Chelsea Market Baskets is a proud partner in tonight’s A Taste of HOPE, a benefit tasting for the The HOPE Program, celebrating nearly 30 years of getting men and women back to work.

Our partnership includes having a tasting station at the event, and we are sharing our pressed cheese sandwiches with this culinary crowd of tastemakers! In honor of the special evening, CMB created a unique HOPE sandwich made with Barber’s Cheesemakers’ 1833 Farmhouse Cheddar and Kitchen Garden’s Old Spot Real Ale Chutney.

The very traditional British flavor of this pressed cheese showcases the imports that CMB is known for and celebrates the smaller, artisanal producers that we enjoy supporting.

A quick aside about Barber’s 1833 Cheddar: this cheese has a legacy as the longest operating cheddar producer in the world. As the name suggests, the Barber family (for six generations!) has been pasturing cows and making cheese since 1833 at Maryland Farm in Ditcheat, Somerset (just outside the village of Cheddar, England).

Only a few vats of this “World’s Best” Award Winning cheese are produced annually because the 24 month aging process demands that the cheese culture be ideal to reach the full potential of an intense nutty, creamy flavored cheese with a slightly crunchy texture that results from the natural development of calcium lactate crystals.

For more about Barber’s and the proud tradition of Cheddar making, we’d recommend this great two minute video narrated by the family and filmed onsite in the English countryside.

CMB is in good company tonight; some of the other A Taste of HOPE partners include: Bien Cuit- the Village Voice’s “Best Bakery of 2011,” Brooklyn Brewery, Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare- Brooklyn’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant, Foragers City Table- our new neighbors in Chelsea, Murray’s Cheese, and Neuman’s Catering.

There are still last minute tickets available here, and most of the ticket price is tax deductible.

Of course, we will be taking photos of the event and share them on Facebook and Twitter for those that can’t make it, and we’ll be adding the HOPE sandwiches into our weekday lunch rotation at the store. Or if you are interested in making our HOPE pressed cheese at home, the recipe follows below. This recipe is for one, but tonight we will be making sandwiches for 250 attendees!

Here’s to helping others in New York City- a toast to A Taste of HOPE!

CMB’s HOPE Pressed Cheese Sandwich

Serves 1, Hot off the Press

• 1/4 Pound Barber’s 1833 Cheddar (or West Country Farmhouse Mature Cheddar)
• 1 TBSP Kitchen Gardens Old Spot Real Ale Chutney
• 2 Slices (1 inch thick) Hearty, Rustic Whole Grain Bread
• 1 TBSP Butter

1) Heat panini press or griddle to medium high heat.

2) Spread chutney on one slice of bread, stack cheese on same slice, top with second slice of bread.  Butter the outside of both slices, generously.

3) Place on hot press and allow to cook for 5 minutes or until cheese appears completely melted.  Avoid the urge to open the press during cooking because this keeps the sandwich from developing a nice crispiness on the outside.

4) Eat immediately, preferably accompanied by a cold, refreshing Luscombe’s Elderflower Cordial.

Chelsea Market Baskets owner, David Porat, has a regular monthly column in the WestView News, a paper that serves as “the voice of the West Village.” Usually written about restaurants in the West Village, but this month, documents travel in Hong Kong and China for two of the largest gift and basket trade shows in the world, where dining out was a little different, but, as always, very entertaining and very tasty.

Sitting here, in a modern hotel on the other side of the world, twelve hours time difference, day is night and night day – yet the world is growing smaller and maybe better? I have just finished six days in Hong Kong and Guangzhou; I have been here many times before and dinners are some of the more exciting things that I do while I am here. The business of developing products and reviewing with vendors is also fun and challenging, with a bit of never knowing what you will find and how things will end up, but that is for another story and time. The food finds are immediate and most exciting in the present. Having friends who do similar things, both for business and pleasure, I relied on my London friend Paul to advise me on where to go now in Hong Kong. Last night and the night before, I ate on the island side at two maybe more current places.

The first night we explored a residential area not far from Central that is now being developed with trendy food and has been written about; it is called Tai Hang. It is not unlike a part of the Village with a multitude of ethnicities represented in the establishments. It was filled with younger people; in fact I took a friend who lives in Hong Kong there and he was surprised at how all these new places sprung up. There was a good bit of French, including a restaurant with a great selection of cheeses on display, many that you could not easily find in New York. We choose a restaurant called Daruma Ramen House, a new place that takes ramen noodles to an art. The restaurant is very small and inexpensive, about $10 or 77 HK$ for a very satisfying bowl of a rich and spicy broth that includes pork, noodles, fish row, a semi hardboiled egg, and nori seaweed. The service is curt, the style is modern and this could be New York or Hong Kong. What I am reminded of here is how Ramen is happening in New York with some of the disciples of David Chang at Momofuko basically doing the same thing in New York.

The second night we ended up on the mid-levels of Soho here, which is where a good bit of the night life is and where the famous bar called 1997 happened, pre-handover; I have found memories of pre-handover. Well I am happy to report that the place is thriving, looking like the most happening neighborhood, with what seems more like a moneyed melting pot. Based on my London friend’s recommendation, we went to Chilli Figara, also a very small place where the bathroom, or the one I was pointed to only had one option usage wise. It was very vertical, and the small modern sink right outside was also being used to wash water glasses. We made a reservation which was honored in the restaurant to which Michelin has given one star, to both their credits. This is Sichuan food or food from southwest China where the main city is Chengdu, a city of 14 million people that has a bleakness about it. In the May Bon Appetit magazine, an article about Sichuan food goes on to say that in 2010, UNESCO named Chengdu a City of Gastronomy, a title not given to Paris. Yes, partly about chilies and heat, but in fact the food is extremely varied employing “23 identifiable flavors and 56 cooking methods.” Food includes Ma and La elements or food to numb the pallet or the well-known Sichuan peppercorns and food that is hot or the La part which is a good bit about the chilies and the addicting excitement of hot food. I am happy to report that dinner was not too hot and we did order a good number of dishes that were presented in a good progression that included chicken in a hot bean sauce with cool cucumbers, roast duck with Sichuan pepper, pork, steamed bread served with condensed milk dipping sauce which provided a very pleasant foil to the heat and textures of much of the food, the high point visually and flavor wise were soft shell crabs, fried with little grease and lots of texture, tossed with chilies, scallions and some vegetables. When we paid our bill every table was empty but all had a reserved sign on them as opposed to when we arrived at about 8, and were filled with a mixture of people. As we left the place it quickly filled again with the later diners non-Chinese people, all seeming like they had been there before and were excited to come back, as I will be. This restaurant is not inexpensive and dinner for two was about $125 or 950 HK$, but we did live it up a bit. Interestingly, the Bon Appetit article goes on to say that Danny Bowien who opened the very successful Sichuan MCF or Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco two years ago, is about to open in New York a restaurant that is about accessibility, expense wise, and is of the people and celebrates Sichuan food.

There certainly are more traditional ethnic eating places. However, what seems to excite people in Hong Kong and similarly in New York are new places that translate earlier times food with a modern edge that makes dining and travel ever changing and fun. Whether having a foodie buddy or Yelp or other social media help, exploring and finding good food is a similar quest around the world.

Spring is in the air, and with it a very special occasion: Mother’s Day!  We have already added special gifts to our online collection, and in the next week leading up to May 13^th, we’re hosting several mom-friendly demos and events in the store. It is a little Parisian, a little sweet, and a lot of ways to say “thank you” to the special moms and women in your life!

On May 5^th, CMB welcomes back Tammy Fahey and Suss Sweets caramels from New Hampshire.  We’re excited to introduce a new flavor from her: Vanilla with Sea Salt. We also will be demoing Valrhona’s signature Grand Cru Guanaja 70% for the classic mom that would appreciate having the preferred chocolate of Jean-Georges Vongerichten in her pantry!  And a brand new demo for CMB- we are thrilled to welcome Carolyn Hansen and Cathleen Peck, the authors of the PowerHiking guide book series that outlines great walks in metro areas, for a book signing.  While the rain may keep you from doing a lot of walking today, their New York book does a great job of educating about a certain neighborhood and lays a path through the area that is easy to follow and includes lots to see and do.  Moms will love this series, whether they are visiting New York or looking to explore the city they call home.

On May 6^th, CMB is one of the stops for the D’Artagnan Duckathlon, an afternoon event where restaurant teams use their brains and tastebuds to complete challenges all over the Meatpacking District.  It is always entertaining watching chefs trying to guess ingredients blindfolded or estimate the weights of the ducky D’Artagnan products.  We are also kicking-off the warm weather pop-up series for Les Caneles de Celine at CMB.  Last summer, to great success, we sold Celine’s delicate mini caneles and financier pastries (hot out of her oven in the Bronx) in the Chelsea Market corridor, and after a winter hiatus, she’s back with new flavors (pink praline, caramel, and lime financiers).  We also are hosting a New York Times contributing author and dessert-aficionado Amy Thomas, who wrote the book Paris, My Sweet while living abroad chronicling a great list of patisseries to visit in Paris and New York.  Amy will be signing books and of course providing personal recommendations for places to indulge your sweet tooth.

Skipping ahead to May 12^th, we are focusing on all things French with more mini-caneles and financiers from Celine paired perfectly with Kusmi Tea.  We also have several gift books that will be available that weekend with a French theme.  Paris vs. New York is a designer’s dream with graphic representations of the best of both cities, and Home Cooking with Jean-Georges makes difficult French recipes accessible to anyone!

Lastly, and definitely not least, CMB is offering a special gift for anyone in the store purchasing a gift for their mother: we are partnering with French florist Ode a la Rose and offering a 3 rose arrangement in a galvanized vase with a purchase of $60.  The roses arrived yesterday and are a beautiful bright pink that liven up the store!  While we have a limited quantity, we encourage you to come and get yours before they disappear. The arrangements are also available for purchase, $12 each, and will be around through Mother’s Day (5/13).  We hope it is a very special spring for you, and look forward to having you join any and all of the activities in the store!

Chelsea Market Baskets imports biscuits or, as we call them, cookies from England, Scotland and France. We take great pride in finding cookies that come from smaller bakeries,  made by people passionate about what they do. We include many in our gifts and in addition, sell some online and all in our store.  Below is a review of the brands that we import:

 Shortbread House of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, Scotland) – makes shortbread the old-fashioned way: by hand using a much coveted recipe, handed down from the original owner.  Having tasted many brands, this recipe offers more nuance in the flavor and texture that we believe makes it a better shortbread or best amongst what is available from Scotland.  Handsomely packaged with the Scottish Thistle logo, we offer rectangular tins of fingers and the traditional, round petticoat tail tin, that make great gifts on their own. (www.shortbreadhouse.com)

Island Bakery Organics (Isle of Mull, Scotland) – produce their celebrated organic cookies  off the west coast of Scotland in the romantic village of Tobamary on the Isle of Mull.  Joe and Dawn Reade settled on the island after attending school and opened a bakery where Joe’s parents had created a dairy and the Isle of Mull Cheddar.  Figuring a bread bakery went well with cheese, they had not yet realized there was not a year-round customer base to support the bread bakery, hence the EEC Organic Cookie range was created.   Butter cookies flavored with lemon and dipped in white chocolate called “Lemon Melts” are our best sellers.  Other flavors include a Chocolate Ginger, an Oatmeal Crumble and an Apple Crumble. (www.islandbakery.co.uk)

  Teoni’s Cookes (Devon, England) – makes large crunchy oat cookies that are simply packaged and tied with twine.  Teoni created her signature cookie and company 10 years ago based on a recipe that includes oatmeal and all natural ingredients.  They are very popular in many farm stores and delicatessens in England, and the favorites at CMB are the chocolate dipped varieties that pair dark chocolate and ginger or white chocolate and cranberries.  Our store and online assortments also include her butter mini cookies and some of the new oat fingers and biscotti. (www.teoniscookies.co.uk)

Tregroes Waffles (Wales, England) Kees, a Dutch immigrant to Wales, created Tregroes in the village of Tregroes based on the Dutch Stroopwaffle cookie, well known in Holland.  Two thin waffle textured outside cookies sandwich a soft milky caramel that goes perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.  Placing the cookie on top of a steaming mug helps crisp the outside and soften the inside caramel (or you can heat in the microwave for a few seconds for a similar effect).  In addition, these cookies are available coated in milk chocolate or dark chocolate which makes for a special treat.

E. Botham of Whitby (Yorkshire, England) Situated in the historic Victorian seaside town of Whitby, Elizabeth Botham established her tea room and bakery in 1865.  You can still take tea or buttered plum bread in the tea room and transport yourself back in time (perhaps catching a glimpse of Yorkshire’s most famous inhabitant, Captain James Cook), but if you can’t get to Northern Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Brack and Shah Biscuits travel well- CMB carries Shah biscuits (a ginger cookie) and its chocolate chip variation year round. We do get their fruit cake and brack seasonally as well.  (www.botham.co.uk )

Traou Mad (Brittany, France) In northwestern France, where butter is a prized staple, Traou Mad de Pont-Aven has been making the lightly sweet Traou Mad biscuit since 1920.  Since then it has expanded to supply many of the top Parisian specialty food stores with sweet and savory products.  CMB imports many products, including the cheese crepes, and puts them into many gifts.  Brand new this year is a distinctive red tin packed with the original Traou Mad recipe as well as Galettes with caramel bits and crisp mini crepes filled with hazelnut chocolate cream.  We call this exclusive collection “Old and New Recipes from Brittany.”  (www.traoumad.fr)

You can find these special imported sweets in our store or online through our website, and many of these products are components in our gift baskets and hampers. We work hard to find authentic, unusual and delicious cookies that are too good to just give as gifts!

The Shipping News is our way of letting you know what has recently arrived at Chelsea Market Baskets.  Our store mission clearly guides us to be looking globally for new product for the store and gift baskets, we are constantly receiving shipments- often of products made available stateside for the first time- and now you’ll be the first to learn of their arrival.  The Shipping News format is simply a list, so if you want more information about a product (and we hope you’re curious), please leave a comment!

Arrived April 4, 2012- consolidated in Manchester, England:

1. Gourmet Candy Co.  ”Chelsea Football Club” chocolate line and Mr. Stanley’s
2. Fresh Island Bakery
3. Kitchen Garden Preserves, Chutneys and Marmalade for spring
4. Prestat Chocolate including the Queen’s Jubilee Box
5. Shortbread House of Edinburgh
6. Summerdown Mints
7. Teoni’s  (which we reordered after a very positive response at the holidays and added new biscotti)
8. Tregroes Toffee Waffles in Original, Plain or Dark and Milk from Wales
9. William Santos – including the Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls 400g Tin
10.  Comptoir Du Cacao – Our Second Order Fresh For Mother’s Day
11. The Grown up Chocolate Co- we are the first (& currently only)  importer for the United States (and think GUCC is lovely to work with!)
12. De Reze Biscuits (classic European cookie types) in decorative tins and Speculoos Spread (yes, it is like peanut butter, but made from spice cookies and totally nut free).

This container had one of the fastest crossings from Manchester to New York (or technically New Jersey), and has mostly been unpacked at the store.  It’s always fun to get new products, not least because we get to try them all and the store shelves get spruced up!

Why not 8 days of Easter? It seems Easter gets bigger and bigger each year….

1st Day of Easter- Decorate!

Ready to bring color to your home after a dreary winter? Spring is here and its time decorate! We have some unique finds to turn your  home into a colorful kaleidoscope. Including natural fiber cute bunnies and chicks ($5.95-24.95). Artichoke Shaped candles ($5.00-$8.95)  that can make a fun center piece and egg candles in pastel(3pk-$5.95).

Need to bring some green to your home? Eggling an extra large egg, once cracked and watered a small garden will sprout ($10.95).

2nd Day of Easter- Think Chocolate Eggs!

We have created a collection of Easter eggs so delicious and beautiful that they are worth the years wait. Exclusive to CMB we have La Colociaria Bergamasca Eggs from Italy. The yellow, pink and white quail eggs are filled with praline chocolate. The pigeon eggs are filled with praline mixed with crisps. We also carry their tiramisu eggs, and white chocolate coconut covered almonds.

German Chocolate Easter Eggs, real egg shells that have been safely emptied of their contents, sterilized, filled with a fair-trade chocolate hazelnut center, then painted in a range of colors, from festive jewel tones to Easter-worthy pastels. They taste as good as they look! ($4.50 each or 6 for $25.99)

3rd Day of Easter-Menu

Each family has their own traditional Easter dinner, try adding some new flavors to your traditional recipes.

Deviled Eggs: Smoked Paprika from Spain will blow your deviled eggs out of this world($4.95)!



Roasted Lamb: Try The Bay Tree Mint Jelly from England on your roasted lamb ($5.95)


Baked Ham: Make an old-fashioned ham with brown sugar and mustard glaze, we have a large selection of mustard from France that would make your ham “spiral” out of control.  ($5.95-$20.00)

4th Day of Easter – Fun with the Kids

Take a break and bake a batch of cupcakes with the kids. Meri Meri came out with a line of cupcake holders and decorative picks that are Peter Rabbit themed. Make some delicious cup cakes and read the famous tale ($11.95).

5th day of Easter- Order Gifts for family and friends far from home

Have a family member or a special friend far away this holiday; we have a great selection of gift that will help them celebrate the Easter holiday. We also have a Kosher for Passover gift that is perfect for your special friends that are celebrating Passover Seder. chelseamarketbasket.com

6th Day of Easter – Building a Basket Guide

We have all the supplies needed to help you in building your own baskets: baskets, shred, ribbon, and cello wrap.

Quick Instructions to build a basket:

1. Decide on a basket. Be sure all the items can fit into the selected basket and also make sure the items do no look lost. The most common error people make is selecting too large of a basket. You don’t want the basket to look empty!

2. Put shred to fill the entire bottom of the basket. Be generous!

3. Arrange all the items inside the basket, with the larger items in the back and the smaller items in the front.  Using more shred to help prop up items.

4. Cut a large piece of cellophane, (add more than what you think will work. You don’t want it to be too short!) lay the cellophane out on a table, put the filled basket on top of the cellophane


5. Add the ribbon around the gathered portion of the cellophane.


6. Tie a bow and cut the ends on a slant.

But if you are to busy, we will help you create a custom gift basket for your special someone. Purchase of over $20 and we will pack your Easter Basket for FREE.

7th day of Easter – Hide the Eggs!

Hiding Easter eggs filled with chocolate, candy and even money, will give the young ones a fun activity to keep them entertained and active throughout the day.

8th Day of Easter- Easter Sunday

After the last 7 days, take a break and enjoy the children finding their Easter baskets and eggs and of course the spring inspired feast.

As a future newlywed, I thought it would be fun to read and make something from the newly published book “The Newlywed Cookbook” by Sarah Copeland. Sarah packs this cookbook with everyday tips, how to fill your pantry and seasonal recipes with mouthwatering pictures. She also includes the inspiration behind every recipe, which allows the reader to experience the recipe at another level. This book is for the modern couple that likes to try new recipes and cherish the old-this one will be in my kitchen far after my newlywed year has passed.

I picked the Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies, recipe from Sarah’s book, because I love to bake and try new recipes; this chocolate chip cookie is completely different than the original one, I grew up on.  Overall, this recipe is easy but it takes a little more effort than the traditional recipe, due to the layering  of chocolate and dough and rolling it out.   The only modification to the recipe, I made was to add a little cinnamon. I think it adds a little warmth to the overall taste profile of the cookie.I really like the way these cookies came out, crisp, and full of flavor.  I think these cookies would make a perfect ice-cream sandwich in the summer!

CMB has the book and chocolate on our shelves, pick them up for the perfect wedding gift, or just for someone special.

Adopted from The Newlywed Cookbook

Makes 20 cookies/biscuits

• 1 cup/ 225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup/150 g packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup/150 g granulated sugar
• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for brushing
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups/ 280 g all-purpose/plain flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt or table salt
• 9 oz/255 g high-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 1/4 tsp fleur de sel {optional}
• 2 tsp of Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375˚F/190°C/gas 5. Line two baking sheet/trays with parchment/baking paper.

Cream butter and both sugars together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, two at a time, followed by vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture on low speed until just mixed. Stop and scrape down the bowl to make sure all the butter is evenly incorporated and give the dough a final mix.

Divide the dough into 3 portions. Put each dough portion on large piece of plastic wrap/cling film, and pat into a 4-by-6-in/10-by-15-cm rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate on a flat shelf in the fridge until well chilled, about 30 minutes. {This helps to set the butter and make the dough easier to work with. Chilling cookie dough also helps cookies/biscuits keep their shape when they bake, the secret of most fine bakeries!}

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the chocolate into thin shards using a serrated knife. Set aside.

When the dough is chilled, lay one portion on a lightly floured countertop. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate and top with another piece of dough. Repeat with remaining chocolate and dough until you have a slab of dough with two layers of chocolate. Dust lightly and evenly with flour and roll gently with a rolling pin into a large 9-by 6-in/23-by-15-cm rectangle that’s about 1 1/2 in/ 4 cm thick.

Using a 2-in/5-cm round cookie or biscuit cutter or a thin rimmed glass, cut out ten rounds of dough. Gather the scraps together, pat lightly, and cut out remaining cookies.

Divide half of the cookies/biscuits between the 2 prepared baking sheet/trays, leaving about 3 in/7.5 cm between cookies/biscuits since they will spread. Brush the tops of each cookie with the beaten egg, and with a light hand, sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt, or leave plain.

Bake until the cookies are set, 12 to 15 minutes, switching the sheets halfway through top to bottom if you’re baking two sheets at a time. Let cookies/biscuits cool slightly, about 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies with a thin spatula to a wire rack to cool completely {or, just slide the parchment/baking paper directly onto the cooling rack}. Let the baking sheets/trays cool completely before using to bake the remaining dough (lining with more parchment/baking paper if needed). Bake as directed, switching sheets top to bottom half way through baking, and cool.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Our first staff guest blogger, Tiffany, was inspired by In The Small Kitchen’s recipe for quick bread and muffins, and we agreed that a simple loaf of bread for breakfast was a great way to start the month because it is fast and healthy. While she was shopping at CMB for ingredients to make a tasty bread, she came across the mix for Old Mill of Guilford’s Sweet Potato Muffin Mix, and scrapped the cookbook recipe for the wonderfully simple instructions included inside the bag of all natural ingredients. Here’s more in her own words:

“Making the mix for the Sweet Potato muffins was exactly as printed on the recipe included in the mix. The slip of paper was a cute touch, almost as if I was uncovering grandma’s secret recipe. It was super easy to get all the other ingredients: eggs, butter, and hot water. I started to mix the batter, and once the eggs were creamy and the buttermilk in the mix started to react, I realized I needed a larger bowl, so I swapped the mix over, and then I realized that the raisins were heavy so they had settled on the bottom of the mix! I was surprised because I thought it didn’t have lots of raisins, but then they all poured out at the end, and they plumped up quickly with the hot water.  The whole house smelled like Thanksgiving or Sunday brunch- there was the natural sugar from the sweet potatoes and raisins and spiciness from the clove and nutmeg. True to the recipe, the muffins cooked in 15-18 minutes, and made a few more than 20 large muffins.  I was tempted to go ahead and make them a cupcake- you could easily frost them with cream cheese frosting for a not-too-sweet cupcake, but since we were eating them for breakfast, I chose to just serve them with butter from CMB.  It was definitely a hearty muffin- a healthy muffin- with lots of vibrant orange-brown Vitamin A and iron colors.  We ate most of them at the store meeting, but I had a few leftovers which were toasted in the oven as sweet, toasty bread that added fun new flavor to an otherwise ho-hum ham sandwich.”

You can get Old Mill of Guilford’s Sweet Potato Muffin Mix, Hushpuppy Mix, and White and Yellow Grits, and Whole Wheat Flour at Chelsea Market Baskets to make this recipe or be inspired to make your own!

A special thanks to Tiffany for sharing her experience- and check back soon for more staff guest posts.

March is a long month and while there’s the promise of spring in the air, the days and nights still feel like winter: no time like the present to do some cooking and baking! Chelsea Market Baskets has a growing library of cookbooks to inspire a great main or sweet treat in the kitchen, and plenty of products in our chocolate and specialty food departments to help you make the recipe that catches your fancy!

All throughout this month, the staff at CMB will be picking their favorite recipes from books in the store, shopping our shelves for the best spices, flours, lentils, and ingredients and then sharing in a blog post about the book and recipe they chose, the quality of the products they found at CMB, and any insider tips for re-creating the recipe in your own home.

We also have a very special raffle this month for our CMB blog and Facebook community: on the 23rd of March we will be giving away a copy of one of the cookbooks we carry in the store! Not to spoil the surprise, but it is a new release and will be a happy addition in any kitchen…so stay posted here and be sure to friend us on Facebook for further details.

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Come visit us in the store or online at http://www.cmb-gifts.com/soon!

It is the final week of Chocolate Month at Chelsea Market Baskets, and we’ve enjoyed visits to the store from some of our favorite chocolatiers including: Tumbador, Tu Chocolate, H.S. Chocolate Co., Akesson’s, Raw Shakti, and Comptoir de Cacao. There seems to be a recurring question from our customers at these demos, especially when it comes to the Leonidas pieces in our chocolate case: What is a “praline?”