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general comments about the store

Summer Cocktails with Fee Brothers Bitters

July 30, 2010 in drinks, food, general post by Tina

It’s summertime! It’s time to squeeze in as many parties and gatherings with friends and family before the cooler days of autumn return. Why waste time on bland watered down “Happy Hour” drinks? Instead, treat your friends to a backyard stocked with good food and an aromatic refreshing summer cocktail made with fresh basil, strawberries, gin, and Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters.

Bitters are a highly aromatic product made by distilling down herbs, barks, roots or plants.

CMB features the Fee Brothers Bitters in 8 flavors that will brighten up any drink. It will be fun challenging your friends to create new cocktails using Fee Brothers Grapefruit, Traditional, Peach, Mint, Lemon, Celery, Rhubarb, or Aztec bitters. Mixing the flavors adds layers and dimensions to your cocktails and it  can even be added your favorite food recipes.

Fee Brothers, a four-generation business located in Rochester, New York, produces  beverage ingredients that include cocktail mixtures, bitters and flavored syrups.

Summer is not over. Grab some bitters at CMB and get your party started!

Fee Brothers sold at our store for $7.95  Fee Brothers is also included in our  Summer Cocktail Basket available online for $79.00.

Strawberry Gin Muddler

  • 3 Strawberries
  • 3 Basil Leaves, torn
  • 1/4 of a lime
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1.5 oz London dry gin
  • 2 Dash Fee Brothers Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters

Throw the strawberries, basil, sugar and lime in a pint glass and muddle until the juice and oils are extracted from the lime and the basil is incorporated. Add the gin and 2 dashes of Old Fashion Aromatic Bitter, put over ice, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Take the top off of the shaker and pour the whole thing, pulp and ice included into a glass. No need for much garnish, as the strawberry and basil muddle makes for a nice looking cocktail. Recipe is adapted from “The Noble Experiment.”

Katz and Company Olive Oil

July 21, 2010 in food, general post by Tina

In 2003 Ari Weinzweig said in Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating, “…in recent years a number of Californians have dedicated themselves to producing world-class olive oils. Keep your eye on them; my bet is that the efforts of these producers will pay off in the form of exceptional oils.”

Well he was right! Katz and Company is one of those companies that has truly pushed the envelop with developing United States Olive Oils.

Kim and Albert Katz do everything right when it comes to their Rock Hill Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They grow a combination of olives at the Rock Hill Ranch where the soil is a mix of sand, clay, and volcanic ash- something that the Tuscan region in Italy knows a lot about.  They hand pick the olives to prevent bruising and cracking, then finally quickly taking the newly picked olives and using a two-phase press method that does not involve any heat. In the world of olive oil heat reduces the quality and does not produce the best flavors.

In my opinion Katz Olive Oil has a distinctive grassy flavor with tones of tomatoes, a slight hint of asparagus, and ending with a peppery kick.

I would use this in homemade mayonnaise, salads, as dipping or finishing oil.

Katz and Company also produce great vinegars and honey, which we also carry.

Rock Hill Extra Virgin Olive Oil : $24.00

Katz and Company Product at CMB Katz and Co Organic Olive Oil Rock Hill Ranch Picking Last years Crop Olives Handpicking olives at Rock Hill Ranch

Rufus Teague Barbecue Sauce

July 7, 2010 in food, general post by Tina

Who is Rufus Teague?  I did a search and it is still a secret to me…. But one thing lots of people know about ol’ Rufus is that his barbecue sauce is one of the best.
Rufus Teague comes from Kansas City it is an authentic, old fashioned, honest to goodness sauce that is always made in small batches.  Once opened you will notice two things, the first being the aroma of the smoky flavor wafting into the room, and secondly the sauce is filled to the top of the jar (who does that these days!?!).  Each sauce highlights a certain flavor but all of them contain a little heat. Well except for the Blazin’ Hot- you know where I am going with that one…
Use these sauces for marinade, dipping sauce or grilled, you won’t be disappointed with the flavor that they pack. Flavors include Honey Sweet, Touch of Heat and Blazin’ Hot. We also carry Rufus’s meat rubs, try it the next time you grill.

Sauces $5.95
Rubs $4.95

“Good Sauce makes bad barbecue good and good barbecue gooder” ~Teague

Rufus Teague tag line Rugus in the store

Summer Open House- June 26,2010

June 22, 2010 in events, food, general post, store events by Tina

June 26, 2010
1:00 pmto4:00 pm

The Fancy Food Show at Jacob Javits Center is June 27-29.  It is a trade show that showcases all kinds of food products from around the country and the world. At the show, we learn about new products, meet producers, and network with people in the specialty food industry.

To celebrate food and the trade show we will have an Open House this Saturday, June 26th between 1pm-4pm. Stop by and sample many of our products as well as take advantage of some one-day only discounts.


Bianco Sardo Cheese from Basilicata, Italy

June 8, 2010 in general post by Tina

Bianco Sardo is new to our cheese department. A hard unpasteurized sheep’s milk cheese, which is matured in baskets made out of Apulian Reed. The reeds come from grape vines from the Apulian region. The baskets help squeeze out the moister of the cheese, while it also gives the cheese a unique looking rind, while influencing the complexity of flavors. The cheese’s look is a light straw color with a slightly yellowish rind.

Once the wheel is cut, a sharp smell will emanate. The texture of the cheese is dense which sometimes crumbles in your hand. Within seconds on your tough the texture changes into a cream. The taste is earthy, and sweet with a slight nutty flavor. Try melting it in a panini or over some pasta and you will be pleased with the sweet caramel flavors that will be released.

If you want a taste, stop by and ask. We are always happy to sample any of our cheeses.

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African Market Baskets

May 28, 2010 in baskets, general post, gifts by Tina

At Chelsea Market Baskets we search for good foods from around the world and around the block, in addition we like to fill the store up with beautiful and useful containers and baskets. We feel these vessels have many uses: they can be used for home decoration and storage, food-based gifts, or as gifts themselves.

African Market Baskets made in Ghana, West Africa are bright and stylish, each one being different in shape, size and color.  Oversea Connection, Ltd has been working with the Co-op in Ghana, West Africa for many years; overseeing that the artist that weave the baskets are happy with their conditions and wages. The purchase of these Free Trade baskets also help provide healthcare and school supplies.

Other uses include: Magazine holder, picnic basket, shopping and toy storage

woman_weaves_basket Artist weaving the African Market Baskets Baskets getting ready to be brought to the US Display of baskets in our store Display of basket in our store

Italian Candied Orange Peel

May 12, 2010 in general post by Tina

Villa Cappelli has recently added  handmade candied orange peel to their Italian product line.  The oranges are picked from trees in Tartanto, Puglia and candied using an old family recipe.  The secrete to Villa Cappelli’s orange peel is that they take a little of the orange rind with the peel;  this helps balance the sweetness.  After cooking it in a simple syrup for hours, then they dust the orange peel with sugar.

These delicious treats are soft and slightly sticky;  each bite provides a burst of citrus that is tangy but sweet in one mouth full.  Candied orange peel can not only be eaten straight from the package, it can also be added to dessert recipes to make them over the top, such as brownies, tarts and pound cake.

$20.00 a pound

Orange Peel From Villia Cappelli Villia Cappelli Orange Peel

Mother’s Day- May 9th, 2010

May 5, 2010 in baskets, events, general post, gifts by Tina

Mother’s Day is a time to show appreciation and love, to the women who’s always been there.  Stop by the store to check out our selection of unique  and tasteful gift ideas that will help you express your feelings.

Since you know your Mom the best, create a custom basket just for her.  Select $50.00 or more of merchandise including a basket and we will be happy to assemble it for FREE, when you mention our blog.

Some store favorites for Mother’s Day include:

Vance Kitira Candles

mothers-day-candles

Castelbel Soaps

castelbel-soap c8831-mom-just-add-water-web

Gifts by Do Not Disturb

do-not-distrub

Various gifts sure to please Mom

treats-mothers

Don’t have time to stop by the store, order a basket online at cmb-gifts.com

Gregoire Ganter: Lea’s Alphabets

April 13, 2010 in NY, general post, gifts by Tina

New at CMB are Gregoire Ganter images of New York and Food!

Gregorie is a fine arts photographer  a few years ago he gave up his day job to focus on his passion of photography.

To help raise his first daughter , he created “Lea’s Alphabets.”  A collection of photographic collages each with a letter and image that relates to the letter.  Each image educates as well as decorates, are enjoyed by all ages.
We have a large image hanging in our store along with magnets, a set of 26 letters of alphabet which are $20 or $1.50 each, and post cards which are $1.95 each or 3 for $5.00.
The images are bright, clean, friendly and basically make you smile.

Not available in many places and were a recent find at the New York Gift Show in the hand made section.

a-z-magnets magnets-1 nyc_magnets_alt_view

Chocolate Eggs on Special

March 30, 2010 in food, general post, gifts by david

Sale of the season, chocolate praline filled real eggs in pastels, stripes and dots, imported from Germany are going on sale for $1.99 each or 3 for $5.00 beginning Thursday.

These very colorful eggs help celebrate Easter in the most old fashion and delicious way.   A real chicken egg shell, in which the egg has been carefully removed through a  small hole on one end, has been filled with chocolate that is flavored delicately with caramelized ground hazelnuts making them taste as good as they look.

The is a sensational deal on a wonderful addition to your Easter table and for children of all ages!

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