fish and meat, and to dress lettuces, vegetables and fruit.
Verjus or "verjuice" as it is sometimes called, literally means green juice because it's made from fruit that has yet to fully ripen - it's green. It is used to add acidity to foods, an important component in food and in cooking.
Napa Valley Verjus is made from white wine varieties such as Cabernet, with the wine grapes removed from the vine in midsummer, at a point in the growing cycle called veraison.
At veraison, the grapes change in color from green to black and the berries begin to soften enough to press.
As the grapes arrive at the winery, they are loaded into large pneumatic presses where the juice is gently extracted and then transferred to refrigerated stainless steel tanks. The juice is allowed to settle for a couple of days, then it is lightly filtered and packaged.
The fresh verjus is at its best right after pressing, and can be packaged immediately. The challenging part of the production is keeping the verjus from fermenting and becoming wine; crushed grapes will spontaneously ferment due to airborne yeasts.
Commercially, grape juice is usually stabilized by either adding powerful preservatives, like benzoic acid, or by traditional canning methods - the juice must be heated to a temperature high enough to kill yeast cells and bacteria.
Both of these methods adversely affect the taste of the finished product.
At Fusion Foods, their goal is to produce the most natural, fresh tasting juice by protecting its delicate aromas and flavors. To achieve this they use a technology called aseptic packaging. With this process, no strong preservatives are necessary and the fresh verjus is exposed to high temperature for only 4 seconds.
Shop now for Verjus Rouge!
|
|
|
Westmorland Chutney
from Hawkshead Relish
The daddy of all chutneys, this is a very traditional, dark fruity chutney. It goes with everything from cheese and cold meats to Shepherd’s Pie; no cheese sandwich should be allowed to go without Hawkshead Westmorland Chutney.
We think this is one fancy dancy chutney to use everyday. Deep, rich, flavorful, perfection for meats of all kinds. This is a condiment worth having, always!
Shop now for Hawkshead Relish Westmorland Chutney!
|
|
|
Connetable Sardines
in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
The sardines from Connétable, always packed in extra-virgin olive oil, are some of our all-time favorites.
Like the Brits, try serving the classic sardines on toast - any plain, toasted bread works well. Just plop a sardine on top, and use a fork to flatten it onto the toast.
Makes a great base for a light dinner - just add a salad, some grilled vegetables, or whatever you have handy. Sardines can also be a flavorful addition to salads, and the adventurous have been known to add them to omelets.
Founded in 1853 in Douarnenez, Brittany, on France's northwestern coast, Connétable is the oldest canning facility in the world. For over 150 years, Connétable has perpetuated a tradition of quality and innovation, never compromising where their products are concerned.
These sardines are processed the old-fashioned way, by hand, with local women workers skilled in picking only superior fish. Hand selection is followed by cleaning and a 24-hour draining period before filleting, until finally the fish are packed in high quality, extra-virgin olive oil.
Shop now for Connetable Sardines in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil!
|
|
|
Reine-Claude
from La Trinquelinette
What is the green gage plum? In a nutshell it is this....
Known as the Reine Claude in France (and where this jam is from), or Queen Claude (Louis the XII), the green gage is a beautiful small plum that is not readily available. If you see one try one!
Now, if you are expecting the now commercially popular hard and tart plums, this not for you. These little gems are more sweet than you would expect and juicy, too! They are not pucker plums, these are sweet plums and why this jam is so delicious!
How delicious is this Green Gage Jam? It is sooo much so. I put it in the refrigerator so that I could taste it later to jot down a few words and when I pulled the jar out and half of of the jam was missing!
Who even knew it was in there?
I thought the murky, brownish-green color would have dissuaded everyone from trying it, let alone consuming it. Clearly that didn’t stop them and once the royal “they” tried it, the consumption was swift.
To the mouth, it is a bit sticky, in a good way, and it is sweet, just not too sweet. It has a few odd bits to give you a chew, but nothing significant. This jam has a smoothness that is good.
And it has this green gage plum flavor which, if you are unfamiliar with, it might sound a little scary, but trust me, it is not.
This plum jam is like the friend that you knew growing up and now that you have aged realize they are the good stuff. Full of flavor, just not what you are expecting. Like your old friend, subtle, pronounced, opinionated, yet still sweet, and spreadable.
This jam spreads perfectly on a nice piece of toast. So good you might even forget the butter. In fact, you don’t need the butter because this jam is creamy dreamy!
And apparently good enough for everyone.
Shop now for La Trinquelinette Green Gage Plum Jam
|
|
|
Cocoa Powder
Customer favorite for over 20 years!!
Great Stuff
"Bought for truffle-making Christmas 2010. Wow, this is the best! I have always loved Valhrona, but glad I gave this a try. I planned to share/ gift give, as 500 truffles later, I've hardly used any......... Can't say enough great things about it. ...."
-- tina
Don't even think of using any other cocoa
"This cocoa is the very best ! I wouldn't use any other cocoa in anything I make or bake. Texture, taste and quality is all 5 star. People do notice the difference in everything you make with this cocoa."
-- susan
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 now have multiple HEPA medical grade air filters running 24 hours a day in the shop.
Please keep in mind we are limiting the number of people in the shop at one time and masks are required. If you are feeling sick for any reason please choose a different time to visit. We may perform random temperature checks.
|
Chesnok Red Organic Hardneck Garlic
Preorder now
Great garlic is a life-changing experience. Left whole and unpressed, the aroma is slight and flavor minimal. But chopped finely or pressed, and the flavor comes alive - adding sweetness and spice to whatever dish you're preparing. And when cooked, the garlic flavor, although often strong, can be mellowed and slightly sweet.
Chesnok Red hardneck garlic is a wonderful baking garlic originally from Shvelisi, Republic of Georgia. It holds its shape and retains its flavor after it is cooked. They are large bulbs with 9-10 easy-to-peel cloves.
Extremely limited supply.
Preorder Now! Chesnok Red Organic Hardneck Garlic
Give the Gift of Love through Food
Gift Certificates available for any amount you choose.
Choose the amount in $25 increments by changing the quantity number and we will 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.
|
|
|
DESIGN: JODI LUBY & COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK CITY, NY; EMAIL STRATEGY: CRM Group USA, SEATTLE, WA
|
|
|
