Melt-in-your-mouth gourmet jerky. Photo by
Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

But unless you know your guy is one of them, smart money is on gourmet jerky as the most welcome Valentine guy food gift.

THE NIBBLE tastes a reasonable amount of jerky, sent for our consideration. Much of it is tough and chewy, leaving behind gristle that needs to be, well, disposed of.

When we receive a gourmet jerky—tender, moist jerky that disappears to the last bit—we take notice.

So we noticed the packages of Brandt Beef Jerky that arrived last week. Brandt Beef is a family owned, premium natural beef producer that serves the upscale restaurant and retail markets with filet mignon, ribeye, strip steak and other desirable cuts.

Five packages are $39.99, in single flavors or a variety pack. Buy it online at BrandtBeef.com.

WHAT IS JERKY?

The word jerky derives from Quechua, the language of the Incas. Ancient man preserved meat by drying it over hot fires. The Incas called this dried meat “charqui.”

While the prehistoric method of meat preservation was used by other ancient peoples, it was not known in Europe; the first European visitors to the New World found Native Americans making “charqui” from the meat of any animal they hunted (that which wasn’t consumed immediately). The word became Americanized to jerky.

Today’s jerky eaters enjoy it as a snack rather than a necessity, and have the luxury of eating jerky marinated in a variety of spices, salt and/or sugar—seasonings that were not available to many ancients.

Chewy, grisly jerky doesn’t have a place at our table. But gourmet jerky? Bring it on!
  

Fusion food of a different sort: waffle
pancakes. Photo courtesy Williams-Sonoma.

Pancakes or waffles: Can’t decide? This innovative griddle from Nordic Ware makes it simple to prepare delectable waffled pancakes—pancakes textured like waffles—in a jiffy.

The innovative cast-aluminum nonstick griddle produces seven 3″ diameter, crispy golden cakes with deep pockets for syrup or toppings. We also used them to make dessert pancakes, topped with a scoop of ice cream, sliced bananas and chocolate sauce (fun and delicious).

The riveted cast stainless steel handle stays cool; the nonstick finish ensures easy release and quick cleanup.

Made in USA, the pan is currently a Williams-Sonoma exclusive, at retail stores or online.

It’s yours for $39.95.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PANCAKES & WAFFLES

Pancakes are generally soft and spongy, while waffles are crispy. Historically, waffle batter has more fat than pancake batter; the extra fat contributes to the crisping.

Most mixes we see today state that they can be used for pancakes or waffles. If waffles made from such mixes don’t turn out crispy enough for you, try a waffles-only batter, or make it from scratch.

Check out our review of the best pancake mixes.

Check out our Pancake & Waffle Glossary for all the different types of pancakes and waffles.

At a fine restaurant, after a five course dinner, including dessert, the sixth course is a dish of chocolates or mignardises with coffee.

The founders of Sixth Course Artisan Confections describe them selves as “good pastry chefs [gone] rogue.”

The Bay Area confectioners used Guittard couverture chocolate, made in San Francisco, along with local dairy and Start with two talented pastry chefs: Borganic herbs, then chose sustainable, recycled packaging

The results are superb. While there’s no heart-shaped gift box, if your Valentine craves the finest couverture and exciting flavors, head to SixthCourse.com to partake of these lovelies.

Chef’s Choice is a sampling of the superb
bonbons, caramels and truffles; but you can
also have one of everything. Photo courtesy
SixthCourse.com.

Piña Coladas were the drink of the evening. The fare was tropical-inspired, from fruit skewers and chicken skewers to rumaki*, a broiled, bacon-wrapped chicken liver and water chestnut hors d’oeuvre that was all the rage at the time.

Coconut water was years from appearing in American markets. If only Tropical Winter had lasted until it arrived, we’d have offered a Piña Colada Lite, substituting very-low-calorie coconut water (6 calories/ounce, or 12 calories per drink) for very-high-calorie Coco López (130 calories/ounce, or 260 calories per drink; plain coconut milk is 65 calories/ounce).

Piña Coladas are delicious, but they sure pack in the sugar and saturated fat. Here’s a “drink this, not that” tip from coconut water brand Taste Nirvana, on how to lower your Piña Colada calories while still enjoying a taste of the tropics and natural coconut flavor.

CLASSIC PINA COLADA RECIPE

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. MIX ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into a tall glass.

2. GARNISH and serve.

WHAT’S COCO LÓPEZ?

Coco López is a brand of cream of coconut, invented in 1954by Ramón López Irizarry, a professor of agriculture at the University of Puerto Rico. The ingredients on the can include coconut milk, sugar, water, emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners (guar gum, locust bean gum, mono- and diglycerides, polysorb 60, sorbitan monostearate, Propylene glycol alginate) and preservative (citric acid).

The creamy heart of the coconut had long been used in Caribbean desserts. But separating it from from the coconut pulp was an arduous process.

With funds from the government, Irizarry worked on a solution. He ulimately left teaching to produce and sell his product, which was adopted not just by cooks but by bartenders.

According to the book “La Gran Cocina Del Caribe” by José L. Díaz de Villega, the Piña Colada made its debut on August 16, 1954 at the Caribe Hilton’s Beachcomber Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a watering hole for a star-studded clientele. The hotel management had requested that bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero create a new signature cocktail. Marrero worked for three months on the recipe.

Piña is Spanish for pineapple, and colada means strained; the drink is usually served blended with ice. The Piña Colada has been the official beverage of Puerto Rico since 1978.

 
*Rumaki is a mock-Polynesian hors d’oeuvre, believed to be invented by Victor Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic’s.

Beet-ing heart deviled eggs for Valentine’s
Day (photo © Andrews McNeel Publishing).

A delightful cookbook was published today for lovers of deviled eggs, D’Lish Deviled Eggs: A Collection of Recipes from Creative to Classic. The 50 recipes from chef Kathy Casey prove the case that deviled eggs are not just for summer picnics; they demand their place at the table year-round.

We’ll publish a review of the book at another time, but we wanted to rush this special recipe for Valentine Deviled Eggs for your consideration.

Have you ever thought of mixing beets and eggs? It’s a delicious combination.

“I’m all for an appetizer that doubles as a fun craft project and these eggs certainly fit the bill,” says Chef Casey. “Pickled beet juice turns the whites deep pink and makes these eggs ideal for serving up on Valentine’s Day.”

Whether it’s for a party or a romantic tête-a-tête, whip up a batch of these “Beet-ing Heart” eggs. The pink color also works for Easter (but switch the garnish from beets to chopped chives for a touch of spring green).

The recipe makes 24 deviled egg halves. Check out the information at the end of the article for why it’s O.K. to enjoy your fare share (two halves a day).

RECIPE: BEET-ING HEART VALENTINE DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients

 
Filling

 
Topping

 
Preparation

2. DRAIN the eggs well, pat dry on paper towels, and discard the beet liquid. Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

3. FINISH THE EGGS. With a fork, mash the yolks to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, red onion, sugar, and salt; mix until smooth. (You can also do this using an electric mixer with a whip attachment.) Add salt and black pepper to taste.

4. SPOON the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Alternatively, fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

5. TOP each egg half with 1/2 teaspoon of pickled beets and a sprinkle of green onion.

As reported last week in The New York Times, a recent review of cholesterol studies suggests that for most people, eating one egg a day is not bad for the heart.

A review of eight prospective studies covering 263,938 subjects found no evidence that eating an egg a day increased the risk of heart disease or stroke, according to Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University and co-author of the study. The results were the same for men and women and in all age ranges.

That means you can enjoy two halves of these delicious deviled eggs. Here’s more on the study.
 
 

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