Party Food

Charcuterie

The season of picnics, potlucks, and graduation celebrations is upon us and charcuterie boards can make for an attractive, low-effort, crowd-pleasing centerpiece for these types of gatherings. The word “charcuterie” refers to cold cooked, cured, or smoked meats, so in the most literal sense, a traditional charcuterie board is just a meat platter, though the everyday definition has expanded to include a broad combination of cheeses, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, pickled veggies, toasted nuts, olives, and complementary condiments – honeys, jams, jellies, chutneys, mustards and more! Our weekly sale from May 18th – 24th features a lineup of ingredients to help get you started and this recipe will guide you in pulling those ingredients together. That being said, a prime ingredient in any charcuterie board is creativity, so consider this a canvas upon which to build according to your own tastes!

King Cake

Mardi Gras/Carnival season officially began on January 6th or the “Twelfth Night,” also known to Christians as the “Epiphany,” and culminates on Tuesday, February 21st – a day affectionately known as “Fat Tuesday”. While there are many traditional Mardi Gras dishes to enjoy during this time of feasting and revelry leading up to Lent, none is quite so ubiquitous as the king cake.

The rich history of the king cake dates all the way back to the Middle Ages with the first known king cakes baked in Europe in celebration of the Catholic Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day on January 6th. The French brought the cake with them to the Gulf Coast region of the United States in the 1870s, and it has since become synonymous with American celebrations of Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras celebration in America took place in 1703 when a group of French soldiers held an impromptu celebration in the settlement of Mobile, Alabama.

While there are many regional variations, Mardi Gras king cakes found in most American bakeries are traditionally crown-shaped brioche-style confections decorated in royal colors of purple, green, and gold representing justice, faith, and power, respectively. They also typically contain a token of good fortune hidden within the cake, bestowing the recipient with luck and prosperity and the responsibility of providing the king cake for the next year’s festivities. This token is often represented as a bean, pea, or plastic baby.

You’ll find many of the ingredients needed to prepare your own Mardi Gras king cake in our weekly sale from February 16th – 22nd, so it’s a perfect time to give this traditional treat a try! 

Chili

Super Bowl season is upon us and regardless of your sports fan status, we think you’ll love this hearty chili recipe. It’s a simple, one-pot meal that features a handful of ingredients from the weekly sale display from February 9th – 15th, so it’s easy on the budget. Using dried beans requires a little more advanced preparation (soaking) and a longer cooking time, but dried beans are much more economical and the longer cook time allows a deep, rich flavor to develop.  Cook up an extra-large pot and freeze the leftovers for a busier weeknight. You’ll be so glad you did!

Pork Dumplings

If you find pork dumplings from your favorite take-out spot irresistible, just wait until you taste this homemade version! Pork dumplings, or jiaozi, are the quintessential dish of Lunar New Year celebrations and these have everything you want in a dumpling: plump and nicely chewy, filled with tender pork, flavored with fresh ginger, green onion, and sesame oil. Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, and Spring Festival all describe the celebration that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon, 15 days later. This year, many will hold celebrations on Sunday, January 22nd. The Lunar New Year festival is thousands of years old, and today nearly 25% of the world’s population participates in this celebration. 

Because of their resemblance to gold ingots, making and eating dumplings during Lunar New Year celebrations is a way to express wishes of prosperity and fortune in the coming year. Making dumplings is also a group effort, so Lunar New Year celebrations are good times to get the whole family involved in making — and eating! — several batches. Whether you’re celebrating the Lunar New Year or stocking your freezer for a busy month ahead, these dumplings should definitely be on your list. You’ll find many of the ingredients in our Lunar New Year-themed weekly sale from January 19th – 25th, so it’s a perfect time to give them a try!

Dumpling Wrappers

Making your own dumpling wrappers at home might sound intimidating, but there’s really nothing to it! With just flour, water, and a few simple steps, you’ll be rolling out wrappers like a pro! Our Weekly Sale from January 19th – 25th celebrates the culinary traditions of the Lunar New Year, celebrated on Sunday, January 22nd this year. Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, and Spring Festival all describe the celebration that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon, 15 days later. The Lunar New Year festival is thousands of years old, and today nearly 25% of the world’s population participates in this celebration. Pork dumplings, or jiaozi, are the quintessential dish of Lunar New Year celebrations and you’ll find many of the items needed to make a batch featured in the Weekly Sale, making it a perfect time to give this dish a try! You’ll find the pork dumpling recipe at our Weekly Sale display or on our blog and this dumpling wrapper recipe will help you craft the perfect vehicle for your dumplings!

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

With a heritage claiming both French and West African roots, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and/or gumbo file powder (made from ground dried sassafras leaves), along with a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood. With so many options, every family has perfected its own treasured recipes, which leads to an impassioned debate on which one is best. Even so, gumbo does more to bring us together than divide us, as queen of Creole cuisine Chef Leah Chase said, “There’ve been a lot of problems solved in that dining room over a bowl of gumbo.” 

Our weekly sale from December 29th – January 4th celebrates the culinary traditions of Kwanzaa (which spans from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day celebrations. You’ll find Henry & Lisa’s shrimp, organic Bionaturae tomatoes, and bulk long-grain white rice featured in the sale, so it’s a perfect time to whip up a batch of this authentic shrimp and okra gumbo from the award-winning Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana! 

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

With a heritage claiming both French and West African roots, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and/or gumbo file powder (made from ground dried sassafras leaves), along with a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood. With so many options, every family has perfected its own treasured recipes, which leads to an impassioned debate on which one is best. Even so, gumbo does more to bring us together than divide us, as queen of Creole cuisine Chef Leah Chase said, “There’ve been a lot of problems solved in that dining room over a bowl of gumbo.” 

Our weekly sale from December 29th – January 4th celebrates the culinary traditions of Kwanzaa (which spans from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day celebrations. You’ll find Henry & Lisa’s shrimp, organic Bionaturae tomatoes, and bulk long-grain white rice featured in the sale, so it’s a perfect time to whip up a batch of this authentic shrimp and okra gumbo from the award-winning Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana! 

Spotlight on Trois Petits Cochons

We’re shining our Co-op Spotlight this week on one of the most awarded specialty food companies in North America-  Trois Petits Cochons!  Les Trois Petits Cochons has produced award-winning, all-natural pâté and charcuterie since 1975 by crafting small, handmade batches using only the finest high-quality ingredients. Their full product line is 20% off for member-owners from December 15th – 21st – just in time to pick up something special for your holiday feast. Read on to learn more about this company that has been producing high-quality, hand-crafted products for nearly 50 years!

Heritage:

Trois Petits Cochons first opened its doors as a small charcuterie in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1975. Founded by two French chefs who met in Africa while gallivanting across the globe, they decided to open in the bohemian Village, and with the help of an American backer – the third piggy – the shop was born. It has since grown to become the leader in the pâté and charcuterie industry, offering a complete line of artisanal pâtés, mousses, terrines, sausages, saucissons, smoked meats, and other French specialties. Their products have garnered a long list of SOFI awards, earning great respect in the culinary world.

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Mission:

 

Three Little Pigs is on a mission to create more enjoyable, everyday moments through casual, well-made charcuterie that is as fun and easy to enjoy as it is high-quality and delicious. They are committed to continuing the tradition of making delicious, authentic, and quality pâté and charcuterie for their customers. 

 

Environmental Commitment:

The team at Les Trois Petits Cochons is committed to sourcing and producing the highest quality all-natural specialty food products in a responsible and sustainable manner.

They believe in:

  1. Transparency – Customers should be able to know where their food comes from and be able to buy from companies committed to sustainable animal husbandry. 
  2. Trust & Relationships  – They believe in partnering with those who can make the best product in the most responsible manner. They personally visit all of their major suppliers, the majority of whom are family farms, to make sure they are upholding the standards set by Les Trois Petits Cochons.
  3. Local – Les Trois Petits Cochons always begins their search locally. Many of their suppliers come from within 100 miles of their production facilities, but sometimes to find that special ingredient they need to go further afield, including to France where they source many of their ingredients like wild mushrooms or espelette pepper.

Be sure to check out the fabulous collection of recipes on their web page!

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Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Looking for a pumpkin pie recipe using fresh, wholesome ingredients? Look no further! You will not need your can opener for this one!  The bit of extra time it takes to prepare this pie is well worth the effort, as you’ll truly be able to savor the roasted flavor of your pumpkin and the sweetness of pure Vermont maple syrup. Ready-to-bake 9-inch pie shells are featured in the Weekly sale from November 10th – 16th, saving you some prep time. And, of course, you’re welcome to sub in canned pumpkin, which is also featured in the Weekly Sale! Also, if pumpkin isn’t your thing, feel free to swap it with roasted butternut squash or roasted sweet potatoes. Either way, we have a feeling this will become your new go-to pie for the holidays!

Cherry Strudel

Our weekly sale from September 29th – October 5th celebrates the culinary traditions of Oktoberfest, and an Oktoberfest celebration isn’t quite complete without a cherry strudel for dessert! You’ll find frozen tart cherries in the weekly sale display and this recipe will help you roll them into a decadently delicious strudel!