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For past issues of the Market Report,
visit our Market Report Archive!
August 2003 Market Report
A
PDF version is now available!
Serving You with Great Food for 55
Years!
Dear Club DLM Members,
Serving you for the last 55 years is something we have
thoroughly enjoyed. It’s something we work hard at every day…work hard at
being better. Honestly Better. Please let me explain. A while back
some store managers and department heads here at Dorothy Lane Market were
talking about our products versus products other stores sell. During the course
of the spirited conversation we kept returning to the same theme over and
over again. That our products are better, honestly better. How so?
We discussed the price/value equation, that is, frankly
why it might cost more for some products here at DLM. We believe eating well
is worth a little extra, and few others make the effort we do to find exceptional
foods. For example, we search the world over for flavorful artisan cheeses,
traditional cured hams from Europe, the most interesting wines, and exceptional
olive oils. We partner with friends locally to bring you organic eggs, free-range
poultry, and sweet Ohio homegrown corn. We also take great pride in producing
foods you love. Professionally schooled chefs, like Justin Hoffman and Henry
Proctor, and many other great cooks, prepare foods ranging from simple, yet
cravable potato salad to elegant filet mignon. And they make them for you
every day in our in-store kitchens, not in some factory far away. Our artisan
bread bakers, such as Renee Ross and Richard Zink, put their heart and soul
into each loaf using premium ingredients like unbleached/unbromated flour,
purified water, and sea salt, and bake them to crispy perfection in our huge
European hearth ovens.
This is what we stand for, sharing the joy of truly good
food. Not all agree with us. So how should we react? Discontinue tree-ripened
peaches? Quit baking artisan bread from scratch? Get rid of Coleman Natural
Beef™? Cut our quality to lower our prices? No, that’s not what you expect
from us, neither would we be passionate about offering you mediocre stuff.
If that was our only option, we would likely find something else to do for
a living. However, we aim to stick around, and work at getting better. In
fact, the whole “honestly
better” thing permeates everything we do, whether it’s great foods or excellent
service.
Speaking of service, we daily work at making that honestly
better, too. We rush to open checkouts when lines form so your hair doesn’t
turn gray while you wait. Friendly cashiers, like Micheline Ugilihirwe at
Oakwood, Lisa Enfield at Washington Square, and Whitney Lotthammer at Springboro,
give us all a little sunshine with their infectious smiles—and you can’t help
but smile back. Our departments are proudly staffed with knowledgeable associates
like Phyllis Pritchard at Oakwood Seafood and Mindy Stover at the Springboro
Wine Shop to make your shopping experience more enjoyable. We hold seminars
to help you enrich your healthy lifestyle, and offer cooking classes from
local and celebrity chefs. Our whole customer service concept is to be honestly
better.
Most companies advertise three things: cheapest prices,
best quality, and best service. This just isn’t possible, because to offer
all three, one will always be compromised. Just think about it. They will
either offer you cheaper prices by compromising the quality of the products
they sell, alter production which compromises quality, or their
stores are not clean or well staffed which compromises service. On the other
hand, we know what we stand for, and don’t try to deceive you or ourselves.
So why do we do what we do? It gives us pleasure to be
different, and to make a difference in providing you foods and services that
are “Honestly Better.” Of course we’re not perfect. Yet you and many others
must like what we’re doing. On any given week, we will have over 47,000 customer
transactions, each one a decision to shop with us. And we are constantly being
reinforced with your comments that you like what we are doing. Over our 55
years, you have been incredibly loyal, and we are very thankful. We are determined
to show our appreciation by striving to be Honestly Better right now and for
years to come.
Department Features
Every month, we feature select items in our stores and provide
you with detailed descriptions. Many are new items and/or on sale!
GROCERY
New! Award-Winning Dauro de L’Empordà Olive
Oil from Spain
 Just
this past month, on July 10, this oil was given the Award as Best Extra-Virgin
Olive Oil, 2002-03 from Spain by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, at the
award ceremony celebrated at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid (bet that was a fun
party…). Thanks to our friend Kitty Keller, importer of some really super
European foods, we were able to snag a few cases when we saw her and met the
Dauro rep, Ibone Candina, at the New York Fancy Food Show.
This oil is a tremendous balance of the fruitiness of the Arbequina olive,
the grassiness of Hojiblanca, and the depth of the Koroneiki. If all that
sounds too fancy, let’s just say it’s really yummy! Try it over toasted crusty
bread, and over fish dishes. Considering all the pedigree this oil has, we
think it’s a great price as well.
MEAT &
SEAFOOD
Great Ground Beef at DLM
Is there really any difference in ground beef from one store or restaurant
to another? Yes, without a doubt. But to answer more thoroughly, let’s look
at three factors: safety, taste, and value. Examine any one factor, or combine
all three, and you will see that Dorothy Lane Market is really the only place
in town to get great ground beef.
Safety
On the matter of food safety, there are two major differences between our
ground beef and others. One big difference is that we buy whole individual
cattle from one source: Coleman Natural Beef™. From birth, Coleman’s livestock
are raised on natural feed and never given antibiotics or steroids. Every
animal is tested for e-coli 01 57 H-7.
The second major difference is that once we receive the beef, we process
it in the safest way. Unlike most places that use pre-ground beef, we grind
our beef in the store several times daily from whole-muscle meats. One benefit
of our method is that when you buy a package of ground beef from us, you can
be assured that the grind is from only one or two animals at most. Thanks
to Coleman, we can trace exactly which animal the meat comes from, if need
be. On the other hand, those “chubs” of ground beef at other places come from
huge plants where the grind may be comprised of meat from hundreds of unidentifiable
animals. And remember that those animals have been rushed to maturity by means
of steroids and antibiotics.
After buying a package of Coleman ground beef, remember that it is very important
to conserve it at 40° F or below before cooking. It is also vital to cook
it until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 160° F.
Taste
When you prepare our ground beef, you get fantastic flavor. Coleman’s animals
have been allowed to mature naturally, so the marbling is finer. All of our
beef is either prime or choice grade. Cook up our ground beef, and you are
treated to a savory, clean-tasting, well-textured patty. Ours tastes like
real beef. Without exaggeration, we believe that one taste of a burger made
with our Coleman ground beef will spoil you for life.
Value
So far so good, but is our ground Coleman beef really worth the price? Absolutely!
Not only is our product the safest and tastiest, but a typical 1/3 pound patty
of our best grind costs only about a dollar. Think of the money you pay for
the convenience of an ordinary burger from a fast food place. But you do it
from time to time because it’s quick and easy. However, when you take a few
extra minutes to prepare a burger yourself, why not get the greatest?
Once you savor a Coleman burger, you will agree that you’re getting the best
value. It’s an incredible-tasting meal that you can feel good about eating,
all at a very reasonable price.
A few suggestions
for preparing and cooking hamburgers:
Select ground beef according to your preference. Generally, ground sirloin
will give you great texture. Ground chuck will give you slightly more fat,
resulting in a very juicy burger. Both sirloin and chuck from Coleman Natural
Beef™ are outstanding in flavor.
Lightly press the ground beef into patties. Overhandling produces a compact
texture with minimal tenderness. When cooking, use a spatula only to turn
the burger; do not press the meat. Squeezing will produce a dry and tasteless
hamburger.
Watch your burger closely for doneness. Overcooking will result in a dry,
compact burger. T-Stick™ temperature probes indicating doneness will be available
in our Meat Department.
How About Throwing a Clambake for Labor Day
Weekend?
DLM will provide all the fixings in a 25-lb can which will be ready to throw
on the grill or stove. Each bucket will contain shrimp, mussels, middleneck
clams, andouille sausage, quartered corn on the cob, red onion, baby carrots,
celery, and new red potatoes, plus water, crab boil, white wine, butter, and
seaweed for seasoning. The containers will feed 6-8 people and cost $75. Please
place your order with the Seafood Department by August 25 and designate whether
you will pick it up August 30, 31, or Labor Day, September 1. Please order
at the store you wish to pick it up from.
DELI
Fun, Easy Picnicking with Honestly Better Deli
Salads
Picnics are always better when the food is good. And for the tasty eats,
the DLM Deli is a quick, easy solution. It’s no accident that our deli salads
tase great. Every day our skilled chefs and cooks prepare salads in our stores
– and from scratch. We take extra steps to ensure quality, nutrition, and
great flavor in every salad. For example, instead of using cheap vegetable
oils, our Festive Vegetable Salad features Vera Jane’s Extra-Virgin Olive
Oil from Tuscany. Instead of using a lower cost mayo, we always use Hellmann’s
in our Phil-n-Jerry’s Potato Salad and other potato salads. All of our chicken
salads such as our Chicken Pecan Salad, feature flavorful Wellington Farms
Free-Range, Air-Chilled Chicken. Pick from these favorites and many others
when putting together your picnic.
While at the Deli, be sure to get plenty of slices of Madrange French Ham.
Madrange is a traditional French ham— buttery and sweet, great with a baguette,
and perfect for a picnic or light lunch. Then zip around the store and pickup
some baguettes, wine, cheese, fresh fruit. Nothing is quite as enjoyable as
a picnic on a lazy summer afternoon. Don’t let this summer slip by without
enjoying such outings with friends and loved ones. Spread out the checkered
cloth and enjoy life!
- Chicken Pecan Salad $7.49 lb save $1.50 lb
- Madrange French Ham $7.99 lb save $2.00 lb
SPECIALTY
CHEESE
Westcombe Cheddar
“I don’ getit. We’ir just makin’ chayz,” said Tom with his heavy English
accent as he doled out another round of samples for us to taste. Indeed, Tom
Calver and his father Richard may not understand all the fuss made about Westcombe
by food writers, chefs, and cheese lovers around the world, or maybe they
are just modest. Their family is one of three (in 1939 there were 333) still
making traditional true farmstead cheddar from unpasteurized milk in south
England’s county of Somerset. On second thought, I think Tom knows how great
his cheese is. We were recently honored with a visit as he and Debra Dickerson
(one of America’s greatest and most knowledgeable promoters of traditional
cheeses) toured the country earlier this summer to share their passion for
great cheese with the foremost cheese retailers around the States. His pride
was evident as he showed us pictures of the farm and cheese making process,
not to mention the Cheshire grin spread across his face as he guided us through
the tasting of his sought after cheddar.
Westcombe is made much in the same way that cheddar has been made for centuries.
The Calvers have a herd of around 600 beautiful Holstein-Friesian cattle—veritable
milk-making machines who dine on the rich grasslands of Somerset County, along
with a supplement of corn and wheat. The milk is made into cheese every day
of the year, principally by an artisan named Bob Brambley. (Bob, by virtue
of the hard physical work of artisan cheese making, also has some of the most
impressive set of forearms I’ve ever seen, rivaled only by an Italian cheese
maker I recently met at a farm near Modena, Italy. An arm-wrestling match
between the two would no doubt draw World Cup Soccer-like crowds.) Bob knows
the steps of great cheese making by heart of course, from adding rennet to
the milk, to cutting and stacking the slabs of curd (cheddaring) by hand,
to adding just the right amount of fine English sea salt to arrest the souring
process at precisely the right stage. After being packed into molds, larded
(seals in moisture, and the natural mold spores “eat” the lard), the cheese
wheels are cloth wrapped, codified, and set to age in a controlled environment
for at least eleven months. The result of this labor of love is a cheese that
ranks as one of the world’s greats.
The Westcombe we tasted that day had a slightly grainy texture with small
random veins of flavor-enriching blue mold. The taste was both buttery and
sharp, with nuances of walnut. The length of flavor is incredible. This was,
as Tom said, “a cheese you are still tasting and enjoying five minutes after
you walk away.” You will love Westcombe Cheddar simply eating it by the chunk
at room temperature. It needs no fancy prep; eating it all by itself is a
singular experience of lip-smacking, palate-filling pleasure. If you want
to get creative, grate it over pasta, soups, and vegetable dishes. Spoon some
of your favorite chutney over it, or a small drizzle of honey. Or serve it
along with cured meats, crusty DLM Artisan Breads, and a good English ale.
One final suggestion: As Tom emphasized, semi-hard and hard artisan cheeses
(Parmigiano-Reggiano is another example) taste better for some reason when
you chip them off of a bigger piece rather than precisely slicing or cubing
the cheese. Westcombe Cheddar by the chunk is, as you will find, a simple
pleasure that you will want to enjoy again and again.
What is Cheddar?
Cheddar is a town in Somerset County, England where traditional
cheese has been made since the early 1500s. The signature step of slicing
and stacking the slabs of curds upon each other to further press water and
whey from the curd is called “cheddaring.” Although you can now get “cheddar
cheese” from nearly every part of the globe, we think the traditional cheddar
of Somerset County is by far the best you will ever taste.
HEALTHY LIVING
A Carb Is a Carb Is a Carb…Or Is It?
The other night my daughter, Kim, asked me to make one of her favorite dishes
for dinner, an Italian-style chicken breast. I agreed, but only if she would
go pickup a few items we didn’t have on hand. As we were making our list,
she added a loaf of rosemary bread. Then she suggested we skip the chicken
and just go for the bread with a hunk of butter. I actually considered her
proposition.
Okay, so we all have food weaknesses and rosemary bread is one of mine. I
prefer rosemary bread over just about anything, even chocolate. In fact, I’ve
been known to put away several slices in a sitting. So as I’m pondering the
potential hazards of getting a whole loaf, Kim blurts out “What’s wrong Mom,
too many carbs?” With that, she grabs the list and is out the door. She knows
how I feel about the infamous “carb” issue, and what a sore spot that is for
me. You see, according to current diet trends, we shouldn’t eat any bread.
Low-carb/no-carb, that’s the way to go. The theory is that by eliminating
all carbs we will stabilize our blood sugar, lighten the fatty loads on our
livers, and lose weight. That may be true, but is it really wise to eliminate
carbs? Carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient, along with protein and
fat. Carbs are the most important source of energy for bodily functions, such
as those that occur in the brain, nervous system, and muscles. They’re also
extremely important in fat and protein metabolism. Before eliminating an entire
food group from our diet, we must keep in mind that not all carbs are created
equal. They are considered simple or complex, depending upon the sugar molecules.
Simple carbs break down into simple sugars. These include white flour products,
white rice and pasta, white potato products like chips and fries, as well
as most candy and soft drinks. Regularly eating these empty calorie foods
will cause glucose from the sugar to convert to glycogen and store as fat
in the liver and muscles, with the “leftovers” accumulating under the skin
and throughout the body. These foods also cause a rapid rise in blood sugar,
possibly interfering with the body’s use of insulin. This may be why the
incidence of obesity and diabetes continues to grow at alarming rates. This
is when I say, “Too many carbs!”
Fruits also contain simple sugars (fructose), but their fibers, pectins,
enzymes, and other phytochemicals provide invaluable nutrition. Take cherries,
for example. They contain B and C vitamins and a slew of minerals, including
magnesium, potassium, and iron (the darker the cherry, the richer the iron).
They’re also good for constipation, which seems to be a common problem for
those on low-carb diets. If we eliminate fruits from our diet, we also eliminate
those nutrients that are used to help protect us against diseases ranging
from the common cold to cancer. These are nutrients that are NOT found in
animal protein.
Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, break down slowly, providing energy
without spiking blood sugar. They include grains, vegetables, beans, legumes,
nuts, and seeds. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and all
kinds of phytochemicals, not to mention fiber. Fiber can help reduce constipation
as well as cholesterol levels, and possibly protect against colon cancer.
Breads, such as our artisan breads, made with unbleached flours and whole
grains, vegetable salads, or baked sweet potatoes will not make us fat or
insulin resistant. And if these healthy foods are not included in our diet,
we may be risking more than a few pounds.
So when Kim got home from the store, I was extremely disappointed to find
out that my rosemary bread had sold out. I chalked it up to the risk one must
take when one’s favorite bread is made daily from scratch by the area’s only
artisan bakers. But, to “ease your pain” as she puts it, Kim hands me a giant,
gooey Peanut Butter Killer Brownie®. To that I reply, “Carbs??...What carbs??!!”
SCHOOL OF COOKING
- DLM’s School of Cooking Fall Schedule of Classes Available August 14
- Registration Begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 20
For a complete listing of all classes, visit our School
of Cooking page.
Club DLM card is required for all sale
prices. Prices herein are valid through August 31, 2003. In the event of a
typographical error, in-store prices will prevail. All sale items are limit
five with Club DLM card.
Recipes
For a printable version of the recipes listed below,
click here.
Yellow Pepper Soup with Yogurt
and Cucumbers
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, August, 2002
- 8 oz plain yogurt (we prefer Total yogurt)
- 1 tsp fennel seed, crushed
- 4 to 7 yellow bell peppers (1½ lbs), seeded and coarsely chopped (about
5 cups)
- 2 medium shallots, chopped (1/4 cup)
- 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 Tbsp Vera Jane’s Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1¾ cups Bowman & Landes Chicken Broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped English cucumber
- Freshly ground black or white pepper
In a bowl, stir together the yogurt and fennel seed. Cover and let stand
at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the peppers, shallots, and cardamom
in hot oil for 15 minutes or until peppers are beginning to soften, stirring
occasionally. Add chicken broth, water, and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes more, until peppers are very soft.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place mixture, one half at a
time, in a blender and blend until smooth. Return to saucepan. Cook and stir
over medium heat until heated through.
To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with a dollop of yogurt,
some of the cucumber, and ground pepper. Can be served warm or chilled. Makes
4 servings
Per serving: 185 calories (46% calories from fat); 10g total fat; 2g saturated
fat; 9mg cholesterol; 107mg sodium; 17g carbohydrates; 9g protein
Fresh Tomato and Squash Tart
Adapted from the Florida Tomato Committee
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb)
- 1 large zucchini (about 8 oz)
- 1 large yellow squash (about 8 oz)
- 2 large potatoes (about 12 oz), peeled (divided)
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shredded Fontina Val D’Aosta cheese, divided
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400º F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a shallow
7x11-inch casserole. Remove stem ends from tomatoes; cut in half through stem
ends; thinly slice crosswise.
Cut zucchini, yellow squash, and potatoes in half lengthwise; thinly slice
crosswise. Line the casserole with the slices from one potato. In a large
bowl combine remaining potato, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, basil, garlic,
¾ cup of the cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and eggs until well
mixed. Arrange half of the tomato slices on top of the potatoes in the casserole.
Evenly spoon vegetable mixture over tomatoes, pressing slightly to flatten.
Arrange remaining tomato slices on top; sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup of cheese.
Bake 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 8 servings
Per serving: 130 calories (39% calories from fat); 6g total fat; 3g saturated
fat; 69mg cholesterol; 421mg sodium; 14g carbohydrates; 7g protein
DLM
School of Cooking Favorite!
Tomato, Cucumber, & Feta Pitas
This easy, no-cook pita from Diane Phillips is
a wonderful way to beat the August heat and put fast, fresh food on the table
for your family!
- Vegetables
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped, about 2 cups
- 1 cup chopped seedless cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- Dressing
- 6 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 to 2 Tbsp dried dill weed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Chevretine crumbled goat’s milk feta cheese
- (6) 6-inch pitas
- Chopped fresh dill for garnish
In a large glass bowl, combine the tomato, cucumber, red onion, and olives.
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, spices, and feta.
Pour dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss. Marinate for at least 1
hour, refrigerated. When ready to serve, cut the pitas in half and fill each
pocket with the salad. Garnish with chopped fresh dill. Makes 6 servings
Remember to visit our online Recipe
Archive for a wide variety of recipes sorted into many categories.
Monthly Prizes
Throughout the month of August, each time
you use your Club DLM card you will be given a chance to win...
- Dinner for 2 at Carvers ($60.00 value)
- $50 Gift Certificate for one class at DLM’s School of Cooking
- Dinner for 4 at Montgomery Inn ($90.00 value)
One set of prizes will be awarded
at each store location unless otherwise specified.
No purchase necessary to enter.
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Bakery
