February is National Snack Month, a good time to reflect on your go-to snacks. If they’re potato chips, maybe it’s time to reconsider (whole-grain pretzels, veggie chips?). If you have a sweet tooth, maybe wean off of Oreos to a crunchy fruit snack, like these apple chips. Thanks to Envy Apples for the recipe.

Envy is a crossbreed of Braeburn and Royal Gala apples. The apples were first launched in North America in 2010, after years of extensive evaluation by New Zealand researchers and apple growers.

Using natural plant-breeding methods (no GMOs), the breeders’ goals were ”sweet, sophisticated flavor, uplifting, fresh aroma, delightfully satisfying crunch, beautiful appearance, and naturally white flesh.”

Discover more about them at EnvyApple.com.

> The history of apples.
 
 
RECIPE: APPLE CHIPS

It’s so easy to make apple chips You can switch the sugar for noncaloric Splenda Original Granulated Sweetener. It measures and pours just 1-to-1 like sugar.

You also can leave off the sweetener on some of the chips, to see how you like them unsweetened.

In addition to snacking, you can use apple chips as a garnish for ice cream and sorbet, a topper for green salads or vegetable side and soup purées, for dipping in a sweet yogurt dip…even as a base for sweet nachos.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 225°F. Line two large baking sheet trays with parchment paper and spread out the apple slices evenly, making sure they don’t touch each other.

2. STIR together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the tops of the apples with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

3. BAKE for 30 minutes, flip, sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar, and then bake for another 30 minutes.

4. REMOVE the apple slices from the oven and then spread them out on a rack to cool completely. If you don’t have a rack, move the chips to a fresh piece of parchment on your countertop. The chips will harden and become more crunchy as they cool.

TIP: You can remove one slice from the oven and let them cool to see if it’s as crunchy as you would like. If not, bake the chips for a bit longer.

 
 
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*It’s important to slice the apples on a mandoline so they’re thin enough and uniform in thickness. This is hard to do with a knife—even the most skilled chefs use a mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, it’s worth getting one.

†Candied bacon recipe: To make candied bacon, preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange thick-cut bacon on a cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet lined with foil. Season with the cinnamon-sugar mix and if desired, cracked pepper or a pinch of chili.

Bake until the edges are crisp and the center is caramelized. Allow the bacon to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a serving platter to cool completely.

For even sweeter, “candied” bacon, use straight brown sugar instead of cinnamon-sugar.

 
 
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[1] You can make these apple chips with sugar or Splenda Original Granulated Sweetener (photos #1 and #2 © Envy Apple).

[2] Envy is a cross between Braeburn and Gala apples.

[3] A mandoline is a great kitchen gadget for slicing fruits and vegetables (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[4] You can keep your own cinnamon-sugar (or cinnamon-Splenda) blend on hand for baked apples, baked goods, oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, even bacon† (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[1] Lovely packaging for your valentine (both photos © Smith Teamaker).

[2] A bouquet in a sachet.

Steven Smith Teamaker is one of our favorite brands of fine tea—superb tea in silky sachets (tea bags) instead of loose leaves. Steven Smith (1949-2015) was a co-founder of Stash Tea Company, then founded Tazo tea company. This venture was co-founded with his wife, Kim DeMent Smith. You can visit the brand’s tasting rooms in Portland, Oregon, and of course, you can treat yourself to the leafy riches on the SSmithTea.com website.

May we suggest some of the Valentine teas?

 
As an added treat, there are tea gifts that include chocolate bars from another Portland artisan company, Ritual Chocolate. The chocolatier has created a limited-edition Lover’s Leap chocolate bar: a marriage of 70% dark Madagascar and Peru chocolate blended with Lover’s Leap black tea blend.

In lovely pink and black packaging, we would be very happy to receive any of the Smith Teamaker gifts from our valentine.

Head to SmithTeamaker.com to explore.
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA BAGS
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEA

For National Hot Chocolate Day, January 31st, a recipe for rum hot chocolate from Kōloa Rum Co., a premium rum brand from Hawaii. The recipe uses Kōloa Kauai Cacao Rum, which is chocolate-flavored (and chocolate-colored) rum. The chocolate gives the hot chocolate much more chocolate intensity than plain rum, and it’s worth buying a bottle—you can use it in so many cocktails. It’s also a nice gift for a chocolate lover.

If you can’t get hold of a bottle, you can substitute chocolate-flavored vodka.

For the marshmallows, look for better ones than the two big supermarket brands. Trader Joe’s has affordable “better” marshmallows.

If you don’t want marshmallows, substitute whipped cream.

> The history of rum.

> The different types of rum.

> More hot chocolate recipes.

> The difference between hot chocolate and cocoa.
 
 
RECIPE: RUM HOT CHOCOLATE
 
Ingredients FOr 1 Drink

[1] Chocolate rum makes this cup hot chocolate very special (both photos © Kōloa Rum).

[2] A bottle of chocolate rum will serve you well in other cocktails.

1. HEAT the milk to a low simmer, then stir in the dark chocolate and cinnamon until chocolate is melted and well blended.

2. ADD in the cocoa powder and brown sugar and stir. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Top with the marshmallows.

[1] Eating pretty: roast acorn squash stuffed with Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, sliced almonds and more. Here’s the recipe (photo © Chef Eric LeVine).

[2] How about a Brussels sprouts pizza or flatbread? Here’s the recipe (photo © DeLallo).

[3] We toss shaved brussels sprouts on our pizza, and also in salads and slaws. Check out this recipe for chicken, shaved Brussels sprouts and arugula salad (photo © Domesticate Me).

[4] If you purchase a stalk of Brussels sprouts, it may come with its top leaves intact. Don’t toss them; use them as serving dishes (photo © Matt Seymour | Unsplash).

[5] Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon jam. Here’s the recipe (photo © Pampered Chef).

First, a note from our editor: It’s Brussels sprouts, after the Belgian capital, not Brussel sprouts. Second, January 31st is National Brussels Sprouts Day. If Brussels sprouts look like tiny cabbages, it’s because both are members of the cruciferous family of vegetables. Other members include:

 
To celebrate National Brussels Sprouts Day, we’re making a Brussels sprouts pizza (photo #2), scattering shaved Brussels sprouts (photo #3), and diced bacon atop a white pie (it’s great with a red pie, too).

Check out the Brussels sprouts recipes below.

Few foods are more disagreeable than overcooked Brussels sprouts (the same is true with other cruciferous members like cabbage). Excessive heat releases an unpleasant-smelling and -tasting chemical compound. But cook them lightly, and they are bites of pleasure.

A tip: Bigger is not better with Brussels sprouts. The smaller they are, the more sweet and tender they are.

Similarly: Don’t store raw Brussels sprouts for more than a few days. The flavor gets stronger as they age.
 
 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS NUTRITION

Brussels sprouts are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including glucosinolate, a phytochemical and important cancer-fighting phytonutrient.

All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, but Brussels sprouts are especially loaded.

They are also cholesterol-fighters. Steamed Brussels sprouts actually have a have better cholesterol-lowering effect than raw Brussels sprouts. The plant fibers do a better job of binding when they’ve been steamed.

The vitamin run-down:

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Is there a better reason to eat them often?

> Brussels sprouts history.
 
 
MORE BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES

You can enjoy Brussels sprouts raw. Slice small Brussels sprouts and serve them as crudites or in salads. Separate the leaves and scatter them over green salads, grains, or on a dinner plate as a green garnish instead of parsley.

Consider a cruciferous salad of broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower florets in a Dijon dressing. Wrap them in bacon instead of dates or chicken livers.

Or, try one of these yummy recipes:

The Year Of The Tiger begins on February 1st, and Adagio Teas has created a special oolong tea blend. If you’re not familiar with oolong, it’s semi-fermented or semi-oxidized tea that falls between green and black tea on the fermentation continuum (black tea ferments for two to four hours; for oolong, the fermentation process is interrupted in the middle).

The flavor and caffeine content of oolong are also midway between black and green tea.

While oolong looks similar to black tea, the taste is closer to green tea, with a more rounded flavor and mouthfeel.

The liquor (tea terminology for the color of the brewed tea) of oolong is often golden to dark brown, but the colors can vary widely (see photo below).

Its taste and aroma range from fruity to floral.

However, the appearance, shape and flavor of an oolong tea can vary wildly depending on the region where it’s grown and how it’s processed.

The long, blackish-green leaves inspired its name, which means “black dragon” in Chinese.

Oolong is sometimes referred to as “blue tea” because some varieties have a blue tinge (others have a green tinge).

However, now that an herbal blue tea made from butterfly pea flowers is becoming better known, people can brew a cup that is definitely bright blue.

Adagio’s Year Of The Tiger loose leaf oolong is delicately flavored with:

 
Chocolate represents its strength, oranges symbolize its wit, and ginger gives this tea a tiger’s bite.

The tea is available in limited quantities while supplies last.

Head to Adagio.com.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF OOLONG TEA

Oolong (also transliterated as wu-lung) tea’s history is steeped (pun intended) in mystery. There are no facts, only theories.

 
Take your pick (we’re partial to #2).

Oolong teas reached the height of their popularity during the Qing dynasty (1644 to 1912). When Ti Quan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) oolong was introduced to the emperor Qian Long (reign 1735 to 1796), he was so enamored of the beauty of the tea that its popularity spread quickly.

Oolong tea was usually served out of special Yixing teapots made from purple clay. These were designed to be used with one type of tea only, in order to avoid cross-contamination of flavors.

Although the production of oolong tea has spread through various parts of Asia and all the way to India and Nepal, the best oolongs today still come from the Anxi and Fujian regions of China, and secondly from Taiwan.

Even so, there are many different variants, based on weather, terrain and production techniques. Iron Goddess of Mercy remains one of the most revered oolongs.
 
 
> TEA TERMINOLOGY & TYPES OF TEA
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA
 
 
> CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM

[1] Year Of The Tiger Tea is a special oolong blend (photo © Adagio Teas).

[2] Cornflower pettals (photo © Brambleberry).

[3] Safflower petals (photo © Algerian Coffee Shops).

[4] Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea (photo © Fave Tea).

[5] A classic Yixing teapot (photo © Yoon Hye | Unsplash).