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July 2009 - In this Issue: |
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Berry Wonderful! |
The berries are back! We're talking "real" berries - the kind that burst with flavor tantalizing every taste bud in the process. Real berries are not bred for cross-country transportation like some imposters; they're the original thing - juicy, sweet, still warm from the sun. These summer ephemerals invite immediate enjoyment during picking - "one for the basket, one for me." Inundated with a momentary bounty, berries become jewels in the kitchen and the inspiration for some truly seasonal favorites.
In this issue we review the world of berries, the common and the less common, and discuss how to keep your berries at their best. We conclude with a primer on fresh fruit pies and three berry pie recipes ranging from an all strawberry double-crust, to a crumb-topped red raspberry version, and, finally, a rustic, freeform mixed berry pie. Any one of them will do justice to your berries and induce immediate swooning from all those that partake of these summer gems.
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Store Information |
Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday
10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Calhoun Square
3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis
(612) 824-4417
(888) 824-4417
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Kitchen Window Services |
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Equipment Rental |
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For weddings, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, company parties
-- or just because!
Outdoor Booya Bash
Let Kitchen Window help you create a one-of-a-kind outdoor party experience for you and your guests at your office or in your backyard. We personalize our services to fit your style – and your budget.
Our Rental options:
- Easy -- Rent the Party Kit
- Easier -- Party Kit & Pre-Prepped Ingredients
- Easiest – Hire our Chef
Need to feed a crowd? Consider hosting a booya party. Booya is a type of stew usually prepared in large quantities. There are probably as many booya recipes as there are booya cooks, but the dish involves beef, chicken and pork as well as a variety of vegetables and seasonings. Our restaurant-sized stock pots can handle a hungry crowd. Choose a 62-quart, 82-quart or 142 quart to feed your family or the neighborhood. Kit includes stockpot, banjo cooker and paddle.
more info
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Kitchen Window Online! |
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Kitchen Window
is now on Facebook
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 Plan some fun with a cooking class at Kitchen Window! We have an incredible line-up of topics, menus, and instructors. There are, literally, dozens of choices to choose from. Our classes make a great outing with friends, visiting relatives and a wonderful date night.
Hot Apps, Cold Beer - #2838 – Saturday, July 18 | 6:00 p.m.
KIDS: Hell's Kitchen Window - #2842 – Tuesday – Thursday, July 21, 22 & 23 | 10:00 a.m.
Party Barbeque Jamaica - #2847 – Monday, July 27 | 6:00 p.m.
Meet the Chef: Rinata - #2849 – Thursday, July 30 | 6:00 p.m.
Grillmaster's Series: Fish - #2850 – Friday, July 31 | 6:00 p.m.
Celebration of Summer Fruit - #2854 – Monday, August 10 | 6:00 p.m.
View All Cooking Classes You may register for any of our classes any time of day!
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Join us for Uptown Art Fair
Friday, August 7: Noon–8:30p.m.
Saturday, August 8: 10a.m.–8:30p.m.
Sunday, August 9: 10a.m.–6p.m.
Kitchen Window will be serving up some
tasty creations during the Uptown Art Fair
We’ll be grilling up a storm just outside our store on Hennepin Avenue.
Stop by for demonstrations and samples of:
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken on a Kalamazoo Grill
• Smoked Pork Shoulder on a Big Green Egg
• Planked Mashed Potatoes on a Viking Gas Grill
Don’t forget to stop inside for even more demonstrations and some great deals.
Sample and learn about:
• Gyoza (Grilled Japanese Vegetables & Pork Dumplings) made on a Teppanyaki Grill
• Aebleskiver (Traditional Danish Puff Pancakes)
• Red, Green, Yellow & Massaman Thai Curries from Curry Simple
• Traditional Rolled & Pressed Sushi
• Calamari & Chorizo Paella made in one of our giant Paella Pans
More Details about Uptown Art Fair.
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All Clad LTD Closeout
30% or more off all LTD Cookware
while supplies last
LTD Cookware to be replaced by LTD2 |
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Featured Berry and Summer Pie Gear |
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It happens quickly -- the crop of berries and cherries arrives all at once! Be ready with the proper tools at your side. With their help you'll be able to turn out summer berry pies that will garner raves!
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Knife of the Month - July |
KNIFE OF THE MONTH
Wusthof Trident 6" Cleaver
This large and heavy blade is designed to split bones.
Trident Classic 6" Cleaver - Suggested Retail $114.99 THIS MONTH $79.99
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Berries comprise a big world in the garden and kitchen. We're quite familiar with the year-round, commoditized version of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, but it's the local berries that are the treat of the season. Explore your local farmer's market or back road farm stands to access the "real" thing and to expand your exposure to the wide variety of berries available.
 Strawberries - Red, heart-shaped, very well-known, this berry reigns supreme in the kitchen at this time of year. Strawberries are unique in the plant world by virtue of wearing their seeds on the outside - all 244 of them on average. Strawberries are a popular "u-pick" fruit; find a local farm and you'll suddenly remember what a real strawberry is!
 Red Raspberries - Also a transient beauty, red raspberries are an aggregate fruit -- many little fruits grouped together into what is also known as a "drupe." Different kinds of raspberry bushes have different harvest times; look for them from early summer to early fall. Raspberries yield a piquant flavor burst and grace many desserts, salad dressings, and, of course, the popular framboise liqueurs.
 Golden Raspberries - Similar to their red siblings, golden varieties are often available locally during the micro seasons between the red raspberry harvests. Golden raspberries are still just novel enough to create a double-take when served.
 Blackberries - Before it was a mobile communication device, "blackberry" referred to another "drupe" fruit, many tiny fruits joined together. Distinct in flavor, blackberries are a rich antioxidant food. Dewberries are a close variation of the blackberry. (How did the PDA, BlackBerry®, get its name? It's said that the branding company, looking for a unique name for the product, thought that the collection of tiny keys was reminiscent of tiny seeds. The device, originally black in color, logically(?) became the BlackBerry®).
Blueberries - The fruit of this shrubby plant is not really a berry, but we'll ignore that for the moment. These iconic fruits vary from tiny, wild varieties to the large, cultivated versions. One of the few true blue foods, blueberries are a favorite in muffins, pancakes, and all ki nds of desserts.
Gooseberries - These berries, also from a shrub, can vary in color from green, red or purple. Similar in size to a small grape, their flavor is also reminiscent of a sour grape. Use gooseberries in pies, jams, or eat the riper ones out of hand.
 Currants - Tiny and potent, currants come in red, white or black. Collectively they pack a tart punch like many shrub berries. Their size and growth habit make removing stem parts a bit of a challenge. Interestingly, most dried currants are really raisins from the petite Zante grape.
 Marionberries - This popular berry is a complicated hybrid of other drupe berries. Most akin to a blackberry, it tends to be larger and sweeter. Produced primarily in Oregon, many frozen and canned berries are actually marionberries.
Loganberries - A loganberry is a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. They are very juicy and sport a purplish-red color. Commercial availability is limited, but can be a great addition to the home berry patch. (Watch out for their extra thorny canes!)
 Lingonberries - Often termed "mountain cranberries," these petite, red fruits are borne by low-lying tundra shrubs, and are wildly popular in Scandinavia. Tart and bitter on their own, they are commonly fashioned into a sauce or jam.
Boysenberries - Another cultivar, boysenberries are cross between a blackberry, loganberry and raspberry. They're known for their distinctive, tart flavor and are used like blackberries.
 Cloudberries - Similar to a raspberry, cloudberries are an aggregate fruit with only 5 to 25 seeds grouped together. When ripe, they are amber in color and have a characteristic tartness.  Another low-growing shrub, the plant is suited for northern climes and, again, very popular in Scandinavia.
Huckleberries - Most like a blueberry in form, huckleberries can range from red to purple and are found in late summer. They thrive in cooler, elevated climates which makes them less accessible for commercialization and all the more special.
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Berries at their peak are fragile in nature and require some diligent management. Some close attention to their handling will keep them at their berry best!
Seek out Local Sources -- As previously noted, berries harvested locally have the best chance for freshness and taste. Many supermarket berries have been bred for prolonged, cross-country travel. This breeding has often come at the cost for taste. Find "u-pick" sources for berries and plan a berry good day for yourself and a few friends. Plan to use your harvest as soon as possible.
Choose Good Berries - Great berries have a firm appearance, free of wrinkles or mushiness. Fully developed, rich reds, blues and purples will indicate ripeness. Under ripe berries will be too tart and tough; sort out and discard immature berries.
Mold Susceptibility - Berries that sit in a container are susceptible to mold development. Regrettably, one moldy berry will affect the taste of the entire box. Sometimes mold is not visible in berry containers; instead, smell the berries to check for any hint of mold.
Store Carefully - Being fragile, plan on storing unwashed berries for the least amount of time possible. If possible, store refrigerated in a single layer in a covered container.
Decreasing the weight of the berries on each other will keep them from bruising and becoming mushy. Store away from apples and bananas whose ethylene gas will cause the berries to degrade more quickly.
Wash Gently - Wash berries just before using. Using a colander, gently spray water over the berries a few at a time. Roll the berries around to access all sides; refrain from tossing the berries as this may cause bruising. Allow the berries to drain, then spread in a single layer on paper towels to dry. With their internal cavity, raspberries should be individually inverted on the paper towels to drain effectively. Let the berries air dry for several minutes before using. Do not allow berries to stand in water, or even in contact with droplets of water.
Serve Fresh - Serve berries fresh in salads, as a topping, and certainly as the centerpiece of any number of desserts. Berry bowls are perfect for the season. These two part dishes have holes in the bottom of the bowl that drain any excess water or juice away from the berries to the saucer below.
Freeze Ahead - Dealing with a bounty of berries all at once is challenging. Freezing the berries is a perfect solution that brings rewards well past the harvest season. Wash the berries in the method noted above. Hull or stem the berries. Place the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once completely frozen, bag the berries in a freezer-grade zipper bag. |
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Kitchen Window's New Store Is Underway!
Kitchen Window's new store is in progress. The steel has been installed. For more photos visit our Relocation page. Watch for more updates on our relocation page and in future newsletters.
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Second only to eating berries out of hand, enjoying them in a pie is sublime. Summer fruit pies make great use of the overwhelming quantities that suddenly become available in our gardens or fresh markets. There are a few tricks to making great summer fresh fruit pies - we'll share some here:
Start with a Great Crust - We meet people everyday that are intimidated by making their own pie crust. It's really quite easy and once mastered will set you apart from those unwilling to tackle the topic. Here are some of our best tips for making a great pie crust:
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| Our Favorite Rolling Pin |
- Chill the butter or shortening well
- Use ice cold water
- Don't over mix the dough
- Make dough in a food processor, with an electric mixer, or by hand with a pastry blender; avoid using your hands as their heat will adversely affect the outcome
- Chill the dough slightly once mixed
- Use wax paper to roll out the dough
- Chill the crust in the pie plate for a few minutes prior to adding the filling
- Brush the edge of the bottom crust with water or milk to make a good seal with the top crust
- Glaze the top of the crust with a brushing of cream and a generous sprinkling of sugar; the result will be a gorgeous, golden crust.
Finesse the Filling - Summer fruit pies are known for their juiciness! It's the best part of a berry pie and the most challenging aspect. Most recipes call for using cornstarch or quick-cooking tapioca to thicken the pie filling. When sugar is added to fruit, it draws out the juices. Also, when fruit is heated the juices appear. The cornstarch or tapioca will thicken the exuded juices and provide a more cohesive pie filling when served. Match the quantity of fruit and thickener according to the recipe. If more fruit is used, increase the amount of thickener.
Bake Carefully - Keep an eye on your pie as it bakes. Juicy fruits will produce a bubbly pie in the oven. It can be common for the juices to bubble over
and out of the pie. Anticipate this potentially messy situation with a catch pan underneath the pie. We like to use the popular Oven Ring product that catches the juices before they hit the oven rack. The spilled juices with their high sugar content will burn easily.
Serving Pie - Allow your berry pie to cool at least to room temperature before serving. This time and temperature adjustment will allow the filling to set up. Cut the pie and lift with a wedge-shaped spatula. There's really no substitute for a pie server. The pie slices need the customized wedge support to lift and move the pastry without disaster. If the berry pie is still quite juicy after baking, don't worry about it! Enjoy it thoroughly, then note on the recipe the need for more thickener the next time around. |
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20% OFF any pie dish
or pie making item
{THIS COUPON IS VOID}
Please subscribe to our newsletter
to receive our next coupon
Limit one coupon redeemable per customer number.
Offer expires July 31, 2009 |
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Kitchen Window Smart Berry & Pie Tips |
Tip #1: With a bunch of berries in hand, a berry smoothie is not too far away. Use one cup of vanilla yogurt with an equal amount of berries. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, for a frozen smoothie, add equal parts ice cubes and berries; add sugar and lemon to taste.
Tip #2: Berries, difficult to wash, are one of top ten fruits recommended for organic purchase based on tests measuring the presence of residual pesticides. Other fruits and vegetables to be purchased organically include: nectarines, celery, pears, peaches, apples, cherries, imported grapes, lettuce, spinach, potatoes, and bell peppers.
Tip #3: Strawberries lose their bright, red color when cooked and can turn a grayish purple. However, much of the redness is retained with the addition of some type of acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or another citrus juice. The acidic character of rhubarb makes the classic strawberry-rhubarb a natural.
 Tip #4: Declare that it's summer by dropping a berry into a glass of white wine or champagne to treat the eye and infuse a hint of berry in your drink.
Tip #5: Berry pies are perfect for freezing. Since berries do not oxidize and turn brown, they retain their character well. Freeze berry pies in one of two ways: (1) Mix and freeze the filling in a zippered freezer bag set in a pie plate so that it freezes in a pie shape, or (2) Assemble the pie crust, single or double, and fill with the berries; wrap well and freeze. Add 15-20 minutes to the baking time for a frozen pie.
Tip #6: Use a serrated knife to cut the pie. The serrated edge will "saw" through a well-made flaky crust without crushing it to crumbs.
 Tip# 7: Make extra pie crust dough each time you mix a batch and store the extra crust as a flat disc in the freezer. You'll have half the work of a fresh fruit pie done with this do-ahead strategy.
Tip #8: Chocolate-covered strawberries are always a welcomed treat. Using washed, dried strawberries, dip in melted chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. If you use a fine quality chocolate with a high cacoa content, and heat it ever so gently, you will not need any other ingredients for a perfect couverture. |
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 Q: What is the difference between a "crisp," a "cobbler," and a "bumble?"
A:  A fruit crisp has a crumble topping made of flour, butter, and salt with oatmeal, cinnamon, or nuts added occasionally. The ratio is such that the crumble holds together slightly and browns into a lovely top crust. A cobbler varies by region, but usually involves a batter poured over fruit that when baked forms a cake-like filling between the fruit pieces. A bumble is a jumble of whatever berries are available at the moment, and may be turned into a bumble crisp, bumble cobbler, or a bumble berry pie!
Q: What does the cooking term "macerate" mean?
A: Macerating berries or other fruit is the process of drawing out the fruits' liquid and allowing them to become soft in the process. By adding sugar to berries, the osmolarity outside the berry differs from inside the berry. Since nature seeks balance, liquid is released from the berry in an attempt to dilute the sugar. This process is known as maceration and has the effect of wilting the berry.
Q: What are the highly touted health benefits of berries?
A: Berries are high in many vitamins including Vitamins C and K, but also possess extraordinary amounts of polyphenol antioxidants. In lay terms, antioxidants soak up radical versions of molecules that would otherwise create havoc in our bodies. Foods' antioxidant properties are measured for their ORAC - oxygen radical absorption capacity - and berries are at the top of the ORAC chart.
Q: What is a lattice pie crust and how is it formed?
A: Summer fruit pies must be well-vented due to the steam build-up from the juicy filling. A lattice pie crust with "woven" strips placed on top of the pie will help to thicken the filling through evaporation while baking. Cut strips of rolled pie crust about 3/4-inch in width. Lay 5 or 6 strips across the pie in one direction. Fold back the strips exposing one-half the pie. In the center, begin to lay another strip perpendicularly or at a diagonal. Gradually weave the strip under and over the existing strips by partially unfolding the first layer. Continue adding strips to the exp osed half of the pie in a similar fashion. Complete the other half of the pie by folding back the first layer of strips and adding strips as with the first half. Brush the lattice work with cream and sprinkle with sugar prior to baking.
Q: What's the best way to remove berry stains?
A: The deep, rich colors of berries can produce stains on clothing and tablecloths. Home remedies include the following tips: (1) Rub the spot with a slice of lemon and rinse, 2) Scrub the stain with an "extra-whitening" toothpaste, then rinse, (3) Soak in distilled, white vinegar, then rinse and wash, and (4) Lighten any residual stain by placing the item in sunlight. |
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Pie by Ken Haedrich. Copyright 2004. Published by Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA.
 We love pie! Coming upon a cookbook that is nothing but pie is sublime. Mr. Haedrich also loves pie! That's clear in his writing and first-hand narrative accompanying each of the more than 300 recipes. For many of us, certain pies have a genealogy accompanying them that makes for more than just a good dessert; they become the embodiment of family culinary traditions. Here's your chance to refresh some of those memories or to start some new ones. The cookbook is organized seasonally by types of pie fillings - Berry Good Pies, Classic Fall Pies, Nut Pies, Custard Pies, Cream Pies, Chiffon Pies, Ice Cream Freezer Pies, and an entire chapter just for Apple Pies. The repertoire of pies is preceded by a detailed chapter on pie crusts - how to make a good crust, how to choose the right crust for different pies, and 21 different crust recipes. Each recipe contains a notes section entitled, "Recipe for Success," that contains invaluable tips and hints for the specific recipe. It's like having a well-known pie mentor at your side at all times. The collection of assembled pies is a worthy homage to this always appropriate dessert.
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Recipes excerpted from Pie by Ken Haedrich. Copyright 2004. Published by Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA. Used with permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. |
All Strawberry Pie
This pie makes excellent use of the profusion of summer strawberries! The pie dough mixed easily, and rolled cooperatively into a perfect crust. The splash of lemon and spoonful of crème de menthe brightened the flavors of the filling without a hint of confusion. It's a perfect way to celebrate strawberries - we think you'll agree!
View recipe
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Patsy's Mixed Berry Freeform Pie
Many berries become available all at once. No worries - they love to be mixed together in just about any combination. The deep reds, blues and purples are a visual delight and an antioxidant-rich jackpot! This recipe uses a "healthy" crust that sports lower calories and less fat compared to most other crust formulations. The freeform nature makes for a rustic, yet stunning result.
View recipe
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Vid and Annie's Fresh Raspberry Crumb Pie
Raspberries are showcased at their best in this pie. A top crumb crust combines the best of a fruit crisp with the soul of a pie yielding some type of summer nirvana! Wonderfully delightful on its own, we heard it calling for a scoop of vanilla and so obliged. It's a thrilling experience -- enough to make one install a personal patch of raspberry bushes to insure this pie as an annual event.
View recipe
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Share this email with a friend or invite someone to join you for a cooking class.
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Predictably, we close with one last pun - "We wish you the berry best of summer cooking."
From all of us at Kitchen Window
Kitchen Window
Calhoun Square - 3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-824-4417 / 888-824-4417
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