VALENTINE’S DAY: Three Wonderful Food Gifts

[1] [2] [3] The Valentine gift box from VineBox, with artisan chocolate bars from Ritual Chocolate.   You could search all over town without finding wonderful Valentine’s Day gifts like these—one with zero calories! There’s no need leave home to get them. Just click below to order these online. 1. FOR THE WINE DRINKER: A…
Continue reading “VALENTINE’S DAY: Three Wonderful Food Gifts”

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Casa Noble Tequila & A Tequila-Cheese-Chocolate Tasting

[1] Casa Noble Crystal Tequila: the best blanco/silver tequila we’ve ever had. [2] Add a bit of age and you get a reposado tequila. [3] The special edition named for company director Carlos Santana: Casa Noble Santana Reserve 5 Years Anejo. [4] The top of the line, Casa Noble Alta Bellezza, is as great as…
Continue reading “TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Casa Noble Tequila & A Tequila-Cheese-Chocolate Tasting”

GLUTEN FREE: Cheryl’s Cookies

You can’t tell that these gluten-free cookies are gluten free! Photo courtesy Cheryl’s.   We have dear friends and readers with gluten sensitivity, so we keep an eye out for anything above the ordinary that they might enjoy. When Cheryl’s offered us a taste test of their conventional versus gluten-free cookies in advance of National…
Continue reading “GLUTEN FREE: Cheryl’s Cookies”

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Mochidoki, Ice Cream-Stuffed Mochi

Like ice cream? Get ready for a [relatively] new variation: ice cream mochi (MO-chee). Mochidoki is a delightful ice cream treat—a sophisticated re-envisioning of a classic Japanese sweet made from rice dough: a dough of pounded, glutinous (but gluten-free) sweet rice flour that is steamed and kneaded until it becomes delightfully chewy and supple, with…
Continue reading “TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Mochidoki, Ice Cream-Stuffed Mochi”

RECIPES: Chocolate Orange Pistachio Bark & White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge

For those moments when unexpected guests arrive for Christmas, or when acquaintances give you an unexpected gift—we have a strategy: Make homemade bark or fudge in advance. They have a long shelf life; it’s easy to carry a small tin with you for chance encounters, and even people who don’t eat sweets will be pleased…
Continue reading “RECIPES: Chocolate Orange Pistachio Bark & White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge”