THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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TIP OF THE DAY: Special Water For Parties

Celebrate the holidays with a special
sparkling water. Photo courtesy
GlobalPackageGallery.com.

  Quite a few people choose water as a drink (or as their third drink) at parties and holiday feasts.

We try to minimize our carbon footprint, so our daily water is tap water or SodaStream-carbonated water.

But on special occasions, we treat guests (and ourselves!) to a special sparkling water. One of our favorites is Ferrarelle (feh-rah-REL-lay), Italy’s #1 sparkling water. (The brand also offers a still water.)

The Ferrarelle spring is located near an extinct volcano in Italy’s Campania region (the southwest coast, right above the “boot”).

To become Ferrarelle, rainwater seeps into the ground and starts a 9.3-mile journey down strata of rocks and minerals, where it is naturally purified and enriched with:

  • Bicarbonate, which helps to facilitate digestion.
  • Calcium, at a high concentration of 365 mg per liter (in Italy, Ferrarelle is often recommended for the daily calcium requirement of lactose-intolerant people).
  • Potassium, which helps reinforce the muscular system.
  • Silica, which delays the aging process of tissue.
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    Most brands of sparkling water come out of the ground still (flat) and are then artificially carbonated, like soda. This makes the carbonation very strong.

    In contrast, Ferrarelle is naturally effervescent, coming out of the source already sparkling. It has a much more elegant texture, while delivering crisp, refreshing flavor. People with trained palates will discover nuances of its mineral heritage. (For a heavier mineral flavor, we like San Pellegrino, another naturally carbonated Italian mineral water with some extra carbonation added before bottling.)

    The Purity Of Bottled Water

    While the municipal water supply in the U.S. is subject to stringent quality controls, no testing is required for mineral and spring water, whether domestic or imported. Popular brands have been found to contain bacteria, carcinogens, fertilizer and industrial chemicals (details).

    Ferrarelle is tested 615 times daily and its quality is guaranteed by major international certifications including the ISF (International Security Forum).

    Whichever brand you choose, have a sparkling holiday!

    Do you know the difference between mineral water and spring water? Find out—along with more fascinating water information—in our Water Glossary.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: How To Substitute Alcohol When Cooking

    This week, one of our interns was heading home to bake a holiday cake.

    It called for a tablespoon of whiskey, but she didn’t have any.

    She did, however, have Cognac. We told her to use the Cognac instead.

    Which brings us to today’s tip:

    If your recipe calls for a spirit you don’t have, you can substitute one that you do have. Just try to keep it in the same “family.”

  • Bourbon, Cognac and Scotch are interchangeable.
  • Vodka and Tequila are interchangeable.
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    Need a spoon of a spirit you don’t have? Substitute! Photo courtesy Farberware.
  • Liqueurs are interchangeable: one fruit liqueur for another, one nut liqueur for another, coffee liqueur for nut liqueur or chocolate liqueur, and so forth.
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    The substitution will make a slight flavor difference, but it’s no different from, for example, using strawberry purée instead of raspberry purée, or cinnamon instead of allspice. The recipe still works, and nobody knows the difference. You may even prefer the substitute.

    Along the same lines, you can substitute red and white wines. If you don’t have any wine, use sherry.

    And if you have a situation we haven’t mentioned, use your judgment!
      

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    GIFT OF THE DAY: A Luscious Butter Shortbread Gift


    Who doesn’t like rich butter shortbread?
    Photo courtesy Biscottea.

      Enjoy your tea, coffee, cappuccino or espresso with the perfect shortbread cookie. With free shipping included!

    The makers of Biscottea and Biscoffee have enhanced a classic Scottish shortbread recipe by adding organic tea or coffee to the fragrant butter cookies. (The coffee beans are also Fair Trade certified.)

    The result is pure deliciousness.

    Each lovely gift box contains 24 individually wrapped squares of shortbread, for $29.99 (and free shipping).

    We love the “portion control” aspect. Because otherwise, these cookies are irresistible!

     

  • The Biscottea box contains four each of six flavors: Earl Grey, Chai, Blueberry (white tea), Mint, Rooibos and Traditional Tea Time (no tea).
  • The Biscoffee box includes eight cookies each in Espresso, Cappuccino and Mocha.
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    As the company says, this is “real shortbread created with real tea and coffee for real tea and coffee lovers.” We say: Why can’t we buy Biscottea and Biscoffee shortbread everyplace we stop for a cup of coffee or tea?

    The cookies are certified kosher by OU.

    For more information and to purchase, head here.

      

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    RECIPE: Red Radish Salad For Christmas

    At the Fat Radish restaurant in New York City, you may find radish salad year-round. It’s delicious anytime.

    During holiday season, radishes and greens deliver Christmas colors: a bright red exterior, crunchy slices and some zippy, peppery heat (the heat dissipates when radishes are cooked).

    First pick your favorite greens: We like a mix of arugula, romaine and watercress; plus some red leaf lettuce, when we can find it.

    Beyond the radishes, you can add more red color with cherry and grape tomatoes (you can cut cherry tomatoes in half), red bell pepper strips or dice and radicchio.

    We also like to snip in a tablespoon of fresh herbs: basil, cilantro, chives and/or parsley. They’re the best way we know to brighten up a salad with “something special.”

    Finally, we add a splash of yellow, via cherry and grape tomatoes, yellow bell peppers and/or a slice of starfruit.

     
    It’s easy to make a salad in holiday colors. Photo courtesy The Fat Radish | NYC.
     

    We dress the salad with a vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar or lime juice and 1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.

    You can also use the radishes to make:

  • A red and green crudité platter* with a holiday-green spinach dip
  • An open-face tea sandwich or hors d’oeuvre: buttered toast triangles or crusty bread slices sprinkled with sea salt and topped with radish slices and a leaf of basil or arugula
  • A bright garnish, whole or halved, on plates and platters
  • A “tree ornament” garnish on a Bloody Mary/Virgin Mary or other savory cocktail (notch and place on the glass rim)
     
    Find more of our favorite salad recipes.

    *Other veggies for a red-and-green crudité platter: red and green bell peppers; cherry or grape tomatoes in red, orange and yellow; green beans and snow peas. We find the venerable celery stalks and cucumber slices to be too pale for Christmas green, but if you like them, add them.

      

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    GIFT OF THE DAY: Christmas Cake Pops



    How terrific are these Christmas tree cake
    pops? All photos courtesy Veronica’s.
      Last week we reviewed a book on making your own cake pops. But we could never create spectacular cake pop designs like these.

    Fortunately, we don’t need to, because we can buy them from Veronica’s.

    Anyone will be delighted to receive Veronica’s holiday collection cake pops, which include:

  • Christmas lights
  • Christmas ornaments
  • Christmas trees
  • Frosty The Snowman (photo below)
  • Globes in seasonal colors
  • Holiday mix (Santa’s hat, penguin, cupcakes—yes, a cake pop
    that’s a cupcake)
  • Holiday designs: snowflake, ornament (photo below) and “Happy Holidays”
  • “Winter white” collection
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    Delicious cake pops in delectable designs range from $24 to $30 per dozen. What more is there to say, than order them now!  

    Invite Frosty over for the holidays.
    Photo courtesy Veronica’s.

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