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THE NIBBLE’s Gourmet News & Views
Trends, Products & Items Of Note In The World Of Specialty Foods
This is the blog section of THE NIBBLE. Read all of our content on TheNibble.com,
the online magazine about gourmet and specialty food.
Archive for Entertaining
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November 5, 2009 at 8:54 am
· Filed under Cocktails & Spirits, Entertaining, Kitchenware, Tip Of The Day
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Our favorite ice cube trays from ISI Orka keep ice cleaner and fresher and color-code our “specialty” ice cubes. |
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You can make festive ice cubes for holiday drinks without investing in special pumpkin- or holly leaf-shape ice cube trays. And you can do it more elegantly, too!
Just freeze one of the following in each section of a regular ice cube tray:
a whole cranberry
a mint or basil leaf
a rosemary sprig
a piece of curly lime or lemon peel
We create different trays of “designer ice cubes” to match to different sweet or savory beverages. It’s easy to keep the garnishes straight in our favorite color-coordinated ice cube trays from iSi Orka.
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November 4, 2009 at 8:15 am
· Filed under Entertaining, Fish/Seafood/Caviar, Tip Of The Day
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A simple-to-make, impressive first course is a smoked salmon roll filled with salmon caviar and crème fraîche. Ask the counter person to slice the salmon in wide pieces instead of narrow strips—explain that you’re going to fill the slices and roll them up like a cigar.
1. Spread the inside of each slice with crème fraîche and a teaspoon of your favorite caviar or roe, but leave the last inch on each end clear of filling so it doesn’t spill out when you roll up. Then roll!
2. Put a few beads of caviar on top of the “cigar” for decor (consider some contrasting caviar, e.g. flavored whitefish roe or tobiko).
3. Garnish the plate with a sprinkle of snipped chives and dill and some finely diced red onion. This cigar is smokin’!
Discover the different types of smoked salmon.
Explore all the different types of caviar in our Caviar Glossary.
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Can’t afford sturgeon caviar in a recession (or any time)? Affordable salmon caviar is delicious in this recipe. Photo courtesy of Red-Caviar.com, certified kosher. |
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October 31, 2009 at 7:36 am
· Filed under Cocktails & Spirits, Entertaining, Halloween
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The Bloody Eyeball Martini. Photo courtesy of Kris Plazek. |
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While the kids are out trick-or-treating, you deserve a treat, too. Our Halloween cocktails with gin include the Bloody Scream, Ghost, Satan’s Whiskers, Swamp Demon and Witches’ Brew. But they’re only the top of the menu—we’ve got a whole Halloween Lounge going.
Check out the Bloody Eyeball Martini and the Bloody Brain.
Halloween Brandy Cocktails include Awake From The Dead and Pumpkin Eater Cocktails.
Coffee lovers can sip away at these “black” cocktails with Kahlúa: The Drac-Kahlúa, Kahlúa Black Cat and Kahlúa Cryptini. (They’re very dark brown, but you can add a drop of McCormick black food coloring to make them truly black.)
There’s a lovely bloody effect with Vampire Elixir from Grey Goose Vodka. The company also offers a bright orange Pumpkin Martini.
What are you waiting for? Start mixing!
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October 30, 2009 at 7:58 am
· Filed under Christmas, Cookies/Cake/Pastry, Entertaining, Recipes
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Back in the 17th century, sugar was costly and shortbread was considered an expensive luxury, a treat reserved for special celebrations, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Imagine how over-the-top-indulgent those party-goers would think us if they had these dipped shortbread fingers!
We thank the folks at Walkers Shortbread for this festive yet easy recipe. Serve it for dessert with ice cream or with coffee and tea when guests stop by during the holiday season.
Ingredients
1 package (5.3 ounces) Walkers Shortbread Fingers
1 bar (8 ounces) of chocolate—bittersweet and/or white (or double the recipe and make one batch of each)
A selection of toppings: chopped nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts or pistachios or walnuts); chopped candied fruit; crystallized ginger; mini chocolate (or other flavored chips); grated coconut; zest of orange or lemon; or your own favorite toppings)
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Dip shortbread fingers: It’s easy, fun—and impressive! Photo courtesy Walker’s Shortbread. |
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Preparation
1. Microwave chocolate in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
2. Dip shortbread fingers into the melted chocolate. Immediately roll in chopped nuts, coconut, mini-chocolate chips, slivered almonds, etc.
3. Or place plain dipped chocolate shortbread onto waxed paper and let cool. Then drizzle with contrasting chocolate. Serves 4.
There are many more recipes available at www.walkersus.com. Enjoy!
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October 29, 2009 at 7:54 am
· Filed under Entertaining
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Look for serving pieces that double as objets d’art. Bowls, cups and sauces, plates, pitchers and trays fall into this category. You can showcase them all year as room decor, then put them to use as needed during special dinners. If you like to collect and have more items than room to display them, rotate pieces on a schedule so family and visitors will enjoy different pieces of your collection.
Check out our article, Fun With Tabletop Pieces.
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