Aleida
What’s What: Peach Cherry Salsa
Nothing is better than peaches and cherries picked at their prime and sold at your local market. But the fresh harvest season is short, and so in Peach Cherry Salsa we’ve attempted to seal in a spicy sauce the intensely fresh flavors of ripe peaches, cherries, and tomatoes. A jar of Chukar’s salsa contains these all [...]
Creative Tips for Using Dried Berries in your Kitchen
Beautiful berries grow on the ”wet” side of Washington. So while our beloved cherry orchards thrive in eastern Washington soils, it is the coastal region we have to thank for our Skagit Valley Strawberries, Puget Sound Blueberries, and North Cove Cranberries. Like dried cherries, dried berries fare well in baked goods. But there are a number of other [...]
Cranberry Orange Butter
Did you know that Chukar’s logo way-back-when was, ”The Year ‘Round Cherry and Berry Company”? Admittedly, cherries have stolen the spotlight in more recent years, but we still love our naturally dried Northwest berries, and we are always looking for new ways to use them. Hence, Berry Butter. This dried berry and butter spread is [...]
What’s What: Cherry Pomegranate Chutney
There are four things that go into any chutney: veggies, fruits, spices, and herbs. Beyond those categories, there are no rules as to how sweet, savory, spicy, or mild the sauce must be, or what foods it should accompany. Chukar’s Cherry Pomegranate Chutney could be called rigorously Northwest thanks to its abundance of cranberries, apples, and cherries. The cranberries are [...]
What’s What: Natural Maraschino and Dessert Cherries
Decorative, delicious toppers. That is the idea Chukar had in mind when it set out to create our all natural Maraschino Cherries and Dessert Cherries. Like a sprig of parsley with sirloin steak, cherry garnishes add a splash of color and elegance. Unlike a sprig of parsley, however, this garnish is meant to be eaten [...]
Pairing Chukar Chocolates with Wine
Being chocolatiers in vineyard territory has its privileges. In 2007 we approached several local boutique wineries to get their opinions on which of our chocolate-covered cherries paired best with their wines. Regional wineries like Kestrel, Thurston Wolf, and Davenlore readily helped us create a Chukar Chocolate and Washington Wines pairing guide. To this day they [...]
Pairing Chukar Chocolate with Wine — general guidelines
In a recent post, we outlined good pairings for Chukar chocolates and wines. While conducting your at home tasting, we recommend keeping these general guidelines in mind: Rule 1: Strong chocolates need strong counterparts. If you have white chocolate with delicate cocoa butter like the Raspberry Truffles, you’ll need light and airy wines such as [...]
Roasted Duck Legs with Sour Cherry Sauce
As Chukar’s “resident chef” and baker at the Pike Place Market store, Assistant Manager Alyson Lenhoff is the go-to gal for recipes, culinary tips, and the occasional treat she brings to work to share. Over the last two holiday seasons, many customers have asked about using Chukar’s fruit sauces to make savory cherry-based sauces for [...]
About this Author
Alyson Lenhoff is the Assistant Manager at Chukar in Pike Place Market. She is an avid chef, baker, and cherry enthusiast.
What’s What: Milk Chocolate Cherries
With four basic milk chocolate cherry varieties, our palates are in need of a tasting guide. So what’s what when it comes to Chukar’s milk chocolate cherries? Milk Chocolate Classic Cherries Chocolate: Pure artisan milk chocolate Center: Dried Bing cherry Chukar’s Milk Chocolate Classic Cherries are to our confection collection what a simple black dress [...]
2011 Pike Staff Picks
Name: Bevin Duncan Hometown: Indianola, Washington How long have you worked at Chukar: 1+ years What products do you recommend: Amaretto Rainiers and Chipotle Grilling Sauce What’s so great about them? Rainiers: Smooth, sweet dark chocolate, almost a middle ground between milk & dark! And, of course, it involves Washington’s pride and joy: the delicious Rainier cherry! [...]
