Spice up your pasta Rotini with some Ziti! Ziti is a popular tube-shaped pasta, originally named for the word zita, which means bride. Traditionally, ziti is the classic pasta served at weddings as the zita aka bride’s pasta.

In Campania and other southern regions of Italy, these tasty tubes of pasta are traditionally broken by hand, right before cooking. We can’t help but ask...if other smaller forms of pasta are available, why do Italians bother to break it up? Like many traditions, it’s all about history and family.

Ziti is actually an ancient style of pasta, born in the days when there were not so many sizes to choose from and no cooking pots to fit long pasta in! In addition to weddings, ziti was and are also served when celebrating a holiday or family occasion. In the past, it was customary for the women of the family to gather together and perform the ritual of  ‘breaking’ the pasta. This tradition still happens today!

Yam

What did the Sweet Potato say when it gained consciousness?

I think therefore I Yam.

Let’s cover the basics of this yam-azing starch. Yams are root vegetables, they are similar to sweet potatoes and related to lilies and grasses. There are about 600 species of yams found around the world, and most of them are native to the tropics. People started to cultivate yams (instead of digging up wild ones) as long as 10,000 years ago in both Africa and Asia. Today, the annual world production of yams is over 30 million tons, 95% of the world's yam crop is harvested in West Africa.

In the tropics, yams can grow to huge sizes, and in the Pacific Islands yams are referred to as 2 man, 4 man, or 6 man yams, depending on how many men it takes to lift them. Some have been recorded up to 600 pounds and 6 feet in length!

No matter how big they are, these tubers are highly nutritious. Chock full of fibers, minerals, and vitamins, yams are a healthy addition to any diet. Keep reading for a few of the top health highlights:

• Yams may improve your brain function. They are rich in diosgenin, a special compound known for improving neuron growth and overall brain health. Diosgenin has contributed to enhanced memory and learning skills in scientific studies.
• Yams play a major role in controlling your cholesterol levels. In a recent study, women who consumed 18 ounces of yams a day over 30 days saw a decrease in their cholesterol levels.
• Yams are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and able to combat a number of long-term health conditions connected to chronic inflammation like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Xavier Steak

Xavier Steak, ever heard of it? Invented (we think) in New York at the early beginning of the 19th century, this dreamy dish is composed of steak, asparagus, and swiss cheese. The steak and asparagus are seasoned and cooked together. Once done, the dish is served by placing asparagus on top of the steak and adding the cheese so it slowly melts on the warm vegetables.

While the origin of the dish’s name is still pretty unclear, food historians think it might be named after a place or a person named Xavier or after Saint Francis Xavier.

What we do know is that our expert team of butchers can help you turn this culinary mystery into a reality. When you add our expertise to our appetite for the best quality meat around, it’s an unbeatable combination. We go out to the generations-old family ranches and farms and know where our meat comes from, how it’s raised, and why it’s hands-down, top-notch, the most delicious and healthy selection around. We also have an experienced roster of journeymen meat-cutters who can answer questions, make suggestions, do special trims and trusses and help with just about anything related to meat. You’ll always find a butcher at our counter, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the sole aim of helping you. Because they are employee-owners, they care more about you, plain and simple.

Ok, is your mouth watering yet? Try out this Xavier Steak recipe from Punchfork for yourself!

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) New York strip steaks, at least 1-inch thick
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Place into a dish, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Turn the steaks, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Turn the steaks again, and marinate 15 minutes longer.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
3. Place the steaks on the preheated grill, close the lid, and cook for 7 minutes. Toss the asparagus spears with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. When you turn steaks over, place the asparagus onto the grill, and close the lid. Cook until the steaks are beginning to firm and are slightly pink in the center, and the asparagus is tender, about 7 minutes. Turn the asparagus halfway through.
4. Top each steak with 3 asparagus spears and swiss cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted. Remove from the grill, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Wine

“Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Ready to test your wine knowledge? Take a peek at our quiz (and answer key) below. 

Questions

1. How many grapes does it take to make a standard bottle of wine?
2. How much wine is consumed throughout the world each year?
3. What is the most widely planted grape in the world?
4. Which country invented the corkscrew?
5. Does red wine become darker or lighter over time?

Answers

1. About 600 grapes, or 2.5 pounds.
2. Over 24.7 billion liters of wine. 
3. Cabernet Sauvignon, with more than 700,000 acres worldwide.
4. England. The first reference to a corkscrew appeared in a museum catalog of 1681.
5. Lighter. White wine, in contrast, becomes darker as it ages.

So, how did you do? Let’s expand our knowledge with a little trip through wine-making history. There's no doubt that France, Italy, and Spain are frequently associated with winemaking and wine culture. But arguably, it's France that lays claim to the world's most famous wine regions, including Bordeaux aka the “wine capital of the world.” France is also home to the most popular varietals and wines on the planet: think cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, champagne, pinot noir, and sauvignon blanc. 

However, the history of wine doesn't begin with French wine (or even Italian or Spanish wine). Archaeological records tell us that wine was actually first produced in China around 7000 B.C., followed by Armenia, Iran, and Georgia, between 6100 to 6000 B.C. In fact, there is an ancient Persian fable that tells the tale of a woman discovering wine for the first time. According to the fable, she was a princess who had lost favor with the King. The shame was so overwhelming that she ate some table grapes that had spoiled in their jar in an attempt to end her life. As we now know, her suicide did not go as planned...instead of slipping into eternal slumber, she got giddy, intoxicated, and then passed out. When she awoke she found all the troubles of her life seemed to have passed. (Can anyone relate?!)

Fast forward to 2021. Could we be any more spoiled than to be here in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 2,000 wineries in Oregon and neighboring states? Our wines are known and loved around the world, especially Oregon pinot noir, but the list is seemingly endless.

Our wine department is expertly designed to offer the best of every style and price, from bold and elegant cabernet sauvignons, plus malbecs with aromas and flavors of dark fruit and hints of cocoa, and on to grenaches, syrahs and mourvèdres, chardonnays, pinot grigios, the lists go on. Have a question about our selection? Our employee-owner experts know volumes about wine, and love sharing it with you.

Want to win your next taco Tuesday? Try making your own corn tortillas with this delicious recipe from Gimme Some Oven. Easy to make (you only need 3 ingredients), this crowd-pleaser yields the most delectable, soft, foldable, and naturally gluten-free corn tortillas.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (240 grams) masa harina *(see below)
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups hot water
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Mix the dough. In a large mixing bowl, briefly whisk together masa harina and salt. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups hot water, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until an evenly mixed dough begins to form. Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes in the mixing bowl, until it is smooth and forms a cohesive ball. The dough’s texture should feel springy and firm, similar to Play-Doh. If the dough feels too wet and is sticking to your hands, add in a few extra tablespoons of flour. If it feels too dry and crackly, add in an extra tablespoon or two of hot water.
2. Rest the dough. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel (or paper towel) and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
3. Portion the dough. Use a spoon or a medium ice cream scoop to portion the dough into a 2-tablespoon ball (35-40 grams, or about the size of a golf ball), then use your hands to roll the ball until it is nice and round.
4. Press the dough balls. Place the dough ball between two pieces of plastic in a tortilla press. Then gently press the dough ball until it forms a 4- to 5-inch tortilla.
5. Cook the tortilla. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, gently peel the tortilla away from the plastic wrap and lay the tortilla flat in the skillet. Cook the tortilla for about 40-60 seconds per side, flipping it once speckled brown spots begin to appear on the bottom of the tortilla. The tortillas will likely bubble up while cooking, especially on the second side, which is a good sign! Once it is cooked, transfer the tortilla to a tortilla warmer or a bowl wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, so that the tortillas do not dry out.
6. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. If you notice that the skillet begins to seem too hot, just turn down the heat a bit.
7. Serve. The tortillas will continue to soften a bit more as they sit in a stack in your tortilla warmer (or wrapped in a towel). Serve however you would like and enjoy! 

*What is Masa harina:

Masa harina translates in Spanish to mean “corn flour,” but please note that masa harina is different from cornmeal and American cornflour (which is just finely-ground cornmeal). Mexican masa harina is made from nixtamalized corn, so if you peek at the ingredient label, it should always include both corn (maíz) and hydrated lime. You can find it in the flour/baking section of our store!

How to build a better sandwich (our top three tips!):

1. Mix up the textures: Some sandwiches thrive on pure softness, like pulled pork, but most can benefit from having several distinct textures. Adding textures brings complexity, like the crave-worthy combinations of crisp-soft or melty-toasty. Think about the kind of crunch that onion rings add to a sandwich or the subtle pop of seeds. There are all kinds of ways you can build contrasting textures. A common way is to toast bread separate from the fillings, creating a thin crisp sheath around the outside. You can also incorporate fried eggs, snappy vegetables like carrots, thick cuts of cheese, crisp lettuce, creamy aioli, and so on. Even small variations between textures can make a huge difference.
2. Find inspiration in your jars and cans: ​​When it comes to layering a great sandwich, the pantry is your BFF. How easy is it to twist open a jar of roasted peppers, marinated artichokes, or spicy relish and jazz up your sandwich in just a few spoonfuls? A whole host of jarred goods has the potential to add dimension to sandwiches, and with almost no added work. Sun-dried tomatoes, kimchi, even jarred pesto. Turn to your pantry and get creative!
3. Add some acid: An overlooked trick in the sandwich toolbox is harnessing the powers of acidic ingredients. This tool, though, has been right in front of your eyes the whole time: think about pickles on a cheeseburger, how their zing can lighten the heft of the meat and lend a nice counterpoint to the ooze of the cheese. Calling on acidic foods can lift sandwiches, especially those like banh mi, chicken cutlet, or any sandwich that leans on fatty or meaty components. Pickled vegetables can do a great job here, whether simply red onions or heirloom cauliflower in a fancier giardiniera. A sprinkling of vinegar can go a long way, too.