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November 07, 2019
Our Favorite Pie Making Tools |
Emile Henry Deep Dish Pie Plate A functional pie plate that is so beautiful! Stoneware bakes evenly. Generous depth. |
Oxo Good Grips Pie Server It's time to serve! A wedge-shaped server is essential for getting the slices out of the pie plate with ease. |
McFadden Handmade Rolling Pins A good, wooden rolling pin will do the job! Rolls well; handles for easy use. Hand wash and dry well after use. |
Oxo Silicone Pastry Mat This super handy mat is perfect for rolling out pie crusts. Easy clean-up! |
Norpro Adjustable Pie Shield A pie-baking essential__ something to protect the edges while the middle bakes. Now adjustable! |
Oxo Silicone Pastry Brush Brush the top pie crust with an egg wash for a beautiful, shiny crust. This brush is just the tool! |
October 26, 2019
Delicious Side Dish Prep Essentials |
All-Clad 3 Qt Stainless Saute PanIdeal for sauteing, browning, and searing- one of our most used pan over the holiday season! |
Epicurean Cutting BoardChoose a cutting board that's kind to your knives. This one is our favorite. Dishwasher safe for less cross contamination. |
Zwilling Pro 7" Chef's Knife The most valuable knife for all the chopping and slicing involved in dinner preparations. |
USA Pan Sheet Pan A sheet pan is key for roasting vegetables, also great for baking sweet treats, too! Nonstick |
Oxo Good Grips Vegetable Peeler A sharp peeler makes quick work for prepping vegetables. Keep a couple around for extra helping hands. |
Zwilling Four Star 4" Paring Knife Small pointed blade great for peeling vegetables and for all small cutting jobs!
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October 21, 2019
Tools for Making Soup |
Le Creuset 5.5 QT Round Oven Enameled cast iron is comfortable on the stove or in the oven. Naturally nonstick. Many beautiful colors. |
Breville Immersion Blender One-touch operation for continuous or pulse modes. Puree soups right in the pot. |
Rosle Ladle with Pouring Rim Serve it up in style! |
Le Creuset 8 QT Stockpot Enameled steel for durability. Heavy-bottom for even heating without scorching. Several colors. |
Staub 4 QT Round Cocotte Built to last a lifetime, these heirloom pieces are perfect for simmering hearty stews and soups. |
Rancho Gordo Beans Keep a couple of shortcuts handy in your pantry! Beans are always a pleasant addition to any soup! |
September 26, 2019
Tools for Making and Enjoying Quick Bread |
Hario Drip Pot One of the simplest and best ways of brewing an excellent cup of coffee. |
Mason Cash Mixing Bowls Classic ceramic mixing bowls make the best batters for bread, cakes, and muffins. Many sizes available.
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Paper Baking Liners Choose from a wide variety of baking liners that are not only practical for baking, but also serving. |
Oxo Nonstick Muffin Pan Great, nonstick baking pan for regularly-sized muffins. |
USA Loaf Pan A great all-purpose loaf pan that promotes even browning and allows for easy release. Super Sturdy! |
Nordic-ware Anniversary Bundt Pan Choose from one of the many bundt pan designs. A bundt pan bakes cakes nicely and is always a lovely presentation. |
September 19, 2019
One Pan Dinner Essentials |
Cuisipro TongsTurn and toss sheet pan ingredients with quality tongs |
Chic Wrap Parchment DispenseEasily dispense parchment paper and look good while doing it.
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USA PAN Sheet PanYour new secret weapon in the kitchen! USA sheet pans are made with heavy-gauge metal with a rolled rim that won't warp or bend under heat.
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Wooden WhiskA perfect tool for making marinades, sauces, and glazes - a mini whisk is so handy!
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Global 6" Chef's KnifeA kitchen workhorse! This classic knife helps you prep dinner in a flash.
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Mrs. Anderson's Half Sheet Baking MatNot just for cookies- line your sheet pan with a silicone mat when roasting your dinner, too! Super quick clean-up!
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August 22, 2019
August is all about the plentiful, local harvests that grace our kitchens. Corn, beans, summer squash, zucchini, and tomatoes -- it's an abundance of freshness unrivaled by any other time of the year. IN THIS ISSUE, we're focused on the tomato, with three featured recipes that take advantage of these garden fresh, local fruits.Try our recipes for a sweet and savory Tomato Jam, a quick Blistered Caprese Salad, and Homemade Oven "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes showcased in a rich Creamy Pasta Dish.
Tools |
Epicurean Cutting Board Wood composite boards constructed to last for all summer's slicing and dicing! Even dishwasher safe! Made in the USA. |
Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler The micro-serrated, swivel blade makes it easy to skin everything from tomato to peaches ans potatoes! |
Chef'n Looseleaf Kale and Green Stripper A simple device that really works! Trims leaves from stems quickly with herbs, kale and greens. |
Norpro Tomato and Strawberry Corer Remove the tough tomato core in a jiffy with this simple, but unique tool. The "toothy" edge grabs the tomato's skin. Very useful for seeding as well! |
Wusthof Classic Tomato knife
Especially designed for prepping tomatoes, the blade is serrated and features and forked tip for transferring slices. |
Zwilling Pro 7" Santoku Knife A fabulous all-purpose knife that slices and dices all summer produce with ease. |
August 08, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE, we acquaint you with some of our very favorite blueberry desserts. We include three treasured recipes that provide a sweet finish to any summer occasion.
Tools |
Zyliss Ice Cream Scoop Is Ice cream your favorite dessert topping? Serve it quick and easily with this scoop! Sturdy grip and easy-release scoop. |
Emile Henry Baking Dishes This quality stoneware bakes food evenly and retains its warmth at the table. Many sizes, shapes, and Colors! |
R.S.V.P Precision Pierced Berry Colander Rinse summer fruits quickly and easily with a sturdy colander that drains quickly. |
Bia 8 oz. Au Gratin Bakers Individual bakers are fun to use throughout the year, including for serving fresh summer fruit desserts. |
Fletcher's Mill French Rolling Pin Roll Pastry crusts to buttery, flaky perfection with this rolling pin. The beginning to many fine sweet endings. |
Nordic ware Nonstick Oven Liner It happens... protect your oven from spills and overflows with an easy-to-clean mat that lines the oven's bottom |
August 02, 2019
Tools |
Global 8" Chef's Knife
This longer, heavier blade is superior for slicing larger vegetables, chopping and other cutting tasks! |
Epicurean Cutting Boards
A superior cutting surface that's kind to your knives! Dishwasher safe too! |
Oxo 3 Blade Handheld Spiralizer Perfect for turning vegetables into healthy "noodles". A great way to add more vegetables to your diet! |
Wusthof Classic 3.5" Paring Knife A Sharp paring knife is indispensable when prepping vegetables and fruit. |
Oxo Chef's Mandoline Quickly slice zucchini and other fruits and vegetables into precise, thin slices. Adjustable thicknesses. |
Cuisipro 6-Sided Box Grater This versatile tool is perfect for grating zucchini and so many other things! |
April 11, 2019
Kitchen Essentials for Spring Cooking |
Chef'n Freshforce Citrus Juicer Get every last drop of your citrus with this citrus press.
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Le Creuset 5.5qt. Oven Round A great pot for roasting chicken! this durable, enameled cast iron pot promotes even braising and roasting.
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Mastrad Silicone Spatula Better than a wooden spoon! The silicone head is easy to sturdy, yet gentle on all your pans. Easy to clean; odor resistant.
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Microplane Premium Zester/Grater Cut through both hard and soft foods effortlessly, without shredding or tearing. Prefect for zesting citrus!
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Wusthof 3.5" Pairing Knife A great knife for prepping vegetables and fruits quickly and easily.
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Nordic Springform Pan This springform pan is non-stick for easy release and cleaning. The tight locking mechanism prevents messy spills.
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March 07, 2019
For Making Sauces |
Cuisipro Fine Mesh Stainer, 6.25" Strain out solids, and create super smooth sauces with a fine mesh strainer! Also works well for sifting dry ingredients.
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Mauviel Saucier, 1.7 Qt. The sides of this saucier are perfect for building sauces!
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Pacific Merchants Beech Spoon, 14" This spoon is perfect for stirring, mixing, dividing, tasting, turning, and serving foods.
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BIA Sauce Boat, 16 oz. Not just for gravy! Serve sauces in style with this ceramic piece that holds the heat nicely.
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Stainless Steel Balloon Whisk, 10" A stainless steel whisk is key when making smooth sauces.
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Victorinox Fibrox Chef's Knife, 8" The essential kitchen knife. The chef's knife is an indispensable, all-purpose kitchen knife that can be used for chopping, mincing, slicing, and dicing. |
March 07, 2019
Makes about 2-1/2 to 3 cups
Béchamel is a basic white sauce, one of the most commonly used mother sauces in the kitchen -- one that you are probably very familiar with. It is the base for many delicious daughter sauces and recipes including as a cheesy white sauce in mac-and-cheese, a rich layer in lasagna, and is often used in gratins.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, warmed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare the roux. In a saucier or saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour until the mixture is completely smooth. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes, but don't let it brown. This process removes the raw flour flavor and helps create a silky sauce.
2. Create the béchamel sauce by very slowly pouring the milk into the roux. Continue whisking the mixture until the sauce is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and continue stirring while the sauce simmers and begins to thicken. Add Kosher salt and pepper, to taste. Continue whisking over medium-low heat for another 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes very creamy. The consistency of the sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. From here, you can get creative with other flavor additions like nutmeg, cayenne, or crushed red pepper. Further, transform the sauce by adding grated cheese like Gruyère to make a Mornay sauce.
4. To avoid a skin from forming on the top of the sauce, coat the top layer of the finished sauce with a pat of butter. Simply slide the butter around on the surface, this will help keep the sauce from creating a skin. When ready to enjoy, whisk the surface butter into the sauce.
March 07, 2019
The name of velouté sauce comes from the French word for velvet - aptly named for the texture of this light but super smooth sauce. Similar to a béchamel, a velouté is a white sauce, but it uses stock to thin the roux instead of milk. Chicken stock is most commonly used but veal or fish stock may be used, as well.
This base sauce may be transformed with combinations of other ingredients like cream, Dijon mustard, white wine, capers, lemon juice, mushrooms, herbs, or shallots. For this sauce variation, we added white wine, cream, and lemon juice to transform the velouté into a tasty white wine sauce that is perfect when served over a chicken cutlet.
Basic Velouté Sauce
Makes about 1-1/2 cups
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth, warmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a saucier or saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour, and whisk together until a thick roux is formed. Heat and stir the roux until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Slowly add the warmed broth to the roux while continuously whisking. Whisk the sauce until smooth and well-combined. Bring to a low simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced by 1/3, and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
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White Wine Velouté Sauce
Makes just over 1-1/2 cups
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups Chicken Velouté sauce (above)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, bring the wine to a low simmer, and boil until it reduces by half.
2. Add the veloute sauce to the wine and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cream, stir, and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the fresh lemon juice, and season to taste with additional lemon juice; salt and pepper, as needed.
4. Serve the white wine sauce over chicken, fish, or roasted vegetables.