RECIPE: Ruby Red Holiday Hibiscus Cider

Hibiscus is a flower that can be steeped into a vibrant, caffeine-free, healthy tea (more about hibiscus). Our friends at The Republic Of Tea have created this Christmas-red mulled apple-hibiscus cider, which gets its color from hibiscus tea. (You can buy The Republic Of Tea’s hibiscus tea online.) Ingredients For one large mug or two…
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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: 12 More Great Gourmet Christmas Gifts

Individual-portion boxes of original Saratoga Chips make great stocking stuffers and party favors. Photo by Jaclyn Nussbaum | THE NIBBLE.   Last week’s Top Pick presented 20 great gourmet food gifts from the sweets category. Our second group of recommendations focuses on savory gifts: coffee and tea, condiments, cured meats, seafood and snacks—including the original…
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GIFT: Chocolate Mint “Christmas Tree” Cookies

Chocolate peppermint Christmas tree cookies. Photo courtesy Mackenzie Ltd.   Shortly after we published a recipe for Chocolate Mint Christmas Cookies last week, we saw these tree-shaped cookies at MackenzieLtd.com. They’re sugar cookies instead of our butter cookies recipe (sugar cookies use a different type of shortening and thus don’t have buttery flavor). You can…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Decorate A Miniature Christmas Tree

A dwarf “Foodie” Christmas tree. Photo courtesy White Flower Farm.   You can find charming miniature (officially called dwarf) evergreen trees in stores and tree lots, typically undecorated. Create your own “food-lovers Christmas tree” for your home, or as a gift for friends and family who don’t have room for full-sized trees. Or, place the…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Special Water For Parties

Celebrate the holidays with a special sparkling water. Photo courtesy GlobalPackageGallery.com.   Quite a few people choose water as a drink (or as their third drink) at parties and holiday feasts. We try to minimize our carbon footprint, so our daily water is tap water or SodaStream-carbonated water. But on special occasions, we treat guests…
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