Herma’s Signature Products

History of our Signature Products – How to serve your Signature Product – How Norah feels about them

Herma’s Fine Foods is a unique store for many reasons – selling luxury goods from around the world, making available hard-to-get gourmet foods, providing complimentary gift wrap, and so much more. One of our most important special features is the production of Herma’s Signature Products which are all delicious and wonderful served at parties or eaten as a snack at home.

What makes these products so special? Is it that they are made fresh weekly by Norah in Herma’s very own kitchen? Is it because of the innovative creativity and testing that was done to make each and every recipe special? Let’s start at the very beginning.

How it all began…

Our Signature Products are a shared effort between what were once the recipes of Fitz-Henry Fine Foods in Toronto and Norah’s own creations. Their secret recipes have become our secret recipes.

Norah has been a great asset to our store since 2005.

Norah began working in Herma’s cheese department on September 2nd, 2005. Norah, who once owned and operated a gourmet foods store of her own, Smile and Say Cheese, came to us after a brief retirement. We have been smiling ever since she walked through our doors as we value Norah’s ideas and all that she brings to our table.

The recipes Norah has shared with us both as family recipes and those she invented on her own include: Norah’s Cheese Medley, Marinated Goat Cheese Rounds, Herma’s Chevre, Herma’s Stilton Pate, and Spicy Pimento.

Herma and Harry have been enjoying the fine food business since 1993.

Fitz-Henry Fine Foods, a store that was situated on Bayview Avenue in Toronto, was an establishment that Herma and Harry frequented since the time Herma’s Fine Foods and Gifts began in 1993. Over time, Herma and Harry established a relationship with the Fitz-Henry’s. When the Fitz-Henry’s decided to close their doors in 2005, they agreed to share their fantastic recipes for pates and dips with Herma. Judith Fitz-Henry was a godsend as she so generously demonstrated the procedures for how to create their dips and pates with Norah.

Judith’s recipes include: Herma’s Chicken Liver Pate, Savoury Cheddar Spread, Beer Cheddar Spread, and Pesto Cream Cheese.

We suggest…on how to serve

Ever since Herma’s Signature Products have been in production, we have received much feedback as to how the many dips and pates have been used. All pates and dips, however, are wonderful on their own, lovingly displayed on cheese platters, placed in lovely crystal bowls, or enjoyed as a snack at home. Let us share with you how we suggest using our products.

Savoury Cheddar Spread

A wonderful blend of the finest Canadian Cheddar pureed with herbs and spices, Worcestershire, and hot sauce!

One of our most popular Signature Products, Savoury Cheddar is delicious on its own, however it may be used in most recipes that require cheddar. For example, as I am writing, Herma is making us all lovely omelettes using this delicious, cheddary spread.

Spicy Pimento

This spunky creation is for those that like a little spice in their life. Cathy once paired it with Spicy Red Hot Chili Crackers for sampling. The combination was a hit for those that love heat.

Herma’s Chevre

A mixture made with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

This has been mentioned by customers as being wonderful tossed in pasta or stuffed in chicken breasts. Of course it is meant to be enjoyed with a cracker. One of Norah’s favorites for entertaining.

Norah’s Cheese Medley

An assortment of cheeses and spice are used to make this hors d’oeuvre heavenly.

Many recommendations have been made for how to use this fabulous product. Used to stuff mushrooms, tossed with shrimp, used in a grilled cheese, in an omelet, as a pizza topping, over asparagus, or dolloped onto escargot. Norah suggests using it as a topping with baguette bread.

However it is used, this heavenly cheese mixture must be served warm. When eaten by itself, may be placed in serving dish, as seen above, with candle underneath.

Herma’s Stilton Pate

Our Stilton Pate is made with a fine Stilton and blended with brandy, butter and other happy ingredients.

Stilton lovers of the world unite. This will be wonderful on its own eaten with a pumpernickel round or the like.

Herma’s Chicken Liver Pate

Our Chicken Liver Pate is made with the finest chicken livers! Norah adds butter, onions, garlic, orange zest, and more.

Herma suggests pairing this hard-to-make delicacy with Heritier’s Onion & Raspberry. Fig or pepper jelly would also be nice eaten with crackers.

Marinated Goat Cheese Rounds

Norah starts out with a fresh goat cheese and then tops it with roasted red peppers, herbs, capers, and other spices.

This is our most beautiful hors d’oeuvre and also quite delicious. Impressive at parties or any gathering. Eat plain with an Original 34 Degree Cracker or crostini. Don’t be afraid to add a little extra olive oil.

Pesto Cream Cheese

Pesto Cream Cheese is made with a wonderful cream cheese and pesto sauce.

This favorite, which is formed like a swiss roll of pesto and cream cheese, is best with a plain cracker (Original 34 Degree Cracker).

Cathy showing off a recent cheese board with Pesto Cream Cheese in slices – front and center.

Cathy considers this pretty hors d’oeuvre an asset to any cheese board. Cutting the Pesto Cream Cheese into wedges makes for nice presentation and is easier for guests to serve themselves at parties.

Lemo-licious

Cream cheese based and made with lemon zest, rosemary, olive oil, thyme and other good things.

Once called Tom & Herma’s, this product is now described for what it is – lemony and delicious. Refreshing and sweet, this dip is best eaten with a plain cracker.

Beer Cheese

Like the savoury cheddar this dip may be used in recipes calling for cheddar. In this case, you will use the beer cheese if you desire a slight beer flavour in your recipe. Most commonly, however, this spread is used on its own with a cracker. Beer Cheese is wonderful served at gatherings where a good craft beer is the drink of choice.

Seafood Dazzler

One of Norah’s more recent popular creations, this lovely treat may be eaten on its own with a cracker. Norah suggests using it as part of an English Tea – in Sandwiches with cucumber or stuffed in cherry tomatoes.

Questions for Norah?

What do you like best concerning the production of Herma’s Signature Products?

Creating something new is the fun part of the job. We try different recipes and see what kind of response we get.

What is the most challenging concern during production?

Anything made with fresh herbs is time consuming as they require washing and chopping. Herma’s Chevre with Olives, Marinated Goat Cheese Rounds, and Lemon-licious all require fresh herbs. I don’t mind the extra work, though, as using only the freshest ingredients is what makes our products so delicious. Of course I do have to make special mention that cleaning the chicken livers for the Chicken Liver Pate is everyone’s least favorite job. No pain, no gain. Right?

What would you like customers to know about your Signature Products?

I would like them to know that most products will last approximately 2 weeks in the cooler or fridge. Products are made fresh weekly, so what you purchase in our coolers is freshly made.

Savoury Cheddar, Beer Cheese, Stilton Pate, and Spicy Pimento are all kept in freezers and will last for 6 months while frozen. If you would like a frozen container, be sure to ask someone at the cheese department and they will be happy to get it for you.

Other People to Thank….

Barbara is Norah’s right-hand woman and much appreciated help.

While Norah is the hands and brains behind our Signature Products, she sites her husband, Gerry, as having been a great source of support, without which none of her products could have been achieved. She has also had helpers through the years. At present, Barbara, and sometimes Margaret, help with the production of the Signature Products. They work alongside Norah and are much appreciated.