[1] Top a pizza with your favorite antipasto ingredients (photo © DeLallo).

[2] You can add antipasto meats to the vegetarian recipe below. In photo: sweet soppressata, hot soppressata, Genoa salami, prosciutto (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[3] Provolone, a classic Italian cheese, often served cubed on an antipasto platter (photo © Castello Cheese).

[4] We prefer the pepper bite of arugula to spinach (photo © Good Eggs).

There are currently 12 pizza holidays in the U.S. (see the list below). The third Friday in May is National Pizza Party Day. You’ve got a few days to plan your pizza party.

It can be as simple as a homemade pizza at home with store-bought dough.

Check out the recipe below for Antipasto Pizza, is vegetarian as shown (photo #1), but can have added prosciutto or other Italian cured meat (photo #2).

Not to mention, 50 more pizza recipes to suit every palate.

> The history of pizza.

> Pizza trends in the U.S.
 
 
RECIPE: ANTIPASTO PIZZA

DeLallo made this pizza using fresh spinach, their Italian-Style Pizza Sauce, dough from their DeLallo Pizza Dough Kit, and Provolini Antipasti, a jarred medley of cubes of provolone cheese, tender button mushrooms, black and green olives, and sweet red peppers, in canola oil.

We preferred to use the ingredients we had on hand: pitted black Nicoise and pitted green Castelvetrano olives, a jar of roasted red peppers, and fresh mushrooms.

And while the original recipe called for baby spinach, we preferred the peppery bite of baby arugula.

You can also use Italian antipasto meats: prosciutto, soppressata, and different types of salame.

To spread the flavor, cut them into strips.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450˚F. Shape the pizza dough for a thin crust. Place on a greased baking sheet or pizza pan and bake for 5 minutes.

2. REMOVE from the oven and top with sauce, cheese, and antipasto ingredients. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

3. TOP with fresh arugula or spinach leaves and serve.
 
 
THE YEAR IN PIZZA HOLIDAYS

Whether you get a takeout pizza, go to a restaurant, or make your own, mark your calendars for:

Every so often, a gift comes along that is truly a special occasion. More than a box of fine chocolates or great cookies, in this case, it’s a cake: Lady M’s Peach Cobbler Mille Crêpes Cake.

The cake is a limited edition for the month of May, making it even more special. We’ve tasted upwards of 10 flavors of Lady M’s Mille Crêpes Cake, and this is an unusual, delightfully surprising variation.

Bravo to Lady M! We’re so happy that we had the opportunity to try the Peach Cobbler Mille Crêpes Cake.

This special flavor is available for pick-up at Lady M boutiques in New York City and Southern California. More about it follows.

> The history of the Mille Crêpes Cake.
 
 
PEACH COBBLER MILLE CRÊPES CAKE

Silky smooth, the 20 layers of impossibly thin, delicate, handmade crêpes are filled with a special version of Lady M’s pastry cream made with blonde chocolate (more about that below) and flecked with peach pieces.

Another feature that makes this crêpes cake different from the other Lady M flavors is the toppings: succulent sliced, glazed peaches in the center and a finely-grained, cinnamon-accented streusel* around the edge.

While the pâtissier calls it a “vanilla crumble,” we know cinnamon-accented streusel crumbs when we see them and taste them! For us, the crumbs make the flavor profile more crumb cake than cobbler—a traditional cobbler is topped with biscuit-like “cobblestones” (see the difference here).

But call it whatever, we have no complaints. Just give us another slice, please!
 
 
AN IMPORTANT CAUSE

The new cake flavor is inspired by the classic Southern dessert, Peach Cobbler, and was created in collaboration with “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Sutton Stracke, a Georgia native.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month (May), 10% of all sales of the Peach Cobbler Mille Crêpes Cake will be donated to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

It’s an organization that’s near and dear to Sutton and her family.

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. The partnership with Lady M will strive to have a positive impact by emphasizing the importance of speaking out about mental health, and aligns with Lady M’s mission to “Share Cake, Share Happiness.”

And the happiness?

Just take a bite!
 
 
WHAT IS BLONDE/BLOND CHOCOLATE?

Blonde chocolate, also known as caramelized chocolate and toasted white chocolate, is a relatively recent addition to the types of chocolate: the classic dark (1847), milk (1875), and white (1930) varieties and the newer ruby chocolate (created by Callebaut, it was launched in 2017, five years after blonde chocolate in 2012—see photos #6 and #7).

> The history of chocolate.

Blonde chocolate is cooked white chocolate which uses the Maillard reaction† to create a caramel-like flavor and a tan hue (photo #6).

In addition to cooking finished white chocolate until the Maillard reaction occurs, blonde chocolate can be made by using “caramelized” milk powder (i.e. milk crumb) in the initial recipe. Either way, the flavor of the milk used to make the chocolate is changed.

Created by Valrhona Chocolate and trademarked as Blond® chocolate, the new flavor was introduced by Valrhona under the product name Dulcey.

Blonde chocolate was created by accident. Frédéric Bau, the executive chef and director of Valrhona’s Ecole du Grand Chocolat, had melted white chocolate in a bain-maire (water bath) for a demonstration. He inadvertently left the remaining chocolate on the stovetop overnight.

Coming back to the kitchen some 10 hours later, he found that the melted chocolate had turned light tan in color and gave off aromas of shortbread, caramelized milk, and unrefined sugar.

He found the result of his oversight to be delicious and set out to recreate it as couverture chocolate and produce it on a larger scale. (It took eight years to perfect the recipe.)

Valrhona’s Blond/Dulcy has 35% cacao solids chocolate, a unique blonde color, and, per the brand, intense biscuity notes, a light sugar taste with a hint of salt, and a creamy texture.

Whether it’s used for bars, bonbons, or in pâtisserie, blonde chocolate pairs beautifully with caramel, toffee, and hazelnut flavors, and with mildly acidic fruits such as apricot, banana, and mango.

If you haven’t yet tasted blonde chocolate, it’s easy to pick up a bar at Amazon.

While you’re at it, if you haven’t had ruby chocolate, pick up a bar of that as well.

Different artisan chocolate makers use Valrhona’s couverture to create their own blonde chocolates.

> See our Chocolate Glossary for more chocolate types and terms.
 
 
ABOUT LADY M

Lady M is a New York City maker of luxury confections, with more than 50 boutiques worldwide. Established in 2001, Lady M is the creator of the world-famous Mille Crêpes Cake. Lady M marries French pastry techniques with Japanese sensibilities, resulting in delicate cakes that are a touch sweet and perfect for every occasion. All cakes are handmade and prepared fresh without food additives or preservatives. The crêpes cakes are a very special treat, although Lady M makes a variety of delectable cakes and confections. Learn more at LadyM.com.
 
 
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*Streusel is a crumb topping made from butter, flour, and sugar. It can also contain chopped nuts or rolled oats. It’s used on cakes and pies alike. Pronounced SHTROY-zul, the word derives from the German “streuen,” meaning to sprinkle or scatter. The American mispronunciation “STROO sul?” Fuggedaboudit.

†The brown caramel color in certain foods comes from a reaction that occurs when sugar reacts with amino acids under heat. Called the Maillard (my-YARD) reaction after the French physician and chemist Louis-Camille Maillard who first reported it in 1912, it’s a form of non-enzymatic browning that [usually] requires heat. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. The color and flavor of toasted bread and nuts; barbecued, roasted, and seared meats; and roasted coffee (and many other flavors) are the result of Maillard reactions. And of course, caramel candy is the result of a Maillard reaction.

[1] Lady M’s Peach Cobbler Crêpes Cake is topped with glazed peaches and a “vanilla crumble” (all cake photos © Lady M).

[2] Give everyone a big slice. It will disappear quickly.

[3] Bet you can’t eat just one!

[4] Pistachio, another flavor of Mille Crêpes Cake.

[1] Brut Champagne, the most popular style in Champagne and among sparkling wines in general, is a dry style, but not as dry as Extra Brut (photos #1, #2, and #4 © Champagne Bureau | Facebook).

[2] Rosé Champagne is a delight with any course, and pairs well with fruit-based desserts.

[3] Blanc de Blancs Champagne, is a perfect pairing with seafood. The crème de la crème of Blanc de Blancs is Taittinger Comptes de Champagne (photos #3 and #5 © Champagne Taittinger).

[4] Salty snacks, cheeses, charcuterie, and other nibbles are delicious with an Extra Brut Champagne, the driest style.

[5] Rose Champagne is delicious with fruit desserts.

Have you ever considered serving Champagne with barbecue? Neither did we, until the Champagne Bureau U.S. sent us the following suggestion for a Memorial Day celebration. Your crowd may prefer beer or a hearty red wine with barbecue (Barolo, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec Shiraz, Zinfandel).

But if you’d like to try something different, take a look at these suggestions.

Champagne pairs perfectly with grilling, says the Champagne Bureau, which is the official site of the Comité Champagne. This trade association represents all the grape growers and houses [producers] in the Champagne region of France.

We must note that while Champagne is the crème de la crème of sparkling wines, if it’s not in your budget, you can use less pricy bubbly. Check out our list of affordable sparkling wines.

> May 16th is National Barbecue Day.
 
 
CHAMPAGNE & BARBECUE PAIRINGS

Champagne and other sparklers offer a diversity of styles that can be paired with a barbecue menu.

 
 
FREE ONLINE CHAMPAGNE COURSE

If you’d like to learn more about Champagne, you can take the Champagne Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) at your convenience.

Study at your own pace, 24/7. The classic version is free and is packed with almost 5 hours of pairing tips and other fascinating facts about the Champagne region and its wines.

How long is it? The total course runs for less than 5 hours and covers:

 
Each of these four modules includes videos, texts, and illustrative content to make learning easier.

Thanks to the 16,200 growers and 360 houses in Champagne that produce such wonderful wines, beloved the world over.
 
 
GREAT ARTICLES FROM THE NIBBLE

> The 6 styles of champagne: Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Non-Vintage, Prestige Cuvée, Rosé, Vintage.

> The 7 levels of sweetness: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Demi-Sec, Doux.

________________

*Although “demi-sec” translates to “half dry” in French, it actually means that it is half as dry as doux, the French word for sweet.

†By pressing these red grapes very gently, and removing the skins quickly after pressing, the wine retains its white color. The grape juice is naturally white. Red wine is created by allowing the skins to remain in contact with the juice, imparting their red color. To make a rosé wine, the skins are left for a much shorter time.

‡While the wine they produce is red in color, most of the grape varieties’ skins are black with red or blue hues. Thus, the industry refers to them as black grapes. It is also proper to refer to them as red wine grapes, because they make red wine!
 
 
CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING

ON OUR HOME PAGE,

THENIBBLE.COM.
 
 

[1] Carrot hummus, served with crunchy crudités (photo © Wine Institute).

[2] Whole cumim seeds. Toast them for great flavor (photo © Planet Spices | Etsy).

[3] Pine nuts and garlic cloves. Did you know that pine nuts come from pine cones† (photo © C.J. Dayrit | Unsplash)?

[4] Aleppo pepper, a crushed hot chile (photo © Savory Spice Shop).

While we missed celebrating International Carrot Day on April 4th, we’re making up for it today, May 13th, National Hummus Day. We just finished making this carrot hummus recipe, and it is delicious.

The hummus with a platter of crunchy crudités—in this case, spring vegetables—for dipping.

> The history of hummus and more hummus recipes.

> The history of carrots.
 
 
RECIPE: CARROT HUMMUS

The carrots are first cooked to heighten their sweetness. Whole cumin seed, freshly toasted and ground by you, will be so much more flavorful than store-bought ground cumin.

But, you can default to the pre-ground, untoasted variety.

Thanks to the Wine Institute, which recommends serving a California Chardonnay or California Sauvignon Blanc with the hummus and crudités plate.

(Crudités is the French word for sliced raw vegetables, typically served as an appetizer or a snack with wine.)

You can find many more delicious recipes and wine pairings at DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com.
 
Ingredients 2 to 2-1/2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. HEAT a 10-inch (25-cm) skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the carrots and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the carrots have wilted slightly and lost their crunch, about 3 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

2. PLACE the cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet often until the cumin seeds darken and begin to smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then pound fine in a mortar.

3. PLACE the carrots, cumin, chickpeas, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Add the tahini and process until well blended. With the machine running, add enough water through the feed tube to make a smooth purée, about 1/3 cup. Add salt to taste and more lemon if desired.

Process for 5 minutes to make a smooth, light hummus. Transfer to a serving bowl, spreading it with a rubber spatula and making some “valleys” where oil can pool.

4. HEAT the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, shaking the skillet constantly, until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

5. IMMEDIATELY POUR the hot oil and pine nuts over the hummus. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, pepper flakes, or paprika, and serve with the crudités for dipping.
 
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*The Wine Institute recommends briefly blanching the sugar snap peas and asparagus to brighten their color.

†Only 20 varieties of pine trees worldwide produce cones with pine nuts that are large enough for harvesting. Pinyon pines, Pinus edulis which only grow between 6,000- and 9,000-foot altitudes, provide the finest pine nuts in North America [source].

‡Or vegetables of whatever season you’re in.

At our house, toast comes to the table with butter, cream cheese, and jam. But this weekend, we’ll adapt this idea for creative toast toppings from Woodstock Foods.

Whole grain toast (so much more flavorful than packaged white bread!) is served with guacamole as the bread spread, and a DIY assortment of healthful toppings:

 
We’d add:

 
Instead of guacamole, substitute hummus or plain Greek yogurt.

A healthy platter of creative toast toppings (photo © Woodstock Foods).

For this toast toppings platter, the brand’s frozen diced avocado (shown in the photo) means you’ll always have ripe avocado at hand, ready to mash into guacamole or avocado toast.
 
 
> The history of bread.

> The different types of bread.