Belvoir Cordials

Back in the olden days, before genetically modified fruits and veggies overtook the market, people didn't have the luxury of eating fresh produce all winter long. Instead they preserved their harvest so they could enjoy the fresh flavors of summer during the coldest months of the year. And luckily for us, Belvoir Fruit Farms is still using those traditional techniques to bring us these aromatic concentrates that are completely natural and delightfully flavored with elderberry flowers. These fragrant fruit and flower cordials are excellent when splashed into a glass of sparkling water or when mixed with gin or vodka.

InStyle Magazine also wrote about our line of botanic cordials in this month's issue and listed our phone number, but oddly enough, they made no mention of The Dep itself. So if you're looking for Belvoir Cordials, be sure to stop by or give us a shout so you can try one of our favorite products.

Siggi's Icelandic Yogurt

Siggi Hilmarsson started making skyr, an old school Icelandic style yogurt, in his tiny NYC apartment after missing one of his favorite childhood treats from his homeland in 2004. Since then, siggi's skyr has blown up in the yogurt industry as one of the tastiest, creamiest, rich, and surprisingly low sugar cultured products on the market. While being made in upstate New York with milk from local, grass-fed, and untainted cows, this brand not only uses real fruit but also refuses to use anything artificial(!). And as you can imagine, siggi's flavors are out of this world; from fresh orange with tiny bits of candied ginger, to the store's favorite - lush pineapple, this brand of Icelandic skyr is something you've got to try. But be weary, this stuff is just mildly addicting.

Mother In Law's Kimchi

This crunchy, briny kimchi is brought to you all the way from Jang Mo Gip, a super fucking awesome Korean restaurant in Garden Grove, California. Fermented without preservatives and featuring all natural ingredients along with the best peppers possible, this aromatic and spicy concoction of pickled cabbage is the ultimate in flavor complexity. The underlying heat from the chili peppers most definitely packs a punch, but it's surprisingly mellowed out by a bright vinegary tang. Toss MILKimchi with succulent shrimp for an exotic ceviche; plunge in tomato juice and vodka for a twist on the oh-so-fabulous Bloody Mary; or just eat it straight out of the jar - whichever method you choose, we're sure that you'll come back for more.

Edinburgh Mustards

These hand-crafted mustards come in a varietiy of bold flavors straight from Scotland. With enticing combinations like Honey & Whiskey, Beer & Black Peppercorn, Chili & Vodka, and Original Wholegrain, these spreads will most definitely compliment cheese trays or holiday platters this season. We also think they make great gifts for the booze aficionados that you roll with, because you can always rely on their drink of choice to guide you in your gift giving. And for the non-drinkers, there's always the Original Wholegrain, of course.

But if you're looking to pair some cheeses for a snack or to impress your friends during their next dinner party (not that you already don't) we'd suggest the Honey & Whiskey Mustard to go with our dynanic Avonlea Cheddar our our fruity Piave. For the Beer & Black Peppercorn Mustard definitely try our chalky and butterscotch-y aged Borenkass. And with the Chili & Vodka Mustard, we'd recommend our salty manchego or grassy, earthy Lou Bergier. And lastly, for the Original Wholegrain Mustard, well you can't really go wrong, but we'd suggest nutty Comte or complex aged Gruyere.

If that doesn't make your stomach growl, well then, you're SOL.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

Preserved in a deep magenta syrup made from Australian cane sugar, these delicate and floral hibiscus flowers are an eye-catching and flavorful addition to a wide variety of libations. Grown in the foothills of The Blue Mountains and maintained by a company that only has around 35 employees at any given time, you can be certain that you're getting the best product possible. The buds are even picked, cleaned, and jarred by hand to ensure that they do not get crushed and can retain their beautiful and natural organic shape.

The Wild Hibiscus Company 's flowers in syrup were even featured on Rachel Ray and the New York Times Magazine, both of which infused them in exotic margaritas to the highlight the bright and tropical flavors of Mexico.

European Gummy Candies

Since Halloween is right around the corner, we figured that we should feature some of our favorite gummy candies from around the world. These bagged delights are just as beautiful, tasty, and unique on the inside as they are on the outside of the package. So whether you're more of salty and spicy licorice-lover, or more of a fruity and tangy kind of person, then we've got you covered. Here's the lowdown on some of our favorite treats.

To begin, let's talk about Bassetts Jelly Babies!

• Jelly Babies, originally called Peace Babies in an effort to end World War I, are sugary gelatinous baby figures that each have their own name and shape. They're sweet to the taste and feature delightful flavors from lime and blackcurrant. They were even said to be a favorite of George Harrison!

• Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles, which are sugar-coated fruit flavored jelly disks, are absolutely irresistible! With flavors of lime, lemon, strawberry, orange, and blackcurrant, and made from real fruit juice, you just bite the big one and chew 'em!

• Haribo Fruit Salad, which are also dusted in sugar, feature delicious flavors like grapefruit, passion fruit, cherry, lemon, lime, and orange. These funky-shaped gummy fruits are not overly sweet and not too sugary, so you won't feel guilty about consuming an entire bag (at least we didn't!). I guess you could say that they are sort of a healthy snack... sort of.

• Katjes Kinder, known for it's cat-shaped appearance, is a hard black candy that is made from real licorice root extract. With a unique flavor isn't overpowering, these German candies are definitely pleasing to the taste buds. Though technically not a hard candy, whether you chew or suck on them is said to be personal preference; no matter what, method you choose - the taste will be memorable.

• Katjes Katzen Pfötchen, which are similar to the aforementioned licorice, are made with a perfect blend of natural herbs and spices. These cat-paw-shaped chews are soft and spicy with the perfect balance of sweet and salty licorice flavor. An absolute must for a licorice lover.

• Saure Johannisbeeren, a tart sugar coated chewy candy, has a ridiculously strong and sour redcurrant flavor. This sweet and sour combination is strange and a little bit overpowering at first but after you eat just one, they surprisingly become completely addicting!

• Yogurt Gums, which are Katjes number one candy, have not changed their recipe since they were first made in 1971 - except for the elimination of unnatural extracts which happened way long ago. Made with a mixture of fruit concentrate and yogurt powder, the delicious flavors of these creamy delights are strawberry, cherry, raspberry, lemon,  pear and sometimes blueberry!

Almdudler, Austrian Soda

We're very pleased to once again carry our favorite Austrian soft drink, Almdudler limonade. With a flavor somewhere between an herbal gingerale and lemon-lime soda, Almdudler has fast become our go-to sugar fix. Try it out!!!

The Fine Cheese Co. Chive Crackers & Fromage De Meaux

With the extensive amount of cheese and crackers at The Dep, it's hard to narrow down the pairing options. Because this can sometimes be a little overwhelming, we've started carrying a new line of flavorful English crackers that just so happen to share their expert knowledge right on the box. Yep, that's right. The Fine Cheese Co. not only tells you which cheese to pair with what cracker, but it also gives you a glimpse into what the crackers themselves look like. So next time you're in a rush to get to a dinner party, or just too exhausted and need a little pick me up - check out this new delightfull line.

In the picture above, we did a sampling in the shop and paired our bloomy Fromage De Meaux with some of the crispy and flaky Chive Crackers - it was an absolutely delicious and well-balanced combination.

And if you're looking for something to pair with some hard, nutty, and salty cheese like our Parmigiano-Reggiano or the oh-so-robust Pecorino Toscano Stagionato Dop. Then you'll want to try the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sea Salt Crackers. Or maybe you're in the mood for some our softer cheeses like a nice little bijou or our triple cream delicacy - the Brilliant Savrarin. If that's the case, then you should try the light and airy Rosemary crackers that are laced with this aromatic herb. And if those aren't doing it for you, and you want something in the middle, like a Comte or Gruyere, then you'll definitely want to try the Basil speckled crackers which pair perfectly with the supple, fruity, and nutty flavors that are present in these raw cow's milk cheeses.

Fancy a Drink?

How about a fancy drink? Here's a recipe for our new favorite gin drink, made with Belvoir Farms Elderflower Cordial: to mix one, combine equal parts Hendrick's (or another floral gin) and elderflower cordial over ice, top with soda water, and garnish with a lemon slice. What better way to start your weekend?

Prosciutto di San Daniele

The origins of Prosciutto di San Daniele go back to Celtic-Roman times. In the Middle Ages, the town of San Daniele was a dependency of the Patriarchy of Aquileia whose Patriarch and Bishop-Count established his summer residence there and, exercising his feudal powers, demanded the payment of taxes in the form of ham. Prosciutto di San Daniele was served at the dining tables of the Council of Trent and was highly appreciated by princes and sovereigns. There are documents relating how in the seventeenth century a supply was sent to the King of Hungary accompanied by a health certificate drawn up by veterinarians from the Republic of Venice who had joined the Patriarchy of Aquileia. The large-scale production of Prosciutto di San Daniele began early this century. The ham became a favourite delicacy for a number of celebrated historical figures, Gabriele D'Annunzio among them. Prosciutto di San Daniele is an uncooked aged ham. It is distinctively shaped like a guitar and the meat is reddish-pink in colour. It has a pronounced aroma, a sweet and delicate flavour and an unmistakable after-taste. The retention of the end-piece of the hog's leg (the trotter) is another identifying characteristic. The treatment of the meat lasts 12-13 months. The area of production is the town district of San Daniele del Friuli in the province of Udine. The livestock comes exclusively from ten regions in central-north Italy (46 per cent from Lombardy alone). The hogs are bred only on approved farms, and the DOP certification sets out stringent norms regarding the genetic make-up of the animals and precise rules for their feeding. The only ingredient used in the treatment process is sea salt, and that only sparingly (the salt content in a properly aged Prosciutto di San Daniele is less than 6 per cent).

Intelligentsia

This socially responsible, Direct Trade coffee company brings beans—in terms of quality and commitment—to a new level. By cutting out middlemen and traveling to countries where its beans originate, Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee buys directly from farmers, all of whom are well compensated for producing high quality coffee beans.

We carry both the retail size House Blend Coffee and their Black Cat Classic Espresso. Check out their super nerdy video on making espresso:

Espresso, Intelligentsia from The D4D on Vimeo.