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A Margarita Sundae Recipe For National Margarita Day

Margarita Sundae
[1] A Margarita sundae for National Margarita Day, made in the classic Margarita cocktail glass. The sundae combines the flavors of the cocktail into a dessert (photos #1, #2, and #3 © The Nibble).

Margarita Ingredients
[2] The flavors of a classic Margarita are tequila*, orange liqueur, and lime juice (photo © The Nibble).

Margarita Sundae
[3] You can even add a salt or sugar rim. Also see photo #7.

A Dish Of Lime Sorbet
[4] You don’t need an ice cream machine to make lime sorbet. Here’s the easy recipe (photo © Dusan Zidar | Bigstock Photo).

Blood Orange Sorbet
[5] Orange is one of the defining flavors of a Margarita, along with lime, tequila, and optionally, salt.

Lemon Pound Cake
[6] How about a layer of lemon pound cake underneath the Margarita sundae (photo © Pâtisserie Vanessa | NYC)?

Cocktail With Sugar Rim
[7] Cocktail rimming sugar comes in many colors in many colors on Amazon (photo © Bakell).

 

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, as have all the chocolates. The roses have wilted. What’s there to look forward to? Why, National Margarita Day, February 22nd.

If you’re not a fan of the drink, or have carried Dry January over a month, there are mocktails, of course.

Or perhaps you’d rather have a Margarita sundae?

We put together a recipe with Margarita flavors that can be made with a bit of alcohol or without (photo #1).

If you have Margarita glasses, so much the better; but you can use any goblet or dessert dish.

> The history of the Margarita.

> The history of the sundae.
 
 
RECIPE #1: MARGARITA SUNDAE

We searched and searched for lime sorbet to represent the lime flavor in a Margarita. It doesn’t appear to exist anywhere near us or even online. So we made this easy recipe from Ice Cream From Scratch. You don’t need an ice cream machine; you can use a loaf pan and scrape it like granita.

Another option is orange sorbet—almost as difficult to find, unless you can luck into Ciao Bella’s blood orange sorbet, a favorite of ours on any occasion (photo #5).

We also added a scoop of lemon sorbet for a counterpoint, and vanilla ice cream for a “Creamsicle” effect.
 
Ingredients

  • Lime and/or orange sorbet (ideally both); substitute lemon sorbet
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Lime zest
  • Raspberry purée with orange liqueur (e.g. Grand Marnier)
  • Garnishes: glazed pecans/almonds (recipe #3 below) and/or mini meringues or crumbled meringue cookies
  • Optional garnish: fresh raspberry on top
  • For the glass rim: coarse sea salt or kosher salt mixed with lime zest, or a sugar rim (photo #7)
  •  
    Sauce Variations

    We chose raspberry purée, which is delicious with orange liqueur. Other options we considered:

  • Boozy foam (recipe #2 below).
  • Tequila-infused fruit: Macerate berries, mango, or pineapple in tequila and lime juice. You can also add orange liqueur and make it a true “Margarita mix.”
  • Tequila-glazed almonds or pecans (recipe below).
  •  
    Preparation

    1. MAKE the raspberry puree. Process to your desired consistency, then add orange liqueur to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.

    2. PREPARE the salt or sugar rim on the glass or dish. Dip the glasses 1/4″ into a dish of water, and then twist it on a plate of salt.

    3. ADD the scoops of sorbet and ice cream. Drizzle with the raspberry purée. Sprinkle with lime zest.

    4. GARNISH with mini meringues, meringue crumbles or glazed nuts.
     
    Variations With Cake

    You can easily build the sundae on top of a slice of loaf cake. We purchased a lemon pound cake from a fine local patisserie, and loved the “build.”

    A traditional Mexican cake similar to a pound cake is panqué, a dense, buttery loaf cake often flavored with vanilla or citrus zest

    Another option is pan de elote, a rich, moist and slightly sweet cornbread-like cake made with fresh corn, eggs, and condensed milk.
     
     
    RECIPE #2: TEQUILA-LIME FOAM

    Foam adds a light, airy, and flavorful touch to the sundae. You’ll need a whipping siphon or a hand mixer.

    It is delicious with any fruit sorbet—lemon, mango, orange, passion fruit, or raspberry sorbet, e.g. And also on coconut, dulce de leche, or vanilla ice cream.

    Ingredients

  • ½ cup tequila blanco
  • ½ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • ½ cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (richer) or egg whites (lighter and non-dairy)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (for stability)
  • Zest of 1 lime
     
    Preparation With A Whipping Siphon

    1. BLOOM the optional gelatin. Sprinkle it over 2 tablespoons of cold water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then gently heat until dissolved, and let it cool slightly.

    2. WHISK together the ingredients in a bowl. Combine the tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, heavy cream (or egg whites), and lime zest. If using gelatin, stir it in now.

    3. POUR the mixture into a whipping siphon. Charge with one N2O cartridge, shake well, and chill for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve the sundae…

    4. SHAKE the siphon well and dispense the foam onto the sundae.
     
    Preparation With A Hand Mixer

    1. WHIP the cream to a soft, airy texture. If using egg whites, beat them until soft peaks form.

    2. GENTLY DRIZZLE in the tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup while whipping. Whip until the mixture is light and fluffy but still holds shape.

    3. CHILL for at least 15 minutes before spooning onto the sundae.
     
     
    RECIPE #3: TEQUILA GLAZED NUTS

    These can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.

    You can also use these as a salad garnish or a snacking nut.

    Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw pecan halves or sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup tequila (blanco or reposado)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (or maple syrup for extra richness)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (for a glossy finish)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, pinch of cayenne
  •  
    Preparation

    1. TOAST the nuts. Heat a dry pan over medium heat and toast the pecans for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    2. MAKE the tequila glaze. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar, tequila, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts bubbling (about 1–2 minutes).

    3. RETURN the nuts to the pan and toss them in the glaze. Stir frequently for 3–4 minutes until the liquid thickens and coats the pecans evenly.

    4. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Spread the nuts on parchment paper in a single layer to cool. Once hardened, break them apart into the size you prefer.

     
    ________________
     
    The nuances of tequila flavor will vary by the area where the agave was grown, the technique of the distiller, aging, and other factors. Overall, tequila is smooth, sweet, and fruity. Beyond blanco/silver, which is unaged, the oak barrel aging process makes it more complex and toasty as the years in the barrel go by. In terms of terroir, tequilas from the Jalisco highlands are sweeter with mineral, fruit, and floral notes. Agave from the lowlands produce a more spicy, herbaceous, and earthy flavor. Check out the different types of tequila.
     
     
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    All The Fruit Holidays, In Celebration Of National Clementine Day

    A Bowl Of Clementines
    [1] The clementine, which happens to be one of the two parents of the orange (photo © Fruits From Chile | Facebook).

    Sarawok Tahitian Pomelo
    [2] Parent #2: the pomelo (photos #2, #3, and #5 © Good Eggs).

    Cara Cara Oranges
    [3] The hybrid: the orange (here, a cara cara orange, which is a natural mutation of the navel orange that gave it rosy flesh).

    Petite Kishu Mandarins
    [4] Kishu, the sweetest, most petite of the mandarins (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

    Navel Oranges
    [5] The navel orange, which got its name from appearing to have a belly button.

     

    February 15th is National Clementine Day, celebrating one the most popular varieties of mandarin. “Mandarin orange” is a misnomer. While they are in the same genus (Citrus) they are two different species:

  • Mandarins, Citrus reticulata, comprise the species reticula.
  • Oranges, Citrus sinensis, comprise the species sinensis.
  •  
    Thus, there are mandarins and there are oranges, but there are no mandarin oranges.

    In fact, the mandarin (photo #1) is actually one of the two parents of the orange (photo #3). The orange is a hybrid of the mandarin and the pomelo** (Citrus maxima, photo #2).

    Other familiar mandarins include tangelos, tangerines, tangors, and satsumas.

    Mandarins are smaller, easier to peel, and generally sweeter, while pomelos are large and acidic, like grapefruit***.

    We hope the kishu (photo #4, a very small, ultra-sweet, seedless mandarin from Japan, will become more common in the U.S. They are now grown in small amounts in California. They have a short growing season, December to February.

    You can still get some for this season.

    Melissa’s Produce, our go-to-for specialty produce is sold out of them for the season, but Frog Hollow Farm still has some to send.-

    > Check out the differences between mandarins and oranges.

    > The history of oranges.

    > All 80 fruit holidays are listed below.

    > The history of mandarins is also below.
     
     
    THE CLASSIFICATION OF FRUITS VS. VEGETABLES

    In the list of fruit holidays below, you’ll notice some fruits that you think of as vegetables—eggplants and squash, for example.

    That’s because of botanical classification, the scientific system of categorizing and naming plants based on their shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships.

    You probably studied it in high school biology*.

    Briefly, the botanical difference between fruits and vegetables:

  • A fruit is the part of a plant that develops from a flower. It contains the seeds of the plant.
  • Chile peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, etc. grow from the flower of the plant and contain seeds that remain inside the plant, making them a fruit by definition.
  • In contrast, vegetable—lettuce, carrots, etc.—also grow their seeds in the flower of the plant. But once the seeds mature, they do not remain inside the plant. They are dispersed by wind.
  • The presence of sweetness (or any other taste) is not a factor in the botanical classification.
  •  
    A simple way to think about it is: If there are seeds inside the item of produce you buy, it’s a fruit, no matter what it tastes like.

    We want to take a minute to explain the classification system.

    > If you don’t want to review it, just skip to the next section.
     
     
    Why Does The Nibble Care About Classification?

    We like to know about food, down to the tiniest details. We love learning little thing like: Apples, berries, pears, nuts, and stone fruits are members of the rose family, along with numerous non-edible plants and flowers.

    We like to understand things, such as: There is absolutely no relationship between black pepper and chile peppers, even though they are both hot and spicy. (That heat is why Columbus named chiles “peppers,” mis-guiding humankind from that point on.)

    When we wondered why Brussels sprouts often have a tinge of mustard flavor, we learned that they are both members of the Brassicaceae family, also called Brassicas, the cruciferous family, and the mustard family.

    Mustard greens gave the family its casual name. Check out all of the familiar vegetable members in the footnote‡. (Brassicas the vegetables that are the most high in antioxidants).
     
     
    This Classification Is The Same For Plants, Animals & All Other Living Things

    The main ranks of classification (with examples for the orange):

  • Kingdom: The highest rank, which includes all plants (Plantae).
  • Phylum: Groups plants based on major characteristics (in this case Angiosperms).
  • Class: Further divides plants within a division (Eudicots [True dicotyledons]).
  • Order: A grouping of related plant families (Sapindales).
  • Family: A collection of related genera that share structural and reproductive traits (Rutaceae).
  • Genus: A group of closely related species (Citrus).
  • Species: The most specific rank, referring to individual plant types that can reproduce (e.g., sinensis).
  •  
    Each species can have numerous susbspecies. Familiar subspecies include:

  • Navel oranges: Citrus × sinensis var. brasiliensis.
  • Valencia Oranges: Citrus × sinensis var. valencia.
  • Blood Oranges: Citrus × sinensis var. sanguinea.
  • Seville Oranges: Citrus × sinensis var. amara.
  •  
     
    THE HISTORY OF MANDARINS

    Native to Southeast Asia, mandarins are believed to have originated in Southern China, India, and Vietnam. They were likely cultivated as early as the 10th century B.C.E., though some evidence suggests they might have been domesticated even earlier in China.

    Little information is available about mandarins in Chinese literature, but as far back as 1178 C.E., Chinese author Han Yen-chih described 27 different varieties of mandarins (source: Etienne Rabe, Vice President Agronomy, Wonderful Citrus).

    Highly valued for their sweet flavor and aromatics, the fruit was considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture.

    The name “mandarin” was bestowed by European traders, after the Mandarins who were high-ranking government officials in China during the imperial era. The fruit was exotic, prized, and respected, like the Mandarin officials themselves.

    Its name in Mandarin Chinese is chéngzi.

    The name “mandarin” for the fruit didn’t appear in the West until the 16th century. It had begun to spread beyond China long before then.

  • By the 8th century, mandarins were a major fruit crop in Japan. Varieties appeared through natural mutation or hybridization, or breeding by growers.
  • By the 12th century, as the fruit spread westward, it the Middle East through trade along the Silk Road and were being cultivated in Persia.
  • By the 16th century (the 1500s), Portuguese and Spanish traders had introduced mandarins to Europe.
  • By the 18th century, Italy and Spain were cultivating mandarins. Varieties such as the Clementine began to be grown.
  • By the 19th century, mandarins were cultivated in the New World. By the 1800s, California and Florida had become key regions for cultivation.
  • Seedless mandarins began to be developed to appear in the 19th century. The satsuma mandarin of Japan, a variety with few seeds, was one of the first [almost] seedless types to gain popularity. It was introduced from Japan to the United States around the mid-1800s.
  • In the 20th century, hybridization blossomed. Mandarins were crossed with other citrus fruits including sweet oranges (the varieties we eat) and pomelos. This led to popular hybrids like the Murcott and Tangor, both crosses between tangerines and oranges.
  • In the 1960s, the clementine originated in North Africa and made its way to Morocco in the 1960s and Spain in the 1970s. Spain started exporting them to the East Coast of the U.S. in the 1990s (per Etienne Rabe).
  • The Murcott variety was bred in Morocco and introduced to the U.S. in the mid-1990s (per Etienne Rabe).
  • Seedless varieties: Advances in cultivation techniques have led to the development of seedless mandarin varieties, such as Halos and Cuties, two types of branded clementine which are especially popular in the U.S. (and a great size for children, who don’t have to struggle with seeds).
  • Today, mandarins are grown in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. They arein a key export fruit for countries like Spain, Japan, China, and the U.S., especially varieties such as clementines, satsumas, and tangerines [source: ChatGPT 2025-02-15).
  •  
     
    A YEAR OF FRUIT HOLIDAYS

    Note that this list features holidays that focus on the fruit itself, but not recipes made with the fruit. Thus, it shows “apple day,” but not “apple dumpling day.”

    An exception is when the fruit is easily transformed into a related product, e.g. apple juice; or when it honors the plant that bears the fruit.

    FRUIT HOLIDAYS
    January

  • January: National Apple and Apricot Month
  • January: California Dried Plum Digestive Month
  • January: Prune Breakfast Month
  • January: Tubers and Dried Fruit Month
  • January 6: National Apple Tree Day
  • January 9: National Apricot Day
  • January, 3rd Full Week: National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week
  • January 26: National Green Juice Day
  •  
    February

  • February: Exotic Vegetables and Star Fruit Month
  • February: National Cherry Month
  • February: National Avocado and Banana Month
  • February: National Grapefruit Month
  • February 2: California Kiwifruit Day
  • February 4: National Medjool Date Day
  •  
    March

  • March: National Berries and Cherries Month
  • March: Exotic Winter Fruit & Leeks and Green Onions Month
  • March 1: National Fruit Compote Day
  • March 20: Oranges and Lemons Day
  • March 21: National California Strawberry Day
  • March 31: National Farm Workers Day
  •  
    April

  • April: Fresh Florida Tomato Month
  • April: Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month
  • April 4: Vitamin C Day
  • April, 3rd Wednesday: National Banana Day
  • April 6: National Açaí Bowl Day
  • April 6: National Fresh Tomato Day
  • April 21: National Chickpea Day
  • April 30: National Raisin Day
  •  
    May

  • May 4: National Orange Juice Day
  • May 13: National Fruit Cocktail Day
  • May, 3rd Saturday: Plant a Lemon Tree Day
  • May 20: National Pick Strawberries Day
  • May 21: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day
  • May 21: National Juice Slush Day
  • May 26: National Cherry Dessert Day
  • May 28: World Passion Fruit Martini Day
  • May, last full week: British Tomato Fortnight
  • June

  • June: National Cucumber Month
  • June: National Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Month
  • June: National Lemon Month
  • June: National Mango Month
  • June: National Pluot & Aprium Month
  • June 1: National Olive Day
  • June 11: National Corn On The Cob Day
  • June 15: National Prune Day
  • June 21: National Peaches and Cream Day
  • June 21: National Smoothie Day
  •  
    July

  • July: National Corn Month
  • July: National Eggplant Month
  • July 4: National Jackfruit Day
  • July 8: National Blueberry Day
  • July 11:: National Rainier Cherry Day
  • July 22: National Mango Day
  • July 31: National Avocado Day
  •  
    August

  • August: National Peach Month
  • August: National Watermelon Month
  • August 3: National Watermelon Day
  • August 7: National Raspberries N’ Cream Day
  • August 8: National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day
  • August, 2nd Sunday: National Melon Day
  • August 19: Savior of the Apple Feast Day†
  • August 23-30: National Coconut Week
  • August 29: National Lemon Juice Day
  •  
    September

  • September: National Papaya Month
  • September 2: World Coconut Day
  • September 7: National Acorn Squash Day
  • September 18: National Pawpaw Day
  •  
    October

  • October: National Apple Month
  • October: National Pickled Peppers Month
  • October 2: National Produce Misting Day
  • October, 1st Tuesday: National Fruit At Work Day
  • October 20: National Brandied Fruit Day
  • October 26: National Pumpkin Day
  • October 28: Wild Foods Day
  •  
    November

  • November: National Pepper Month
  • November: National Pomegranate Month
  • November 1-7: National Fig Week
  • November 23: National Eat A Cranberry Day
  •  
    December

  • December 1: National Eat a Red Apple Day
  • December 9: National Opal Apples Day
  •  
     
    ________________
     
    *The Six Kingdoms System consists of Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Fungi (mushrooms, molds, yeasts), Protista (single-celled eukaryotes like amoebas and algae), Bacteria (true bacteria), and Archaea (ancient bacteria-like organisms).

    Minerals are not part of modern biological classification because they are non-living substances.

    When we went to high school, we were taught three kingdoms—Plant, Animal, and Mineral. In 1990, based on advancements in molecular biology and phylogenetics, the six-kingdom system was established, building on earlier classification systems. See them in the footnote*.

    The first classification system, dividing all living things into Animal and Plant, was established by Carl Linnaeus in 1735. It is continuously refined with advances in plant genetics and phylogenetics.

    **The orange, a hybrid, gets its sweetness from its mandarin parent; from their pomelo parent, it gets its larger size—although oranges are not as large as pomelos, which are larger than grapefruits.

    ***The grapefruit itself (Citrus × paradisi) is a hybrid, between a pomelo and an orange. The pomelo (Citrus maxima, photo #2) is not a hybrid but a species in its own right. The pomelo is considered the largest of the citrus fruits. It is native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

    Savior of the Apple Feast Day is one of the three holidays in Russian Orthodox Christianity when food is consecrated in the church and then consumed by the faithful (the others are the Honey Feast of the Savior on August 14th and the Nut Feast of the Savior on August 29th).

    The holiday is of pre-Christian origin and is associated with the collection of ripe fruit, especially apples. Usually, on this day, people eat apples, apple pies, or other dishes with apples, even if they are not Russian Orthodox.

    The Cruciferous vegetables, in alphabetical order: arugula (Eruca vesicaria), broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. viridis), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), mustard greens (Brassica juncea), radishes (Raphanus sativus), rutabagas (Brassica napus), turnips (Brassica rapa), and wasabi (Wasabia japonica—in the Brassicaceae family but in the genus Wasabia instead of Brassica).
     
     

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    M. Cacao Chile Caramels For Your Hot Valentine

    Even if you’re not a big fan of hot chile peppers, these caramels from M. Cacao are hot stuff.

    Chef Delphin Gomes: Michael collaborates with Chef Delphin Gomes, a French pastry master, and Michael Nichols, the company founder, to develop chocolate creations that never fail to dazzle.

    For this box of spicy caramel enrobed in the finest chocolate, the chocolatiers took their chocolate covered caramels and added just enough pulverized chile pepper to provide great chile flavor without burning the tongue numb.

    They are still hot, we hasten to add, but chile connoisseurs can actually taste the different fruit flavors* of each type of chile.

    Plus, you can customize your box of caramels to the particular level of heat you want, whether all mild, medium, or hot, or a combination.

    We’ll get to them in a moment, but first:

    > The history of chiles.

    > The different types of chiles: a photo glossary.

    > The Scoville scale that establishes heat level—SHU, for Scoville Heat Units.

    > Below: Chile vs. chili vs. chilli and chiles vs. peppers, and why The Nibble uses “chiles” instead of “peppers.”

    > Below: The difference between fruits and vegetables.
     
     
    CARAMEL + CHILE ENROBED IN CHOCOLATE:

    TAKE YOUR PICK

    Before we describe each of the chiles to you, we don’t want to bury the shopping information.

    There are eight different types of chile caramels, and M. Cacao offers their caramels 8-piece and 16-piece boxes.

    You can choose a mixed box of everything, a box of the lower-heat chiles only, or a box of the high-heat chiles only.

    And if it all becomes too much for you, try a scoop of ice cream. The dairy is a great help in neutralizing the capsaicinoids, the chemical compounds that give chile peppers their spicy flavor and burn.

    > Get your chile caramels from M. Cacao here and prepare to sizzle.
     
     
    INTRODUCING THE 8 CARAMEL CHILES

    Note that the heat level of chiles varies depending on subspecies, terroir, and growing conditions.
     
    1. Green Hatch Chile

    Mild Hatch chiles measure from 1,000–2,500 SHU, similar to Anaheim chiles. They deliver an earthy, smoky, rich flavor to the caramel (photo #3).
     
    2. Red Hatch Chile

    Red Hatch chiles are the ripened version of the green chiles, with similar heat. In addition to the earthy and smoky flavors, ripeness adds a buttery quality (photo #4).
     
    3. Serrano Tampiqueño Chile

    Serrano Tampiqueño chiles, a variety of serrano, has medium-high heat—typically between 10,000 and 23,000 SHU. They are hotter than jalapeños but milder than Thai chiles or habaneros (photo #5).

    Known for their bright, fresh flavor, they have a delayed-fuse heat, allowing their flavor notes to unfold first.
     
    4. Scotch Bonnet Chile

    Scotch Bonnet chiles typically range between 100,000 and 350,000 SHUs. This places them in the same heat range as habaneros, but with a slightly sweeter and fruitier flavor (photo #6).

    Its complex profile including flavors of tomato and apple are appreciated by chile lovers.
     
    5. Habanero Chile

    The bright fruity, citrus notes that are beloved in habaneros bite back with ripping heat.

    Habanero chiles typically range between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU (photo #7).
     
    6. Ghost Chile

    Previously ranked as the the world’s hottest† chile pepper, these caramels are prepared in such a way that you’ll enjoy the smoky, deeply peppery notes of the chile before the slow burning heat rises up to haunt you (photo #8).
     
    7. Scorpion Chile

    Scorpion chiles are aggressively hot, with a long-lasting, lingering heat signature. The flavors you’ll experience before the heat gets you are citrusy, sweet, and even floral (photo #9).
     
    8. Carolina Reaper Chile

    Another opportunity for “death by chocolate,” the Carolina Reaper chile caramel is a delicious way to tempt fate. Even if you like it hot, start with a small nibble from one corner (photo #10).
     
     
    WHY CHILES ARE CALLED PEPPERS

    The first chiles were brought to Spain in 1493 by Diego Álvarez Chanca, a physician on Columbus’ second voyage to the West Indies. He first wrote about their medicinal effects in 1494.

    From Europe, chiles spread rapidly to India, China, and Japan. In Europe, they first were grown in the monastery gardens of Spain and Portugal as botanical curiosities.

    The monks experimented with their culinary potential and discovered that their pungency offered an inexpensive substitute for black peppercorns, which were so costly in Europe that they were used as legal currency in some countries.

    “Chile pepper” is a misnomer, and the term “pepper” is not used in Latin America where chiles originated.

    The etymology:

  • The word chile (also spelled chili or chilli) originates from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word chīlli.
  • Spanish colonizers adopted the word from Nahuatl, spelling it chile.
  • When he word spread globally, variations in spelling appeared.
  • Chile used in Mexico, the southwestern U.S., and some Spanish-speaking countries.
  • Chili is common across the U.S., especially when referring to foods like chili powder and chili con carne.
  • Chilli is the spelling used in the U.K., British territories, and India (a former British territory).
  •  
    How did we get from “chile” to “pepper?”

    The first European to come across hot chiles was Christopher Columbus, when he landed in the Caribbean. He called them “pimientos” (the Spanish word for black pepper) because of their fiery similarity to black peppercorns with which he was familiar.

    He brought the “peppers” back to Europe and chiles have been mis-named peppers ever since. But the two aren’t related at the order and family levels of botanical classification.

    THE NIBBLE uses the authentic word, “chile,” and for elucidation for everyone who grew up with “pepper,” we often use “chile pepper.” But beyond peppercorns, never use “pepper,” except in the case of bell peppers, which have no heat.

    Why not call bells pepper, too? Because most peopled don’t realize that bell peppers, a mild vegetable, are related to hot chiles.
     
     
    THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILES & PEPPER

    Chiles

  • Chiles are from the order Solanales, family Solanaceae (the nightshades), genus Capsicum
  • Domesticated chiles are divided into five species: Capsicum annuum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chinense, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum pubescens.
  • Most of the chiles eaten in the U.S. are Capsicum annuum (bell pepper and jalapeño, e.g.), Capsicum chinense (Carolina reaper, ghost (bhut jolokia), habanero and Scotch bonnet, e.g.), and Capsicum frutescens (bird’s eye and tabasco, e.g.).
  • The heat in chiles comes from the chemical compound capsaicin.
  • Chiles originated in South and Central America.
  • Its edible nightshade family relatives include eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes.
  •  
     
    Black Pepper

  • Black peppercorns are from the order Piperales, family Piperaceae, genus and species Piper nigrum (photo #11).
  • Piper nigrum includes black, white, and green peppercorns. Pink pepper is not a peppercorn—it is the berry of a tree.
  • You may come across other species, most commonly Piper longum, the long pepper, and Piper cubeba, cubeb or tailed pepper.
  • The pepper originated on the Malabar Coast of India, the southwestern coast.
  • The heat black pepper comes from the chemical compound piperine.
  •  
    To clear up another item of confusion, there is:

     
     
    Szechuan (Sichuan) Pepper

    Szechuan (Sichuan) pepper is neither pepper nor chile (photo #12). It comes from the dried husks of berries from trees in the Zanthoxylum genus of deciduous and evergreen trees, and belongs specifically to the citrus family of trees.

  • Its order is Sapindales, family Rutaceae (the citrus family), genus Zanthoxylum, and the genus and species Zanthoxylum simulans.
  • The Japanese pepper (sansho), Zanthoxylum piperitum, is another species in the genus.
  • Sichuan pepper gets its heat from the chemical compound hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which creates a unique numbing and tingling sensation on the tongue. It is a key ingredient in Sichuan cuisine, often used in spicy dishes alongside chiles.
  • The species is native to China, India, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Southeast Asia.
  •  
    ________________
     
    *The difference between fruits and vegetables: In botanical terms, a fruit is the part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. Chiles grow from the flower of the plant and contain seeds, making them a fruit by definition. Among the various categories of fruits, chiles are classified as a berry because they have fleshy pulp and seeds enclosed in a single ovary.

     

    Chile Caramels
    [1] Colorful caramels, packed with heat, each hot chile with its own logo. This box contains all 8 flavors (all photos © M. Cacao ).

    Chile Caramels
    [2] This box contains only the hot flavors. You can choose a milder box or a hot box instead of the mixed box.

    Chile Caramels
    [3] Green Hatch chile caramel. Each chile caramel variety has its own special design.

    Chile Caramels
    [4] Red Hatch chile caramel.

    Chile Caramels
    [5] Serrano chile caramel.

    Scotch Bonnet Caramel
    [6] Scotch bonnet chile caramel.

    Scotch Bonnet Caramel
    [7] Habanero chile caramel.

    Chile Caramels
    [8] Scorpion chile caramel.

    Chile Caramels
    [9] Ghost chile caramel.

    Chile Caramels
    [10] Carolina reaper chile caramel.

    Chocolate Covered Chile Peppers
    [10] Want even more heat? Check out these chocolate-covered whole chiles! They’re not caramels—just pure chiles.

    Black and White Peppercorns
    [11] Black, white, and green peppercorns are the members of Piper nigrum. Green peppercorns are not yet ripe, and white peppercorns are white with the black husks—which contain most of the capsaicin—removed (photo © iStock Photo).

    Sichuan Peppercorns
    [12] Szechuan (Sichuan) pepper: not peppercorns but the bud of a tree in the citrus family (photo © The Spice House).

     
    Why chiles are considered a vegetable in cooking: In culinary terms, chiles are used like vegetables because they are savory, not sweet, and commonly cooked in savory, spicy dishes.

    Other botanical fruits used as vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers [source: Chat GPT 2025-02-04].
     
    Heat levels have gotten so much attention from chile lovers that breeders are constantly coming up with new, hotter varieties.
     

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    Marry Me Cookies Recipe (a.k.a. I Want To Marry You Cookies)

    Marry Me Cookies
    [1] The Marry Me recipe, below (photos #1 and #2 © Nancy Mock | Taste Of Home).

    Balls Of Marry Me Cookie Dough
    [2] Marry Me cookie dough.

    The Original I Want To Marry You Cookies
    [3] The original I Want To Marry You cookie by Melissa Stadler. You can press an extra chunk of chocolate into the top of the cookies when they come out of the oven (photos #3 and #4 © Modern Honey).

    I Want To Marry You Cookies
    [4] A batch of original I Want To Marry You cookies.

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Heart Cookies
    [5] A personal favorite for Valentine’s Day is a peanut butter cookie topped with a chocolate heart. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Baker Chick).

    Valentine Cookies
    [6] While this photo and the next one look like more “appropriate” Valentine’s Day cookies, they usually look a lot better than they taste (photo via Webneel).

     

    Is there a romantic cookie for Valentine’s Day—beyond those heart-shaped sugar cookies (photo #1)? Yes: It’s called the Marry Me cookie (a.k.a. I Want To Marry You Cookies).

    Well…if marketing means something, then it might be the rich chocolate chip cookies with caramel notes that are supposedly so good they inspire marriage proposals—the so-called Marry Me cookies (also called I Want To Marry You cookies).

    Marry Me Cookies are made with browned butter, semisweet and white chocolate chips, plus oats for texture and added flavor notes. And for that hint of something special, a bit of cinnamon.

    >The recipe is below.

    While Marry Me cookies contain no aphrodisiacs (unless chocolate counts), they are so good, the story goes, that you just might get a proposal.

    Or in these times, instead of a pre-selected† ring, you might hand a tin of them them to your beloved along with your proposal.

    This works whether you are proposing to a man or a woman.

    And even if it’s a gift for a family member or friend, you’ll win hearts.

    > The history of cookies.

    > The 11 basic cookie styles.

    > The different types of cookies: a photo glossary.

    > Check out all the cookie holidays (there are 44!).

    > The history of Marry Me Cookies is below.

     
     
    RECIPE: MARRY ME COOKIES 

    In this variation of the recipe the cookies are jumbo—more than four inches in diameter (photo #1). They have a welcome blend of textures: crispy at the edges but chewy to bite through, with a rich and fudgy flavor.

    Thanks to Taste Of Home for the recipe.

    For best results, use a better brand of chips like Guittard.

    You can also add your own touches. The first time we made them, we added pistachio nuts, a refreshing change from pecans or walnuts. Macadamias also work well here (as anyone who ever had the original Mrs. Fields’ Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookies will attest).

    On our second pass, we used toffee bits instead of nuts. We would gladly marry either version. Other options:

  • Add some dried fruit: cherries, cranberries, raisins, sultanas.
  • Top with flaky sea salt during the latter portion of baking.
  •  
    Ingredients For 24 Jumbo Cookies

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted*
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips plus extras for top decor
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus extras for top decor
  • ________________
     
    *To keep as much moisture in the butter as possible, melt it over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave just until it liquefies.
    ________________

    Preparation

    1. BEAT together the granulated and brown sugars with the melted butter, using a stand or hand mixer on medium speed until the ingredients are blended. Pop the mixture into the fridge for 10 minutes to cool. Then…

    2. BEAT the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, blending them in very well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

    3. MIX together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients: flour, oats, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients gradually, with the mixer running at medium-low speed. Finally…

    4. STIR the white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips into the batter. Scrape the bowl well to catch any unmixed pockets at the bottom of the bowl.

    5. LINE two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a quarter-cup-sized cookie scoop or measuring cup to scoop the dough. (If you have a kitchen scale, the portions should weigh about 2.5 ounces.) Place the scoops on the baking sheet spaced two inches apart.

    6. PLACE the baking sheets in the fridge to chill the dough for 30 minutes. While it chills, preheat the oven to 325°F. Note: Don’t skip this important chilling step. It firms up the melted butter in the batter and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.

    7. PLACE the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes. If you have two baking sheets in the oven at once, swap them around halfway through baking so that the cookies bake evenly.

    When the cookies are done they’ll be set and lightly browned around the edges, and the centers will look soft and almost underbaked.

    8. REMOVE from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for two minutes to make them easier to move. Then, use a spatula to carefully transfer them to a cooling rack. Let the cookies completely.

    9. STACK them in an airtight container—sheets of wax paper between the layers will keep them from sticking. They’ll taste their best when eaten within a few days of baking, however, you can store them at room temperature for up to two weeks.

    They can be frozen, stacked, inside freezer-proof, resealable bags for up to three months. Allow them to defrost in the fridge with the bag slightly vented to prevent condensation that will make the cookies soggy.

    TIP: Most of the chocolate chips end up hiding inside the cookies. To make the cookies prettier, add more chips to the outside. Once the dough is scooped, push several white and semisweet chocolate chips into the tops; once baked, they’ll become beautiful, eye-catching pockets of chocolate (photos #3 and #4).

    TIP: Don’t make the dough the day before. The oats will absorb the moisture, making it dough dry and crumbly. Instead, you can partially mix the ingredients the day before, withholding the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. Then, prior to baking, allow the dough to sit out for 30 minutes before adding those ingredients and baking as directed.

     
     
    THE HISTORY OF MARRY ME COOKIES

    The origin of the story appears to be a winning recipe entered in a Food Channel contest in 2012. The “I Want To Marry You” cookies created by Melissa Stadler of Modern Honey were their most popular recipe that year.

    > Here’s Melissa’s recipe and the full story of how it came to be.

    Briefly, Melissa was a big fan of The Food Network. In the spring of 2011 the network announced a contest on behalf of their new sister channel, The Cooking Channel. The grand prize winner would win a trip to NYC to film a segment for the show.

    She submitted a browned butter cookie that she had been working on perfecting for years, gave them the name “I Want To Marry You,” and sent off the recipe.

    The recipe became popular through food blogs and social media, with different bakers adding their own touches, and shortening the name to Marry Me.
     
     
    ________________
     
    †Remember that episode of Sex In The City where Aidan proposes to Carrie with a ring that she finds very different from her taste (“Just Say Yes,” Season 4, Episode 12)? Consider it a teaching moment.
     
     
     

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    The History Of Caffe Latte For National Latte Day

    February 11th is National Latte Day, a coffee drink made with one or two shots of espresso and steamed milk. The word “latte” comes from the Italian caffè e latte, meaning coffee and milk.

    The latte is one of the top-selling espresso drinks in U.S. coffee shops, along with cappuccino and plain espresso.

    The original “coffee culture,” the Ottoman Empire, did not make latte—it wasn’t a dairy cattle culture.

    The concept of mixing coffee with milk dates to 17th-century Europe, particularly in Italy, France, and Spain.

  • In Vienna, the Kapuziner (an early cappuccino) was popular in coffee houses in the 1700s.
  • In France, café au lait (coffee with hot milk) became a staple breakfast drink.
  •  
    But the modern version of the latte emerged in 19th-century Italy—as a breakfast beverage made at home.

  • The milk created a smoother, milder coffee drink than espresso.
  • It didn’t become a café drink until the mid-20th century, with the rise of espresso machines*.
  •  
    > The difference between cappuccino and late, below.
     
     
    THE HISTORY OF LATTE

  • In the late 19th/early 20th century, Italians began to add milk to their morning coffee. While cappuccino had already gained popularity in cafés, caffè latte was not yet made outside the home. A stovetop Moka pot on the kitchen stove was used, with milk heated in a separate pot.
  • In the 20th century, the first commercial espresso machines appeared in the market (see the history of espresso machines in the footnote*). Beginning in the 1940s, the first steam wand appeared, enabling baristas to heat and froth milk.
  • By the 1950s, the modern caffè latte began to appear in Italian cafés, especially those catering to tourists who found cappuccino too strong.
  • In the 1980s the American-style latte, larger and milkier than the Italian version, became popular in Seattle, the origin of America’s coffee culture. Coffee culture expanded across the country.
  • Later in the 1980s, baristas in American coffee shops began making lattes with more milk and introducing latte art. See the history of latte art below.
  •  
    Today in Italy the Italian caffè latte remains a home drink or breakfast drink, while cappuccino and macchiato are more commonly ordered in cafés.

    The latte, on the other hand, has been adopted globally.

  • Flavored lattes—caramel, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and other flavors—have become widespread (photo #7).
  • Non-dairy alternatives made with almond, oat, and soy milk are now common.
  •  
     
    THE HISTORY OF LATTE ART

    Latte art—the intricate designs created by pouring steamed milk into espresso—originated as a result of advancements in espresso-making technology and milk frothing techniques (photo #6).

    While it has roots in Italy, the technique was perfected and popularized in the U.S. and Japan in the late 20th century.

    David Schomer, a barista from Seattle, is often credited with refining and popularizing latte art in the late 1980s. Schomer experimented with milk texture and pouring methods, developing the heart and rosette patterns.

    Latte art was enabled by the development of microfoam, a velvety foam created by the steam wand of a cappuccino machine. The wand foams the milk in a stainless-steel pitcher; the pitcher pours the foam onto the top of the coffee (photo #2).

    The combination of the natural crema atop the cup of espresso and velvety microfoam allows patterns to be made. (Note that other types of milk steamers/foamers do not create microfoam.)

    By 1989 the heart pattern was a signature at David Schomer’s Espresso Vivace and the rosette pattern followed, based on a photograph Schomer saw of latte art in an Italian café.

    He shared his techniques by 1994, helping spread latte art across the U.S. as coffeehouse culture expanded.

    In the early 2000s, Japanese baristas took latte art to new levels, introducing etching techniques (the use of tools to draw detailed patterns.

  • 3D latte art, where milk foam is sculpted into raised figures (photo #6), became a trend in Tokyo cafés.
  • Social media boosted the popularity of latte art worldwide.
  •  
     
    CAPPUCCINO & LATTE: THE DIFFERENCE

    Both drinks originated in Italian cafés, but are slightly different, based on the amount of milk.

  • Cappuccino is an espresso-based drink made with 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 foamed milk. In sum: 1/3 espresso, 2/3 milk.
  • Food trivia: Cappuccino is named after the color of the hooded robes worn by monks and nuns of the Capuchin order. Cappuccino, referring to the red-brown color of the robes, was a common descriptor in 17th-century Europe. The foamy drink, however, was created in the 20th century.
  • Latte has even more milk: A basic latte is 2 ounces espresso and 6 ounces steamed milk. For latte art, foamed milk is needed on top, which moves the proportions to 1/6 espresso, 4/6 steamed milk, 1/6 foamed milk.
  •  
     
    > The history of coffee.

    > The history of espresso.

    > The history of pumpkin spice latte.

    > The different types of coffee: a photo glossary.

    > The different types of espresso: a photo glossary.
     
     
     
    ________________
     
    *The history of the espresso machine: The first espresso machine was presented at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1855, developed to solve the slow speed and loss of flavor that occurred with other methods of coffee preparation. Luigi Bezzera, an Italian engineer, filed a patent for the first espresso machine in 1901. His machine used steam pressure to force hot water through coffee grounds, significantly reducing brewing time. In 1905, Desiderio Pavoni purchased Bezzera’s patent and founded La Pavoni, which started producing espresso machines in Milan.

    In 1945, Achille Gaggia introduced the first lever-operated espresso machine, which used a spring piston to increase pressure to 8–10 bars. This created crema, the golden foam that became a defining feature of espresso. Gaggia’s machines were smaller and faster, making espresso more easy to serve in coffee shops. His machines also introduced the first integrated steam wand, allowing baristas to froth milk directly on the espresso machine for cappuccinos.

    In 1961 Ernesto Valente improving espresso quality by introducing the first electric pump machine, Faema E61, which maintained consistent water pressure at 9 bars. It made pulling a shot easier and more consistent.

    In the 1970s, home espresso machines became available. In the 1990s, super-automatic machines were introduced that could grind and tamp the beans and brew espresso at the press of a button.

    Today, high-end machines machines with PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) advanced temperature control, pressure profiling, and smart technology allow baristas and home users to fine-tune espresso extraction.

     

    Latte Art With Flower Design
    [1] Lattes offer baristas the opportunity to create art, by pouring more espresso on top of the foam (photos #1 and #2 © Chevanon | Pexels).

    Pouring A Latte Design
    [2] Velvety foam from a steam wand enables the creation of latte art.

    Cup Of Latte
    [3] Not every barista is an artist, but a plain latte is equally delicious (photo © Martin Dearriba| Pixabay).

    Latte With Barista Art
    [4] The leaf motif (photo © Proof Bakeshop [permanently closed]).

    Latte With Heart Art
    [5] Another favorite: the yeart (photo © Ogawa Coffee).

    Foam Latte
    [6] Pikachu rendered in 3D foam (photo by Ajay Suresh | CC By 2.0).

    Lavender-Flavored Latte
    [7] The broad variety of flavored simple syrups enable the creation of lattes from lavender to salted caramel (photo © Sonoma Syrup).

     

     
     

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