Sugee’s Box Lunch Company: A Family Affair 

When Sugee’s opened, Microsoft had been in Bellevue for three years and employed 220 people. Since that date in 1982, Microsoft and the Eastside have grown enormously, and Sugee’s has been right there in the thick of it making dependably fabulous food at great prices. That Sugee’s is closing in on forty in a very competitive market is a testament to the loyal following they’ve built one carefully prepared meal at a time.

Sugee’s, a family-owned catering company, specializes in box lunches available for pick-up or delivery. The quality of their ingredients is what makes their handcrafted sandwiches so memorable. They roast many of their meats in-house, which is why their turkey sandwich will remind you of Thanksgiving. The quality of their house-roasted corned beef shines in their grilled-to-perfection Reuben. The roast beef, ham, chicken, and bacon are also custom roasted in their kitchen. You can taste the freshness of their chicken, tuna, and egg salads, which are scratch-made every day from recipes that have stood the test of time (and earned legions of fans). Every box lunch comes with a bag of Tim’s chips, a pickle, and an unbelievably good chocolate chip cookie.

“The specialness of the cookies is in the time and quality that go into the small-batch mix,” says Pat Amador, who along with fellow owner and partner Richard, founded Sugee’s. “Richard’s famous cookies are handcrafted and baked as needed for the day, sometimes hour by hour. We use Guittard chocolate in our products, sweet butter and real vanilla.” Their now-adult children, Jason and Jaime, grew up working long hours at Sugee’s. Jason has stayed involved in operations (Jaime, with her husband Paul, owns Classic Cycles on Bainbridge Island).

Most of Sugee’s delivery is to the Eastside, but they also deliver throughout the greater Seattle area. Customers in Bellevue should allow four hours for delivery. A day’s notice is required for customers outside Bellevue, although Sugee’s will accommodate same-day deliveries if possible.

Over the years, Sugee’s has been involved in many of Seattle’s iconic events—including Summer Nights at the Pier, Bumbershoot, and Folk Life. They’ve also supplied desserts to Nordstrom, the Space Needle, and the legendary Trattoria Mitchelli, where many a late-night diner delighted in the quality of Sugee’s cheesecakes.

Sugee’s used to bake their own bread but switched to Macrina several years ago. “We started with Macrina when we found we couldn’t handle our bread production due to the volume,” says Pat. “Macrina’s sourdough is consistently great, the Bui buns are crackly and fresh and getting more popular with our Italianos and hot stuff, and the rolls and brioche are capable of handling all sandwiches. It’s been a great partnership.”

New Sweet and Savory Treats at Macrina 

Not much beats the sampling of potential new products at Macrina Bakery. The only tricky part is choosing which of the still warm samples is best and should become a regular offering. But the hard choices have been made, and we’re proud to say the creative work put in by Leslie Mackie, our pastry team, and our bakers has yielded some of the best new products we’ve offered in years.

Organic Whole Wheat Bun 

Perfect for juicy burgers or pulled pork sandwiches, this soft bun gets a slight toasted-nut flavor from an organic whole grain flour from Walla Walla and a gentle sweetness from agave syrup. Grill or toast it to caramelize the interior. The buns are sold in four-packs with a recipe card for a slow-cooked pulled pops sandwich with mango cabbage salsa—an exceptional way to enjoy this hearty bun.

Cheese Bagel 

Our MadRy Sourdough Bagels topped with a combination of white cheddar, parmesan and fresh herbs. The hint of rye in the bagel complements the bold flavor of the cheese. Sold individually or in four-packs, this cheese bagel is excellent toasted for a BLT or as a flavorful base for a scrambled egg and ham breakfast sandwich.

Almond Pinwheel 

Our flaky cornetto dough layered with frangipane—a velvety almond cream—rolled into a pinwheel and topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar. Crisp, sweet edges and an interior loaded with toasted sliced almond flavor. An almond croissant—Macrina style.

Savory Pinwheels 

Caramelized sweet onions, parmesan, olive oil, and a mix of sesame, fennel and poppy seeds are folded into our flaky cornetto dough and rolled into a pinwheel. The savory pinwheels were the first to vanish from trays of samples, and the surprise standout among our tasters. Savory, but with a gentle sweetness from the onions, these are perfect for a savory breakfast or lunch with a bowl of soup or salad.

Great Pizza, As You Like It: Our Rustic Ready-To-Bake Pizzas are designed to be customized to your taste. 

“Years ago, we offered a pizzetta in our cafés, and it was a customer favorite,” says Leslie. “This is an adaptation from that, and I’ve been really loving this new version,” says Leslie. “We made it simple so you can dress it up with your favorite toppings at home. Lately, for me, it’s been prosciutto and roasted asparagus. But it’s also great just as it is.”

Our Rustic Ready-To-Bake Pizzas come frozen, and you can store them until the need for a quick meal or the impulse for great pizza strikes you. This is not your typical frozen pizza. The flavorful crust is formed from our Giuseppe dough and topped with our house tomato sauce, high-quality mozzarella and Parmesan. Baked, the crust is delicately crisp, and the sauce bubbles through just-browned cheese. That’s the baseline, without any added toppings.

Here are three more of Leslie’s favorite combos:

• Thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes, a drizzle of pesto, torn basil leaves, dash of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle of coarse salt.

• Roasted asparagus, shaved Parmesan, truffle oil, chopped thyme and Italian parsley

•  Italian sausage, roasted red pepper, grated Parmesan, drizzle of balsamic reduction

Our Rustic Ready-To-Bake Pizzas bake in 15–18 minutes, depending on how many toppings you add, and feed two with a salad. They’re available at any of our cafés.

May Recipe of the Month: Breakfast Frittata with Country Biscuits & Conserve

May is the month of Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 9th, this year. If you’re searching for brunch ideas, try my favorite Mother’s Day meal: a potato, prosciutto and rosemary frittata served with country biscuits and fruit conserve. You bake it in a Dutch oven, which presents beautifully at the table. The creamy country biscuits paired with Project Barnstorm conserve (my handmade fruit conserve made on Vashon Island with local fruit) provides a sweet treat to complement the savory frittata.

-Leslie Mackie

Ingredients:
Serves 4

3 medium pink potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper, divided
3 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
6 eggs
¼ cup half and half
¼ cup water
2 tsp chives, finely chopped
⅓ cup grated Parmesan, divided
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Macrina Country Biscuits
1 jar Project Barnstorm conserve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Thinly slice the potatoes and place in a medium bowl with the olive oil and rosemary. Toss to evenly coat the potatoes in the oil. Spread in a single- layer on the prepared baking sheet. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Let cool.

Cut the prosciutto crosswise into ½-inch strips.

In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and add the half and half, water, chives, ¼ cup Parmesan and remaining salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Reduce oven to 350°F.

Place a Dutch oven or cast- iron pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan, coating the bottom to prevent the frittata from sticking. Add the cooked potatoes, sliced prosciutto and use a wooden spoon to spread them evenly. When the prosciutto starts to sizzle around the edges, add the egg mixture. Cook until the eggs begin to form a golden-brown edge, 5–7 minutes. Top with the remaining Parmesan and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle of pan. Let cool for 5 minutes.

While the oven is still on, heat up the biscuits for 5–8 minutes.

Cut the frittata into four portions. Serve from the pan at the table. Present the warm biscuits on a tray with the conserve.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Enjoy!Preheat oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Thinly slice the potatoes and place in a medium bowl with the olive oil and rosemary. Toss to evenly coat the potatoes in the oil. Spread in a single- layer on the prepared baking sheet. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Let cool.

Cut the prosciutto crosswise into ½-inch strips.

In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and add the half and half, water, chives, ¼ cup Parmesan and remaining salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Reduce oven to 350°F.

Place a Dutch oven or cast- iron pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan, coating the bottom to prevent the frittata from sticking. Add the cooked potatoes, sliced prosciutto and use a wooden spoon to spread them evenly. When the prosciutto starts to sizzle around the edges, add the egg mixture. Cook until the eggs begin to form a golden-brown edge, 5–7 minutes. Top with the remaining Parmesan and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle of pan. Let cool for 5 minutes.

While the oven is still on, heat up the biscuits for 5–8 minutes.

Cut the frittata into four portions. Serve from the pan at the table. Present the warm biscuits on a tray with the conserve.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Enjoy!