At DLM, we aren’t just your pantry. We’re also an extension of your Kitchen when you need us to be. You’ve likely heard us say the words “Made Right Here” or seen them stickered on a DLM package. These are words that mean something to us and guide us in a number of departments. Take for instance our Gourmet Takeaway selection, brimming with ready-made possibilities. When you peer into this case, you’re greeted with an entire visual menu of chef-driven recipes that are ready to heat and eat. From sides like Twice-Baked Potatoes that are stunningly swirled on top, to entrées like Roasted Beef Tenderloin, featuring USDA Prime DLM Natural Beef, your eyes will dance with delight looking over these delightful meal ideas. As you stand there, you’ll also see a state-of-the-art Kitchen on the other side of the counter that’s bustling with amazing people who are chopping, poaching, baking, searing, and sautéing real food (our Oakwood Kitchen is the only one not visible from the retail floor).
We use ingredients we are not only proud of but that taste good—this is what we call a Flavor First food mentality. “We use the foods we sell in our stores,” says Chef Carrie Walters, DLM Culinary Director, citing that when local tomatoes are available, you’ll see those intertwined. Her counterpart, DLM Food Service Director Jason Belcher, elaborates on the proteins. “DLM Air-Chilled Chicken, USDA Prime DLM Natural Beef, and sustainably caught salmon or farm-raised the right way” are all at play when you view the selection of ready-made entrées in our Gourmet Takeaway, like best-seller Asiago Encrusted Chicken. “It’s Made Right Here by our Kitchen staff every day,” he says with confidence and pride.
GETTING TO KNOW “AUNT DOROTHY”
We often use the words “Aunt Dorothy” when talking about the home-cooked foods streaming from our Kitchens. But who is Aunt Dorothy? DLM Springboro’s Kitchen Manager Jessica Prior says it best. “Aunt Dorothy is all of us,” referring to her cooking professional comrades at all of the Kitchens. “We take a lot of pride in cooking it, so we make it look beautiful, too,” Prior says, noting that the “wow” first impression is what they strive for when a customer steps up to admire the selection.
Each store’s Kitchen works closely with the Deli managers so that they can keep the selection as fresh as possible each day, and making more as needed. As you go from one store to another, you’ll likely notice not only consistency in the selection but also in the taste and recipes behind it all. That is where Chef Carrie comes in.
To know Chef Carrie is a cool thing. She isn’t the type of chef who relishes in always repeating familiar favorites. She is on trend and is constantly experimenting to take us to that next great food find here at DLM. In her free time, she enjoys jetting across the globe to experience new foods, cultures, and top restaurants. When she’s not traveling, you’ll find her pouring over food magazines, staying connected with local restauranteurs, and popping up on the local food scene’s industry events like this past year’s TedxDaytonSalon focused on conversations about food. She channels all that inspiration into the vast selection of prepared foods here at DLM, as well as sharing her recipes and expertise with you either through cooking classes at the DLM Culinary Center or on the pages of Table! For her, the thrill is in the discovery. “It’s exciting for me to see new things in the case and watch our customers fall in love with something new that they try,” says Chef Carrie.
So as you peer into the Gourmet Takeaway case, know that at some point there was a very elaborate tasting and exploration process behind what you see, likely headed up by Chef Carrie. Take that Asiago Encrusted Chicken for example. We tested several different iterations before we landed on one. After a recipe is selected, the ingredients are mainly sourced from the same foods we sell to you and our cooking professionals use classic cooking methods every day to bring those recipes to life. Now that’s Made Right Here the right way.
5 MEAL IDEAS FROM GOURMET TAKEAWAY
With all of the good food that is already prepared here at DLM, why not look at them as sources for not only meal ideas but as components of dinner? These Made Right Here dishes are made with high quality ingredients and can save you so much time in the kitchen!
We encourage you to stand in front of our Gourmet Takeaway case and come up with your own dinner plans. Here are a couple of our favorite meal ideas.
1. MADRAS CHICKEN CURRY
INGREDIENTS:
Marinated & Grilled Italian Chicken Breast, sliced (Gourmet Takeaway)
Fresh Grilled Vegetables, pick your favorites and slice (Gourmet Takeaway)
Bollywood Cauliflower Rice (Gourmet Takeaway)
Maya Kaimal Madras Curry Indian Simmer Sauce (Grocery)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. On a foil-lined sheet pan, place chicken, veggies, and cauliflower rice in rows. Heat until hot, about 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat sauce in a pot over low heat. Place chicken, veggies, and cauliflower rice on a plate and top with curry sauce.
Total time: 20 minutes
Total time when made from scratch: 3 hours
Time saved: 2 hours and 40 minutes
2. TEXMEX PORK
INGREDIENTS:
Chile-Rubbed Pork Loin (Gourmet Takeaway)
Southwest Quinoa (Deli)
Mazunte Roasted Tomato Salsa (Produce)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. On a foil-lined sheet pan, heat pork loin slices until hot, about 7-10 minutes. Place quinoa in center of plate and top with sliced pork. Spoon salsa on top.
Total time: 15 minutes
Total time when made from scratch: 45-50 minutes
Time saved: 30-35 minutes
3. CHICKEN WITH ARUGULA
INGREDIENTS:
Asiago Encrusted Chicken (Gourmet Takeaway)
Arugula (Produce)
DLM Dijon Vinaigrette (Deli)
Grape tomatoes (Produce)
Lemon (Produce)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan. Place in oven and cook until hot, about 10-12 minutes. In a bowl, toss the arugula with the vinaigrette and tomatoes, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Top chicken with salad right before serving and place a wedge of lemon for seasoning on plate.
Total time: 20 minutes
Total time when made from scratch: 40 minutes
Time saved: 20 minutes
4. SALMON NIÇOISE
INGREDIENTS:
Green Beans Amandine (Gourmet Takeaway)
Grape tomatoes (Produce)
Hard boiled eggs (Deli)
Grilled Salmon (Gourmet Takeaway)
Roasted Red Skin Potatoes with Rosemary (Gourmet Takeaway)
Olives (Deli)
DLM Dijon Vinaigrette (Deli)
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the green beans, tomatoes, and eggs into smaller pieces. Plate salmon in center of plate and scatter the beans, tomatoes, potatoes, olives, and eggs around it. Drizzle with dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Total time: 15 minutes
Total time when made from scratch: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Time saved: 1 hour
5. FIESTA DINNER
INGREDIENTS:
Cilantro Lime Rice (Gourmet Takeaway)
Carne Asada (Gourmet Takeaway)
Elote-Style Corn Salad (Deli)
DLM Pico de Gallo (Produce)
Mazunte Tostadas, broken into smaller pieces (Produce)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat rice in microwave until hot. Sauté Carne Asada strips briefly in a little oil until hot. Plate the rice and steak. Serve with the Elote-Style Corn Salad, DLM Pico de Gallo, and some tostadas.
Total time: 20 minutes
Total time when made from scratch: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Time saved: 1 hour and 10 minutes
