Monday, Nov 24 2014

Paris Grocery seattle November 20, 2014

Bonjour Mes Amis, Thanksgiving is days away! This week I’ve seen a surge in the sales of foie, goose fat, Jamon, celebration wine and all the delicious things you want to enjoy with friends & family. Thank YOU for making Paris Grocery part of your holidays. Turkey orders are arriving on Tuesday, we are open on Wednesday for last minute shopping, closed Thanksgiving & open again on Friday. And trust me, these French mashed potatoes are to die for… à la vôtre ! Catherine Reynolds SIDEDISH PURÉE ALIGOT by Mimi Thorisson author of A Kitchen in France: A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse $40 Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 kg/ 2 cups potatoes (bintje or Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into chunks 150 g/ 4 tbsp. butter, cold and hard, just taken out of the fridge 400 g/ 14 oz. Cantal 1 clove of garlic, minced 150 ml/ 2/3 cup crème fraîche 100 ml/ 1/2 cup warm milk Salt and pepper (for seasoning) Cook the chunks of potato in salted boiling water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. When properly mashed, place the potatoes in a large pan and start the heat on low, stirring for 2 minutes to ‘dry up’ the mash. Take off the heat, and add the butter one square at a time, stirring in a circular motion. Gradually add the warm milk to smooth the potatoes, continuing to stir. Place the pan back on a low heat, and add the finely sliced cheese, minced garlic, crème fraîche, salt and pepper. You should be constantly stirring in a circular motion, lifting the spoon high so you get a nice ribbon-like effect, as if you were pulling strings with your spoon. Continue this process for up to ten minutes, or until all the cheese has melted. When the cheese has melted perfectly, your aligot purée is ready! Voilà, c’est prêt! Serve immediately. LUV MACARONS $2 each This week’s flavors: Pumpkin Cheesecake Salted Caramel Pistachio Lemon Coffee Cherry Raspberry Lavender Vanilla Hazelnut Paysan Breton Au Sel du Mer Butter $7.25 If there’s any holiday that requires great butter, and a lot of it, it is Thanksgiving. From buttering rolls, adding to mashed potatoes, making pies… Paysan Breton is that classic butter from Brittany. Here’s what David Leibowitz has to say on the subject: “Unlike the rest of France, the Bretons don’t eat much cheese…in fact, there’s no local cheeses that I can think of that are produced there and I didn’t see one fromagerie in ten days. But they make up for it by offering up lots of butter, which they’re justifiably famous for. When you compliment a local pastry shop or restaurant on their cuisine, they will invariably respond proudly, “C’est la buerre de Bretagne!” But back the butter—it’s the best I’ve ever tasted. Breton butter is notable since it’s almost always flecked with large, coarse grains of salt that crunch when you bite into them. I spread some on my toast each morning before drizzling it with bitter chestnut honey. Much of the salt used is harvested on ponds and marshes in the Guérande, where the famed fleur de sel is harvested as well. And unlike the rest of the country, Bretons often butter their bread, which is never done elsewhere in France except with oysters, which are customarily served with buttered rye bread, pain de seigle. (So next time you’re in Paris and that waiter gives you a disapproving sneer when you ask for butter, tell him you’re from Brittany.) Oyster Plates $10.99 Pradel Oyster Opener $14.99 Serve oysters in style! We found these ceramic oyster plates for you & ordered up some authentic French oyster knives with a beechwood oyster holder. Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Tonic $19.99 Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Grenadine $19.99 These are some of my favorite cocktail ingredients. A darling of the press, Jack Rudy is the brain child of a Charleston restaurant manager who was making it out of his house. The tonic is good enough to drink on the rocks on its own, with ingredients like lemongrass & orange, clove, white pepper, allspice, and real cane sugar. The grenadine is flavored with Napa pomegranates, orange-flower-water & cane sugar–no corn syrup, no m’am. It almost makes me want to drink a Shirley Temple for old times sake… Louis de Grenelle Corail Rose Brut, Saumur $19.99 It was love at first sip for me. A most unusual sparkling rose, this is made with Loire Valley Cab Franc. I brought a bottle of this with me to Lisa Nakamura’s Gnocchi Bar & wowed my foodie friends. Light, delicate, delicious & elegant in both taste & packaging. Clos de la Roilette 2012, Appellation Fleurie $20.99 I love this perfect Thanksgiving wine… “There will be a day—not too far in the future, I’m betting—when we will look back and realize that we were getting a sweet, sweet deal on Cru Beaujolais back in 2012. This stuff offers some of the best value in red wine that you can find right now—it’s seriously well-made, balanced, food-friendly, delicious, and evocative of place, and it’s way underpriced. “It is the most delicious wine in the world,” says star sommelier Rajat Parr, but it often sells for under $25″ From the village of Fleurie which contains some of the best slopes in the Beaujolais Crus. The winemaker in the 1920’s was infuriated by losing status within the Moulin a Vent appellation, and created a label using his race horse Roilette. The land eventually went wild until Fernand Coutert & family bought & restored this estate. The terroir and advanced age of vines account for this wine’s premier status. Pure pomegranate juice and extreme minerality known to be Burgundy quality, at the price of a Fleurie. Dosnon & Lepage Recolte Rose Brut, Champagne $62 Seriously pretty package, seriously delicious sparkling rose. “(100% pinot noir):  Light, bright orange.  Redcurrant, orange zest, jasmine and a hint of dusty minerals on the seductively perfumed nose.  Juicy, vibrant and taut, offering powerful, spice- and mineral-accented flavors of red berries and candied orange peel.  Silky and expansive on a finish resounding with orange and mineral notes.” -93 points, International Wine Cellar Abbaye de Belloc, Aquitaine  $30.99 lb A quintessential French cheese dating back to the 17th century. Made by Benedectine monks at the abbey of Notre-Dame de Belloc from the milk of red-nosed Manech ewes. The high fat, raw milk of these sheep create a rich caramelized flavor that pairs well with light to medium-bodied reds, but loves whites & beer! I’m in love. SPECIAL GIFT-WRAPPED OFFERINGS We picked some favorite holiday wines & have them wrapped & ready to go! Camille Braun Brut Cremant d’Alsace, Alsace $24.99 A property which dates back to 1583 in the premiere region of Orschwihr. Organic & biodynamically grown Auxerrois & Pinot Blanc that is aged 3 1/2 years before disgorgement. 90 Vin Chicago(5/2014) This delicious dry bubbly is certified organic and is sourced from organically farmed Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc grapes owned by the small Alsatian grower Camille Braun. Made using the Traditional Method, the same process used in Champagne, this excellent value will surprise with it’s fine bubbles, round texture and long citrus/tree fruit finish. The wine spends 2 years on the fine lees before disgorgement. Droin Chablis 2013, Chablis $24.99 Benoit Droin is the 14th generation of his family to make wine in Chablis. The Kimmeridgian soil here is packed with fossilized oysters shells, & this is the perfect white to go with with your Thanksgiving feast: “The best Thanksgiving white? This may come as a big surprise since it is not usually thought of as a food wine for any cuisine, especially not the heavy and assorted flavors of Thanksgiving, but I am choosing chardonnay. But not just any chardonnay – your bird deserves French wine, specifically the whites of Burgundy, more specifically those from Chablis.” -Forbes “Generous yellow stone fruits and an open, inviting personality are the signatures in Droin’s Chablis. The wine comes across as quite rich and textured, with gorgeous depth and fabulous overall balance.” – Wine Advocate Chateau Louvie Grand Cru 2010, Bordeaux $30.99 Christian Veyry is a wine-grower’s son who grew up to work with the likes of Michel Rolland. His winemaking talents have brought attention to the previously ignored  commune of St Laurent-des-Combes. This is an extreme value in Right Bank Bordeaux, & with our free gift-wrapping, is sure to impress. 80% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc with plum, cassis, mocha & spice. Pair with anything Ducky: foie, confit, cassoulet.

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Monday, Nov 24 2014

Paris Grocery seattle November 13, 2014

Bonjour Les Amis, I was just speaking with my adopted family on San Juan Island, as we are finalizing our Thanksgiving menu (we’re much better off bringing ingredients from the mainland.) Can’t wait to sip some Champagne by the wood stove! We decided to mix things up a bit this year–if you feel like doing the same, you might want to read this article on French holiday meal suggestions from Patricia Wells. A Bientot, Catherine Reynolds Duck Fat Popcorn from Diane, A Broad blog This is one of the best uses for duck fat I’ve seen. So glad I found this blog! Yield: one big bowl of popcorn Ingredients 5 tablespoons duck fat, divided 7 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped finely (about 1 tablespoon leaves) 1-2 garlic cloves, smashed (1 is lovely and balanced, 2 is more heady) 1 1”x2” strip orange zest 1 tablespoon flavorless oil, such as vegetable or canola 1/3 cup popping corn Fine salt, to taste Grated orange zest, to taste, for garnish Directions In your smallest saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the duck fat with the thyme sprigs, about 2/3 of the chopped thyme leaves, the garlic, and the orange zest over very low heat. Allow to infuse for about 15 minutes. It should only sizzle the tiniest bit. Remove the pan from the heat for a few minutes if it gets too hot. In a large pot (at least 3 quarts), heat the vegetable oil and the remaining 2 tbsp of duck fat over medium heat. Once the duck fat has melted, drop in four kernels of popcorn, put the lid on, and wait for the four kernels to pop. When the kernels have popped, immediately remove the pot from the heat and add the rest of the popcorn. Wait thirty seconds, then put the pot back on the fire. The corn should start popping almost immediately. Shake the pan every few seconds to make the unpopped kernels fall to the bottom of the pot. When popping slows to about 5 seconds between pops, remove from the heat and pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Remove the thyme sprigs, garlic, and orange zest from the infused duck fat. Drizzle the infused duck fat over the popcorn, stirring between additions. Season: toss with three pinches of salt, the remaining thyme, and orange zest. Notes Adapted from Gilt Taste. I know, I know, five tablespoons of duck fat. Just do it. You’ll thank me. Also, have you ever poured real melted butter on top of popcorn only to have it completely deflate and turn into a soggy mess? It won’t happen here. It’s the water content in butter that causes popcorn deflation, so the pure duck fat will just slick the outsides of the kernels with flavor, not sink into the fluffy corn. If you have an air popper, feel free to pop the corn in there instead of on the stove. FRENCH SWEETS ARRIVE! Bovetti Chocolat Noir Fleur de Violette $9.49 Bovetti Chocolat Lait Petales de Rose $9.49 Bovetti Espelette Chili $15.99 Despite the Italian name, Bovetti’s chocolate factory is in Correze. Once we opened the boxes, Kelsey & I had a hard time deciding which of these we were going to buy for ourselves. Dark chocolate with violet, milk chocolate with rose petals, or spicy Basque Espelette flavor… Yves Thuries Chocolate Sardines $13.99 A dozen shiny milk chocolate sardines come packaged in a little red tin. C‘est trop mignon! Yves Thuries French Macarons Chocolates $15.99 Confectioner extraordinaire Yves Thuries was born in the south of France & left Tarn at age 14 to begin a culinary career. He went on the win numerous awards for both his pastries & his chocolates and went on to create the Musee des Art du Sucre et du Chocolat. These whimsical chocolate macarons come in a macaron-shaped container making them a terrific gift. Flavors include Milk Chocolate & Hazelnut Praline, Dark Chocolate & Chocolate Ganache, Dark Chocolate & Caramel Ganache, plus Milk Chocolate & Almond Praline. (Pictured here on one of our French confections tea towels.) Lars Belgian Pearl Sugar $7.99 Belgian pearl sugar is the key to making real Liege-style Belgian waffles. Waffles are traditionally sold from trucks or shop windows & the key to a real Belgian waffle is this sugar. The sugar caramelizes on the waffle iron, producing  a crunchy sticky glaze. I like one chef’s idea of adding a little saffron to the dough… Jacquard Francais Tea Towels $14.50/$16/$19.50/$22 We recently got even more patterns! Made in France since 1888, these towels are simply gorgeous. 100% combed cotton in vibrant colors–they can also double as place mats. I was at a friend’s house for dinner recently & marveled at how well the colors held up & how soft they became over the years. Mas de Boislauzon ‘La Chaussynette’ 2011, Vin de France$14.99  From 6th generation winemakers, Daniel & Christine Chaussy, at the tiny estate of Mas de Boislauzon in Chateauneuf de Pape. La Chaussynette is known as ‘the estate’s secret’ & Wine Advocate says, “superb, sells for a song.” 40-year-old organic vines of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault & Mourvedre. Soft, easy, & inky–raspberry, garrigue, fig.  Domaine la Tour Vielle Banyuls Reserva $29 Instead of finishing your holiday meal with port, treat your guests to a glass of Banyuls. Kermit Lynch calls these “the ultimate meditation wines at the end of a meal.” Banyuls is French Catalonia, & grapes are grown on steep schist terraces overlooking the sea. Constant winds make for low yields, and grapes are carried up & down the mountain in baskets. This is 35% Grenache, 35% Grenache Gris & 30% Carignan. The new wine is aged outside in glass jars & then blended with older vintages aged in barrels, making the average age 5 years for the Reserva. Spicy chocolate & raspberry notes–serve chilled–pair with chocolate desserts or blue cheese. aMaurice Cellars Artist Series The Cummings 2009, Columbia Valley $34.99 Want to drink American wine on Thanksgiving? Check out this Bordeaux-style blend from WA. The only wine from the US that we carry & that’s saying something… We can’t quit this wine, because you keep coming back for it. “Each wine in this series is named for an artist, this one for Northwest School painter William Cumming. The Bordeaux-style blend of 47 percent cabernet sauvignon, 33 percent merlot, and 20 percent cabernet franc creates a wine with earth, abundant dark raspberries, and spice. The palate is fresh and loaded with red fruit flavors with enough structure to lay down in the cellar.” -“Best Washington Wines”, Seattle Met Magazine

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Sunday, Nov 9 2014

Paris Grocery seattle November 6, 2014

Bonjour Les Amis,November is here! I’ve been cheering myself up on these gray days dreaming about our Thanksgiving feast… And starting to put together some holiday gift ideas, like a Tagine trainer , some Parisian pampering, your Escargot essentials, & a Cassoulet kit. My first customer of the day was a construction worker, dressed in hard hat & coveralls, who wanted help finding a book on making sauces & roux’s. He walked out with a copy of Julia Child’s ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ with a big smile on his face, and certainly put one on mine. I’ve even been heating up some Kusmi tea for our visitors on these blustery days. Come say hello! A Bientot, Catherine Reynolds Squid Ink Pasta from Toro Bravo The Toro Bravo Cookbook is available next door at Spanish Table, but the ingredients you need to make this are at Paris Grocery. Serves 6-8 3 Tbs + 2 tsp olive oil 1 medium onion, julienned salt & pepper 9 oz Rustichella squid ink pasta 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 heaping Tbs Mama Lils Mildly Spicy Peppers in Oil 1 cup roasted hazelnuts, lightly crushed in a mortar & pestle 4 egg yolks 1 1/2 to 2 tsp Red Boat fish sauce Put a large saute pan over high heat with 1 Tbs olive oil. Once hot, add the julienned onion & cook it to caramelize. After about 5 minutes add the salt (it will leach out the water) along with the pepper. Lower the heat to medium for 5 minutes, then to low to finish cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Set a large pot of sea-salty water (1/4 cup salt, 1 gallon water) to boil for the squid ink pasta. Cook the pasta for 10 to 12 minutes. In a large saute pan heat 2 Tbs olive oil over high heat. Cook the garlic, about 30 seconds. Add the Mama Lil’s peppers & cook for another 15 seconds. If the peppers get too hot they like to pop, so be careful.  Add the caramelized onions to this pan & then add the lightly crushed hazelnuts & remove from heat. Divide the 4 egg yolks between 2 ramekins (2 yolks in each ramekin) Stir 1 tsp of oil into each ramekin. Strain the cooked pasta & put the colander over the hot pot to allow it to continue steaming for about 1 minute. Meanwhile, return the hazelnut/chili mix back to high heat. Combine the pasta with the hazelnut saute, & add the fish sauce a little bit at a time. Using tongs, toss until all of the ingredients are well distributed. Taste & adjust fish sauce. Remove from heat. Serve the pasta divided into 2 medium serving bowls. Make a divot in the center of each bowl, slide the 2 yolks with oil into each bowl. Serve immediately and toss once at the table to incorporate the yolks. Delices du Luberon Creme d’Anchoiade $6.99 Provence’s famous anchovy paste is mixed with spices, capers, olive oil and lemon. While this can be served as a dip with crudite or spread on toast, you can use it as a pasta sauce, heat like bagna cauda, or serve with grilled lamb. But this is the idea I liked best: pump up the volume in your Caesar salad! D’Artagnan Jambon de Bayonne 4 oz $10.99 Jambon de Bayonne is named for the port city in the Southwest of France.  No preservatives, cured in the traditional style for 12 months, Jambon is sweeter than it’s Italian cousin, prosciutto. Nyons Olive Olive Oil $17.99 The Tanche olive is known as perle noir,the Black Pearl of Provence. Nyons produced the first oil in France to be awarded AOC status, in fact it is taste-tested by a committee. France harvests a minuscule amount of olives in comparison to its neighbor Spain, & these trees yield a tiny amount–one tree produces only a couple of liters due to cold winters. (Nyons is the northernmost olive producing region in the world, said one article.) Olives here are hand-harvested with ladders & baskets.This is the first cold-pressing & tastes of green apples, grass & nuts. Ultra-smooth. Smoked Steelhead Trout Roe $26.99 jar These delicious trout eggs from the Columbia River are smoked over applewood–sweet with a mild salmon-like flavor. Use these to make Westward’s delicious potato chips with creme fraiche, chives & trout caviar. And pick up some of our incredible Spanish potato chips next door… Bastide Miraflors Rouge 2012, Cotes Catalanes $13.99 This is made by one of my favorite wine-makers, Jean Marc Lafage (the same guy who makes Evodia), who crosses the border working in both Spain & France. Lafage crafts this as a custom cuvee for importer Eric Solomon and is a genius with old-vine Grenache. Delicious, ripe, smoky & a downright bargain. Seriously, buy it by the case for your vin de la maison. ” The 2012 Bastide Miraflors is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache aged in a combination of concrete tanks (for the Grenache) and demi-muids (for the Syrah). It went through a six week maceration, which no doubt explains the wine’s seriously intense fruit. Notes of violets, forest floor, black cherry jam and blackberries make an appearance in this medium-bodied, high-toned, dense, rich, complex, well-delineated red wine. ” -91 points, Wine Advocate La Baronne Coste Liste 2011, Corbieres $14.99 This is brought in by Indie Wineries from a 16th century family estate. The Baronne family’s mission: “To translate this passion and respect for the land, reflected in our organic farming methods, showcasing the terroir of this priviledged corner of Languedoc – Roussillon”. Carignan, Syrah & Mourvedre expressing wild berry, herbs & earth with smoky cedar & pink peppercorns. Try with Puy lentil & sausage soup. Domaine la Garrigue ‘Cuvee Romaine 2012, Cotes du Rhone $16.99  “Made from declassified Vacqueyras grapes and a special cuvee made for Importer Eric Solomon (with the help of superstar oenologist Philippe Cambie), the 2012 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Romaine is a blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah aged 10-12 months in concrete tank. Exuding southern Rhone flair and charm, with a street market in the south of France like perfume, it delivers notions of dried garrigue, spice, kirsch liqueur, and saddle leather to go with a medium to full-bodied, supple, rounded mouth feel that has nothing out of place, beautiful freshness, and a clean, elegant finish. My note ends with “Back up the truck”. -92 points, Rhone Report -91 points, Wine Advocate

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Sunday, Nov 9 2014

Paris Grocery seattle October 27, 2014

THANKSGIVING ALERT! Nicky Farms agreed to sell us their incredible Oregon-raised turkeys & I’m elated to offer them to the Paris Grocery family. These turkeys are in limited quantities, so the sooner I get your order the better!!! Every bird Nicky offers is gluten & hormone-free. All their air-chilled turkeys offer exceptional flavor, the organic turkeys are Auburn Heritage birds. The non-air-chilled turkeys come in a large range of sizes, at a very reasonable price, & are also hormone-free. SEE BELOW FOR ALL THE SPECIFIC DETAILS. We will receive all the turkeys on Tuesday, November 25th & will be open regular hours, again on November 26th, closed on the 27th for Thanksgiving. You can come in & get all your wine, cheese & meat shopping done at the same time. Tres convenient! In order to reserve your turkey, we’ll need your name, contact information, pick-up date & payment information. YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED UNTIL YOU PICK UP YOUR TURKEY ON NOV 25TH OR 26TH, but we do need a credit card # to reserve your bird. Please email catherine@spanishtable.com with your request, or call the Paris Grocery at 206-682-0679 & speak with either Catherine or Kelsey. We are excited to be a part of your holidays! A Bientot, Catherine Reynolds NICKY FARMS AIR-CHILLED BROAD BREASTED WHITE TURKEYS  Nicky Turkeys are air-chilled in the European way; hung over night and naturally cooled in air rather than dunked in chlorinated water. While traditional turkeys take on several pounds of water from the chilling process, our air-chilled turkeys do not. The result is a much more intense turkey flavor. They are raised antibiotic and hormone free. These turkeys are free range birds free of GMOs from an environment that promotes animal welfare. Size Range: 12-15 lbs. hens $7.99 LB OREGON ORGANIC TURKEYS  These turkeys are raised right here in the Willamette Valley under GAP 4 standards. These Organic Auburn Heritage birds are also air-chilled and are sure to sell out. Size Range: 13-16 lbs. hens $8.99 LB FREE RANGE TURKEYS Our most popular bird is a free range turkey, which is also gluten and hormone free. These birds come in a range of sizes – let us know how big you want yours! Available sizes: 10-12# – 12-14# – 14-16# – 16-18# – 18-20# – 20-22# – 22-24# – 24-26# $3.99 LB

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Sunday, Nov 9 2014

Paris Grocery seattle October 30, 2014

Bonjour Les Amis! I hope you are staying warm & dry and that your kitchen is filled with the smell of hearty autumn foods.Boeuf Bourguinon anyone? Today’s my Friday & I think when I get home tonight, I will light a fire, open a bottle of red, & put my feet to warm by the fireplace. Thanks to all of you who braved the weather & paid us a visit. A Bientot, Catherine Reynolds Tourin à l’ail/ Garlic soup from  A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorrison I’m enchanted by Mimi Thorison’s new cookbook. The author of Manger blog, Ms. Thorrison moved to the Medoc with her photographer husband, 7 children & 14 dogs (how does she have time to cook?) Tons of alluring recipes & photographs make this my new favorite cookbook to land on our shelves. Serves 4 1 whole head of garlic + 2 garlic cloves , thinly sliced 1 onion, finely diced 2 tbsp duck fat (alternatively olive oil) 1 tbsp plain flour 2 eggs (separated) A few sprigs of thyme 1 tbsp sherry vinegar  1.2 liters/ 5 cups chicken stock Sea-salt & black pepper for seasoning In a large pot, melt duck fat (or olive oil) and fry the onion for 2 minutes.  Add the peeled/ sliced head of garlic and continue frying for 2 more minutes.  The onion & garlic must not brown.  Add flour, stir and pour the chicken stock in the pot.  Bring to a soft boil, season with salt and pepper, add sprigs of thyme.  Cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. In a small frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry sliced garlic until golden and slightly crispy, about 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towel and set aside. Purée soup using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender.  Return soup to pot and switch on medium heat. Separate eggs.  Beat the egg whites in a small bowl and whisk continuously into the soup.  You should see thin strands in the soup.  Take immediately off the heat.  Whisk egg yolks with vinegar and dilute mixture into the soup, stir constantly to avoid any curdling.  Sprinkle with fried garlic and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil (optional).  Serve immediately with thinly toasted bread (I drizzle olive oil on baguette/ toast and grill for a few seconds or until golden. Chestnut Veloute from  A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorrison Serves 4 3 Tbs unsalted butter 1 white onion, thinly sliced 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced 2 lbs/900 g peeled cooked chestnuts Few sprigs fresh thyme 2 Tbs dry white wine Fine sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 6 cups vegetable stock 1/4 cup creme fraiche Few fresh chives, finely chopped In a a large pot, let 2 Tbs butter over medium heat. Cook the onion & leek until softened, about 5 minutes. Reserve 8 chestnuts & add rest to the pot, along with the thyme & wine. Season with salt & pepper & cook for 5 minutes. Pour the vegetable stock into the pot & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the reserve chestnuts. Ina small saute pan, melt the remaining 1 Tbs butter over medium heat & cook the chestnuts until slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender. Serve topped with creme fraiche, chopped chestnuts & chives. Recipe Idea: Escargot a la Bordelaise  Snails in Burgundy are cooked in a parsley butter. Snails in Bordeaux get tossed with sausage, ham, chicken stock, red wine & Piment d’Esplette.  This is the perfect autumn dish. Use a bottle of Chateau Labarthe ($8.99) to sauce your snails. Jacquin Crottin $6.50 each We’ve carried other goat crottins, but these take the cake. They remind me of cheese I bought right off a farm–pungent in the best of ways. One whiff will take you back to France. We have these maturing in a dome in our cheese case, or packed individually in our grab & go fridge. Chateau Labarthe 2012, Bordeaux $8.99 I’ll be the first to admit that this is the type of Bordeaux I’m apt to drink on the daily. Mon dieu, I love the prices on direct-imports! 50% Merlot/50% Cab Franc, this is rich & earthy, full-on peppery with some grit. Dutch Bakery Siroopwafels 100% Butter $6.49 Dutch Bakery Stroopies Margarine $3.49 STROOPIES ARE BACK! Stroopies are short for Siroopwaffles, a Dutch treat first made in Gouda. Two cinnamon waffle cookies are filled with caramel-flavored syrup. They are made to fit over your coffee or hot chocolate mug–the steam melts the  filling for a luscious treat. Heavenly! People are elated to find these elusive treats at the Paris Grocery. Biscoff Cookies $5.49 Biscoff Creamy European Cookie Spread $7.99 Like Stroopies, Biscoff is one of those European treats we get a ton of requests for, yet it’s hard to track down. The chocolate hazenut spread made out of the Speculoos cookie, similar to gingersnaps. Yes, these are spreadable cookies, akin to Nutella but better.  Check out this recipe for Biscoff & Pumpkin Pie Cookie Cups. Grimaud Farms Rendered Goose Fat $12.99 1 lb I think it’s a sure sign of the holidays & colder weather coming on–I’ve been getting requests for goose fat lately. Made by the same producers of our duck fat of choice, Grimaud Farms in the San Joaquim Valley raises their birds in humane & natural growing environments. Goose fat is relatively low in saturated fat (28% compared to butter at 50%). Keeps for weeks in the fridge, months in the freezer. I love Nigel Slater’s recipe idea for Goose-fat potatoes with garlic & rosemary. La Belle Farm Foie Gras $20.99 La Belle Farm is one of 3 producers of Foie Gras in the US, located in Sullivan County, NY. Their team studied in Europe & much attention has been paid to using natural methods & high quality feed. These foie boards contain 2 lobes. So now you have 2 foie options to choose from! Takuko White Soy Sauce $21.99 This rare Japanese ingredient is exceedingly hard to find, & since I use it, I brought it in for all of us. Clearer & thinner than traditional dark soy sauce, this adds flavor without darkening your dish which is why chefs prize it. Takashi Yagihashi uses it in his recipe for Shoyu Ramen which is one of my favorite ramens to make at home.  Korean Chile Threads $25.99 lb (ave. container costs <$2) Ever had ramen with those saffron-like threads on top? Those are Korean chile threads, & I tracked them down for you. Fruity, sweet & mildly spicy, Shilgochu 실고추  add color, texture & a decorative touch. Whose says you need only use them in ramen? _________________________ TURKEY ORDERS I just got an update on Nicky’s turkeys today’s & some sizes are getting close to selling out (especially the free range for $3.99 lb).  Once again, we will have these here for you to pick up on Tuesday, November 25th & Wednesday, November 26th. I won’t charge you until they arrive, but just require a credit card # to order one for you.NICKY FARMS AIR-CHILLED BROAD BREASTED WHITE TURKEYS  Nicky Turkeys are air-chilled in the European way; hung over night and naturally cooled in air rather than dunked in chlorinated water. While traditional turkeys take on several pounds of water from the chilling process, our air-chilled turkeys do not. The result is a much more intense turkey flavor. They are raised antibiotic and hormone free. These turkeys are free range birds free of GMOs from an environment that promotes animal welfare. Size Range: 12-15 lbs. hens $7.99 LB OREGON ORGANIC TURKEYS  These turkeys are raised right here in the Willamette Valley under GAP 4 standards. These Organic Auburn Heritage birds are also air-chilled and are sure to sell out. Size Range: 13-16 lbs. hens $8.99 LB FREE RANGE TURKEYS Our most popular bird is a free range turkey, which is also gluten and hormone free. These birds come in a range of sizes – let us know how big you want yours! Available sizes: 10-12# – 12-14# – 14-16# – 16-18# – 18-20# – 20-22# – 22-24# – 24-26# $3.99 LB _______________________ WINE BARGAINS Sharon just brought in a bunch of wines that were discounted by one of our distributors, which means extra savings for all of us… Limited quantities available. Calmel + Joseph 2011, St Chinian $13.99 (reg. $14.99) St Chinian is known for their mild winters and hot dry summers, and big reds. This is hand-picked Syrah (60%) with Grenache (30%) & a touch of Carignan. The schist soil creates deep color & fruit with racy acidity. “Smells of ripe red fruit. Bright acidity crackling over a mouthful of red berries and raspberry. Youthful tannins, sleek with a gentle grip. Super fresh. Lightest brush of herbs. Beautifully balanced, a real purity of fruit and line, and very elegant. 17/20 points.” Tamlyn Currin, Jancisrobinson.com Lucien Lardy Les Roches 2011, Fleurie $17.99 (reg. $20.99) Lucien Lardy is a natural vigneron known for his rich wines. The grantic soil produces wines with minerality & ripeness, as the grapes are kept warm by the rocks. This is 100% Gamay layered with silky minerals. Pair with Cantal & Pate Campagne with black pepper. “Ripe and structured, this has finely balanced flavors of bitter black cherries and juicy red plums. It has great depth of flavor, and its ripeness and fruitiness will develop over the next few months.” -91 points, Wine Enthusiast Chateau Moulin Delille 2009, St. Estephe $18.99 (reg.$24.99) St. Estephe is a small appellation on the West Bank of Bordeaux which means the wines are dominated by Cab. This is a big Bordeaux with plenty of texture & structure and a bargain price tag. “This is a perfect example of 2009 Bordeaux’s ability to please right off the bat (with some air), or reward the patient among us willing to give this bottling five years in the cellar.” -Ed Schwarz, 4/11

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