THE NIBBLE » Gourmet News

GOURMET GIVEAWAY: Fancypants Bakery Cookies

Editorial Assistant — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:42:08 +0000

The bunnies, carrots and chicks are almost
too cute to eat. Photo courtesy Fancypants Bakery.

The Easter Bunny will be hopping down the bunny trail in less than three weeks. To prepare for his arrival, enter to win a gift box of gourmet cookies from this week’s Gourmet Giveaway sponsor: Fancypants Bakery. Their “Great Big Easter Gift” prize weighs in at nearly three pounds and includes nine, four-inch-long, hand-iced shortbread cookies in adorable, Easter-themed bunnies, carrots and chicks along with 16 chewy chocolate chip cookies.

What sets Fancypants Bakery apart from other decorated cookies we’ve tasted are the fine-quality shortbread cookies made with oh so much buttery goodness (and all-natural ingredients). Coloring is used only in the decorator’s icing, which is not cloyingly sweet, but, like the shortbread, simply elegant. Sensitive to food allergies, Fancypants Bakery is 100% nut free.

Make the Easter Bunny proud by entering this Gourmet Giveaway and checking out our review of Fancypants Bakery.

THE PRIZE: One winner will receive The Great Big Easter Gift, which includes nine hand-iced bunny, carrot and chick shortbread cookies along with 16 chewy chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are packaged in two chocolate-brown gift boxes with bows—perfect for giving an Easter party host or enjoying yourself at home. Approximate Retail Value: $75.00

To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway: Go to the box at the bottom of our Gourmet Cookies, Brownies & Bars Section and enter your email address for the prize drawing. This contest closes on Monday, March 22nd at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!

Learn more about Fancypants Bakery at FancypantsBakery.com. (Sign up for their mailing list and receive 15% off your first online order.)

CONTEST: For Balsamic Vinegar Lovers

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:52:16 +0000

Balsamic vinegar lovers:

Zingerman’s, a specialty food retailer/e-tailer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is offering you the opportunity to win a free trip to the La Vecchia Dispensa balsamic vinegar factory in Italy. “Factory” is a relative term: This is fine balsamic vinegar production facility, and the “factory” is one of the charming, centuries-old buildings in this beguiling town.

Zingerman’s, the biggest retailer of La Vecchia Dispensa balsamics in the U.S. features an annual “Balsamic Blowout.” This year, the Blowout is going tubular, with a contest on YouTube.

You have until March 31, 2010 at 9 p.m. EST to make a video about balsamic vinegar and post it on YouTube.com. Then, send the link to balsamicblowout@zingermans.com.

Castelvetro di Modena is a charming town,
with or without the balsamic vinegar. Photo courtesy Chamber of Commerce.

Zingerman’s will view all submissions and post qualifying entries at Zingermans.com under “Balsamic Blowout.” The winning videos will be chosen by a combination of YouTube.com ratings and number of views, as well as the judges’ discretion. So, even if you don’t want to make a video, you can have fun watching the entries. Winners will be announced April 30, 2010.

Winners will receive two tickets to Bologna, Italy, on the date of their choice between September 1 and November 30, 2010, one night’s stay at a four-star hotel in the town of Castelvetro and a private tour of La Vecchia Dispensa’s balsamic vinegar factory.

Comment: That’s a long trip for a one-day tour…but it’s worth it to spend a few extra lira on hotels and enjoy the beautiful town of Modena, 15 km due north, nearby Parma and Reggio nell’Emilia, homes of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese industry (and prosciutto, or Parma ham) and Bologna. We recommend a week or 10 days.

Video entries and full contest rules can be viewed at Zingermans.com/BalsamicVideos.aspx.

Buona fortuna! And if you’ve come across this post after the contest deadline, mark your calendar for next year.

Learn all about balsamic vinegar in our “Balsamic 101” article.

See how balsamic compares to other types of vinegar.

EVENT: Donate $1 To Save The World

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:03:16 +0000

Much of the world has no running water, but
with your $1 contribution they can have safe
drinking water. Photo courtesy UNICEF.

Think of all of the places in your travels where you’ve been warned, “Don’t drink the water!” It isn’t any safer for the people who live there than for tourists passing through.

At home, few of us think twice when enjoying a refreshing glass of water—or brushing our teeth, for that matter. But in much of the third world, as you’ve no doubt heard many times, people don’t have clean drinking water—and get sick and die from unsafe water supplies.

Approximately 900 million people worldwide, nearly half of them children, lack access to clean water. Young children are the first to become ill and die from waterborne and sanitation-related illnesses including diarrheal diseases and malaria. Lack of access to clean drinking water continues to be a leading killer for children under the age of five, worldwide. There are a staggering 24,000 daily deaths that are preventable.

So what can you do about it, given your busy life?

With $1, UNICEF can provide one child access to safe, clean water for 40 days.

A purchase of a bottle of Giorgio Armani’s men’s fragrance, Acqua di Gio For Men, during the month of March will generate a $1.00 donation to the UNICEF Tap Project, to provide clean water to children around the world.

Simply becoming a Facebook Friend on the Acqua di Gio Facebook page (www.facebook.com/acquadigio) during the month of March will generate a $1.00 donation.

During World Water Week 2010, March 21-27, you can donate $1 or more for the tap water served to you at participating restaurants nationwide (you can find them at TapProject.org).

You can donate $1 or more anytime online at TapProject.org. This year’s funds will primarily support Haiti, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Togo and Vietnam. Even before the earthquake in Haiti, less than 60% of the population had access to safe water.

For more information or to register as a volunteer, visit TapProject.org.

GOURMET TRAVEL: Napa Valley Mustard Festival

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:14:31 +0000

A prior year’s winner in the phototgraphy
competition, by Sally Wood.

We wish we had gotten advance notice of the 17th annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival, to be held next weekend, March 12 -14 in Napa, California.

If you can get there, you’re in for a treat. The vineyards, blooming with wild mustard, are breathtaking. There are an impressive number of fine mustards from around the world to be tasted, along with food from the best Napa Valley restaurants and caterers, consumed with great Napa Valley wines.

Makers of the best-judged mustards will receive awards, as will photographers who take the best photos of the mustard fields.

The Napa Valley Mustard Festival is a non-profit community service organization. For information and tickets visit MustardFestival.org.

Discover the origins of mustard, and the many different types of mustard.

Check out one of our favorite lines of mustard, from True Natural Taste.

FOOD EVENT: Rhone Wine Tasting In San Francisco

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:10:28 +0000

Caliza Syrah will be at the Grand Tasting.
Photo courtesy CalizaWinery.com.

Are you a lover of Rhone wines?

How about Rhones from the U.S.A.? California wineries have found great success planting Syrah, Viognier and other classic Rhone grapes.

The Rhone Rangers will convene in San Francisco on March 27th and 28th for the thirteenth consecutive year. It’s the largest American Rhone wine event in the country.

The Rhone romp begins Saturday, March 27th with seminars such as Pairing Good with American Rhones, Grenache and Ageability of American Rhones.

On Saturday evening, fifteen wineries will participate in a winemaker dinner at the Log Cabin in the San Francisco Presidio. The dinner will be followed by a live auction of 15 lots of wine, unique wine country experiences and travel packages, donated by the host winemakers. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Rhone Rangers Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to winemakers.

And then, there’s the opportunity to taste as many of the wines as your tolerance will allow.

On Sunday, March 28th, more than 100 Rhone Rangers member wineries will present 500 of the best American Rhone wine at the Grand Tasting. In addition to the wines, attendees can sample gourmet foods from more than 35 specialty food purveyors—cheese, bread, olive oil, charcuterie, fruits and chocolates. A silent auction will feature wines from Rhone Rangers member wineries and will benefit Meals on Wheels of San Francisco.

This is no intimate gathering: The organizers expects 2,000 consumers and members of the trade.

For more information and tickets, visit RhoneRangers.org.

FOOD TRENDS RECIPE: Grilled Bitter Greens & Blue Cheese Salad With Caraway Peach Dressing

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:26:40 +0000

Pairing #3 of McCormick’s 2010 Food Trends is Caraway & Bitter Greens.

Caraway seeds are actually a fruit, not a seed. The caraway plant looks similar to a carrot plant, with feathery leaves and thread-like divisions. The “seeds” are small, crescent-shaped achenes (an achene is a one-seeded fruit; the seed has a thin wall, such as a sunflower seed). Caraway seeds have a licorice-like flavor and are frequently used in rye breads, crackers, cheeses and liqueurs. (We love to mix them into sauerkraut, too.)

“Bitter greens” refers to a variety of dark green, leafy vegetables, including spinach, collards, chard and kale. The name “bitter greens” is no misnomer. When cooked, these veggies have a distinctive (and desirable) bitter flavor that juxtaposes well against other strong flavors. Examples include collards cooked with bacon or spinach salad topped with a sweet lemon poppyseed dressing.

No humdrum greens: an exciting grilled
salad with blue cheese. Photo courtesy McCormick.com.

In this recipe for Grilled Bitter Greens with Caraway Peach Dressing, radicchio and endive are added to baby greens, perfectly accented with a nutty-sweet dressing of caraway seeds and peach preserves. The unmistakable caraway spice tames the bitter bite of bold greens. A scattering of pungent blue cheese finishes the dish.

By the way, caraway was also an early candy, dating back to at least the 17th century. Tiny seeds coated with many layers of sugar were a popular confection known as a comfit (not confit). The original sugarplums were sugar-coated coriander (the seeds of cilantro). Aniseed was also a popular comfit.

GOURMET GIVEAWAY: Dunkin’ Donuts Gift Card + Donut Design Contest

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:15:35 +0000

Image courtesy Dunkin’ Donuts.

Sixty years ago, William Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Quincy, Massachusetts. Today there are thousands of stores worldwide, beckoning the hungry with its cheerful orange and pink logo.

To celebrate, there are two contests.

THE NIBBLE’s Gourmet Giveaway

THE PRIZE: One winner will receive a $60.00 gift card, good at any Dunkin Donuts location or online.

TO ENTER: Go to the box at the bottom of our Gourmet Pies & Pastry Section and enter your email address for the prize drawing.

DEADLINE: This contest closes on Monday, March 8th at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!

Contest #2: Design The Next Donut & Win $12,000

Dunkin’ Donuts’ “birthDDay” celebration (that’s DD for Dunkin’ Donuts) includes the return of the “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut” contest. If your idea is chosen, you’ll win $12,000 and the honor of having your creation sold at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide. Create and enter your donut at DunkinDonuts.com.

A dozen finalists will be chosen to travel to Dunkin’ Donuts University, the company’s worldwide training center in Massachusetts. The grand prize winner will be announced—when else?—on National Donut Day, June 4th.

Dunkin’ Donuts has also created a full line of commemorative retro packaging, vintage-themed tee shirts and retro Dunkin’ Donuts Cards at DunkinDonuts.com, as well as at participating DD shops (while supplies last).

TIP OF THE DAY: Dessert Sauces For National Sauce Month

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:44:20 +0000

Panna cotta with raspberry coulis. Photo
by Kelly Cline | IST.

March is National Sauce Month.

What do you think of when you hear the word “sauce?” Pasta sauce? Mushroom sauce? Worcestershire sauce?

How about dessert sauce?

From coulis to Crème Anglaise to hard sauce to zabaglione, take a look at all the different types of dessert sauces in our Dessert Sauce Glossary.

Then plan some saucy desserts to celebrate National Sauce Month.

Not into desserts? How about barbecue sauce?

Or, go for the pasta sauce.

Reduction sauce is another favorite.

Find the best soy sauce.

Make dinner easily with simmer sauces, like these tasty Indian sauces.

GOURMET GIVEAWAY: Kitchen Table Bakers Parmesan Crisps

Editorial Assistant — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:22:29 +0000

Forget buying cheese to go with your crackers. If you win this week’s Gourmet Giveaway, you’ll enjoy plenty of cheese in your crackers.

The Gourmet Wafer Crisps from Kitchen Table Bakers are made entirely of Parmesan cheese. There are eight varieties: Whether you love garlic, jalapeños, rosemary or Italian herbs, there’s a crisp calling your name.

The delicate, lacy baked cheese thins contain no wheat, gluten, trans fats or sugar, are rich in calcium and protein and are a sophisticated snack or ingredient for even the most discerning palates.

The cheese crisps are is known in Italy as a fricco (FREE-co): a wafer made entirely of cheese and seasonings.

Want to know more? After entering the Giveaway, check out our review of Kitchen Table Bakers Parmesan Crisps.

Butternut squash soup with an assortment of Gourmet Wafer Crisps. Photo by Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.

THE PRIZE: Five winners will receive Parmesan Crisps in each of the following flavors: Aged Parmesan, Everything, Flaxseed, Garlic, Rosemary and Sesame. It’s enough for a party (if you’re willing to share!). Approximate Retail Value is $36.00.

To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway: Go to the box at the bottom of our Artisan Breads Section and enter your email address for the prize drawing.

This contest closes on Monday, March 1st at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!

Learn more about Kitchen Table Bakers at KitchenTableBakers.com.

NEWS: Sara Lee “Organics” Controversy

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:49:06 +0000

Boo, Sara Lee!

According to corporate and governmental watchdog, The Cornucopia Institute, a nonprofit farm policy research group, Sara Lee is trying to pull one over on consumers.

The popular supermarket brand has launched a marketing campaign for its EarthGrains bread, using misleading environmental-friendly catchphrases with the hope of attracting people who want to buy organics because they’re better for the environment and healthier to eat.

Sara Lee claims that “Eco-Grain™”—its trademarked ingredient that comprises just 20% of the grain in EarthGrains breads—is more sustainable than organic grain. This is not true, and the Cornucopia Institute has created a comparison chart to detail the differences.

Sara Lee’s EarthGrains line. Not particularly
earth-friendly. Photo courtesy Sara Lee.

According to Charlotte Vallaeys, a Food and Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute, “Sara Lee is doing practically nothing to ensure its ingredients are truly ecologically produced. It’s a crass example of a corporation trying to capitalize on the valuable market cachet of organic, while intentionally misleading consumers—without making any meaningful commitment to protect the environment or produce safer and more nutritious food.”

The farmers who grow Eco-Grain differ very little from most conventional grain producers who use petroleum-based fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides.

Organic farmers, on the other hand, use natural fertilizers, compost and crop rotations to enrich the long-term health of the soil, without damaging the environment or potentially contaminating the food produced.

Sara Lee’s eco-claim for Eco-Grain production is that their farmers incorporate technology that has reduced chemical fertilizer usage by 15%. That means they’re using 85% chemical fertilizers.

In contrast, as mandated by federal law, organic farmers are required by law to reduce their synthetic fertilizer use by 100%—i.e., 0% chemical fertilizers.

Plus, as Cornucopia’s Vallaeys points out that, “Even if their new fancy wheat were truly superior, each EarthGrains 24 ounce loaf contains only 20% flour from Eco-Grain, with the remainder of the bread’s wheat coming from regular, conventional wheat. The total reduction in chemical fertilizer use in a loaf of EarthGrains bread therefore amounts to a meager 3%.” According to a Sara Lee press release, “the brand will look to increase the percentage of Eco-Grain in its products.”

To educate consumers about EarthGrains bread made with Eco-Grain wheat, Sara Lee launched a consumer marketing program called “The Plot to Save the Earth, One Field at a Time.“ The campaign includes print, TV, radio and digital advertising, public relations, social media and point-of-sale materials that take a whimsical approach to catch consumers’ eyes with tag lines like, “How your turkey sandwich can help preserve the earth.”

“If advertising executives could be charged with malpractice, this would be a major felony,” said Mark A. Kastel, Co-Director at The Cornucopia Institute.

Now that you’re aware, make your own decisions. If you want to help the environment and eat pesticide-free food, look for the USDA certified organic seal.

Sara Lee also owns the brands Ambi Pur, Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Kiwi, Sanex and Senseo.