By Glenn Lozuke, Weaver Street Market Food House Executive Chef
Time for a holiday spread! To me, nothing says holiday entertaining better than a wide array of delicious dips and spreads at the table. It brings back wonderful memories of when my sister-in-law would show up at my front door with her famous vegetable dip served in a savory pumpernickel bread bowl. As common as the dish sounds, I’d look forward to sharing it with my family every year.
At the Weaver Street Food House, we make some great dips and spreads that we hope will become a part of your family tradition.
Weaver-Made Dips and Spreads
Of the 300-plus items that the Weaver Street Food House kitchen produces, our dips and spreads are among the best-sellers! What makes these products so special, you might ask? They’re all hand-crafted with the most wholesome ingredients.
Hummus
Back in August, I blogged about “In search of a better hummus” and the amazing effort the kitchen staff put forth in improving not only the quality of this product but the value that’s passed on to you, the customer. As they say, “The proof is in the pudding,” or in this case, the hummus. Why else would we go through the effort of sorting, soaking, and cooking hundreds of pounds of organic chickpeas weekly? Our hummus comes in traditional, lemon cilantro, roasted red pepper, and roasted garlic varieties.
Guacamole
Our guacamole has been a crowd pleaser at seasonal gatherings for years. Did you know the Weaver Street Market kitchen makes over 14,000 pounds of guacamole a year? That’s over 850 cases of avocados. These fruits, or more specifically, a single seeded berry, are loaded with nutrients. A single avocado has 975 milligrams of potassium (that’s twice as much as a banana) and 4 grams of protein.
Each of the thousands of avocados peeled and chopped to make our guacamole is carefully processed by hand. From there, our cooks assemble the guac with simple, natural ingredients to render a sublime taste. Some guacamole makers actually use frozen avocado pulp to make their guacamole, which is cheaper. In addition, we don’t add any preservatives. Just look at the ingredients on the label. Or try some–the taste speaks for itself.
Smoked Salmon Spread
Our smoked salmon spread is simply a wonderful condiment: fresh dill, buttery tones of cream cheese and sour cream, finished with notes of Gold’s horseradish to round out our classic spread. The smoked salmon comes from ACME, a 4th generation smoked-fish company and one of the most strictly managed fisheries in the world. Their smoking process, an art form in itself, delivers some of the best-quality Alaskan smoked sockeye salmon available. Grab some of this spread before it’s gone, as it’s only a seasonal item.
Pimento Cheese, Salsa, and More
Don’t forget to try our other dips and spreads, like our pimento cheeses made with Cabot cheddar, or maybe some spinach artichoke dip. You can’t go wrong with our simply salsa. We also make versatile holiday herb and cranberry butters.
Party Planning Tips
How do you choose which dip or spread to serve at your holiday gathering, from such a large selection?
Hummus can be a meal in itself, with the addition of a warm pita, a nice olive mix, and some good feta on the side. Sprinkle your favorite spice on top and drizzle on some Riojana olive oil to finish.- On the lighter side, keep it simple with some of our guacamole and simply salsa. You can easily liven things up by layering these two items with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and black or pinto beans.
- With our holiday butters, roast some green beans, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus for dinner and add a tablespoon or two of your preferred butter for flavoring. For a simple, delicious late-night snack, slice some of our hearth-baked bread, spread with cranberry butter, and sprinkle with sea salt. The possibilities are endless!
