Valentine’s Day: Not Just for Lovers

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

In the February 2013 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, you will find a love story – not your typical love story, but a story of love that is shared with good friends around a hearty meal. The author suggests that Valentine’s Day become a “food holiday” like Thanksgiving and Christmas. She looked forward to each Valentine’s Day with her husband because it meant a night out at a fancy restaurant, but she asks why exclude the unpaired ones from a Valentine’s Day feast.

What are your Valentine’s Day traditions? Do you hand out Valentine’s Day cards to people besides your significant other? Have co-workers ever taken the opportunity to “share the love” with you? Children celebrate en masse every Valentine’s Day in elementary school, so why can’t adults? It’s time to think about Valentine’s Day beyond lovers and celebrate those we admire.

Macrina founder, Leslie Mackie feels the same way. Admittedly, over the years, we name seasonal Valentine-related products with the traditional love holiday in mind – Eros Cake, Beating Heart Galette, and this year’s Cupid’s Cupcake. But why limit those treats to your one and only when you have friends, family, and co-workers that deserve appreciation? Leslie hopes that you will take the opportunity to show your gratitude to those that matter most to you.

Our Valentine’s Day Offerings can help with your homespun, heartwarming feast, including Baked Brie en Croute, a divine combination of sweet and savory with caramelized onions, sweet and tart cherries, and cocoa in a mild, creamy brie; our popular Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies shaped in a heart; or our product of the month, Cupid’s Cupcake, a moist red velvet cupcake filled with a dollop of vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with white chocolate buttercream frosting, a fresh raspberry, sugared rose petal, and sugar sprinkles.

Let’s turn Valentine’s Day into an official food holiday and celebrate and share the love of food with good friends and family!

Greatest Hits: Flatbreads for Sandwiches

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Back by popular demand, Macrina’s founder, author, and artisan baking artiste, Leslie Mackie will be sharing her flatbread knowledge and skills February 23rd and 24th at South Seattle Community College. The Bread Bakers Guild of America is reprising its greatest hits to honor 20 years of supporting the artisan baking community, and Leslie’s class is the first gig on the nationwide tour.

In this two-day master class, Flatbreads for Sandwiches, students will learn to make Schiacciatta, Piadina, Francese, and Olivetta breads with a seed dough starter using professional equipment available at the college through the Culinary Arts Program.

The class goes beyond making loaves of bread. Students will create sandwiches for their enjoyment: a BLT with the herbed Schiaciatta; a grilled Piadina with mortadella, mozzarella, and pepperoncini; a Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich with the Francese bread; and a roasted pears, turkey, caper aioli, and Cambozola sandwich on Olivetta. Leslie will also share her tips of the trade with professionals. “Creating sandwiches is a way to showcase the breads…and create customer loyalty by offering more than just loaves,” Leslie explains.

The class is a fundraiser for the Guild, which is dedicated to advancing the artisan baking profession through support and education, and is open to professionals and enthusiastic home bakers. Cost for the two-day, 11-hour master class is $340 for Guild members, $425 for non-members (fee includes 12-month Guild membership). Registration deadline is February 7th. Please visit the Guild website for more details and the registration form.

This is one stop on the tour that you do not want to miss! And she might even sing for you.

Giuseppe

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Our Giuseppe bread is an interpretation of the classic Italian loaf. Years ago, while Leslie was having dinner at a pizzeria in Rome, she noticed the bread being served at a nearby table. Intrigued, she asked to try some and was amazed at how good it was. In fact, it was the best bread that she had ever tasted. After learning the name of the baker, she and her traveling companion spent the next morning searching for Panficio Arnese. By the time they finally found the bakery, the owner and head baker, Giuseppe, had finished baking for the day, but welcomed them into his bakery. They spent a few hours talking about his bread, which he made with little equipment, no refrigeration and an oven that was fueled by hazelnut shells. After Giuseppe offered her some of his freshly baked bread, Leslie was literally speechless. He seemed to be surprised by her admiration, insisting that it was “only bread!”

When Macrina co-owner Matt Galvin met Leslie in 2006, one of the first things that she talked about was Giuseppe and his bread. Matt decided that he had to taste the bread that had influenced Leslie so strongly. On a recent trip to Rome, he sought out Giuseppe’s bakery, which was not an easy feat. Between the winding streets and the rather interesting way that the buildings in Rome are numbered, (residential and business addresses are numbered differently), Matt had to guess where the bakery was. When he saw that the street in front of one of the storefronts was covered in flour, Matt knew that he had found the right place. More than 20 years after Leslie had visited the bakery, Giuseppe was still there making the breads and pizzas that have made him a local favorite. When Matt related the story of Leslie’s Giuseppe bread to him, he had quite a chuckle over it. After Matt enjoyed some of Giuseppe’s delicious bread, he understood why it had such a profound impact on Leslie.

The Giuseppe loaf is a staple at our cafes, and is usually available. Of course, you can always guarantee that there will be one waiting by calling ahead!

Hospital Health Includes Food

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

Blackburn Wheat

We consider ourselves lucky to work with a variety of locally-based businesses that are committed to offering patrons quality eats. For the most part, this includes food establishments, but in this post our focus is on Overlake Hospital in Bellevue.

Let’s be honest, hospitals are typically not known for offering a stellar selection of fresh food. Hospitals, however, are designed to heal and provide optimal health—we believe this includes fresh and delectable food—and we are proud to say we have a wonderful partnership with Overlake in their pursuit to provide patients and medical staff with fresh baked goods.

Whole Wheat Cider Bread

Overlake Hospital has three well-trafficked onsite cafes, two espresso stands, and provides 18,000 patient meals a month! They were the first hospital in the area to offer local cage-free eggs, which they use exclusively. It’s also worth noting that the majority of their vegetables are organic and locally sourced. When it comes to baked goods, Macrina Bakery (as you may have guessed) provides the hospital with most of its bread and baked goods. Our artisan breads and rolls are featured as French Toast and the building block for fresh, tasty well-stacked sandwiches. Each of their cafes offers our melt-in-your-mouth cookies, hearty scones and delectable muffins.

Cookies!

We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we continue to receive from patients, medical staff and customers alike in their ability to choose high-quality, fresh foods. We are proud to work directly with Overlake Hospital as they truly believe in offering patrons quality food and consider Macrina Bakery’s fresh baked goods a key element in staying true to that promise.

Leslie Mackie to sign “More from Macrina” at Top Pot Doughnuts this Saturday.

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

Since Seattle’s Top Pot Doughnuts opened their first location in Capitol Hill, they’ve been a hugely popular destination for those seeking the perfect doughnut served with an outstanding cup of coffee. We’ve been a proud partner of theirs from the very beginning, with our baked goods served at all of their cafes as a perfect complement to their incredible creations.

At Macrina, we’re proud of the partnerships we’ve developed with local businesses, especially when it’s with partners like Top Pot, who love baking as much as we do, and who have put Seattle on the map when it comes to creating locally produced, incredible baked treats.

This Saturday at 10am, we’re taking that partnership a step further as Top Pot hosts Leslie Mackie at their Bellevue location at 10600 NE 9th Place for a book signing and baking demo. This is Leslie’s only Eastside appearance, and we’re grateful to Top Pot for inviting us into their cafe. Leslie will be signing copies of her book, sharing recipes, and demonstrating some great holiday ideas for entertaining.

Come join us on Saturday at 10am. You’ll be able to meet Leslie, learn some tips for holiday baking, and grab one of Top Pot’s incredible doughnuts (or a dozen) and a signed copy of More from Macrina as the perfect gift for aspiring bakers on your list!

Jane Cho, pastry chef extraordinaire

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

Jane Cho, Macrina’s talented head pastry chef, has been with Macrina since 2005. One would think Jane began as the show-stopping pastry chef she is, however, just like anyone, Jane began with limited experience. One of the things that set her apart was her extraordinary enthusiasm. With great determination and vast amounts of natural talent, Jane has essentially become the master. After building a great deal of confidence in her craft, she has humbly taken on the role as a teacher and mentor to many of our bakers and employees.

We are extremely fortunate to have Jane as a part of the Macrina family. A natural problem solver with a critical eye for detail, she is every bakery’s dream pastry technician. And because of her work ethic, creativity, and ability to empower those around her, Jane was recently promoted to oversee all of Macrina’s bakery operations.

If you are looking to either begin or perfect your cake assembly skills, you will find a special section in More from Macrina where Jane lays out a step-by-step guide for assembling beautiful homemade cakes. With professional tips like these, you will be ready to serve a fabulous cake this holiday season.

Of course we don’t expect all of your cakes to turn out like Jane’s, but give them a try! No matter how your cake looks, it will be easy to see joy in the faces of those who receive your creation.

Pearl Bar and Dining

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

Sales Manager Rebecca Early remembers that downtown Bellevue’s restaurant scene was just starting to heat up when she met Bradley Dickinson and Mikel Rogers at their new restaurant Pearl in 2008. It was one of her first calls as the new Sales Manager for Macrina Bakery, and she was a bit nervous. She knew that Bradley and Mikel had been in the restaurant business for a long time and wanted to make sure that she gave them a good impression of our bakery.

She needn’t have worried.

In addition to finding a sleek, urbane space that, while polished, had a cheerful, upbeat vibe, Rebecca found a big fan of our bread in Executive Chef Bradley Dickinson. “The quality of the bread made it an easy choice,” says Bradley. He was familiar with our product from a previous job and was also impressed with the attitude and friendliness of the Macrina community.

Bradley says that while Pearl’s menu changes with the seasons, bread pudding is always available. This fall, they are using our brioche in their pumpkin bread pudding with cinnamon rum sauce. Pearl slices our baguettes to toast as their crostini, and our potato rolls are the perfect base for their pulled pork sliders. Our potato rolls are their house bread as well!

We’re proud to say that Bradley and Mikel also use our bread at their newest restaurant, Koral, which opened this year. The versatility of our potato bread is showcased in their very popular garlic bread and as the foundation for their take on the classic meatloaf sandwich. Koral’s housemade meatloaf, BBQ mayo, lettuce and sweet onions are layered between slices of our grilled potato bread.

We’re thankful that Bradley and Mikel think highly enough of us to feature our bread at both of their restaurants.

Tips on Making Pies

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

The holidays are a popular time for pies. Whether you are a pie making pro or novice, there are always useful tips to pick up here and there. Similar to breads, pies require only a few ingredients – but how you put them together makes all the difference between a remarkable pie and average one.

One thing to keep in mind is that practice does pay off. So do patience, preparation and passion. After many years, we have learned to be particular about a few details. Here are three important tips:

1. Choose ripe seasonal fruit

2. Take time to cut the fruit to an appropriate size

3. Drain off any excess juices

Our collection of pie recipes in Leslie’s cookbook More from Macrina, starts with her master recipe for Flaky Pie Dough. Tasty and versatile, the Flaky Pie Dough can be used for many pie and tartlet recipes. In an effort to “modernize” the recipe, Leslie tweaked a few things. The main change was to eliminate the solid vegetable shortening in favor of palm shortening (which has no trans fats). A few years ago she also recalibrated the ratio of shortening to butter.

One tip Leslie picked up from her mom – take the scraps and brush them with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, twist, and then bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, or until the pieces are golden brown. They make a great treat.

If you do have quite a bit of pie dough left over from the first day, wrap it well in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freezing the dough is also an option: the dough will keep, wellwrapped, for up to one month.

Lattice-top pies are the prettiest of all. If you’re looking for a challenge or something different, try making a lacelike pie top!

Inspiration through Unity: How a Bakery and Winery broke bread

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

Tim and Kelly Hightower

One thing you will notice in all of our breads is the care and inspiration baked into each item. A favorite of these inspired bread stories is the Hightower Cellars Bread Starter, a sourdough bread starter made with skins from Sauvignon grapes and developed with our dear friends Tim and Kelly Hightower.

In the mid 1990s, while keeping their day jobs, Tim and Kelly Hightower pursued their passion of winemaking. In Woodinville, WA, the couple’s research and determination proved successful with their inaugural release of 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. Soon after, they moved to Benton City in Eastern Washington where they purchased acres of prime vineyard land.

Hightower’s vineyards.

Macrina’s friendship with Hightower Cellars began years ago when Leslie visited their beautiful winery perched within the Red Mountain appellation hills near the Yakima Valley, three hours east of Seattle.

In 2010, these passionate, gifted winemakers proposed to Leslie a pretty quirky idea, offering cabernet sauvignon wine grapes to be used as a sour bread starter. Sourdough starters can be developed from the natural yeast found on grape skins, adding leavening and delicious flavor.

A few dashes here and there of this and that, and soon we pulled our Pane Francese from the oven. This is an Italian version of a crusty baguette: batonlike, with a light, porous crumb and a crisp, caramel-brown crust. Our Pane Francese is a beautiful, tasty creation with a story rooted in a genuine, heartfelt bond between artisan industries.

From a simple meeting sprang the creation of a bread that the Hightowers could use for tasting and Macrina could offer in our cafes. We think you, and your guests, would love the pairing of these two artisanal favorites this holiday season. Now that you know the story behind the bread, and the wine, we hope you will enjoy both at your table.

Holiday Product Demos

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Macrina Bakery

During the holidays, we love to get out and showcase some of our products that capture the spirit of the season. Whether it is answering questions on how to make our delicious stuffing at home, or just letting people taste some of our festive breads and pastries, there is a feeling in the air around the holidays that is unmistakable and we’re happy to be a part of it! We’d love for you to join us at one of our demos. We’ll have samples of our delicious Buttermilk Dinner Rolls, our Winter Pear Crown and our Holiday Porcini Stuffing Mix. Catch us throughout the area over the next 6 weeks. You’ll find us at: