Ring Bros Marketplace Newsletter

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The Ring Bros. Marketplace Newsletter May 2011

Contents

Spring Festival is Saturday May 14
Store Events
Featured Products
About Fiddleheads
Know Your Herbs: Chives
Cleaning and Cooking Soft Shell Crabs
Grafton Village Cheese Company
Cameron Hughes Lot Series
Hooray for Mother's Day!

Spring Festival is Saturday May 14!

Ring Bros. Marketplace will celebrate its’ 9^th Annual Spring Festival of Food and Wine on Saturday, May 14, 2010, from 12-3 p.m.. This is one of the most popular events of the year at the marketplace. Vendors from across the country will be on hand to give out samples of new and interesting products. There will be live music by The Bart Weisman Trio. The festival is free and open to the public.

Harney's Wine and Liquors' Grand Wine Tasting will offer over 75 fine wines from around the world. “With summer right around the corner this is an excellent opportunity to try some new wines for your cookouts or evenings on the deck.” said Marc Reingold, owner of Harney’s Liquors. Representatives from major wineries will be on hand to answer questions about their offerings.

Every store in the marketplace will have samples of their mouthwatering homemade items. From Spinner's gourmet pizzas and Nata's Noodles delectable appetizers and desserts to Chatham Fish's crab and scallop cakes and Dark Horse's fine meats and deli items there is something for everyone and every taste. “We love festival day, our customers are able to try new items we have developed.” said Rita MacLeland, owner of Spinner’s Pizza and Burrito.

In addition to all of the homemade delicacies and fine wines, Ring Bros. Markets will host gourmet food purveyors from around the country. “We have vendors calling us to participate in the festival because they know it is a great way for a lot of people to try their new products” said Pat Ring, Grocery Manager for Ring Bros. Markets, “Every year it gets bigger and bigger.”

To add to the festive atmosphere Ring Bros. Marketplace will once again have live music for taster’s enjoyment. This spring we welcome back The Bart Weisman Trio to perform a variety of jazz classics. Bart Weisman has performed across Cape Cod. He opened for the Boston Pops in Hyannis as well as performing at The Oyster Co., The Grand Cru in Hyannis and the Provincetown Jazz Festival.

Store Events
Thursday May 5, 6-7 p.m. Cooking Class: International Cooking Tacos Carne Asada Friday May 6, 4-6 p.m. Wine & Cheese Tasting Saturday May 7, 3-5 p.m. Cooking Demonstration Mother's Day Quiche & Morning Glory Muffins Sunday May 8, 3-5 p.m. Product Sampling Outta the Park BBQ Sauce Join the Owner! Thursday May 12, 6-7 p.m. Cooking Class Soft Shell Crabs Friday May 13, 4-6 p.m. Wine & Cheese Tasting Saturday May 14, 12-3 Spring Festival of Wine and Food Wine Tasting - Product Samples - Live Music Thursday May 19, 6-7 p.m. Cooking Class Cooking Fish		Friday May 20, 4-6 p.m. Wine & Cheese Tasting Saturday May 21, 3-5 p.m. Cooking Demonstration Ultimate Hamburgers 4 Thursday May 26, 6-7 p.m. Cooking Class Grilling Friday May 27 3-7 p.m. Product Sampling: Snikiddy Snacks 4-6 p.m. Wine & Cheese Tasting Saturday May 28 2-6 p.m. Product Sampling: Popcorn Indiana 3-5 p.m. Cooking Demonstration The Best Ever BBQ Chicken TBD Product Sampling: Hint Water Sunday May 29, 11-3 p.m. Product Sampling Green Mountain Gringo Salsa & Laurel Hill Tortilla Chips Monday May 30, 11-3 p.m. Product Sampling Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips
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Featured Products
Refresh Yourself With Our New Original Drink Section!
NEW! Calypso Lemonades Calypso "TASTE OF THE ISLANDS" Lemonades- A unique blend of natural flavors, fresh and frozen juices, pure cane sugar and real lemon bits! Calypso ZERO is a sugar free alternative featuring all of the same quality ingredients as original Calypso but without the sugar. Both Calypso and Calypso ZERO provide a refreshing change of taste. NEW! Oogave Soda Oogavé is the first soda to be sweetened with 100% organic agave; nectar. Not only is this a fantastic sweetener, but much of the garbage found in traditional sodas has been omitted. Artificial flavors, artificial colors, salt and preservatives such as sodium benzoate are not used. Oogavé only has four principal ingredients. Agave nectar, carbonated water, citric acid, and natural flavors ... nothing that cannot be found in nature. Instead of coloring our sodas with artificial flavors, we use natural plant and fruit extracts. And for the one soda we add caffeine to, we use caffeine that was naturally derived from green tea leaves, not something created in a lab. In short, we offer a soda the way mother nature intended. NEW! Boyland Soda The Boylan Bttlg. Co., founded in 1891, is honored to share very similar beginnings with the carbonated beverages of the same era that are now world-famous. But it is our differences of today of which we are most proud. For more than a century Boylan has formulated and produced, regardless of cost, only “authentic soda-pop”, unlike most bottlers in the country who have over the years compromised their original recipes and cut costs by switching to corn syrup and plastic bottles. Boylan still uses pure cane sugar which enhances the true flavor rather than leave a syrupy aftertaste and thick glass bottles to ensure freshness and proper levels of carbonation. Our in-house flavor formulations use the most expensive extracts and essences – and plenty of them. So whether you’re drinking a Boylan because you appreciate what is good and made right or just trying one for the first time, we thank you for supporting one of the oldest bottling companies and its authentic beverages of a bygone era. Also look for... NEW! Mash Water		NEW! Tower Root Beer Made in Boston! Tower Root Beer is a premium old-fashioned root beer that uses 100% pure cane sugar, artesian spring water, natural and artificial flavoring. Our product is also caffeine as well as gluten free. We do not use any High-Fructose Corn Syrup. NEW! Rob's Really Good Tea Rob’s Really Good was founded by Robert Ehrlich of Pirate’s Booty fame. Rob’s quirky vision and intuition led him to create his newest brand, Rob’s Really Good. This line of drinks and snacks continues his mission for social-change, bringing together like-minded people, organic ingredients and delicious, unique flavors. It’s also a way for Rob to introduce the world to his philosophy of embracing fun and positivity as well as energizing your own happiness. Granny Squibb's Iced Tea Granny Squibb’s™ Lemon/Mint Tea is an “astonishingly delicious” premium iced tea unlike any other. Its delicious, not-too-sweet flavor of lemon and mint not only tastes great but is refreshing and thirst quenching. It is made from carefully selected, all-natural premium ingredients, sweetened with pure cane sugar and loaded with lemon juice (7%). Granny’s is packaged in 16-ounce environmentally friendly glass bottles that give the product a long shelf life and keep it icy cold. Izze Sparkling Drinks Everything about IZZE is pure and simple. The taste is a delight with just the right combination of sweetness and sparkle. The ingredients are all natural, using only fruit juice and sparkling water with no refined sugars, preservatives, or artificial flavors. Even the packaging design is sophisticated, yet playful. First introduced in four unique flavors—Blackberry, Lemon, Grapefruit and Pear—IZZE immediately caught people’s attention. Everyone from healthy moms and their kids to hip singles and celebrities discovered this natural wonder. The refreshing taste and iconic ‘slice’ logo soon became an everyday joy to share with friends and family. NEW! Adina Holistics Beverages Adina for Life, Inc., is led by a pioneering team of entrepreneurs from Odwalla®, and SoBe®. Inspired by the founder vision to create a world that "Drinks No Evil", these industry innovators came together to grow Adina and change the way the world does business-one drink at a time. The company is dedicated to producing great-tasting, better-for-you fair trade beverages, using only natural and/or USDA organic, directly sourced ingredients from around the world.
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About Fiddleheads
Fiddleheads are an early spring delicacy. They are the young coiled leaves of the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). Nearly all ferns have fiddleheads, but those of the ostrich fern are unlike any other. Ostrich fern fiddleheads, which are about an inch in diameter, can be identified by the brown papery scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern, as well as the smooth fern stem, and the deep ”U”-shaped groove on the inside of the fern stem. Look for ostrich ferns emerging in clusters of about three to twelve fiddleheads each on the banks of rivers, streams, and brooks in April and May. Carefully brush off and remove the papery brown scales. Thoroughly wash fiddleheads in clean, potable water several times until the wash water appears clean. Then bring a small amount of lightly salted water to a boil, add washed fiddleheads, and cook them at a steady boil for 10 minutes. Fiddleheads can also be washed clean and steamed for 20 minutes. Serve at once with melted butter or vinegar. The sooner they are eaten, the more delicate their flavor. They may be served, like asparagus, on toast. Cooked, chilled fiddleheads can be also served as a salad with an onion and vinegar dressing. Due to the short season for fiddleheads, some people like to preserve them for later use. To freeze fiddleheads, clean them as you would for the table. Blanch a small amount at a time for two minutes in 4 to 6 cups of water. Cool and drain in cold water or in an ice water bath (half water and half ice). Pack into moisture- and vapor-proof containers and freeze. Thaw and boil for 10 minutes before serving. Remember to keep fiddleheads refrigerated until you are ready to cook or preserve them. Because process times have not been established for home-preserved fiddleheads, we do not recommend pressure canning as a method to preserve fiddleheads.
Fiddlehead Ferns with Brown Butter and Prosciutto Serves 6 Kosher salt 2 pounds fiddle head ferns, tripped and washed 24 paper-thin slices prosciutto 6 tablespoons brown butter 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a large pot bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Drain the fiddleheads in a colander, then submerge in the ice water until completely cool. Let the fiddleheads drain well in a colander and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to dry. Arrange 2 slices of prosciutto on each of 6 room temperature plates. Put the brown butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the fiddleheads and toss gently, adding 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Heat for a minute or two until they are warm, then divide the fiddleheads among the 6 plates. Serve at once.		Cream of Fiddlehead Soup 2 lb. fresh fiddleheads, cleaned 1 large white onion, chopped 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 5-6 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 cup white rice 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped coarsely 1 cup non (or low) fat sour cream ½ cup heavy cream salt & pepper to taste ¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice Cook onion in 2 Tbsp. butter over low heat in a large pot until transparent. Add fiddleheads and a little salt and pepper, stir for around five minutes until tender. Remove five or so of the fiddleheads, carefully slice them each into two cross-sections and set aside. These are for garnish. Add 5 cups broth, rice, and sage. Simmer until rice is soft (about 10-15 min.) Purée soup in a blender in small batches, until it’s all been blended and it’s smooth. Return all soup to the big pot. Over low heat stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, add a little more broth until it’s the consistency you want. Bring to a boil, whisk in remaining tbsp. of butter. Add lemon juice, stir. Serve in small bowls, garnish each with a fiddlehead cross-section.
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Know Your Herbs: Chives
A mention of chives will most likely bring to mind a baked potato with all the trimmings, but there is so much more to this thin, graceful herb. Chives are easy to grow indoors and out, and are also available freeze-dried, making them the perfect year-round herb to have on hand. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), a member of the onion family and native to Asia and Europe, have been around over 5,000 years. Yet, they were not actively cultivated until the Middle Ages. Its botanical name is derived from the Greek meaning reed-like leek. The English name chive comes from the Latin cepa, meaning onion, which in turn became cive in French. Prized for their flavor, this smallest member of the onion family has many wild cousins growing throughout the Northern hemisphere, including ramps and scallions. Chives grow in clumps like grass, sending up graceful, hollow, thin leaves up to 12 inches. Unlike regular onions, no large bulb forms underground. Thus, it is the leaves that are the source of the onion flavor. A perennial plant, chives are perfect for the home gardener, even those with brown thumbs. If you grow your own, you will be blessed in the spring and summer with lovely lavender flowers shaped like a delicate puffball. These flowers are also edible, and make a strikingly colorful garnish for any dish. However, be aware that the flavor of chives becomes more harsh after flowering. To avoid flowering, simply keep snipping the leaves back. Chive Cooking Tips Hopefully you are growing your own at home in either your garden or a container. If so, you will have a continuous supply by simply snipping off the leaves with scissors down to 2 inches above the ground as needed, rather than pulling them from the soil root and all. To make the most of the delicate onion flavor of chives and retain the luscious green color in your recipes, use chives raw. If you must cook them, add them last, just before serving. Chives are essential in the classic seasoning fines herbes, which is a mixture of equal parts chopped tarragon, chervil, parsley, and chives. Do not overlook slender chive spears as a garnish. They are perfect for tying up small bundles of vegetables or puff pastry parcels or dumplings. Or, simply criss-cross small lengths into patterns on deviled eggs or crackers covered with any variety of savory spread. A simple sprinkling of chopped chives livens up the appearance of a bowl of soup. Chive flowers are a welcome addition to salads and bring a touch of spring as a garnish to any dish. Chives and Your Health Chives are a perfect flavoring choice to restrict calorie, fat, or salt intake for those on diets. They are fat-free and combine well with other herbs and spices as a salt-substitute. Chives are high in vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium. Its sulfur compounds have antibiotic properties. Since the standard serving size of chives is so small, you most likely will not experience any noticable health benefits from your consumption.
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Cleaning and Cooking Soft Shell Crabs

When buying soft-shell crabs, live ones are the best but they’re not always easy to find. To select the tastiest, use your nose. When fresh, they smell clean and astringent, like sea mist—a fitting aroma for a delicacy that both captures the romance of the sea and the allure of a full moon in spring.

1. To clean soft-shell crabs, hold the crab in one hand, and using a pair of kitchen shears, cut off the front of the crab, about 1/2 inch behind the eyes and mouth.
Squeeze out the contents of the sack located directly behind the cut you just made.

2. Lift one pointed end of the crab’s outer shell; remove and discard the gills. Repeat on the other side.

3. Turn the crab over and snip off the small flap known as the apron. Rinse the entire crab well and pat dry. Once cleaned, crabs should be cooked or stored immediately.

Storing Soft-Shell Crabs
    Soft-shell crabs are often stored at very cold temperatures to keep the shell from hardening and to prevent decomposition if they die. Store cleaned crabs wrapped in plastic wrap in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to two days.

Eating Soft Shell Crabs
   Soft-shell crabs are among the most delectable, and the most seasonal, of sea creatures. Maryland Blue crabs molt between mid-May and late September, and for two days the crab's brand-new shell is as tender as a fresh basil leaf. Besides being succulent, soft-shells are clean: they stop eating three days before molting, so their digestive systems are purified when the watermen retrieve them from the floats where they're kept. And, yes, you do eat the whole thing.

Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs with Lemon Tomato Pesto
Serves 4

8 Soft Shell Crabs
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Garlic, powdered
1 1/2 Tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. Oil
1 lb. Fresh Pasta
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Sundried Tomato Pesto
2 Tbsp. White Wine
1 Lemon, juiced
2 tsp. Lemon Zest
8 oz. Baby Spinach
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

    Combine the flour, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. After cleaning each crab, dredge in the flour mixture. Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan until hot. Sautee the crabs over medium high heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and place into a warm oven. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan and deglaze. Add the pesto and garlic and stir. Add the spinach and wilt. Add the pasta, zest and parmesan and combine. Adjust seasonings. Place the pasta in a mound off center on the plate. Arrange the crabs on the side of the pasta. Spoon any excess sauce over the crabs, garnish with lemon and serve.

Grafton Village Cheese Company

Handcrafted cheese, made in small batches from the milk of Jersey cows that graze on several Vermont family farms, is what makes Grafton cheddar one of Vermont's, and the country's, finest artisanal cheeses. Grafton cheddar has no chemical additives, synthetic growth hormones or preservatives. The milk is delicately handled and made into cheese by our artisan cheese makers within 10-13 hours of having been delivered fresh from the farm. The natural aging of our cheese, which takes from one to four years, and the high protein and butterfat of Vermont Jersey milk, give this cheese an exceptionally creamy and robust flavor.

Cheesemaking has long been a part of Vermont life. Dairy cows grazing the velvety pastures of the Green Mountain State are a familiar sight, and the milk they produce is one of the state's natural treasures, used to make some of the world's best cheddar cheese.

Grafton, Vermont is a likely setting for a world-class cheddar. Cheesemaking traditions in this historic village date from the 19th century. The Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company was founded in 1892 by dairy farmers who gathered together in a cooperative to make their surplus milk into cheese. In the days before refrigeration, there were many such cooperatives in the rural agricultural communities and an abundance of fresh, creamy milk was turned into a food that could be stored for a longer period of time.

In 1912, a fire destroyed the original factory. Several decades later, the nonprofit Windham Foundation restored the company in the mid 1960s, and a new era for the town was born.

Today, quality and taste are the hallmarks of our company's award-winning, handcrafted cheese. The cheese company is part of the Grafton based Windham Foundation, whose mission is to promote Vermont's rural communities. When you purchase Grafton Village Cheese, you directly support our mission!

Premium 1 Year Cheddar

Aged for approximately one year, our Premium Cheddar is handcrafted with premium cow milk from small Vermont family farms. Creamy and rich, our youngest selection presents the comforting flavor and broad appeal of an old-fashioned farmhouse cheddar. It's a smooth-melting cheese that's equally at home between slices of grilled artisan bread, or served on a cheese board alongside a cold lager or German Riesling.

Cameron Hughes Lot Series
There's almost nothing I like better in the world than finding a good deal, and when it's a good deal on wine? I'm in heaven. That's why I'm excited to post about Cameron Hughes Wine today, because not only is the wine an incredible value, but it's sourced from all over the world, so you'll never get bored. The wine distribution world is complex and sometimes irritating. You read about a good bottle, only to find out it's unavailable in your area or sold out altogether or produced in such small quantities that you can't possibly lay your hands on any. I'm sympathetic to all of these complaints. When I was first getting into wine, I remember ripping out a magazine article on recommended Chardonnays and taking it to my wine store. The clerk just laughed. "You won't find magazine wines in here, honey," he said. "You have no idea how complicated it is." Well, now I do know how complicated it is, and because I know, I love nothing better than coming across a fantastic, incredible-for-the-money wine that's also widely distributed. And believe me, that's a rare combination. So when I heard about Cameron Hughes, I was intrigued. Cameron Hughes the person is what's called a negociant--a French term that means he buys wine from wineries and sells it under his own label. The business advantage is that Hughes can get good-quality wine that's oversupplied, won't sell, or whatever (not because of quality but market conditions), buy it at a low cost, and sell it to customers at a low cost. There is a glut of wine all over the world—an oversupply so significant that it's compelled Australian winemakers to plow up their vineyards, forced French producers to turn wines into ethanol and brought wealthy Napa vintners if not to their knees then to their bankers in search of refinance. The reasons are various—new vineyard plantings by ambitious producers, increased productivity at a time of plummeting demand, winemakers who have overleveraged their brands. Mr. Hughes grew up in Modesto, Calif., and his father was in the wine business, working in sales. He started his own wine brokerage business in October 2001. Mr. Hughes was remarkably cheerful even while narrating the painful early years of his wine brokerage company when he narrowly escaped bankruptcy and divorce. "By the summer of 2003 we were on life support," Mr. Hughes said matter-of-factly. "I owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to our backers, mostly friends of my father's," he added. It wasn't the right time and he didn't have the right wines ("a weird Cab-Merlot-Zin blend" was an early failure.) But Mr. Hughes made valuable connections and gradually learned about the underground pipeline of fine wine. "I met enough people to understand that there were small lots of high end wines available—wines that I could actually sell." And fortuitously for Mr. Hughes, the sea of excess wine was beginning to swell. Look for... Lot 214 2009 Los Carneros Chardonnay Taste: Rich gold center with matching rim, aromas of tropical fruits, including ripe pineapple and notes of caramel. There are beautiful oak nuances including creamy vanilla, flint, and butterscotch. This is an incredibly rich Chardonnay with a silky yet bold mouth-feel. Cameron Confidential: Lot 214 shows deft balance of incredible richness and pitch-perfect balance - this wine walks the line beautifully and inspires a big kudos to winemakers Sam and Mike for the many weeks they toiled with these and a multitude of other chardonnay blends. Lot 214is a blend of wines from two Carneros producers and that’s all we can say on this one folks. Be careful not to overchill this wine or at least pull it out of the fridge 20 minutes before you drink it (as with most chardonnay). Ideal temp is 55 degrees Lot 210 2008 Napa Valley Merlot Taste: Reddish-purple center and matching rim. Expect an alluring nose of plum, mineral, leather, and spice notes. This wine is seamless in the mouth, leading to a rich and elegant mid-palate. Super-fine-grained tannins form a superior structure propping up some marvelous fruit. This wine, as with many of these Merlots, is drinking beautifully in its infancy. Cameron Confidential: Along with a few other wines, Lot 210 is part of a project that presented itself recently. Havens Winery, located just south of Yountville, was a short, quiet drive off Highway 29, Napa Valley’s main winery tour route. Havens had earned distinction for its Merlot, Syrah, and other red blends before being sold off due to the demise of distributor Billington Imports. We subsequently purchased all of their 2007 vintage Merlot as well as a few others that you may see in the near future. This is one of the Merlots that Havens was particularly proud of, with great tonnage and marvelous terroir. This wine boasts Francois Freres barrels and two of the top vineyards of Havens, so this is another top-notch Merlot.
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Hooray for Mother's Day

May is the month to remember all the women you know who show you that touch of kindness that makes you think of Mom. Maybe she is the neighbor who sends you a casserole when she learns of an illness or the kind co-worker who offers soothing words when you are stressed. She might be that nice lady who always fusses over your child in the market or the maiden aunt who never forgets your birthday. No matter the relationship she is there. Relatives, nurses, teachers, and the babysitter. Your friend, your neighbor, the gal who makes you laugh.

All exhibit the timeless quality of caring.

If there is someone in your life who is a great "Mother", why not show your appreciation by doing something lovely for her like:

- planting something beautiful in her garden
- giving her a certificate for a cooking class
- taking her for her shopping day
- bringing her a favorite pastry selection, peeled and cooked shrimp,
    or special bottle of wine
- giving her a snack platter of yummy cheese and crackers or freshly
    made pizza squares
- gathering some lovely linens and useful kitchen items and tying
    with a big bow
- piling fresh fruit in a basket with delicious jams and teas for her
    next get together
- asking your florist to wrap up some love

Regardless of how you do it, for Mom or the other "Moms," you will be blessed by her sheer appreciation for being remembered on this day we gladly celebrate.

Happiest of Mother's Day! Your floral gal, Liz

www.ringbrosmarketplace.com
485 Rt. 134 South Dennis, MA 02660
508-394-2244

Chatham Fish & Lobster Co. | Dark Horse Beef & Deli Co. | Harney's Liquors | Nata's Noodles | Ring Bros. Markets | Spinners Pizza

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Prices and products subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors.