[1] Elderflower Lemonade Martini. Here’s the recipe (all photos © Natalie’s Orchard Island Juice Company).

[2] Green Guava Lemonade Smoothie. Here’s the recipe.

[3] Lavender Guava Lemonade Mimosa. Here’s the recipe.

[4] Peach Guava Lemonade Smoothie. Here’s the recipe.

[5] Lemonade Lavender Sorbet. Here’s the recipe.

[6] Mango Lemonade Mousse. Here’s the recipe.

[7] Lemonade Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes. Here’s the recipe.

[8] Strawberry Lemonade Shortcake. Here’s the recipe.

Who doesn’t like a refreshing glass of lemonade? But did you know that you can make recipes with lemonade? Natalie’s Juice has almost 30 of them, below. You can see some of these recipes in the photos.

In addition to drinking lemonade from the bottle or glass, you can use it to make:

 
Natalie’s makes lemonade in four delicious flavors, which provide even more opportunity for mixology and cooking:

 
You can easily add lemonade to recipes because the ingredients in lemonade—lemon, sugar, and other fruits—take the place of adding those ingredients individually.
 
 
NATALIE’S ORCHARD ISLAND JUICE

Natalie’s is one of the best fresh juices you can find. The line of fruit and vegetable juices starts with the finest fruits and vegetables available.

The juices are handcrafted in small batches to create clean, nutritious drinks, pasteurized at the minimum time and temperature required† to ensure quality and freshness.

Of course, there are no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and no GMOs.
 
In addition to the lemonades, the Natalie’s line includes:

 
Who Is Natalie?

Natalie is the oldest daughter of Marygrace Sexton, who created Natalie’s Orchard Island Juice Company.

The wife of a fourth-generation Florida citrus grower, Marygrace dreamed of producing fresh-squeezed, minimally processed juice for store purchase. Because, unless she could purchase it from a roadside stand, she had to squeeze her own juice at home.

That was more than 30 years ago. Now carried by the best food stores in the U.S., Natalie’s is a boon to all of us who don’t want to “squeeze our own.”
 
 
> Here’s where to buy Natalie’s Juice near you.

> Check out the Natalie’s Orchard Island Juices website.

> The history of lemons.

> The different types of lemons.

> The history of lemonade.
 
 
LEMONADE RECIPES WITH NATALIE’S LEMONADE

COCKTAILS

 
 
SMOOTHIES & NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

 
 
DESSERTS

 
 
You’ll never look at a bottle of lemonade the same way again!
 
 
LEMONADE CELEBRATIONS

There are actually two lemonade day celebrations.

 
 
________________

*Pasteurization is the process of heat-processing liquid or food to kill bacteria that may be harmful to people if they consume it—think salmonella, listeria, shigella, e. coli, etc. cold-pressed (a method that uses a hydraulic press to extract juice and gives juice a longer shelf life than There is a risk to drinking raw/unpasteurized juices that have never been cooked, heated, or steamed). The nutrients are the same whether the juice is pasteurized or unpasteurized [source].

There are two main types of pasteurization for juices: heat pasteurization and high-pressure pasteurization (HPP), which uses high pressure instead of heat to kill microbes. Heat pasteurization is less expensive and thus most common, but can create a change in flavor that is why most store-bought juices taste different from freshly squeezed juices. The more costly HPP gives juices a more fresh flavor.

†For upcoming years: 7 May 2023, 5 May 2024, 4 May 2025, 3 May 2026, 2 May 2027, 7 May 2028, 6 May 2029, 5 May 2030.

Passover 2022 begins the evening of April 15th, but you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this coconut and chocolate Passover macaroons recipe.

The gluten-free, dairy-free soft coconut cookies made from shredded coconut bound with an egg can be enjoyed plain, but we prefer them drizzled or dipped in chocolate. Completely scrumptious!

Macaroons are a crowd favorite. In our family, no dessert is better at the end of the meal than a plate of macaroons. They pair perfectly with coffee, tea, or milk.

You can enjoy them at any time of the year.

Simple to make, this recipe adds a fresh kick with lemon zest.

The macaroons take little time to stir together and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Thanks to Culinary.net for the recipe. The recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart. Click the Culinary.net link to find more sweet treat recipes for any holiday.

A how-to video follows the recipe.

> The history of coconut macaroons.

> The difference between coconut macaroons and French macaroons.
 
 
RECIPE: COCONUT MACAROONS WITH A CHOCOLATE DRIXCLE

Note that 15 of these little cookies will disappear quickly. You may want to make a double batch.
 
Ingredients For 15 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F.

2. WHISK together in a bowl, whisk egg. Add honey, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt; whisk. Stir in coconut until completely coated with egg mixture. Using a 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, make 15 balls, transferring each to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

3. BAKE the macaroons for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the coconut starts to brown on the edges. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let cool. Before serving…

4. DRIZZLE with melted chocolate or dip the bottom sides of the macaroons in melted chocolate to cover the base. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set.
 
 

Watch The Video For A Demonstration Of This Recipe

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

[1] This recipe turns out 15 of these delicious bites. You may want to double it! (photo © Family Features | Culinary.net).

[2] You can drizzle the macaroons with chocolate, as shown in the photo above. Or, you can dip the bottoms in the chocolate, as shown in the photo below (photo DJW Two | CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0-License).

[3] If you prefer, you can dip the base of the macaroon in chocolate instead of drizzling it (photo © McCormick).

[4] A take on Almond Joy candy bar: the Joyful Almond Macaroon. Here’s the recipe (photos #4, #5, and #6 © King Arthur Baking).

[5] This take: German Chocolate Coconut Macaroons, with chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and a caramel drizzle. Here’s the recipe.

[6] Another variation: Coconut Cherry Macaroons which mini chocolate chips and candied cherries (or maraschino, if you prefer). Here’s the recipe.

[1] A spicy Jalapeno Grilled Cheese sandwich with Roth Cheese’s Jalapeno Havarti (photo © Bev Cooks | Roth Cheese).

[2] Jalapeño Havarti for your sandwich. Roth also makes dill- and horseradish-flavored Havarti (photo © Roth Cheese).

[3] You can see the small eyes that distinguish Havarti cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[4] You can buy pimento strips or slice them yourself from whole pimentos (photo © Conservas Martinez).

[5] We always keep a jar of jalapenos on hand. In addition to sandwiches, you can toss them in salad, baked potatoes and sour cream, and much more (photo © Rio Luna).

[6] Fresh arugla adds peppery flavor (photo © Park Seed).

[7] A warm Havarti queso, cheese dip. Here’s the recipe (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[8] Ready for snacking: Aged Havarti with walnuts. See the wine and beer pairings below (photos #8 and #9 © Castello Cheese).

[9] Melt smooth Havarti onto crunchy crostini.

For National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, April 12th, we’re adding a new sandwich to our collection of creative and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches: Jalapeño Grilled Cheese (photo #1). A bonus: the history of Havarti cheese, which is used in the sandwich.

More specifically, the recipe below uses Roth’s Jalapeño Havarti Cheese (photo #2). But if you can’t find it, pepperjack is a good substitute.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese.

> The history of sandwiches.

> The history of Havarti cheese is below.

> Also see Pairing Havarti Cheeses, below.
 
 
RECIPE: SPICY JALAPEÑO GRILLED CHEESE

When you need a kick of heat, this Spicy Jalapeño Grilled Cheese sandwich with creamy yet kicky Jalapeño Havarti delivers.

In addition to the jalapeños in Roth Jalapeño Havarti cheese, this recipe uses jarred jalapeños (photo #5), the heat of which is tamed a bit in the jar. If you want real heat, substitute fresh jalapeños. (Whew!)

This recipe was created by Bev Weidner of Bev Cooks for Roth Cheese. Check out her website for more delicious recipes.

Prep time is 5 minutes, cook time is 4 to 6 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MELT the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. LAYER half the shredded cheese on two slices of bread, followed by the pimentos, jalapeños, and a small mound of arugula.

3. PLACE the loaded bread slices in the hot pan and top with the remaining cheese. Place the two remaining slices of bread on top. Place a lid over the skillet, and grill for two minutes.

4. GENTLY FLIP and grill the sandwiches for another two to three minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted and the bread is toasty and brown. Slice and serve.
 
 
HOW TO SHRED CHEESE

This technique works for shredding semi-farm cheeses like Cheddar, Havarti, Jack, mozzarella, and others. You’ll need a box grater.

1. FREEZE the cheese for 30 minutes before grating. This keeps it firm against the box grater.

2. COAT the face of the grater with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

3. GRATE only with the side of large holes, to prevent the cheese from clumping.

That should do it!
 
 
WHAT IS HAVARTI CHEESE & THE HISTORY OF HAVARTI

Havarti is a semisoft Danish washed curd cheese, made from cow’s milk. It is interior-ripened and rindless, with small eyes (photo #3). The small “eyes” are a result of the friendly bacteria that help the cheesemaking process.

It can be sliced, grilled, or melted.

Havarti was previously called Danish Tilsiter after the German Tilsiter, another buttery, creamy cheese made in a town of the same name†.

Modern Havarti was first produced in Denmark in 1921*. In 1952, the cheese was renamed Havarti, after Havartigården, the name of the experimental farm near Holte, on the outskirts of Copenhagen where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen (1829 to 1903) and her husband worked in the 19th century. (The farm still exists, as a cultural center [source].)

A great cheesemaker, teacher, author, and lecturer, Nielsen created a Tilsit cheese with cumin for King Christian IX of Denmark (ruled 1863-1906). This led to her becoming “Royal Court Supplier of Dairy Products.”

She was allowed to call that Tilsit “Christian IX Ost” (ost is Danish for cheese). Since “Danish Tilsiter” was renamed Havarti, this may why the creation of Havarti is attributed to her.

Some sources such as The Oxford Companion to Cheese says that Nielsen invented Havarti cheese, and the Wisconsin Cheese authority agrees.

The Dansk Biografisk Leksikon states that the current Havarti is not based on her cheesemaking [source].

A traditional version of Havarti originated in Denmark in the mid-1800s, delicate and creamy. Some sources say that a Danish cheesemaker experimenting with washed-curd techniques inadvertently created the cheese.

Such a cheese would have been known to Nielsen, who traveled extensively to study different cheeses and cheesemaking. It may be that her cumin-accented cheese for the King was a version of this cheese. It would take more investigation than we have been able to find, to obtain further clarification.

But that shouldn’t stop everyone from enjoying modern Havarti.

A historical note: Hanne Nielsen won many awards from the Royal Danish Agricultural Society, but as a woman, she was not permitted to join. She tried numerous times.

Havarti was finally granted PGI status (Protected Geographical Indication) in 2019 [source].
 
 
Modern Havarti

Modern Havarti has a buttery aroma and flavor; as the cheese ages, it becomes saltier and nutty.

The cheese is aged anywhere from three months to two years. The longer the cheese ages, the more intensely flavorful it becomes.

Havarti aged for 12 months is called Aged Havarti, and 24 months of aging creates Vintage Havarti.

Aged Havarti tends to become slightly crumbly. Tiny, crunchy tyrosine crystals begin to form inside the cheese, an added treat.

The cheese is now made in the U.K., Canada, and elsewhere†, and Denmark exports its Havarti.

Havarti is delicious in its natural form, but it takes well to flavors. Havarti can be found in caraway, cranberry, dill, garlic, horseradish, jalapeño, and other flavors.
 
When Danish immigrants came to Wisconsin in the 19th century‡, they made Havarti, which has become one of America’s favorite cheeses [source].
 
 
PAIRING HAVARTI CHEESE

Havarti is great for snacking, and is also popular on a sandwich or melted sandwich, a burger, or in mac and cheese or fondue. Make cheese bread and biscuits. Turn it into a cheese sauce.

Go to the Wisconsin Cheese website and search for Havarti. You’ll find dozens of tempting recipes (we just made the Havarti Stuffed Pork Chop).

For a cheese or charcuterie board, Havarti pairs happily with:

 
To drink:

 
 
MORE GRILLED CHEESE RECIPES

*According to one source, a Mr. G. Morgenthaler from Switzerland taught two dairymen at two Danish dairies how to produce this “new” cheese [source].

†Tilsit was occupied by the Red Army on January 20, 1945, and was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945. It is now known as Sovetsk, Russia. Since then, Tilsiter-style cheeses have been produced in Switzerland and Germany, and now also in Australia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. [source].

‡The greatest Danish emigration occurred in 1882, when 11,618 Danes settled in the U.S. The first significant wave of Danish immigrants consisted mainly of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) members who settled in United States in 1850 [source].
 
 

Licorice lovers: You are about to discover a licorice so delicious, gourmet licorice that will take your palate to a new height of appreciation—and exquisite satisfaction.

A number of years ago in Denmark, Johan Bülow, a young man seeking an entrepreneurial opportunity, decided to focus his attention on licorice (lakrids in Danish), a Scandinavian favorite that he felt could be raised to a higher level.

He spent long hours learning the craft of artisan licorice-making.

He rented a factory and purchased a licorice machine.

By 2007 he was ready to cook, roll and cut his very first product.

Then, Johan and his production manager came up with the idea to coat the licorice with chocolate. They were told that it couldn’t be done.

But persistence and the purchase of a panning machine* did the trick (see photo #6).

They created The original, a licorice center coated with milk chocolate and a powdery finish. Trust us, it is addictive.

On 07.07.07 (a lucky number), the first Lakrids by Johan Bülow shop opened in Svaneke, Denmark—a small town on the eastern coast of the Baltic island of Bornholm, Denmark.

Johan’s idea was to cook the lakrids (the Danish word for licorice) in his shop, so that passersby could smell the aroma from as far away as 100 meters. Everything sold out in two hours. The last customer even bought the sample bowl on the counter!

Having experienced Lakrids by Bülow in all glorious flavors, we understand why.

National Licorice Day is April 12th.

And by the way: Lakrids by Bülow is gluten-free. Rice flour is used to cook the licorice.

> The history of licorice.
 
 
WHAT ARE LAKRIDS?

These are not strands or ropes of licorice. They are not artificially flavored.

They are small balls of licorice enrobed in balls of chocolate. The total bite is about 3/4″ in diameter.

They are just spectacular, nicely packaged, and offer beautiful gift assortments. A nice gift, but after you taste a jar, you’ll have trouble giving them away.
 
 
FLAVORS OF LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW

Flavors vary by season. They also vary by “finish”: crispy, glossy, powdery, or plain. All are equally wonderful. The centers can be round, square (photo #5), or heart-shape (photo #3).

The current flavors include:

 
And yes, you can buy plain licorice in black or red, in sweet or salty.

We tried six of the flavors, and while each was its own perfection, the one we emptied first was the Original, with its strong taste of milk chocolate.

One of our colleagues chose the Coffee Kieni, which he took home to relish. The next day he said: “I should have left it here. I ate the whole container after dinner.”
 
 
GET YOUR LAKRIDS!

You can purchase them on the LakridsByBulow.com website.

There’s also a selection on Amazon.

Get a lot of them. The containers will soon be empty.
 
 
WHAT EXACTLY IS LICORICE

Licorice is a confection flavored with the extract from the root of the licorice plant, combined with sugar or other sweetener and a binder (gelatin, gum arabic, or starch). The big American brands use corn syrup*.

Additional ingredients can include flavoring, beeswax for a shiny surface, molasses to provide the familiar black color, and ammonium chloride. Some brands substitute anise oil instead of licorice root extract.

The ingredients are dissolved in water and heated to 275°F, then poured into molds. The resulting pieces are sprayed with beeswax to make their surface shiny. Who knew?

The original liquorice (the U.K. spelling) was black. Later, “red licorice” was made with strawberry flavoring. Today it is made in numerous flavors (as evidenced by Lakrids by Bülow).

[1] A Scandinavian classic—salted licorice—here covered in white chocolate and a powdery licorice coating (all photos © Lakrids By Bülow).

[2] Limited editions, like these gold orbs of chocolate-coated raspberry licorice—are seasonal specials. These as well as copper-coated salted caramel balls are currently available on Amazon.

[3] Strawberry & Cream licorice.

[4] The orbs of licorice can be used to garnish desserts. Here, Fruity Caramel Lakrids atop a raspberry mousse pastry.

[5] What’s inside: Here, the core of licorice in Twisted Banana.

[6] A panning machine that unites the chocolate coating with the licorice center.

*Panning is an old, artisan method of coating fruits, nuts, or any center with a chocolate coating. It is one of the oldest technical skills of chocolate making. Chocolate is slowly poured over the centers in a tumbling coating pan. The friction created by the tumbling action in the pan distributes the chocolate evenly over every center [source].

†Kieni is the small community in Kenya that provides the green coffee beans, which are roasted by Bülow.

[1] Poutine is comfort food: fries, cheese curds and gravy. The recipe is below (photo © Wyke Farms).

[2] Many better cheese departments nationwide now carry cheese curds (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[3] Make it a meal: Top poutine with corned beef and a fried egg, barbecue beef, pulled pork or chicken, or whatever you favor (photo © Tavern Ferriera | Montreal).

[4] You can also skewer curds for appetizer picks (photo © Wisconsin Cheeseman).

April 11th is National Poutine Day. Poutine is Canadian comfort food, made with French fries, cheese curds, and gravy. There’s a classic poutine recipe below, followed by recipes with add-on approaches to poutine.

Thanks to Wyke Farms, makers of Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar, a recent Top Pick of The Week.

Of course at Wyke, the recipe uses the same high-quality curds as would become Ivy’s Cheddar.

But all cheese curds are delicious!

Cheese curds, by the way, are small pieces of curdled milk with a mild, Cheddar-like flavor.

That’s because if the curds continued to be stirred and folded in a process known as cheddaring, they knit together and can be pressed into molds to make Cheddar cheese.

> There are more poutine recipes below.

> The history of poutine.

> Have a poutine party.
 
 
RECIPE: CLASSIC POUTINE

We like lots of curds, so doubled the mount in the original recipe.

Prep time is 30 minutes.

 
Ingredients For 4-5 Servings

 
For The Gravy

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the French fries on a large baking tray and cook according to packet instructions. In the meantime…

2. MAKE the gravy. Heat the butter in a large frying pan and add the onions. Cook gently over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle in the flour to coat the onions and fry for another minute.

3. POUR in the stock gradually, whisking continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy has thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4. WHEN the fries are golden, top with the curds and return to the oven for 2 – 3 minutes to melt the cheese. When melted and oozy…

5. REMOVE from the oven, place in a serving bowl or plate individually, and generously pour the gravy over the fries. Place any remaining in a pitcher or in a bowl for dipping.
 
 
MORE POUTINE RECIPES

 
 
MORE TO DISCOVER

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese.