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


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ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Irish Coffee Recipes


Irish coffee. Photo courtesy Home Essentials.

  There are two more days to plan for St. Patrick’s Day. Even if you aren’t Irish, it’s a reason to celebrate with friends and family.

If you do nothing else, treat yourself to an Irish Coffee, which was invented in Ireland—for trans-Atlantic airline passengers on layovers (the history).

  • Irish Coffee is easy to make. Invite friends over to toast with a cup or two.
  • Try these Irish Coffee recipes.
  • Consider serving it with a slice of Irish Coffee Cheesecake.
     
    For some reason, National Irish Coffee Day is January 25th (in the U.S., not in Ireland). Note to the people who apply for and declare these holidays: Why?

    Find more coffee recipes in our Gourmet Coffee Section.

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Sweet Potato Chips

    It’s National Potato Chip Day.

    Don’t celebrate with just a conventional white potato chip. Try a sweet potato chip instead.

    The nutritional values of white and sweet potatoes are similar. Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, and have a little more vitamin C and calcium; white potatoes have more iron.

    We’ve long enjoyed:

  • Sweet potato chips from North Fork Potato Chips
  • Terra Chips sweet potato chips
  • Food Should Taste Good sweet potato tortilla chips
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    If you can’t find them in your supermarket, check a natural foods store.

    Or make your own sweet potato chips with this potato chip recipe.

    Check out the history of the potato chip. It was a war of wills.

     
    Sweet potato chips are more favorful
    and nutritious than white potato chips.
    Photo by Elton Lin | THE NIBBLE.
     

      

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    PRODUCT: Quinoa & Whole Grain Brown Rice


    Absolutely delish: a mix of quinoa and brown
    rice, deftly seasoned. Photo courtesy Seeds
    Of Change.

      The Uyuni Salt Flats of southeast Bolivia, high in the Andes Mountains, are best known for salt production. But quinoa has been cultivated there by the Incas for some 5,000 years.

    Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wa or KEE-noo-ah, is an exceptionally nutritious supergrain (in fact, it’s the Quechua/Inca word for “mother grain” or “super grain”).

    Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. A complete protein equivalent to milk, it contains all eight essential amino acids and a portfolio of vitamins and minerals. Everyone should eat more quinoa.

    Our discovery of the week is a shelf-stable (no refrigeration required), 90-second microwavable package of quinoa and whole grain brown rice from Seeds Of Change.

    This whole-grain combo is deftly seasoned with black pepper, garlic, onion, parsley and sea salt. The earthy flavor of quinoa tempered with nutty brown rice is a winner. We consume lots of quinoa and lots of brown rice, and the mixture is magical.

     
    Serve it with anything or enjoy it as a high-protein, whole grain snack.

    Seeds Of Change products are certified organic by the USDA and QAI. The company contributes 1% of net sales to advance the cause of sustainable organic agriculture world wide.

    Print out a $1.00 coupon at SeedsOfChangeFoods.com.

      

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    ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Appletini Recipe

    Our drink of choice on St. Patrick’s Day is the green-hued Appletini, also known as an Apple Martini or Green Apple Martini. It’s one of our favorite cocktails.

    If you want a deeper green color, simply add a drop of food color.

    The Appletini turned up during the Martini renaissance of the 1990s. By the turn of this century, lounges offering hundreds of different “Martinis” could be found in major cities from coast to coast.

    It’s questionable whether removing the vermouth, adding other ingredients to gin or vodka and serving the cocktail in a Martini glass actually results in a Martini. But the question was lost in the wave of Martinis produced for the cocktail culture revival—from chocolate and espresso to apple pie and dulce de leche.

    However, we did not remonstrate when served our first Appletini, a combination of vodka, apple schnapps (liqueur) and optional ingredients including apple juice/purée, sweet and sour mix or lemon-lime soda.

     
    An Appletini for St. Patrick’s Day. Photo
    courtesy UltimatVodka.com.
     
    The recipe was expanded to the Spiced Apple Martini, which includes spiced apple cider; the Rumpletini, made with rum; and the Caramel Appletini, made with both apple and butterscotch schnapps.

    Here’s a very fine Appletini recipe, courtesy of Ultimat Vodka.
      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Smaller Cheese Bites


    Rounds of black sesame-covered goat
    cheese. Photo courtesy McCormick.com.

      Cheese is wonderful, but it’s high in calories and fat, ranging from 80 calories/ounce for fresh goat cheese to 120 calories/ounce for Brie. In our supersize-me society, few turophiles stop at one ounce. It’s easy for cheese lovers to devour half a pound or more!

    Instead of presenting a loaded cheese board with its “help yourself” temptation, serve cheese in smaller bites on a plate with a salad. You can find individual cheese buttons at a cheese store, or place four cubes of your favorite semi-hard cheeses on a skewer.

    A popular French approach is to serve a plate of dressed baby greens topped with one or two goat cheese rounds, cut from a log. You can roll the log in a favorite herb or spice. Black pepper, dried basil, tarragon or thyme are favorites. The cheese rounds can be baked briefly to add a warm contrast to the plate.

     

    In this recipe (shown in the photo), the goat cheese is coated with black sesame seeds and baked. You can add other favorite salad components—here, roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts. Get the recipe.

  • Learn all about cheese in our Gourmet Cheese Section.
  • Start with our Cheese Glossary.
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