Our favorite Honeycrisp apples, beaming with a wax coating (photo © The Fruit Company).

Those shiny, tempting apples are wearing make-up: a layer of wax. Waxing apples (and other fruits and vegetables) not only makes them look better, but it also helps them last longer.

All-natural waxes—such as carnauba wax, derived from the leaves of a Brazilian palm tree, and candellia wax, made from a small desert shrub native to the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, are certified as edible by the USDA and have been used on fruits and vegetables since the 1920s.

After harvest and before the apples are packed and shipped, they undergo several washings to remove dirt. The extensive washing removes the natural wax that many fruits and vegetables make to help retain moisture.

Replacing the wax also helps inhibit mold growth and protect fruits and vegetables from bruising. The amount of wax used is minuscule: Each apple (or other waxed produce) is coated with only a drop or two.

You don’t want to peel the apple to remove the wax: Most of the nutrition is in the skin and the seeds. (But don’t swallow too many seeds for the nutrients—they have minute amounts of cyanide that build up in quantity.)

> There are 18 apple holidays, starting with January 1st, National Apple Gifting Day. See them all below.

> The history of apples.

We don’t have a problem with the wax—although we are wary that it can cover pesticides that aren’t fully removed during the washing cycle.

But we do miss the apple aroma we enjoy when picking apples at orchards. Removing the wax releases the lovely apple scent and completes the organoleptic* experience.

Take your pick of these wax-removal techniques:

 
Buying organic isn’t the solution: Organic apples may also be waxed. But you can find unwaxed apples at some supermarkets and farmers markets.

Wax may turn white on the surface of fruits or vegetables that have been subjected to excessive heat and/or moisture. This whitening does not impact the flavor or the healthfulness.

Thanks to Rainier Fruit Company for much of this information.
 
 
MORE APPLE HOLIDAYS

 
 
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*Organoleptic: Relating to qualities that stimulate the senses: appearance, aroma, color, feel and taste.

†There are two dates that celebrate Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman. The September 26th is Appleseed’s birthday in 1774. People across the country prefer the March date due to the planting season, and his passing on March 18, 1845.

‡ Since apples symbolize good health, giving people apples on New Year’s Day wishes them good health for the entire year.
 
 

The packaging of Crystal Head Vodka is based on an archaeological mystery:

Thirteen crystal heads have been found in regions around the world, from the American southwest to Tibet. They are between 5,000 and 35,000 years old, and are believed to have been polished into their shape from solid quartz chunks over a period of several hundred years.

Inside Crystal Head Vodka’s glass heads—or skulls, as we prefer to call them—is premium vodka that is quadruple-distilled, then triple-filtered through polished crystals known as Herkimer diamonds. (You can read that story on the company website).

The vodka is made in St. Johns, Newfoundland with water from a deep glacial aquifer and a proprietary blend of grains. The result is a creamy texture with a slightly sweet taste on the finish.

The brand owes its existence to actor Dan Aykroyd, whose interest in archaeology and the supernatural got the ball rolling. (His Wikipedia bio describes Aykroyd as “a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist.”)

As to why the skulls are called “heads” when “skulls” seem more accurate: We have an email in to Mr. Aykroyd.

The vodka is certified kosher by OU. Here’s a store locator.

Find more of our favorite spirits, plus cocktail recipes, in our Cocktails & Spirits Section.
  

The correct technique for blending hot soup.
Photo courtesy Cuisinart.

Today, we share a tip for using a conventional upright blender. This tip should be part of every recipe that tells you to blend hot soup, but it isn’t.

That’s why some of us have ended up blowing the top off the blender and spattering soup on the ceiling. Perhaps it’s a rite of passage when first learning to make soup—but it doesn’t have to be.

When a hot liquid is put into a sealed container like the blender carafe, steam builds up inside. Turn on the motor to agitate the liquid and there’s no place for the steam to go—except out through the top.

That’s one reason why blenders have a removable plug in the lid—the focus of today’s tip.

1. Pour soup into the blender carafe.
2. Remove the plug in the center of the lid and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel.
3. Keep one hand on the towel-covered lid; operate the blender with the other.

Yes, you’ll need to wash the soup-spattered towel, but that’s a lot easier than hauling out the ladder to clean the kitchen ceiling!

Now that you know the trick, make some soup! Check out our Soups & Stocks Section for some new recipes.
HOW ABOUT AN ALL-IN-ONE SOUP COOKER & BLENDER?

So many people use a blender when making soup that Cuisinart created the Blend and Cook Soup Maker.

This unique blender has a patented cooking technology that lets you cook the soup in the blender from scratch—from sautéing chopped vegetables; to boiling, simmering and blending; to keeping the soup hot until ready to serve.

The Cuisinart Blend and Cook Soup Maker performs all standard blender functions as well. Here’s more information.

We may be in a recession, but America hasn’t cut back on fine beef.

For the fifth consecutive year, Certified Angus Beef LLC has reported record sales. The brand, which sells its beef through fine markets and restaurants, hit new heights: 807 million pounds of beef, compared to 2010’s record of 777 million pounds. That’s beaucoup de moo!

The demand for top-quality beef during a period of significant economic downturn shows that consumers are still treating themselves to affordable luxuries.

One may have to refrain from the big expenditures—deluxe vacations and home renovations, for example. But a steak dinner is still within reach for many who are cutting back on the finer things.

What America wants: more fine beef.
Photo courtesy Certified Angus Beef.

Today, the brand sells more than 1.8 million pounds of product daily. It is the largest, most successful brand of beef in the world.

Certified Angus Beef can be purchased at more than 13,600 restaurants and retail stores in 47 countries.

Learn more and find recipes at CertifiedAngusBeef.com.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR BEEF CUTS?

What’s the difference between a boneless strip steak, a New York strip steak, a Kansas City strip, a shell steak and a top loin?

Only the name is different: They’re the same cut of beef. Other names include boneless loin, boneless club steak, Delmonico, strip loin and sirloin strip (which is confusing because it’s not really part of the sirloin).

Learn your cuts of beef in our Beef Glossary.
  

An immersion blender can take the place
of a hand mixer, upright blender and
food processor. Photo courtesy Waring.

More recently, we replaced the hand-held beater with an immersion blender, our current favorite for many kitchen tasks. It’s compact, easy to store and transport (e.g., to make whipped cream for the dessert you’ve brought to a party) and easy to clean.

The immersion blender was created by a Swiss inventor, Roger Perrinjaquet, who patented it in 1950. It was first used by professional chefs in Europe and was then discovered by chefs worldwide. A home version arrived in the U.S. in the 1980s.

Chefs could easily blend sauces and soups in the pot, without having to transfer the hot contents to an upright blender. We got an IB a year or two ago, after watching chefs use them on cooking shows.

Did we really need another special-use kitchen appliance? No, but the IB does make life easier.

You can buy one for under $30, or chose a deluxe model with wire whisk and chopper attachments (as we did). The deluxe models typically have twice the motor power and more speed options.

While our original intent was to blend soup, we found that our immersion blender could also gracefully take the place of a food processor, upright blender or handheld beater for many tasks. In alphabetical order, they are:

 
IMMERSION BLENDER OPTIONS

While there are numerous products on the market, here are two representing the basic and deluxe models:

 
*The first egg beater was patented in 1870, by Turner Williams of Providence, Rhode Island, who improved upon an earlier design. The first electric mixer was invented by Herbert Johnston in 1908. It was sold by the KitchenAid division of the Hobart Manufacturing Company.