Herma’s News – Savings, Tagine Recipes, Game Night Cheese Board Tips
Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep, really to sleep, try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough. – Ernest Hemingway
Dear customers,
The whirlwind of Christmas and New Year’s has come and gone, and we have cleared away all of its remnants. While we’ll miss the joyful energy of the holidays, we do appreciate the peace and cozy relaxation of spending warm, cozy nights at home. It is with this in mind that we are choosing our foods and how we spend our time.
When you do venture out, however, consider a trip to Herma’s for a fun afternoon of shopping which will result in you walking away with delicious foods, moisturizing lotions to pamper your skin, beautiful smelling home fragrance and special savings.
Savings at Herma’s
Tender, Moist and Delicious – Tagine Cooking
Enjoy foods made tender and moist by the evaporating juices circulating within the cone shaped lid of Emile Henry’s tagine – specifically designed for slow simmering. This trapped moisture and heat brings out the flavours in the recipe. Add exotic spices and veggies too for beautiful aroma and delicious food that will bring new life into your kitchen.
Tagine Tips
Begin on low heat. – Make sure there is always some liquid in your tagine when cooking. – If necessary, add a small glass of water. – The tagine steam cooks the food, so keep the lid on during cooking. – A long cooking time on low heat gives the best results. – Marinating your meat with Moroccan spices the night before will provide extra flavour.
Moroccan Meal
Moroccan food is often eaten directly from the Tagine. Bread is used to mop up sauces and to pick up foods. When using a plate to eat from, however, use the bread to mop up remaining sauces. Rice served on the side helps soak up the tasty juices and sauce as well.
Tagine Recipes
For Emile Henry Tagine Recipes including a Chicken Curry Recipe click on the link below or go the blog section of our website, hermas.ca.
Delicious Tagine Recipes – Herma’s Fine Foods & Gifts (hermas.ca)
Look for Moroccan and Tagine Spice, Paste and Lemons at Herma’s.
Winter Cheese Board Tips
Whether inviting friends over to binge watch a reality show or having everyone over for game night, your goal is to create a cheese board that is a feast for the eyes. Unlike other parties, however, these boards can be a bit more carefree, casual and fun.
Here are a few tips…
Tip 1 – Consider the Beverage
Beer is the drink of choice for game night. Provide 3-6 types of cheeses and 2-4 types of meats that pair well with beer. We suggest a sharp Cheddar, Camembert, Gruyere, Parmigiana, Gouda, Brie, Stilton, a Peppercorn Cheese, Chevre, Manchego, Buffalo Mozzarella and Beer Cheese. Also include Prosciutto, Chorizo and other tasty salamis and hams.
Tip 2 – Herma’s Signature Dips
Herma’s Fine Foods has been creating Signature Products for 17 years on a weekly basis in our very own kitchen. We think our Cheddar Bacon Spread, Sundried Tomato Dip, Savoury Cheddar Spread and Beer Cheese would be nice additions to any party platter. Each may be warmed and eaten with crackers or tortilla chips. If you have one, consider placing dip in a small bowl that sits over a tea candle.
Tip 3 – Accoutrements
Once your cheese, charcuterie and dip have been placed onto a board, fill empty spaces with apples, pears, dates, figs, fruit spreads, chutneys, charcuterie mustard, nuts, gherkins, olives, crusty baguette, crackers, breadsticks and/or tortilla chips, all of which will nicely round out your platter for great variety of flavour.
Tip 4 – Tools of the Trade
Make sure each cheese has the correct cheese knife or spreader. Place nuts, gherkins, olives, chutney and fruit spreads in their own small individual bowls. Don’t forget toothpicks and mini spoons/forks.
Tip 5- Shish-Kebobs
Alternate olives, cubed cheese, Prosciutto and gherkins on an extra-long toothpick as a fun way to provide guests with foods already placed together. Breadstick Crackers may also be wrapped with Prosciutto and placed in a pretty glass.
Tip 6 – Amount of Cheese to Purchase
If your cheese platter is all you are serving, you’ll need about 1 to 1 1/2 oz of each cheese and 1 to 1 1/2 oz of each meat per person. If you are serving other types of food like Swedish meatballs, croquettes and/or pizza, you can get away with less.
1 pound of cheese is 16 ounces, so for a party of 10 people where the cheese platter is the main offering, you should consider buying 1.25 pounds (20 ounces) of each type of cheese.
Tip 7 – Bring Cheese to Room Temperature
About an hour before serving, bring the cheese out of the fridge. Unwrap them so that they can breathe and come to room temperature. Otherwise, the cold temperature dulls the flavor.
We carry all the tools and all the foods (not including fresh fruit) that you will need, so be sure to come by our cheese shop for your party planning needs. Janis will be happy to answer questions and assist.
Have a great weekend! We look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Meredith Ender
Communications Coordinator
Herma’s Fine Foods & Gifts
