Posts categorized 'CM News'
Reserve Your Central Market Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two Online
We prepare it. You share it. Central Market has the recipe for romance this Valentine’s Day: dinner for two.
Choose from four complete chef-prepared meals. Each comes with Brie and fruit board to start, plus two entrees, dessert and chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bottle of wine. (If you prefer, you can order any meal without wine.) Below are this year’s selections:
Oven-roasted lobster tail with lemon basil butter, Boursin potato soufflé, sautéed mixed baby vegetables, brioche dinner rolls, mini cheesecake with berry sauce, chocolate-covered strawberries and Marc Cellars Chardonnay.
Grilled beef tenderloin with pomegranate demi glace, herb potato gratin with Manchego, sautéed mixed baby vegetables, brioche dinner rolls, chocolate raspberry truffle cake, chocolate-covered strawberries and Periodic Pinot Noir.
Grilled beef tenderloin with apple-smoked bacon shallot butter, herb grilled shrimp, herb potato gratin with Manchego, sautéed mixed baby vegetables, brioche dinner rolls, chocolate raspberry truffle cake, chocolate-covered strawberries and Periodic Pinot Noir.
Chicken saltimbocca, Boursin potato soufflé, sautéed mixed baby vegetables, brioche dinner rolls, mini cheesecake with berry sauce, chocolate-covered strawberries and il Cane Rosso wine.
Here’s the best part: you can now reserve your dinner for two online through February 13 to pick up in-store. We also will have dinners ready to grab and go through February 14, but they always sell out, so we recommend pre-ordering. You can also call your store, if you prefer to reserve that way.
In addition to our famous dinners for two, you can also reserve bakery items such as heart-shaped pot de crème and crème brulee, chocolate cherry or white chocolate apricot bread, mini chocolate cheesecake, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. We also have beautiful, large-head, long-stemmed roses available to reserve in one dozen or two.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at the Central Market Chocolate Festival February 8-14
Are you really into chocolate? Does death by chocolate sound like a pretty good way to go? Do you think too much of a good thing is a good thing as long as that good thing is chocolate? If the answer’s yes, then bring your sweet tooth to the 5th annual chocolate festival at Central Market, when the entire store will be dedicated to the sweet and savory sensations of chocolate.
Sample unforgettable eats like an unrivaled selection of artisan chocolates (of course), plus baked delights such as chocolate cherry bread and chocolate chess pie, chocolate coffee, chocolate-covered popcorn, five chile cocoa-seasoned steaks, and a complete chocolate chicken mole meal, available at our Chef’s Case. You’ll also find chocolate stout in our beer and wine department, where you can ask our experts to help you pick a wine to pair with your favorite chocolate-y foods.
Earn your chocolate chops in our cooking classes, when we teach you to make loveable, edible gifts for your Valentine. Or learn how to make everything from soup to nuts using our four favorite food groups: milk, white, dark and semi-sweet. If you prefer to cook with chocolate from the comfort of your own kitchen, we have oodles of chocolate recipes, too.
Perhaps most exciting, more than a dozen famous chocolate makers and chocolatiers are descending on our stores to hand out samples of their award-winning confections and share stories about their profession. You can read more about who’s visiting your store, but here’s a snapshot:
Katrina Markoff, CEO and Founder, Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Alan “Patric” McClure, Founder and Head Chocolate Maker, Patric Chocolate
Fritz Knipschildt, Owner, Knipschildt Chocolatier and Café Chocopologie
Shawn Askinosie, Founder and Chocolate Maker, Askinosie Chocolate
Andrea Pedraza, Master Chocolatier and Owner, CocoAndré Chocolatier
Bertil Åkesson, Owner, Åkesson’s Fine Chocolates
Dave Owens, Chief Chocolatier, Bissinger’s
Sue Williams, M.D., Owner and Chocolatier, Dr. Sue’s Chocolate
Jackie Ekholm, Founder, MOO Chocolate
Lauren McCusker, Chocolatier, Xan Confections
Stefano Zullian, Carla Susi and Silvana Susi, Owners, Araya Artisan Chocolate
Jason Caslow, Chef, Pure Dark Chocolate
Tim McCollum, Co-Founder, Madécasse Chocolate
Also noteworthy: if you don’t already receive our eFoodie newsletter, there is no better time to sign up. New subscribers will be entered for a chance to win one of seven chocolate gift baskets. The grand prize? A $250 gift card. We think that’s pretty sweet.
Central Market Introduces New Chef-Crafted Meatballs
America is having a love affair with meat. Our appetite for burgers is far from sated, but trendier these days is the meatball. The Huffington Post declared meatballs one of the hottest food trends of 2011. Chef Daniel Holzman and co-owner Michael Chernow kicked off the craze in 2010, when they opened the original Meatball Shop in New York. (The two also have a cookbook chock full of more than 100 recipes). James Beard award-winning chef and master of French cuisine Michel Richard opened a restaurant simply called Meatballs in Washington, D.C. And Top Chef finalist Dave Martin opened The Meatball Factory in New York City’s East Village.
While spaghetti and meatballs is an all-American (nope, not Italian) invention, meatballs stretch across all cuisines, from Spanish albondigas and Greek keftedes to Belgian ballekes and Chinese pork balls. So why do we love meatballs? NPR’s Bonny Wolf calls them “affordable and familiar” and “happy food in hard times.” And Holzman and Chernow, in their Meatball Shop cookbook, declare that meatballs are “the ultimate cure-all for anything that ails you.”
Central Market chefs toiled away in the kitchen to create their own spin on the latest food craze, drawing inspiration from across the globe. After much experimenting (and eating), we are pleased to present five great variations, available in the Chef's Case:
Buffalo Chicken
A game-day favorite! We start with top-quality ground chicken and spike it with hot sauce and celery. Then we garnish them with ranch and blue cheese crumbles.
Chile Relleno
These taste just like the dish that inspired them. We take natural ground pork and add roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, Cotija cheese, onion, cumin and ground chipotle. Then we top them with more Cotija cheese and cilantro.
Mediterranean Lamb
All the flavors of the Mediterranean come together beautifully in this dish: ground lamb, raisins, walnuts, feta cheese, garlic, parsley, mint and oregano. Serve with a side of orzo and a peasant-style Greek salad.
Steak and Bacon
Ground beef, bacon, onion, garlic, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, parsley, and thyme comprise this all-American favorite tossed in pomodoro sauce and garnished with more Swiss.
Thai Pork and Shrimp
Natural ground pork, shrimp, green onions, cilantro, mint, fish sauce and serrano peppers make up these meatballs that are begging to be tossed in soup. Start with chicken stock, then add the meatballs, cellophane noodles, garlic, green onion and a little soy.
Central Market Preston Royal Set To Open February 15
The corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane just got a lot more delicious.
A brand-new Central Market is coming to the neighborhood, in the former Borders space. And, just as you’d expect from Central Market, plenty of tasty new ideas await.
Our new store will feature everything you already love about Central Market, including an almost mind-boggling selection of fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, peak-of-season fish flown in six days a week, a massive selection of cheeses, on-site catering, and fresh floral.
But there are plenty of new surprises, such as house-made bialys, custom sandwich bar, expanded New York-style deli offerings and even car carryout. Our coffee bar opens an hour early, at 7 am every day.
So come meet your new Central Market neighbors on February 15. But don’t worry about bringing us any food. We’ve got plenty.
Central Market Fort Worth Reinvents Its Chef’s Case
How often have you gazed longingly at the foods in our Chef’s Case, wishing they were available hot and ready to eat? Dishes do come true! We’ve tripled the size of our hot foods area, and that means delicious new warmed-and-ready dishes created by our new executive chef, Joe Synatschk, CIA graduate and former chef de cuisine at Screen Door in Dallas.
Forgive us if your mouth waters, but here’s a sampling of what you’ll find in-store: house-smoked meats such as brisket, pork ribs, turkey or chicken, available on a platter with your choice of two vegetables, including green beans amandine, whipped sweet potatoes and mac & cheese. Or choose chicken poblano enchiladas, a hunk of cowboy casserole or a slice of four-cheese pizza. But wait! There’s more. For breakfast we’re serving breakfast tacos (think smoked brisket, eggs, onion strings and cotija cheese), pancakes and steel-cut oatmeal. Now there’s a reason to rise and dine.
Central Market Fort Worth Introduces New Artisan Pasta Program
What’s the first thing you miss after returning from a trip to Italy? The pasta, of course. Well, Central Market is now making fresh, authentic pasta daily in-store. Watch as we crack fresh eggs into the dough made with imported Italian flour and semolina and then carefully monitor the streams of fresh product coming out of our imported pasta-making machines.
Among the pasta cuts are pappardelle, fettuccine, linguine, penne, lasagna and strozzapreti, available in flavors like traditional, Cabernet, carrot, Dijon and chile powder. If you prefer your pasta stuffed, Central Market chefs have crafted craveable raviolis, in foodie flavors like mushroom and goat cheese with a hint of thyme, simple and delicious ricotta and fresh herbs, shrimp and mascarpone spiked with brandy and tarragon, hearty and sophisticated beef bourguignon, and kid-friendly mac and cheese that tastes just like the comfort-food classic that inspired it.
Celebrate Citrus Fest at Central Market January 11-24
We had enough of gray skies and rain during the holidays. Now we’re ready for a little sunshine. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll take it in the form of sunny citrus.
So join us January 11-24 for Citrus Fest, when our experts show you how to put a little pow in your chow. We’ll teach you the differences between variegated pink and Meyer lemons and introduce you to kishu and satsuma mandarins. Don’t know what to do with fragrant Buddha’s hand? No worries. We can teach you that too.
From the pith to the peel, citrus fruits – grapefruits, oranges, limes, lemons and beyond – offer powerful flavor and boast some pretty amazing health and mood benefits. Folate, free radical-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and more pack a healthy punch in every bite or sip, and these can improve skin’s elasticity, heart health, even the ability of the body to absorb calcium for healthy bones. Just the scent of citrus can boost energy and lift your mood.
In addition to a mind-blowing array of citrus fruits, we have fresh-squeezed juices at our newly revamped juice bar, sweet and savory recipes featuring citrus, brand-new products in every department (scratch-made limoncello pound cake, marinated chicken breasts in signature flavors like orange honey habanero and ginger orange cookies from Wackym’s Kitchen, to name a few), and special citrus classes in our cooking schools.
Another great idea: try a little grapefruit sorbetto in your champagne or prosecco for an appetizing aperitif. You can buy grapefruit sorbetto at our Gelato Bar. Or try herbal-infused sorbets from local company Savoy, in flavors like orange chamomile or lemon thyme, available in Frozen. For even more great ideas for incorporating citrus into your cooking, check out this recent blog post by Bon Appetit.
This is the most flavorful navel orange in the house. This grower only uses “old line” Washington navel trees combined with sour and sweet orange rootstock. It’s picked only when it is ready and packed fresh.
Cara Cara Oranges
Discovered in the mid-’70s at La Hacienda de Cara Cara in Venezuela, the Cara Cara has a sweet taste with a spicy tang reminiscent of raspberries and strawberries.
Moro Blood Oranges
Originally from Sicily and common throughout Italy, moro blood oranges are known for their complex raspberry flavor. Moros are generally deep red, almost black inside. This is a great orange for garnish, saucework or fresh eating.
Meyer lemons are favored for their thin, edible rinds and very juicy interior. The flavor is slightly sweeter than traditional lemons without the harsh acidic bite. Recently, Meyers have become very popular with chefs and foodies!
One of the best flavored early-season mandarins. Pages are slightly more difficult to peel than other varieties due to their tight-fitting skin. Score the bottom of the fruit to make peeling a breeze.
Originally from Satsuma, Japan, these mandarins are the first seedless mandarin of the year. You may have seen them beginning in November. Easy to peel, satsumas are perfect for lunchboxes and snacking. Just pop the little mandarins in the mouth!
This mandarin orange is native to China but has been popular in Europe and Africa for more than a century. It’s known throughout the world for its fine, distinctive flavor reminiscent of apricot nectar.
Kishus are small in size but big in flavor. They are grown by a small farmer in the Ojai Valley, considered by many to be the most ideal location in the world for growing citrus.
Known as the “caviar lime,” its juice vesicles have a surprisingly similar texture and appearance to caviar. Its flavor is tart, slightly sweet and more limey than limes. To eat, slice the lime in half widthwise and squeeze each end. The pulp will slide out of the skin. Finger limes are fantastic for seafood, salads and sauces.
Central Market To Serve 12,000 Meals at the Fifth Annual Feast of Sharing November 10
While food trucks are enjoying a rise in popularity, Central Market is firing up a mobile kitchen of another kind. 2011 marks the fifth year of Feast of Sharing, when the H-E-B Central Market 45-foot mobile kitchen turns out turkey dinners with all the trimmings so our community's underprivileged can enjoy a delicious sit-down dinner and festive entertainment. The annual dinner is set for Thursday, November 10, 2–7 pm, in the Centennial Building in Fair Park, 1001 Washington St.
“Each year we look forward to serving and enjoying a holiday meal with the community,” says Stephen Butt, senior vice president of Central Market. “Five years ago, when Central Market brought this event to DFW, we were excited to watch it grow into a powerful event the community could count on. As we near our fifth anniversary, we’re overjoyed to know we plan to serve twice as many meals as we served our first year.”
Hundreds of Central Market and community volunteers come together to prepare and serve more than 12,000 meals. That means 2,500 pounds of sliced turkey breast, 250 gallons of mashed potatoes, 1,500 pounds of cornbread dressing, 145 pounds of vegetable medley, 62 gallons of jellied cranberry sauce, 90 gallons of turkey gravy, 600 pieces of pumpkin pie and 8,000 dinner rolls.
Attendees can also enjoy live entertainment, with performances by many local schools and bands. For the kids, there are bounce houses, pictures with Santa and Blue Bell ice cream. Feast of Sharing also brings social services to the community.
Free nonstop transportation is provided at The Bridge, 1818 Corsicana St; The Salvation Army Shelter, 5302 Harry Hines; Dallas Life Foundation, 1100 Cadiz St.; Lakewest YMCA, 3737 Goldman; and the Anita Martinez Recreation Center, 3212 N. Winnetka Ave. The DART Green Line will also run directly to Fair Park and MLK Jr. stations.
H-E-B’s commitment and involvement in the community has been recognized as an important part of the way the company does business. The Feast of Sharing tradition started in Laredo in 1988, and H-E-B’s holiday dinner program has now grown to 31 locations that serve more than 250,000 meals to people throughout Texas and Mexico.
New This Season: Reserve Your Central Market Holiday Meals Online
The holidays are all about good. Good friends. Good times. Good wines. Good cheer. And, of course, really, really good food. Central Market offers everything you need to serve a sensational spread, delight a dinner party and celebrate the season. Savory main dishes like turkeys and hams that make your mouth water. Show-stopping sides that add a tempting touch to any meal. Made-from-scratch desserts that make every ending sweet. It’s all here, and it’s all good.
To make your holiday planning even easier, you can now go online to reserve our most popular chef-prepared, ready-to-reheat holiday catering offerings. Select a complete dinner, or build-your-own meal with an oven-roasted turkey or herb-crusted tenderloin and an array of side dishes such as herb potato gratin with roasted garlic and manchego cheese, warm roasted root vegetable salad or classic whipped sweet potatoes. Then select from scratch-made pies, from classic bourbon pecan to lattice-topped strawberry rhubarb.
Once you’ve made your selections, simply choose a store and time for pickup. Thanksgiving orders are accepted until November 21, 6 pm. Christmas orders can be placed until December 21, 6 pm.
Can’t find what you need online? Then download our complete Holiday Goodness Guide and call your store’s Holiday Hotline to order. This year, we’re all about good for goodness sake—no matter how you order it.
Central Market Debuts New Online Store With More Than 20 Foodie Gift Boxes
Wondering how to send a sweet gift without going to the store? Know a college student hungry for snacks before finals or a homesick Texan who needs a pick-me-up? Looking for unique ideas for holiday gift giving?
Get ready to ship delicious treats from Central Market—just by shopping online. Central Market now has a “store” open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our gift box ecommerce site features more than 20 dazzling gift boxes filled with our foodie favorites, including top tastes from Texas, superior salty and savory snacks and Central Market brand favorites. For new moms or beauty product lovers, there are bath and baby themed boxes available, too.
“We worked with our buyers, who travel the United States and the globe to find the best-tasting products, to thoughtfully select the items to build our gift boxes,” says Sarah Dyer, floral and gift baskets buyer. “They’re special. No one else can offer our exclusive Native Texan salsas, for example. Our boxes are really loaded with great products, and they’re competitively priced, too.”
All of the boxes can be shipped anywhere in the United States, so you can send Central Market favorites to foodies anywhere. Every purchase is guaranteed to be signed, sealed and delicious.
