Happy September!
I recently read a New York Times article where the author sought to curate a playlist for the summer of 2024 to “trigger memories from this summer” when she heard those songs again. “I’m engineering a mechanism to induce nostalgia in the future.” I loved that since like most things, I see the parallels to food. As we cook with the seasons, we tend to repeat recipes that found favour when we made them for our friends and family. Why do we make things only at certain times of the year? An obvious answer may be that an ingredient is at its peak at that particular time. Or is it because you’ve always made it at that time of year and doing so again invokes those happy moments? Think a favourite birthday meal or treat that you make for someone or someone makes for you. Whatever it is, perhaps you are unknowingly engineering your own nostalgia for your future and everyone else’s. With the sale of my beloved cottage this summer after 45 years, I am grateful for all of the culinary nostalgia I have engineered in my little island kitchen. I will absolutely invoke those cottage memories when those dishes are repeated.
The calendar says September but we can still eke out a few more summer meals with the bounty of treasures in our farmer’s markets. As for what’s cooking in our kitchen, we will be returning to the beloved fall classics. Think something long simmered and aromatic like beef bourguignon, cassoulet, curries and soups. We have all the classics in our pastry case as well as our little tarts – raspberry, lemon curd and our new butter tarts (all gluten free and house made as always).
We are back to class (cooking class that is) just like some of your kids! We still have a few spots left (see below) so hey newly empty nesters (and anyone else) – join us for an evening of food and fun! Call us at the store to check availability.
STORE HOURS:
Monday - CLOSED
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Don't just walk by, drop in and say Hi!
Lisa
Uxbridge Studio Tour is this Saturday and Sunday. Drop by the store and grab an individual Cheese and Charcuterie box for $10
2024 Fall Cooking Classes!
At the time of writing this newsletter there is still room in these classes:
INDIAN: Tuesday, October 22nd (7:00pm -9:30 pm)
- Fried paneer in a curried yogurt sauce
- Onion pakoras
- Chicken curry
- Spiced basmati rice
SIDE DISHES: Tuesday, November 5th (7:00pm -9:30 pm)
- Tomato basil baked orzo
- Super Creamy Cauliflower Curry
- Cheesy make-ahead polenta
- Celeriac & potato mash
HALEY BAKES THE HOLIDAYS: Sunday, November 17th (12:00pm -2:30 pm)
- Brown butter gingerbread blondies
- Christmas morning shortbread jam bars
- Oh so festive red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
- Decadent gingerbread cake with spiced whipped
cream
IN THE STORE
TEA TOWELS
…some with actual names of tea…We have several new styles which are all quite different. I love the ones with different cheeses (obviously) but there’s also some wine themed ones with the names of different grapes (one for whites and one for reds). I can see one of these with a corresponding bottle of wine as the perfect hostess or other small gift. There’s also one with tea names in case you prefer your towels to be more literal.
Diablo Spice pecans and cashews
I don’t think I can improve on the package description – “A diabolical blend of premium nuts, sweet crunch and exotic spices. Infused with seductive heat that comes out of hiding the more you indulge.” These little treasures have just the right amount of heat and sweetness to make them really addictive. Of course they are great out of hand but I’m also thinking they’d play an excellent supporting role in a late summer salad of mixed greens or spinach, fresh peaches (or nectarines) and a punchy little dressing. Yum! They come in two flavours Diablo Sabrosa and Maple Pepper Praline. Both are gluten free, cholesterol free and trans-fat free.
W&P Reusable Stretch Wrap
Say goodbye to single-use plastic wrap and foil for good. The Reusable Stretch Wrap Set includes a 7x8", 10x11", and 13x14" rectangular wrap and was featured in TIME's Best Inventions of 2023 list.
- Made from super-stretchy, ultra-thin, and durable platinum silicone that is infinitely reusable so you can wrap, stretch, and store a variety of foods
- Hand wash or dishwasher safe. Dries best on a drying rack, or simply shake dry — silicone attracts everything so store in a clean, dry area
- Small is perfect for half an onion, that leftover avocado, and every cut fruit & veggie in between. Medium is optimized for sandwiches & individual bowls, while Large is ideal for covering plates of food in the fridge & microwave
- Freezer safe, dishwasher safe, BPA free, lead free, microwave safe, and even oven safe
- Select the right size for the job! When using as a lid or cover, wrap clings best to smooth, dry surfaces. For harder foods like blocks of cheese or frozen burritos, pull the wrap taut for a secure cling
LADY JOSEPH CRACKERS & BISCUITS
Made with only a few natural ingredients, sourdough and low-temperature baking, these biscuits and crackers are made in the LaRioja province of Spain. Traditional bakery since 1926, Josephine Bernaud baked her exquisite crackers remembering her childhood in Bordeaux, while using local ingredients. The fame of her delicious recipes led her to open her Salon du The in 1926 that became a meeting place where travelers stopped to buy her specialties and enjoy them on the route from Haro (Spain) to Bordeaux (France).The family is still baking the extraordinary recipes and textures in the same way.
New to us in addition to being delicious their packaging is charming and perfect when assembling selections for gifting.
Wagener's Meats Smoked Farmer's sausage
I have it on good authority that this is an authentic German sausage. Wagener’s Meats has been a family-owned producer in Ontario since 1966. These ready to eat smoked farmer’s sausage (sold in packages of 4) can be barbecued, fried, boiled or cut up and added to a good pea soup or cassoulet. Give these a test run in case you plan on having a little Octoberfest celebration of your own next month. Mustard required. Sauerkraut, bun and a stein of beer with a hinged pointy lid optional.
Isigny Butter
The fame of Isigny butter dates back to the XVI century. A while later, in the XIX century, the Parisian population consumed almost 800,000 kg per year of the butter. How do we explain the fact that Isigny butter is a gourmet favourite? It's simple! The Isigny region has a warm and humid climate, is in close proximity to the ocean and benefits from the Bessin and Cotentin marshes. The cows, therefore, feed on grass that is rich in iodine, beta-carotene and micronutrients. The quality of Isigny butter reflects all these natural advantages: it is impossible to confuse it with any other butter. It is yellow like buttercups, it has a faint taste of hazelnuts and it is rich in vitamin A. All these qualities were noted in the Appellation d'Origine Controle specification, which has existed since 1986.
CHEESE NEWS
You choose what you want or we are happy to make the choices for you. Prices are based on the weight of the products chosen and we can work within whatever your budget is. Are you looking for crowd pleasing favourites for 12 or a higher end curated board for a small gathering with foodie friends? Either way we will make it look fabulous with the addition of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, olives, chutney and garnish. All you need to do is remove the lid and it is ready to roll! Let the nibbling begin!
GLUTEN FREE CORNER
Annie's Seafood Restaurant-Stratford Ontario
We are so happy to have Annie's Seafood Restaurant in Stratford's delicious Haddock tenders,Colossal onion rings and batter mix in stock now.
From Annie's website
"First-time celiac customers often tell us it's been years or decades since they have had fish & chips. And they can't believe how delicious our gluten-free food is!"
They have 3 gluten free fryers
- gluten-free ingredients
- knowledgable staff
- gluten-free apps
- gluten-free beer
- dedicated workspace
Definately worth a trip to Stratford!
Dine with comfort at Annie's.
L'Artisan Délices -Montreal
We are beyond excited to be carrying products from L'Artisan Délices an artisanal bakery from Montreal that is strictly gluten-free and dairy-free. We received our first order and it flew out of the store, sadly we are waiting on our second order but the bakery has experienced significant damage from floods and we are not sure when we will receive our next delivery. Wishing them all the best
Gluten Free cooking class 3.0
Thanks so much for your support for our Gluten Free Classes. Our first cooking class dedicated to Gluten Free cooking was a roaring success and Gluten Free 2.0 was as well. We have a new class for fall that sold out as well.Please keep the feedback coming so we can provide what you want for the next class!