THE NIBBLE

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Dough Ray Me Artisan Cookies

Nibble Editors — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:28:17 +0000

We’re always on the lookout for “special” cookies, to bring (or send) as gifts or to serve as a light dessert at the end of a fine dinner. And when we invite friends and neighbors for tea or coffee, we like to set out something noteworthy yet effortless: impressive cookies. Alas, with the expense of running an artisan bakery these days, it’s not easy to find something noteworthy, much less impressive. The cookies in the case at most of our local bakeries and specialty food stores are pretty unexciting and not worth the calories. Meet Jon Dough—a.k.a. Jon Chazen, a pastry chef who is at the ready with a solution to the dull cookie blues. His company, Dough Ray Me, specializes in what we call mignardises (min-yar-DEEZ, from the French for “precious”)—although Jon Dough is too down-to-earth to use the term. Mignardises are a type of miniature baked good, also called petit-fours (you may get a plate of them at the end of dinner at a fine restaurant). Mignardises can take many shapes, and Jon’s are bite-size cookies. The ten varieties range from familiar flavors (double chocolate and peanut butter-chocolate) to the less familiar (hazelnut-cardamom and sesame-gingerbread).		Dough Ray Me cookies are so petite, they can sit on the saucer of a teacup.
The versatile bites are most welcome for entertaining, as a light dessert or a garnish for more elaborate desserts, and as a snack for people who deserve the best. Beautiful packaging choices makes these cookies a “precious” gift for any occasion. Party-givers can buy them in bulk. Read the full review of Dough Ray Me and then order your own stash. You can find more of our favorite cookies in the Cookies Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Vermont Butter & Cheese Company

Nibble Editors — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:52:34 +0000

Today, you can buy a piece of decent chèvre in any major city. But in the early 1980s, few people knew what chèvre—goat cheese—was. It was then that Allison Hooper learned how to make chèvre, as an apprentice cheesemaker in Brittany, and returned to Vermont with a passion to make it in the U.S. Fortunately, she found a business partner and an audience of chefs—then consumers—eager to serve her products. Vermont Butter & Cheese Company became a leader in the American artisan cheese movement, and Americans learned how to love chèvre. At VBC, as the company is fondly known, the goat cheeses were joined by European-style cow’s milk dairy products also relatively unknown to Americans: crème fraîche, mascarpone and even quark. And then came the great artisan cultured butters, higher in butterfat than American contenders and the zenith of butters, as you’ll read in detail in the full review. All of the cow’s milk products are certified kosher by KOF-K, are carried by fine retailers nationwide and are available online. Join us in exploring these award-winning, artisan dairy queens. Find more of our favorite butters and cheeses in the Butter & Cheese Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine.		Crottin, the classic goat cheese shape from the Loire Valley of France, as made in the U.S.A. by Vermont Butter & Cheese Company.

PRODUCT REVIEW: The World’s Best White Chocolate

Nibble Editors — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:33:38 +0000

Looking like the Marilyn Monroe pinup of white chocolate, Pierre Marcolini’s white chocolate bar truly is eye candy.		If you don’t already love white chocolate, our review of the best white chocolate bars in the world will make a believer out of you. You’ll also learn why you may not have enjoyed the white chocolate you’ve had in the past, and how to select the best bars. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, if you’re stuck for a gift or an activity, order one of each bar and have a white chocolate tasting party (read our instructions). Read the full review, and check out the Chocolate Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine for many more of the world’s best chocolates.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Iveta Cream Scones

Nibble Editors — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:53:48 +0000

Moist, creamy Iveta Scones are a departure from the dry, traditional variety. These raspberry scones are among our favorites.		Today’s scones are quick breads, similar to American biscuits. They are traditionally made with wheat flour, sugar, baking powder or baking soda, butter, milk and eggs, and baked in the oven—both in the traditional wedge form and in round, square and diamond shapes. We don’t enjoy traditional, hard, dry scones. They come from an earlier time, when cooking wasn’t as easy as it is today. The Scots, and others who enjoyed them back then, covered them with butter, jam (and more later, clotted cream), to take the edge off the dryness. But the cream scones from Iveta Scones—called cream scones because they substitute cream for the butter and eggs—are a moist delight that require no further embellishment (but go ahead—slather them with lemon curd and Devon cream). They’re available in 16 flavors plus sugar-free Vanilla. Read about our favorites—for even among a line that is uniformly delicious, there are standouts. Gift boxed and around $6.00, they make nice house gifts and—thinking ahead—stocking stuffers. Better yet, you can have delicious scones in 20 minutes, just by adding cream to the mix, shaping and baking. The scones also substitute for shortbread biscuits.
While scones can be found in many flavors today—both sweet and savory—traditional English scones may include raisins or currants, but are often plain, relying on jam, preserves, lemon curd or honey for added flavor—perhaps with a touch of clotted cream. You may have heard two different pronunciations for “scone.” Which is the authentic one? They both are! The word is pronounced “skahn” in Scotland and Northern England (rhymes with gone) and “skoan” in the south of England (rhymes with own), the pronunciation adopted by the U.S. and Canada. Read more in the The History of Scones. You’ll also find the difference between clotted cream, Devon cream, and other scony mysteries. See more of our favorite scones and other bread products in the Bread Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Nuovo Pasta Gourmet Ravioli

Nibble Editors — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:16:29 +0000

Ravioli lovers, dinner-party givers, and foodies of all inclinations: It doesn’t get more exciting than this. The word “ravioli” typically conjures up the image of pleasant pasta pillows stuffed with some vague meat or cheese. Not any more! Be prepared to be blasted to a higher level of ravioli consciousness by the artisans at Nuovo Pasta. For years we have lusted after Nuovo Pasta’s visually stunning, palate-tantalizing ravioli. We have longed to introduce them to you, dear NIBBLE reader. Heck, we have longed to get our own hands on them, but have been limited to tasting them at trade shows. The unmovable obstacle has been that Nuovo sells its gorgeous products only to restaurants, caterers and distributors. But now, we all can buy the same amazing ravioli that the professionals do, and wow our families and guests in the way that diners are wowed at top restaurants. Our good fortune is thanks to Marx Foods, a distributor of gourmet products to fine food establishments. They’ve made their wares available to consumers nationwide, through their online store.		A trio of gourmet raviolis: from the top, a regular round ravioli, a girasole (sunflower) and a pansotti (trainagle).
As we sit here eating giant ravioli (a.k.a. ravioloni—a single piece is an entire first course), one stuffed with osso bucco and one with Point Reyes blue cheese (a prior NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week), we are eternally grateful. There are plenty of regular-sized ravioli, too, but there is nothing “regular” about these beautiful pastas—triangular, round and rectangular, flecked, striped and marbled. They are stuffed with veal Bolognese, crawfish and andouille sausage, Grand Marnier roast duck, portabella mushrooms and Asiago cheese and dozens of other wonders. They’re irresistible, and will make your dinner parties the talk of the town. Read more and see all the photos in the full review. Pick your favorite and order a memorable first course for Easter dinner. And find more of our favorite pastas and sauces in the Pasta Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine. Want to know the difference between ravioli, ravioloni, girasoles, pansotti, sacchette and a hundred other types of pasta? See our Pasta Glossary.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Callie’s Southern Biscuits

Nibble Editors — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:29:26 +0000

Can’t you taste the goodness of Callie’s Country Ham Biscuits? The Cheese and Cinnamon are also stunning.		She catered Reese Witherspoon’s and Ryan Philippe’s wedding, and other catering clients have been clamoring for her country ham-stuffed biscuits for years. She couldn’t hand over the secret recipe, of course, so Charleston, South Carolina caterer Callie White did the next best thing: She charged her daughter with opening up a division to sell the bodacious biscuits online. Now, there’s no need for you to imagine what super Southern biscuits taste like. Buttermilk, cheese, cinnamon and the country ham biscuits that started it all will come to you. Get yourself a variety pack for Easter dinner or breakfast. Send some to Mom for Mother’s Day. Each biscuit is handmade with just a bowl and no other equipment (save for the oven, of course). Callie says that the secret to making a great biscuit is to not over-mix the dough. Each batch is mixed by hand, and the expert biscuit makers know by the feel when the dough is ready. It’s art, it’s science, it’s delicious! Read the full review. Visit more of our favorite breads and biscuits in the Gourmet Bread Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine.
And here’s our Question Of The Week (you’ll find a new one each week on TheNibble.com home page—we usually don’t post them here): Why do the British refer to cookies and crackers as biscuits? It’s because the word biscuit comes from the Latin bis coctum, which means “twice cooked.” This is manifested in biscotti, the hard Italian cookies which are baked twice. Americans get “cookie” from the Dutch word, “koekje,” which means “little cake.” Both terms arrived in America in the 1600s, with their respective groups of Colonists. According to The Encyclopedia of American American Food and Drink, the first American usage of “biscuit” as a soft bread was in 1818, in the Journal of Travels in the United States of North America, and in Lower Canada, by John Palmer.By 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defined a biscuit as “a composition of flour and butter, made and baked in private families.” These small, puffy leavened breads were called soda biscuits or baking-soda biscuits, to differentiate them from the unleavened cracker type of biscuit. These bread-biscuit recipes are ubiquitous in 19th-century cookbooks. In addition to serving up plenty of soda biscuits, Southerners also developed the beaten biscuit, first mentioned in print in 1853. In 1930, General Mills introduced Bisquick, the first packaged biscuit mix. And the rest, as they say, is history. Pass the butter, please.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Boulder Canyon Potato Chips

Nibble Editors — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:22:32 +0000

Two of our favorite flavors of Boulder Canyon potato chips: Hickory Barbecue (front) and Parmesan & Garlic.		The second potato chip to be named a Top Pick Of The Week by THE NIBBLE specialty food magazine is the polar opposite of our first. North Fork Naturals, the first top chip, offers classic potato and sweet potato chips. Boulder Canyon pulls out all the stops to present seven flavors plus “original” all natural potato chips.* These thickly-sliced, small-batch kettle chips are flavor-forward in a delightful way: You know what you’re tasting, and it tastes good. Whether as a casual snack with a beer, a more tony encounter with a martini, a side with a sandwich or a more creative pairing (garlic chips are killer with cucumber-yogurt dip), you’ll understand the difference between a chip off the same old block and a chip that belongs at the Ritz.The kettle chips are made in Balsamic Vinegar & Rosemary, Hickory Barbecue, Jalapeño Cheddar, Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt, Parmesan & Garlic, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Spinach & Artichoke and Totally Natural/Original. We do have some favorites. Read the full review to find out what they are. Find more of our favorite salty treats in the Snacks Section of THE NIBBLE online magazine.
*There are also three crinkle-cut flavors.

TIP OF THE DAY: Marshmallow Valentines

Nibble Editors — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:15:18 +0000

Artisan marshmallows like these, flavored
with real lavender buds, can be as pretty as a box of chocolates.

If your Valentine doesn’t like chocolate, how about marshmallows? Gourmet marshmallows come in a variety of flavors that will delight the young and charm the food sophisticate. In addition to Valentine gifts, we like serve them as “petit fours” after dinner with coffee. The medley of available colors and flavors match holiday themes and other occasions. And the flavors are heavenly.- Read our review of America’s best artisan marshmallows.
- Check out Plush Puffs brand of marshmallows.
- People on sugar-free diets will love La Nouba sugar-free marshmallows.
- The fudge-covered marshmallows from Momma Reiner must be experienced.
- The great Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini also makes gourmet marshmallows.

Try some of these beauties and you just might develop a marshmallow habit.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Burdick Chocolate

Nibble Editors — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:36:12 +0000

Larry Burdick was a pastry chef in New York City when he chose to focus on making chocolate. Then, he decided to focus on making it in quieter, gentler New Hampshire—in the old “mail order” days, before the Internet, when those in the know might get a holiday catalog. Today, it’s easy for chocolate connoisseurs everywhere to visually feast on his wares. Order online or by phone and beautiful catalogs will be mailed to you as well. If you happen to be in Walpole, New Hampshire or Cambridge, Massachusetts, you can feast in person at Burdick’s restaurant and café, destination spots for many fans.Burdick is one of the senior statesman of great American chocolate. Even if your palate doesn’t covet his sophisticated bonbons, marvelous marzipan and pert pâtes de fruit, his famous, ganache-filled chocolate mice and penguins (and seasonal bunnies and ghosts) are irresistible. His hot chocolate was our winner in a field of 60, and is a prior Top Pick Of The Week. Read the full review, and separately, check out the hot chocolate. Your Valentine will appreciate both.		Chocolates are only part of Larry Burdick’s extensive repertoire.

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Mr. McGregor’s Microgreens

Nibble Editors — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:42:51 +0000

It is only January, yet we know that Mr. McGregor’s microgreens are going to be among the top 10 most exciting foods we’ll try this year. And, we’ll sample 3,000 to 5,000 specialty food products! What are microgreens? They are tiny, tiny vegetables, no more than 8 to 14 days old, that have just developed their cotyledon (first) leaves. They are far tinier than “baby greens.” Think of the first, threadlike shoot that rises when you plant a seed, and the first tiny leaves, barely a quarter-inch in diameter. You may have seen a few scattered on your plate or garnishing your food at fine restaurants. Microgreens are very tender and oh, what flavor! Both intense and delicate, visually captivating and sublime to eat, they are a gourmet experience. Yet, they are highly nutritious with scarcely a calorie. For people who already like greens, microgreens are the zenith. For people who do not care for salad or raw vegetables: If you don’t like these precious greens, we’ll rest our case. Use them in salads, main dishes, soups and as general garnishes. Read the full review in THE NIBBLE online magazine, and see more photos of these minute, exquisite vegetables.		A trio of tiny microgreens. At front, Red Amaranth.