Tag: local food

Zingerman’s Spiced Pecans. An annual holiday classic handcrafted across the ZCoB.

An annual holiday classic
handcrafted across the ZCoB 

I can’t remember when we first started making spiced pecans a holiday treat. What I do know for sure though is that over the years, they’ve become a Zingerman’s classic—people start asking me in August when they’ll be available.

In our never-ending effort to always improve what we do in small but meaningful ways, I’m happy to say that spiced pecans are literally tasting better than ever! About 10 years ago now, we took the pecans themselves up a notch too, when we started buying them from the South Georgia Pecan Company in the town of Valdosta. The firm today is owned and run by the Work family who bought it a year after we opened the Deli (i.e., 1983), but for historical context, the company was started in 1913 by one of the first Jewish families in town, the Pearlmans.

The pecans are pretty darned delicious—fresher tasting, and a small, but meaningfully, bit more flavorful than what we’d been getting. (We sell the pecans at the Deli in their un-spiced, natural form. Pick up a bag next time you’re in!) After being toasted with butter, the pecans get tossed—while still warm—with lots of freshly ground Tellicherry black pepper, Jamaican allspice, ginger, Indian cloves, and other enticing spices.

The spiced pecans are delicious, just as they are. Bring a bag in the car or on the plane if you’re traveling. If you put a bowl of them out at most any gathering, they’re pretty sure to be gone before you know it. They’re also excellent in the kitchen—try them chopped, then tossed onto gelato, mashed sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, or green salads. They pair particularly well with blue cheese—I love them with the Roquefort—and also with fresh slices of pear or apple. Coarsely chop some and toss them on top of rice pudding or noodle kugel. Or try sprinkling some atop your holiday stuffing.

They make a great little nibble when you’re partaking in a bit of bourbon, too. In the spirit of how we have long defined “full flavor” here at Zingerman’s (see “A Taste of Zingerman’s Food Philosophy” for more on this), the Spiced Pecans have a wonderful complexity. They are nicely balanced so that the flavor of all the spices, butter, and nuts come together as you eat. And they have a lovely long finish that you can savor long after you’ve stopped eating.

Available at the Deli, the Candy Store, and Mail Order.
Pick up pecans
Ship some spice

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Tag: local food

First Flush Darjeeling Tea from the Lingia Estate. The first picking of the 2023 spring harvest hits the Deli’s shelves.

The first picking of the 2023 spring harvest
hits the Deli’s shelves

In the “ABC of Zingerman’s Food Philosophy” that you’ll find in the new pamphlet, “A Taste of Zingerman’s Food Philosophy,” you’ll see this superfine tea under “D”:

D is for Darjeeling. More specifically, First Flush Darjeeling Tea. This is the very limited supply of Darjeeling tea that comes from the first harvest of the spring season each year. … To this day, First Flush Darjeeling remains one of my favorites of all the fine foods we sell, and each spring I wait eagerly for the new season’s arrival.

That last bit led me to write this piece right now. The 2023 First Flush has just come in! It’s a tea that tastes like no other, one that evokes emotion, calls up my creative spirit, and comforts me all at the same time. If, as Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni writes, each day has a smell, right now it’s the aroma of the 2023 First Flush that accounts for the aromatic activity of the whole last month for me. Even before it’s been brewed, the aroma is enticing. Fresh, lively, aromatic, and hard to walk away from—I keep sticking my nose back in the bag to get just one more sniff before I head off to do other things.

We start our selection process each year by tasting a range of samples from different gardens, or estates. For the last few years, Jackson Konwinski, Tea Buyer at Zingerman’s Deli, has ably led the work. How does he do it? He explains:

Selection for me involves tasting the different offerings next to each other, always with two steepings to see how the tea evolves. I look for a tea that has some of the classic Darjeeling flavor notes (citrus, spice, brisk finish) but that brings something extra and unique to the table. This year, it was the flowery nose and other fruits on the palate. I also insist on a tea that re-steeps well. Teas that were in the running after the first infusion have been pushed aside when the second steep fell flat. 

This year, we really liked the tea from the Lingia Estate. Lingia was founded in 1867 when a couple of German missionaries picked a small plot of land to plant in the western part of the Darjeeling district, about 30 miles from what’s now the border with Nepal. At the time the two set their tea saplings into the soil, it was the first known tea-growing activity in the area. Back in the middle of the 19th century, the British government was determined to plant enough tea to significantly reduce England’s dependence on China, which was the sole source of tea up until the British began to plant it on their newly conquered Indian colonial land in the 1850s. Darjeeling was the first region to be planted in the drive to create an independent and dependable source to meet the ever-growing demand for tea in the U.K.

The Lingia teas today are grown at an altitude of at least 2800 feet, all the way up to 6000 feet. Higher altitudes generally mean the plants work harder to grow and the tea leaves that come from them are more flavorful, and this lot is selected from the leaves picked at the highest altitudes in the garden. The tea is certified organic, and all of the harvesting and oxidation work to make the tea is traditionally done by hand, what’s known in the trade as “Orthodox production.” You need to hand-pluck something like 11,000 shoots to make a pound of good tea, just two leaves and a bud from the tip of each branch.

The flavor of the 2023 tea is superfine. In fact, thanks to Kevin Gascoyne and his colleagues at Camellia Sinensis, our longtime tea importer in Montreal, we’ve been able to get our hands on a tea that is, literally, a superfine tea. It’s formally graded as SFTGFOP, which stands for Superfine, Flowery, Tippy, Golden, Orange Pekoe. TGFOP is typically what’s available and is, in its own right, excellent. The superfine is simply next level.

We’re lucky to have it. Gascoyne says it’s “bright and lively, the sustained liquor leads us to saline (soy) and fruity (green grape) notes as a base for the explosive floral notes of roses, typical to this terroir.” And there’s a particular taste of the terroir where the Lingia Estate is located that’s known to bring a “rose flavor that cannot be replicated anywhere in the Darjeeling hills.” I think the tea is terrific—edgy and excellent, almost like a coming together of the best of black and green teas in a single cup, with a nice level of tannins and a lovely bit of what Jackson says reminds him of grapefruit.

I’ve long thought of First Flush Darjeeling a bit like free jazz—intentionally a bit out of balance, thought-provoking, attention-getting, inspiring in the best possible way. Like free jazz, it’s not for everyone, but for the right people—of which I’m clearly one—it’s an inspiration.
Try a terrific tea

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Tag: local food

A beginners guide to Zingerman's Roadshow.

 A Beginner’s Guide 

Have you ever pulled up to Zingerman’s Roadhouse and wondered what the silver tea-pot-looking thing is in the front? That’s Zingerman’s Roadshow! It was established in 2004 as the to-go destination for Zingerman’s Roadhouse. The silver 1952 vintage Spartan trailer attached to the front of the Roadhouse today is a destination for drive-through Zingerman’s fans. Would we be Zingerman’s if we did not serve our guests their latte and croissant in style?  

 The Roadshow has come a long way over the years, and some are new to its charms, so here is a beginner’s guide to Zingerman’s Roadshow. Come along as we walk you through some insider tips, fun facts, and the best ways you can fully take advantage of what Zingerman’s Roadshow has to offer.  
  

Check out the menu online before arriving  

  The first tip of the beginner’s guide to Zingerman’s Roadshow is that we highly recommend looking at the menu before arriving to maximize your experience. The Roadshow, not your typical drive through, with a menu board and loudspeaker, offers the convenience of enjoying high quality artisan food from the comfort of your car and on-the-go.  It would be best to call ahead, pre-order, then pick up your order at the drive through. This will save you time and let you enjoy great food with little to no waiting time upon arrival. 

  No worries though if you are unable to call ahead to place an order. If you want a quick coffee and snack, then ordering right at the window of the Roadshow works great as well! Walk up guests can order from the Roadhouse Express menu. Did you know there are two menus to choose from at the Roadshow? There is the Roadshow and Roadhouse Express menu that can be found in one place. Check out the express menu here. That leads us to our next point, the menu.
 

 Which menu should I order from?  

  The Roadshow menu items are prepared more quickly in the Roadshow itself, and are for our guests who want a quick bite. Guests who are using our drive through may wish to order from the Roadshow menu. The Roadshow also offers the Roadhouse Express menu, which includes items from the main-in-house menu that can be prepared in a shorter amount of time. Food from this menu will be served to you in 30 minutes or less. Guests who order from our walk-up window, who wish to dine in the Roadhouse Park, or who would like to order from the Roadhouse menu but do not want to wait too long may wish to order from the Roadhouse Express menu.

 What to do when you arrive to the Roadshow
 

Now that you know all the amazing and tasty food options available, what do you do when you first arrive at Zingerman’s Roadshow? At the Roadshow, you are guaranteed to receive personalized and friendly service. For your convenience, there is no need to get out of your vehicle. When you arrive at the Roadhouse, just pull around to the Zingerman’s Roadshow. Staff will come out to your window and take your order.  

 You can expect your food to arrive in between five and six minutes when ordering a quick bite. If there is a need for a longer time, guests can pull into designated parking spots and receive their food in 30 minutes or less. Right across the parking lot there is the Roadhouse Park. Even though full service from the Roadhouse is not offered at the Park, it is the perfect way to have an office day to just work and relax in a pleasant atmosphere with delicious food. With the warmer weather, you can order to-go and enjoy your meal outside. After placing your to-go order from the Roadshow walk-up window, our staff will bring your order out to you in the Park when it is ready.

 

Breakfast Options at the Roadshow  

The Roadshow is open at 7am seven days a week. The Roadshow breakfast menu is served from 7am to 11am daily. If you arrive for the Roadshow breakfast, there are plenty of to-go options. Their famous breakfast burrito, the Diez y Uno, is a menu item that you will be sure to love. It is made to order with farm fresh eggs, green chiles, Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon, and Ig Vella’s Monterey Jack cheese, all wrapped in a tortilla. Did you know that the Roadshow sells about 1000 burritos per month? It is safe to say, the breakfast burrito is a must-try when you visit the Roadshow for breakfast. Never be afraid to order extra bacon as well! In need of breakfast for your little one? No problem. Your kiddo can dig into the Kid’s Breakfast Burrito, just a smaller version of the Die z y Uno without the chiles. Perfect for those smaller appetites!

Another popular option is the Smoked Salmon Bagel, layered with hand-ladled Zingerman’s Creamery cream cheese, smoked salmon, and your choice of healthy toppings, such as capers, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion. All served on a toasted bagel of your choice.  

If you are in need of a speedy snack to kick start your day, snag some of the Breakfast Noshers, such as toast from the Roadshow. Feast on artisanal bread from Zingerman’s Bakehouse baked fresh every morning and toasted to perfection, spread with farm butter or with organic peanut butter. The Roadshow can make toast from any kind of specialty Bakehouse bread available that day, just ask about our offerings!

 The breakfast pastries are sure to not disappoint. Enjoy a large assortment of Zingerman’s Bakehouse pastries made fresh and ready to serve every morning to you with a smile. Find your favorite from our extensive list of Croissants, Cinnamon Rolls, Scones, and more! Fun fact, at 5pm, these delicious pastries are 50% off. Who can say no to that? 

You can also indulge in the hand-made coffee cakes made with love by Zingerman’s Bakehouse. These coffee cakes can be enjoyed by the slice or grab a whole one for the road. Sour Cream, Hot Cocoa, Lemon Poppyseed, and a special seasonal flavor are all options you can choose from.  

The Breakfast Sammie, made with farm-fresh scrambled eggs, Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon, and melted Cabot cheddar cheese served on either toast, a brioche bun, or freshly baked butter croissant, is another delicious breakfast option.

It gets even better! Quench your thirst with a wide selection of beverages such as a classic cappuccino or latté, Rhode Island Coffee Milk, or fresh-squeezed orange juice and lemonade. Prefer your coffee drink flavored? We make all our syrups in house! The Roadshow uses espresso and coffee exclusively from Zingerman’s Coffee Company.

Guests can create their own drink as well. All staff have gone through Zingerman’s Coffee Company training, how to pull and serve espresso, and how to taste the coffee and rate it so you can be sure your coffee will taste great!

Lunch and Dinner Options at the Roadshow 

Enjoying all the yummy breakfast options? Let’s dive into the lunch and dinner menu. Served from 11am until close at 9pm, there are lots of delicious options such as the house-made Tuna Melt using line-caught tuna salad, melted with Chalet Swiss cheese, served on toasted Bakehouse sourdough bread. 

Need something hearty but quick? Our Sea Island Sweet Potato Fries, made with sweet potatoes hand-cut and twice cooked served with house-made spicy mayonnaise, is a popular option. Did you know we can make them gluten-free? The Roadhouse Garden Salad, a refreshing healthy option, made with organic mixed greens, topped with cucumbers, carrots, and house-made salt-and-pepper croutons, with your choice of dressing on the side.  

The Roadhouse Macaroni & Cheese is a huge favorite as well, available on the Express Menu. House-made béchamel sauce and lots of Cabot cheddar cheese caramelized with Mancini pasta. You can never go wrong with this cheesy goodness.  

  A BBQ Pork Sandwich, pit-smoked pork dressed with Eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce on a brioche bun with yellow mustard coleslaw, or a Turkey Cucumber Wrap made with Sy Ginsberg’s sliced turkey breast, sliced cucumber, lettuce, and house-made ranch dressing wrapped up in a flour tortilla, are all wonderful options that can be made to order from the drive through window of the Roadshow.  

 Who knew delicious food like a Carolina Gold Rice Bowl, made with Anson Mills’ Carolina Gold rice topped with the Roadhouse pit-smoked pork, tasty Millican Texas pecans, seasonal pickled veggies, fresh avocado slices, and garnished with the famous Roadhouse Red Rage BBQ sauce, can be ordered on-the-go?  

How to stay connected 

Hopefully, this guide to Zingerman’s Roadshow will help you navigate the to-go destination for the Roadhouse. Our rule of thumb, if you want a main meal, dine at the Roadhouse. If you are looking for a quick coffee and snack, then you can order right at the window of the Roadshow. 

Stay up to date with all things Roadhouse and Roadshow by subscribing to the newsletter. See you soon at Zingerman’s Roadshow! 

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