What’s Rising?

Mary Ingersoll, head cheesemonger at Alon’s Bakery & Market, recently had the opportunity to visit the bee garden at Savannah Bee Company, a producer of the artisan honey selection available at Alon’s. Visiting with Ted Dennard, founder and head beekeeper, Mary immersed herself in the philosophy behind the company, and caught a glimpse inside how bees live and work, experiencing firsthand the passion Savannah Bee Company has and shares with the community. The observation hive on-site is the same model the company uses for its Bee Cause Project, an organization with a goal to install observation hives in schools across the United States. The hives bring education to younger generations allowing an inside view of how bees operate and interact, and the importance they bring to the world.

If you can’t make a trip over to Savannah, several selections of the unique honey are available right here in our market, including:

Acacia Honey – From the highlands of Hungry, this honey is light with a hint of vanilla.

Wildflower Honey – A treat that originates from the mountains of Georgia and eastern Tennessee. A combination of Gallberry, white holly, sawtooth palmetto and tulip poplar makes this honey rich and delicious.

Lavender Honey – Coming to us from southern Spain, this delicate honey has a slight floral aroma with a hint of fruity flavor. It’s a perfect substitute for sugar when baking.

Orange Blossom Honey – This delight comes to us from Florida and South Georgia. A perfect addition to a bowl of fruit, this aromatic honey is fruity and floral.

Tupelo Honey – A rare honey from the southeastern swamps, which are home to the White Tupelo trees. It’s the gold standard of honey with a rich golden, buttery, mellow sweetness.

Also look for Savannah Bee honeycomb and honey straws at both Morningside and Dunwoody markets. We hope to see you soon!

We are incredibly proud to announce that our head cheesemonger Mary Ingersoll is among the 2017 class of American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals® (ACS CCPs®) after passing the Certified Cheese Professional® Exam. This exam is the first and only of its kind established by the American Cheese Society to encourage high standards of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service for professionals in all areas of the industry. Testing encompasses a broad range of topics including raw ingredients, the cheesemaking process, storing and handling cheese, selecting distributors, marketing and communicating about cheese, nutrition and regulations.

Mary joined the Alon’s Bakery & Market team in September 2010 overseeing the cheese department in Dunwoody. In 2014, she moved to the Morningside location where she continues today managing the store’s stock of more than 120 cheeses – including everything from local Georgia varieties to imported selections from around the world. Her passion and determination to receive this honor reiterates our goal and commitment to provide our customers with the highest standard of quality ingredients and knowledge of product.

In celebration of receiving this certification, we will be featuring weekly cheese specials at both locations beginning tomorrow, September 12, through Friday, October 6. Each week, specific cheese selections, handpicked by Mary herself, will be offered at a 10% discount. So come by, grab some cheeses and say hello to our certified cheese professional – don’t forget the wine!

• Week of September 11
  • Prairie Tomme – Nutty with notes of butter and grass, this cheese hails from Green Dirt Farm in Missouri. Pairs perfectly with a pinot noir and recommended for grilled cheese sandwiches.
  • Smokey Blue – Cold smoked over hazelnut shells, this intense blue from Rogue Creamery in Oregon has flavors of sweet cream, caramel and bacon. Pair with Zinfandel, Sauternes or a good bourbon or add atop a wedge salad.
• Week of September 18
  • Tarentaise – This Alpine-style cheese from Spring Brook Farm in Vermont is fashioned after the French Abondance and named after the valley that was the source of its inspiration. Nutty and slightly spicy, try this one with a brown ale or Gammy Beaujolais. Wonderful addition to your fondue or french onion soup.  Insider note: Not only does Spring Brook Farm produce a fabulous cheese, they give back to the community with its Farms for City Kids educational program.
  • Pine in the Ash – This daring cheese comes to us from just down the road at the Capra Gia Farm in Carrollton, Ga. This ash ripened bloomy rind cheese will add excitement and stimulation to any cheese board. Bold, earthy and a hint of woodsy-ness pairs well with a Saunters, rose, honey and dates.
• Week of September 25
  • Monte Enebro – This ash-ripened goat cheese from Spain is made by a father/daughter team. Citrusy, goaty and smooth – pair with cherries, honey and aged balsamic, Saunters or a sweet Spanish sherry.
  • Oma – This farmstead cheese is brought to us by the Van Trapp family in Vermont.  The texture is soft like a pudding, but not runny. It has a washed rind which gives the cheese a little funkiness, but remains buttery and approachable.  Try with a Belgian Ale or apricots.
• Week of October 2
  • Rocket’s Robiola – I clearly have a thing for ash ripened cheeses! This luscious, zingy treat comes from Box Carr Creamery in Cedar Grove, NC. It’s a robiola-style cheese and has hints of almonds and light mushroom notes. Pair with a glass of pinot noir, brown ales, apricots and figs.
  • La Dama Sagrada – This Spanish goat cheese is a result of cooperative farming. The name translates to “Sacred Dame” and is worthy of such a cheese. Currently our only raw goat’s milk cheese and offers fully sweet, nutty and grassy flavor. Pair this unique selection with a porter or a dry sherry.

Did you know we host monthly wine tastings at the Dunwoody Wine Bar? An intimate evening filled with wine education and tasty pairings of gourmet cheeses, Market Sips provides the opportunity for customers to learn more about the handpicked wine selections offered at Alon’s Bakery & Market. The unique wine program at Alon’s offers a diverse collection of wines from regions around the globe – perfect for accommodating any occasion or budget.

This month, join us for a taste of Spain on Thursday, August 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.! The tasting will feature boutique Spanish-style wines and an assortment of Spanish cheeses. Bacco Fine Wines, alongside Alon’s wine director Stephanie Northrup, will be pouring a lineup of off-the-grid wines from the Rioja, Penedes, Priorat and Galicia regions. Each of the hard to find wines featured will be available for purchase following the tasting. Tickets are $25 per person, so mark your calendar and reserve your spot via Opentable here!

Can’t make it this month? Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details on September’s Market Sips.

 

In honor of the Epiphany on January 6th, we will have 4 flavors of King Cake available through January 8th.

Pre-order yours in Almond, Almond-Raspberry, Almond-Apricot or Hazelnut-Chocolate while supplies last ($25.99 each).

Place your order at either of our locations today!

Dunwoody  |  Morningside

We can’t believe it’s already December! We’re kicking off the new month with our 12 Days of Alon’s with 12 featured items for the holiday season.

1. Alon’s Mugs
Our mugs are great for hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate during these cool winter months, available for $6.99.

2. Cookie Jars
A delicious assortment of your choice of cookie bites packed in a refillable glass cookie jar.
3 lb. Cookie Jar – $49.99 | 4 lb. Cookie Jar – $64.99 | 1.5 lb. Cookie Jar – $34.99

3. Alon’s House-Made Preserves
Enjoy our homemade preserves with accompanying bamboo spoon, available in a variety of flavors for $13.99.

4. Georgia On My Mind
This gift basket features a taste of the South including locally made snacks and treats such as Blackberry Patch salsa, Logan Turnpike Mill grits and pancake mix, our homemade banana bread and so much more!
Standard: $80/Deluxe: $125

5. Macaroon Box
One of our specialties and a truly elegant gift, our macaroon boxes are available in 3, 8 or 16 pieces and feature homemade French almond macaroons made with real fruit, nuts and fruit confections.
16 piece – $26.99   |   8 piece – $15.99   |    3 piece – $7.99

6. Truffles Jar
Hand rolled chocolate truffles made with a Belgium chocolate for $24.99.

7. Cheese and Wine
This basket includes a carefully selected bottle of wine and fabulous imported artisan cheeses, surrounded by our opulent selection of flavorful crackers, cookies & nuts. In accordance with Georgia law, we are unable to deliver this gift basket. Only available for pickup. $75.00

8. Too Hot for Chocolate
Alon’s hot chocolate and house‐made marshmallows for $24.99.

9.  Assorted Pound Cakes
Enjoy two holiday flavors, Orange Spice or Lemon Pistachio available for $16.99.

10. Stollen
A very buttery and rich German fruit coffee cake with golden raisins, candied fruit and soaked in rum.
Plain – $16.99 / $23.99     |    Marzipan‐Filled- $17.99 / $25.99

11. Bûche de Noël
Cinnamon Pistachio, a Ceylon cinnamon Bavarian cream, with a creamy pistachio center, on top of a sponge cake soaked with vanilla bean custard, atop a gingerbread crust. Made to order. Please allow 24 hours for orders. Serves up to 10 – $42.99 or serves up to 20 – $74.99

12. Panettone
Made of only natural yeast and the best quality Italian imported candied orange peel, then fermented 36 hours. You must try it to understand how wonderful it is for $24.99.