Herma's News - Remembering those who fought. Also Panettone, Maple Sugar Ham, Cheese Pairings and Raclette de Savoie

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill

Dear Customers,

Remembrance Day is next week. While we can’t help but be distracted by all the prettily packaged merchandise arriving daily for the Christmas season, we also want to make it known that we care deeply about a day we hold dear to our hearts – a day that allows us to remember those that fought hard and stepped up to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

And as we get inspired by those who served, let us also remember Winston Churchill’s words that “it is the courage to continue that counts”. Let us also continue to have the courage to work together, keeping each other safe from a different type of enemy.

Panettone at Herma’s

Panettone is something we are happy to offer every year. The beautifully packaged cakes fill our tables in abundance and are a great old tradition that dates back to the 15th century in Milan and may even go back as far as the time of Ancient Rome. This soft-dome of leavened dough is often enriched with candied fruit (orange and citrus peel, for instance) and raisins – a delight to enjoy this time of year. They make great gifts.

Serving suggestion…

In Italy Panettone is accompanied by sweet, hot beverages or a glass of sweet wine, such as Asti or Moscato d’Asti. In some regions of Italy, the panettone is served with crema di mascarpone, a cream made from mascarpone, eggs, sometimes dried or candied fruits, and typically a sweet liqueur such as amaretto.

Herma enjoys her Panettone with a thin slice of gouda and a glass of Prosecco. She also enjoys creating delicious French toast with it.

Taco suggests…

Dreamfarm’s Chopula

Chopula is an award-winning spatula that is great for separating minced meat or eggs in a pan, flipping pancakes and serving. Chopula’s clever handle design also lifts its head up off your kitchen counter when you put it down.

Herma’s Menu Suggestion of the Week

Main Course

Maple Sugar Ham

It’s easy to indulge in a Sunday night dinner any night of the week with a Village Grocer Maple Sugar Ham. These award-winning hams are boneless and slow roasted with maple and brown sugar until fully cooked.

Serving Suggestion…

When Herma prepares this ham, she likes to coat it in a favourite jelly, and always adds a little mustard to help the jelly adhere to the meat. Go ahead and use up whatever you have in your fridge, or try something new, such as Stonewall Kitchen’s Apple Jalapeno Jelly, or Catherine’s Port Wine and Red Pepper Jelly, or Greaves Crabapple Jelly.

Herma then covers the ham in parchment paper and puts it in the oven at 325 for 1 hour. Then she removes the paper and bastes with the jelly juices about every 5 minutes for another 20-30 minutes.

Sides

Potatoes, Peas and Carrots

This ham is delicious with potatoes gratin or scalloped potatoes, both available in our freezer section. And it always pairs with Hak’s mini peas and carrots.

Dessert

Taleggio with Truffle Honey

Room for dessert? For the savoury lovers, creamy Taleggio cheese with a drizzle of truffle honey will more than satisfy. If you love sweets and have ice cream in your freezer, top a bowlful with decadent Crème a Tartiner au Café au Lait from Vellutata, or Stonewall Kitchen’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Sauce.

This menu suggestion involving Herma’s foods may serve to inspire the in-store shopper but is also really fabulous for those wishing to take advantage of our curbside pickup.

In the Cheese Shop…

We feel blessed to carry so many wonderful delicacies that pair well with our cheeses – especially this time of year as we near the holidays.

This week Margaret suggests pairing cheeses with the following festive treats…

Pickled Pears with Semi-Firm or Hard Cheese

Apricot au Nougat Spread with Triple Cream Cheese

Pistachio Honey drizzled over Blue Cheese

Baked Fig Balls are also a unique, festive treat to add to your cheese platter.

Featured Cheese

Raclette de Savoie

We are pleased to offer a beautiful Raclette which is cozy and fun on cool, autumn nights. Raclette comes from the French verb racler, meaning “to scrape”. This scraping refers to the fact that the melted cheese is traditionally scraped onto whatever you might enjoy like potatoes or bread.

If you are enjoying a traditional raclette party you may consider also serving small gherkins, pickled onions and charcuterie along with your cheese and foods to be smothered with it. Really, though, get creative. Melted raclette may be enjoyed with all sorts of foods including inside grilled sandwiches.

We wish you well this week as you remember those who have come before us and that you might also find in them the inspiration to continue on fighting a different type of fight – the one we face today.

Sincerely,

Meredith Ender

Communication Coordinator

Herma’s Fine Foods and Gifts