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


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PRODUCT: Trivia Cocktail Napkins


Trivia napkins break the ice or stump your
friends. Photo by Jaclyn Nussbaum | THE NIBBLE.

  If your party guests don’t know each other, breaking the ice can be the first order of the day.

Trivia Party Starters prints cocktail napkins that entertain your guests and get them to interact.

We chose Beer and Wine versions, but there are 12 subject categories that include Baby Shower, Celebrity, Christmas, Comedy Movie, Sports and TV Sitcom, among others.

While they’re a bit pricey, at $5.99 Canadian/$6.23 U.S. for 20 napkins and 40 different questions—two questions per napkin—you only need one pack to get the party started.

You can also make a game out of it, playing “Napkin Trivial Pursuit.” The person who collects the most napkins wins…a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer.

Check ‘em out at Trivia Party Starters.com.

P.S. What vitamins does beer contain?

Answer: All of the important B vitamins, plus vitamins A, D and E. More about beer nutrition.

 

  

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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: The Best Chocolate Sauce

First, what is chocolate sauce?

It isn’t chocolate syrup, which is chocolate-flavored corn syrup.

It is a thick chocolate sauce that’s the consistency of fudge at room temperature. When you heat it up it becomes pourable—hence, “hot fudge sauce.”

July is National Ice Cream Month. We’re starting our Top Picks this month with America’s favorite ice cream topping: chocolate sauce.

These are the best we’ve had, and include milk chocolate sauce, dark chocolate, white chocolate—even milk chocolate caramel sauce.

In one word: Yum!

Check out the best chocolate sauces: four stellar brands including The King’s Cupboard, Robert Lambert, Sassy Sauces and Somebody’s Mother’s.

 
A chocolate sundae, a.k.a. hot fudge.
Photo by Lauri Patterson | IST.
  

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TIP OF THE DAY: Eat More Barley


Chilled barley salad is a healthful summer
dish. Photo courtesy Zabars.com.

  Barley evokes winter and hearty soups, but it’s a year-round food.

It’s extremely healthful (details below). And it’s a whole grain, part of the group of cereals recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (at least 3 servings of whole-grain foods per day).

It’s extremely high in fiber. A cup of oatmeal: 3.98 grams. A cup of barley: 13.6 grams of your DV of 48 grams of whole grain.

Barley is as versatile as any cereal grain (corn, rice and wheat, for example). It has a rich, nutty flavor and a chewy consistency (like pasta).

You can substitute barley for rice, potatoes or other starch as a side with dinner. Or enjoy a chilled barley salad with lunch or dinner.

Try this barley salad recipe, with toasted pine nuts, dried cherries and goat cheese. It can be served at room temperature, chilled or warm.

 

For maximum nutrition, select whole or hull barley (with the bran intact). The prettier pearled or hull-less barley has its outer bran and husk removed, leaving only a small white “pearl” of endosperm.

See the recipe for the health benefits of barley.

  

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TIP OF THE DAY: Easy Yogurt Sauce & Dip

You can make a universal sauce or dip in 10 minutes, from plain yogurt.

Serve it with grilled fish, meat, poultry or even to top a burger. Or sweeten it and use it as a fruit dip.

You can also mix it with boiled potatoes, macaroni or shredded cabbage for a fat-free potato salad, macaroni salad or cole slaw.

The recipe makes 4 servings for a main course or a small bowl of dip. Use your creativity to mix and match the seasonings.
 
GARLIC-LIME YOGURT SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (you can substitute other plain yogurt, but Greek-style is the thickest and creamiest)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, basil, chives or other favorite herb, minced
  •  
    Preparation

     
    Yogurt sauce is a creamy accent for grilled
    meats. Recipe and photo courtesy WisDairy.com.
     
    1. COMBINE the yogurt, garlic, lime juice and herbs in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

    2. DRIZZLE over your favorite grilled meats and vegetables, or serve with crudités.
     
    TIP: YOGURT AS A MEAT TENDERIZER

    Yogurt is a great marinade for meat and poultry. In addition to imparting flavor, it has excellent tenderizing properties. Add garlic, herbs, macerated onion and any other favorite seasonings to the yogurt marinade, or use this dip.
     
    YOGURT DIP FOR FRUIT

    1. REPLACE the garlic with one teaspoon agave, honey or sweetener of choice. (Only lightly sweeten the dip: You want to appreciate the sweetness of the fruit, not overwhelm it.)

    2. REPLACE the herb with grated lime zest or other citrus zest (lemon, grapefruit).
     
    FOR MORE YOGURT DIP RECIPES, see our Gourmet Yogurt Section.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Keep Skewer Tips From Burning


    Use foil to keep skewer tips from burning. Photo courtesy Seasoned Skewers.

      Some grilling experts tell you to soak wooden skewers for at least half an hour before adding the food.

    Others—including most of our grillmaster pals—say it doesn’t make a difference. The ends will burn regardless.

    Here’s an easy trick to stop the ends from burning:

  • Lay two strips of foil on the grill, underneath the ends of the skewers. The body of the skewers remains exposed to open flame.
  • The foil prevents the ends from burning. How easy is that?
  •  
    Some of our friends wrap the tips of each skewer in foil. If you find that it’s too hard to turn the skewers while keeping the tips on the foil strips, consider that as an alternative.

    Let us know how this works for you.

     

      

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