Hello my Foodie Friends!

Guess what today is: Yes, it’s Valentines Day and I know the quickest way to someone’s heart is great cooking. There is nothing more impressive than whipping up a romantic meal for your partner. It is food that creates a home, connections, celebrations, and embraces family and friends. In creating meals, we are creating homes and a nurturing environment. The meals do not have to be fancy or gourmet. It isn’t about how special the recipe is. It is about being conscious of an important part of life and honoring that importance. By elevating the importance of food in our family’s lives, you pass that importance on to them. Families connect around the dinner table, all sharing the meal they know is just for them. They also learn the subtle ways you can say “I love you.” through the daily care of mealtime.

One of our favorite dishes is to make is Eggplant Parmigiana. When my wife Paula was at the end of her due dates for our children, she was always encouraged by the Italian women in the family to eat Italian food to induce her labor. We won’t promise you that by eating Eggplant Parmigiana you are guaranteed to go into labor, but according to some of the old Italian wives tales, it may be just the trick to get your baby’s show on the road. Ironically enough, Paula did eat Eggplant prior to each time she went into labor (early or not). Making Eggplant Parmigiana can be a tedious task of slicing and prepping.  Do you have a mandoline hiding in the back of your pantry, just begging to be used? Essentially, you can accomplish much of a mandoline’s work with a steady hand and a sharp knife. However, when slicing up zucchini ribbons, slicing eggplant or shredding brussel sprouts, mandolines cut prep time down significantly and promise consistent, even results. And they’re fun to use; especially when you need to create consistently thick or thin slices for your favorite recipe. At Compliments to the Chef we carry several different brands of mandolines. The OXO Good Grips mandoline is a perfect tool for home chefs. It is a trusty tool through thick and thin (produce). Slice or julienne cucumbers, potatoes and more with a turn of the comfortable dial on the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer.  We also carry mandolines by Zyllis and the Asian style Benriner. Each mandoline includes a food holder that protects hands and the stainless steel blade quickly makes even slices. All blades store safely on board and are removable for easy cleaning. With this easy-to-use mandoline, hands and fingers stay away from sharp blades at all times. Most mandolines come with three or four slicing blades beyond the basic blade. These allow you to slice paper thin, a little thicker (think potato chips), thick julienne (think french fries), and thin julienne. If you’re not sure how your blades will slice, invest in a few potatoes and try each setting out. It’s usually a good idea to have a few extra veggies on hand when you’re learning to use your mandoline as well so you can get the hang of the whole process. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we have items that can assist with making your Valentine’s Dinner. Finish with something sweet and a goodnight kiss. Show your love through the foods you cook. Stop by Compliments to the Chef located at 33 Railroad Place and let us know how we can help you with your culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Happy Valentines Day!

 Take Care,
John & Paula

At the farmers’ market, Saturdays are an opportunity to stock up with local products for the week to come. But what if you didn’t have to wait for Saturday to stock up on your favorite farmers’ market foods? Mangiamo, Saratoga Chocolate Co., Nettle Meadow, and Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery have big news to share as they work to ease access to their products by opening new locations and expanding their offerings locally.

MANGIAMO
Mangiamo, a business offering a variety of homemade pasta, has recently opened shop in Grant Plaza at 75 Woodlawn Avenue in Saratoga Springs. “The only reason I was able to open a retail shop was because my market customers were looking to buy pasta during the week,” explained Rose Contadino, owner of Mangiamo. 

Contadino began Mangiamo in May 2018 and sold her fresh pasta exclusively on Saturdays at the farmers’ market.“My customers have been very supportive of me opening the shop, and I am extremely grateful for all their wishes to see me succeed,” said Rose.

Mangiamo’s new location is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store enables Rose to make pasta on the premises and also to expand her offerings as the business grows. “At the shop, I offer a variety of weekly flavored pastas like roasted garlic and herbs and I always have cheese raviolis and a special ravioli for Friday and Saturday,” she explained. 

SARATOGA CHOCOLATE CO.
Saratoga Chocolate Co. will bring sweetness to downtown Saratoga Springs when their new shop opens on the lower level of the Saratoga Marketplace this spring. “We’re excited to create a space where people can experience and enjoy chocolate,” said Allison Rose. 

Chocolatiers Allison and Hank Rose started Saratoga Chocolate Co. in 2016 and have worked to grow the business while balancing an active work and family life. At the farmers’ market, Saratoga Chocolate Co. quickly earned its reputation for hand-crafted truffles and decadent chocolate bark and bars. 

This spring, the store location will offer a variety of their chocolates, and shoppers may also watch the sweet confections being made. “The farmers’ market community has really supported us and helped us to develop our business,” Allison explained. In addition to chocolates and truffles, the Roses are planning to offer a variety of cocoa infused food and drinks at the new location. 

NETTLE MEADOW
Nettle Meadow began the year with exciting news of their new cheese plant, aging space, and retail space at the historic Hitching Post restaurant on 9N in Lake Luzerne. “We will have a much larger retail space for customers to come and try our cheese and buy cheeses and other local products at a more convenient location,” said Sheila Flanagan, one of the farm owners. 

Nettle Meadow started selling goat cheeses on a small scale around 1992.  Sheila Flanagan and Lorrain Lambiase bought the business and expanded production in 2005. “Farmers’ markets are one of the most important aspects of our business because it gives us direct interaction with our customers,” said Flanagan. “We look forward to reaching more people through tastings and direct sales at the new location in Lake Luzerne.”

Nettle Meadow’s new location plans to open on Memorial Day weekend with a Grand Opening celebration. The retail location will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and the tasting room will be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

SPRINGBROOK HOLLOW FARM DISTILLERY
Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery has completed plans for a new taproom and production facility directly off of Rt. 149 in Queensbury. The expansion is planned to be completed by the end of 2020 and will feature a 100-person taproom where patrons may enjoy local cider, wine, craft beer, and a variety of Springbrook Hollow’s hand-crafted, artisanal spirits including vodka, gin, moonshine, and award-winning limoncello. 

Springbrook Hollow Distillery opened in 2014 and has expanded its reach throughout New York, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut. “We love the hands-on experience of sharing our products and our story with customers and want to enhance this experience on-site,” said Matt Colucci, one of the distillery owners.  For Springbrook Hollow, this new facility means more production, upgraded equipment, and a place for people to gather and enjoy local beverages. 

While these businesses work to offer customers new shopping experiences and a wide variety of products, you can continue to find them together in one place every Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the Food Court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.

This time of year, the farmers’ market is inspired by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness Week. Meanwhile, our vendors are also preparing for Valentine’s Day. The result is a special market focused on gifts from the heart as well as food that is good for the heart and overall health.

Tomorrow, prepare for Valentine’s Day by finding gifts that are meaningful and tasty. The Chocolate Spoon will have memorable homemade strawberry marshmallows that are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. Pucker’s Pickles will have a limited supply of their very special fermented cherries. And, of course, there will also be chocolate in various forms – like velvety chocolate cheesecake at Grandma Apple’s and a Valentine’s Day trio special (including passion, violet, and cacao nib bars) at Saratoga Chocolate Co. Or, say ‘I love you’ with a gift bag of chocolate coffee and toffee from Something’s Brewing.

Is a romantic dinner more your style? The farmers’ market has the region’s freshest ingredients. Mangiomo will have pasta rolled and cut to order. The Vermont Spätzle Company will have gluten-free spätzle. You will find the finest cuts of meat from local farms along with the best cooking instructions. Take your pick of beef, chicken, pork, lamb, goat or even fish and seafood. Local farms will have leafy greens like bok choy, swiss chard, microgreens, and kale. And tables will also be stocked with apples, beets, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, winter squash, and much more. After dinner, share some local cheese or maybe sip some locally distilled spirits.

While shopping for the person in your heart, consider heart health too. Eating fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. 

We invite you to share the love and to experience the love at tomorrow’s farmers’ market. Eat Smart NY will have healthy snack samples and recipe ideas. There will also be free Valentine cards to write and take and toe-tapping music by Craic Agus Ceol.

Our close-knit community of vendors and customers, weekly musicians and guests make for a joyous place full of friends. So bring your date, family, or friends with you to enjoy a shared outing at the farmers’ market

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the Food Court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh. 

Hello my Foodie Friends!

The focus and awareness of single servings has been on the rise. Factors and benefits such as convenience, freshness, and dietary awareness have a major appeal to everyday consumers. Now more then ever individuals are placing importance on elements such as convenience and dietary awareness. Everyone ranging from busy families on the go to people dealing with the everyday chaos of life can take advantage of the handiness that single-serve products provide! Single-serve cooking can assist with the emphasis being placed on leading healthier lifestyles. Single-serve products provide the health and wellness many are looking for. Portion and calorie control are much easier for on-the-go consumers to calculate, which offers convenience.

The Ramekin is an item we sell at Compliments to the Chef that can help you with your quest for single servings. What, exactly, is a “ramekin?” A ramekin is a small, single-serving sized small mould or dish, traditionally round with a fluted exterior, in which ramekins or other individual portions of food, such as soufflés or mousses, are baked and served; (also) a small container for an individual serving of sauce.

Typically made of ceramics, ramekins are small bowls that are often associated with custard desserts. Yet there are a wide variety of uses for ramekins in your kitchen. They can be used to mix a small amount of ingredients, hold snacks or serve dips and salsas. You can also use ramekins to bake many different foods — from sweets to main dishes. This is particularly beneficial if you’re watching your weight because eating from these small bowls will help you manage portion size, a key component in controlling caloric intake.

There are so many uses for a ramekin. Here are a few:

You can bake eggs in a ramekin.  Eggs have been put on the bad food list in the past, but the truth is that they are a good protein option for starting your day. The cholesterol in eggs is in the yokes, so if that’s a concern you can always use just egg whites. Use ramekins to bake eggs as an alternative to the typical fried or scrambled eggs. Just crack an egg into a ramekin coated in nonstick cooking spray, pour one tablespoon of low-fat milk over it and season as desired. Try adding shredded low-fat cheese or Canadian bacon. You can also put vegetables like spinach, tomatoes or diced peppers on the bottom of the ramekin before adding the egg. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. The temperature of the egg should reach 160 degrees F, according to safety guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Bread pudding is usually a decadent dessert, but you can fit it into your healthy diet. Using your favorite bread pudding recipe and preparing it in ramekins allows you to have a small single serving, keeping calories under control. You can also experiment with swapping some of the ingredients to boost nutritional value. For example, use whole wheat bread and low-fat milk instead of white bread and heavy cream or whole milk. Recipes like the pear bread pudding featured in “The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook” uses these substitutes as well as several spices to make a healthier, flavorful dish.

Mini pot pies and meatloaves: Portion control and attractive food presentation are both advantages you’ll get when preparing main dishes in ramekins. Serving a personal pot pie or meatloaf to your family will likely be a hit, especially for kids. You can still prepare your recipes for these classics as usual and then divide the prepared food among the ramekins before baking. You may need to cut down the amount of your original recipe, however, if you plan to use only a few ramekins. If you’re concerned about grease filling up the ramekins when cooking mini meatloaves, try placing a piece of bread — preferably somewhat stale or toasted — in the bottom of the dish. The bread will absorb a large amount of the grease. It will also help to use leaner ground beef; try to use 90 to 93 percent lean.

Fruit desserts: Ramekins are ideal for many classic desserts, such as custards, mousses and even mini baked cheesecakes. They also work well for baking individual fruit desserts, such as crisps and cobblers. Crisps use a topping primarily made with dried oats while cobblers are flour based. An additional advantage to preparing desserts this way is that you can use a variety of fruits to prepare several different crisps or cobblers at once.

One of our favorite uses for ramekins is for single servings of mac n cheese. Mac n cheese is down home comfort food and it makes you feel all warm and cozy. These little ramekins are ideal for individual servings of mac n cheese. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs to pick up an array of sizes of ramekins and cool tools to assist you with your culinary needs. Enjoy those ridiculously delicious single serving creations. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!

The winter months often times bring us “snow days” from work and school. Snow day; you know what that means? It’s time to bake some sweet goodies with your friends or family.  There are standard baking essentials that are needed to make your favorite baked treats. 

Cooking and baking are really enjoyable if you can find recipes that are inspiring and delicious. Flipping through a cookbook, you’ll find that most cooking and baking recipes use precise measurements. Portioning ingredients in a dish balances flavors to create the best-tasting recipes. Dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cups, and measuring spoons are three of the fundamental kitchen tools that will help you measure your ingredients. The best measuring cups and spoons make it easy to portion your ingredients and wash up after you’re done cooking or baking. Dry measuring cups are important kitchen tools to have in your drawers. The best measuring cup sets consist of five different measuring cups, ranging from 1/3 cup to 1 cup for measuring dry goods. You’ll find that dry measuring cups are made from many different materials, including plastic and stainless steel. Both of these types of materials can be placed in the dishwasher, which makes it easier to clean up after you’re done cooking or baking. These materials are used in measuring cups because they will not react with food and then can even be placed in the refrigerator or freezer if you need to cool ingredients. If you are baking, make sure that you clean out your measuring cups after each use to ensure that you don’t contaminate any of your ingredients. A well-stocked kitchen has both dry and liquid measuring cups. There is a slight difference in volume between dry and wet ingredients, so it’s important that you have both styles of measuring cups. The best liquid measuring cup sets have three different sizes, ranging from 1 cup to 4 cups of liquid. A lot of liquid measuring cups have spouts on the end, which makes them easy to pour into your recipe. Most liquid measuring cups have handles so you can transport them across the kitchen. This is especially helpful if you are incorporating warm liquid into your recipe. The majority of liquid measuring cups are made from plastic or glass, so they can go right in the dishwasher alongside your dry measuring cups.

Aside from measuring cups, measuring spoons are also a must-have in your kitchen. A standard set of measuring spoons is great if you are baking in the kitchen because you can use the right portion of baking soda and baking powder to get the perfect texture for your best sweet treats. Measuring spoons can measure both liquid and dry ingredients so they’re super handy to have in the kitchen.

Stop in to Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place and stock up on baking supplies.  Don’t forget to keep your eye on your little helpers when measuring the Cinnamon-Sugar as three tablespoons could become six! Remember my Foodie Friends that “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Stay warm and have fun baking. 

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Marcie Place returns to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market this Saturday, after a three-month break. She concentrated on her family, especially her son Ted who has joined middle school. “I started my baking business as a way to work from home after the surprise arrival of my third son,” she said. During this so-called break, Marcie filled corporate orders and developed several new recipes for the Farmers’ Market. 

Marcie noted how she benefitted from the Farmers’ Market by moving from routine recipes to being more creative. “I never experimented until I joined the Market and met great vendors. I realized how important it is to use fresh, local ingredients such as rosemary from Otrembiak Farm for the rosemary butter cookies. And eggs from vendors which make shortbread good, golden, and gorgeous.”

But there are no chocolate spoons among her goodies. “I chose The Chocolate Spoon as my business name because I wanted something memorable and something unique,” Marcie explained. “Once a customer thought I literally sold spoons dipped in chocolate!” 

Can we hope that maybe someday she’ll make chocolate lollipops with wooden spoon handles? Meanwhile, we have to try her new products. “Look for treats like speculoos, pecan sandies, Norwegian butter cookies, pistachio cranberry shortbread cookies, and raspberry pie.”

Marcie explained, “Speculoos is a traditional Belgian spice cookie, sometimes referred to as Biscoff.” Its origin goes back into the 1650s when bakers were already making biscuits along with their bread. Her Norwegian butter cookie, “is a simple cookie with few ingredients but the combination is memorable.”

For Valentine’s Day, The Chocolate Spoon will feature ‘pink’: strawberry marshmallows, raspberry Linzer cookies, cookie bouquets, and pink snickerdoodles. The latter obtains its pink color from pureed beets. 

In addition to the Farmers’ Market, The Chocolate Spoon caters to special events such as weddings, baby and bridal showers, care packages, book clubs, fundraisers and cookie party favors for birthdays or out-of-town guests. 

On Marcie’s table at the Farmers’ Market, you’ll notice a money jar, but it’s not a tip jar. She accepts donations for “Project Cupcake,” her free community outreach project. “It’s a way for me to give back after receiving wonderful guidance and support while my son Ted was in grade school.” Project Cupcake, now in its second year, “provides birthday treats in the classroom for kids whose families may not otherwise be able to provide one,” Marcie explained. 

After you read this article, be sure to overwhelm The Chocolate Spoon this Saturday, and every Saturday after that.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the Food Court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

In kitchens throughout the world, there is one piece of technology that has been the same since the Stone Age: the mortar and pestle. The mortar and pestle is one of the most primitive kitchen tools. You place ingredients in a bowl usually made of stone or ceramic and them pound them with a tiny club. 

Why should every good cook—and everyone who loves herbs—own and use at least one mortar and pestle? Several reasons include: from history; the ceremony of using ancient tools and the joy of knowing the rhythm of how they work. For celebration: food feeds both body and soul, and the act of preparing it should be a pleasure, not a chore. And finally, for quality: there is a depth of flavor to spices and fresh herbs prepared this way that you just can’t get from a food processor. Mortars and pestles have been used for crushing and blending seeds, roots, herbs, and other foods. This dates back to prehistory, although information on their origins is hard to find. It’s only logical that early man and woman picked up the nearest rock and used it to crack open the nuts they gathered. Eventually they found similar tools to grind seed or grain into a powder, so that they could mix it with water to form a gruel and grind herbs and roots to flavor it.

Here’s a list of cooking tasks you can accomplish with a mortar and pestle:

• Grind your own peppercorns and spices including cinnamon sticks, coriander, and cloves.
• Remove cardamom seeds from their pods and then crush to use in Indian cooking.
• Grind sea salt to the fine texture of popcorn salt and season your movie night treat.
• Crush whole dry chilies into flakes.
• Crush capers to use in homemade tartar sauce recipes.
• Smash fresh peeled ginger to use in Asian recipes.
• Crush some flax seeds to release their benefits and add to yogurt for a nutritious breakfast or snack.
• Crush lavender to use in baking or potpourri.
• Crush herbs and seeds to make medicinal teas.
• Make fresh, homemade nut butters.
• Turn fresh garlic cloves into a paste and spread on Italian bread with olive oil for some intense garlic bread.
• Crush some fresh basil, garlic and pine nuts together in the larger sized units. Then mix in some olive oil to make super fresh and flavorful pesto.

The mortar and pestle is available in a wide variety of sizes and can be found made of ceramic, glass, porcelain, wood, metal, granite, marble or bamboo. The advantage of a using a mortar and pestle rather than an electric grinder or food processor include easier (as in no) assembly required, less noise and easy cleanup — no small parts or sharp blades to wash.

One of the most classic uses of the mortar and pestle is for pesto.  Combining the flavors of basil, pine nut, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil can make a wonderful pesto to add to pasta, spread on a sandwich, or eat by the spoonful.  When it comes to making pesto, you can’t go wrong with a pestle and mortar. You could make it in a food processor, but you just won’t get the same flavors as when you’re pounding and crushing all that lovely basil by hand. 

Cooking can be fun! No matter how long you have been cooking, there is always something new to learn. The mortar and pestle may take a little elbow grease, but it is the tool that will not fail you.  Go back to the old grind for a while, stepping away from modern technology and use the mortar and pestle for your incredible culinary creations. Stop at Compliments to the Chef; your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to get your “cool” Tools for Cooks. Remember; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Growing up with six sisters, it’s no wonder that Sarah Avery took an interest in women’s health. In addition to being a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a focus in Women’s Health and Medical Therapeutic Yoga, Avery is also a vendor at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Her business, Moon Cycle Seed Company, is a seed cycling subscription service to help women rebalance their hormones and establish healthy body cycles.

This might be your first time hearing about the concept of seed cycling – it is for many people. That’s why Avery loves to explain to customers how it works. “It made sense to come to the farmers’ market with this product; being at the market makes it much easier for me to answer customers’ questions in person. Those connections are invaluable.”

Avery’s first experience with seed cycling came forth out of her own struggles with women’s health issues including worsening PMS symptoms after discontinuing hormonal birth control. “A friend of mine told me about the practice of seed cycling which is an easy and natural way to get nutrients in the body to help women rebalance their hormones,” says Avery. Seed cycling helps balance estrogen and progesterone by supplying the nutrients of four seeds (pumpkin, flax, sunflower, and sesame) in a specific combination daily. The blend correlates with the phases of the menstrual cycle, follicular and luteal.

Avery’s symptoms were markedly alleviated by seed cycling, and she started sharing her practice with other women in her life. Because seed cycling involves grinding the seeds to help the body’s absorption of nutrients, some of her friends were hesitant to put in the effort. “I figured that I could make it easier for everyone, and so Moon Cycle Seed Company was born,” says Avery.

The subscription service offers eco-friendly packages of pre-ground seeds for the two different parts of the cycle. All you have to do to reap the benefits is sprinkle the seed blends in dishes such as smoothies, yogurt bowls, salads, and soups. In the future, Avery hopes to venture into ready-to-eat seed squares and possibly hormone-balancing herbal teas. 

At the farmers’ market, we know all about how a healthy, varied diet can benefit your health. Besides your purchase at Moon Cycle Seed Company, many of the natural, whole foods at the farmers’ market may contribute to a healthy hormone balance, such as leafy greens, fatty fish, and sweet potatoes – all currently in season at the farmers’ market.

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

As most of my Foodie Friends know, I am a heavy steel knife type of guy.  I was intrigued however, when a representative from the Kyocera Company stopped in to my store in 2004. I asked him why I would want a “plastic looking knife” over a carbon steel knife? He smiled and said “show me how sharp your steel one is.” I reached for one of my best knives and sliced a paper clean with no trouble with a smooth slice sound. I responded, “Now beat that!” Well, it was close to that song where: “fire blew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow” as he took his knife and sliced the same type of paper. I then exclaimed “no sound, you missed!” Then I watched the paper float away as if a warm summer wind just decided to take it for a ride in my store. I was hooked. 

A sharp knife is a cook’s best friend.  This is evident with the use of a ceramic knife that offers tremendous ease and saves time as we cut up soft fruits, vegetables and boneless meats.  Ceramics are a fun and interesting breed of knife that are deceivingly sharp.  Professionals and home cooks use ceramic knives due to their sharpness, strength, density, and precision making it a great tool to add to your culinary collection.  Kyocera ceramic knives are the perfect compliment to your cutlery at home. As soon as you pick up a Kyocera ceramic knife, you will be intrigued with the benefits of using ceramics. The knife is light in weight yet balances perfectly in your palm. It is excellent for slicing fruits, vegetables, and boneless meats. The blade is ground to razor sharp perfection and holds their edge 10 times longer than other professional cutlery. Ceramic knives will not brown foods or transfer a metallic taste or smell.  Ceramic is impervious to acids, oils, and salts. The blades will never rust. 

Ceramic knives are intended to complement, not replace your cutlery. Use steel for carving, prying, and boning product.  Ceramic knives come in a variety of sizes making them perfect for all types of culinary tasks. Because of the manufacturing process, the blades of a ceramic knife are flat and free from waves. As a result of this technological advantage, the edges need to be ground with a diamond wheel or diamond sharpener.  Traditional knife sharpeners cannot sharpen a ceramic knife. Kyocera has a lifetime program for sharpening their ceramic knives.  You can also purchase one of their sharpeners made specifically for their ceramic knives. 

Caring for your ceramic knife is important to ensure proper care and the prolonged life of the knife:
Please exercise the necessary caution when working, as the blades are very sharp

• Ceramic knives are intended for the cutting of food. They are unsuitable for hitting and levering.
• Ceramic blades are not shock resistant! Do not allow the knife to fall onto a hard floor or similar surfaces!
• To ensure that the blade remains sharp over a long period, we recommend the use of a cutting surface made from wood or plastic.
• Never try to cut hard objects such as frozen food, bones, metal, etc!
• Never hold the knife in an open fire (high conductance of heat)!
• Never clean with a wire brush!
• Hand wash with a mild detergent after use.
• Store the ceramic knife in a protective sheath.
• Cleaning in a dishwasher is not recommended, unless it can be ensured that the knife cannotcome into contact with other objects.
• Store out of the reach of children!

Ceramics are a cutting edge technology that can help make your culinary prep easier and fun.  Stop by Compliments to the Chef, Your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, shop for cool tools for cooks. Looking for something different to give? Ceramic knives can be a very unique and useful gift to give to that foodie that has “everything.”  Remember: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Wood-fired, artisan pizza might be one of the most perfect foods on the planet.
Crispy, cheesy, full of flavor — but it has to be done right. Locals Tina Rafferty and Paul Dudka discovered that the best pizza begins with fresh ingredients and the right oven.

Rafferty and Dudka own Fired Up Pizza that ‘opened shop’ at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market just 3 months ago. In that short time, Fired Up has become well known for its breakfast pizza and classic pepperoni, among other 10” specialty pies available every Saturday. 

For Rafferty and Dudka, Fired Up Pizza is a pop-up pizza shop and retirement plan all-in-one. “I love the positivity at the farmers’ market,” says Rafferty. “As a new business, it’s a great place to offer and perfect our products, and customers love to watch their pizzas being prepared.” 

At the farmers’ market, Dudka runs their custom-built, wood-fired pizza oven just outside the mall entrance. Dudka burns hardwoods to keep the oven at a constant 600 degrees no matter the weather. For him, this temperature guarantees the perfect, crisp crust with the right amount of char. Meanwhile, just inside the building, Rafferty creates pizzas made to order. 

“We truly enjoy working together,” said Rafferty on beginning a business with her boyfriend. “And, we both love the farmers’ market,” she adds. 

Pursuing a pizza business has meant a lot of trial and error for the couple. One of their biggest challenges has been perfecting their dough recipe to a consistency that, when dusted with cornmeal, will come off a peel without sticking. A ‘peel’ is the shovel-like tool used to slide the pizza into and out of the oven. Rafferty and Dudka have also had to experiment with cook times and temperature while getting to know their wood-fired oven.

Despite these challenges, Rafferty and Dudka’s goals have remained the same: to offer a great artisan pizza with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. 

What’s next for Fired Up Pizza? “We’re always experimenting and taste-testing,” explains Rafferty.  “We are looking forward to expanding our offerings to calzones and pizza rolls in the future,” she says. The couple hopes to attend more local events and to offer catering options for private parties and gatherings in the near future. But, for now, you can find them at the Bow Tie entrance at the Wilton Mall serving up fresh pizzas to hungry shoppers every Saturday. 

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.