For those who like things hot and spicy, here’s a variation on the Dirty Martini: Add black pepper heat! You get the salty brine from the olives, and heat from the pepper. You can purchase pepper-infused vodka like Absolut Peppar (photo #2), or infuse plain vodka with peppercorns (instructions below). (Pepper vodka is also great […]
Have you ever had a cucumber sandwich? It’s an English tradition that was likely arrived in the U.S. in the 1800s, along with the concept of afternoon tea, a formal light meal (think snack), traditionally served at 4 p.m. It’s a high-class snack, meant to tide over wealthy people who didn’t eat dinner until 8 […]
Know how to hold ‘em, fold ‘em, or eat ‘em (photo © Woodhouse Chocolate). For the poker player, two edible chips from Woodhouse Chocolate, an artisanal chocolatier in the Napa Valley. Actually, their Poker Chip Peanut Butter Cups. Specially decorated in a card suit motif and presented in a poker chip styled box; as […]
Who took the two missing doughnuts??? (Photo of doughnuts (© Brooke Lark | Unsplash). The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day (or Donut, if you prefer—the differce is below. You don’t have to create doughnut art, as in the lovely display above, photographed by Brooke Lark. You can simply buy some plain […]
This guide to boiling live lobster is from Joe Bowab, CEO of Lobster Anywhere, which ships whole live lobsters and frozen lobster tails and other parts nationwide. Lobster, “the king of crustaceans,” is the most luxurious seafood. For us, it’s often the reason many lobster lovers head to a restaurant. But if it’s just steamed, […]
Here’s the first thing you should know, says the author, J. Kenji López-Alt: Expiration dates are not expiration dates, he notes: Completely voluntary: The food product dating under the U.S. Department of Agriculture is completely voluntary for all products, with the exception of baby food. Best guess: Food product dating has nothing to do with […]
[1] How about some beer in your chocolate (photo © Theo Chocolate). For the person who likes both dark chocolate and beer, here’s a novel gift: The Beer Confection Collection from Theo Chocolates. https://theochocolate.com/beer/ The artisan chocolatier, which uses only Fair Trade and Organic ingredients, has crafted chocolate confections specifically crafted to highlight the […]
Calling all olive lovers: June 1st is National Olive Day. OLIVE HISTORY The olive history is an ancient one, following figs as the earliest domesticated fruit tree. Olives trees were native to Asia Minor. The latest findings show that the olive was first domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean basin between 8,000 and 6,000 years […]
[1] Koloa 12-Barrel Select Hawaiian Rum: heavenly (photo © Koloa Rum). [2] Round Barn Winery’s Mint Chocolate Cream is a delight for any chocolate lover [of drinking age] (photo © Round Barn Winery). We taste lots of spirits, and most of them are delicious. But we’re not a spirits website, so we only write […]
While we have been hunkered down at home for the quarantine, we have been treating ourselves to great foods from artisans nationwide. One of them is Jasper Hill Farm, in Greensboro, Vermont (in the “Northeast KingdomNortheast Kingdom”). Jasper Hill sold its first wheels of Bayley Hazen Blue, their flagship cheese (photo #3), in 2003. Since […]