If you like cheese, you will love Beaufort D’Alpage.

The unpastured-ized cows that are responsible for this cheese gaze at the French Alps…. while grazing freely (not in a specific pasture), choosing to eat what they want of the grasses and flowers of the high pasture. These Tarentaise cattle (a domesticated cow that adapted to high altitude hiking in steep and treacherous hoofing and have not co-mingled with other cows) are from the Haute-Savoie and are known to make some of the best milk on the planet for cheese.

The French département of Savoie and Haute-Savoie in the Beaufortain region of the French Alps comes this very special Beaufort Cheese.

The creation of the cheese can be traced back to the Roman era when Alpine communities began developing techniques for cheese-making in the mountainous terrain.

During the Middle Ages, monasteries played a significant role in the production and preservation of cheese. The monks in the Alpine regions developed and refined the traditional methods of making Beaufort.

In the 18th century, regulations were established to control the quality and characteristics of this cheese by standardizing the production process.

These regulations helped standardize the production process and ensure the authenticity of Beaufort cheese.

In 1968, Beaufort received the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in France. This designation signifies that the cheese is produced in a specific geographical area and follows strict production guidelines.

Beaufort's AOC status ensures its authenticity and protects the traditional methods of its production.

There are two main variations of Beaufort: Beaufort d'Été (Summer Beaufort) and Beaufort d'Hiver (Winter Beaufort). The seasonal variation in milk composition influences the flavor and characteristics of the cheese.

Beaufort D’Alpage is made in wheels that first remind you of Parmigiano-Reggiano and can often weigh over 100 pounds.

This Beaufort D’Alpage is made by Brand Coopérative Laitière de Haute Tarentaise is a coopérative located in Bourg St Maurice in close proximity to the famous French Alps Ski Resorts. It is these ski slopes in the winter that turn into the alpine meadows full of roughages in the Spring, Summer and early Fall.

This semi-hard cow’s milk cheese goes thru a creation process of curdling, scaling, brewing, molding, pressing, and hand work of salt rubbing in the morning and massaging in the afternoon. This process lasts up to two months. Then smear-ripened to create the strong flavor and pale yellow rind.

Aged over 14 months which brings a more mature flavor of nuttiness, floral, beef broth notes, with herbal and a hint of hay.

This AOC Beaufort D’Alpage is the best of the best, as summer alpine is the most cherished of all the Beaufort. This cheese, melts easily and is known for making the best fondue or a grilled cheese sandwich. Or you can cube it up, poke it with a toothpick and drink some fruity wine!

Click Here To See Beaufort Cheese - Alpine Summer!

This cheese is ultimate fondue cheese. Often it is paired with other cheeses like 200 g of Comté.

The key is you are melting the cheese and to do it very slowly. Beaufort will separate if heated to quickly.

This might be a great year to have a fondue party!

See the Fondue de Beaufort Recipe - de la maison here!

It is made solely with cocoa, refined cane sugar and natural Bourbon vanilla - it contains no dairy additives and is not Dutch processed. It is recommended to prepare it by just adding hot milk, but it is suitable for soy milk or water.

Flavor Notes: This is an all-around excellent hot chocolate. It is not our darkest hot chocolate - try the Swiss Grand Cru Dark for a darker, more chocolatey choice.

Splendid to sip . . .. truly a chocolate lover's delight!

Shop now for L Ancienne Drinking Chocolate - Andrésy Instants Chocolate in Powder here!

Sorghum is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, first grown in northeastern Africa more than 5,000 years ago. From there, it spread across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, valued for its resilience in hot, dry climates and its versatility in the kitchen.

Globally, sorghum has been used as a grain, ground into flour, fermented into beverages, and cooked whole. Its long history as a dependable food source is part of what gives it lasting relevance today.

Sweet sorghum came to the United States in the 17th century, brought by enslaved Africans who carried with them deep agricultural knowledge. In American soil, sweet sorghum thrived and offered something especially important to rural households: a locally produced sweetener.

During the 19th century, sorghum syrup gained wider attention when abolitionists encouraged its use as an alternative to cane sugar, which was closely tied to enslaved labor. This helped establish sorghum syrup as both a practical and principled choice for many families.

Over time, sorghum syrup became a defining ingredient of Southern cooking. Made by pressing the juice from sweet sorghum cane and slowly boiling it down, the syrup shares some similarities with molasses but has a flavor all its own—earthy, lightly sweet, and slightly bitter. It has traditionally been used to sweeten biscuits, cornbread, pancakes, and baked goods, as well as stirred into sauces and glazes where a deeper, more complex sweetness is desired.

Today, sorghum syrup remains a distinctly American product with strong regional roots. While the United States is one of the world’s largest producers of sorghum as a crop, syrup production is usually small-scale and local.

It is most commonly found in the South—in states like Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee—sold through farmers’ markets, specialty shops, and local producers. Less common than maple syrup or molasses, sorghum syrup continues to be valued by cooks who appreciate its history, craftsmanship, and uniquely Southern flavor.

Shop now for Mazelin Family Sorghum Syrup!

Wild Burgundy Snails are a timeless French delicacy. The finest purveyor in Paris, La Maison de lâ Escargot, has been satisfying the most discriminating palates in France since 1894.

Whether in three-star Michelin-starred restaurants like Paris’ Taillevent, Chez Lasserre, or Alain Ducasse’s Grande Cascade, Helix Pomatia Linne snails have graced the finest tables in France.

Similarly, consumers who frequent La Maison de lâ Escargot’s shop in the 15th or the fashionable right-bank shops of Galeries Lafayette Gourmet serve only the best in their homes.

The formula is quite simple, frankly. As with all gastronomic delicacies, French Escargots exhibit varying levels of quality. La Maison’s snails have maintained an unwavering reputation for incomparable products amid the demands of the culinary capital of the world, because they start with purely wild Burgundy snails - Helix Pomatia Linne - delivered live.

These savory delights from Potironne Company are then hand-sorted by size, washed, and cooked in an aromatic bouillon according to the same ancestral standards used in 1894.

Shop now for Henri Maire Escargot - Wild Burgundy Snails!

How do you serve l'escargots without the shell?

Well, you certainly can use mushroom caps, and they can be delicious that way. But if you want to stick to tradition, it's snail shells and herbed garlic butter all the way. We've got 12 reusable snail shells for cooking here, and that's the perfect number for 2.

Shop now for Escargot Shells!

In February, the ripe peppercorns are harvested by hand.

They are then cleaned and sun-dried for 2 to 3 days.

Black compact peppercorn develops both a strong and delicate aroma.

The peppercorns taste is intense with hints of eucalyptus and mint.

Freshly grind on top of grilled meats or salads.

Shop now for Le Plantation Poivre de Kampot IGP Noir Cold Smoked Black Peppercorns here!

Extremely versatile, rice bran oil is an excellent choice for baking and for nearly any cooking method—from deep-frying and pan-frying to sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, and roasting.

Benefits of Rice Bran Oil:

High Smoke Point:

With a smoke point of approximately 485°F (252°C), rice bran oil performs well at high temperatures and is comparable to or higher than many common cooking oils, including peanut and grapeseed oil. This high smoke point helps reduce oil breakdown during cooking. Its relatively light viscosity may also result in less oil absorption in foods, which can help reduce overall fat intake. Many chefs report needing less oil compared to heavier oils.

Neutral Flavor:

Rice bran oil has a very mild, neutral taste, allowing the natural flavors of foods to shine. It blends well with other ingredients, making it ideal for salad dressings, baked goods, and delicate dishes without imparting unwanted flavor.

Excellent Shelf Life:

Rice bran oil has a longer shelf life than many other cooking oils, in part due to its naturally occurring antioxidants. These compounds help slow oxidation and maintain oil stability over time.

Non-GMO:

Rice bran oil is naturally non-GMO, unlike many commercially produced seed oils. High-quality rice bran oil is produced in several countries, including Brazil, and is widely used in Japan, where it is traditionally favored for tempura frying.

Shop now for Rice Bran Oil!

My favorite Soy Sauce right now.

To the nose, the flavor of the smell is distinctly different than the shoyu's of Japan. This soy sauce is gentler, not as round or filling in the nostril, it feels thinner or perhaps the descriptor is lighter than shoyu.

To my nose and olfactory memory when smelling the Japanese Tamari shoyu to this Soy Sauce from Taiwan, they are distinctly different!

The Amber River Soy is clear, complex, where the flavor rolls through the mouth and then rises in the back and then leaves a salty tongue. More pointy in its presentation. It lingers longer in a nice way. It, as well, when it leaves, it leaves with almost no trace. And that is nice.

Nestled in the heart of Xiluo Township, Yunlin County, Taiwan, Yu Ding Xing has been a renowned producer of traditional Taiwanese soy sauce for three generations. Founded in 1958, this family-owned brewery maintains its artisanal approach to soy sauce making.

Their commitment to traditional techniques, including long fermentation and wood-firing, creates a distinct flavor profile and preserves Taiwan's culinary heritage.

The creation of this Amber River Soy Sauce is made from black soybeans, unlike the yellow soybeans used in many other parts of Asia.

The black soybeans grown in the south of Taiwan are known for their rich black color, sweet, and nutty flavor. They have a mellower taste compared to the yellow variety, and are rich in protein content and a richer concentration of certain antioxidants and phytonutrients due to their dark outer shell, compared to other soybean varieties. This protein gives the Amber River Soy Sauce its exemplary savory feel.

Shop now for Amber River Soy Sauce!

This is one of my all time favorite oils! It is superb and easy to use anywhere! Add this oil to your “collection”.

Extra Virgin Olive oil from gravity extraction but before the olives are pressed through mats. Unfiltered with very low acidity (0.1%) - much lower than required to be called "extra virgin". Blend of fourteen varieties, principally Picuda, Picual and Hojiblanca.

Remove the oversized cork, which is quite satisfactory and easy too.

The smell is wonderful, just as you would want a newly opened bottle of olive oil to be!

The outpouring of vibrant yellow-green is delicious and enticing.

The first big slurp rushes memories of an oil we haven't had in 10 years! Light and olivey, round, buttery on top, then finishing with a pencil tip of delightful bitterness high in the cheeks. Followed by a strong tickle of sharpness that only a newly harvested oil can deliver!

Shop now for Nunez de Prado Organic Olive Oil Flower of the Oil Single Estate here!

Traditional caramel, but with a touch of chocolate liquor added. Creates this smooth,, spoon ready, delicious spread!

Shop now for Le Caramel Chocolate Cream Sauce here!

The extracted juice is not sweet; instead, it is a full, vibrant flavor of citrus juice combined with the oils from the peel, making for an amazingly thick, rich flavor of yuzu.

This 100% pure Yuzu extract is made from the Yuzu grown in the Kawakami region of Yamaguchi, Japan. Registered as a national monument in 1941, Kawakami is a native habitat of yuzu.

Unlike many juice manufacturers, which crush the citrus to extract as much as possible, Kankitsu Labo finely presses from the sides to emulate hand squeezing.

The result produces a pure extract that has elements from the whole fruit, oils from the skin to the juice inside, creating a lot of yuzu flavor.

This extract is made from whole fruit, cold-pressed yuzu.

The extracted juice is not sweet; instead, it is a full, vibrant flavor of citrus juice combined with the oils from the peel, making for an amazingly thick, rich flavor of yuzu.

This 100% pure Yuzu extract is made from the Yuzu grown in the Kawakami region of Yamaguchi, Japan. Registered as a national monument in 1941, Kawakami is a native habitat of yuzu.

Unlike many juice manufacturers, which crush the citrus to extract as much as possible, Kankitsu Labo finely presses from the sides to emulate hand squeezing.

The result produces a pure extract that has elements from the whole fruit, oils from the skin to the juice inside, creating a lot of yuzu flavor.

Shop now for Labo 100% Pure Cold Pressed Yuzu Extract!

In honor of their 30th anniversary, balsamic vinegar makers La Vecchia Dispensa created this commemorative gem; rich, thick balsamic ideal for drizzling. For this vinegar, the grape must be cooked down longer than usual and aged in small, new wood barrels, before being transferred to open barrels to finish fermentation and aging.

Shop now for La Vecchia Dispensa 30-Anniv Balsamic!

Their "Spalla" is known as 12-Year here in the USA, to give you a feel for the age of some of the balsamics used for the blend. It has a more complex palate than their 10-Year, and it isn't as dry on the finish. It has caramel notes as well as a fruity, crisp finish. The result? It is notably sweeter than the 10-year.

This is a very versatile balsamic; it will work on salads as well as for drizzling and dipping, and it is delicious on strawberries and ice cream.

In gourmet cuisine, balsamic vinegar can be used in the most widely varying ways. There are no specific dosages, but rules have built up over more than a century of use. Experience has shown that authentic balsamic should always be the last ingredient added to any dish, except for when it is used to season salads.

This is an IGP Balsamic of Modena.

Shop now for La Vecchia Dispensa Balsamic 12-yr!

Ask anybody what you use tahini for and they hem and haw and say, uh, hummus?

In half of the world the tiny sesame seed is a giant in stature. History tell us (in a cuneiform document) that 4,000 years ago the gods drank sesame wine. And Herodotus recorded that sesame was grown in the Fertile Crescent as a source of oil.

It has been the food of Kings and a medicine of purity because of its ability to make the body strong. Sesame seeds are a symbol of immortality.

The sesame seed (and thus tahini) is rich in minerals including iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Rich in Vitamin E, sesame also has lecithin (which you need to have to absorb the Vitamin E). It is also #6 on the (amount of) protein list of nuts & seeds. You can see why this little seed is amazing.

What does all this mean? Eating tahini can help with liver detoxification, better looking skin, weight loss, fight anemia, and overall help with healthy cell growth!

And it tastes really good too! We have tasted lots of tahini and they varied from "gross" to "eh" to "ok".

Then one of our local customers came in and shared their favorite Tahini, Soom's premium Tahini. And it was like the bright light that blasts you when revelation hits you on the forehead! Smooth and creamy, with the wonderful taste that you expect sesame to have.

Don't limit tahini to hummus; it makes excellent sauces and dressings!

The best Tahini is made with the best sesames. And the best sesames are Ethiopian White Humera seeds. Soom Sesame Premium Tahini uses single-sourced Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds to create their amazingly delicious Tahini.

And don't forget to try Sooms (Chocolate included) sesame spread. Two healthy ingredients come together for you to spread your wings and try on toast. (At least)

Shop now for Soom Sesame Tahini!

This paste is made with a complex blend of rose petals and spice and is featured in Ottolenghi's cookbook, SIMPLE.

Who would have thunk that adding the light flavor of Rose could make a dent in the typical in your face flavor profile of harissa! And yet it does. This is a fun and worth having harissa in your essential pantry.

Shop now for Belazu Rose Harissa!

Edmond Fallot Black Currant Mustard has a big nose and lots of texture!

Almost olivey in smell, the white wine and blackcurrants come together to produce a potent punch.

With a touch of almost bitter, the flavor keeps you “chewing” even after the black currant dijon mustard is gone.

It’s a favorite in the store these days. From the texture and taste to the reddish pink color, it is an attractive mix of all the right elements!

Shop now for Fallot Black Currant Mustard!

If there is a place to start to get to know prunes, it well be here, with these special prunes from Agen, which have the pits removed and replaced with a prune puree, or créme.

In case you think that these prunes are anything like the prunes with we grew up with, I guarantee they are not even close.

The beauty of these prunes is that just one satisfies so many different desires. When you bite through the skin, you'll reach the soft, gentle center of pruneau créme, and the deep flavor lingers long after you finish chewing.

These beauties are delicious, a joy to behold, a treat that you can share with your closest friends, and feel enlightened, like your own personal morsel of the sun.

Naturally sweet, they are perfection!!!

Shop now for Favols Pruneaux d'Agen Céme de Pruneau - Agen Prunes with Prune Cream!

This Deep Dark Dutch-processed dark unsweetened cocoa powder is in a class unto itself. We have removed less fat from our cocoa (22-24% fat content), which results in a more intense and immediate chocolate flavor.

This "service pack" of ChefShop cocoa powder is designed for commercial users like baristas, bakers, and gelato makers. It is sealed in a thick zip-lock style bag for production baking with a Plain Jane label. Like many of the foods and ingredients that go to the back of the house, the contents are more important than being pretty.

And price relative to quantity is also a crucial part of the commercial kitchen. So that is why we have chosen this cocoa, for the quality and consistency of product relative to the cost.

And that's what we have here in this bag of exceptional cocoa powder. The resealable bag keeps the cocoa powder fresh and it can last a good long time.

The new size is now available click to see.

Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder here!

Traditional Hummus Recipe



Cinnamon Butter Puffs Recipe



Crispy Fried Capers Recipe