THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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TIP OF THE DAY: Make A Club Soda Drink

Are you acting as designated driver, not drinking alcohol or looking for a tasty non-caloric mocktail or a sweetener-free soft drink?

An enhanced glass of club soda is a delicious drink, inexpensive to make and virtually calorie-free.

For a refreshing drink, flavor a glass of club soda with one or more herbs or fruits. Lemon and lime slices have long been popular, but here are ideas to layer on top of the citrus. They create a “club soda drink,” rather than a glass of club soda with a citrus garnish:

  • Cucumber* slices, both thinly sliced in the glass and as a thicker wheel for garnish.
  • Mint leaves, gently crushed to release their flavor.
  • Other fresh herbs: rosemary and thyme sprigs or basil leaves.
  • Bitters:† Add a little or a lot, depending on how intense you like your flavors.
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    *Botanically, the cucumber is a fruit. How to tell the difference: Vegetables drop their seeds externally, whereas fruits contain their seeds inside. Cucumbers and squash, e.g., are botanically fruits, not vegetables. The strawberry, known as the only fruit with seeds on the outside, is actually an accessory fruit, and not a true berry. The seed-like achenes on the outside are actually the fruit; the fleshy part develops from the receptacle, an edible part of the stem.

     
    Refreshing and virtually calorie-free. Photo courtesy Jaclyn Nussbaum Photography.
     
    †The familiar Angostura bitters are distilled from an herb called gentian, the flavor of which resembles ginger. Artisan-distilled bitters have become very popular over the last few years. Fee Brothers, for example, makes bitters in 12 flavors, from cranberry and grapefruit to chocolate.

    THE DISCOVERY OF CARBONATION
    English scientist Joseph Priestley discovered the process of infusing water with carbonation in 1767. Inspired by the bubbling in beer vats, he suspended a bowl of water above a beer vat at a local brewery in Leeds, England. But he did not commercialize the process. That was done by businessmen such as J.J. Schweppe, who founded the Schweppes Company in Geneva in 1783 based on Priestley’s discovery.

    Here’s more about it.
     
    THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLUB SODA< SELTZER, SODA WATER & THE REST

    The terms carbonated water, club soda, effervescent water, fizzy water, sparkling water, seltzer and soda water all refer to water into which pressurized carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved, causing the water to become bubbly. Sometimes, nature creates a spring water or mineral water that is naturally effervescent. Read on for definitions of each term:

  • Carbonated water is a generic term for any effervescent water.
  • Club soda is the modern term for soda water: carbonated tap water with added salts for flavor.
  • Effervescent and fizzy both mean “bubbly.”
  • Seltzer is a former trademark from the German town Selters, famous for its mineral springs. The naturally carbonated water has been commercially bottled and shipped for centuries. In the U.S., “seltzer” has evolved into a generic term for tap water that is carbonated without the addition of salts.
  • Soda used to refer to soda water (see below). In the post-World War II U.S., it has come to mean any type of sweetened, carbonated soft drink.
  • Soda water is an older term for carbonated tap water, which had sodium salts added for flavoring and acidity to mimic the taste of natural mineral water. The term was in popular use through World War II, when it was gradually replaced by “club soda.” (Sparkling waters have natural minerals, but often require added carbonation to augment a low level of natural carbonation or that which is lost in the bottling process. Some mineral or spring waters have no natural carbonation. Their producers create a sparkling version with carbonation.)
  • Sparkling water, a term regulated by the FDA, is a spring water or mineral water that must come from its source naturally carbonated, although carbonation that is lost during processing can be added back artificially.
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    During the Great Depression, soda water (today’s club soda) was also called “two cents plain,” the cheapest drink at soda fountain. One could enjoy an egg cream for twenty-five cents (seltzer, chocolate syrup and milk). Chocolate milk (chocolate syrup mixed into milk) was a dime. A chocolate soda (chocolate syrup mixed into seltzer) was a nickel. And if you only had two cents, your drink was a club soda.
      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Make Watermelon Juice


    Make your own watermelon juice.
    Photo by Hyhoon1210 | Dreamstime.

      Have you ever had watermelon juice? It’s delicious.

    We used to buy Sundia watermelon juice, but we can’t find it anymore. Now we make our own.

    You can turn it into a family project by getting the kids to remove all the seeds. And it’s especially appropriate for today, National Watermelon Day.

  • Slice the watermelon and remove the rind. Cube the flesh.
  • Remove the seeds, keeping the watermelon in a shallow bowl to preserve any juice that results from de-seeding.
  • Purée in a blender. Taste and add cold water to create your desired consistency (it may be perfect as is).
  • We don’t add any sweetener. Watermelon is a low-acid fruit, so it is generally sweet enough naturally. Taste a cube: If it’s sweet enough to eat, it’s sweet enough to drink without added sweetener. You may also want to leave it unsweetened and let people add their own sweetener.
  • Refrigerate to chill.
  • Serve garnished with a wedge of lime, to be squeezed for an extra shot of flavor.
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    We like our watermelon juice plain, but you can blend in blackberries, fresh lime juice, pomegranate juice or other favorite fruits or juices.

    Add a shot of gin, tequila or vodka for a refreshing summer cocktail.
     
     
    WATERMELON IS HEALTH FOOD

  • Watermelon is rich in the antioxidant lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancers (breast, cervical, lung and prostate cancers) and cardiovascular disease. Lycopene may also prevent macular degeneration, the most common form of age-related blindness.
  • Watermelon has 40% more lycopene than an equal amount of raw tomatoes.
  • Watermelon juice is fat-free and loaded with vitamins A, B6 and C. It’s an excellent source of potassium, which protects against high blood pressure and muscle cramps.
  • The American Heart Association gives watermelon their “heart healthy” seal of approval.
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    Watermelon is so much more than a juicy summer treat.
     
     
    MORE WAYS TO ENJOY WATERMELON

  • Make light and healthy watermelon ice pops.
  • Stir a small amount into gazpacho (or make watermelon gazpacho).
  • Pour a mixture of watermelon juice and and lime zest into your ice cream maker to create an invigorating and slushy sorbet.
  • Watermelon is related to the cucumber, and it works well in dishes with its equally seedy cousin. A light salad of cucumbers, mangoes and chopped parsley came together gracefully when tossed with a light coating of watermelon juice and rice wine vinegar (you can add olive oil, but it isn’t necessary).
  • Sweetness watermelon juice pairs well with fish and seafood. Use it as the base for a sauce in dishes that call for crab, shrimp, lobster or scallops. Contrast the sweetness with a bit of chopped jalapeño (remove the seeds and ribs).
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    Find more of our favorite juices.

    Find a trove of watermelon recipes at the National Watermelon Promotion Board website.

    Carve a watermelon for your next party (great ideas!).

    Find more of our favorite juices.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Host A Spaghettata, An Informal Spaghetti Party

    If you’re Italian American, you may know what a spaghettata is (pronounced spa-get-TAH-tah). It’s like a cookout, but it takes place indoors, with spaghetti. In other words, it’s a spaghetti party (or simply a pasta party, if you serve a different type of pasta).

    It can be an impromptu lunch or dinner, following a card game or board game, or after a soccer match (or your favorite American sport). The key word is casual.

    In Italy, somebody says, “Facciamo una spaghettata”—let’s have a spaghetatta—and the meal is on.

    Everyone migrates to the kitchen. A big pot of water is put on the stove for the spaghetti (or any other pasta cut). The rest of the ingredients include what’s in every Italian pantry.

    Everybody helps out, and soon the spaghetti feast is on the table.

    You can toss in “anything in the kitchen,” such as fresh, frozen, or jarred veggies (artichoke hearts, peas, roasted red peppers), tuna, or anchovies.

    If you have chicken, seafood, sausage, or bacon to toss in, do it. If you don’t have Parmesan or other grating cheese, add blue cheese, goat cheese, or feta.

    > The different types of pasta.

    > The history of pasta.
     
     
    RECIPE: BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR A SPAGHETTI PARTY
     

  • Spaghetti or pasta shape of choice
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Peeled canned tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are used in Italy) or sauce of choice
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Fresh gound pepper
  • Sea salt
  • Toppings
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    TOPPINGS

    There are many more (e.g. fried eggplant), but these are the easiest. Plus, you can make it a “potluck” by asking each guest to bring a topping (but you may want to assign categories so you don’t end up with six jars of olives).

  • Artichoke hearts
  • Capers
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes
  • Herbs: fresh basil and parsley, dried oregano and garlic chips
  • Meat: meatballs, pancetta, prosciutto, salame, sausage
  • Mozzarella perlini or cubes
  • Olives
  • Sautéed garlic
  • Seafood: clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp
  • Steamed vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, squash
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    We’ve kept it “Italian” here. But if you have the right crowd, you might want to go “nouvelle”: bacon, blistered shishito chiles, chicken, chicken livers, corn, goat cheese, jalapeño, raw red onion, sugar snap peas, etc.
     
     
    MORE FOR YOUR PARTY

    Here are tips from Barilla for giving your spaghettata a special Italian flare:

  • Play Italian music—from opera to pop (who doesn’t like Andrea Bocelli)
  • Serve an antipasto—like bruschetta or sliced salumi—that can be enjoyed while cooking (our favorite salumi, a great gift)
  • Garnish the plates with a sprig of basil (if you have lots of basil, make pesto sauce)
  • Place a bowl of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on the table (we let people grate their own with a Microplane coarse grater or similar device)
  • Also for the table: sea salt and a peppermill for freshly ground pepper
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    RECIPES

    Barilla has a large selection of pasta recipes on its website. We’ve picked these three easy recipes for your spaghettata:

  • Angel Hair Pasta with tomatoes and fresh basil (recipe).
  • Lemon Spaghetti, with the juice of two fresh lemons, chopped basil and Parmesan (recipe).
  • Spaghetti with Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes and Olive Oil, perhaps the easiest and simplest classic Italian preparation (recipe).
  •  
     
    > The difference between Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano.
     
     
    > The different Italian grating cheeses.
     
     
     
     
    CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE
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    [1] Angel hair spaghetti with tomatoes and fresh basil: ready in minutes (photos #1 and #2 © Barilla).



    [2] Spaghetti is a popular shape, but tube pasta like penne or rotini may be less “drippy.”

    Canned Tomatoes

    [3] Canned tomatoes are a base for a sauce, or just use them as is (photo © Greatest Tomatoes From Europe).



    [4] Keep red chile flakes on hand to spice things up (photo © Silk Road Spices).



    [5] There’s nothing better than real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (photo © Parmigiano Reggiano | Facebook).



    [6] We like to keep a peppermill on the buffet table, along with a sea salt grinder (photo © Oxo).

     

     
     
      

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    TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Wrap Sandwiches, Deli-Style


    Have a roast beef on rye, wrap style.
    Photo by River Soma | THE NIBBLE.

      Our food styles evolve, thank goodness. That’s what keeps it interesting.

    While flatbreads have been used to wrap food since the invention of bread, the American wrap sandwich was created in the 1980s at a Southern California restaurant chain called I Love Juicy.

    Originally, tortillas—plentiful in Southern California—were used. In the 1990s, as wrap sandwiches became popular across America, manufacturers produced a moister, more flexible version of the tortilla, called a wrap. (See the four key differences between wraps and tortillas.)

    While flavored wraps are ubiquitous (chipotle, garlic, honey wheat, pesto, spinach, sundried tomato, etc.), Tumaro’s Gourmet Tortillas takes them to a new level. Their New York Deli Style Wrap line makes wraps taste like deli breads. Our deli favorites, Rye and Pumpernickel, join other tasty flavors that include Cracked Pepper, Everything and Sourdough.

    At just 80 calories per wrap (100 for Cracked Pepper), the calorie savings over two slices of bread is significant. Now, our Reuben sandwich on pumpernickel and roast beef on rye are all wrapped up.

     

  • Read our full review of Tumaro’s Gourmet Tortillas New York Deli Style Wraps, to see how we used them.
  • Suggest your own uses!
  • See the different types of flatbread—and the many types of bread in general—in our Bread Glossary.
  • Check out the different types of sandwiches in our Sandwich Glossary.
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    PRODUCT: Peas Of Mind “Healthy” Pizza For Kids

    Peas Of Mind is a company that makes products that kids like. And the products—all frozen foods—are good for them.

    Our first encounter with the company was via their Veggie Wedgies: apple, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower sliced to look like French fries. You bake them in the oven. Each serving provides more than half of a child’s Daily Recommended Value of fruits or vegetables.

    The company’s Puffets are kid-style souffles in banana, black bean, carrot and other favorite flavors.

    And now, the specialists in getting kids to eat their fruits and veggies have launched Peas of Pie, a pizza pie with veggies hidden in the crust.

     
    Peas of Pie hides healthy veggies in the
    crust. Photo courtesy Peas of Mind.
     

    They really are hidden. We saw an occasional wee speck of broccoli and carrot in the crust, but nothing kids would notice. The crust, a bready style, will fool every one of them.

    And, those hidden veggies, plus the tomato sauce, count for 1-1/2 servings of veggies.

    The pizzas are available in cheese and pepperoni.

    Learn more on the company website.
      

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