Get free shipping through October 31 plus
a new Bloody Mary recipe. Photo courtesy
of RicksPicksNYC.com.

Our favorite pickle perfectionist, Rick’s Picks, is offering FREE SHIPPING in the contiguous U.S. (that’s the same as the Lower 48) through the end of the month, on orders of 4 jars or more. (It’s very easy to devour one jar at a sitting—they’re so divine and very low-calorie and healthy). You can pick four pickled peppers, or any of Rick’s fabulous Picks, for your own gourmandizing or for gifts, and can have them shipped now or later—just get the order in by October 31 to qualify.

Enter coupon code: octoberfree (all lower case) when you order at RicksPicksNYC.com to get the free shipping. We love all the products, but go batty for the Phat Beets (the top seller), the Green Tomato Condiment (formerly called GT 1000s, curried green tomato pickles), Windy City Wasabeans in a soy-wasabi brine, Smokra (pickled okra seasoned with smoked paprika) and … heck, we may as well list everything.

Enjoy the screaming good Bloody Mary recipe below for Halloween, which features Rick’s Picks’ Mean Beans, a spicy dilly bean (cayenne joins the traditional dill and garlic seasoning). Low in calories—just 20 per 7-bean serving—the brine is used in the Bloody Mary, and you can toss fresh string beans from the store into the remaining brine to make new pickles. As with all of Rick’s Picks, there’s no hidden sugar.

Rick’s Picks Mean & Bloody

Ingredients:
- 1 ounce vodka
- 3 ounces tomato juice (see our review of the best)
- 2 dashes Worcestershire
- 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 2 dashes Tabasco or to taste
- A dash of freshly-ground pepper
- 1 quarter lemon, squeezed
- Generous splash of Mean Beans brine (try other dilly bean or pickle brine if you don’t have Mean Beans—but it won’t be as good!)
- Mean Beans to garnish

Preparation:
1. Combine ingredients. Shake or stir.
2. Pour over ice. Garnish and serve.
3. Have extra Mean Beans on hand for demanding guests.

xciting mayonnaises and mustards turn
everyday ingredients into delicious canapés.
Photo by KS Chin | IST.

We’ve fallen in love with a few products that have become part of our permanent pantry. In this Top Pick Of The Week, you’ll meet:

Marvelous Mayos

Mighty Mustards

Swell Sweeties

All make great small gifts and stocking stuffers. Read more in the full review.

• Learn more about vinegar in our article, Vinegar 101.
• Check out the history of mustard and all the different types of mustard.

Don’t come near our jar of Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Tamed Jalapeño Peppers—we’re saving them all for ourselves. Our favorite new condiment, these pickled jalapeño slices solve a problem as they add exciting new flavor to franks, burgers, sandwiches (any, but don’t forget grilled cheese!), salads, omelets, dips, relish trays and as long a list of savory foods as you can imagine—especially that obvious choice, nachos. Add a few to any plate as a zesty garnish.

We like jalapeño, but biting into even a small bit of a fresh one is a bit too much bite for us: too much burn, and when you’re in the food-tasting business, that takes out the taste buds for more time than we have to be out of commission. We promise, you need have no fear when you bite into these. Plus, they’re sugar-free and are a dieter’s dream: 5 slices for 7 calories. They’re certified kosher by KSA.

Mezzetta also sells the same product unsliced, called Tamed Jalapeño Peppers En Escabeche, as well as numerous other varieties of whole and deli-sliced peppers. (In the Shop Online section of the website, the sliced variety can be found under Deli-Sliced and the whole peppers are under Imported & Domestic Peppers). We look forward to trying the others, but in the interim, thanks to G. L. Mezzetta of Napa Valley for this new discovery.

These jalapeño slices have been “tamed” by pickling—and are delicious on just about
anything. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

Mix mustards, chutneys, pestos, and salsas with nonfat yogurt to create low-calorie, creamy dressings, dips and sauces. While condiments are great flavor-enhancers by themselves, transforming them into a creamy sauce adds versatility to your dishes. Using nonfat yogurt adds few calories compared with cream or sour cream. However, yogurt will separate when heated, so if you want a warm sauce, have the yogurt at room temperature and warm it ever-so-slightly. You can warm the mustard, chutney, pesto or salsa more easily, and then mix it with the yogurt.

• See more yogurt recipes and reviews of our favorite artisan yogurts.

• Get to know different varieties of onion in THE NIBBLE’s Glossary Of Exotic And Heirloom Vegetables.
• See other special ideas for Labor Day.

• For a ready-made zesty mayo, check out our review of the Top Pick Of The Week mayonnaise from The Ojai Cook.
• Why not make your own mayonnaise from scratch?
• Take a look at our favorite gourmet condiments.

• See our review of the different flavors of Tabasco Hot Pepper Sauces.
• Check out our favorite gourmet condiments.

Add 4 ounces of slivered almonds to tuna, egg and chicken salads for a crunchy gourmet twist. Use fresh herbs: Snip basil, chives, cilantro, dill or parsley into your salad for more great flavor with no added calories. Another tip—use a great mayonnaise like those from The Ojai Cook, a Top Pick Of The Week. Its delicious Lemonaise is redolent of lemon and gentle spice, which layers more flavor into the salad. Lemonaise Light has half the calories, but you can use half mayonnaise, half fat-free yogurt to cut down on the calories, too.

• Check out our review of Lemonaise and its sister products—great to know about.
• For delicious almond recipes, visit the Almond Board of California.

Lemonaise is a mainstay dressing in THE NIBBLE kitchen.