As a kid growing up in Spokane, Katarina always wanted to bake but didn’t know that was a viable job option. Then she enrolled in a ProStart program, a nationwide, two-year high school program focusing on culinary skills and hospitality. “I got really involved,” says Katarina. “I catered for other clubs at school and competed through the program in state-wide competitions. I had a teacher and mentor who said you could do this as a job. This could be a very fulfilling career for you.”
That experience earned her scholarships to the Culinary Institute of America, located in Napa Valley, and one of the country’s premier baking and pastry programs. Katarina interned at Macrina for four months as part of completing her degree. We were so impressed with her skills and passion that we offered her a job right out of school.
“I really liked my experience at Macrina and was excited to come work here,” says Katarina.
Katarina worked for two years directly with Erica Olsen, our former Retail Pastry General Manager, who has now been promoted to Wholesale Sales Manager. Under Erica’s close tutelage, Katarina mastered our products.
“The people and the environment at Macrina are really friendly,” Katarina says. “I love the product and the energy. Everyone wants to be at work, and they care about each other.”
Her favorite challenge: developing new recipes with Leslie and Blake Gehringer, Macrina’s production manager. “I love working with Leslie and Blake to perfect the new recipes,” says Katarina.
When not at work, Katarina loves to dine out at Seattle’s great restaurants, go thrifting, and spend time at local parks. She also loves to cook savory food at home. “You get results so much more quickly. And you can taste as you go.”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Reine De Saba- Creamy Chocolate Almond Cake
Last summer, I had the good fortune to spend a week in Julia Child’s former summer house in Grasse, France. The experience has inspired me to recreate some of her favorite recipes. I learned to make this Reine De Saba cake in cooking school in San Francisco many years ago. This recipe adapts exceptionally well to gluten-free by substituting out the cake flour for a gluten-free mix—you won’t even taste the difference. The cake is intentionally baked to leave the middle slightly soft. You and your guests will delight in the creamy center, which is the best part!
One 9-inch cake; serves 6–8
CAKE
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup brewed espresso (or very strong coffee)
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cups sugar, divided
3 eggs, separated into yolks and egg whites
¼ tsp salt
½ cup roasted almonds, finely chopped
¼ tsp almond extract
½ cup cake flour (or gluten-free flour mixture)
FROSTING
2 oz semisweet chocolate
2 Tbsp rum or brandy
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
20 whole almonds, roasted
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with oil and line with parchment paper along the base and sides. Set aside.
Combine chocolate chips and espresso in a medium bowl and place over a pan with 2 inches of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Melt chocolate and combine well with the coffee. Remove from heat and let cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar (reserving 1 Tbsp for the egg whites) with a paddle attachment. The mixture will be light in texture and pale in color.
With the mixer running, add the egg yolks one at a time until thoroughly combined.
In a separate bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they’re frothy. Add the remaining Tbsp of sugar and continue whipping until you have medium-stiff peaks.
Remove the bowl of creamed butter from the stand mixer and add the cooled chocolate, salt, chopped almonds and almond extract. Mix to combine.
In 3 additions, alternately add the whipped egg whites and sift the flour over the surface. Between each addition, gently fold to combine well. Scoop the batter into the cake pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface for even baking.
Bake for 25 minutes. The cake will be slightly soft in the center but firm toward the perimeter.
Let cool for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a presentation plate and remove the parchment paper.
FROSTING
Melt the chocolate and rum in a medium bowl set over a pan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Remove the chocolate-rum mix from the heat and add the softened butter. Using a hand-held mixer or whisk, incorporate the butter into the warm chocolate. When the frosting is slightly cool and spreadable, frost the top of the cake. Decorate with whole almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Coq Au Vin with Garlic Bread
A traditional French dish of chicken cooked with red wine, onions, mushrooms and bacon. This recipe is inspired by the wonderful Julia Child, who made French cooking approachable and fun. In 1996, Julia Child invited Leslie to her kitchen to film an episode of Baking with Julia. She’d been in Seattle, visited Macrina, and loved it. Leslie cites that experience as one of the great memories of her life. This version of the traditional recipe uses our grilled Sour White brushed with garlic oil to soak up the sauce and add texture. Made with red wine, it’s a perfect winter meal. For a summer treat, lighten it up by using Riesling.
Serves 4
2½ to 3 lbs whole chicken (preferably naturally raised), cut into 8 pieces (halve each breast, thighs and legs)
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper, ground
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in ½-inch pieces
5 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow onion, cut in ½-inch wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
3 roma tomatoes, medium dice
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups medium-bodied red wine
2 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 Macrina Organic Sour White Loaf
¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment and set aside.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large, oven-proof roasting pan (with a lid to use later), add 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 4 pieces of chicken and sauté for 2 minutes per side. Remove the golden-brown chicken pieces, add the remaining chicken and follow the same procedure. Remove the chicken and reduce the heat slightly. Add the bacon and render its fat. When bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove it. Set aside with the chicken. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and carrots, and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add ¾ of the garlic and the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes to break down the tomatoes.
Return the chicken and bacon to the roasting pan. Add the red wine. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 25 percent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and place in the oven to roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Remove the chicken from the sauce and set aside.
Use a fork to combine the flour and 2 Tbsp butter in a small bowl. Bring the sauce to a boil, then whisk in the flour-butter mixture. Whisk slowly as the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the sauce to warm through.
Cut the bread into ½-inch slices. In a small sauté pan, warm the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 Tbsp butter and the remaining chopped garlic over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through and bring out the flavor of the garlic (don’t let the garlic brown). Brush the mix over the sliced bread. Place the bread slices on the prepared rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown at the edges.
Serve in shallow bowls—add 2 pieces of chicken and a garlic bread slice to each dish. Divide the sauce and vegetables evenly and garnish with parsley. Enjoy with a full-bodied red wine to complement the rich sauce!
Meet our Family: Elizabeth (Lizz) Krhounek
After seven plus years at McGraw, Lizz is taking her show on the road in her new position as our Assistant Retail Operations Manager.
If you’ve been to our McGraw café on Queen Anne, chances are you know Lizz. Since 2013, she ran our McGraw café. Efficient and gregarious, Lizz charmed customers, trained new employees, and kept the busy café running smoothly. Over the summer of 2021, we promoted her to Assistant Retail Operations Manager.
In her new role, she will float between all five of our cafés, supporting Crystal Kitchin, our Retail Operations Manager. Lizz will help train employees, support managers, improve consistency between cafés, and fill scheduling gaps. Most comfortable behind the counter, Lizz will frequently be found in one of the cafés helping customers find what they’re looking for when she’s not updating our training manuals or teaching new employees the craft of making great coffee drinks.
Asked how it feels to leave McGraw, her workplace for the last seven and half years, Lizz says, “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. I definitely miss the regulars and all the crew there, but I’m enjoying getting to know the customers and crew at other stores. I’m having fun.”
With new challenges on the horizon, Lizz is excited to develop new skills. “My biggest challenge right now is learning how to best support the café GMs to help them execute their vision for the store,” Lizz says.
When she’s not working, Lizz spends a lot of time planning her next big adventure. Every year (pandemic aside), she takes an epic trip. In 2020, just before the world shut down, she spent two weeks in New Zealand—and sneaked in a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl in Hawaii on the trip back to Seattle. When travel is safe again, Lizz is planning a big trip to Ireland.
Lizz’s favorite part of working for Macrina is the holiday season, our busiest time of year. She says, “Being in one of the cafés at 2:30 a.m. in my pajamas and listening to music while we get all the Thanksgiving and Christmas orders ready is really fun.”
Pecan Sticky Buns
There may be no better breakfast pastry than these pillowy sticky buns made with a yeast dough enriched with butter, eggs and milk. Caramel and pecans blanket the top, and deep swirls of caramel and cinnamon sugar enliven every bite. Serve them warm and they’re irresistible.
Makes 6 sticky buns
STICKY BUN DOUGH
¼ cup water, warm
8 Tbsp sugar, divided
1½ tsp dried yeast
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
½ cups whole milk
3¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature, cut into cubes
CARAMEL GLAZE
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream
CINNAMON SUGAR
¾ cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
ASSEMBLY
1¼ cups roasted pecan pieces
STICKY BUN DOUGH
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, 2 Tbsp sugar and yeast. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.
Add the remaining sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk, flour and salt. Using a paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 3 minutes to bring the dough together. Switch to a dough hook, set speed to medium and add the cubes of butter one at a time. Mix for 10 minutes. The dough should be wet and sticky with good elasticity when stretched.
Pull the dough from the bowl and set on a floured work surface. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
CARAMEL GLAZE
In a medium saucepan set over low heat, add the butter, brown sugar and salt. As the butter melts, whisk the mixture into a sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the orange zest, vanilla and heavy cream. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
CINNAMON SUGAR
Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.
ASSEMBLY
Brush a 9-inch cake pan with canola oil and line the base and sides with an 11-inch square piece of parchment paper (the corners will extend above the pan).
Pour ¼ cup of the Caramel Glaze into the base of the pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Add the pecan pieces to the remaining Caramel Glaze and set aside for later.
Set the proofed brioche dough on a floured work surface. Shape the dough into a 15-inch x 6-inch rectangle. Press on the flattened dough to release any trapped air bubbles. Sprinkle the dough with the Cinnamon Sugar to cover liberally. With the broad side of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough from the far side towards you creating a spiral. Gently roll it back and forth to achieve a consistent thickness. Rest the roll seam side down.
Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 6 equal pieces. Carefully place each roll cut side down onto the Caramel Glaze in the pan.
Let rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills that bubble over) and place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown in color.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Loosen the buns from the pan by pulling on the extended parchment corners. If some areas stick, run a knife along the pan’s perimeter. Place a dinner plate face-down over the cake pan and invert. Gently lift the pan and remove the parchment. Keep the rolls inverted.
Warm the remaining Caramel Glaze with pecans and spoon it over the top of the rolls, allowing it to drizzle down the sides slightly. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Serve the sticky buns warm for breakfast, or if you’re feeling decadent, add some ice cream and turn them into a dessert!
For the Love of Italy: A Favorite Sandwich
By Matt Galvin
Certain beloved foods trigger memories, transporting us through time and space to a special moment. For me, one of those foods is a mortadella and fresh mozzarella sandwich on focaccia. Like so much Italian food, its beauty lies in quality ingredients and simplicity. The freshly baked focaccia must be golden brown, flavorful and tender with a toothy crust, the mortadella thinly sliced and artfully layered and the fresh mozzarella creamy.
My first taste of this sandwich was in Florence during a college semester abroad. The bakery had a wood-burning oven, and the baker would brush the dough with olive oil and saltwater. With a long flat peel, he’d place the floury dough into the oven, and about 20 minutes later a golden slab of steaming focaccia about four feet long would emerge from the oven. A piece of that savory bread layered with mortadella, fresh mozzarella, was, and still is, a perfect sandwich.
After college, I returned to Italy to teach history and got to know the specialties of different regions. Still, for a quick lunch, nothing surpassed my favorite Florentine sandwich, except maybe a version I had in Rome at the famed bakery Antico Forno Roscioli.
Years later, on return visits to Rome, I always headed to Antico Forno Roscioli for my favorite sandwich. I’d take it to Piazza Navona and find a spot to perch amid the fountains and take in the scene, a sentimental visit that always brought similar memories of times past flooding into the present.
This year, my daughter, Gracie, is spending a semester abroad in Florence. Recently, my wife, Michelle, and I visited her and took her to Rome for a weekend. Guess where we grabbed lunch? En route to Antico Forno Roscioli, we wandered through Campo di Fiori. Then with sandwiches in hand, we strolled over to Piazza Navona. Sitting there, I discovered something better than enjoying your favorite sandwich in a perfect setting—watching your daughter do the same thing for the first time!
Some might say, location, location, location, and they’re not wrong—go if you can. In the meanwhile, enjoy Macrina’s version of my favorite sandwich. It’s served on an Italian-style golden brown focaccia, made fresh every morning and topped with a light sprinkle of rosemary and cherry tomatoes, layered with thinly sliced mortadella and creamy fresh mozzarella. If you close your eyes and use your imagination, the patter of rain outside might just be the fountain splash of Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. 
Macrina for the Holidays
De-stress your holiday gatherings by letting Macrina handle the baking. Whether it’s a holiday dinner or brunch, appetizers or desserts, we’ve got you covered.
Great food and holidays go hand-in-hand. So does stress. You want fresh handmade baked goods, but don’t have time to do all the baking, cleaning, organizing, and decorating. For over twenty years, we’ve helped people gather around the table for fun, memorable meals. Whether it’s a holiday dinner, a festive brunch, appetizers, or desserts, we’ve got beautiful, great tasting items that will please your guests. We make it easy to serve a perfect meal and still have plenty of time to spend with family and friends.
Holiday Dinners
Holiday Porcini Stuffing Mix, Roll Trays (Porcini Harvest, Buttermilk, Rustic Potato), Raisin Pumpernickel Loaf
Brunch
Winter Pear Crown, Holiday Quiche, Holiday Brie, Cinnamon Roll Tray, Pecan Sticky Buns, Mini Squash Harvest Loaf, Pumpkin Muffin, Cranberry Apricot Nut Loaf, Panettone, Chocolate Pecan Babka
Appetizers
Crostini, Holiday Brie, Smoked Trout Spread, Roasted Artichoke Spread, Fig and Olive Tapenade, Sweet and Spicy Nuts
Desserts
Maple Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie, Brandied Orange Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Eggnog Cheesecake, Mini Gingerbread Spice Cup, Brown Sugar Shortbread, Chocolate Yule Log, Gingerbread Cookies, German Chocolate Cake, Mocha Almond Torte, Mini Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Cake
Order online for pick-up at one of our cafes! Orders must be placed by noon, two days in advance. Pickup available at the café of your choice.
Saying Thank You With Pie
Nancy LaVallee gives away about 100 pies every Thanksgiving
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, on First Avenue in Seattle’s Sodo neighborhood, Nancy LaVallee stuffs her car with more pies than might seem prudent. She manages to pack in about 50 and a friend piles the rest in her car. They caravan slowly back to Nancy’s Mercer Island home to prepare some hot apple cider and await their guests. Fortunately, there’s never been a fender bender on the way home, which could be messy.
Nancy is a Mercer Island-based real estate agent for Windermere who sells homes all over the city. She started the great Thanksgiving pie giveaway eight years ago. The pies are for her neighbors and clients.
“It’s a big day for me,” says Nancy. “Clients from all over the greater Seattle area come to my home for the pie pickup,” says Nancy. “It’s so fun to see everyone, and to be able to thank them for their support. Everyone loves the pies, and it means they don’t have to bake as much, which helps since everyone is busy over the holidays.”
Before settling on Macrina as her pie baker of choice, Nancy went to eight different bakeries and sampled pies. Some years, she’s gotten pumpkin from one bakery, apple from another. But eventually she settled on Macrina. “Eight years ago, I started out with a small order, but it’s grown,” Nancy says. “Macrina can handle a hundred pies. Not everyone can handle that volume two days before Thanksgiving.”
Nancy is especially fond of Macrina’s Maple Apple Pie. “I call it the high pie apple pie,” says Nancy. “It’s meaty. It’s got a lot of apples. And it lasts. I get my pies early. It tastes great two days later, maybe even better. It’s a great tasting pie.”
Nancy enjoys the ritual of picking up the big order at our Sodo location. “A baker comes out to say hello and they help me load up, which is charming,” says Nancy. “It’s nice to be able to say thank you.”
In 2020, Nancy put a little note in with the pies saying she was collecting non-perishable food items for Leschi Elementary School families in need. “We had over 45 bags of food to donate last year,” says Nancy. “It was quite overwhelming.”
This year she’s doing it again.
We’re grateful!
Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crisp with Almond Streusel Topping
A good go-to crisp recipe can be a savior when company is coming and you’re short on time, or on cool fall evenings when you need a comforting treat. This dessert comes together quickly and you can substitute a variety of fruits. You may want to adjust the amount of sugar and lemon juice to suit your preferences. This time of year, we love this combination of apples, pears and cranberries. Cranberries add festive color and their tartness pair well with sweet apples. We have a bounty of pears and apples in the Pacific Northwest, and for or this recipe, you can choose your favorites or use what’s available at your local market. The recipe calls for Granny Smith’s and Bartlett pears, but Braeburn, Gala and Honeycrisp apples all work well, as do D’Anjou and Comice pears. When it comes to toppings, whipped cream is always suitable, but vanilla ice cream is even better. Enjoy!
Makes one 9-inch square crisp
FILLING
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into ½-inch wedges
2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced into ½-inch wedges
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
¼ tsp cloves, ground
¼ cup cornstarch
ALMOND STREUSEL TOPPING
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup thick-cut rolled oats
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
½ tsp almond extract
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
FILLING
Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly brush a 9-inch square ceramic or glass baking dish with canola oil and place it on a rimmed sheet pan. Set aside.
Place the apples, pears, cranberries, lemon juice and almonds in a medium bowl. Toss to combine well.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cornstarch. Add to the fruit and toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish.
ALMOND STREUSEL TOPPING
In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, oats, sugar, almonds and almond extract. With the paddle attachment, combine on slow speed for 1 minute. Add the cubed butter and mix on slow for another 2 to 3 minutes to create a crumbly texture.
Top the filling with the almond streusel and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the thickened filling is bubbling around the edges. Let cool for 30 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or your favorite vanilla ice cream.
The Woodmark: A Lakeside Hotel with Great Dining Options
On the eastern shore of Lake Washington, at the site of what was once a shipyard, an independent, boutique hotel tempts visitors and locals alike. Every half hour, dockside carillon bells ring out their welcome to gulls and boaters alike. Out of town visitors come for a room with a view and all the luxurious hotel amenities, but many Seattle-area residents flock to The Woodmark for food, spa services, and weddings.
Two waterfront restaurants, Carillon Kitchen and Beach Café offer diners fresh, organic, local foods with a backdrop of Lake Washington and, in the distance, the Olympic Mountains. Executive Chef Brian Doherty, formerly of the Fairmont Olympic and The Four Seasons Seattle, oversees both locations. For twelve years, Doherty’s responsibilities included catering events in the Spanish Ballroom, pretty much the gold standard for private events.
Carillon Kitchen is a chef-driven, community-oriented restaurant offering mouth-watering healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “Our goal is to make sure everything is fresh and that we’re producing the highest quality product that we can,” says Doherty. “We partnered with Macrina and Olympia Provisions and came up with a beautiful menu.” Other local highlights include Fonté coffee, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, and Ellenos Yogurt. When Covid-19 shut down other dining options at the hotel, Carillon Kitchen’s grab-and-go concept soared. Locals come in for readily available snacks and meals or order ahead for pickup. Hotel guests enjoy high-quality foods they can eat in their room or take to the beach. Carillon Kitchen is currently open daily for limited dining and takeout from 7:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Beach Café is a casual dining waterfront restaurant with an innovative, seasonally influenced menu featuring daily seafood specials and signature dishes. “It’s a seafood-driven menu focusing on fresh, local ingredients in a beautiful setting,” says Doherty. The lakeside patio fills up fast in good weather, but many interior tables also offer water views. While specials usually feature fresh catch straight from the docks, signature dishes like the Smoked Akaushi New York Strip or Roasted Rack of Lamb will tempt meat lovers. Currently, the restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday from 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. Doherty aims to be fully open by the end of the year.
The Woodmark is also one of the top destinations in the state for weddings. Doherty, who has earned the chops to produce high-quality meals for large events, oversees the catering department. “The Banquet Department has taken off,” says Doherty. “We’re booked up almost to the end of the year of Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Five to six weddings a weekend. It’s a beautiful venue.”
Just fifteen minutes from downtown Seattle, Beach Café and Carillon Kitchen are waterfront dining options for anyone who loves excellent food in an idyllic PNW setting. Whether you’re interested in grabbing a casual lunch to eat by the beach or looking to linger over an elegant meal with a sunset view, head to Carillon Point in Kirkland and check out The Woodmark.