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Tuesday, October 26th, 4-7pm, Heated Big Top Tent
The Hootenanny is a fall-themed, Zingerman’s style celebration for kids. Our Big Top Tent will be toasty warm and filled with fun decorations and activity stations for you to explore. There will be Pumpkin Drawing, Kooky Cookie Decorating, a Cider Press and more! Whether you’re meeting to share costumes and a play date or just stopping by on your way home from school, we welcome you to stop by and play for a while! You’ll enjoy music and complimentary snacks as you participate at your own pace. And don’t worry about dinner that night: We’ll have a tasty hot dog dinner available for purchase for $5. Costumes are not required, but they are encouraged! Halloween Hootenanny update — $5 in advance/$8 at the door, Call 734-663-3400 to save a seat! |
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Archive for August, 2010
5th Annual Zingerman’s Halloween Hootenanny
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's DeliStichelton Tasting – The Life and Times of Stilton Blue Cheese With Special Guests: Randolph Hodgson and Raef Hodgson from Neal’s Yard Dairy and Cheesemaker, Joe Schneider – SOLD OUT!
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Thursday, October 21st, 7-9pm
Join us for a very rare and special tasting that any cheese lover will not want to miss! The only raw milk Stilton cheese (a.k.a. Stichelton) in the world has a fascinating and compelling story. This tasting will go very in-depth, following the British tradition from its origins to its bright future, through history, politics, culture, curds, blue mold and seriously great flavor! We’ll taste several different versions of Stilton cheese to illustrate a devolution back to the true original Stilton flavor that the Stichelton Dairy is bringing back. From a large scale production cheese by Tuxford and Tebbutt, to our favorite P.D.O. certified producer Colston Bassett, to Neal’s Yard Dairy’s modification on the Colston Bassett original made with tradititonal rennet, to several ages of Stichelton, you’ll be able to taste this cheese’s great flavor history repeating itself! Best of all, attendees will get to hear the story straight from the horses mouths! This tasting will be lead by Stichelton cheesemaker Joe Schneider, Stichelton and Neal’s Yard Dairy founder Randolph Hodgson and son and U.S. Export Manager Raef Hodgson. All of this, and a few prepared dishes from the Deli Kitchen featuring the cheese. Buy your seat now, this one’s sure to sell out! SOLD OUT! Would you like to be added to the Waitlist? Call us at 734-663-3400 |
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“Comte Cheese: The Flavor of Tradition” with Daphne Zepos of Essex Street Cheese
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Wednesday, October 13th, 7-9pm
Come join us in appreciating one of the world’s greatest and well-known cheeses from one of its most knowledgeable and dedicated advocates, Daphne Zepos. She’ll talk about Comte cheese’s history and the rare breed of Montbeliard cows that provide it’s rich main ingredient. She’ll outline the craft of Comte production, and the art of its maturing in the illustrious Fort St. Antoine. Daphne’s an incredible cheese educator, outlining how to taste, and how to describe what you’re tasting. This class will illustrate Comte’s incredible flavor range, versatility and the unique business structure that ensures Comte’s excellence. We’ll taste several different Comte cheeses young and exceptionally old and rare and compare the cheeses from different age range and styles. To top it off, we’ll serve you some delicious, simple Comte-focused recipes from our kitchen like Comte Cheese Puffs, Comte Tart and Comte Croque Monsieur! Don’t miss out! $30 reg. price / Save $5 by paying 2 days in advance, Call 734-663-3400 to save a seat! |
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Patric Chocolate Tasting with Alan McClure
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Thursday, September 30th, 7-9pm
Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate is one of a handful of American bean-to-bar chocolate makers changing the way we think about chocolate in this country! His small-batch chocolate bars, crafted in Columbia, MO, are big, bold and extremely complex. In addition to the Malagasy and Venezuelan chocolates we already know and love, Alan has been working hard on a couple of new things (hush hush!) His new chocolates will make their Zingerman’s debut before your very eyes this night, and you will be the first folks in the country to taste and judge his latest choco-efforts! $35 reg. price / Save $5 by paying 2 days in advance, Call 734-663-3400 to save a seat! |
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Tracklements Salmon Tasting
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Wednesday, September 29th, 7–9pm
We have been eating and loving this amazing Salmon smoked locally by our dear friend T.R. for years. Join T.R. and friends for this special evening where we will eat and learn all about the special Salmon that he smokes just for us. You will leave with some new ideas for including smoked salmon in your everyday cooking. $25 reg. price / Save $5 by paying 2 days in advance, Call 734-663-3400 to save a seat! |
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Rishi Tea Tasting
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Thursday, September 23rd, 7–9pm
We’ve been working with Rishi teas for years, and are thrilled to have one of their very own coming to visit. Join us for an evening of cupping of teas from Japan, China and Taiwan, oolongs, whites, blacks and greens alike. We’ll discover how they source their teas and what projects they’re working on- it’s likely you’ll try something you’ve never tasted before, and learn about all of the great things they’re doing as they explore the world in search of great tea. $25 reg. price / Save $5 by paying 2 days in advance, Call 734-663-3400 to save a seat! |
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More than Manchego – Spanish Cheese Tasting – SOLD OUT!
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Wednesday, September 15th, 7–9pm
Most people know Manchego and Mahon, but come to an evening where we will explore the rest of the world of Spanish cheeses that often get overlooked. Our Cheese Monger will lead you through the plethora of amazing cheeses that we currently have from this country right now. Be careful, you might just fall in love with a new Spaniard. SOLD OUT! |
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25th Annual Paella Party
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 by Zingerman's Deli|
Sunday, September 12th, 11am-3pm, Deli Patio Paella Presentation by Chef Rodger at noon Our 25th annual September celebration of the fabulous foods of Spain culminates (as it always does) with a two grill Paella throw down on Zingerman’s Patio. There will be a special presentation on Paella at noon. Chef Rodger and crew deal the goods… three kinds of traditional Paella — Chicken/Chorizo, Seafood and Vegetarian grilled over Mesquite right before your eyes. Those in the know will be lined up for the Padron Peppers! The show is free — the Paella is sold by the pound — don’t be shy. |
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August 2010
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 by Margot|
Howdy y’all!
It’s been a little over a month since the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City and I’m ready to share my experience with you! To give you a brief idea, the Food Show takes place in the monstrous Javits Convention Center (331,000 square feet of exhibition space! That’s more than five football fields combined!) which, over the course of three days, is filled with tens of thousands of people — manufacturers, retailers, distributors, importers, and more! They come to learn, to discover, to taste, to meet new friends, and catch up with the old. This was my very first food show and I didn’t know quite what to expect. In the weeks leading up to our departure, I was coached by a number of Zingernauts who were food show veterans. Primary messages that I took away were that the Italians would wear suits, leaving me feeling underdressed anytime I stepped into their pavilion, and that I needed to maintain at least a semi-consciousness of what all I was eating. All too suddenly you can find yourself consuming only olives, or only salamis, or, in my case, only chocolates. Your taste buds cry out for contrast – and you’re a mess until you can find it. In order to prevent such catastrophe, I made sure to devise an emergency exit plan which would lead me directly to my preferred antidote: the Rick’s Picks artisanal pickle table. As if delicious food wasn’t enough to get excited about, this year’s summer food show overlapped with another major international event – the World Cup! It was not difficult to guess the days’ matches based on which countries’ pavilions were ghost towns, their participants flooding the Javits’ lobby where flat screens broadcasted the tournament. Ever so often, a great roar would rumble through the halls and it was hard not to get caught up in the fever pitch. As you can see, I made it back home all in one piece and, having met so many of our current and future vendors, feeling all the more initiated as your new Chocolate Lady. While the Fancy Food Show is “For the Trade Only,” it is you, the guest, who keeps me in this “trade” at the end of the day. Your love of chocolates and confections warms my heart, so allow me to attempt to reciprocate with some of my insider notes! Thanks in advance for your interest and, as always, I love hearing from you, be it via email (mmiller Chocolate Lady |
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| Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) | |||
 You know these guys from the Mexicanos we carry: stone-ground, “hockey pucks” in four different flavors, which make a fun sweet treat or, with a bit more effort, fantastic chocolate drinks! (For a recipe, stop by their website).
The Taza Booth felt like the bar from “Cheers.” Every time I walked by, the place was absolutely hopping; you couldn’t help but run into someone you knew. The Taza Crew absolutely radiated their excitement about having just completed a renovation in their Somerville factory; their vision to begin sourcing cacao from Belize; and their two new Mexicano flavors, elected by popular vote. It is this sort of enthusiasm which I am sure has buoyed Taza in the month or so since the show; about a week after returning home, a deluge of rain flooded their new digs. Their inventory survived, but their new offices were ruined and chocolate production was halted for a week. Chocolate enthusiasts around the country have rallied behind them and they seem to be getting back on their feet. I raise my glass of Mexicano hot chocolate to them! |
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| Michel Cluizel (Damville, France) | |||
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A very excited Jacques Dahan greated us at the Cluizel booth, eager to report on some changes to the Cluizel line as well as to introduce us to a couple new products. A number of the bars will be getting a cosmetic makeover; Cluizel will be introducing thinner bars in the name of a more pleasurable tasting experience. I suppose one can’t argue with that sort of reasoning!
We tasted the new Salted Caramel Bar (think full flavored milk chocolate with toffee shavings) which elicited smiles all around. Keep your eyes peeled; this gem will appear on our shelves in early September. We were also stoked to hear that the Los Ancones bar, made from cacao sourced from a single plantation in the Dominican Republic, will soon be certified organic. I like to imagine that this was a farewell gift to Duff, Chocolate Lady Emeritus, who gushed about Los Ancones up until her last day at the Deli (coincidentally, I arrived to work the very next day to find our shelves abnormally depleted. I have a sneaking suspicion someone was stocking up.). |
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| Poco Dolce (San Francisco, CA) | |||
| Poco What? Poco Dolce – from the Italian, meaning “not too sweet!” This vendor will soon be the new kid on the block at the Deli. Hailing from San Francisco and headed up by Kathy Wiley, this little company churns out some all-natural and addictive little chocolate-coated toffee tiles. Poco Dolce was honored with a SOFI Gold at the Fancy Food Show in the Outstanding Chocolate Category and I can’t wait to place my first order with them as soon as the weather cools down a bit. I’ll be bringing in two flavors in adorable metal tins that beg to be repurposed once emptied of their treats. One of the two flavors is ‘Double Shot’ – toffee infused with housemade espresso! The other flavor? I’m keeping that a secret! | |||
| Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, IL) | |||
 The Vosges booth was an absolute tornado of activity. Fashion-forward and savvy ladies (larger than life founder Katrina Markoff included!) staffed it, dishing out recipes for chocolate paninis, preparing cut and bake cookies with a little convection oven, extolling the virtues of cold chocolate drinks, and talking up their ever-expanding product line. As mentioned, ever so briefly in last month’s Chocolate News & Notes, Vosges is introducing eight – you read that correctly – EIGHT new bars, half of which will be seasonal. In addition to the traditional ‘exotic bar’ format, some of the new bars are stuffed bars – decadent fillings enrobed in chocolate. Here’s the name of another new one to keep you salivating: Blood Orange Caramel. I’ll keep you in the know as to when these begin popping up on our shelves.
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| Chocolat Moderne (NYC) | |||
| The Fancy Food Show was actually my second time meeting Joan Coukos-Todd, the punchy lady behind New York City’s Chocolat Moderne. I first met her back in February, where she graciously welcomed my parents and me into her Chelsea workspace and I had my first taste of her Banane Flambée truffle, now in the Next Door case. Joan reported to us that her Moderne Bars (chocolate and toffee bars paired with exotic spices and flavors), which she introduced last year, have transformed her business, allowing her increased visibility as a chocolatier. I’m continually impressed by her hard work; she approaches her business with a keen and critical eye, ever re-examining and asking how she can be doing things better. Back in her company kitchen, she’s revisiting milk chocolate (oft-unfairly cast as the ugly stepsister of dark chocolate!) in a collection of sinful bonbons (I should know; I took home a box of them and had truffles for breakfast for a little over a week!). | |||
| Fran’s Chocolates (Seattle, WA) | |||
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We were excited to find the whole Bigelow Family working the booth! Fran opened her first chocolate shop twenty-five years ago and still approaches her craft with unflagging passion. Her two children, Andrina & Dylan, have joined the ranks and were eager to report that their Seattle shops (a third location opened recently!) are weathering the economic storm well. The population’s willingness to splurge on their grey and smoked salt caramels reminds me of Americans’ devotion to movie theaters throughout the Great Depression!
While stopped at the Fran’s Booth, Duff casually inquired about the fate of the famed Coconut Gold Bar. My ears perked up, as I had only heard about this product when people, responding to my admission that I have a soft spot for Almond Joys, wistfully told me how much I would have loved it. Andrina explained the perishable nature of the product and concern that retailers might not keep enough of an eye on the product, failing to pull it from shelves when necessary. Now here’s the fun news: Fran’s, recognizing Zingerman’s commitment to Great Food, is willing to sell us the Coconut Gold Bars in very limited quantities at a time. We’ll plan to sell them from our truffle case, as well as accept special orders so that you’re guaranteed one when you stop in! Please email me (mmiller |
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| Grocer’s Daughter (Empire, MI) and Mindo Chocolate Makers (Dexter, MI) | |||
| While in New York City, who better to sit down with for breakfast than some fellow Michiganders? Mimi Wheeler of Grocer’s Daughter and Barbara Wilson & Joe Meza of Mindo Chocolate Makers joined us at City Bakery to chomp on pretzel croissants and regale us with tales of truffle and chocolate production. Mimi continues to find success and support in the Traverse City area, as people increasingly embrace and celebrate local ingredients and products. She’s also recently captivated by cacao marmalade, which spurred an interesting discussion around the table. Barbara & Joe continue to work hard to upgrade their production facilities; they are on the path to replacing their Champion Juicer (yes, originally intended for things like citrus!) with a real grinder, as well as obtaining a larger volume cocoa press. They’ve also made friends with one of the master brewers at Corner Brewery in Ann Arbor who is making beer using their nibs, powder, and cacao husks. Creativity and ideas energized this breakfast and I left realizing that Mimi, Barbara, and Joe are perfect examples of serial entrepreneurs – a christening I intend in only the most admirable of tones! | |||
| Attavola (a.k.a. the source of our Italian imports!) | |||
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There’s nothing quite like kisses on the cheek from a dapperly dressed Italian fellow who then sits you down to talk about sweets! I’ll begin with some disappointing news – something I’ve been dying to get off my chest. We will not be receiving the Pistachio Butter that you may recall from the last winter holiday season. There appears to have been a bit of a lovers’ quarrel. I don’t have any details, but I thought you should know.
Enough dwelling, it’s time to accentuate the positive! You may have noticed the disappearance of the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto bars from our shelves. Fear not; these red (cinnamon) and pink (vanilla) boxes enclosing aromatic and minimally processed chocolate will be back come late October/early November. I also had the opportunity to taste a peperoncino chocolate by the same company. It sounds bizarre, but trust me when I tell you it is considered a very traditional Sicilian flavor. Depending on how tight my import purse strings are, you may see this product on our shelves.
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August already? I hope everyone has been keeping cool this summer. I’d love to pretend that my Texas blood has primed me for the heat, but in the interest of full disclosure, be it known that as soon as the mercury starts pushing 80, I begin a frantic search for a cool breeze and an icy drink. Chocolate similarly sweats (ha, ha) the heat and this summer has had its fair share of excitement; on more than one occasion, I’ve had vendors refuse to part with their chocolate until the temperatures seem less threatening. Can’t say I blame ‘em!
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Torrone (nougat) is another crown jewel of Italian confections, and D. Barbero products will grace the Deli again as well. In addition to the hard hazelnut torrone we had last season, I anticipate bringing in a beautiful pistachio torrone (See? All is not lost in the land of the pistachio.). Also coming from D. Barbero will be perhaps the most fun thing I saw at the Food Show (The Mona Lisa recreated with jelly beans excluded). I baited you last month with a photo of the product’s packaging. Here’s a little more info: it’s LIQUID TORRONE! D. Barbero more or less ground up their hazelnut torrone and jarred it. The texture is a little bit gritty, but the flavor is dreamy – honey, hazelnuts – mmm. Perhaps there’s a use for such a product in a recipe, but I imagine you’ll be able to find me eating it straight by the spoonful.
Blackcurrant Vinegar
Monday, August 9th, 2010 by Corinna
Robert Bauer and Josef Reiterer make a series of vinegars in Germany all of them from French wine made from the fruit: in this case black currants (crème de cassis). It is my all time favorite vinegar for mixing with club soda in the summer. Just a splash in soda turns the whole drink into a pink sweet summer spritzer!
Blackcurrants were banned from the United States in the early 1900s because they carried a disease that affected the pine logging industry. The federal ban was lifted in 1966, but several states still outlaw its cultivation.
The color of this almost forgotten fruit is dark and intense. The flavor of the vinegar is complex and unique – sweetness comes through as does the small bite from the acidic acid. You can use the vinegar in your soda, to deglaze a pan, on top of a chicken salad, or with fresh peaches!
