Holiday Baking with Maddie LaKind

The month of December brings with it a mixed bag of emotions. Thanksgiving is over—sad. Snow is coming—happy. Temperatures are dropping—nervous! Christmas and Chanukah are nearing—thrilled. And, perhaps most significantly, cookie baking season is officially here—elated!! On that sweet note, Zingerman’s is bursting with ingredients to help turn all of your cookie dreams into a reality. So for all of you eager bakers out there who are gearing up for endless batches of snickerdoodles, thumbprints, linzers, shortbreads and more, here are my top 10 cookie baking essentials this holiday.

1. Heilala Vanilla Products
Is there any ingredient more synonymous with cookie baking than vanilla? It seems to appear in almost every cookie recipe out there, which makes sense given its flavor boosting capabilities and beautiful bittersweet notes. If you’re looking for a way to really amp up your cookie baking skills, its time to talk beans. Vanilla beans that is. Heilala is a family run business started in 2002 by a father daughter team. After being gifted a plot of land in Tonga (a sovereign state of Polynesia), this team spent three years developing, planting, and harvesting vanilla beans. Their product is now sold to chefs and discerning palettes worldwide and is considered by many to be some of the best vanilla in the world. Heilala produces a wide range of vanilla products from extract, powder, paste, and even whole vanilla beans. Try any of them out in your next baked good or specifically these Heilala Vanilla Sugar Drops.

2. Cluizel Cacoa Nibs
Everyone seems to have a chocolate chip cookie recipe in their arsenal. But what about a cacao nib cookie recipe? Cacao nibs are simply a less refined form of chocolate produced by crushing dried/roasted cacao beans. Unlike chocolate chips which have been mixed with sugar, cacao nibs lend a toasty, slightly bitter, coffee-like flavor to pastries. And if you’re going to get your hands on any sort of chocolate this season, Michel Cluizel is the crème de la crème. Based in Normandy, France, Cluizel has been producing beautiful artisanal chocolate since 1948. In addition to maintaining high standards for his actual chocolate products, Cluizel remains firmly committed to preserving direct relationships with all his cacao farmers. Enjoy cacao nibs as a pastry topper or an add-in these Oatmeal Walnut Cocoa Nib Cookies courtesy of the “Joy the Baker” blog.

3. Bourbon Smoked Sugar
Anyone who has delved into the world of holiday baking knows just how much sugar is involved. Specifically, finishing sugars like powdered sugar or sugar in the raw. Just like adding a fancy salt or drizzle of good olive oil to a savory dish, finishing sugars can add that extra something to a cookie, creating fun flavor and textural combinations. For anyone looking for a sophisticated twist on your run of the mill granulated sugar, this bourbon smoked sugar is a must. Produced by Matt Jamie of Bourbon Barrel Foods in Lousiville, KY— the bourbon capital of the US—this sugar comes to life when grainy raw sugar is smoked from staves of old bourbon barrels. This process imparts an intense smoky flavor balanced with caramely, toasty bourbon notes. Try some sprinkled on top of your favorite shortbread or this decadent grown-up Bourbon Salted Toffee from Bourbon Barrel Foods.

4. Mindo Cocoa Powder
If you’re a chocolate fanatic and live in the state of Michigan, then the Mindo chocolate company has probably popped up on your radar a time or two. Founded by two former auto-repair shop workers—Jose Beza and Barbara Wilson—the company maintains a harvesting operation in Ecuador (Jose’s country of origin) and a production facility in Dexter, MI. It is here in Michigan where all of their beans are ground and tempered by hand and then turned into a variety of unique products. While Mindo has a whole collection of delicious treats available for sale, their cocoa powder is the real showstopper. The flavor itself is rich, dark, and slightly acidic. Not only was it ranked one of the best cocoa powders in the country by “Food and Wine” magazine, but it also makes incredible cookies like these chocolate World Peace Cookies from famed baker Dorie Greenspan.

5. Halen Mon Sea Salt
Although you might not know its there, almost every cookie recipe in existence utilizes salt. It is not typically a discernable amount, but just enough to help balance and enhance the prominent flavors. One of my favorite recent trends in baking though takes salting to the next level by sprinkling a light amount of tasty sea salt or fleur de sel on top of the cookie itself. The contrast between sweet and salty is sublime and a fun way to enhance an existing recipe or experiment with a new one. My personal recommendation for finishing salt is Halen Mon Pure White Sea Salt. This now world-renowned company harvests their salt from the seas around the Isle of Anglesey near Wales and, may I say, it is hands down some of the best salt I’ve ever tried. The flavor is clean, bright, and just a tad briny, while the texture is super flaky. Contrasted with a gooey chocolate chip cookie, like these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from the “Joy the Baker” blog, it is pure cookie heaven.

6. Epices de Cru Cardamom
One of the newest product lines to come to Zingerman’s this year is the Epices de Cru collection of spices. Based in Montreal, this family run company sources hundreds of spices from around the world and is committed to the highest level of quality they can find. While their entire product line is exceptional, their cardamom pods are an exciting addition to any holiday baking lineup. I know cardamom might not seem like the most obvious spice for holiday baking, but its warm, mild spiciness makes it seem perfectly at home among old standards like nutmeg, clove, allspice, and cinnamon. Epices de Cru procures their cardamom from South India’s Cardamom Hills and sells them whole to be ground at home—ensuring freshness and the best flavor possible in your baked goods. Try this Cardamom out in Dorie Greenspan’s Cardamom Brown Sugar Snickerdoodles for a new twist on an old classic.

7. Echire Butter
Butter. Who doesn’t love luscious, creamy butter? Just like vanilla, salt, and sugar, the quality of the butter you use when baking can make a huge difference in the resulting flavor of you cookies. Two of my personal favorites for cookie baking in particular are Echire Butter and German Butter. Echire butter hails from France and is produced from milk collected from a cooperative of 66 different farms. All of the cows are carefully monitored during grazing in order to ensure a rich flavor and striking golden color in their milk. Once churned, the butter clocks in at 84% butterfat compared to about 80% in your average grocery store butter. The pure, sweet flavor also reigns supreme and is perfect for simple cookies like these Butter Cookies from “Gourmet” magazine.

8. Membrillo
This next ingredient is definitely the odd ball of the list, but here me out. Membrillo is a paste made out of quince (a fruit that falls in the apple/pear family), traditionally paired with Manchego cheese in Spanish cuisine. While it may not seem like your traditional baking ingredient, membrillo’s tartness and mild sweetness makes it perfect for sandwiching between shortbread or filling thumbprint cookies like these Membrillo Thumbprint Cookies from ‘The Kitchn” blog.

9. Crème Fraiche
Crème fraiche found its way into my life fairly recently, but since it has, I’ve become completely hooked. Crème fraiche is simply soured cow’s milk cream that is similar in texture/flavor to sour cream, but with double the butterfat. This means more richness and an even milkier flavor. My favorite variety is produced by Vermont Creamery, a company famous for the exemplary dairy products ranging from cheeses to yogurts and even butters. With its slight acidity, it lends a welcome contrast to heavily sweet ingredients like fruit, or, my personal favorite, chocolate. Give them a whirl in Vermont Creamery’s own True Decadence Brownies for the ultimate holiday sweet fix.

10. Lemon Curd
Besides peanut butter, there are very few products I will willingly eat right out the jar. Lemon curd is an exception to that rule. With its bright, tart flavor and super smooth texture, curd ranks high as one of my perfect desserts, particularly if it is made by Thursday Cottage, which has been producing traditional small batch curds for over sixty years. Based in England, Thursday Cottage uses all natural, locally sourced ingredients for their curd and stirs each batch in a specially designed curd kettle. While delightful on their own, curds are incredibly versatile in baked goods. Try dolloping some into a thumbprint cookie or sandwiching a spoonful between two shortbread cookies like “Gourmet” magazine’s Petite Lemon Curd Cookies.

To all of you bakers and eaters out there, I hope you find inspiration for your own cookie traditions in this tremendous list of products. Cheers and happy holidays!

– Maddie

Great gift suggestions from the ZINGERMAN’S Deli

This year was filled with a lot of firsts. I rented my first apartment as a non-student. I got my first full-time job. My best friend, with whom I’ve lived in the same city since we were in 3^rd grade, moved to Chicago. And I got my very first Christmas tree and stocking. I know that the last item on that list doesn’t come off quite as significant as the others at first glance, but as a Chanukah-celebrating kid growing up around lots of Christmas-celebrating friends, I always received a major dose of holiday jealousy around this time of year. Don’t get me wrong, I love Chanukah and all of the customs that come with it, but there is something about traditional Christmas culture – cutting down and decorating a tree, listening to carols, hanging stockings, and enjoying the company of close friends and family – that has always appealed to me. Now that I am dating someone with strong Christmas traditions, I have the privilege of finally partaking in the rituals I’ve admired for so long.

With Christmas just days away, I’m sure many of you, like me, are scrambling to find those perfect stocking stuffers for your loved ones. In the hopes of sparking some creative gift ideas, I’m sharing my picks for unique and absolutely delicious stocking stuffers from the Zingerman’s Deli retail section.

Les Mouettes D’Arvor Vintage Sardines ($14.99/tin)

I know sardines must seem like an odd way to kick of a list of holiday stocking stuffers, but trust me that these sardines are special.  Meaty French sardines are artfully arranged in a small tin, packed in olive oil, sealed, and left to age for anywhere from 1-3 years—therein lies the vintage aspect of these sardines. As these tiny fish grow older with time, they begin to tenderize, taking on a buttery and almost silky texture. While the ways to use such a decadent product are only limited to your imagination, I tend to opt for simple preparations that really let the fish shine. Place one or two filets atop a nice piece of crusty, buttered bread for a simple starter. Throw an entire tin-worth into a batch of your favorite pasta for an instant sauce.  Or, take a fork and eat them straight out of the jar. With tins ranging from 2010-2013, these sardines make the perfect gift for avid fish-lovers and adventurous (or want-to-be adventurous) foodies alike.

Edmond Fallot Mustards ($7.99/jar)

If there were one kitchen staple I couldn’t live without, mustard would rank high on the list. It’s a rarity that I don’t have at least one jar of the stuff in my refrigerator at any given time. My tried and true favorite mustards come from Edmond Fallot, a family run mustard business out of Burgundy, France. The Fallot family is famous for their well-balanced and perfectly spiced Dijon mustard, as well as a string of unique flavors. From whole-grain, to green peppercorn, horseradish, tarragon, and even honey balsamic, there is mustard for everybody on your holiday gift list. Now please don’t think that mustard must only be relegated to the commonplace sandwich condiment: the uses for these mustards are endless. Throw a teaspoon of your favorite mustard into vinaigrette for added thickness and depth of flavor. Spoon a bit onto your favorite fish or meat for an instant flavorful glaze. Or, simply place a jar on a cheese and meat platter and let the tasting begin.

Robert Lambert Hot Ginger Caramel Sauce ($17.99/jar)

Despite its innocent sounding name, this caramel sauce is not for the faint of heart. Former musician turned artisanal specialty food producer Robert Lambert churns out some of the most unique and meticulously crafted jams, sauces, and other jarred delights on the market today. The Hot Ginger Caramel Sauce is no exception. Lambert starts with a thick and buttery caramel base and then spikes it with white ginger and a blend of warm holiday spices. The result is a sweet, toasty, and spicy sauce, ideal drizzled over a scoop of ice cream, a piece of pound cake, or, if you’re like me, eaten straight out of the jar like peanut butter. A favorite among adults and kids alike.

Bee Raw Sweet Yellow Clover Honey ($19.99/jar)

I’ve had a love affair with this honey since it arrived on our shelves over two years ago. Bee Raw’s line of honeys is all single-varietal and raw, meaning there is no processing or blending, but just honey in its purest form. The sweet yellow clover honey was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. A far cry from the super thick and overly sweet plastic bear honey we’ve grown so accustomed to seeing in the grocery store, this honey is light yellow and milky in color, texturally similar to a dense caramel sauce or softened butter. Flavor wise, it is sweet, but not too sweet, with faint floral and cinnamon notes. My favorite ways to use this honey range from: stirring into tea, spreading onto a hot piece of toast, drizzling in yogurt, or pairing with fruit and cheese. Also, the sleek cylindrical shaped jars are perfect for fitting into any size stocking on your mantel.

Jasmine Silver Needle Tea ($26.99/bag)

One of the newer items on the list, Jasmine Silver Needle tea, has been winning over tea-lovers this holiday season. A combination of white tea leaves and real jasmine blossoms from Fuding, Fujan China, Jasmine Silver Needle is simultaneously sweet, floral, and aromatic without coming off too strong or perfumey (a common problem I’ve encountered with most jasmine teas on the market). This tea also has a long life per cup, maintaining its strength and delicacy through up to four steepings. The perfect sipping tea for cozy snow days and a real treat for new and experienced tea lovers.

Want to come up with your own Zingerman’s stocking stuffers? Eager to create that perfect custom gift box/basket? Come visit us over at the retail department at Zingerman’s Deli. We are happy to help.

Happy holidays and good eats to you all!

Last week, Zingerman’s Mail Order Managing Partner Mo Frechette sent us this relevant meditation on the mail order business during the holiday season:

The 3 Stages of Mail Order Holiday Grief

1. Hiring grief: will we get enough people?

2. Order grief: will we get enough sales?

3. Shipping grief: will we ship them all out the door on time?

The third stage has arrived. You can tell it’s in effect when someone says something like ‘Thank God it’s Tuesday. It was Monday for three whole days.

We’re now quickly rolling through the signposts of the last phase of holiday grief. The deadline for shipping a box to arrive with UPS ground shipping has passed. The deadline for 2-day shipping is gone. The deadline for overnight packages looms. Then there’s overnight with Saturday delivery on Friday, select zip codes only, sorry!

This year Christmas falls on a Tuesday, the absolute worst day of the week for folks sending mail orders, especially those of us in the food business. Perishable foods don’t like to travel over the weekend. It means the last day for most folks to ship for Christmas is today, Thursday, for delivery on Friday, five full days before Christmas. Bah humbug!

Now for the crazy numbers: We’ve been packing orders at a rate of one every 9 seconds 24/7 for the last 10 days. Nine per second means 400 boxes per hour. Back in 1992, the first year I did a mail order Christmas, we shipped 113 boxes on the biggest day. (It almost broke me.) This year it was 12,000, the week will total over 30,000 boxes. To put it in perspective, that’s equal to what we shipped in June, July and August combined.

You might have noticed I didn’t mention much about grief. That’s because we kind of skipped the grief part of the third stage this year. Outside of our order release computer refusing to work the night shift (it crashed in the evening, and started back to work each morning), most everything hummed along. We’re hand-wrapping bread, cutting cheese to order, and making every gift one-at-a-time.

Friday afternoon it will go ghost quiet, a holiday cliff we cross every year and whose predictability does not make it feel any less eerie. The phones will go quiet. The boxes will be gone. The food will be absent. The shelves will be empty. Most of the crew will have left. Until then we hum with the sound of a hundred people gathering food and stacking boxes into an endless stream of fifty-foot UPS trailers.

It’s Christmas Eve now, and the shipping deadlines have all passed. The holiday crew has gone and incoming orders have dropped off to a trickle. The hum in the Mail Order warehouse has become a whisper.

Still, a few dedicated staffers remain. They’ll continue to box and ship the few last-minute orders until the time comes to call it a season and go home. Some will return the day after Christmas to handle the new orders in the system, because Zingerman’s Mail Order never truly stops. But, the business will mostly settle back into its more moderate pace.  Until the fall, when the cycle begins anew…

Still have some last-minute eating and shopping to do?
Zingerman’s will be open for (most of) the Holidays!

Zingerman’s Deli
Christmas Eve: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
New Year’s Day: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Christmas Eve: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
New Year’s Day: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Zingerman’s Bakehouse
Christmas Eve: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
New Year’s Day: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Zingerman’s Coffee Company
Christmas Eve: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
New Year’s Day: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Zingerman’s Creamery
Christmas Eve: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Eve: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
New Year’s Day: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

 Zingerman’s wishes you a joyous and peaceful Holiday Season!

SMELL IT!
As much as 70-80% of what we perceive as taste comes from our sense of smell. Most of us here at Zingerman’s are familiar with this idea, as Ari’s been telling us for years to “smell it” as a key step in identifying great food. Here’s a fun exercise we do frequently in Zingerman’s Coffee Company classes to get people thinking about what they are smelling:

Give everyone a slice of orange and have them hold their nose closed and while they bite or chew the orange. Then, reminding them to keep holding their nose, ask them what they taste. Finally, ask them to let go of their nose. I’m not going to tell you what happens next, but I encourage you to try it and let us know. Oranges work well for this exercise, but you can also use anchovies!

COFFEE AND FOOD PAIRINGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Not sure what coffee to bring someone for the holidays? We teach a coffee and food pairing class for the public where you can try all kinds of ideas and combinations. You can also give the class to someone as a nice holiday gift!

Here are a couple of good pairings to get you started. As Steve and I are fond of saying, “there are no absolutes in coffee.” These are pairings that we’ve tried and we’d love for you to share some of your favorites.

Holiday Blend and Cranberry Walnut Pie
These two were made for each other, as they both have a nice balance of bitter, sweetness, and tart fruit. We were originally thinking of Hungarian tortes when we created the Holiday Blend this year, but I tried this pairing as an afterthought last week. I kept alternating between a forkful of pie and a sip of the coffee. Granted, I’ve been known to do this with most pies, but this particular combination was special. The Holiday Blend accentuates the flavors of the pie while moderating its sweetness. Very nice!

Sumatra and Zingerman’s Wowza Dark Chocolate Bar
Our high-grown Sumatran coffee is one of the darkest we roast. It’s flavor is earthy, wild, and dark. So how do you tame something like this? You get a good dark chocolate. I especially like it with a Wowza Bar from the Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory. (Thank you Charlie!) In general, dark chocolate works well with dark roast coffees, but WOW! This just pops!

Want to learn more about brewing coffee?
Take our Brewing Methods Class at the Zingerman’s Coffee Company. Sunday, December 16, 1-3pm.
Details here.