Artisan Bread Presale!
JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR SOURDOUGH
By Bill St John
October's Artisan Bread of the Month from the bakers at Marczyk's Fine Foods is Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough, a hearty, multi-flavored loaf. "It's our most popular bread—our classic Pain au Levain," says culinary director Jamey Fader, "spruced up with the kick and spice of jalapeño and studded with cheese, although it's not 'cheesy'."
Marczyk's Pain au Levain is a proper sourdough (each loaf starting with the bakery's long-lived starter), but, as Fader points out, "ours is more floral than a West Coast one with its definite tang. It's less acidic and even has a certain whiff of sweetness." The “sour” of sourdough breaks down sugars or irritants (such as gluten) and makes these breads easier to digest.
The bread was designed as a match with October's featured Pig Roast To Go Kits. "It goes great with roast pork and all the sides," adds Fader.
The shape of the Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough is called a “batard”, which in the original French means—how do I say zees?— “bastard”. One story says these loaves were made from leftover dough from boules and baguettes. Another says that because a batard—shaped like a thin football—was neither baguette nor boule, it was, well, a bastard shape.
Order today, with pick ups from October 23rd-25th.
Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough - $7.99
PORK ROAST, SIDES, AND CORNBREAD
By Bill St John
Time was, not so long ago, when Octobers meant that brothers Paul and Peter Marczyk would break out the really-big barbecue grill to roast a whole hog, served, when the meat was falling off its bones, with macaroni and potato salads and hunks of cornbread. Those were the famed Marczyk Fine Foods annual Pig Roasts.
"They would bring the neighborhood together," says Pete Marczyk. "We wanted to create a community through food and"—because the food was of the highest quality, such as Niman Ranch pork—"educate people's palates but not be preachy, just showcase a great American tradition."
Now that roasting a whole hog in public is no longer feasible—the pandemic put the kibosh on that—Marczyk’s continues the tradition by preparing the same feast for customers to enjoy at home. "Marczyk’s makes it easy," says culinary director Jamey Fader. "We bring this craft and this great food to you."
The Pig Roast To Go Kit features roasted Niman Ranch pork shoulder ("the best cut to roast," says Fader) with sides of “Pete’s Mom’s Potato Salad”—chunky potatoes, celery, onions, and eggs in a mayo-Dijon dressing—and “Church Picnic Macaroni Salad,” al dente elbows with crunchy vegetables and a touch of sweetness.
Each order also includes a portion of "Table Barbecue Sauce". "It's vinegar forward," says Fader, "and has a note of charred onion." The cornbread is what Fader calls "Yankee Cornbread," a recipe of cornmeal, wheat flour, baking soda, and baking powder, eggs, milk, butter, and buttermilk. "It's a mounded, big, fluffy, puffy cake-y cornbread," says Fader, "and goes great with the roast pork and sides."
Order today, with pick ups from October 23rd-25th.
Pig Roast To Go Kit for 4 - $49.99