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Nov. 2008 - In this Issue: |
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Special Events
Coffee Fest - This Sat.
10% off coupon
Highly Caffeinated Sale
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| Store Information |
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Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday
10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Calhoun Square
3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis
(612) 824-4417
(888) 824-4417
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Flatbreads, Crackers and Wine |
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 Entertaining Made Easy
Flatbreads, Crackers and Wine
The holidays are a time to get together with family and friends – but do you really want to spend your time in the kitchen, or spend it enjoying your party? You don’t need to obsess over a perfect four-course meal to have a fabulous party with good food. If you’re looking for a quick and easy yet elegant way to entertain this holiday season, a wine and cheese evening is the perfect choice.
Visit your favorite cheese shop and ask for some recommendations. Include some of the more popular and well-known cheeses (a great aged Cheddar, a perfectly ripe brie) and add a couple of more adventurous choices (a pungent Robiola or a marinated feta). And instead of serving the cheese with supermarket crackers or baguettes, jazz things up a little by accompanying them with homemade crackers and flatbreads.
Read on for some great recipes that fit right in with this party theme – flatbreads and crackers are easy to make (and they can be made ahead of time, which makes them great for entertaining). We offer three recipes from Joanne Weir’s “Wine Country Cooking” – Brown Butter, Walnut and Cheddar Wafers, Flatbread with Roasted Shallots and Garlic and Crispy Cracker Bread.
Add some great olives from that Greek deli you discovered (or from your grocery store’s olive bar), some spiced nuts and a little something sweet and your guests will be well fed and happy.
Simplify your bar set-up as well. Forget the mixed drinks and stick with wine – after all, it’s the perfect foil for cheese. Start everyone off with a glass of sparkling wine as they arrive to set a festive mood. Then set out a crisp white wine and a robust red wine and let your guests help themselves. Look for hints on pairing the right glass with the right wine in this newsletter.
So light a fire in the hearth, light some candles on the table and let the fun begin. This party is the perfect recipe for a relaxing evening with friends. After reading this newsletter, all you’ll need to add are the guests.
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Book Your Holiday Party |
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Kitchen Window’s Cooking School and Event Center is the perfect place to host your company holiday party – but call soon, dates are filling up fast! Let us take care of all the details so you can relax and enjoy your party. Each interactive gourmet event is designed to provide a unique experience for you and your guests. Select on of our three-course lunches, four-course dinners or interactive appetizer menus. For more information, call 612-824-4417, ext. 105, or e-mail events@kitchenwindow.com.
We handle the details
so you don’t have to!
more info
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| Espresso Advantage |
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• Working demo units
• Hands on training
• Certified Sales Associates
• After purchase support
• Full 1 year warranty
• Free loaner machines
• Discounted service labor
• Free espresso seminar
• Locally owned business
see sales associate
for program details
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| Espresso Repair |
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• Tune-ups and repair
• Certified technicians
• $37.50 diagnostic fee
• Factory certified repair
Kitchen Window services the following brands:
Baratza, Breville, Gaggia, laPavoni, Pasquini, Rancilio, Saeco, Solis & Spidem
More info
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 Plan some fun with a cooking class at Kitchen Window! We have an incredible line-up of topics, menus, and instructors. There are, literally, dozens of choices to choose from. Our classes make a great outing with friends, visiting relatives and a wonderful date night.
Holiday Pies - #2645 – Sunday, November 23, 1:00 p.m.
Shellfish Celebration – Friday, November 28, 6:30 p.m.
Candy and Chocolate Truffles – Saturday, November 29, 10:00 a.m.
Happening Holiday Cocktail Party – Monday, December 1, 6:00 p.m.
Celebrated Chef @ Craftsman - #2654 – Saturday, December 6, 10:00 a.m.
View All Cooking Classes You may register for any of our classes any time of day!
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Featured Flatbread, Cracker and Wine Products |
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Flatbreads, crackers and wine make a party -- for one, or many. Enjoy the pleasures of a fine wine with the help of a few accessories:
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COFFEE FEST
November 22
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Calhoun Square
Join us on Saturday for the 19th Annual Coffee Fest at Calhoun Square. This year, proceeds from this event will benefit Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest’s largest hunger-relief organization. Your $9 admission fee gets you a specially designed Coffee Fest mug and access to dozens of vendors - samples include a large variety of coffee and teas, breads and sweet desserts, and a number of other tasty surprises. Admission will also give you access to various educational seminars as well as some fun entertainment options.
The first 1,000 attendees will receive a $5 discount to be used at participating retailers and restaurants in Calhoun Square.
There will be drawings and special offers from participating vendors.
Kitchen Window will sample great food and showcase our huge selection of coffee-related products. There will be great discounts on all brewing equipment during Kitchen Window's HIGHLY CAFFEINATED SALE (see below for details)
EVENT DETAILS
• Enjoy coffees, teas, cocoas, and other brewed beverages
• Sample coffees from around the world
• Experience coffees made with different brewing techniques
• Sample great foods inspired by coffee
• Learn techniques for coffee roasting
• Experience a coffee cupping
• Learn the basics of latte art
• Check out the latest in brewing equipment
• Experience a tea cupping
CAFFEINATED COMEDY
10:45am & 11:45am
ComedySportz will once again share two 20 minute Caffeinated Comedy shows during Calhoun Square’s Coffee Festival! Enjoy caffeinated, coffee-inspired comedy performed by the professionals at ComedySportz. Plus, these shows are included in the festival admission!
Save 10%
on any* single
coffee or tea item
during our Caffeinated Sale
Nov 22 & 23, 2008
{THIS COUPON IS VOID}
Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive our next coupon
*Offer excludes advertised promotional items. Limit one coupon redeemable per customer number.
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SWANNE BEACH
Noon – 1:30pm (mall) 2:00 – 3:30pm (Famous Dave’s)
Swanne Beach will perform both during the festival and after. A 3 piece band with drums, guitar, and keys, Swanne Beach plays music ranging from Neil Diamond to Ray Charles. Catch them from noon to 1:30pm in the mall during Coffee Fest, then stay for their 2:00pm show inside Famous Dave’s. There is no cover for either show, and Famous Dave’s will offer Happy Hour specials!
PARKING: Additional parking available at the Sons of Norway lot
(free shuttle bus from lot to Calhoun Square)
more info
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Kitchen Windows Highly Caffeinated Sale |
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 Bread Baskets
Before drive-thrus and neon lights defined fast food, flatbreads were the original fast food. Flatbreads hold all the pleasures of homemade bread without quite the time investment. Flatbreads span a range of unleavened and leavened varieties, each a simple variation of grain, water, and salt. Because of their natural thinness and high temperature cooking, flatbreads do not require much for gluten formation - that's where the speed advantage originates.
From the basics of flour and water, flatbreads gather their unique flavors from a variety of sources: ghee flavors Indian chapatis, olive oil seasons Italian foccacia, and fermented sourdoughs trademark Eritrean injera. Herbs and spices delicately added to the dough or sprinkled on top distinguish many variations. While great just on their own, flatbreads are the perfect canvas for delicious toppings and serve aptly as platforms for building a hearty meal.
The many different types of flatbreads native to countries and regions are part of culturally rich culinary themes from around the globe and throughout time. From crepes in France to Norwegian lefse and from Middle Eastern pita bread to Jewish matzo, almost every country and culture has a version of this versatile staple. Investigate and incorporate some of these internationally inspired flatbreads into your cooking repertory! Start with the recipe below for Flatbread with Shallots and Garlic. You won't be disappointed!
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Homemade Crackers . . . Mmmm . . . . |
 Before becoming the standard in today's appetizer world, crackers were a practical solution for sailors desiring ready, non-perishable food. Known as "pilot bread," flour and water were mixed together, baked and dried. They became de rigueur for the long voyages of the 18th century. Legend has it that the hard biscuits reduced bug infestations compared with stored flours, though did not completely eliminate the problem. The hard biscuits were dunked in hot tea, causing any bugs to float to the surface where they were easily skimmed away. Yummmm . . . .
Crackers became domesticated by Josiah Bent, a Massachusetts baker, when his batch of biscuits over-baked and began crackling in the oven - hence the term "cracker." His mistake became a marketing opportunity that eventually became part of the Nabisco® Company and today's $10 billion cracker industry.
 While we're used to buying our crackers in cardboard boxes at the grocery store, they're easy to make at home. Crackers, unlike cookies, are more like a pie crust or puff pastry with layers of dough and fat interspersed then rolled into a very thin sheet.
Crackers are a great place to experiment with different grain flours such as rye, buckwheat, spelt or other non-wheat alternatives. Make your own crackers for a fraction of the cost by using your food processor in a method similar to making a pie crust: blend the grain and salt with butter/oil, then gradually add water until a stiff dough is formed. Use ingredients as follows:
Homemade Crackers
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Insulated Baking Sheets
Silpat Baking Liners |
1 cup flour (wheat, rye, cornmeal, buckwheat, rice or other flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 tablespoons water, added gradually
Seasonings (add to the dough or sprinkle on top of the rolled dough)
Depending on the type of flour used, adjust the amount of water until a firm dough is formed. Allow the dough to rest 20-30 minutes. Roll the dough to a 1/8 - 1/16-inch thickness on a sheet of parchment paper; transfer the paper to a baking sheet for easy handling of the very thin dough. Score the dough into the desired cracker shape. Bake at 350 F for about 10-12 minutes. Get experimental with the seasonings by trying specialty sea salts, grilling spice mixes, cheeses, or toasted seeds or nuts. |
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Have you ever been confused about what wine to serve in which glass? You're not alone! At one point or another we've all needed to gather this information and put it to use. Here's a brief synopsis of some of the basics surrounding wine glasses and pairing them with the right wine.
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| Reidel Glassware |
The shape and size of a wine glass is meant to enhance and showcase a wine to its best advantage. The color of the wine should be brilliant and clearly shine through the glass. This implies a purity in the glass that adds no cloudiness or artifact to the experience. A fine glass will resist scratches and wear marks that over time might blur the rich colors of the wine. The temperature of the wine is facilitated by the stem of the glass which allows the warmth of the hand to stay distant from the wine. The bouquet of the wine comprises the "first taste" and is enhanced by a glass that gathers the wine's aromatics in the upper reaches of the glass. Finally, the wine's taste varies by how the glass's rim presents the wine to the mouth. We're not always consciously aware of these nuances, but they do make a difference in the enjoyment of a good wine even if you're not a wine connoisseur.
Red Wines - Red wine glasses have a round, wide bowl and narrower opening at the top. The shape allows the wine to breathe, then concentrates and traps the aromas in the top of the glass. Among red wine glasses, there are subsets. A glass intended for Bordeaux or Merlot, or other full-bodied reds, directs the wine to taste buds in the back of the mouth. Delicate red wines, like a Pinot Noir or Burgundy, are served in red wine glasses with slightly larger bowls and a shape that directs the wine to the front of the mouth.
White Wines - White wines are served in glasses that are generally narrower than red wine glasses.
The narrower shape helps to keep the temperature of the wine at the desired coolness. More specifically, a Riesling glass is narrower than a Chardonnay glass.
Sparkling Wines - Gone are the flat coupe shapes for champagne. Instead, serve champagne and sparkling wines in tall narrow flutes that preserve the bubbles and keep the warmth of the hand away from the bowl.
Dessert Wines - Smaller in size, usually about 6 ounces, dessert wine glasses are designed to promote the rich bouquets characteristic of dessert wines, and for the delicate sipping of their sweetness.
Sherry - Sherry glasses feature a narrow bowl, approximately 4 ounces in volume - suitable for a 2 ounce standard serving.
The Riedel company focuses on making fine wine glasses. We proudly feature their products in our store. At the Riedel website you'll find a fantastic informational tool, the Wine & Glass Guide, that allows you to pick one of hundreds of listed wines and find the proper glass shape that best promotes the wine's character.
Riedel is one of the finest crystal companies in the world. Their revolutionary wine glasses have become indispensable tools in the full appreciation of great wines. The delivery of a wine’s bouquet and taste depend on the form of the glass. Riedel glassware is designed so that certain components in different types of wines are emphasized on the tongue. Years of research have gone into perfecting each glass shape, and the results are amazing. For all who enjoy fine wines, these glasses are essential.
We carry the following Riedel lines at Kitchen Window: Vinum, Vitis, Sommeliers & “O” Wine Tumblers
Riedel Sale
Save 20% on all in-stock Riedel glasses, decanters
& accessories through the end of the year. |
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Kitchen Window's Cracker and Flatbread Tips |
 Tip #1: Because crackers are made primarily of flour and water, they are susceptible to absorbing humidity and losing their crunch. Upon first opening a box of crackers, transfer them to a zipper bag and reinsert the bag back into the box. If crackers lose their freshness, a quick stint on a baking sheet in a medium hot oven will usually revive them to serving quality.
Tip #2: Use a pasta maker to roll cracker dough to the desirable, even thinness.
Tip #3: A well-heated cooking surface is the key to making good flatbreads. Ensure that your cast iron skillet, oven stone, griddle, or panini grill is well-heated before cooking flatbread. A drip of water should "skip" across the surface when appropriately hot. Allow 30 minutes for an oven stone to heat prior to baking your first piece of dough. |
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 Q: Crackers always seem to have holes on their surface. What are these for?
A: The tiny holes in crackers are officially known as "docking holes." The holes allow steam to escape from the cracker during baking thus preventing air bubbles from forming. The surface of the cracker dough is pricked with a fork or the point of a skewer just prior to baking.
Q: Why do wine glasses have stems?
A: The stems on wine glasses serve at least two purposes: (1) The stem provides a means for the hand to hold the glass without its heat affecting the temperature of the wine, and (2) Holding the wine glass by the stem allows the bowl of the glass to remain free of fingerprints and showcase the wine (and glass) to its best.
Q: Wines come with traditional corks, synthetic corks, or screw caps. Which is best?
A: The hope in sealing a wine bottle is to allow the necessary fermentation of the wine while preventing oxidation and deterioration. Cork is harvested from the bark of cork trees and is a renewable resource. "Cork taint," is a condition where otherwise good wine has been tainted by a chemical in the cork, TCA, which can significantly affect the taste of the wine. Synthetic corks eliminate this cork contamination, but are less effective in preventing oxidation. Screw caps are effective closures for preventing cork taint and oxidation, but hold a stigma of being "cheap." However, as more fine wineries shift to screw caps this stigma will most likely fade.
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Wine Country Cooking by Joanne Weir. Published by Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com. Copyright 1999, 2008.
The introduction's title captures the essence of this book, "The Wine Country: A Latitude and an Attitude." Ms. Weir connects the dots along the 38th parallel between lifestyles in the Mediterranean and California's Napa and Sonoma valleys. Further, she defines wine country cooking as "a simple, unfussy, updated Mediterranean way of preparing and eating food that changes with the seasons and celebrates the fruits of the field, the orchard, the pasture, the river, and the sea, paired with your favorite wines." This cookbook spans the table with gracious recipes for all types of dining and for all courses. Every recipe we've tried has returned top notch results! The rich photography augments the descriptive writing perfectly and further entices the reader into creating a "wine country" kitchen for themselves. Joanne Weir is an award-winning author of seventeen cookbooks, a cooking teacher, television host, and professional chef. We're delighted that she's shared her favorite latitude and her great attitude with us in this book!
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Flatbread and Cracker Recipes |
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Recipe excerpted from Wine Country Cooking by Joanne Weir. Published by Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com. Copyright 1999, 2008. Reprinted with permission.
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Brown Butter, Walnut and Cheddar Wafers
These morsels are addictive! Reminiscent of a shortbread cookie in texture, the savory elements blend and shine through each bite. We especially enjoyed the punch that the cayenne brought. The "slice and bake" log formed from the dough makes this an easy "do-ahead" prep. We made a double batch keeping two of the four logs in the freezer ready for holiday entertaining.
View recipe
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Flatbread with Roasted Shallots and Garlic
This flatbread recipe is destined to be the launching pad for all types of flatbread variations. The dough works up quickly and easily and bakes into a tender, slightly chewy bite. Enough about the dough! The roasted shallot and garlic topping was spectacular! The fruitiness of the red wine paired with the alliums created a "whole greater than the sum of its parts." We served wedges of the flatbread alongside a simple cheese plate. Divine!
View recipe
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Crispy Cracker Bread
A crispy bread, or a giant cracker -- it doesn't matter what you term it, they're great! The dough came together in less than five minutes. Our large stone accommodated four pieces at a time which made the whole process a snap. We sprinkled a Celtic gray salt on top of each piece and served them alongside last issue's roasted squash and pear soup.
View recipe
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Book Your Holiday Party Now
Kitchen Window’s Cooking School and Event Center is the perfect place to host your company holiday party – but call soon, dates are filling up fast! Let us take care of all the details so you can relax and enjoy your party. Each interactive gourmet event is designed to provide a unique experience for you and your guests. Select one of our three-course lunches, four-course dinners or interactive appetizer menus. For more information, call 612-824-4417, ext. 105, or e-mail events@kitchenwindow.com.
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Share this email with a friend or invite someone to join you for a cooking class.
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Enjoy these last days of autumn with some crackers and a leisurely glass of wine!
From all of us at Kitchen Window
Kitchen Window
Calhoun Square - 3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-824-4417 / 888-824-4417
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