THE BLUE HERON TRADING COMPANY INC.

Winter, 2004

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

“Healthful cleanliness and good cheer brings happiness throughout the year”

- Old Dutch Cleanser ad in 1927 issue of American Cookery Magazine

The Mighty Garlic Bulb

Garlic has been touted as being good for everything from lowering blood pressure and curing toothaches to providing strength and preventing cancer. And that’s in addition to the fact that garlic adds wonderful flavor to just about every kind of cooking from around the world. With that in mind, here’s a tour of some of the garlic products we offer:

Roasted Garlic Oil Brush it on seafood, beef, or poultry before grilling or baking; use it to sauté vegetables; add it to marinades and salad dressings; brush it on bread or pizza dough; sprinkle with herbs, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper, add bread, and dip in!

Grinder-Fresh Spicy Garlic Dried garlic and whole spices in a jar with a grinder-style top. Grind fresh flavor onto food at the table or at the stove.

E-Z Roll Garlic Peeler Insert garlic clove, paper and all, give it a roll, and the clove comes out paper-less and ready to use.

Terra Cotta Garlic Keepers Perfect for storing garlic in the cool, dark conditions that keep it fresh and mold-free.

Olives & Mustards, Salsas & Marinades We have an enticing variety of garlic-studded condiments and cooking sauces from near and far.

Garlic Bakers Bake whole heads of garlic and spread the sweet and buttery-soft results on crusty slabs of bread.

Garlic Presses We’ve got ‘em!

WINTER LEFTOVERS SALE Check out our early winter closeouts and leftovers sale. Everything from greeting cards and table linens to dishes and gourmet foods. Additional items added weekly.

SKATEBOARDS IN THE KITCHEN! How does a hard-working team of local boys who specialize in skatepark design and construction end up supplying cutting boards to the Blue Heron? By using up leftovers. It turns out that Richlite, the natural fiber composite laminate they use to manufacture their skateboard ramps, is NSF approved, and has been used and highly regarded by commercial kitchens and chefs worldwide for over 40 years. Leftover materials had been going to waste until they conceived the idea for their new line of Epicurean Cutting Surfaces. Durable, water resistant, dishwasher safe, and temperature resistant up to 350 degrees, the nonporous surface prohibits bacteria growth and won’t dull your knives. Let’s hear it for the boys!

BAGEL TOPPERS Duluth’s Berry Pine Farm family always amazes and delights us with the new flavors they come up with in their line of homemade jams. Start your morning right with a bagel and a “schmeer” of cream cheese topped with their Appleberry Bagel Butter or a spoonful of Strawberry Banana, Raspberry Rhubarb, Blue Raspberry, Raspberry Cherry, or Bluebarb jam.

FOOD OF THE GODS If you’ve never tasted authentic Mexican food, you’re missing one of life’s culinary pleasures. Many people feel that the finest of all Mexican cuisine can be found in the ancient colonial city of Oaxaca. Travel with the Blue Heron group to discover the delights of genuine Mexican cuisine at the Food of the Gods Festival in Oaxaca, Mexico! Join us Oct. 2—9, 2004, for a week of cooking, eating, shopping, exploring and relaxing in one of Mexico’s loveliest and most intriguing cities. Call Pam at Ashenmacher Travel (218-834-6100, local from Duluth, or toll-free 866-834-6100) for more information or to book the trip. She has been to Oaxaca and can discuss the fun and adventure we’ll find. You can also check out the Blue Heron trip Web site at www.oaxaca-food.com/blue-heron/welcome.htm. Call Pam to enroll by April 15 and a guided tour of the archaeological site Monte Alban will be included in your basic package at no extra charge!

DOUGHMAKERS SPECIAL Holiday cookie baking this past month made me a true believer in the Doughmakers line of bakeware. Baking multiple pans of cookies at once, on a variety of cookie sheets, I found there was no comparison! The Doughmakers cookie sheet was the absolute best. Made of thick-gauge aluminum, and finished with their Original Pebble Pattern texture, these pans consistently turned out evenly browned cookies, every time. Try a Biscuit Sheet, at an introductory special price of $9.99. You’ll be back for bread and cake pans, and a cookie sheet or two in no time.

FIREFIGHTER FOOD We still have a good supply of “FIRE AND RICE” cookbooks, a compilation of recipes from Duluth firefighters. Recipes include everything from One Engine’s Cajun Fettuccine, Bob’s Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Virgil’s Naval Spaghetti Sauce, and Super Dave’s Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes to more difficult ones like Orange Jell-O and Weiner Surprise. Just $10 per book and all proceeds go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

NATIONAL OATMEAL MONTH Celebrate the occasion with a tin of McCann’s Irish Oatmeal.

 

Calling All Valentines! Let us help you get in the mood and find your groove! Start with a cocktail served in one of our over-sized Italian wine or martini glasses. Before you present your Valentine with the very special and romantic card you’ve carefully chosen from our rack of witty, charming, sappy, poetic, hilarious, and downright irreverent valentines, you’ll want to shower him/her with jewels (a sparkly valentine necklace is just $3 at the Blue Heron). After every morsel of the sumptuous dinner you’ve prepared with recipes and ingredients from the Blue Heron is devoured, there’s still room for dessert… a cordial served in one of our lovely French liqueur glasses, followed by Stonewall Kitchen’s Mocha Espresso or Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce over anything, and Terra Nova massage oil on the side. Saturday, February 14th!

 

Arrowhead Professional Chefs Association

“Signature Dish” Gourmet Dinner and Cooking Class Series

This year’s Chefs Association gourmet dinner will take place on Sunday, March 28, 2004, 5:30 P.M. at the Holiday Inn Great Lakes Ballroom, downtown Duluth. You may purchase tickets ($50.00 each) at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (722-1700) or Lake Ave Café (722-2355).

In the weeks leading up to the dinner, we will be presenting a series of classes featuring the chefs whose signature dishes will make up the menu for the event. As a special bonus, there will be a drawing at each week’s class for a free ticket to the March 28th dinner. Classes fill quickly, so give us a call!

The Classes Each class begins at 6:30 P.M. and costs $21.00

(A * after a recipe indicates that it will be featured on the menu for the gourmet dinner.)

APPETIZER COURSE Dick Dombroski and Travis Johnson. Thursday, February 19.Join the talented team of Travis and Dick as they prepare Stuffed Mushrooms with Gorgonzola & Nuts* and Pâte à Choux with Cranberry Chicken Salad*. Additional recipes and techniques for preparing Walleye Cakes and assorted other appetizers will also be included in tonight’s class.

STARTER COURSE Bob Bennett. Thursday, February 26.Bob’s elegant starter course of Truffle-Layered Sea Scallops with Truffle Butter and Wild Mushrooms* will be presented at this class, followed by a discussion and demonstration of creative and unusual ideas for preparing a variety of shellfish. Mussels, clams, and oysters will be featured.

SOUP COURSE Beth Pertler. Thursday, March 4.What better time of year to be introduced to a new batch of soup recipes? You’ll learn how to prepare Beth’s menu selection of Smoked Salmon, Asparagus, and Wild Mushroom Soup with Lemon Crudités and Crème Frâiche*, and three additional soups: Sweet Potato Vichyssoise, Shrimp Bisque, and Lemon Chicken with Dill Dumplings. A discussion on stocks will also be included.

SALAD COURSE Gary Baregi. Thursday, March 11.Gary’s contribution to the chefs’ dinner menu is a colorful and flavorful Duck Salad with Raspberries, Oranges, Arugula and Cracklings*. Learn to prepare this and other salads using and tasting assorted greens (frissé, mesclun, radicchio…) and a variety of vinaigrettes (balsamic, walnut, hazelnut, ginger rice…).

ENTRÉE COURSE Glen D’Amour. Thursday, March 18.Glen’s in charge of the entrée for the Chefs Club dinner, and this evening’s class will be entirely devoted to learning about the steps involved in creating it. A Mixed Grill of Crusted Lamb, Cider-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Herb Butter Brown Sauce, and Wild Berry Maple-Glazed Bobwhite Quail will be accompanied by Wild Rice-Filled Navajo Fry Bread and Cherokee Mixit of Baby Carrots, Fiddlehead Ferns, Zucchini, Peppers, and Tomatoes*. Wow!

DESSERT COURSE Heather and Patrick Moore. Thursday, March 25.Heather and Patrick’s French Silk Torte with Spiced Crème Anglaise and Hazelnut Brittle* features a chocolate cake topped with a rich chocolate mousse icing covered in ganache. You’ll learn lots of helpful tips from this experienced duo as they guide you through the various techniques involved in preparing and serving this heavenly dessert.

 

Registration

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 can 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 to receive a refund (the Monday before the class). Please understand we are unable to make exceptions to this policy, as we have already purchased supplies and prepared recipes based upon your registration. Thank you!

We’re open 7 days a week, ‘til 9 on weeknights.!

The Instructors

Gary Baregi Gary has worked for Grandma’s restaurants for 15 years and is now their executive chef. He also worked for the Sheraton and Radisson corporations, and was awarded the 2001 Chefs Club “Chef of the Year” Award.

Bob Bennett A graduate of the Johnson & Whales Culinary School in Rhode Island, Bob is the chef and co-owner of the innovative Bennett’s on the Lake Restaurant.

Glen D’Amour Glen is currently the executive chef at Voyager Village, a country club in Web Lake, Wisconsin. He also works as a consultant for the Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors.

Dick Dombroski Dick’s experience runs the gamut from 25 years as a chef at the Kitchi Gammi Club, to a stint as a sales rep for Bix Produce, to 4 years as the manager of the Northwoods Restaurant in Barnum.

Travis Johnson A graduate of the Culinary Arts Program at Hibbing Technical College, Travis worked as a chef at Bennett’s on the Lake. Now taking a break from the demanding hours of restaurant work, Travis is employed as the Food Service Coordinator at SMDC.

Heather and Patrick Moore Patrick and Heather are in their second year at the New Twin Gables Café in Brule, Wisconsin. Formerly the executive chefs for the Great Lakes Aquarium (Patrick) and Minnesuing Acres (Heather), they have now combined their talents to bring great tasting food to northern Wisconsin.

Beth Pertler Beth operates the busy Savories Catering, which caters a wide variety of events, from private parties to corporate shindigs. They also have Savories Fine Foods to Go, a delectable deli in the Plaza Shopping Center.

Cruising the Aisles

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO! Our red rooster juice glasses add a perky retro accent to any breakfast table.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER If your recipe box is a disaster zone, now’s the time to wrestle it into shape. We have recipe cards, plastic card sleeves to protect your cards from fingerprints and spills, and divider cards to organize your box into sensible categories.

TASTE OF THAI The Taste of Thai company offers a wonderful variety of flavorful Thai seasonings and condiments. Curry Bases: Red (with Thai chilies, garlic, lemon grass, ginger, and kaffir lime ~ good with meat, poultry, veggies, and fish), Green (the hottest, good with beef or chicken), or Yellow (most aromatic with turmeric and paprika ~ good for fish or poultry). Sauces: Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce (tangy and hot, not fiery, lots of garlic flavor), Sweet Red Chili Sauce (traditionally used with chicken ~ chilies are mellowed with sugar ~ good for baking, BBQing, or dipping), or Fish Seasoning Sauce (essential for Thai cooking ~ used as other cultures use salt or soy sauce).

AND ANOTHER And while we’re talking Thai, check out Annie Chun’s Thai Peanut Sauce. Try it with her rice noodles, in Original or Thai Basil flavors.

TEA TIME One of the best little tea gadgets invented in the last few years is the polymesh tea infuser made by Republic Of Tea. The People’s Brew Basket fits in most mugs and teapots, and its large size lets tea leaves unfurl for full flavor. The fine mesh material does a great job of leaving the brewed leaves in the filter, not in your tea.

KEY LIME LOVERS Make your own Key Lime Pie with the very BEST key lime juice, Nellie and Joe’s, or try Xcell’s new Key Lime Cheesecake Mix. We stock both!

SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST Add a taste of summer to your Saturday morning pancakes with Berry Pine Farm real fruit syrups. Choose from Chokecherry, Crabapple, Raspberry, or Blueberry. Yum!

OUTSTANDING FLAVOR Imported from France, Laurent du Clos mustards feature Dijon mustard masterfully blended in unlikely but surprisingly wonderful flavor combinations. Their Walnut Dijon and Tarragon Dijon mustards won gold medals in the Exotic and Best Herb Mustard categories respectively at the World Mustard Competition in 1999. And their Roquefort Dijon is just about the best thing to happen to a beef tenderloin sandwich in a long time.

SALSA MAKER Make homemade salsa using the compact Salsa Maker/Mini Food Processor. Just put all your ingredients in the bowl, snap on the top, and with a few quick turns of the handle, Voilà! Fresh Salsa! Perfect for mixing salad dressings, sauces, and dips, or making applesauce, mashed potatoes, or baby food.

TRUFFLE LOVERS Elena’s Black Truffle Olive Oil starts with imported Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and finishes with the pungent flavor of exotic black truffles. Truffle-infused olive oil is the perfect way to prolong the life of this scarce, flavorful, and expensive fungus. You’ll discover lots of ways to use it… pasta sauces, salad dressings, mashed potatoes, soups, sauces, salad greens… (Were you one of the very satisfied and impressed diners at the new Boathouse Restaurant’s recent Truffle Feast in Superior? Call the Boathouse for info on other special dinners coming up at this excellent new eating establishment.)

LOVE THOSE GLOVES! Now there’s no need to wear frumpy rubber gloves when attending to tedious household cleaning projects. Don a pair of Gloveables, rubber gloves with style! Each pair of gloves is topped with a functional and decorative ruffled cuff of floral oil cloth. Put some fun in your chores!

SOPHISTICATED TREATS Miss Scarlett knows how to stuff an olive. First it was drunken giant Spanish green olives (soaked in vermouth!) stuffed with garlic, jalapenos, or almonds (my very favorite). Now they’ve gone and stuffed those same olives with Wisconsin blue cheese. What a combo! There’s also a new Cajun-style olive with peppers, onions, and spices. Great for martinis or eating right out of the jar.

THE ART OF MARZIPAN Made from ground almonds, sugar, and glucose, Odense Marzipan candy dough is easily colored and molded to create edible art. Once you begin experimenting with it, you’ll find no end to the things you can create: delicate rosebuds, tiny fruits and vegetables, pastel-colored marzipan bonbons, marzipan-filled truffles…

WHISK IN SOME COLOR New from Le Creuset: colorful silicone whisks! The 10-inch balloon whisk is fully encased in silicone, so it won’t scratch your metal or non-stick pans. Heat resistant to 800 degrees and dishwasher safe, just like everybody’s favorite Le Creuset silicone spatulas. Let us show you the new whisks and a fully restocked display of Le Creuset’s enamel-coated cast iron cookware.

ON SALE NOW Our vibrant Mexican oilcloth tablecloths are marked way down so that you can add some great color to your table this winter. Choose from round, square, or rectangle cloths in bold and cheery florals.

FRENCH CHEESE LEAVES Add color and elegance to cheese trays, cake plates, and cookie platters with delicate paper parchment leaves or pansies.

IN STOCK , FOR NOW We have a limited supply of Talmadge Farm Pickles and Beets.

 

 

Fundamentals

Stainless steel has many qualities that make it the perfect material for everyday kitchen tools. Strong and easy to clean, it doesn’t corrode or rust, and won’t react with acidic or alkaline foods. The Blue Heron offers a full range of handy stainless steel kitchen gadgets and baking helpers:

Mixing Bowls Professional quality heavy duty stainless mixing bowls come in five sizes, from 2-12 quarts.

Liquid Measuring Cups Available in graduated 2 or 4-cup sizes, with metric as well as American Standard measurements.

Measuring Spoons No kitchen should be without a set of these.

Whisks Just the right tool for mixing, whipping, or blending eggs, sauces, cream, and gravies.

Locking Tongs Use them for handling food when sautéing, grilling or serving.

Shakers Mix and shake spices, sugar, and flour from these handy stainless steel shakers. Tight-fitting lids have mesh or small holes depending on your needs.

Graters and Zesters Make quick work of grating cheese, garlic, lemons and limes with stainless steel Microplane zesters.

Bakeware Everything from mini muffin tins, springform pans, and pie plates to linked bread pans and jellyroll pans, all in stainless.

 

Valentine Special

Let us introduce you to

Viking Range

Professional Cookware

Now through February 14th

Bring in this coupon for

15% Off One Piece

Viking Stainless Steel Cookware

 

Limit one pan per customer.

In-stock merchandise only. No other discounts apply.

 

Thank You!

Thanks to all of you who contributed to our Breast Cancer Fundraiser on December 4, we were able to send checks to three organizations who work locally to prevent and treat breast cancer: YWCA Women’s Health and Wellness Program, Miller-Dwan Foundation (designated to the Cancer Treatment Fund), and the Duluth branch of the American Cancer Society.

In business since 1985, the Blue Heron is locally owned and operated by founders Jane Jenkins and Betsy Snow. We’re located right here in your town, with friendly staff on hand to answer your questions, and no expensive shipping charges. Please call us at 218-722-8799 if you would like to be added to our mailing list.

 

Scharffen Berger

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, the only American Chocolate manufacturer founded in the last 50 years, was founded in 1996 by a wine and champagne maker and a physician-turned-chocolatier. Their goal: to make the richest, most flavorful chocolate from the purest and best cacao they could find. We think you’ll agree that they’ve done an excellent job of attaining that goal when you try any of their products, from baking chocolates and cocoa powder to chocolate sauce and candy bars. Here are a couple of recipe ideas they offer for using their 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate:

CHOCOLATE ORBIT CAKE (Recipe by David Lebovitz, “Room for Dessert”)

9.75 oz Scharffen Berger 62% Semisweet Chocolate

7 oz (2 sticks minus 1 T) butter

5 eggs

1 c sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, and line with a round of parchment. Cut the butter and chocolate into small pieces and put them in double boiler to melt, whisking occasionally. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in another bowl. Thoroughly whisk in the melted chocolate. Pour the chocolate batter into the cake pan. Place it in a larger baking pan, and pour in warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake on rack in center of oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cake appears to have set and when you touch the center, your finger comes away clean. Remove the cake from the water bath and cool completely before serving, plain or with gently whipped cream. This cake can be refrigerated for several days. Serves 12—14.

CHOCOLATE EASTER BASKETS (Recipe by Alice Medrich, “A Year in Chocolate”)

3 oz Scharffen Berger 62% Semisweet Chocolate

3 c or more thin pretzel sticks

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler. Cool to lukewarm. Pour most of the chocolate over pretzels and coat gently with rubber spatula, adding more melted chocolate if necessary. Scrape pretzels into bowl or box lined with plastic wrap, or shape into small nests on sheets of wax paper. Refrigerate to set, then unmold by lifting plastic from container and peeling it away. Fill with chocolate truffles or candy.