Southwestern Flavors for Cinco de Mayo
 In celebration of Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican influence over our ever-evolving culinary landscape, we are looking to the heart of the Southwest for inspiration. These strong, bold flavors were created at the confluence of Spanish, Mexican, and Native American cultures, and have the breath and dexterity to sustain us. Southwestern flavors add excitement to our home kitchens. They fulfill our craving for real food and real taste, and smell of mesquite, cilantro and chilies. We are so fortunate in the Bay Area to have access to a wealth of amazing ingredients, and here is a list of some of our favorites to help get you started: Los Chileros Dried Chilies and Spice Mixes
World Spice Asado Spice Rub
Tommy's Margarita Mix
Maseca Corn Masa
Frontiers 3 Citrus Garlic Marinade
Amy's Organic Refried Beans
Queso Fresco in our Cheese Department
Casa Chicas Guacamole
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VIDA San Luis Del Rio is an artisanal, organic Mezcal from Del Maguey in the lush, remote mountains of Oaxaca. This masterpiece is deliciously easy to sip and highly mixable. Vida is made by the truest of artisans-produced in the original, 400-year-old, hand-crafted way. This dedication to the preservation of traditions and techniques of the region, results in a mescal that is a favorite of bartenders and versatile in cocktails. VIDA has a nose of fruit aromatics, a hint of honey, vanilla and roast agave; the palate offers ginger, cinnamon, burnt sandalwood, banana and tangerine, with a long, soft finish.
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by Lisa Fain
The voice of down-home Texas cooking.
When Lisa Fain, a seventh-generation Texan, moved to New York City, she missed the big sky, the bluebonnets in spring, Friday night football, and her family's farm. But most of all, she missed the foods she'd grown up with.
After a fruitless search for tastes of Texas in New York City, Fain took matters into her own hands. She headed into the kitchen to cook for her friends the Tex-Mex, the chili, and the country comfort dishes that reminded her of home. Her resulting cookbook offers enticing recipes for a wealth of toothsome Texas favorites. The Homesick Texan offers a true taste of the Lone Star State.
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Tantalizing!
Mountain Fruit Co. is a small jamming company located in Chico, that makes some of the most real jams we've tasted: loads of fruit, heaps of flavor, and very little sugar. The intensity of fresh fruit flavor is alive.
They come in some pretty exciting flavors like: A Red Duet (Strawberries and Raspberry Puree), Always Apricot, The Fig Galaxy (Black Mission Figs), Fig Pizzazz (Black Mission Figs and Orange), Strawberry Gem, and True Rhubarb.
We love it on toast, in fruit tarts, peanut butter sandwiches, over ice cream, on pancakes and French toast. It is even great with a spoon, directly from the jar!
Nothing short of delicious.
Read more...
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To our Piedmont Grocery family, wishing you happiness, peace, prosperity, and all the joys of Passover.
Chag Pesach Sameach!
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This fruity variation on the Paloma has a little Mezcal for added flavor and effect. It's delicious with Southwestern dishes or on it's own a a warm-weather cocktail.
The Smoky Paloma
Ingredients
1 ounce Tequila
.5 ounce Vida Mezcal
.25 ounce Agave nectar
.25 ounce Lime juice
2 ounces Pink Grapefruit juice
.5 ounce Egg white
lime wheel for garnish
Get the recipe...
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For this episode of The Butcher's Block, we focus on skirt steak. Why, you may ask? Because skirt steak is hands down the best cut for tacos, and with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, this will make for an easy Thursday night fiesta.
Skirt steak is an inexpensive cut of beef from the "plate" or the diaphragm muscles of the cow, located in the area just below the ribs. It is long, flat, and prized for its intense beefy flavor. Similar to flank steak, it is very lean, contains tough fibers, and is best served rare to medium-rare. To make it easier to eat, slice skirt steak across the grain of the meat when serving. When marinaded and cooked, it is a delicious go-to for any meal-and you get great flavor bang for your buck.
Skirt steaks take to marinades very well, and are best cooked quickly over high heat (though you can slow cook it or braise if you want). Skirt steak really shines though when grilled, seared, or used in stir-fry: anything that uses fast, high heat.
Skirt steak is so versatile that you can find it in many cuisines. We love it for tacos and fajitas, but it is great for Korean Bulgogi, any beef stir-fry, and yummy when slathered with fresh chimmi churri. It also, makes a very tasty steak sandwich.
Get the recipes for the dishes mentioned above...
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We can't get enough of Lemoncocco at Piedmont Grocery. (In fact, we are sipping it as we write this post!) We first tasted Lemoncocco at the Fancy Food show, and are thrilled that it is now on our shelves.
Lemoncocco has the flavor of Sicilian lemons for an authentic refreshing taste and wonderful lemony aroma; and a splash of coconut cream for a distinctively sweet flavor and velvety and texture. You've gotta try it!
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From Amy and our "What's For Dinner Wednesday" recipe blog
The Great SouthwestWhenever the weather gets warm, my taste buds automatically go on a road trip through the southwest. It's a strange phenomenon. The minute the mercury hits 85º, I've got chilies on my mind, and margaritas in my hand. Cumin and lime juice find their way into everything I make.
I have often said that I can eat Mexican food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner-then wash, rinse repeat. But I also love Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisine. (Nope. They are not the same thing.) Tex-Mex is mainly about larger cuts of meat, mostly pork and beef with a little chicken thrown in for good measure, and usually grilled. In New Mexican cuisine the chilies reign supreme...so much so that the question "Red or Green?" is almost the state motto...
Needless to say these past few days of warm weather have been somewhat spicy. I've been doing a lot of grilling 'cause it's fast, and there's been a lot of baseball, so fast is bueno.
I try (key word, try) to have some side dishes prepared ahead of time, so that we're not just eating slabs of meat in tortillas. (Though I am totally cool with that). Beans are a favorite in all forms. Refried. Black. Ranchero, or these yummy things.
Feel free to experiment with bean varieties though stay with the larger ones for best results. Get the recipe for Charro Beans... |
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