Robert Lambert
Robert Lambert Newsletter
Season's Greetings from Robert Lambert!
In This Issue
Holiday Gift Boxes
New Products
Fruitcakes
Candied Young Ginger
Special Savings
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Issue: November/2012
Greetings!

Ginger Yam Pie

Much is happening here. In a joint branding venture I've created a set of three new jams exclusively for InterContinental Hotels of San Francisco.  They are only available at the InterContinental San Francisco and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins for retail, afternoon tea and more.  The varieties are: Pear Ginger Jam, Cranberry Orange Jam & Meyer Lemon Lime Marmalade and well worth a visit to these fine establishments.  I've also just completed a series of on-line cooking videos featuring recipes I wrote using my products. I'll let you know when they're released!

 

Meanwhile, please explore my updated, reorganized website-product and recipe tabs across the top, more information on Robert Lambert, history, photo and media files down the left side, and new food photos everywhere! I'm especially pleased to now have a recipe page, featuring seasonal favorites and general files as well. So many of my products make great ingredients in other dishes, and I've found customers love to share their discoveries as much as I do. If you have a recipe or favorite use, please send it! I'll be happy to share them.

HOLIDAY GIFT BOXES
 
For gift-giving this season I'm introducing the Artisan Specialty Gift Box Duo's - choose any 2 products from the list at $29.50, or $33.50 for 2 of my rare marmalades. Packed in a 2-window gazebo gift box tied with my signature ribbon, you're sure to find a combination to please anyone on your list!
 
Artisan Specialty Gift Box

 

NEW PRODUCTS

New products include the re-introduction of the long-absent Meyer Lemon Syrup and White Grapefruit Syrup, both essentials for the bar-keep, and Thai Ginger Syrup, made from galangal root. What's that? It's what  seems to be a chunk of wood at the bottom of a bowl of Hot & Sour Thai Soup - along with kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce, one of the foundations of Thai food. Even the Thai's don't make a syrup from it, but it has an intriguing flavor-somewhere between butterscotch, camphor and roses-with an affinity for blackberries and blueberries.

 

Wild Blueberry Jam

It even finds its way into Wild Blueberry Lemon Jam, my newest product. I've used half wild  Michigan blueberries and half cultivated, the former for flavor, the latter  for bulk. I've loved blueberries since the times we picked them wild, years ago, in the bogs of Northern Wisconsin. But the flavor of blueberries, while  complex, is not strong, and gets lost easily in the sugar of a jam.  

 

 

My goal here was to heighten the acid level with a combination of flavors that mirror its taste--first Meyer lemon juice and zest, then some  pineapple juice, a bit of my own Raspberry Champagne Jelly, Thai Ginger Syrup, a splash of fine cognac. The result is a thick, chunky, deeply purple jam  whose supporting cast helps to celebrate the superb flavor profile of a blueberry.

 

 

FRUITCAKES
 
White Fruitcake

While my fruitcakes have become classic, subtle changes show I will never stop trying to improve them. To the White and the Winter Fruitcakes this year I have added glaceed apricots. In the White cakes it replaces some of the glaceed cherries, which I now think should be encountered more rarely. For many years these apricots were only imported from Australia, but they are now being produced in Fresno, from local fruit, and I've decided to include them. You'll be able to tell from the scent as you unwrap your cake, I'm also using more complex infusions in the soaking liquors, with fruits and herbs tailored to each cake. 

 

NEW PRODUCT: CANDIED YOUNG GINGER

 

Candied Young Ginger
 

 

Lastly, ginger lovers rejoice! As a special holiday treat I have decided to offer my Candied Young Ginger for the first time! I use young Spring ginger root harvested before it sprouts, tender, juicy and  fragrant, with none of the coarse stringy fibers that come with maturity. This  spicy, addicting confection infused with Asian spices is left after making my White Ginger Syrup. It usually finds its way into my fruitcakes, but  I've packed some in syrup in jars to offer only until January 1st. Great with chocolate, use it  chopped on ice cream, garnish your favorite desserts, include in holiday baking, or enjoy a slice right out of the jar!

SPECIAL SAVINGS
 

As an added incentive for my subscribers, save $10 on shipping any order over $100 through Monday, Nov. 26 by including the code SORL under Notes, on the check-out page.

Happy Holidays!

 

My Best To You,

 

Robert Lambert

November 2012