Zabar's Blog

Zabar's cheese plate of the week: Zabar's Staff Picks

We get asked many times a day what our favorite cheese is and the truth is, we don’t really have “a” favorite, we have many.  But we do have some good stand bys, cheeses that are sure to please and are delicious!  The important thing about a cheese plate is to make sure you have a diverse selection full of cheeses ranging from strong to mild, soft to hard and a variety of milks.  Many people like to include a blue cheese in their collection but others choose to skip them, it’s really up to you.  We have chosen to skip one here but you can always add one if you like.  Either way, mix it up, try some old favorites and a couple of new ones to make a memorable cheese plate for you and your guests.

St. Albray is one of those cheeses we like for those who are looking for something more flavorful than brie but not too stinky or gooey.  It is full flavored with a soft yet not quite spreadable texture.   Full of earthy flavors, it’s a great way to start a cheese platter.  Tomme Fleur Verte is one of the few fresh goats’ milk cheeses we can actually cut to order.  Beautifully covered in fresh herbs and peppercorns, this cheese is delicate, tangy yet fresh with just the slightest goaty flavor.  It makes any platter stunning and is even more delicious.  Manchego is the most popular Spanish cheese we sell because it is the classic party pleaser.  Being made from sheep’s milk makes this cheese intensely nutty while having a slight sharpness.  Because this one is aged only six months, it has a softer, moister texture than its older brothers.  Last but not least is Gaperon, a bit of a wild card but once you try it, you will addicted. Filled with garlic and peppercorns, this cheese needs nothing else.  Eat alone or melted on bread for a delicious snack. 

Last thing to remember is to serve all of your cheeses at room temperature in order to get the most flavor from your cheeses.  Now just enjoy!

 

Some of our favorite things...

To state the obvious, Zabar's is full of some of the most delicious items around. Every now and then I take a stroll around the store and pick up some new treat. Sweet or savory, crunchy, salty, boxed, fresh, sometimes I just pick something up based on the packaging! 

So to bring you on a tour of some of these items, Scott (Zabar's General Manager) has been kind enough to give me a few baskets of some truly delicious items. Some I'm familiar with and are already in my pantry, others I'm going to have to get to know based on his recommendation. 

To begin with, I just had to pick up this wonderfully bright red box of Mere Poulard Les Galettes Bretonnes Caramel au Beurre Salé. 

 

Perhaps strangely, I'm not a fan of shortbread cookies. But this is something different. Here the crumbly, oily, dryness I associate with many shortbread cookies is completely disappeared and replaced with a wonderfully thin snappy cookie with salt and caramel. Salted caramel has been one of my favorite flavors ever since my good friend (and genius in the kitchen) Jen served me home made salted caramel ice cream after a home cooked dinner of skate & pork chops (an update on surf and turf).

Perhaps overkill, but I could seriously enjoy these anytime of the day. I've tossed around making these my go to cookies for get togethers. I think I'll try them out the next time I have friends over for coffee to see how long they last.

A recipe for Poppa's Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake Recipe

Go to the recipe.

Enjoy this week's recipe from Andrea Watman
Poppa’s Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake

In my house my grandfather was known as "Poppa" – and he loved honey cake. He loved the moist rich honey cake my grandmother made to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. Whenever I bake this cake I think of my grandfather and how he would place a cube of sugar under his tongue, drink a "glazalah" of tea, and enjoy a slice of this cake.

I hope you will bake this cake and that it brings you and your family a happy, healthy and sweet new year.

Go to the recipe.

Zabar's Raffle Winner for Friday, August 20

Congratulations Caren Mittleman! You won A Touch of Zabar's Gift Tote in Zabar's Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Raffle.

Zabar's Raffle Winner for Thursday, August 19

Congratulations Sandy Lopez! You won A Touch of Zabar's Gift Tote in Zabar's Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Raffle.

Knife Buying Tips Video, Part 1: Chef's Knives

A great set of kitchen knives is an investment worth making. It not only changes the ease with which you prepare your meals,it actually makes a more safe kitchen environment (sharper knives are safer than old dull ones) and adds a great looking adornment to your countertop.

David Lopez takes us on part 1 of his tips and helpful hints of how to select the right chef's knifes for you.

 

Tasting Events at Zabar's

Join us for these upcoming Free Tasting Events at Zabar's 
2245 Broadway, New York

Friday, August 27th 
Aidell's Sausage

Saturday, August 4th
D'Artagnan

Saturday, September 25th
3 Little Pigs

Sunday, September 26th
D'Artagnan

 

Upcoming SodaStream Demos

Join us for a demo of SodaStream soda makers in our Housewares Mezzanine each Saturday this month!

Sundays, August 22 and 29
And September 5, 12 & 26
at Zabar's 2245 Broadway, NYC

New at Zabars.com: Zabar's Auto-ship Coffee Delivery Service

Zabars.com has just launched its first every repeat delivery service, Z-peat Ordering. Any blend, grind and quantity of Zabar's Gourmet Coffee is now available to you, automatically. Here's how it works:

1. Head over to Zabars.com and select your favorite blend.
2. Choose your delivery schedule; every 2 weeks, every month or every 2 months. 
3. Check out and choose your start date -that's it! 

There's no fee for this service, just the price of coffee. And if you order 4 lbs of coffee, the shipping is free!

Also, it's easy to change your frequency or service at anytime, just call us at 212-496-1234.

 

Zabar's Raffle Winner for Wednesday, August 18

Congratulations Emily Cohen! You won A Touch of Zabar's Gift Tote in Zabar's Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Raffle.