Harissa

Our goal, when I opened the business, was to cater to culinary diversity. I often tell customers that if you see it on the food channel, you can find it here at Canandaigua Spice Company. One of the spice blends that has sold well for us is Harissa.

Most people think of harissa as a paste, but we make it in the powdered form. Harrisa is an extremely spicy chili paste used in North African cooking, mostly in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, although strains can be found in all neighboring countries. This fiery chili blend is cooked with vegtables and meat tagines [stews cooked in a tagine, a cast iron base with ceramic top that can be used over the open fire pit, on the stove top or in the oven]. I have also found it to be a great ingredient to Bloody Mary's!

If you want to try your hand at blending Harissa here is one recipe to try:
12-15 dry hot red chilis
2 cloves garlic
pich of sea salt
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp crushed mint leaves
olive oil

Slice the chilis down the centers and remove the seeds. Soak them in warm water until they are rehydrated. Drain the water off and place the chilis in a processor. Add the garlic, salt and other spices. Process untiol a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a jar and cover the top with olive oil. Refrigerate.

As you are making chili, pan frying chicken or making tomato sauce add a bit of Harissa to your dish, or use it as a finishing sauce. Add some into your morning tomato juice or to season homefries. Mixed with mayonnaise, this paste makes an excellent side dish for chicken and cooked meats, particularly lamb. It can be used sparingly as a marinade or served with yogurt as a sauce. This is a very versatile spice blend, and while it is hot, using just a touch can moderate the amount of heat in the dish.

Until next time.......
Michelle
Canandaigua Spice Company

Gluten Free Gourmet Prepared Meals

I often hear customers complain that they are frustrated with Gluten Free foods. They just don't taste the same, they don't have the selection of "regular' foods, they are expensive and they take time to prepare. Very soon, we will be able to offer prepared Gourmet Gluten Free Meals in our freezer section. Working with a local restaurant that specializes in gluten free foods, we will soon be offering dishes made from my recipes for Gluten Free Lazagna, Gluten Free Lemon Chicken and Thyme Risotto, and Gluten Free Penne Pasta in Arrabiata Sauce. These products will only be offered in the store and will not be available for shipping on the website.

I don't feel that eating gluten free has to be tastless or boring. Gluten Free food manufacturer's have come a long way on improving texture and tastes of gluten free foods. Many organizations now exist to help folks diagnosed with Celiac Disease. One such organization is the Rochester Celiac Support Group. They are a very large, well organized and responsive group. They host meetings in Rochester on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Their website is very informative and they offer response to any emailed questions quickly. I very much enjoy working with this group.

I have had several hits to my website looking for gluten free recipies. One of my favorites is Almond Pear Torte, and it is easy to make. The recipe is:

ALMOND PEAR TORTE
9" springform pan or a 9" x 9" square baking dish, lightly greased.

Topping
2 tsp raw sugar [dermerra or turbinado]
1 tsp ground cinnamon [I prefer Korintje cinnamon for baking]
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 vanilla bean, slit and scraped [optional, do not substitute vanilla extract]
2 pears, peels and cored and sliced thinly

Base
1/2C almond flour or almond meal
1/2C coconut flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp GF baking powder
1/2C butter, softened [not melted]
1C raw sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs

Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients for the topping, blend well to coat the pears. Let sit while preparing the base.

Base: Combine flours, xanthan gum, and baking powder in bowl, stir until well blended.

Using a mixer or food processor, beat the butter, sugar, and almond extract together until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, until just mixed. Add the flour mixture and mix until well belnded. Place batter into prepared pan and spread batter to edges using your fingers. You may want to oil your hands or use a little extra coconut flour on them.

Arrange the pears in a circular pattern starting from the center. Let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat he oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 - 55 minutes or until the top is golden and slightly browned. [Batter will rise, become bubbly and somewhat cover the pears]. Test the center of the torte to insure is is no longer spongey. Remove from oven and let cool. Run a knife around edges of pan. Serve warm or cold.

This is a great recipe and I guarantee no one will complain that it is gluten free. For more gluten free recipes, visit us at www.canandaiguaspice.com

Enjoy, until next time........
Michelle
Canandaigua Spice Company

Spice Grinders

It amazes me how fast time goes. I feel like I have just typed in the previous blog and then find that it really was several weeks ago!

So February has found me acting like a mad chemist in the back room. I have been blending, blending, blending new spice mixes for our new spice grinders. I just love grinders, they are so easy to use and I have about 10 of them on the counter top right next to the stove. That way spice flavorings are at my fingertips as I start cooking dinner or [if your family is like mine] also readily available to the family as they dish up their plates at the counter and head to the table, the TV room, or the back deck.

My favorites of the grinder blends [at the moment] are the Lavender Pepper, it is great on pasta, meats or salads; the Italian Supreme is super on anything; the Hot Salt blend is perfect on meats, homefies, eggs; or the Sesame Salt blend that's great ground onto noodles, fish, meats or veggies. Right now we have about 15 different grinder blends, but soon I plan to have more than double that. They have bene very popular as gift and we will be packaging them into gift sets as well.

The great thing about our grinders is that they can be refilled at a $1.00 off! They are so new that you won't find them on the website www.canandaiguaspice.com just yet, but check back soon, they will be uploaded.

If you have any suggestions for spice blends you recommend for grinders, feel free to share it with us by visiting the website and clicking onto the CONACT US button at the bottom of the home page. We'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,
Michelle
Canandaigua Spice Company