VALENTINE’S DAY: Magnum Ruby Ice Cream Bars (Real Pink Chocolate!)

[1] Magnum’s Ruby Mini Ice Cream Bar (photo © Magnum Ice Cream).   A few months ago we wrote about ruby chocolate, the fourth type of chocolate after dark, milk and white. Ruby is the first new chocolate in 80 years. The pink-colored chocolate gets its hue naturally, from a particular type of cacao bean.…
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VALENTINE GIFT: A Peppercorn Plant (Piper Nigrum)

Many people grow herbs at home. How about peppercorns? If your Valentine has a green thumb, a peppercorn plant is a different kind of gift. You can grow one as a houseplant (photo #1); or if you live in a semi-tropical climate, you can grow it outdoors (here’s what you need to know to grow…
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VALENTINE GIFT: Lover’s Leap Tea

[1] Lover’s Leap, a blend of superior black teas with rose and chamomile petals, is available in both loose tea and tea bags (both photos © Steven Smith Teamaker). [2] Lover’s Leap Tea, nicely boxed.   Lover’s Leap Tea is a limited edition for Valentine’s Day, created by our favorite tea emporium, Steven Smith Teamaker.…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Valentine’s Day Cocktails

If you don’t have romantic plans for Valentine’s Day, how about inviting friends for cocktails? You can set up a bar buffet with pitchers of three or four red or rosy cocktails: Bloody Mary Cranberry Mimosa Cosmopolitan Crantini   Other options: Mulled wine, perfect for February. Kir, white wine poured atop crème de cassis (blackcurrant…
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RECIPE: Holiday Meringue Drops

Austin, Texas has become a hot city to visit and move to, abetted by its ever-expanding food scene. One place of interest is Fluff Meringues & More is a modern patisserie that proffers European treats in a market full of cupcakes and Southern pecan pie. A meringue cookie is the opposite of these latter favorites.…
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