Herma’s News – Celebrating Oscar Night, Savings, Our Spring Schedule Returns
Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away. – Alfred Hitchcock
We love the movies and all the beauty and glamour that have been flaunted up and down the red carpet through the years. It was Jimmy Stewart in the Philadelphia Story that said, The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges. Oscar night is a fun occasion to bring out your Champagne glasses, crack open some bubbly and pair it with the perfect cheese and some delicious chocolate. Serve it up on a silver platter and you will have a celebration that would delight even the most glamorous of movie stars.
Celebrate the Oscars in Style
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night. – All About Eve by playwriter, Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Oscars Nomination List 2023
For a list of nominations for each category go to the blog section of hermas.ca or click the link below.
Oscar Night 2023 Nominees – Sunday, March 12th – Herma’s Fine Foods & Gifts (hermas.ca)
At Herma’s find the following items that will make your evening watching the red carpet special.
Champagne Flutes
To truly enjoy a glass of champagne one must drink of it from a beautiful crystal glass that is made precisely for that purpose. At Herma’s find the following types of Champagne glasses.
Flute – The traditional flute helps preserve the bubbles.
Coupe – The old-school, half-moon glass is très chic and elegant for that Great Gatsby/Old Hollywood look.
Tulip – A tulip-shaped glass with a large bowl (to allow the wine to breathe and develop aroma) that is also tapered at the top (to preserve the bubbles) is ideal for drinking sparkling beverages.
Champagne’s funny stuff. I’m used to whisky. Whiskey is a slap on the back and champagne’s heavy mist before my eyes. – Philadelphia Story, Philip Bary
Bubbly from France – A non-alcoholic option.
At Herma’s find light pink Moukipic Rosé and golden Moukipic White each with its fine bubbles, delicate nose and lovely grape taste.
Pairing Cheese with Champagne
I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. – Casablanca, Howard Koch
Triple-creams like to be slathered on crusty slices of bread, are very happy with a syrupy fruit spread and LOVE to be paired with champagne. The effervescence of the sparkling wine complements the high fat content of a triple-cream cheese.
Enjoy these voluptuous, soft, rich, buttery cheeses from France…Saint André, produced in Coutances, in the Normandy region of northwestern France and Château de Bourgogne, produced in Burgundy, France.
Gruyere or Parmigiana Reggiano DOP, while very different from the above, pair well with champagne also.
Not just cheese…
Foods that play nice with bubbly…
There’s no reason to relegate Champagne to before or after a meal. Bette Davis once said, There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne. Find ways to incorporate it into everyday life with these yummy foods, some unexpected.
Mac n’ Cheese (Blanc de Blancs Champagne) – Popcorn (Sweet Champagne) – Octopus (Sweet Champagne) – Roasted Chicken (Dry Champagne) – Charcuterie (Rosé Champagne) – Pizza (Rosé Champagne) – Duck (Rosé Champagne) – Creamy Alfredo with Pasta (Blanc de Blancs) – Creamy Mushroom Soup (Blanc de Blancs) – Chilled Shrimp (Dry Champagne) – French Fries (Classic Champagne) – Steak (Classic Champagne) – White Truffle (Classic Champagne) – Mushrooms (Classic Champagne)
Served on a Silver Platter
What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate. –
Our favourite local treats…
Fraktals Chocolate
Handmade in Aurora, ON, Fraktals sources the highest quality ingredients. Notes of Canadian maple syrup may be found in Fraktals’ spectacular buttercrunch core which is sandwiched between two layers of Belgian chocolate. It is then finished with a sprinkle of raw cashews.
Shortbread Company Cookies
The Shortbread Cookie Company, based in Cobourg, Ontario, is headed up by a mother-daughter team, Mary and Rosie, that pour two generations of care and craftsmanship into every handmade cookie they bake. These lovely shortbread minis have been a staple at Herma’s for over a decade and are one of our favorites for sure. Find a nice selection of flavours from which to choose.
Herma is also happy to announce the arrival of Aunt Sara’s Crispy Clumps and Sweet and Salty Peanut Crunch.
Italian Chocolate
Also find, Imported from Italy, the following chocolates that will look lovely on your silver tray and in your finest crystal…Le Praline Amedei (chocolate truffles), Baratti & Milano Gianduiotto Sopraffini (hazlenut chocolate), Baratti Milano Fondente (dark chocolate), Baratti Milano Cremini (cubes of layered chocolates, 7 types) and ALDA Assorted Chocolate Cookies.
Herma’s Signature Products
Featured this week…
Our most visually pleasing and arguably most delicious Signature Product involves fresh goat cheese that has been topped with roasted red peppers, herbs, capers and other spices. This hors d’oeuvre would be the perfect choice for your Red Carpet Celebration. Try placing in a pretty crystal dish and serve plain with a cracker or crostini.
And the winner is…
Dreamfarm for Innovation
We fell in love with Dreamfarm’s innovative kitchen tools the moment we started carrying them. They literally think of every design detail that will make for the perfect kitchen tool or gadget. Congrats, Dreamfarm, on another banner year.
Now at Herma’s – Sharple Never a dull moment!
Reasons to like this tool…
Unique safety cover has a built-in ceramic ball sharpener that automatically sharpens and hones the blade every time the protective case is opened or closed.
Razor-sharp Japanese stainless-steel blade is designed to last a lifetime, swivels to minimize waste, and will never rust in the dishwasher.
Clever handle profile provides maximum control for both left and right-handed users and features generous drainage channels to ensure ease of cleaning and drying.
Handle tip includes a convenient and highly effective potato eye and blemish remover.
Coming soon – Fluicer Your main squeeze!
Reasons to like this tool…
Its slim-line design folds completely flat for space-saving storage in your drawer – folds flat to fit in.
Two-handed sideways pivot operation provides increased leverage using the larger muscle groups of your arms instead of hands, requiring less effort than a traditional press.
Unique hinged mechanism presses the fruit in half from the sides like juicing with your hands, requiring less force than squashing the fruit flat like traditional juicers.
Built-in pip catcher strains juice and offers extra control by acting as a funnel to direct juice flow into a glass or small bowl.
Savings at Herma’s
The soft glow of candlelight in a dimly lit space transforms the energy of a room into something magical and intimate – a special way to provide beautiful ambience.
I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. – A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Herma’s NEW Spring Schedule
At 2 a.m. this Sunday, March 12th, our clocks will need to be moved forward one hour. More light in the evening gives Herma the incentive to return to her Spring/Summer schedule.
Beginning Monday, March 13th we will be open…
Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Looking ahead…
For St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) find cheeses from the Emerald Isle…
Irish Cheddar Cheese (shaped like a shamrock) – Coombe Castle Gaelic Gold Cheddar with Whiskey & Cheddar – Irish Whiskey Cheese – and more to arrive soon!
And for Easter…
We have a lovely selection of Easter Napkins and Bunny Rabbit stuffed animals throughout the store. Also just recently arrived…Coombe Castle Cheddar (shaped like eggs), Wensleydale Cheese with Fudge & Chocolate (shaped like bunnies) and Aunt Sara’s Chocolates. More about them to come.
We look forward to seeing you in coming days as you prepare to watch the privileged class at play this Sunday.
Here’s looking at you kid.
– Casablanca quote by playwriter, Howard Koch
