Product Review: Heinz Sriracha Ketchup

In the wake of the multitude of Sriracha-themed products entering the market comes Heinz' Sriracha ketchup.  A good idea poorly executed, I was saddened to read the small print when I returned home from market -- there is no actual Sriracha in this ketchup, Sriracha "flavoring" only.

What does it taste like?  Ketchup mixed with dehydrated barbecue sauce.  It's not even spicy (I would grade it a one or two out of ten).  There is very little red chili flavor, almost no sour flavor, and the salt is muted by the sweet molasses and tomato flavors.  Sriracha lovers should pass.  The only question I have is what I should do with the rest of this bottle.

Most Frequently Played Song This Spring at NSB

Update

Lots of good stuff going on at the bakery - worthy of an update:

- Crocuses and daffodils are up, magnolias are budding - Spring is officially here.

- Made some amazing Irish Soda Breads for St. Patricks Day.  We use 90% wholegrain wheat flour, just like the Irish used to do before white flour became widely available.  White flour was the flour of the rich back in the day.  Buttermilk was also used historically because it was a byproduct of butter churning and would otherwise be a waste product.

- Two weeks ago we baked some delicious crumb donuts and bagels.  These are coming back Saturday thanks to our new collaboration with Noah R-B, previously of Bread Uprising.

- Noah is also putting together a vegan brunch menu for this Sunday - not to be missed!

Track of the week:

 

Going Back to My Roots

This past weekend at Farmer's Market and Downtown, we brought out some chocolate, old fashioned, and sugar-raised crumb donuts.  They were delectable.  They very first day I operated a solo bakestand (in 2011), we had red velvet donuts and Irish soda bread, so it felt like a return of sorts to make donuts again after a long hiatus.  Be on the lookout for more donuts coming in the next couple of weeks.  Many thanks to Noah R. for helping with the bake, as well as with the Durham Water Bagels we sent to market.  Lastly, big ups to our dedicated market sellers, Brian and Michael, and to our enthusiastic market regulars.

 

The Baker - 1568

Triangle Bread Baking Contest - February 21st

A Great Moment in Triangle Culinary History

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/dining/a-food-sisterhood-flourishes-in-north-carolina.html#

via Smoke Signals

On Langer's Pastrami

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/08/19/a-sandwich

Did you hear we have new t-shirts?

Henry

Gone Girl

Ninth Street Bakery / Open Durham

Did you know that Ninth Street Bakery in Durham sits on the site of the first public library in North Carolina, estalished in 1897?

 

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More: http://www.opendurham.org/buildings/first-main-public-library-five-points-east

Snack Attack at Ninth Street January 17th

Community Soup-Making January 10th!

Our Committment to Vegan Food

As time moves on, we have continued to provide diners with an impressive array of vegan (and many GF) lunchtime food choices.  To list some of our vegan options (including sweets), we offer our:

• Falafel
• Thai Curry Bowl
• Dal Curry Bowl
• Savory Filled Hand Pies
• Sweet Filled Hand Pies
• Pumpkin Maple Walnut Cupcakes
• Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
• Coconut Banana Chocolate Chip Mounds
• Superchunk Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Homemade Hummus Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper
• Black Bean Chili
• Stuffed Flaky Savory Tartines

Many of our longtime diners are aware that Chef Matt Props has moved on to work at a larger corporation, and we wish him the best.  While the Bakery has never been exclusively vegan, we intend to keep these great items running and potentially add on more so that the vegans in the Triangle have really good choices when they dine with us.  I was recently reminiscing on the old days of working with Matt and decided to collect some of my favorite blog posts from his tenure:

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/03/chef-matt.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/06/nsb-in-transition.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/03/weekend-update-on-corndogs-and-feeling.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/03/new-staff-addition.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2013/11/weekend-update-korean.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2013/10/dantes-inferno.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/03/katya-what-shabbat-means-to-me.html

http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/01/ramen-remix-wrapup.html

Durham DOUGH Recap

Last Saturday, we launched our first community-driven pitch party, Durham DOUGH. Four community organizations presented their projects while the audience enjoyed Dal and Thai Curry Bowls. The presentations featured youth conservation and faith projects, a puppet troupe for at-risk youth, a talent show for developmentally disabled adults and teens, and a start-up pecan milk company supporting North Carolina pecan growers. Rachel Atkinson, the entrepreneur behind Native Beverage, the local pecan milk company, took home the winnings. A big thanks to our presenters and all those that turned out to eat and vote. We look forward to launching our next pitch party in February!

Got a community benefiting project? Let us know (at ninthstbakery at gmail dot com) and we'll give you a chance to win some dough.

Durham DOUGH Ballot

Audience Members

 

Youth Faith Conservation Network

Reality Ministries

Scrappet Nation

NSB's Best of 2014

• Non-NC Food Truck: Outta My Huevos, Charleston, SC.   
• Anticipated Opening: Josh Munchel at Counting House  
• New NSB Pastry Item: Tie: Ham and Cheese Croissant; Vegan Superchunk Cookie
• Beer-Drinking Bar: Surf Club
• Date Bar: Bar Lusconi
• Beer Intelligence: Ben Fletcher
• In-house Blog Post: Gastronomical Intensity
• New Bakery: Boulted Bread
• Baking Blog: Smoke Signals
• Food Writing Rediscovered: The Taste of Francoise
• Pizza: http://blog.ninthstbakery.com/2014/08/breakfast-pizza-from-nsb.html
• NSB Food Photo: Little Man Rolling Matzo
• Food magazine: Lucky Peach
• Food destination: Skylight Inn
• NSB Themed Menu: Valentine's Day 
• Internet Food Photo: Young Tony Bourdain
• NSB Baking Contest Winner: Christopher Johnston's Stollen
• Food Story: A Toast Story
• Transformation of Space: Monuts Dos
• Egalitarian Cookbook: Good and Cheap
• Local Food Justice Initiative: Double Bucks
• Best Indian: Tower Indian Restaurant
• Best Smell Coming Out of the Oven: NSB's Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies 
• Best Cookbook: Heritage by Sean Brock

Chanukah Party Recap

To the shouts of "Gimmel!", we fried potato pancakes (latkes) all night and gave away driedels and gelt to the kids.  Earlier, Brian and I peeled and fine-grated forty pounds of potatoes and twelve pounds of onions (there was a little bit of crying).   Big shouts to Kathy Jo, Esme, and Kevin, Alyssa and Levi, Adam, Lindsey, and Sam, and Nat, Harris, Madeline, and Margot for coming through.  Big shouts to Brian for helping so much (including three hours of continuous frying) and Nate for crew-ing the night.

Farmer's Market in Winter

Now that the hours have changed for our Farmer's Markets (now 10AM-noon at Hunt Street, 9AM-noon at South Durham Farmer's Market), it's time to recognize the crew that supports our endeavors in what is sometimes less than appealing conditions.  In the cold and wet this past weekend, Michael, Danielle, and Amanda were out slinging babkas, mandelbrot, pastries, breads, Pan Forte, Stollen, and all the other good things we bring to the public.  In addition, Nate, Kim, Adrian, and Christina have been regularly working the markets too, and to them we give our greatest thanks.  We hope that you will join us at the market soon - local farmers still have delicious Fall/Winter crops, plenty of greens rich in antioxidants, as well as root vegetables for your next stew, soup, or roast!