http://blog.thenibble.com Trends, Products & Items Of Note In The World Of Specialty Foods Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:21:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It’s no news to most of us that coffee—that growth-stunting, tooth-staining, for-grown-ups-only beverage—has undergone a substantial image makeover of late. In recent years, studies have begun to emerge indicating a positive correlation between coffee consumption and good health. Some studies show that coffee is, on the whole, far more salutary ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/07/02/product-review-spava-fortified-coffee/ Our two favorite flavors of Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream, Ala Port and Red Raspberry Chardonnay, can be served at the most elegant dinner party. Photography by Saidi Granados.   Like ice cream? Like wine? Here’s something to make you glad you’re over 21: Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream. Made with 5% alcohol, you must be of ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/07/01/top-pick-of-the-week-mercer%e2%80%99s-wine-ice-cream/ So much barbecue sauce, so little time. Our box of bottles to try for Barbecue Season 2008 was so heavy, we could hardly lift it. As in previous years, we tested our products on chicken. (See Part I and Part II for other favorites, including kosher and sugar-free barbecue sauce.)This ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/29/best-barbecue-sauces-2008/ Cookie, waffle, chocolate and caramel in one luscious treat. Above, the Milk Cappuccino Dutch Moon stroopwafel cookie. Photography by Saidi Granados. Stroopwafels are an old Dutch treat, invented in the town of Gouda in 1784. The traditional way to eat them is with a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa. Just ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/28/product-review-dutch-moon-cookies/ If you haven’t bought artisan preserved fruits before, you’re in for a treat. Just a few fruits of these wine-and-vinegar preserved delicacies on each plate turn a regular meal into a restaurant entrée, a plain scoop of ice cream into something that deserves a fancy French name. Robert Lambert, one ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/27/product-review-robert-lambert-preserved-fruit/ The ever-popular Margarita seems to be a classic with every generation.   Modern mixology, like today’s fine cuisine, has become a throw-down to see who can create the most complex, fascinating drinks with new flavors and nifty ingredients. In the process of entertaining cocktail customers with new wow factors, many of the ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/27/recipes-classic-summer-cocktails/ Patchwork Pâté is a successful Welsh country artisan product that has taken root in the U.S., where it is made carefully following the original recipes. The result: a delicious line of chicken liver-based pâtés with enough variety of flavorings to make every day a pâté day.In 1982, Welsh housewife Margaret ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/27/product-review-patchwork-pate/ Great taste and gluten free. So’s the whole line of Mariposa baked treats. From top to bottom: Triple Chocolate Truffle Brownie, Coconut Lemon Square, Mocha Truffle Brownie. Photography by Saidi Granados.   This is the first gluten-free product to ever be named a Top Pick Of The Week, and the second “restricted ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/25/top-pick-mariposa-baking-company/ Want to add more flavor to your foods, quicker, easier and with minimal expense? Try Amore pastes—all-natural concentrated flavor in a tube. Just squeeze a bit of anchovy, garlic, hot chile pepper, pesto tomato or the other flavors in the line. The pastes are imported from Italy, where great cooking ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/25/product-review-amore-seasoning-paste/ Stone-ground mustard with horseradish: one of the stars of the line. Photography by Saidi Granados.   America’s specialty food stores are packed with gourmet condiments. Yet, as good as we would like them all to be, different brands vary in the degree of excitement they present to the demanding palate. That’s why ... http://blog.thenibble.com/2008/06/25/top-pick-true-natural-taste-artisan-organic-mustard/