Good Grains! It’s National Flour Month!

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Each year we celebrate the usual March holidays – National Pi Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Women’s History Month, but, most importantly, we honor National Flour Month. As a bakery, flour is one of our basic ingredients, whether it’s whole grain, whole wheat, or all-purpose.

Since the beginning of civilization, flour has been the staple of cuisines around the world. When our ancestors discovered they could crush grass seeds into a powder, they dined on flat, hard cakes cooked over a fire. It is the Egyptians in 3,000 BC that figured out how to harvest and use yeast, creating soft loaves by fermenting the dough with heat from the sun.

Luckily, we do not have to grind the grains ourselves. News of this innovation traveled, Romans created watermills, and with the Industrial Age came the technology to mill the flour in large quantity. We have a handful of wonderfully dedicated millers that we rely on for our flours. One of them is Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill in Burlington, about one hour north of Seattle. Fairhaven began in 1974 as a cooperative, and since 2007, has been family-owned by Kevin and Matsuko Christenson. Leslie had the opportunity to visit the mill a while back and was taken by the Christenson’s sincere pledge to buy only locally grown, organic grains that are milled weekly in small batches so they retain as much nutrients as possible.

Amidst the earthy aromas of the fresh, weighty whole grain flour, the Christensons shared their passion for the farmers with whom they have continued to support over the years. It is that commitment to their craft that is most appreciated by the Macrina family. We use Fairhaven’s Rye Flour for many of the artisan breads we produce, including Vollkorn, Pane Francese, and Greek Olive Bread. The recipes for these breads are included in our cookbooks, Macrina Bakery & Café Cookbook and More From Macrina. We hope you will pick up Fairhaven Organic Flour for your bread-making needs and test out some of our recipes in honor of National Flour Month. Happy baking!

Sharing What We Love at St. James Cathedral Kitchen

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

“I need one vegetarian, please.” “Do we have undressed salad?” These were some of the shouts heard coming from the kitchen as our staff prepared and served dinner last Wednesday night. This wasn’t the Macrina kitchen. It was the Cathedral Kitchen, an outreach program of St. James Cathedral in Seattle that serves a nournishing, hot meal five nights a week to people who are homeless and those in need.

Seven Macrina employees shared what they love most: food. “It was such a pleasure to be able to take what we do every day – cooking and baking to provide the best product to our customers – and prepare a meal with these same intentions for people who typically don’t have the opportunity to eat in our cafes,” stated Leslie Mackie, Macrina Bakery’s founder. Leslie gathered a corps of dedicated staff, including Elizabeth Hall, Scott France, Crystal Kitchin, Fanny Alvarado, Rebecca Early, and Jane Cho, who were inspired to help.

The staff, busy ordering food in the days prior, were blessed by the generosity of vendors like Merlino’s, who donated everything that we ordered for the meal. Arriving at 11:00 AM to accept deliveries and prepare food, Leslie didn’t think of it as a long day. “Everyone was so pleased to be there, so it seemed like fun,” she commented.

A project dear to her heart, Leslie planned a menu of comfort food. The staff and St. James volunteers helped cook the meal of meatballs (or mushrooms) with a red sauce on pasta; salad with cranberries, walnuts, feta, and balsamic dressing; our Guiseppe Loaf topped with garlic, butter, salt, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese; and our Mom’s Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream.

At 4:30 PM, guests were lined up on the sidewalk awaiting their warm meal. The volunteers at the Cathedral Kitchen take pride in their welcoming dining experience complete with tablecloths. “Our theory is, if we wouldn’t eat it ourselves, we don’t serve it,” stated Jill McAuliffe, Director of the Cathedral Kitchen. She added that having a business come in to cook and serve a meal is a rarity; however, she’s got quite a few fans at Macrina. The staff will be back in August as part of our 20^th anniversary celebration.

It’s easy to see why volunteers and diners come back on a regular basis. Music in the background wafted from the rear of the dining area, where guest, Billy Jones performed hits from Gershwin to Mozart. He eats and plays almost every night at the kitchen. Wesley Beshears, whose been dining at St. James for a year, decided two months ago to volunteer before and after each meal.

Praises from diners and volunteers were noted: “I’m stuffed!” “I can tell it was a great meal. There’s not much garbage.” Scott added, “I was touched by how appreciative the folks were. Everyone in line said please and thank you. It was obvious how much the meal meant to them.”

Tasting Ireland: Irish Soda Bread

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Around since the mid-19^th century, traditional Irish soda bread contained just four ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. According to Rory O’Connell, co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, Ireland, the bread has taken on many adaptations since coming to the U.S.

Many folks are offended by this “corruption” of tradition, like the U.S.-based group Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread. They provide a history of Irish Soda Bread and Ireland, dating back to the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, when Ireland was grappling with the effects of the great potato famine. The bread gained in popularity when poorer families could not afford to buy bread and resorted to making their own. With no ovens in most homes, folks used their cast iron pot with a lid to cook the bread. Baking soda when mixed with sour milk was used as the rising agent.

In the early 20th century, as immigrants from Ireland kept pouring into the U.S., they brought the simple recipe along with them. As the recipe was handed down, each generation created versions of the original, adding embellishments along way including caraway seeds, dried fruit, sugar, eggs, and even yeast!

Our version of the traditional bread from the Land of Éire incorporates thick rolled oats, Fairhaven Mill’s whole-grain wheat flour, buttermilk and a hint of honey. Macrina Bakery Founder Leslie Mackie prefers to eat it toasted with a little bit of butter and jam.

We also make – what our Gaelic friends refer to as the “Spotted Dog” or “Railway Cake” – a version of the Irish soda bread with raisins. Come in for a loaf or two, and enjoy it through March 22.

re:public (yep, no capitals and the colon stays!)

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Voted #1 New Restaurant in Western Washington for 2010 by KING5’s Evening Magazine, re:public was one of the first restaurants to move into the South Lake Union neighborhood. Now the neighborhood is a bustling destination spot, not just for the urban professionals who roam the streets during lunch and dinner hours, but for taste bud thrill-seekers on the lookout for perfectly prepared oysters or a sophisticated burger.

It all came together three years ago in a 1920s-era brick building, the brainchild of owners Ruadhri McCormick, Matt Greenup, and Hannes Schindler – just as the Amazon campus was taking shape and before the neighborhood started filling in with restaurants and shops.

From the beginning, the chefs at re:public envisioned a Wagyu burger with a bun that could stand up to its juiciness. Lucky for us, they found Macrina brioche buns filled the bill and, according to Greenup, “tasted the best”. Many of their high quality ingredients are sourced from local producers like Beechers cheese, which is featured on the burger along with Wagyu beef, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, house-made horseradish aioli and apple ketchup. Oh, and don’t forget the mound of hand-cut frites that accompany the burger.

Urbane and hearty, re:public’s Wagyu Burger will keep you coming back to this hip, South Lake Union spot. Our advice…give it a try, and tell them that Macrina sent you.

Happy Hour: Seattle Wine and Food Experience

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Macrina Bakery

Here at Macrina we love food. We love making food and sharing the food we create each day in our bakeries and cafes. And we look forward to events that allow us to share how we make our sweet and savory creations. Seattle Wine and Food Experience is one of those events.

On Sunday, February 24^th, Macrina will be dishing up deliciousness: Guinness Chocolate Mousse Cake (which will be available in our cafes in time for St. Paddy’s Day). You can nosh to your heart’s content around the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, sampling away at creations from chefs around the Seattle area.

The Seattle Wine and Food Experience is the premier showcase for wine, beer, spirits, and gourmet foods in the Northwest. From the vineyards of Oregon to the fields of Eastern Washington, hundreds of opportunities for tasting wines and gourmet foods will be in one central location to satisfy your gastronomical needs.

The event benefits the Giving Grapes Foundation, a national organization providing assistance to local charities that offer financial assistance to service industry professionals who need to take time off work due to injury or illness. The 2013 non-profit is Big Table, located in our home state in Spokane.

Tickets for the 5^th annual Seattle Wine and Food Experience are available on their website. The event runs from noon to 5pm…think of it as one long happy hour!

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!