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Picked-at-their-Peak
Sweet Washington Cherries
A story...
We were blindfolded as we were driven down the road towards the orchard known as “Area 51.” We made a hard turn to the right and, clearly, we were now traveling over rough, dirt roads - as we lurched and lunged about in the bed of the pickup truck. Then, as quickly as the road had turned rough, the ride smoothed out again, and we could smell the trees and feel the air turn moist, as the sounds of the truck were muffled out and quiet settled in.
We felt the truck pull to a stop and Mark removed our blindfolds. Our eyes took in what we had already smelled. Long rows of cherry trees, in tight rows, on an undulating terrain that rose in elevation ending at a rock wall that stood high above us.
As we walked into the grove, Mark (5th generation cherry farmer) and his father, Keith, told us a little about this very special place. One family has owned this orchard for as long as the trees had been standing, and it is known for producing especially large fruit.
The first thing we noticed were the trunks, massive in size compared to all the cherry trees we have seen up to this point. The low canopy of branches were covered with Rainier cherries looking exceptionally big and juicy.
Mark showed us the sizing of the cherries - already an 8 on this day. He expected them to grow at least another half a size more before they were to be picked - some time in the next 5 to 10 days. The cherries already sized “off-the-charts,” and even more impressive in a year when many cherries may come in as 11’s and 10’s! (When it comes to fresh cherries, the smaller the number the bigger the fruit!)
Historically, almost all of the fruit from this orchard goes to the highest bidder, historically to Asia and to you...
... the ambiance of how cool this experience was accurate. This was one special orchard, and we felt very lucky to get the opportunity to walk amongst the trees. Cherries like these rarely make it to (the local) market.
Shop now! Pre-order Picked-at-their-Peak Cherries!! |
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Fresh Sweetheart Cherries
Picked-at-their-Peak!
Love these cherries!
"The most amazing cherries I have ever seen. Big. Juicey. Incredible."
-- cindi
Our cherry season ends in mid to late June (these days) with these delicious Sweetheart Cherries - the last batch of cherries of the season. Your last chance to get some, before they are all gone for the year! Don't miss them!
A brilliant red, Sweethearts are a fairly new sweet cherry developed in British Columbia. A large, bright red fruit that matures five to seven days after Lapins, the Sweethearts have great flavor with a nice hint of tart on the finish to balance the sweetness. Their unique taste is a spectacular finale for the summer cherry season. The slight tartness makes them the best of the bunch for baking, as they lend that slight "sour" cherry flavor to pies, breads and may favorite recipe: cherry clafouti
Shop now for Sweetheart Cherries |
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Bloody Mary
Hawkshead Ketchup!
Tomato, Celery and Vodka. Mix your ketchup to match the name and it is awesome! This tingly, ketchupee, sauce, has a familiar taste as soon as you smell it. And the taste does, too.
Not thick like you might expect a ketchup to be, it is more saucy than that. Add it to summer dishes and marinades, this Bloody Mary will put the spark in just about anything!
I wonder if there is some hidden health benefit? What if you drank the whole jar like a V8 would you live forever? (Probably not). It has some spice and it finishes at the back of the throat with a sharp, vinegar twist. It is fun, filled with interesting notes.
Shop now for Hawkshead Bloody Mary Ketchup! |
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Whiskey Barrel Aged Shoyu
This shoyu is first brewed using traditional shoyu making methods of the Mushiro Koji process.
So Haku starts with exceptional shoyu.
Then the shoyu masters age the shoyu in Japanese Whiskey barrels made from Mizunara Hard Wood, a type of Japanese Oak.
This traditionally fermented and aged Japanese shoyu is amazing. Delivering umami and that special something, all in one bottle.
If you like quality shoyu, you will like this one hands down. The flavor is not over bearing, but delicate with a touch of sweetness, that gives it just that little bit of extra touch that is amazing. A must have, for sure!
Sensational Shoyu!!
"This shoyu is terrific - mild, sweet, and delicious. I compared this in a taste test with my old soy sauce that I had in the cupboard, and the old stuff tasted harsh and salty by comparison. I am buying this from now on! This evening, I made a shoyu and lemon balsamic salad dressing from this shoyu, and it was outstanding. Highly recommended."
-- alice
Shop now for Haku Mitzunara Whiskey Barrel Aged Shoyu! |
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Heilala Bourbon
2X Vanilla Extract
No chemicals or nasty synthetic imitations here. Only the best organic Bourbon variety of vanilla beans are used before Heilala's cold extraction and unique aging process takes place, resulting in a true vanilla aroma and the purest taste imaginable.
This versatile bourbon vanilla extract is perfect for all your baking needs or whenever a recipe calls for vanilla extract or essence. Harvested this year, this bourbon vanilla extract tastes like vanilla, smells more like a bean than alcohol and is double strength (two-times the "vanilla" flavor or less diluted than 1X), NO sugar is in 2X, and Heilala is wheat free.
This double fold Extract has 37% alcohol. Using a whey alcohol, this ethanol has no allergens, is free from dairy and wheat, and has a less offensive alcohol odor.
Amazing results !!
"I bought my mom some Heilala Vanilla to try and she LOVES it. She took some carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to a function and she had more compliments on the cream cheese frosting. "such a great flavor" was the general comment. This recipe had been made before and enjoyed but she was quite impressed with the reaction when she tried Heilala!"
-- linda
Shop now for Heilala Bourbon Vanilla Extract! |
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Pomodoraccio!
Pomodoraccio are semi-sun-dried tomatoes marinated in a mixture of sunflower oil, wine vinegar, herbs, spices and seasoning, and they are oh so soft and supple.
Handpicked and cut, each semi-sun-dried tomato is soft and juicy and packed with flavor.
These delicious semi-sun-dried tomatoes can do double duty as a topping for bruschetta and as an ingredient for a whole host of recipes instead of sun-dried or even canned tomatoes.
Amazing flavor!
"These tomatoes combine the best of intense sun-dried versions and the sweetest ripe tomatoes. I want to use them in everything!"
-- liz
Shop now for Pomodoraccio semi-sun-dried tomatoes! |
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Amazing French Walnut Oil
This oil is actually very quiet. Reserved, subtle, delicious. It’s an oil that will knock your socks off, in a very quiet way.
Inhale, and you get the wonderful walnut oil smell unlike any other oil. The multi-smells you get are the outer wafer thin “seed coat” and then the inner kernel “flavor” which then returns to the seed coat. Wow! The whiff alone is spectacular! Almost smoky to the nose, it’s not, and one of the great “feels” about lightly roasted walnut oil!
This oil to the tongue is only “oily” for a moment and then it disappears into a light vapor. The same is true when you take a swig, for a brief moment there is an “oil affect” but the effect is eye-popping, walnut filled flavored joy!
The huile de noix imparts all the walnut flavor you want and lingers longer without the dry, crumbly leftover feel of the nut itself. Made from Black Walnuts grown and harvested in the Périgord region of Southwestern France.
You will find yourself tasting and tasting, and moving your tongue around, as you squeeze every bit of nuance out of the oil that you can!
Shop now for Virgin French Walnut Oil |
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Aceto di Vino
One of the finest vinegars we have ever seen. Using local Lambrusco wine grapes, makes this is a rare vinegar indeed.
It jumps off the spoon with the punch of acid but quickly dissipates as the flavor rolls across your palate with a sweetness. I don't mean sugar sweet, but a wine like sweetness. Where some vinegars make a pronounced statement, this one comes across as refined, complex, and very friendly.
From the moment your mouth is exposed to the flavors, you find yourself trying to describe and explore the nuances that this vinegar has.
It is not for everyone. But if you know your vinegars, this is one that you should add to your cupboard. More than once I have seen a person close their eyes right after this elixir touches their palate. And it's not from a sharpness typical of some vinegars, but from bliss.
Shop now for San Giacomo Aceto di Vino! |
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Okinawa Kokuto Sugar - shinryo grade
Pure Japanese brown sugar from sugar cane!
Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost in Japan. It consists of hundreds of islands and is hundreds of miles (600) long. The islands are subtropical with hot summers and mild winters, and plenty of precipitation.
This climate is perfect for sugar cane and there on the islands, it is still grown and made into artisan sugar.
The sugar cane is harvested and then squeezed to extract the sugar water. It is then placed in kettles and boiled down. The mixture is raked to remove the impurities, and by the fourth kettle the sugar has become concentrated and is now more like candy.
Not solid or hard, it is soft and crumbly with a wonderful sweet taste.
It has a texture, like maple candy, with a flavor that hints of licorice, light muscovado, and a subtle hint of molasses. A complex, multi-faceted sugar. It is not small grains like white sugar, but is rolled out into sheets and then cut into small squares.
Okinawa Prefecture is known in Japan for having good health. And they consider their diet of seaweed, tofu, pork and the pure brown cane sugar as key ingredients to the diet and long life.
Tasty Okinawa Kokuto
"It is very hard to find the Japanese Okinawa brown sugar in the U.S. I am so happy to learn that chefshop.com has it. The Okinawa brown sugar is different from the sugar purchase in the U.S. it is the pure brown cane sugar. It is a little expensive to buy the small bag of this brown sugar but it is worth it. It is very unique taste and it is very good to put in tea or cooking. I recommend it."
-- i
Shop now for Okinawa Brown Sugar |
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Pickled Green Beans
Green Beans in a pepper infused vinegar, garlic and salt. What could be better?
They crunch when you munch. Hard to resist. You pull one out, and without a doubt, it's a treat that can't be beat!
Now we show it on a sandwich, in a salad, or on a plate as a cool side. But really, we have eaten every last one of the first sample jar just plain. IT must be good for you and healthy, too, 'cause we crave them soooo!
Though it's a silent jar, every time I open it, there magically seems to be hands reaching in to have "just one"!
Shop now for Mama Lil's Pickled Green Beans! |
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Le Puy French Lentils
"The best lentils in the world," according to Patricia Wells, Le Puy (pronounced PWEE) lentils are an attractive dark green color with blue marbling. True Le Puy lentils are grown on the mountain plateau around the French town of Le Puy en Velay in the Haute Loire region, which has a unique climate and rich volcanic soil in which the lentils thrive.
Serve these French green lentils either hot or cold, as an accompaniment to poultry, fish, meat and game, or added to soups and casseroles. They are the key accompaniment to such regional dishes as petit salé (salt pork and lentils) and jambonneau (a particular delicatessen-like ham). In France, they are often served cold in salads.
These French green lentils are the first foodstuff of their native country, other than wine or cheese, to be awarded the famous "Appellation d' Origine Contrôlée" (AOC) mark of quality and assurance of origin. Le Puy's little green and blue marbled lentils retain their shape on cooking (although not as much of their color) and have a delicious flavor.
Shop now for Green Lentils AOC Le Puy France! |
| This Week's Recipes |
Simple Ketjap Manis BBQ Sauce Recipe
Use it for everything!
Summer Sangria Recipe
An easy way to liven up a summer get together. In my youth, when I was living in Spain, Sangria was our favorite Friday afternoon, end of the week, kick your feet up event. The key to a good Sangria is to use decent wine. Seems like a waste, but it will taste so much better than if you use a cheap wine.
Fried Yellow Polenta Sticks Recipe
A great alternative to french fries - and much more beautiful (because we eat with our eyes, too!). Here we suggest dipping them into a tomato-based sauce - like a marinara sauce or a Classic Smoky Romesco Sauce - as an appetizer. But, it's just as easy to eat them "plain" as an alternative to french fries.
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