Zabar's Blog

Aerobie AeroPress Coffee Maker Offer at Zabars.com

LIMITED TIME WEB-ONLY OFFER From ZABARS.COM

When you purchase an Aerobie AEROPRESS Coffee and Espresso Maker ($29.98) from Zabars.com, we’ll include for FREE: 

• One Pound of Zabar’s Coffee
• Zabar’s Coffee Mug
• Small “Go Green” Zabar’s Shopping Bag
• Zabar’s Coffee Scoop
• Zabar’s Coffee Brochure
• Enter coupon code ZHGIFT at checkout to get all the freebies.

Remember, we offer FREE GROUND SHIPPING on orders of $49 or more to many locations within 150 miles of our store in Manhattan!  Head to www.zabars.com to see if you qualify.

This offer good for web orders only.  Valid through 4/3/11.  Limit one offer per order.  Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.  

About Aerobie
The Aerobie company is based in California that designs high-performance flying toys.  So what are they doing designing a simple gadget that makes really, really fantastic coffee and espresso?  Makes sense to us!  How else do people get the energy to go running around after flying toys, except by drinking lots of coffee? 

Seriously though, the AEROPRESS, designed in 2005 by inventor/engineer Alan Adler, is the result of his years of methodical laboratory testing of brewing methods, brewer design, and prototype testing. Suffice it to say that the man did things right because the coffee produced with the AEROPRESS is terrific, earning tons of glowing and passionate reviews from all across the coffee-lover spectrum, including from us at Zabar’s.  In our in-house testing, it quickly and easily made a very smooth, rich cup with no bitterness and no grit!    

The AEROPRESS is portable, compact and easy to store, making it a particularly good choice for students, travelers, and those with small kitchens.  Coffee geeks (you know who you are) will love having the AEROPRESS in their arsenal of coffee makers to play with, and the rest of us can just enjoy delicious AEROPRESS coffee every day.   

Have a look at this short video of the AEROPRESS in action:

 

This promotion lasts TWO WEEKS, ending on April 3, so head on over to Zabars.com.

New Chef'n Kitchen Gadgets in Zabar's Housewares Mezzanine

David Lopez is back and bringing us three of his favorite Chef'n kitchen gadgets, ones that have found a home in his kitchen.

Watch the video and let us know if you've used any of these tools.

Simply our favorite sandwich

If you shopped in our store during the holidays, you likely met Harold Horowytz. He can be found behind the deli counter (and elsewhere) during our busiest times of the year, making sure everything is done just right. 

After 30+ years at Zabar's, he's the one you want preparing your sandwich...
Watch A Perfect Corned Beef Sandwich.

Zabar's Bread's quick trip from our ovens to our Bread Counter

Really, how many steps is this?  Not many! Still steaming, warm and irresistible. Hot bread will melt more than just butter this time of year - stop by and enjoy what might just be the tastiest treat in NYC.

No longer hot, but available for shipping: Zabar's Breads online.

A New Cheese Video: The French-Italian Connection

France and Italy have been friends and foes for a long time.  Their cultures may be very different but they believe in the same thing; quality, history and creativity especially when it comes to their cheeses. We respect this and love to feature some of the fruits of their labors.  In fact it is quite common that a customer’s bag may be completely full of Italian and French cheeses.  Whether it is the texture, the flavor or maybe even the addition of flavor like truffles, these cheeses rightfully deserve their own plate.  So we figured a little more attention can’t hurt these full proof cheeses…let’s feature them together!

Speaking of truffles, Sottocenere is our most popular truffle cheese for its well balanced flavor that allows you to taste the cheese AND the truffle.  Italy is leading the way with truffle flavored cheeses and with Sottocenere we can see why. Its stunning look and melt in your mouth flavor will have any truffle lover moaning in delight.   Abbaye de Tamié is an ode to the first French cheesemakers: the monks.  Still made in a monastery in Savoie, it is soft, pungent and tasty.  Truly earthy, almost musty with a true taste of eggs and cream, you can almost taste the farm where the cows were milked.  Next, is Moringhello, a great new cheese made from Buffalo’s milk.  That is right, Buffalo’s milk!  It used to be that only mozzarella was made with this milk but lately new cheeses have been coming to us made with this same milk and we have to say we like it.  This cheese is nutty, slightly spicy, and complex.  Well done Italy! Speaking of creativity and truly unique cheeses, Caprin Blue is just that.  First comes the shape - a triangle.  Then there is the fact that it is a blue cheese made from goat’s milk, a real rarity.  Don’t forget its bloomy rind and its intense, minerally flavor that leaves you in wondering what you just put in your mouth.  By all accounts this combination should not work, but it does, beautifully in fact.  Just leave it to the French to make a true original that won’t be forgotten.

The great power and creativity of these cheeses make them a perfect addition to your cheese plate or just eat them alone with a crusty baguette.  We promise you will be thanking the fine cheesemakers in Italy and France who have created such wonderful cheeses.

Zabar's Cheese Plate of the Week Video: The Best of the Classics

The Classics are items that never go out of style and cheese is no exception.  There are certain cheeses that could be referred to as classics because no matter what, they are there and they look and taste the same as they did many years before.   They have reached their potential and managed to stay at that level of quality throughout time.  No other country has been able to do this with such success than France.  We cannot help but to respect their cheeses that have stood the test of life.  Hundreds of years later, these cheeses are known the world over as “classic cheeses.”  And although we love the new and exciting cheeses that are appearing, sometime we find ourselves falling back on the classic cheeses that have never failed us.

A good goats’ cheese is something to be treasured and Selles sur Cher is a good reason why.  It is delightfully fresh and tangy, creamy and absolutely delicious. Livarot is one of the cheeses that made France famous.  Soft, stinky when ripe, beefy and of course entrenched in tradition down to it’s strips! Petit Basque is the perfect, albeit petit, representation of the Pyrenees sheep’s’ milk cheeses that have become wildly popular in recent years.  Nutty, herbal and addictive, there is a reason it is a best seller.  La Roche Blue does not pack the punch that some French blues do but that does not make it any less delicious or worth of it’s classic title.  Creamy, fresh milk flavor balanced with blue strength and earthy notes.

 

There is a reason everyone loves a classic.  It’s always good, always fulfilling and always memorable.  So why not try some truly classic cheeses?  We know you will not be disappointed!

Kitchen Gadgets for Kids

Take a look at some new gadgets for kids, in the kitchen and on the go, at Zabar's. These products are safe, environmentally friendly, reusable and fun!

Watch the video with David Lopez.

A look at a Video featuring Zabar's Kosher Cheese Collection

Looking for something new in the Kosher cheeses?  Maybe some great cheese that will travel well on your adventures.  Cheeses that will be versatile and please everyone?  Well, we have picked three cheeses from our vast Kosher cheese selection that will do all those things.  Take them on a picnic or to a friend’s house so everyone can enjoy.  Use the leftovers for a wonderful sandwich, salad or in your cooking.  And best of all you can do this without worry because all of these are kosher and vegetarian.  So go ahead and enjoy the creaminess of the Camellia, the nutty, flakiness of the Tnuva Feta-Style cheese and the wonderful sharpness of the Redmond Cheddar!

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!

 

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.