WEEK OF 10/29/13

Chess Pie at the Zingerman’s Bakehouse
Chess pie is a Southern tradition. And why do they call it “chess” pie? It’s not an ingredient and has nothing to do with the board game. There are various versions of the story behind the name. Some say the tale goes like this. When asked what kind of pie was served, the cook said, “It’s just pie” and pronounced the “just” with a sweet enough accent that it sounded like “chess.” Others say “chess” was really “chest”, referring to where the pie was stored. Regardless of the name and it’s origin, this is one seriously good pie.
Regardless of the name and it’s origin, this is one seriously good pie. Our chocolate chess pie is a rich creamy baked chocolate custard in our hand-made always all-butter crust. For us, the filling for this pie is all about the chocolate. And it all starts with a very special 100% cacao single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate from family owned Mindo Chocolate Makers in Dexter, MI. Stop in and ask for a taste. You really can taste the difference!

Cheese of the Month at Zingerman’s Creamery: Liptauer
October is almost over, but you still have a few days to grab our delicious Liptauer at the special price. In our never-ending effort to bring back great flavors of days of yore, we’re excited to offer up this taste of Hungarian tradition. To make Liptauer (“lip-tower”) we start with a base of our Farm Cheese, spice it up with fresh garlic, Hungarian paprika, capers, toasted caraway and just a touch of anchovy. It’s moderately spicy and exceptionally complex, with a big burst of flavor in every bite!

Pumpkins at the Zingerman’s Bakehouse
It’s a Pumpkin Party!
Start the day with moist and scrumptious pumpkin muffins, a favorite of Bakehouse staff. A sure sign fall is here is our pumpkin pie, made with local Guernsey Dairy heavy cream, Michigan honey, and a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon in an all-butter crust. Grab a precious little pumpkin cupcake with rich                       cream cheese frosting. Finish out a fine fall day with a slice of pumpkin cheesecake made with Zingerman’s Creamery fresh cream cheese (made right next door to us) spiced up and poured over a ginger jump up cookie crust.

Calabrian Figs at Zingerman’s Mail Order
Says Mail Order’s Mo:

Brothers Franco and Antonio Rao preserve one helluva fig. Preserved figs aren’t a food lighting up many culinary radar screens, but I think they should be. They are great in all sorts of ways . . . with yogurt for breakfast, with cheese as a lunch, snack or appetizer, with ice cream for dessert. And as a gift for someone with an eye for rustic foods with real flavor, you won’t find much better.

We flew these in immediately after the fall harvest. The Raos start with dotato figs—typical for the Cosenza region of Calabria—that are left on the tree until they’re fully ripe, beginning to dry and concentrate. They’re picked then caramelized in a low-temperature oven. That’s a step almost no one else takes because it adds extra time and expense, but the difference it makes in flavor is huge. It gives them a roasted, caramel-sweet flavor that’s irresistible.

Next, I love this part: a handful of figs are molded into a sphere the size of a big apple and wrapped in aromatic fig leaves. It’s a traditional way to store them, rustic and attractive.  They can only make 300 per day, because only a few people are entrusted to make the fig balls.

Moist, luscious and slightly honey-sweet, the figs will be a hit wherever you serve them.

Roasted Figs from Calabria.

Special Bakes at Zingerman’s Bakehouse
Fridays and Saturdays at the Zingerman’s Bakehouse also mean Special Bakes, limited-edition loaves available for just a weekend. This weekend it’s delicious Margaret’s Sweet Wheat bread! Don’t miss a rare opportunity to enjoy this old Bakehouse favorite. 100% organic whole-wheat flour, local buttermilk, Michigan honey and lots of toasted sunflower seeds. This bread is so special Frank named it after his daughter. Makes great toast or a peanut butter banana sandwich.
Special Bakes are also available at Zingerman’s Deli!

Mozzarella Deal at Zingerman’s Creamery
Next Monday is Mozzarella Monday at the Zingerman’s Creamery! $2 off the per pound price for Fresh, Smoked, or Burrata! Two bucks off!

See you soon!