Happy Holidays!
Whether you’re counting down to an eight day festival of lights or gearing up for one big bash on the 25th it’s impossible to escape the holiday spirit. And all the commerce, but that’s a topic for another day.
We’ve put together a selection of items that should help you entertain this season as well as remind you of warmer climates (Mexican food has that effect on me).
So without further ado, let’s get to it…
In This Installment
Annatto Simmer Sauce from Mexico
We’ve been working with the fine folks of La Fundidora for years (we feature their salsa in our gift baskets but you’ll be getting a different salsa in this installment). Though stationed in Brooklyn, everything is made in Mexico and shipped up fresh. Their cooking sauces have been on my “go-to” list for a couple of years when I want a superflavorful and easy to construct dinner. If you’re like me, you have a full life during the day and when everyone shows up demanding dinner, it can be a little stressful—especially when you’re tired yourself! That’s where these sauces come into play.
Annatto—also known as the seed of the achiote tree—is often used as a natural food coloring, imparting an orange/red hue when mixed in. We carry a few cheeses that are dyed with annatto to give it an orange color like Red Leicester. But the seed itself has flavor and aroma (a little spicy like pepper, yet a little nutty, too) has been part of Mexican cuisine since the first peoples.
The sauce itself is bright and fresh tasting with hints of pepper in the finish, herbs, and garlic. It’s spiked with a bit of orange juice for that citric zip. The best/easiest way to use the sauce is to cook a protein like fish, chicken, or even pork for this sauce (they’re more traditional than beef) till it’s about done in a pan. Then during the heat to low, dump in the contents of the jar to cover the protein, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. The flavors of the sauce will be pulled into the dish and you’ll enjoy flavors that usually take 12 hours to produce (if you were to make it from scratch, that is).
Fuego Salsa from Mexico
As you can see, the salsa and the sauce are both from Brooklyn based/Mexico Importing, La Fundidora. They became our go-to salsa nearly ten years ago and we still haven’t found a more flavorful salsa for our gift boxes and baskets so it’s still number one!
But we’ve never featured this salsa before because it might be too much for the layman…but seekers of flavor will be pleased. Made from ripe red tomato, tomatillo, white onion, árbol chile, guajillo chile, fresh garlic, sea salt, this salsa has an earthy, prickly yet sweet type of salsa that I keep coming back to again and again. This is the type of salsa I’ve gotten to enjoy when I’ve traveled through Mexico, so there’s a big nostalgia factor going on for me. But there’s something more…
For one thing: we’re heading into the season of entertaining so I’m sure having a jar of salsa (and chips, also included) could save the day when guests show up unexpectedly or in greater numbers than you forecasted.
Secondly: the weather is getting cool and we’re all starting to hibernate in our way (lots of sweatshirts going on in my house). Tasting foods that make you think of warmer times and warmer climates can lift our mood when the sun chooses to hide its face and summer time is far, far away. So I hope these flavors brighten your day as much as they brighten your palate.
Tortilla Chips from Ann Arbor (but also sort of from Mexico)
You can’t make great cheese without great milk, great salami without great pork, and you can’t make great tortilla chips without first making great tortillas. That’s just how it goes.
The funny thing is Lupe Quetglas didn’t set out to make great tortilla chips when she opened Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory with her family back in 2007, she just wanted to make great tortillas.
Lupe has spent the majority of her life in Michigan, but her early years were spent in El Salvador. The civil war of the Eighties forced her to immigrate to the US on a student visa. She came to study, fell in love, started a family and put down her roots in southeastern Michigan, but the flavors of her native land never left her mind.
“She started the company, in a way, because my mom couldn’t find the foods she wanted in the stores where we lived.” Her son Francisco, explained. A young man in his late twenties, he runs the factory and manages the nine member crew. “She didn’t like the tortillas around here so she decided to make her own and she figured there were other people like her that would want them, too.” Francisco searches for the right words. “But that didn’t really turn out to be the case.”
They decided to make Mexican-style tortillas, which were slightly larger than the ones Lupe grew up eating in El Salvador. They traveled around Mexico, visiting tortilla factories to see how they were made and what equipment they used. “It’s crazy because a lot of those factories are still using the same machines they installed back in the 50s.” Francisco said. “So my mom bought the same ones. They make great tortillas.”
Unfortunately, sales of the rustic, thick, tasty (and perishable) tortillas didn’t take off as planned. “The people that came from Central America and lived around here weren’t used to handmade tortillas like we were making, so they weren’t that interested.” Francisco continued.
Something had to change or they weren’t going to survive much longer. “The chips were an experiment, really.” Francisco said. “Now tortilla chips are 98% of our business, so I’d say the experiment worked.”
Making a great tortilla chip starts with great tortillas that you gotta make from scratch. They start with corn grown by local farmers here in Michigan that they steep in water mixed with calcium hydroxide for 12-15 hours. This steeping is part of the traditional process of turning corn into flour. It makes it easier to grind and releases nutrients locked inside the kernels.
After grinding into flour, they mix it with water to make the dough that goes into the special Mexican-made tortilla machines. The tortillas are then baked in an oven, cooled, then cut into triangles, fried in sunflower oil, salted, bagged, and sent to happy snackers across Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Francisco sees more chips in the future, too.
“We have some other ideas, for sure.” He said. “New products and different grains maybe, but we’ll always be tortilla makers at heart.”
Sea Fennel Spread
Please pardon the illustration above…it’s not really the product you received but it’s the closest “fennel related” image I could find. I think it gets the point across.
Our friends at the Italian importer Manicaretti—and I mean good friends—always turn us on to amazing products that you’ve never heard of and want to eat. The problem is I’ve never been able to convey the specialness of something like sea fennel to your average consumer. Luckily you’re a foodie and you’re into these sorts of unique and shockingly traditional fare, so I proudly introduce to you: sea fennel spread!
Sea fennel is a very aromatic, hearty plant that grows along the coast. It can handle the salt air and thrives in these rather craggy, rough conditions and as a reward it’s been used throughout history as medicine, cuisine, and even cosmetics. It’s related to fennel, but it’s not the same fennel you see growing along the side of the road all throughout southern Italy and Sicily. Unlike fennel, it doesn’t have an anise-type flavor either, but rather a flowery flavor that hints of salt and the sea.
I’ve had it packed simply in olive oil and that’s really tasty, but limited in its uses. And you really gotta love greens in olive oil to truly appreciate it. But this spread is waaaaay more versatile and flavorful and I think you’ll be pleased.
After chopping up the sea fennel, they mix it with lemon juice, olive oil, a little anchovy paste and herbs and spices to create a spreadable, soft sauce you’ll want to use everywhere, but especially on sea food. This stuff really sings when paired with flavors of the sea. Cut the spread with olive oil and use it as a sauce for grilled shrimp. You can toss it with pasta, use it as a rub on grilled fish. It’s savory and bright and vegetal and zippy all at once. Try it spread on a mortadella sandwich or make one with fresh mozz, tomato, and this spread.
Salty Pistachio Cream
This one comes to us from one of our other Italian importing friends—this time from Italian Products and Beyond. They’re awesome.
Pistachios are also awesome (just ask my cohort Alex) and the pistachios from Sicily are renowned as the most awesome in the world…and that’s exactly the type of pistachios they use in this cream. Like Alex, I’m a sucker for most things with pistachios as well—we go through a bag of Germack Pistachios every week thanks to my pistachio loving daughter. I especially like when they grind up the pistachios, mix them with sugar and cocoa butter and make a super flavorful spread out of the concoction. I really like that. Probably why they’re in this installment.
The cream is made in the Baroque town of Modica in Sicily. It’s also where one of our longtime, favorite chocolates are made: Bonajuto. It’s a gorgeous town, built in a valley and sporting a beautiful cathedral at its heart. The cream feels just as exquisite and refined as the town itself, ready to boost the enjoyment of any dish you’re working on…but it especially shines with baked goods and breakfast fare.
Try spreading some on your morning toast, biscuit, or waffle. Spoon a dollop over ice cream for dessert. Sitting on a cheesecake? Spread this on top and really guild the lily. Alex eats it straight from the jar when she can’t be bothered to bake something appropriate and I recommend doing the same thing. That way you can appreciate the true flavor and excellent texture of this sweet, nutty, irresistible spread.
Texas Iberico Sliced Chorizo
In the hill country of Texas (outside Austin), there’s a ranch raising a very special pig in a very special way. Perhaps you’ve heard of “Iberico de Bellota” salume? It’s the famous Spanish cured meats that can cost as much as $250 a pound from very special speciality food stores and restaurants. The Spanish version is made from a specific breed, the “black footed” pig that lives in the dry plains and forages for acorns while it lives a happy life outside.
Turns out the hill country of Texas is a lot like the “dehesa” of Spain where the pigs come from. By bringing over the black footed Iberian pig to Texas and letting them do what they do (just in Texas), you can create charcuterie and meats that are just as delicious as the famous Spanish versions. I mean, it’ll take you a number of years to get everything up and running (and lots of taste tests along the way), but it’s more than possible and it really pays off in flavor!
And that’s the path this salami took to end up in front of you! For a number of years I’ve been taste testing different salume from Texas Iberico and—frankly—they hadn’t cut the muster. You see, the fat of the Iberico pig is what makes it so special…and tricky to cure. Turns out, the fat of Iberico takes on salt much more than other pigs. The result is the salami was tasting very salty compared to normal varieties. After a number of trials and tests and recipe changes, they finally hit upon a process that allows for the rich, nutty, luxurious flavor of the Iberico pig to come through—and most importantly it doesn’t taste salty!
Well, a little salty, sure. I mean, they do use salt to cure the meat so it’s an important part of the process, but it doesn’t dominate the flavor. Instead, what we have here is a salami you’ll want to feature and share with some cheese and crusty bread. It has a soft, moderate amount of heat in the finish but it’s mild enough to appeal to everyone. Snack and nibble or plate and share with those you love. Either is acceptable.
86% Sea Salt Cultured Butter
Vermont Creamery began in 1984 when Alison (the founder) made a some chevre for a special dinner and it was a hit. Chefs in New York started clamoring for it as well as other ingredients like creme fraiche. One year she ended up with a lot of extra creme fraiche (which is basically sour cream with more butterfat from cultured cream) and decided to turn that into butter.
Now they’re the biggest employer in Barre, Vermont with 130 employees. That’s huge in the artisan cheese world and one of the reasons they’re able to make enough cultured butter to satisfy the needs of chefs and especially bakers. They are the first maker of cultured butter for national distribution. First, the milk is pasteurized, then starter cultures are added (just like in cheese making) and the milk is allowed to culture for 20 hours. The time and starter cultures impart a hazelnut sort of flavor paired with buttermilk. It’s rich, nutty, and a little bit bright. Recently, Zingerman’s Bakehouse began using the butter in many of their pastries and especially the coffee cakes. You really can taste the difference.
Now, the butter they’re using in our baked goods is only 82% and this one is actually 86% so you’re getting an extra four percent out of this one! The reason we’re so excited about it is the improvement in flavor and texture it’s had on our baked goods. When it comes to pastry—for instance—the original French recipes call for cultured butter. As a matter of fact, the main butter throughout most of Europe is cultured butter, so for the Bakehouse to switch to this one is actually a return to traditional recipes from centuries ago! Needless to say they’re very happy with the switch.
The remaining percentage (14%) is water and solids. When you brown butter, that’s the stuff that browns. There’s less water in this butter than what we’ve all grown up with, and it’s more elastic and has a higher smoke point for cooking. Spread liberally wherever you enjoy butter. Cook and saute in it or use it for baked goods. I mean, it’s butter so I’m pretty sure you know what to do with it…it’s just really, really good butter and that makes a huge difference.
Raw Rata Honey
We get to sample a lot of different types of honey from around the world. The process for extracting honey is the same everywhere, but how you process it after it comes out of the comb and what flowers the bees were feasting on make a huge difference in flavor, health benefits, and texture.
That’s why you’ll notice the word “raw” in the title. That means they’ve kept the temperatures low and the agitation to a minimum in order to get the honey from the hive to the jar. You see, there are tricks you can perform to get more honey out of your honey and increase the volume you’re selling without having to gather more honey. One way is to really stir and mix it up…this helps break up the natural crystals in the honey as well as some of the health properties. Also, when you heat the honey above normal hive temperatures (about 95 degrees Fº) that thins it out as well and you can increase its volume but not its flavor. It also makes it runny and really smooth which is what we’ve come to think honey should be (thank you, Sue-Bee!)…but that’s only because we haven’t had it any other way.
Raw honey is minimally processed by stirring it rarely and not heating the honey up to break it down. You’ll notice that this honey is thick, spreadable, nearly chewy. That’s because it’s retained its natural texture and sort of shimmers with white/gold veins throughout.
The rata tree is native to New Zealand (where this honey is produced) and the beekeepers on the west coast of the South Island have to brave rustic, untamed environments to set up their hives. This is what we call a “mono-cultivar” which means the bees only made honey from one source: the large red flowers of the rata tree. The only trick is the rata doesn’t flower as part of a normal cycle…it can flower sporadically and without warning so the beekeepers have to be Johnny-on-the-spot when the word gets out that the rata is in bloom.
Light, delicate, floral. It may not be the optimal honey to stir into your tea, but it’s one of the most interesting honeys you’ll find with a flavor unlike anything else. Plus I love the texture.
Peppermint Bark Popcorn
Finally a little sweet treat from our friends at Poppy’s Popcorn in Asheville, North Carolina. If you get the sense that we’re friends with the folks we buy from, you’re right. I look at my job as promoting the people that make the foods we sell, because they’re the real story in all this. They have passion, determination, and most of all a plan to take the flavor world by storm.
And as you might remember, Asheville was hit hard with flooding in 2024 and many of the producers we know in that area have been having a rough time every since. We want to play our part in helping these food makers get back on their feet and on the road to success so that they’ll be there next year, and the year after that, and the year after that still making delicious food. So not only do we sell Poppy’s Popcorn normally, we want to find and bring on and support anything else they make that could work for us. And that’s how I decided on their Peppermint Bark Popcorn—which they only make during the holiday season for obvious reasons.
White and dark chocolate is drizzled over popcorn and a bunch of crushed peppermint candies for good measure. The result is a fresh tasting, chocolatey and very satisfying snack that is great anytime of day or if you’re really good at self-control you can hold onto it until dessert time. Or even when you’ll be entertaining but that seems like a fool’s errand. Just eat it now.