Z & H MarketCafe Info Desk

Check Please! Redux

2012-01-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

If you missed Sam's epic portrayal of himself on CHECK PLEASE! you can use this link:

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?erube_fh=cp&cp.submit.restaurantDetail=1&cp.id=392

to relive this seminal moment in the culture of food television.

(note: it was very nice of the folks at CHECK PLEASE! to have us on the show and we are grateful that the response has been so generous. Thank you to everyone who has shared kind words with us.)

Check Please!

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Check, Please!

Be like Mike Teavee (and not like Augustus Gloop)and get your fill of Z&H on this week's episode of Check, Please! airing Friday at 8 pm on WTTW11

Big City Suds at Z&H (it is a short leap from cheese to soap)

2012-01-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Big City suds are made with wonderful high quality olive and vegetable oils. There are no fillers, chemicals or hardeners. These soaps leave your skin feeling soft and smoothe, not dry and itchy.

All of these soaps are handmade using a cold-process method, where nutrient-rich oils are blended with distilled water and sodium hydroxide. They are then poured into molds, cut, and left to cure for 4-6 weeks. The natural result of this method is a soap that is very high in glycerin, a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin. Each batch begins with olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil, as this combination results in a gentle soap with a silky feel and a beautiful lather. From there they incorporate additional ingredients such as butters, infusions, mineral-rich clays, and botanicals, to influence the feel, scent, and sight of the finished bar. No animal fats are used, and products that contain any animal products such as beeswax, honey, or milk, are indicated in the list of ingredients.

Come on now, it's time to get squeaky clean with Big City Suds.

A Beefy Top Ten list

2012-01-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

top ten health reasons to eat grassfed beef.

According to a 2009 study that was a joint study by the USDA and Clemson University, grassfed beef has some unique benefits that grainfed beef may not have:

1. Lower in total fat
2. Higher in beta-carotene
3. Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
4. Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
5. Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
6. Higher in total omega-3s
7. Better ratio of omega-6 to 3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
8. Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
9. Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
10. Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease

Mooo (chew chew) Mooo.

Food as Time Travel: Classic Fondue

2011-12-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

When the aliens landed in the 1950's and left us the gift of fondue (science fact), the Swiss jumped right on board the craze, everyone else took a little time. The Swiss chef Conrad Egli, himself an Alien, brought fondue to the New York restaurant Chalet Suisse and in a matter of a few short years everyone had a small tinny fondue set, or three.

Fondue comes from a French word that simply means "melted". A standard Neuchateloise recipe calls for Emmenthal and/or Gruyere, and the other favorite, the half-and-half fondue mixture, is still half Emmenthal and half Vacherin, as it has been for over a century. American fondue pots are by-and-large sad. The Swiss use a vessel called the caquelon, a big earthenware or metal pot with a handle. Treat yourself and go out and get a good one.

This classic recipe is measured per person.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 fluid ounces dry white wine
5 1/2 ounces Emmental and Gruyere cheese, grated and mixed half and half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
A shake of pepper
A grind of fresh nutmeg
6 oz white bread (French bread / baguette or Italian bread by preference), cubed
1/2 fluid ounce Kirsch

Kirsch (also known as kirschwasser, "cherry water", is actually a Swiss cherry hootch. Clear and dry. Not cherry brandy. Most good liquor stores carry kirsch. Oh, if you're concerned about the alcohol in the kirschwasser (we are not), it will boil off during the process of cooking the fondue. The purpose of the kirsch is both for flavoring and to make the fondue more digestible, which can be an issue when you're eating something with so much cheese in it.

For the pot, you'll also need a clove of garlic.

To make the fondue:

Cut the clove of garlic in two and rub the inside of the pot, pan or caquelon with one or both the halves, depending on your preference. Then let the pot dry until the rubbed places feel tacky. Put the wine in the pot and bring it to a boil.

Slowly start adding cheese to the boiling wine, and stir constantly until each bit is dissolved, then add more. When all the cheese is in, stir the kirsch into the cornstarch well, then add the mixture to the cheese and keep stirring over the heat until the mixture comes to a boil again. Add freshly ground pepper and nutmeg to taste. Remove the dish to a chafing dish or a stand on top of a small live flame and keep it bubbling slowly. Bread should have been cubed -- about 1-inch cubes -- for spearing with fondue forks and stirring around in the cheese.

Do not drink water with fondue, -- it reacts unkindly in your stomach with the cheese and bread. Dry white wine or tea are the usual accompaniments. Another tradition: when you get full: a thimbleful of Kirsch, knocked straight back in the middle of the meal, usually magically produces more room if you're feeling full. It works.

Now get to it.

VEGETARIAN Caviar (really)

2011-12-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

Sure it sounds crazy, but it is terrific (and at a great price). Amaze and astound your hard-to-please vegetarian friends and family.

Aqua Gourmet Perles de Mer. At least try it.

Cue the cork popping sound.

2011-12-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

Bottle with lots of bubbles. Check.
Platter with favorite cheeses to compliment bottle with bubbles. Think Z&H.

We can choose a few of our favorite cheeses from 2011 so you can enjoy four hand-selected cheeses from mild to medium-strong that happen to pair perfectly with bubbles. Give us a call and make our yummy cheese a part of your celebration as a great hostess gift or the center of your fancy spread. Get it for just $65.

Also, leave the novelty glasses at home.

Z&H Gift Cards and Gift Baskets...they say you care...and you're smart

2011-12-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

For those SPECIAL people on your list a Z&H Gift Card or Gift Basket will scream, "this holiday season, you, you are the most important person I can imagine thinking about at this moment". They are also good for a person that may have saved you from a bear attack.

Gift cards are avail in any amount and our gift baskets are in a range of prices.

Happy Holidays...for small business and debit cards not so much.

2011-12-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Interesting Holiday reading:

Debit-Fee Cap Has Nasty Side Effect

Link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204319004577084613307585768.html?mod=WSJ_article_MoreIn_Business

As they say, the game is rigged.

Ho Ho Ho.

Sour Puss Pickle Products $1 off per jar until Christmas!

2011-11-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

Sour Puss Pickles is a small batch pickling company based in Brooklyn, NY. They operate with one goal in mind: create every jar of pickles with as much care as if it were being stored in your own cellar. They work directly with New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania farms, insuring the highest level of freshness and quality in each products. Even the vinegar are locally sourced.

They are one part of a small food community, which also includes farms, vendors and eventually consumers that aim to preserve sustainable, local food systems.

From the delicate layering and rationing of spices in each handcrafted jar, to the well-researched brine and flavor combinations they bring the time-honored tradition of home canning to your kitchen.

From now until Christmas Z&H is knocking $1 off the cost of a jar. They are excellent.

Christmas decorations going up...

2011-11-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

on 47th Street light poles. Nice, but it would be better if they had spent the money on replacing the missing sidewalk (ten years missing and counting) around the sad, overgrown, Muntu Dance Theater wasteland at the corner of 47th and Greenwood. Not the kind of gateway you would expect at the corner of the President of the United States street. Ho ho ho.

An Original Story

2011-11-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

An Original Story from Z&H:

A tractor ran into an airplane.
He got smoke in his mouth and he got sick.
He went to the doctor.
The plane was broken and could not fly.
He is a wooden plane.
Then an elephant ate the plane.
The End.

D.M.M. Schau, age 3

Remember, we have a fantastic selection
of Thanksgiving menu offering.

Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe Thanksgiving Menu

2011-11-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

We are happy to be offering our Z&H Thanksgiving menu. This year we are offering natural, farm-raised turkeys from Indiana, Pekin Duck from Indiana, and Goose.

We are also offering a range of sides that include Z&H Apple & Sage stuffing, Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with toasted pecans, Truffled Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Salad, and our super-fantastic Cranberry Sauce.

We are also fully sanctioned by the International Pie Council (IPC) to offer CLassic Apple, Pumpkin, Southern Sweet Potato, Pecan with Rum, Classic Pecan, Lemon Meringue, and Apple and concord grape pies. These are 9" pies.

Orders for pies need to be submitted by November 18th, and Turkey, Duck and Goose orders are filling up fast so please reserve yours as soon as you can.

Toffee Tasting Tomorrow...

2011-10-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Who could actually say "no" to a toffee tasting (57th Street store, Wednesday, 26Oct, 11AM-2PM (or until the toffee is gone or the toffee tasting experts beg for mercy)

If Hyde Park was toffee, it would be Terry's Toffee. Award-winning toffee, enrobed in lucscious dark, milk and white chocolate.

Terry's Toffee began out of love for an irresistible family recipe. Through intuition and creativity it has evolved into the highest order of sweets. This premium toffee will surprise, delight and inspire. And, Ooo-la-la.

New Soups...with the weather you know.

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Heart-Warming Soups from the local company Spark of the Heart are now at both Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe locations. They are excellent, and they work right out of the package, no extra ingredient hoop-jumping necessary.

They use organic ingredients, split peas, lentils, and beans bought locally. They are vegan and are easily prepared - just add water and some olive oil if you like.

The vegetables are sourced from a small company in northern Wisconsin. They are air-dried and contain no preservatives. We have all three current varieties and they tell they are working on a few more. Delicious.

Holiday menu on the way

2011-10-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note on Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe menu offerings for the upcoming holiday season (yes, it is in fact time to start thinking about...everything). We will be offering Turkeys, Duck, and Goose for pre-order as well as a range of creative and traditional sides and salads. we will also be offering our delicious brine mix again this year. And we will have some new surprises as well.

Gobble Gobble.

Croissant Evolution

2011-07-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

We have been working on improving our already excellent croissant. Our latest croissant, available in traditional, chocolate, and almond versions, is a traditional style croissant with fantastic flakiness. We do run out, if you want to try one, earlier in the day is always better.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2011-07-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

A Midsummer Night's Dream - A show you must see!

July 15th and 16th, 7:30PM at the LaSalle Street Theatre
1136 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL

We do not recommend many plays but this staging is terrific.

Ahhhhh.....Summer

2011-07-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

Where does time go? It has been a blur for the last six months but now Summer is here. Chicago Summer. 92 with 70% humidity. So some of the updates, if you don't know already: we have updated the menu with a couple of new sandwiches (there were a couple of areas we thought were lacking - a salmon sandwich and a pastrami sandwich), we added a patio to the 57th Street Z&H (a hidden garden if you will, to access you need to walk around the building and enter through the rear gate), we continue to bring in new and interesting (and delicious)retail items - one example is Callie's Pimento Cheese from Charleston SC, a true Southern delicacy; we have some more surprises in the works as well.

We look forward to seeing you this Summer at both 47th Street and 57th Street.

Here comes Mardi Gras...

2011-03-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

In order to truly indulge on Mardi Gras, we're going to have our weekend-famous beignets available at 57th Street! We're all very excited, and we're sure you will be too.

If you haven't jumped aboard the beignet-train yet, here's the scoop...

- Beignets are adorable little French-style doughnuts (also made famous by Cafe du Monde in New Orleans)
- We make them fresh to order so they're warm and delicious
- Available filled (raspberry jam, vanilla pastry cream) or plain, and topped with either powdered or cinnamon sugar
- $1.75 each or 3 for $5
- Sell out risk is high! Get in early if you want them guaranteed, or give us a call if you want to do a pick-up order

We might even have a couple other Fat Tuesday specials up our sleeves, so be sure to stop by!

For the love of pete, make your own cheese curds.

2011-02-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

How to make cheese curds:

1. Heat 2 gallons of milk to 96F and add 1/2 tsp of calcium chloride.

2. Add 1 packet of thermophilic culture and let this ripen for 30 minutes.

3. Then add 1/2 tsp rennet and stir gently for 30 seconds.
The milk will begin to gel in 6-10 minutes, and will be fully set and ready to cut in 18 -25 minutes.

4. When firm, cut the curds into 3/4 inch cubes and stir 5 minutes.

5. Then begin to cook the curds to 116F slowly over the next 30 minutes (starting out at 2F every 5 minutes and then increasing the heating rate as the curds dry out). (Open a nice white wine now, pour yourself a glass)

6. Continue to stir the curds for the next 30-60 min at 116F to increase firmness. (top-off you glass of wine at this point)

7. Drain in cheese cloth and bundle by tightening the cloth.
Press with a weight of 1 gallon of water (aprox. 8 lbs) and let set 1-3 hours. (yep, time to open the next bottle. You are not going anywhere tonight anyway)

8. Now break the curds into small bite size pieces and toss with a bit of salt (to your taste). They are ready to eat. They can be stored in a covered glass container or a ziploc bag.

NOTE: If you have a pH meter (you really should), the end of step 5 should be pH6.4 and step 7 pH5.3.

Pretty straight forward.

ATT Phone Service Problems - 14Feb11

2011-02-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Please note, our incoming phone lines are working intermittently. Oddly they can work perfectly, or not at all.

If you are contacting us for a catering order please email us at: catering@zhmarketcafe.com

AT&T is not our friend. The automated AT&T "customer service" system, the one that you actually never get to speak to a real human being, claims that a service tech. will be here to fix this problem by 6PM on Tuesday.

Thank you for your consideration and Happy Saint Valentine's Day.

Z&H Catering

2011-02-08T05:05:00.000-08:00

An area that we do not talk about very much, but has become a big part of our reality is catering. Z&H does a lot of lunch and meeting catering, the most popular catering of this type are our Sandwich Platters and Bag Lunches. Groups range from a handful of folks to over three hundred.

A growing area for us is custom catering, we have done everything you can imagine from fancy holiday parties to a wedding for 150 folks. We like to craft menus to suit each particular event; this has turned into a great outlet for our creativity.

If you ever find yourself in need of delicious and thoughtful catering please consider Z&H for your event.

Something different on a snowy morning....

2011-02-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

How about a Kimchi-egg sandwich on Saturday morning? with bacon perhaps? 20 inches of snow and a Kimchi-egg sandwich sounds about right. Break the back of winter.

Z&H Cheese Tasting at 47th Street...

2011-02-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

Join us for a freewheeling cheese tasting from 1 to 3 on Saturday with Kamala (our awesome cheese maven); we will be sampling L'Amuse, Ossau Iraty, and Delice De Bourgogne. And for the first time in Hyde Park, Vegan Caviar from Aqua-Gourmet. Even though it is vegan, it is fantastic.

January 17, 2011

2011-01-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

“...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

-Martin Luther King, Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963

Vegetarian Caviar...

2010-12-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yes and it is delicious. Aqua Gourmet vegetarian caviar is produced in Canada, using a variety of seaweed as the primary ingredient. This caviar is made strictly form plant extract to create a 100% vegetarian product. Kelp offers not only an authentic caviar taste, but also incredible health benefits, all at a great price. We have three varieties: Sturgeon, Salmon, and Spicy Chili. They each offer a taste and versatility to the table. Great for appetizers, salads, a fancy pizza offering and baked seafood, or haw about this recipe...

Z&H Kelp Caviar Eggs

The Stuff:
4 hard-boiled eggs
4 tablespoons of Kelp Caviar
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise or sour cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste

The Skinny:
Shell the eggs, cut them in half, and remove the yolks. Mash the yolks well and mix with mayonnaise, two tablespoons of Kelp Caviar, chopped parsley, and ground black pepper. Put this mix in the egg halfs, and serve it as a salad course. Easy.

New Neighbor on 57th Street!!!

2010-12-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Whoo Hoo. We have a new neighbor down the block on 57th Street; the 'old' Istria Cafe has a NEW owner and we wish Belinda and her team much success. Please stop in and wish her luck. It is great that we have another local small business that will add to the fabric of Hyde Park.

Cheese: Old favorites, New favorites

2010-12-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

One of our 'old favorites' is the peerless Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Upland Cheese in Dodgeville, WI. An artisanal cheese crafted from unpasteurized milk from their own Wisconsin cows, fed and raised using traditional practices This cheese is made only from early spring through fall.The sweet flavors of the pasture are detectable in every bite of Pleasant Ridge Reserve.

One of our new favorites is Rush Creek Reserve also from Upland Cheese. They have made just one cheese for the last 10 years, Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Now This. With a chalky beige rind, Rush Creek Reserve has a rich, slightly grassy aroma and a mild flavor that hints of smoke and pork. A washed-rind cheese, it is wrapped with a strip of the same spruce bark. It is made from evening milk that was not pasteurized (it is aged for at least 60 days). Aging this style of cheese for so long is tricky, but worth the effort. A great ay to enjoy this cheese is to remove the top of the rind and scoop the cheese with a baguette.

Old and new, both wonderful.

Thanksgiving with Z&H!

2010-11-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

We are currently taking pre-orders for all-natural Amish turkeys from Indiana. They are available in (approx.) 10-16lbs. We will also be selling brine to help you make your turkey moist and delicious (directions included, but keep in mind a 12-24 hour brining time).

We are also offering a variety of delicious homemade sides and vegetables. We recommend planning for 1/4lb per serving.
- New England Sage Bread Stuffing, $7.50/lb
- Cornbread Biscuit Stuffing, $7.50/lb
- Sweet Potatoes with Honey & Rosemary, $8.50/lb
- Mashed Russet Potatoes, $6.50/lb
- Creamed Green Bean & Corn Casserole, $8.50/lb
- Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Pecans, $9.50/lb
- Red Miso Carrots, $7.50/lb
- Cranberry Sauce, $8.50/PINT

Our lovely bakers are also offering 9" pies in the following varieties...
- Classic Apple Pie, $19
- Pumpkin Pie, $18
- Southern Sweet Potato Pie, $18
- Classic Pecan Pie, $23
- Pecan Pie with Rum, $23
- Lemon Meringue Pie, $19
- Apple & Concord Grape Pie, $19

All items can be picked up between 7am-3pm on Wednesday 11/24 (turkeys can also be picked up on Tuesday, indicate preference when ordering).

Call our 47th Street location, stop by either store, or email info@zhmarketcafe.com for more information about placing your order.

Getting the hang of it.

2010-10-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Both stores are up and running.

We want to sincerely thank you all for your patience - working out the kinks took a couple weeks, and we're still getting everything down to a science, but we're starting to get the hang of it.

Come to 57th for specials, including French Dip and Stroganoff sandwiches, and come to 47th for all your cheese and specialty grocery needs. The rumor (or idea, really) that our 47th street location will be closing is not at all true. We're here for good.

Happy Fall!

57th

2010-08-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

We will be opening our doors on 57th Street at 9AM tomorrow, Thursday, for our first day...we will be working out the kinks in our new systems for the first few days and hope you join us for the fun. Thanks for bearing with us over the past few months during the construction phase, we think that the wait will be worth it.

Look in this space tomorrow for interesting news...

2010-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, sort of mysterious.

musings...foosings

2010-07-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

…. “The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” — Paul Cezanne

painting and tile

2010-07-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

As we move into the final pre-opening stage at 57th Street, wall tile, tin ceiling painting (this had been neglected for many decades) and other work is in high gear. We are looking forward to getting our new La Marzocco espresso machine into place and loading up the cheese case with delicious selections. More updates to come.

Wood

2010-06-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

If you happen to pass by the new Z&H space on 57th Street you will be hard-pressed not to notice the entire facade in now plywood. Lots of plywood. We removed the old, outdated, and generally sad storefront over the weekend and are waiting for the installation of the new storefront. We continue to move forward on all fronts, as with any project there are always surprises, and we have had our share. As we move closer to opening day we will let you all know our progress.

We will be having a 'soft' opening initially, which means that we will just unlock the door one day and not have balloons and people dressed as huge sandwiches and cups of coffee (in foam suits, don't think we have not contemplated this). More information to come.

Finally, the 'Marty' sandwich shirts are available for purchase. We love them, there is just something wonderful about an eggplant, a DeLorean, and a guy in a puffy vest.

Z&H 57th Street Update

2010-05-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Work moves forward on the 57th Street space, progress continues. Our info is in the hands of City Hall and we wait for the well-oiled wheels of our City bureaucracy to turn in the efficient manner that we all know so well.

As many of you know, we have, for the most part, self-financed Z&H up to this point. It has been creatively rewarding and challenging, but it has given us the ability to craft a business built around the idea of quality, value, long-term success. As we close in on the opening date of the 57th location we have looked at the idea of bringing aboard a few investors that would be interested in coming along on our adventure. Hyde Park is the community we choose to live and work in and we know our neighbors value of the worth of quality neighborhood businesses, a goal we work toward achieving each day at Z&H. Something that people often overlook when they visit us at the MarketCafe, is that we currently employ 15 people (10 full-time) and will employ more than 30 people when we open on 57th Street.

If an interest-bearing investment in Z&H is something you would like to know more about please contact Sam or Tim at the MarketCafe, or send us an email at info@zhmarketcafe.com.

Finally, the long anticipated 'Marty' Shirts will be arriving soon. We sold out of the 'Pig on a Pretzel' shirts quickly and we think the 'Marty' shirts are even better. Remember, .1.21 gigawatts of deliciousness is the right amount of deliciousness.

Plantain Chips

2010-04-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

We have our Grab'em Snacks plantain chip for $2.50 a box simply because they are delicious. As the man behind the curtain says, 'while supplies last'.

Spring has sprung

2010-04-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

We love this weather, sun, warmth...a sandwich outside.

As we are open longer and longer we get more and more reviews on line. the vast majority are supportive, which is great, but we get a few, and it is few, very bad reviews. All feedback is valued, but some reviews puzzle us. Here are two from the same day, posted on the same review site.

#1:

Can't tell you how glad I am to have a place like this in my neck of the woods. I use it more as a grocery store than a sandwich or coffee shop. Friendly staff, nice selection of unique & everyday items. Great to have owners that not only care about every thing that is on their shelves, but also in the store almost every hour they are open.

Top notch guys, can't wait for store #2

Here is #2:

I really like the "concept", especially since I am a foodie. However the service leaves a bad taste in my mouth - no pun intended. One two separate occasions the same person - clearly with a chip on her shoulder - was rude and dismissive. Today, I stop by to get a smoked turkey sandwich and she was way too much -- that I cancelled my order and walked out. DONE! So note to owners - not matter how fab your products, treating your customers -- all your customers -- with courtesy is a requirement not an option.

Seems like two different stores. All we can ask is that you visit our store and make your own decision about what we do. We endeavor each day to make the best tasting items and offer them in a friendly and respectful way to everyone. If you are ever in the shop and you feel that we are not living up to our end of the relationship please let us know. We can and will address any and all issues. We take what we do seriously and want each person who visits us be more than satisfied. Talk with us. Thank you.

With store expansion comes...

2010-03-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Staff expansion! If you're a foodie, coffee addict, or just plain fun (and hard working) type looking for a job, let us know! Email jobs [at] zhmarketcafe [dot] com or stop by the store for an application. Come soon though, spots will fill quickly!

From Yelp

2010-03-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

"The manager/owner is rude, sarcastic and disrespectful. I will no longer give my money to this cafe."

That is the entire review. It is the only review that "Mika A" of "Chicago, IL" has ever posted about anything ever in Chicago. They have no strong feelings about anything that has ever happened to them other than a seemingly singular experience in our store. This seems doubtful to us. We would love to know the details. This is the reason we feel people should not put a lot of faith in sites like Yelp and other review sites. Listen to your friends, visit yourself, listening to angry strangers with hidden agendas is probably not the best way to choose a delicious sandwich, beverage, bottle of olive oil, or jar of spice.

We hope everyone has an excellent day.

Food Thoughts

2010-03-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

"An understanding of what food is and how cooking works does no violence to the art of cuisine, destroys no delightful mystery. Instead, the mystery expands from matters of expertise and taste to encompass the hidden patterns and wonderful coincidences of nature."
--Harold McGee

show you produce some love

2010-03-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

We love vegetables here at Z&H. That said, there's no denying that we are much more likely to reach for greens and colorful produce when the greens are their leafiest and produce their brightest. With busy schedules making your produce last as long as possible at home by storing them properly is good money sense.

Broccoli -
Broccoli will last up to a week in your refrigerator. Tip, keep your broccoli heads wrapped loosely in a plastic bag in your vegetable drawer. Don't keep it in an airtight container, it will go bad faster.

Brussels Sprouts-
If the option is available, try to buy Brussels sprouts on the stalk. They will stay fresh longer on the stem, and can even last up to a month if kept in a cool, dry place. Trick, they will also last in your fridge for 7-10 days in a closed plastic bag to slow their respiration.

Chard & Spinach
Chard is best kept unwashed and dry in a sealed plastic bag or container in your refrigerator. A sturdy green like chard or kale will last up to two weeks, but more delicate greens like spinach will only last a week.

Garlic-
It is hard to use an entire head of garlic at once (not for everyone, but some) . Remember to keep them in a cool, open, dry place. Unpeeled garlic can last up to 3 months if properly stored. Trick, if your garlic starts to sprout green shoots, simply cut off the bitter green part before you start cooking.

Mushrooms-
Mushrooms can be difficult to store since they benefit from cool air circulation, but can also dry out or suffocate easily. Tip: store them in a paper bag in your fridge; they will last 3-5 days.

Tomatoes
You've probably heard never to refrigerate tomatoes and the reason is that your Fridge will rob them of any flavor. If you absolutely must refrigerate, let your tomato sit and return to room temperature before using, it will help restore any lingering flavor. Trick, if your tomato is under-ripe, try storing it in a paper bag stem side down for a few days to accelerate the ripening process. Storing them stem-side down will also help maintain that the taut skin of a healthy tomato. If your tomato is on its last leg, for goodness sake, make chutney or salsa.

file under Other Cool Stuff

2010-03-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

Tidal Energy. Powerful, never ending, and perfectly clean.

"The Bay of Fundy pushes over 100 billion tonnes of water every tide - more than all the freshwater rivers and streams in the world combined."

www.fundyforce.ca

www.marineturbines.com

Now lets enjoy some cheese.

Crop Mob: A very cool concept

2010-03-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

"Crop mob is primarily a group of young, landless, and wannabe farmers who come together to build and empower communities by working side by side. Crop mob is also a group of experienced farmers and gardeners willing to share their knowledge with their peers and the next generation of agrarians. The membership is dynamic, changing and growing with each new mob event."

read more about this fantastic movement here:

cropmob.org

Z&H and Kilgus Milk

2010-03-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

We use Kilgus dairy products at the MarketCafe. They taste great and are a small scale local dairy. Here is some more information about them compared to others....

http://myfoodshed.com/2010/02/28/know-your-milk-know-your-dairy-part-2/

An interesting take on school gardens

2010-02-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

Alice Waters is an icon in the restaurant world, but this is an interesting take on her "The Edible Schoolyard" (www.edibleschoolyard.org) program from The Atlantic (link: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/201001/school-yard-garden).

We are already thinking about spring vegetables.

Snowy updates

2010-02-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

We did get the keys to the new MarketCafe space on 57th Street this past week and we have begun the demo (very satisfying work, as the space had not been updated since the 1980's) and have our crack architect team (they are both local Hyde Parker architects, more about them in future posts) working to pull together plans that we can go to the City with for permitting. We have had to strange pleasure of shoveling the sidewalk in front of the new store the past couple of days.

We have also been making some changes to our product mix at the 1126 East 47th Street location, identifying and bring in additional excellent local and regional products. We also have a line of classic American made bitters coming soon. They have been on our training table since we were kids, and now we will be able to share them with everyone.

Newish Cheese

2010-01-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

Dunbarton Blue is one of our latest cheeses here at Z&H, it is an earthy, cheddared-blue, open air cured, with essence of an English cheddar, and a subtle flavor of a fine blue cheese.

Our current wheel has very delicate veining but we understand this varies from wheel to wheel.

Not widely available yet, Dunbarton is named after a Wisconsin township and the cheese maker has been tinkering with the recipe for more than a year. He makes the cheese by hand in a small, 300-gallon artisan cheese vat in his small creamery between Shullsberg and Darlington. The dairy is renovating the original cave - surrounded by earthen walls on three sides with a rock wall foundation -- and plan to age the next batch on site.

Come in and try this subtle wonder.

The Z&H adventure.

2009-12-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Just a note. Z&H is looking for for food lovers to join our 'team'.

Mole Poblano Recipe...using Taza Chocolate

2009-12-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

Mole Poblano. Mole Poblano is Mexico's classic dark mole sauce; it's the one most Americans think of when they hear the word 'mole'. The addition of Taza Chocolate (sold here at Z&H), helps give this sauce its remarkable color and depth of flavor.

Ingredients:

9 mulato chiles
7 pasilla chiles
6 ancho chiles
1 cup plus 9 tablespoons lard + additional as needed
5 tomatillos, husked and cooked until soft
5 whole cloves
20 whole black peppercorns
1- inch piece of a Mexican cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon dry Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon seeds from the chiles, toasted
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted
8 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
4 garlic cloves, roasted
3 tablespoons raisins
20 whole pecans
20 whole almonds, blanched
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
3 stale French rolls, cut into 1-inch slices
2 plantains, peeled
1 bunch thyme, chopped
1 cone piloncillo
6 - 7 cups chicken stock, as needed
1 1/2 ounces Taza Chocolate Mexicano, chopped

To prepare:

1. Clean the chiles by removing stems, veins and seeds; reserve 1 tablespoon of the seeds. Toast chiles in a dry skillet until crisp, about 10 to 15 seconds, turning once; make sure they do not burn. Put chiles in a nonreactive bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Drain chiles, reserving the soaking water. Puree the chiles in a blender with enough of the soaking water to make a smooth paste. It may be necessary to scrape down the sides and blend several times to obtain a smooth paste.

3. In a heavy casserole heat 1/2 cup lard over medium heat and add chile puree (be careful it will splatter). Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Puree tomatillos in a blender. In a coffee or spice grinder, grind the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and toasted seeds. Add seed mixture and garlic to the pureed tomatillos and blend until smooth. Set aside.

5. Heat 6 tablespoons lard in a heavy frying pan. Fry each of the following ingredients and then remove with a slotted spoon: the raisins until they puff up; the almonds and pecans to a golden brown; the pumpkin seeds until they pop. If necessary, add enough oil to make 4 tablespoons and fry the tortilla pieces and bread slices until golden brown, about 15 seconds per side; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add raisins, almonds, pecans, pumpkins seeds, tortillas, thyme and bread to the tomatillo puree and blend, using 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed, to make a smooth sauce. This may have to be done in batches.

6. In a heavy casserole, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add chile puree, tomatillo puree, piloncillo and Mexican chocolate (it will splatter). Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

7. Add remaining 5 cups chicken stock, cook over low heat for an additional 45 minutes, stirring often enough to prevent the mixture from scorching on bottom.

Pizza Stones

2009-12-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

Is it us or do Pizza Stones scream CHRISTMAS!? And they were essentially invent by Julia Child.

We love happy customers

2009-12-03T11:25:00.001-08:00

"The Thanksgiving food was extraordinary!!!!! Thank you so much for making a great family gathering possible for us. The turkey was the best ever -- it could have been on the cover of a magazine -- I did just what you said -- beautiful and moist. The ham was the best I have ever tasted. And, all the trimmings were what I dream about when I think of Thanksgiving dinner.
I hope you had a great holiday with your families. Thank you so much for what you do."

That made our day.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank everyone who chooses to spend time with us at Z&H. We have a lot to be thankful for this year, and the many new friends and great people we have met makes each day terrific. We hope that everyone has a great day and we will see everyone on Friday. We call it 'sandwich Friday', you need fuel to shop.

Brining the Bird

2009-11-18T20:02:00.000-08:00

We have an excellent brine for your holiday birds, and a question we get everyday is, Why Brine? Simply put, it makes the bird more succulent. But there is science as well. Delicious science. Roasted turkey breast suffers a sad fate when cooked even a few minutes longer than necessary: dryness. And because turkey is so lean it is a pronounced dryness. The solution is simple. Soaking your turkey in a brine—a solution of salt and water—will ensure a moister and juicier bird.

Moisture loss is inevitable when you roast a bird. Heat causes proteins in the fibers to denature, resulting in some shrinkage and moisture loss. Normally, meat loses about 30 percent of its weight during cooking. But if you soak the bird in a brine first, you can reduce this moisture loss during cooking to as little as 15 percent.

Brining enhances juiciness in several ways. For one, muscle fibers simply absorb liquid during the brining period. Some liquid gets lost during cooking, but as the bird is more juicy at the start of cooking, it ends up juicier. Brined birds typically weigh six to eight percent more than they did before brining, proof of moisture uptake. Another way that brining increases juiciness is by dissolving some proteins. A mild salt solution can dissolve some of the proteins in muscle fibers, turning them from solid to liquid.

Of all the processes at work during brining, the most significant is salt's ability to denature protein. The dissolved salt causes some of the proteins in muscle fibers to unwind and swell. Water from the brine binds directly to these proteins, but even more important, water gets trapped between these proteins when the bird cooks and the proteins bind together. Some of this would happen anyway just during cooking, but the brine unwinds more proteins and exposes more bonding sites. As long as you don't overcook the meat, which would cause protein bonds to tighten and squeeze out a lot of the trapped liquid, these natural juices will be retained.

How long to brine depends on the size and type of bird you've have. A whole turkey will require much more time for the brine to do its thing. In fact, any bird that's brined for too long will dry out and start to taste salty as the salt ends up pulling liquid out of the muscle fibers. Turkey is the ideal candidate for brining; Keep your bird refrigerated during brining, rinse it well afterwards, and don't overcook your holiday friend. If you need more liquid to completely submerge the bird, measure more and add it, along with the proportionate quantity of salt.

In addition to kosher salt, Z&H brine has a treasure trove of herbs and spices as well as turbinado sugar. All this adds flavor as well as moisture to your bird without masking the taste. Try the Z&H brine this year. It will become a new tradition.

Breaking news later today...and now it is later...

2009-11-16T07:47:00.001-08:00

interesting news later today......so by now the news (small case) that we will be adding a second location on 57th Street has been announced. We will keep the 'info desk' updated as new developments arise and yo can join us on the adventure.

Book Review: Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

2009-10-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

An interesting new book, Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human by Richard Wrangham.

"Contrary to the dogmas of raw-foods enthusiasts, cooked cuisine was central to the biological and social evolution of humanity, argues this interesting new book. Harvard biological anthropologist Wrangham dates the breakthrough in human evolution to a moment 1.8 million years ago, when, he conjectures, our forebears tamed fire and began cooking.

Starting with Homo erectus these innovations drove anatomical and physiological changes that make us adapted to eating cooked food the way cows are adapted to eating grass. By making food more digestible and easier to extract energy from, cooking enabled hominids' jaws, teeth and guts to shrink, freeing up calories to fuel their expanding brains. It also gave rise to pair bonding and table manners, and liberated mankind from the drudgery of chewing.

This accessible book ranges across nutritional science, paleontology and studies of ape behavior and hunter-gatherer societies; the result is a compelling analysis of natural history and of cooking's role in daily life. Wrangham offers an interesting take on evolution—suggesting that, rather than humans creating civilized technology, civilized technology created us."

Pssssssssssst. Cheese tasting today.

2009-10-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Cheese tasting today at 1PM with Alex. Pass it on.

Catering? We've got you covered!

2009-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this beautiful fruit tray we recently completed for a catering order.

We here at Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe are ready and able to help you with all of your catering needs! From colorful fruit trays, like the one shown here, to passed appetizers for your black-tie event; we can cater to your needs. Our coffee catering will bring some zing to your next meeting and our sandwich trays are great for parties and get-togethers. These are just a few examples of the many catering options we can do for you.

We offer catering for all types of events and for events of all sizes. The catering section of our menu is only a sample of what we can do for you! Stop in today to discuss your catering needs.

**Please note: Since we are committed to using the freshest ingredients, we request 48 hours notice for any catering order to ensure product availability and quality.

One of our favorite cheeses...

2009-08-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Covadonga

Milder, but with just the same creamy texture as La Peral, Cabrales or Valdeon. Covadonga is a delicious blue cheese from Spain. Made from a blend of pasteurized cow and sheep’s milk, it is fresh, mildly spicy and delicately salty. Blue veined with medium flecks of Penicilium Roqueforti and no rind, it is perfect for salads, on grilled meats, with fresh mushrooms, on pasta and rice dishes.

DETAILS:

Region: El Escorial
Cheese Type: Soft Blue
Milk Type: Blend of pasteurized Cow & Sheep's Milk
Aged: 2-3 Months

Come in and try it.

It was bound to happen...

2009-08-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

We have the first of the Z&H swag. The Pig on the Pretzel t-shirt is here. So is the first in a series of clever ballcaps.

Yep, I said clever.

A Guanciale recipe for you. Go on, try it.

2009-07-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Time: 45 minutes

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 pound guanciale, in 1-inch slivers 1/4 -inch thick
3 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes (about a 28-ounce can)
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
Salt
1/4 cup grated aged pecorino cheese, more for serving
1 pound bucatini.

Directions:

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until transparent. Add guanciale and sauté until barely beginning to brown.
Break up tomatoes and add. Cook about 15 minutes, crushing tomatoes with a spoon, until sauce has become somewhat concentrated and homogenized. Season with chili and salt and stir in 1 tablespoon cheese. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add bucatini and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to skillet. Gently reheat contents of skillet, folding pasta and tomato sauce together until they are heated through and pasta is well-coated, about 5 minutes. Fold in remaining cheese. Check seasoning and serve with more cheese on the side.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Focus on Pork: La Quercia Guanciale

2009-07-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

We love La Quercia Guanciale here at Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe, it is made from selected, organic trimmed, pork jowls.

Guanciale is often associated with dishes of Roman origin like Buccatini all’ Amatriciana or Spaghetti alla Carbonara. A key feature is the collagen in the meat. In combination with the creamy fat, the collagen gives anything cooked with guanciale a smooth, silky, succulent covering. For example, you can braise vegetables with it to make a voluptuous and healthful fresh vegetable pasta sauce—something as simple as leeks, guanciale, and a splash of white wine; great served on fresh or egg pasta.

Cheese Tasting on Saturday! Led by our Cheese Monger Alex!

2009-07-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

A Z&H Cheese Tasting Event

We invite you to join us for a sampling of Alpine-style cheeses from across the world on Saturday July 25 at 3:00 p.m.

We will be showcasing Tarentaise from Vermont, Gruyère from Switzerland and Organic Fleur de la Terre from Indiana.

NiceCream tasting on Saturday

2009-07-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

12 noon until 2PM. Summer flavors. Smiles. General Happiness. Join us, won't you?

U.S. Sec. of Ag lunches at Z&H today...

2009-06-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

It has been a while between posts, many new items in the store and on the menu, but the news today was that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas James "Tom" Vilsack, He was also the 40th Governor of Iowa had lunch at Z&H. A very nice man.

Cheese Tasting

2009-04-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

A Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe Cheese Tasting Event

On Thursday, April 16th, please join us and Jerry Heimerl from Saxon Homestead Creamery for a delicious and informative cheese tasting. With Cheeses like "Big Ed" your palete will thank you.

Thursday, April 16
4-6PM

Z&H your Second Kitchen Update

2009-03-26T12:58:00.001-07:00

We continue to refine our Z&H Your Second Kitchen offerings, today we feature a fantastic Vindaloo with chicken. Awesome. A spicy, tangy, coconut and chili, among other fun items.

Stone Fruit . Clean . Juicy .

WINDOW SHADES! We have WINDOW SHADES!

2009-03-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

The mighty sun has defeated us. We have installed window shades as a token of our surrender. It really is nice to get rid of the glare. Coming next...more tables.

Z&H Breakfast Menu

2009-02-16T14:32:00.001-08:00

We were just talking and realized that we have never mentioned our breakfast menu. We love our breakfast menu. Our breakfast offerings seem to land between a big, sit-down lumberjack breakfast and a McGrease-in-a-bag breakfast sandwich. Top-notch ingredients, clever combinations....delicious.

In case you missed it...

2009-02-12T10:29:00.001-08:00

We were on HGTV's Metromix restaurant review program recently and it is on the web currently. You can see Sam and Tim each sporting pre-haircut 'Big Hair'.

Bagel 2.0

2009-02-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

We are rolling our our second day (only weekend days at this point) of made-on-site bagels. So far so good, the refinement will continue.

Hungry Hound (or "We are Huge in Canada")

2009-01-16T11:47:00.000-08:00

It was nice that ABC7 was kind enough to come over and have a couple of sandwiches. TV is a powerful medium. On Saturday we are also going to turn-up in an article in Canada's national newspaper, The Globe & Mail.

We are also testing some of our Z&H Your Second Kitchen prepared dishes, so those are also available for dinner tonight, along with our 'As Seen on TV' deli fare.

Have a great day.

Last Minute Holiday Platters

2008-12-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

The answer is YES and they are fantastic.

Sam just finished one and it is beautiful. We are wishing we had a camera in the MarketCafe right now.

-20

2008-12-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

A cold, cold day.

But the good news is that we will be featured on the 'Hungry Hound' on channel 7 at 10:30AM on January 16th. They will also rebroadcast the piece and it will be available online as well.

If you need holiday Apple or Pumpkin Pies please let us know by Tuesday morning. With regard to your Holiday and New Years party platter needs, please let us know as early as possible, we have some ideas we would love to try out.

Ahhhh, December

2008-12-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

Nearly all of our holiday items are in the MarketCafe, including a tasty 'lump of coal'.

We had a nice mention in Chicago Magazine and are hosting ABC7 on Friday afternoon for some sort of filming here in the MarketCafe.

Think Warm. Or at least think Sun.

Sunday

2008-11-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

Our weekend hours of 8AM-6PM seem to be the right fit for these Winter months. We have seen the arrival of the Keen's Cheddar. Yes, it is delicious. We also have a new wonderful disc of goat cheese from France that is my new favorite goat cheese, it is a short run cheese so alas, it will be gone soon.

Our soup of the day is Jess's Caribbean Wonder Soup.

CBS2

2008-11-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

We had visitors from CBS2 last night, Sam was interviewed and showed up on th 10PM news. Take a look at the story on the CBS website. It is nice coverage for the neighborhood and Z&H. We continue to build our inventory mix, it is challenging and fun to investigate all of your suggestions and to discover the wide variety of delicious, high-quality items that are available.

Saturdays are fun

2008-11-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

We had a great day today, lots of new and old friends in and out of the MarketCafe all day. Lots of cheese tasted, lots of new fans of Clover style coffee. All in all, a great day. What could be better, great deli fare, great cheese and great coffee?

The wonderful world of food.

2008-10-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Having just finished our first full week of business we are amazed and very happy with the grea reception we have had. After a couple of days of quiet discovery we have have a series of days that have been excellent. We continue to refine our practices and hope that everyone continues to step up and offer suggestions and comment. It really is the most important thing we could hope for as we continue to refine our product mix. Thanks. Also, if you have not tried one of Sam' s cookies you should, right away.

And stop by and sample some cheese.

Tired and excited

2008-10-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

This has been a great week! The community excitement has been fantastic. It's great to finally show people what we have instead of talking about it... Stop in and say hello, grab a Clover Coffee, and taste some cheese.

We have an active website.

2008-10-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

If you are here you probable know that.

Sunday update

2008-10-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a great week, being open, meeting new friends, and finally sharing what we have been talking about for such a long time. Our hours are 7-7 Monday through Saturday and 11-7 on Sundays. We continue to have new products arrive and are excited by the excellent recomendation we have received so far, we have even brought in more than a handful of the great items that our customers have shared with us. Please keep letting us know your thoughts. We can only be as good as you all allow to be. We continue to refine our processes and the Z&H experience will only get better. We have a terrific staff that understands the idea of true service and will grow as a team before your eyes. We are very happy with our cheese selection. We have over 70 cheeses now and invite you to taste them with us. We have many outstanding items, but please make sure you take a look a our packaged, bulk line of nuts and dried fruits, they are top-notch. We hope to see everyone at the MarketCafe.

Don't forget, the last 45th & Cottage Gove community market is next Sunday, we hope to see you at our stall there as well (Myra and Adam will take good care of you). Thanks and have a great day.

OPEN

2008-10-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

We still have items arriving, but the wait was long enough....OPEN. Sigh.

Waiting.......

2008-10-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are still waiting for the City to issue a business license so we can open our doors. On a more upbeat note, we had a great training for our staff conducted by the fine people at Intelligentsia, and more of our product mix arrives each day.

Sunday

2008-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

We are working in the MarketCafe today, putting together last minute details and placing orders rounding out our opening product mix. The inventory will be a living thing apparently. We will continue to bring in new items even after our doors open to round out our mix, and after that we will keep our mix fresh by always working to discover new and excellent products. That is where our customers become even more improtant. We need input on a regular and ongoing basis. It really is as much your Market as it is ours. It llok s great in here and we think you will be pleased.

Light, we see light

2008-10-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

We had and passed our health inspection today. Whew. We also continue to receive our products in wave at this point. Wonderful, hectic days. We are within a week at this point, actual light at the end of the tunnel.

Some of our favorite things...

2008-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Some of our favorite things....Harvest Song Preserves are made with ingredients grown in the valley of Mount Ararat, Armenia, a region rich in natural resources, bubbling springs and a very, very old history. These preserves are some of the best tasting foods that you will ever eat. We like to pair a few of them with cheese. But you will taste for yourself when you visit us. Our product range grows daily as we wait for the health inspector...

Check that box complete

2008-09-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Odd and successful plumbing re-inspection today. Yes. We then proceeded to CITY HALL and met with a terrific representative in the business office, submitted $660 and were told that the health inspector will be out in 3-10 business days and then our business license will be mailed to us by first-class U.S. mail 3-5 days after that. Then we are open for business. Finally.

Quick note, bite-sized, organic, coconut date rolls are as delicious as they are addictive.

Monday, Monday, daa daa, daa daa daa daa.

2008-09-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Monday between 8AM-3PM is the window for the follow-up inspection for the plumbing inspector. We were required to place a backflow device on our RO water filter (yes, in case there is a loss of water pressure the City does not want our perfectly filtered water to flow back into the general water supply, hmmmm). So it has been installed by a plumber with a special backflow license (yes, that does exist in the City). Once we pass this inspection we can go to City Hall and submit for a Health inspection. Hoop, many many hoops. And product continues to flow into the store. And the Clover machine is a dream, the coffee is incredible.

And the Plumbing Man Cometh

2008-09-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

The very short list of plumbing adjustments that the plumbing inspector asked for have been made, now we wait for him to come and sign-off on the changes so we can apply for the business license which triggers the health and fire inspections, which after we pass, allow us to pay for the business license and then we are allowed to open. Easy.

Many orders placed today. Our product mix (as I have written before) is thoughtful with a broad mix or items that reflex the delicious, the highest quality, and the unique and hard to find. No Raisin Bran here (although Raisin Bran may in fact be delicious, it just is not what we choose to eat or offer).

I digress

2008-09-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

DeHavilland Maeve Matilda.

The name of the newest addition to the Z&H "family" that was born this morning at 3:33AM. She is actually the only genetically factual Zaleski AND Horvath running around (not so much running on day one, more of resting comfortably) on earth. She is a lovely girl and in the coming months she will be making appearances at the MarketCafe. Look for the orange pram.

Lots of MarketCafe information to pass a long, but we will leave that for tomorrow. Raise your hand if you are ready to taste the best small batch goat cheese that is wrapped in bourbon-soaked chestnut leaves and allowed to mellow into what is now a MarketCafe favorite in the soft cheese category.

Inspections

2008-09-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

So, after nine months, and strange unexplained delay from the City, we had and passed our City electrical inspection. It was anti-climatic. We had thought of a balloon drop, or perhaps a marching band, but no, a simple and quick walk-through and a signature on the permit with the note, "Final OK". Tomorrow, the plumbing inspection.

Rain, Rain go away....

2008-09-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

With common sense being our guide a weather report that reads, "Rains increase again with strong northeast winds gusting at times in excess of 30 m.p.h. Highs in the lower 70s, but turning markedly cooler during the afternoon" (thanks Tom Skilling), will keep us working in the MarketCafe on Sunday. The following Sunday looks good and our cheese will taste even better. Stay dry everyone.

ICE

2008-09-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

We have ice. And all our equipment is humming. We are happy. Intelligentsia is coming next Tuesday to fine tune the La Marzocco, the Clover and the Fetco. They are a great group of folks and we are pleased to be able to work with them. Best of all we are just days away from fantastic coffee. We have also called for our final electrical and plumbing inspections, these will allow us to have our health and other last inspections. light at the end of our tunnel. We have our first employee orientation on Monday as well, if you know anyone who loves food and the idea of providing great service please steer them our way, we are still looking for a couple of people we would like to spend our days with surrounded by glorious food.

We are going to have a few new items with us at this weeks Community Market (Sundays, 45th and Cottage Grove, 10AM-3PM), including a couple of new cheeses, featuring a regional, bourbon-soaked leaf-wrapped goat cheese that is delicious.

A simple Thursday in September on 47th Street

2008-09-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Some days are better than other, even if every day is a fantastic day. Think how lucky each of us is in our own way (go on, think about it). Today we had a great day. ComEd arrived unannounced at about 9:30AM with hard-hats in hand (lift truck as well) to connect our lines to the pole. Yes there is a Santa and a tooth fairy and a small man no bigger than 3 inches tall that lives in your top drawer. Our electrician will come on Friday to switch our electric from the puny service we now have to the robust service our equipment requires. Tomorrow we make ice (as a famous person once said, "the man who invented ice just left the building"). In a timing miracle, our plumbing was also finished today.

Lots of work on our product mix in recent days. We continue to fine tune. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by in reent days, we want to emphasis that your continued input now and as we move forward is a valuable resource for us. Please continue to let us know what you are seeking for your community market.

signs signs everywhere.....

2008-09-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

We now have our faux-frosted glass window signs installed. Nine signs that say a little bit about us and what we do. Even one featuring 'Wine', just positive thinking at this point, but a half full glass is always better than a half empty one. T-minus two days on the current ComEd promise for a line installation from the pole to our meter.

Sampling

2008-09-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a fun day at the market! We told many new people about the market, and sampled delicious local cheese. We had our phone expert (my wife) in the store working on getting our phones set up. All in all, it was a great day, although I can't wait until we have to worry about business at the farmer's market AND at the store at the same time.

CHEESE!

2008-09-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

CHEESE! Yes, we have cheese. We will feature an edited selection of our cut-to-order cheese at the 45th and Cottage Grove Community Market this Sunday (think Sun, the rain today was crazy). This will be a preview of the large and varied cheese selection we will have in the MarketCafe.

The MarketCafe is shaping up nicely. If you are in the neighborhood feel free to stick your head in the door and say hello. Our 16 feet of deli case is now in place, and the entire working counter area is set. There is some final detail work from the electrician and plumber to be completed, but we are already setting the store. The delays have been crazy but in some cases the time has allowed us to tighten the concept. Glass half full.

Another day in the sun

2008-09-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday was beautiful. We had our second Sunday at the 45th and Cottage market and met even more new folks that we hope to see again in the MarketCafe. We had a great time sampling some of our items and next Sunday we are going to be offering a selection of the cheeses as well.

We have now moved all of our equipment into the MarketCafe, it is great to see the slicers in place and the coffee equipment positioned...the MarketCafe is shaping up to be a temple to food, and we we surprised that what we have envisioned in our heads for so long is taking shape and seems to be better than we had imagined. Many phone calls tomorrow, with a call to ComEd at 9AM on the dot, to try and learn when they will be out to connect our power lines to the pole.

Z & H MarketCafe Info Desk

Check Please! Redux

Check Please!

Big City Suds at Z&H (it is a short leap from cheese to soap)

A Beefy Top Ten list

Food as Time Travel: Classic Fondue

VEGETARIAN Caviar (really)

Cue the cork popping sound.

Z&H Gift Cards and Gift Baskets...they say you care...and you're smart

Happy Holidays...for small business and debit cards not so much.

Sour Puss Pickle Products $1 off per jar until Christmas!

Christmas decorations going up...

An Original Story

Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe Thanksgiving Menu

Toffee Tasting Tomorrow...

New Soups...with the weather you know.

Holiday menu on the way

Croissant Evolution

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Ahhhhh.....Summer

Here comes Mardi Gras...

For the love of pete, make your own cheese curds.

ATT Phone Service Problems - 14Feb11

Z&H Catering

Something different on a snowy morning....

Z&H Cheese Tasting at 47th Street...

January 17, 2011

Vegetarian Caviar...

New Neighbor on 57th Street!!!

Cheese: Old favorites, New favorites

Thanksgiving with Z&H!

Getting the hang of it.

57th

Look in this space tomorrow for interesting news...

musings...foosings

painting and tile

Wood

Z&H 57th Street Update

Plantain Chips

Spring has sprung

With store expansion comes...

From Yelp

Food Thoughts

"An understanding of what food is and how cooking works does no violence to the art of cuisine, destroys no delightful mystery. Instead, the mystery expands from matters of expertise and taste to encompass the hidden patterns and wonderful coincidences of nature."--Harold McGee

show you produce some love

file under Other Cool Stuff

Crop Mob: A very cool concept

Z&H and Kilgus Milk

An interesting take on school gardens

Snowy updates

Newish Cheese

The Z&H adventure.

Mole Poblano Recipe...using Taza Chocolate

Pizza Stones

We love happy customers

Happy Thanksgiving

Brining the Bird

Breaking news later today...and now it is later...

Book Review: Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

Pssssssssssst. Cheese tasting today.

Catering? We've got you covered!

One of our favorite cheeses...

It was bound to happen...

A Guanciale recipe for you. Go on, try it.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Focus on Pork: La Quercia Guanciale

Cheese Tasting on Saturday! Led by our Cheese Monger Alex!

NiceCream tasting on Saturday

U.S. Sec. of Ag lunches at Z&H today...

Cheese Tasting

Z&H your Second Kitchen Update

WINDOW SHADES! We have WINDOW SHADES!

Z&H Breakfast Menu

In case you missed it...

Bagel 2.0

Hungry Hound (or "We are Huge in Canada")

Last Minute Holiday Platters

-20

Ahhhh, December

Sunday

"An understanding of what food is and how cooking works does no violence to the art of cuisine, destroys no delightful mystery. Instead, the mystery expands from matters of expertise and taste to encompass the hidden patterns and wonderful coincidences of nature."
--Harold McGee