THE BLUE HERON TRADING COMPANY INC.

Winter 2008

DEWITT-SEITZ MARKETPLACE, CANAL PARK

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DULUTH, MN 55802 (218) 722-8799

Archive of Blue Heron newsletters:

FREE PARKING - LOCALLY OWNED

DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace

As we celebrate the gradual return of daylight after the darker days of winter, we look forward to receiving new shipments filled with refreshing spring colors and all sorts of new products. Here’s a preview of what’s inside some of the boxes our friendly delivery guys are wheeling into the store these days…

FLEA MARKET FINDS 18th and 19th century European dinnerware found in the famous Paris Flea Market is the inspiration for our new Flea Market Collection Each piece of generously-sized white earthenware dinner and serve ware is finished with a shiny glaze and has a unique detailed edge. Dishwasher and microwave safe.

GARDEN SETTING Sweet contour drawings of rosebuds and birds sit against a muted pastel background on TAG’s new ironstone serving dishes, placemats and napkins. There’s a matching rosebud demi apron to put on as you create a beautiful spring table with the rosebud stripe table runner offered in the same collection. Natural 100% cotton, with stripes of pink and green twill tape and running rows of embroidered stitches. Complete the setting with light from our rosebud lanterns, available in three sizes, with powder-coated metal buds and birds on glass.

AND BABY MAKES THREE Laminated cotton bibs and aprons along with durable lightweight melamine dish sets feature bright colors and playful original designs.

APRIL CORNELL Once again, April Cornell designers have outdone themselves with a dazzling spring lineup of table and kitchen linens: cherry blossoms, nasturtiums, and peonies ~ birds and berries and magical paisleys; soft pinks, vibrant greens, warm yellows, and blues from the sky and the sea. Guaranteed to add cheer wherever they go.

TO MARKET, TO MARKET Roomy market tote bags hold groceries, knitting supplies, books, workout clothes, or carry-on items for your next getaway. In colorful prints on PVC-coated cotton or 100% cotton.

RELEASE YOUR INNER HOSTESS The stereotypical kitchen apron from the ‘50’s has been reworked into a fun and flirty skirt apron. Created in updated retro fabrics with flounces and frills for cooking and entertaining with a dash of panache.

COFFEE BREAK Enjoy your favorite hot beverage in one of our new porcelain mugs, jazzed up with swimming koi, butterflies in striking cobalt blue and celery green, black and white geometrics, or delicate forest creatures silhouetted in pink on chocolate brown.

THICK AND THIRSTY 100% Turkish cotton ripple dish cloths come in cheery colors like sprout green, tropical blue, cumin, marigold yellow, and peony pink. Sold in singles or takeout-box sets of three.

PASTEL SERVER Welcome spring with our set of twelve assorted pastel appetizer plates perched on an ivory iron plate stand. A touch of gold in the plate holder’s distressed finish adds a bit of elegance as your guests help themselves to morning muffins, hors d’oeuvres, or dessert.

VINTAGE WIRE VOTIVES Soft-colored frosted glass inserts sit inside vintage-style wire holders. For tea lights, small bouquets of flowers, or candy and nuts.

FROM THE ATTIC Part of Grandma’s button collection has found a good home on our new button tablecloth, runner, and napkins. Sewn in ivory-colored 100% cotton with coral, white, and brown accents.

TREATS FOR YOUR

VALENTINE

Paton’s Mini Macadamias are covered in smooth white chocolate with strawberry crunch pieces or in dark chocolate with orange.

Create a perfect chocolate cake with Scharffenberger’s high quality Natural Cocoa Powder.

Bake up a storm, then decorate with India Tree’s Red Sparkling Sugar, Oyster Pearls and Silver Dragees.

Spectrum’s Gel Food Colorings blend in easily and produce more vibrant colors than typical liquid colorings.

Heart-Shaped Clay Cookie Presses have colored glazed handles and let you stamp delicate designs in your valentine cookies. Gift-boxed in a set of two.

Pamper your valentine with Red Tea & Cocoa Blossom Blissful Therapy Tub Tea and Fountain of Youth Body Cream.

Chocolate Santander promises fair prices and cash payments to its Colombian cocoa bean growers. Their Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans and Chocolate Covered Cocoa Nibs make tasty little gifts.

The Salem Baking Company’s Moravian Cookies have a reputation of being the world’s thinnest cookie. And, they’re delicious! Tangerine Orange, Vanilla Walnut, or Key Lime, in handsome 2.5-oz. tubes.

THE CLASSES

WINTER SOUPS, STEWS & SALADS

Kay Turk. Thursday, February 14, 6:30 P.M. We can always count on Kay to present an intriguing selection of new recipes and flavors, and tonight’s class will be no exception. Using seasonal vegetables, grains, and fresh herbs, she’ll create hearty, healthy soups and stews accompanied by fresh ideas for dinner salads.

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE VEGETARIAN STYLE

Darius Jones. Thursday, February 21, 6:30 P.M. Join us as we welcome a new chef to the Blue Heron kitchen. Darius will present recipes and techniques for preparing Moroccan Vegetable Soup, Fried Bread, Vegetarian Paella, and top off the evening’s menu with Blood Orange Sorbet.

COOKING WITH RICE

Janice Draxten & Judy Kreag. Thursday, February 28, 6:30 P.M. Part of the nurturing offered during retreats at the Dwelling in the Woods includes meals of nourishing, wholesome foods. The Dwelling’s head chef and executive director will present this evening’s class, which will explore different varieties of rice and recipes for their use. Suitable for gluten-free, vegetarian, and “regular” diets.

SINFULLY DELICIOUS DESSERTS

Christian Murphy. Thursday, March 6, 11:00 A.M. AND repeated at 6:30 P.M. Decadent desserts ~ we all love them, and tonight you’ll learn how to make them from scratch. Christian will demonstrate the fundamentals from which all desserts and baked items evolve. Recipes used and/or tasted will include: Chocolate Sponge Cake with Bailey’s White Chocolate Butter Cream, New York Style Cheesecake, Crème Brulée, Mandarin Panna Cotta, and Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache.

ITALIAN FROM START TO FINISH

Robert Guiliani. Thursday, March 13, 6:30 P.M. Learn the proper way to use a hand-crank pasta machine, ricer, and spaetzle maker as Robert prepares fresh pasta, gnocchi, spaetzle, and Rob’s Old Family Ravioli. You will also receive recipes for the accompanying sauces which will be prepared ahead of time.

ASIAN-STYLE FINGER FOODS (Repeat of a class offered 2/22/07.)

Steve Pedley. Thursday, March 20, 11:00 A.M. AND repeated at 6:30 P.M. Let Steve introduce you to a great menu for a casual but classy hors d’oeuvres party: Cantonese Egg Rolls, Shrimp Toast, Hot & Sour Chicken Wings, Pot Stickers, and Asian Marinated Beef Tenderloin with Peanut Dipping Sauce. As an added bonus, Steve will share recipes for make-at-home stir fry sauces and he’ll provide a lesson on knife sharpening. Bring in your dullest knife and have it sharpened by a pro.

COOKING WITH LE CREUSET (Special $45 fee, see below)

Arlene Coco & Deb Apuli. Thursday, March 27, 6:30 P.M. Deb, our Le Creuset sales representative, will be on hand to showcase the latest Le Creuset cookware along with tips for its use, while Arlene demonstrates recipes for Chicken Under a Brick, Wild Mushroom Risotto with White Truffle Oil, All Seasons Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing, Slow Roasted Fruits, Louisiana Gumbo, and Roasted Garlic Spread. Your $45 fee includes a 3-qt. Le Creuset Stoneware Square Covered Casserole. Please be prepared to choose a color when registering: cherry, kiwi, citrus, chestnut, white, Caribbean, or cobalt.

REGISTRATION: Unless otherwise noted, each class costs $25.00. Registration begins the day after the schedule is mailed. No registration is allowed before that time. You can register for classes at the store or over the phone (218-722-8799). However, payment must be received before we can reserve a place for you in the class. You may use your credit card to pay by phone if you wish. A 10% discount, food samples, and recipes will be given at most classes. If you find you are unable to attend, please notify us 3 days in advance in order to receive a refund (the Monday before the class). Please understand we are unable to make exceptions to this policy.

Our instructors

Arlene Coco Arlene recently became a Certified Culinary Instructor, adding to her talents as a caterer, food writer and menu consultant.

Janice Draxten & Judy Kreag Janice is currently the head chef at The Dwelling in the Woods, following 15 years in the catering business. Judy is the executive director at the Dwelling, and is the author of several guidebook/cookbooks.

Robert Guiliani Robert attended the Minneapolis Art Institute’s International Culinary Arts program and studied at the CIA. He is now the bar manager at Duluth’s Hell’s Kitchen after stints at Joe’s Garage and the Kozy at Galleria in Minneapolis.

Darius Jones A Duluth native, Darius has returned to the Twin Ports and currently works as the Acting Sous Chef at Restaurant 301 in the Sheraton Hotel, Duluth.

Christian Murphy Christian received formal training at the Culinary Institute of America and then worked throughout the hospitality industry in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains before returning to Minnesota.

Steve Pedley Steve returned to cooking after a long hiatus and cooked at the Buena Vista, Ridgeview, and Grandma’s prior to his present position at Savories Catering.

Kay Turk Kay is employed in nursing, but still enjoys pursuing her love of cooking. Once employed as a private chef, she is a popular instructor of many years at the Blue Heron.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

ALL THE BETTER TO SERVE YOU WITH Pick up delicate pastries with our new stainless steel tongs, fashioned after those used in Parisian bakeries. Just right for serving fruit, hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

RESCUE ME There’s a great new tool for rescuing the last remnants of ketchup, condiments, and sauces from narrow-neck bottles. This specially designed 10” silicone scoop-shaped spatula has a stainless steel handle and dares to go to great depths to save you from wasting a drop.

HANDY AND HANDSOME, TOO From Inox, France: Laguiole spreader knives, with colored handles and stainless steel blades. For serving butter, dips, spreads, and soft cheeses.

CLASSIC EQUIPMENT Double boilers of the past were often made from aluminum, which causes some foods to react and discolor. Our 1 1/2 qt. 18/8 stainless steel double boiler is non-reactive, the perfect vessel for making hollandaise and béarnaise sauces, seven-minute frosting, custards, and for melting chocolate. Its 2 qt. lower pot has an encapsulated tri-ply base for quick and even heating.

NO BITTER TASTE Coffee left on the burner quickly develops a bitter taste. Better to brew it directly into a thermos and keep it hot and flavorful. Our filter cones for thermal carafes have a funnel neck that fits inside your thermos. Use with paper filters, finely ground coffee, and one of our top quality stainless steel thermoses from Nissan/Thermos.

SAFETY UPGRADE Organize your knife storage and keep it safe with Knife-Guards. Chosen by professional chefs and culinary arts students to protect the edge of their professional cutlery, Knife-Guards are made from the highest quality flexible composite poly and do not crack or wear out like the competition. Available in 3 sizes.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW When was the last time you cleaned out your spice cabinet? Is it full of duplicates and old spices that have lost their flavor? Refresh your selection and, for best flavor retention, store them in our glass spice jars. In red, cobalt blue, or clear glass with stainless tops.

IN THE GROOVE Epicurean’s environmentally friendly cutting boards are made right here in Duluth. With a non-porous surface that safeguards against bacteria and staining, they’re safer than wood or plastic. One of our favorite Epicurean boards is designed specifically for carving roasts and fowl. A studded surface holds the meat in place while you are cutting. The inner canal will contain much of the juice and an outer juice groove will prevent the rest from reaching your countertop. Sized 21x15, designed specifically to fit most dishwashers to make that big clean-up job a little bit easier.

BEAUTIFUL BREWING The Bodum Assam glass teapot has a center column tea press for brewing either loose tea or bagged tea. When the tea is steeped to your liking, simply push the plunger down and the brewing process stops. The depressed plunger locks in the tea leaves or bags so no strainer is needed. Available in 17 oz. or 34 oz. sizes. Dishwasher safe.

COME TO THE TABLE Set your table with our cheery red enamel dinnerware. At home in the city or at the cabin, for holidays, year round entertaining, and everyday use.

ESPRESSO EXPRESS Bialetti’s 6 cup Venus stovetop espresso pot lets you easily prepare espresso by the steam infusion method right at home. Made in Italy, with an elegant polished stainless steel body. Suitable for any stove surface.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Recent additions to our fresh roasted coffee department include a South Sea Blend of African and Indonesian beans, and a shade-grown organic coffee from El Salvador.

FROM THE PANTRY

The Newest Additions to our food department come from Earth & Vine Provisions, a small company in northern California. They showered us with samples over the past few months, and we fell in love with their inspiring flavor combinations. We’re pleased to present their all natural, preservative-free jams, dressings, beverage elixirs, sauces and marinades:

Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam

Plum & White Nectarine Fruit Spread

Cuban Mojo Mustard Spread & Dip

Jamaican Jerk Mustard Spread & Dip

Island Mango Chutney

Pineapple Sake Teriyaki Marinade

Mango Tequila Jalapeno Grilling Sauce

Honey Pear Vinaigrette

Blackberry Peppercorn Zinfandel Vinaigrette

Pomegranate Pear with Port Culinary Dessert Sauce

Blackberry Ginger Culinary Dessert Sauce

Pomegranate Beverage Elixir

Black Currant Beverage Elixir

Meyer Lemon Beverage Elixir

California Harvest’s International Rice Collection includes Argentinean Arborio Carnaroli, Himalayan Basmati, and French Carmague Riz Rouge (red rice). Each has its own unique flavor.

For an easy and delicious Key Lime Pie, use only the very best, Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice. You’ll taste the difference! Combine 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 3 egg yolks, and 1/2 c lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a 9” graham cracker pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°.

In business since 1985, the Blue Heron is locally owned and operated by co-founder Jane Jenkins. We’re located right here in your town, with friendly staff on hand to answer your questions and no shipping charges!

We offer free parking, free gift wrapping, one free pound of coffee for every ten, and a 10% Tuesday discount with a non-perishable Food Shelf donation.

Saturday Afternoon Tastings are held from noon to 3:00 every Saturday. It’s your chance to sample all sorts of goodies from our gourmet food pantry.

Please call us at (218)722-8799 if you’d like to be added to or deleted from our mailing list.

STORE HOURS

Monday - Friday 10 - 9

Saturday 10 - 8

Sunday 11 - 5

SON-IN-LAW DUMPLINGS Pot stickers, also known as Jaoizi, or Chinese dumplings, are often one of the delicious delicacies served with Chinese Dim Sum. They are most easily prepared using a dumpling press, a handy little tool that crimps and seals and looks like a pair of hinged dentures with handles.

My son-in-law makes wonderful pot stickers, which I often plead with him to make. Here’s his recipe:

SHAY’S POT STICKERS

1 # ground pork

6 t dry sherry or rice wine6 t soy sauce

3 t sesame oil

1 green onion, chopped (use about 3/4 of it here, save the rest for your dipping sauce)

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers, cut in half diagonally

1 egg, beaten with a little water

Mix first 5 ingredients together to create filling. Lay half an egg roll wrapper across one side of open dumpling press**. Add 1 t filling. Brush edges lightly with egg mixture. Close dumpling maker and press firmly to seal.

Heat 2-3 T vegetable oil in bottom of large flat-bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add pot stickers (will probably need to cook in batches) and cook until lightly browned on bottom. Do not flip. Add 1/2 c water, cover, and steam until water is evaporated. Loosen from pan and serve brown side up. Clean pan between batches.

Serve with soy sauce and/or rice vinegar, or a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, minced ginger, sesame seed oil, and green onion.

**You’ll find dumpling presses for sale at the Blue Heron.