Soup Making Class and Gift Baskets

Wow, we had such a great turn out for the Soup Making Class. 20 people attended, that's 5 more than we expected! I also had expected that soup making would be a good class for the fall, and it ended up being 90 degrees on Tuesday. I scrambled to include a cold fruit soup in the venue so we weren't eating all hot, hearty soups on a hotter than hot day!

We started with Fruit Loop Soup [cold], then made Ravioli in Chicken Broth, Salmon Posole and Cilantro Soup, and lastly Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup. Everyone had a different favorite, but all soups went over well. Making 4 soups in a 2 hour class is a challenge, even with some of the prep work done before hand. All attendees got handout that included recipes for stocks and 10 other soups. It was a fun class, look for us to be doing another one in the Winter Series with Compliments [Canandaigua Adult Education] and through Victor's Community Center.

Today we got an opportunity to provide 35 gift baskets to a group coming into town next week. The people travelling in are from out of state and the host wants to offer them something that is uniquely local. APPLES! And along with those apples they want some spices made by Canandaigua Spice Company that could be used with the apples. So today we have been making and packaging Cinnamon Pecan Spice, Maple Dip Mix, Apple-liscious Sprinkle [great on baked apple, apple pie, or oatmeal] and including maple syrup in the baskets, along with some locally grown apples. These are the projects I love. I know that these folks have never had any of our products before and that they will be trying them for the first time.

We really focus on locally grown and locally processed foods. I am pleased to have over a dozen local farmers that grow herbs/vegetables for us. This year we have added locally grown garlic, leeks, okra, pineapple sage, red onion, lemon basil, lime basil, mints, cilantro, and other products to our selections. Sustainable agriculture and local/regional food is a growing trend that has not reached its zenith yet. So if you aren't aware of what your local region grows or produces, look around and try your local farmer's market, local meat producers, or local food processors. Buying local means buying fresh. Read more about our committment to local products on our website www.canandaiguaspice.com under About Us.

Until next time,
Michelle
Owner
Canandaigua Spice Company

Sofrito Seafood Chowder, Wood Library, Soup Making Class

What an exciting week it was! The Rochester Festival of Foods event was wonderful, then we participated in the Wood Library Fund Raiser held at Dr. Ben Gullo's house off Middle Cheshire Road. What a lovely home and the view of Canandaigua Lake was gorgeous. Ben & Sharon Gullo were delightful hosts. I believe the planners met their goal of 100 attendees. There were 4 wineries [Rooster Hill, Brickstone Cellars, Salmon Run and Wilhelmus], 2 specialty food providors [Canandaigua Spice Company, Sweet Expressions] a silent auction, finger foods, musicians, candles [provided by Wickedly Scent] and so much more. I was pleased to have been a part of that event. Everyone was very interested in our samples and it brought some good business into the store after the event. Then on Friday we were at Finger Lakes Community College for their Farmer's Market Day. Josh Heller, the coordinator, had doubled the number of vendors from last year and it was a great day.

Today, at the store we made Sofrito Seafood Chowder. Lots of folks have tasted it and it is another hit for our Sofrito blend. This is very simple and savory.

Sofrito Seafood Chowder, this is a slightly spicy broth chowder
1 large red onion, chopped
3 T olive oil
3T fish sauce

In a large soup kettle, heat olive oil and fish sauce and saute onion until tender. Add:

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
4Q water
1/4 C seafood or chicken bouillon
1 2oz. packet of Sofrito [Made by Canandaigua Spice Company]
1 can large black olives, each olive sliced in half
1 pinch saffron threads

Let come to a slow boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. In a large skillet, heat 3T olive oil. Add:

1 lb scallops
1 lb shrimp

Quickly saute and then cut each scallop into quarters. Add seafood with juices to soup pot. Serve hot with crusty bread and Garlic, Basil Parmesan Cheese Olive Oil Dip.

Enjoy! For more great soup recipes attend our SOUP MAKING CLASS, September 25th at Reister's Service Center 25 Ontario St Canandaigua, NY from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Call 585-396-3701 to make reservations. Cost is $10.00/person.

Until next Time,

Michelle
Owner
Canandaigua Spice Company

Food Shows, Farmers Markets and The Governor's Mansion

Well, Monday night was the Rochester Festival of Foods and we participated this year for the first time. It was a lot of fun, and the people that visited our booth were really great. We took olive oil bread dips and Sofrito Salsa. As usual, the Garlic, Basil and Parmesan Cheese Dip blend was the most popular, but we saw a great deal more interest in the Chicago Everything blend than we have before. Someday I would love to do a study between rural and metropolitan eating habits. The diversity offered in a metroplitan area really does impact what people [will] eat.

Trish Aser, a friend of mine and owner of the Brown Hound Bistro, also went and took her Grilled Seafood Bisque. It was a great hit and we heard many favorable comments about the bisque. Her booth was right next to mine. I took a few minutes to tour the festival and enjoyed the food from India Palace in Rochester, but my favorite food at the festival was the pulled pork in a green pepita sauce from El Rincon Restaurant. Gabe and Rafael, brothers that own the restaurant, really create truely authentic mexican dishes that always delight me. Visit them, if you haven't. They are on Beeman St in Canandaigua.

Later this week we will participate in a fund raiser for the Wood Library here in Canandaigua and also a Farmers Market at Finger Lakes Community College. 3 shows in 1 week. It is a great deal of preparation, but when in business, you MUST get your product and name out in front of people.

A good example of that was the opportunity this past week to provide products for the Governor's chef to sample. Finger Lakes Visitors Connection had called to say the governor's chef was visiting and wanted to try products made in the Finger Lakes, would I like to provide some of my products. OF COURSE I WOULD! So we packaged a Finger Lakes Rub Collection, a few tea blends that we make, a collection of sour cream dip blends, and a package of the olive oil bread dip mixes and submitted them for the taste testing. How exciting it was to hear back that the chef had taken the Finger Lakes Rub Collection, the dip collections, and one of the teas back to the mansion to sample.

Until next time, when I will talk about our Soup Making Class and give you a recipe!!!!

Michelle

http://www.canandaiguaspice.com/

Canandaigua Spice Company has a gluten free section that keeps on growing! When I opened, I had a friend, whose husband had just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, ask me to carry "ready made foods" for celiacs. She felt like she was cooking multiple meals for her family and she was really burnt out on cooking. So we ordered in a few products, advertised that we carried gluten free, and customers needing gluten free started frequenting the store. Our gluten free section grew. More customers came into the store needing gluten free. Our gluten free section grew again. We started making our own mixes for muffins, pancakes, waffles, sweet breads, yeast breads, pie crusts, cookies and cakes. Yes, you guessed it, our gluten free section grew again. Now we offer gluten free cooking classes, gluten free cook books, and an ever expanding selection of gluten free products. Gluten Free Gift Baskets are 25% off September 15th - October 15th. Come in, shop early & save!

It's been somewhat slower at the store after Labor Day, so today I made 5 new brine blends. Brines combine sugar and salt with other spices that are added to liquid and a piece of meat, tofu, or vegetables are soaked in the brine to tenderize and flavor them. Turkey Brining was extrememely popular last Thanksgiving. So I created Asian Brine, a mix of asian spices; ginger, garlic, lemon grass, coriander, star anise... Smoked Brine, a mix of smoked pepper, smoked chilis, smoked salt to give a true smokehouse flavor... Coffee Brine, we can't get enough of coffee here in the Finger Lakes... Maple [Sugarshack] Brine, made from locally produced maple sugar and fall flavor favorites, allspice, cloves, cinnamon... Plus our own traditional Turkey Brine, earthy flavors of rosemary, sage & thyme...

I also put out our SHOP EARLY & SAVE items! We are sponsoring a sale of prepackaged baskets & gift items @ 25% off between September 15th and October 15th. While I thought it would create suspense, what it did was start the sale early. We have Rub Collections, Tea Collections, Spice Sets, Gourmet Salt Collections, Gift Baskets and other items on sale NOW.

I plan to start blending our Fall Stuffing Mixes soon. We will be making a Blueberry and Rye Stuffing Mix; Porcini Mushroom and Rissotto Stuffing Mix; Garlic, Basil & Parmesan Cheese Stuffing Mix; Cranberry, Orange and Almond Stuffing Mix; Mom's Traditional Stuffing Mix; and more. Great for the fall, perfect for stuffing winter squash or serving at the Holiday meals.

Hey, see our display in the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerse Window during the month of September. It is bright and colorful and free recipes are available in the Chamber office!

Until next time,

Michelle
Owner
Canandaigua Spice Company

Somedays, it's hard for me to believe that Canandaigua Spice Company has been open for over a year. It seems like just a few days ago we were painting walls, choosing shelving units, and ordering inventory. Now a year later we have created over 350 different herb, spice and seasoning blends. I love the creativity of it! For the past summer I have worked part time at the Brown Hound Bistro, to gain experience working with a chef. It keeps my creative juices flowing. I do prep cooking, mosting I make the soup du joir and their outstanding Seafood Bisque [which, by the way, I had to sign a confidentaility agreement NOT to give out the recipe]. It has been great, but my season at the shop will be gearing up for the holidays, so I must bid adieu to the Brown Hound and focus on Fall Food Shows and Holiday preparation. I will be doing the Savor Rochester Food Festival on September 17th. It is at the public Market in Rochester, NY and is the first large food show we will undertake. 1200 people are expected to attend. We will be offering samples of our hand blended Olive Oil Bread Dips [all herbs are locally grown in these mixes] and also our SOFRITO Salsa Blend. The Sofrito has, surprizingly, turned into one of our best sellers over the past year. I got the idea for the blend from a Puerto Rican friend of mine, he was telling me how his mother makes her own home-made Sofrito that she uses in rice dishes and tomato sauces. I was sure I could make a dry seasoning blend from the ingredients he was sharing with me. Our blend has a deep heat that is derived from the freshly dehydrated garlic and a hint of smokiness. It is great as a salsa, but I also encourage customers to try it in other dishes --- Clams Fra Diavolo, or with Mussles! Recipes for these dishes can be found on our website www.canandaiguaspice.com. Be sure to check them out. Your feedback is always welcome. More next blog on our Holiday Gift ideas. With Regard, Michelle Owner Canandaigua Spice Company

My First Blog Post

Thank you all for visiting. Keep checking the blog for specials, information on new products, and recipes. Plus updates of any kind. We have over 350 spices, seasonings, and herbs in our shop.

We are always intersted in hearing from people with culinary interest.

Canandaigua Spice Company