Macrina in the Community

St. Macrina, our patron saint, was known for working to improve the quality of life for people in her community, and we strive to do the same. On our first Thanksgiving, back in 1993, Leslie brought some extra loaves to the Noel House, which was located in a nearby alley. “The ladies there were so appreciative of the fresh baked bread it brought me to tears,” says Leslie. Our mantra became that of St. Macrina.

We enrich our communities through the joy of artisan baking, but we also donate directly to non-profit organizations that do outstanding work supporting members of our community. Our employees frequently join us in donating, and we match each of their donations.

As part of our celebration of Juneteenth, we donated $2,500 (including matched donations from employees) to Community Passageways. In September, we are donating $2,000–$3,000 to three additional local community organizations including: Helping Link, Plymouth Housing, and St. James Cathedral Kitchen. Here’s a bit more about these incredible organizations:

Community Passageways

This community-based, black-run, black-owned organization was founded in 2015 by Dominique (Dom) Davis. They work primarily with court-involved young people of color and help break the school-to-prison cycle with a school-to-life pathway by restoring lives, nurturing dreams, and developing life skills. In the last five years, Dom and his team have helped divert over 120 years of prison sentences.

Helping Link

Since its founding in 1993, Helping Link has supported our local Vietnamese community with free services and programs such as citizenship classes, a computer lab, English classes, and much more. They help foster cultural resilience and empower members to celebrate their histories and traditions.

Plymouth Housing

Since 1980, Plymouth Housing has helped Seattle break the cycle of chronic homelessness by providing adults experiencing homelessness with opportunities to stabilize and improve their lives. Plymouth follows the “Housing First” philosophy, operating on the principle that people cannot improve their lives until they have a safe, stable place to live. Plymouth owns and operates 14 buildings, both renovated historic properties and new construction, from South Lake Union to the International District. In the coming years, Plymouth plans to build an additional 800 apartments.

St. James Cathedral Kitchen

The Cathedral Kitchen feeds a nourishing, hot meal to 150 guests on Seattle’s First Hill every weekday. They serve anyone in need, regardless of age, gender, or creed. Throughout the pandemic, out of concern for their guests, they switched to to-go dinners and a bagged lunch their guests could eat the next day while still providing a limited number of physically-distanced tables for those needing a moment of shelter.

In addition, Macrina donates thousands of pounds of bread and pastries to local organizations that help feed those in need, including The Salvation Army, Alma Mater in Tacoma, El Centro de la Raza. Over the next few weeks, we’re also donating over 300 meals to Helping Link and St. James for fundraising events.

“Donating to these organizations is just one way Macrina supports our communities and works to better achieve our mission,” says Scott France, Macrina’s President.

Pecan Sticky Buns

Perhaps no pastry requires more napkins or inspires cravings more than homemade pecan sticky buns. They’re warm, gooey and soft in all the right places—and absolutely delicious.

After years of customer requests, we’re launching our own based on Leslie’s recipe for her homemade brunch favorite. We make them by layering our slightly sweet and pillowy brioche dough with toasted pecans and cinnamon sugar, tightly rolling it, then baking it upside down on a rich brown sugar and butter caramel with orange zest and vanilla. We invert the rolls while still warm, causing deep swirls of caramel to run through the bun leaving the pecans gooey and proud on top.

The silky not-too-sweet roll has a light, tender crumb that provides a divine contrast to the toffee-like caramel and crunch of toasted pecans.

The Pecan Sticky Buns are available individually in our retail cafés and as a four-pack. They are best served warm (5–8 minutes in a 325°F oven).

Spice Blade Steak & Cauliflower Salad with Tzatziki Sauce & Grilled Olive Bread

During the long PNW summer days, our favorite cooking method is outdoor grilling. Cut from the chuck (shoulder), the blade steak has excellent marbling and is flavorful and tender. A line of gristle runs down the center, so it’s important not to overcook it, otherwise it will get chewy. If you use an instant-read meat thermometer and are attentive, you’ll fall in love with blade steak. In this recipe, we prepare the steak with a Shawarma spice dry rub a day in advance. Since you can prepare the rest of the meal ahead, you only need to grill the steak and bread and assemble the plates when it’s time to eat. If you can, enjoy the meal with a glass of your favorite wine, a few friends and the rich light of a long summer evening.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

BLADE STEAK
2 Tbsp Shawarma Spice Blend, ground (available at worldspice.com)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1½ lbs top blade steak (or sub flat-iron steak)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

CAULIFLOWER SALAD
1 head cauliflower
2 bunches scallions, ½-inch slice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp garlic, finely chopped, divided
½ cup tahini
½ cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

TZATZIKI SAUCE
2 cups Greek yogurt (preferably low-fat)
1 English cucumber, finely diced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp white pepper, ground
1 Macrina Greek Olive Loaf, sliced ½-inch thick (8 slices)

DIRECTIONS

BLADE STEAK
Combine the dry ingredients. Rub the mix into both sides of the meat. Drizzle with olive oil and use your fingers to rub it over the meat. Place the meat in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Halve the cauliflower and remove the core; coarsely chop or break it into 1 to 2-inch florets. Place the florets in a large bowl and toss with the scallions, olive oil and 2 tsp garlic. Spread the florets on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Let cool.

In the same large bowl, add the remaining 1 tsp garlic, tahini, water, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Whisk to combine.

Add the roasted cauliflower, mint and cilantro to the dressing. Toss well.

If you wish, season to taste with salt and pepper. Once dressed, allow the salad to rest at room temperature to marry flavors before serving.

TZATZIKI SAUCE
In a separate bowl, add the yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

GRILLING THE STEAK
Preheat your grill to 500°F. Brush a bit of oil on the hot grill to help prevent the spice rub from sticking.

Grill the blade steak for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to monitor the temperature. Remove the steak from the grill at 130°F for medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

While the steak is resting, grill the bread. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted and marked with grill lines. Place 2 slices on each plate. Divide the cauliflower salad among the plates, top each with a portion of the sliced steak and a generous dollop of tzatziki. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

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There are many reasons to live for raspberry season, and this is one of them. The moist tender crumb has that buttery brown sugar sweetness, which finds its complement in the refreshing tart flavor of the raspberries. The recipe comes together quickly and your house will smell wonderful while it’s baking. The raspberry glaze and topping of chopped roasted almonds make it a beautiful treat for brunch or dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

Makes one 9-inch x 5-inch loaf

COFFEE CAKE
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cups almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped; divided
6 oz (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1¼ cup milk
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen will also work)

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp raspberry jam

DIRECTIONS:

COFFEE CAKE

Preheat oven to 325°F

Prepare a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan by brushing the interior with oil. Cut a 10-inch x 9-inch piece of parchment paper and press it into the pan to prevent sticking.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add ½ cup almonds and toss with a spoon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the butter and brown sugar. With a paddle attachment, mix on medium-low speed until light in texture and pale in color, about 4 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, almond and vanilla extracts; mix well. Add the egg mixture to the creamed butter in 3 additions. Incorporate the liquid before each addition. Lower the bowl, scrape the sides and paddle, and mix again to incorporate everything.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the mixer bowl, making 3 additions of each. Lower the bowl, scrape the sides and paddle, and mix again to incorporate everything. Add the raspberries and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.

Scoop the mix into the prepared loaf pan and level the top. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cake will be golden brown.

Let cool for 1 hour.

GLAZE

Combine the powdered sugar, milk and raspberry jam. Whisk to dissolve all lumps. If the glaze is not pourable, add a dash more milk.

Remove the coffee cake from the pan and place it on a serving plate. Pour the raspberry glaze over the top and garnish the center length of the loaf with the remaining almonds. Enjoy!

 

June Recipe of the Month: Summer Berry Tartlets

Summer Berry Tartlets

This recipe—inspired by Dorie Greenspan—is an adaptation from the Summer Berry Galette recipe in our Seasons cookbook. The Pacific Northwest is a berry lover’s dream in the summer. You can usually find tender freshly picked strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in farmers markets throughout the season. These tartlets are an elegant showcase for the fruit. The sweet creaminess of the custard is the perfect complement to the tart berries. This recipe calls for strawberries and blueberries, but use whatever berries look best when you shop and adapt the recipe accordingly. Macrina’s Flaky Pie Dough disks, available frozen in our cafés (and convenient to have on hand in your freezer), save you a lot of time and simplify your work in the kitchen.

-Leslie Mackie

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 disc Macrina Flaky Pie Dough (available frozen at our cafés in 2-packs)
10 strawberries, divided
4 Tbsp strawberry or blueberry jam
4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1½ cups fresh blueberries, divided
2 eggs, divided
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:

Thaw 1 disk of Macrina Flaky Pie Dough overnight in the refrigerator. Set the dough on a floured work surface and allow it to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

De-stem 8 strawberries and dice into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.

Shape the pie dough into a square. Roll it out to 14 x 14-inches, it should be about ⅛-inch thick. Cut into four equal squares.

Lift each dough square onto the prepared baking sheet, staggering them to form the tartlets. Place 1 Tbsp of jam in the center of each pastry square and spread to a 4-inch square. Top each with 1 Tbsp of breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup blueberries and a quarter of the diced strawberries.

Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 Tbsp water.

Starting with one dough square, cut a 2-inch square from each corner. Fold the top flap over the fruit and brush with egg wash. Next, fold the right flap over the fruit, creating a corner, and brush that flap with egg wash. Repeat this process with the bottom and left sides so you have a square tartlet with an opening in the center. Brush all the dough with a final coat of egg wash. Repeat the entire process with the other 3 squares of dough. Refrigerate the tartlets for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

To prepare the custard, mix the melted butter, remaining egg, sugar and vanilla extract together.

Place the chilled tartlets in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the custard mix onto the top of each tartlet center. Let it drain into the tartlet before adding more to prevent it from spilling out. Bake until golden brown and the custard is set, another 10 to 15 minutes.

Let cool for 30 minutes and garnish each with half a strawberry and a few blueberries. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy at room temperature served with ice cream or frozen yogurt!

Printable PDF here.

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!

Homegrown: Slow Food, Served Fast, Wherever You Are 

According to Calvin and Hobbes, “There’s an inverse relationship between how good something is for you, and how much fun it is.” Some might say a similar rule holds true when it comes to food. Exceptions prove the rule.

Homegrown, which opened in 2009 and now has ten restaurants throughout the Seattle area, is one of those exceptions. The trifecta of taste, health, and sustainability come together in their reasonably priced meals. They’ve made it fun to eat responsibly!

Childhood friends and Homegrown founders Brad Gillis and Ben Friedman are environmentalists at heart. They also love to gather with friends around great-tasting food. They built their business around these passions— call it sandwich environmentalism.

Now, Homegrown has taken that ethos and delivered it—literally—to your home. You can get a sandwich, but much more, too. Homegrown Goods offers a selection of ready-to-eat meals, fresh 20-minute-meal kits, and a handpicked selection of groceries for those that want to throw their own thing together.

“Everything we sell is backed by our quality standards,” says Brad. “We run every purchase thorough our sourcing standards and make sure we feel comfortable with what we’re buying.”

Homegrown Goods has its own fleet of delivery vans and drivers. They pack chilled items with ice packs, and everything arrives in a sealed box. You are notified by text when your delivery arrives. Your food is delivered one to two days after you order, on a day of your choosing. Delivery areas include much of Seattle and the Eastside, and their delivery area continues to expand.

Since Homegrown Goods launched last summer, high demand for everything has encouraged them to expand their line of offerings. Now you can choose from more than a dozen different meal options on any given day, but Brad expects to more than double the selection.

Whether it’s a Turkey, Bacon, Avocado sandwich or a Farmstead Cobb salad at one of their locations, or a Mediterranean Salmon Bowl from Homegrown Goods, food sourcing is central to Homegrown’s mission. They select the best growers and producers in each category from each region with a twin focus on deliciousness and what’s good for the planet. At Macrina, we’re proud to have our bread featured in many of their sandwiches and available through Homegrown Goods.

 

Food is one of the most vital connections we each have to our planet. What sustains us should also be produced sustainably. We have great admiration for the leadership role Homegrown has taken in their effort to change the food system, so it’s not just healthy for us, but for the planet too. Homegrown does the research so you don’t have to—and with tasty options delivered to your home or served up at one of their many locations, they make it easy—and fun—to do something that is good for you, and, well, just good.

March Recipe of the Month: Corned Beef & Cabbage Slaw Breakfast Tartine

We make our challah bread in the European Jewish tradition. The braided loaf is enriched with egg, honey-sweetened and baked until the crust is firm and golden mahogany in color. The soft, tight crumb pulls apart easily.

Our challah is a customer favorite for French toast or enjoyed with butter and jam. This recipe uses thick slices, pan-toasted in butter, for an open-faced tartine sandwich. The tender, lightly sweet bread adds a complementary texture and flavor to the combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, whole-grain mustard and a fresh cabbage slaw with carrots and pears.

-Leslie MackieIngredients:
Serves 4

¼ cup whole-grain mustard, divided
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2½ tsp apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp honey
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
½ head green cabbage (medium-size)
1 carrot, peeled
1 Bartlett pear
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 loaf Macrina Challah Bread
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
8 slices corned beef (approx. 6 oz)
4 slices Swiss cheese (approx. 4 oz)
8 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, place 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole-grain mustard, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and honey. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Remove the tough root of the cabbage by cutting a V-shaped wedge from the base. Lay the half cabbage on the cut side and cut it into ⅛-inch slices. Using the medium side of a grater, grate the carrot. Cut the pear in half, remove the core and grate the pear with the same grater. Add the cabbage, carrot, pear, parsley, salt and black pepper to the dressing. Toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Cut the challah on the bias into eight 1-inch thick pieces.

In a large sauté pan, melt 3 Tbsp butter. Over medium-high heat, sauté the challah slices on both sides for 1 to 2 minutes until just browning. Place on the lined baking sheet. Divide the remaining whole-grain mustard between the slices and spread evenly. Top each with a slice of corned beef. Cut the cheese slices in half and place a piece on each tartine.

Bake the tartines for 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Place 2 tartines on each serving plate.

In a nonstick pan over medium heat, melt 2 tsp butter. When the butter is sizzling, sauté 2 eggs at a time, flipping when whites are set and cooking to your desired preference (over- easy, over-medium or over-hard). Salt and pepper to taste. Finish cooking the remaining eggs, adding more butter as needed. Top each tartine with 1 egg. Divide the cabbage slaw evenly across the 8 tartines.

You might consider serving these with a Guinness or your favorite craft beer in honor of the Irish. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Printable PDF of this recipe here.