We were catching up on our in-box and were startled to find that Fiji Water announced on November 30th that it was ceasing operations in Fiji. It later announced that the plant would reopen.

A deep underground aquifer on the South Pacific island nation has been the source of one of the world’s most popular bottled water brands.

It’s “The most fashionable and popular bottled water brand in the U.S. and the world,” according to water website TapItWater.com.

On its blog, Fiji Water says it was being singled out by the military-led government for a massive tax increase: 15 cents per liter of water taken from the aquifer, up from 1/3 cent. And the government deported David Roth, Fiji’s Director of External Affairs.

But, after shutting down and laying off 400 workers, the company decided to reopen.

Trouble in paradise: Fiji government now
taxes the dickens out of Fiji water. Photo courtesy Fiji Water.

Fiji Water lovers can take a breather for now. But they might be in for a price hike: perhaps 15 cents per liter?

• What’s the difference between an artesian aquifer and an artesian well? Between mineral water and spring water? Find all in our Water Glossary.

The award-winning Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas, led by the gifted artisan cheesemaker Paula Lambert, makes some of the best cheeses in the world. We love all of her products, which were a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week (read the review).

There are gift baskets at all price levels at MozzCo.com. But if you’re in the chips, the $195 Ultimate Basket is a cheese-lover’s tasting of Ms. Lambert’s wares.

The selection includes goat’s milk Montasio Festivo with Ancho Rind, Smoked Scamorza, Hoja Santa Goat Cheese, Blanca Bianca, Black Pepper-Garlic Caciotta, La Cocina Caciotta, Rosemary Montasio, Deep Ellum Blue, Olive Mozzarella Roll, Basil Mascarpone Torta, Capriella, Crescenza, crackers and a knife.

As you can see from the unusual varieties, this is not “another cheese basket.” It’s the opportunity for a truly special cheese tasting.

Ms. Lambert has also written two lovely cheese cookbooks:

The Ultimate Basket has so much great
cheese, we can only show half of it.
Photo courtesy Mozzarella Company

• The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook and Guide: Over 150 Recipes with Instructions on How to Buy, Store, and Serve All Your Favorite Cheeses
• Cheese, Glorious Cheese: More Than 75 Tempting Recipes for Cheese Lovers Everywhere

See the different types of cheese in our Cheese Glossary.

It’s not low-calorie if it’s loaded with
fattening dip. Serve a nonfat dip! Photo
courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

• Baking: When baking, commit that you won’t lick the bowl or eat half of the cookie dough.
• Buffet: At a buffet, use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. If you’re the host, do your guests a favor and provide 7″-9″ plates instead of large 10″-12″ plates.
• Appetizers: Focus on healthy appetizers: crudités with a low-fat or nonfat dip, cucumber slices topped with salmon caviar, whole wheat pretzel sticks with a fancy mustard (not honey mustard!).
• Cheese: No matter how it calls out to you, avoid cheese and bread unless you want tons of saturated fat and lots of carbs. Keri Glassman calls cheese “caloric death.”

• Cocktails: Avoid sweet, fruity, caloric drinks: The mixers add about five times the calories and are easy to toss back again and again. Stick to a Bloody Mary, Martini, wine or Champagne. Ask the bartender to give you half a portion. Alternate cocktails or wine with glasses of club soda or mineral water.
• Location: Keep as far away from the food—preferably out of eyesight.
• Mingle & Network: You won’t chat with your mouth full.
• Know Yourself: If you know that you can control yourself, enjoy a sliver or a spoonful of everything. If you feel that one bite might lead to another…and another…stay away.
• BYO Snacks: Feel free to bring your own healthy snacks—vegetables, plain popcorn, rice cakes. If anyone notices, they’ll admire your discipline.

What are your healthy holiday tips? Please share!

They’re so good, we had to hide them so the enthusiastic NIBBLE staff wouldn’t devour every one before we could photograph them.

Thanks to the Snack Factory, makers of Pretzel Crisps, for such an enjoyable holiday snack. And thanks for not making them year-round: We’d become addicts.

Pretzel Crisps are even kosher, so kosher eaters can share the joy of White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels.

• They’re the perfect complement to a cup of hot chocolate.
• They add crunch to a bowl of ice cream.
• And they’ll disappear from the bag or bowl.

You may have to hide the bags at your house.

Find Pretzel Crisps at supermarkets nationwide.

The bags have a hole punched at the top. String a ribbon through it, tie a bow, and you’ve got an instant mini-gift.

White chocolate + crushed candy canes
+ crunchy pretzels = 1 great holiday snack.
Photo by River Soma | THE NIBBLE.

You can make your own chocolate-coated pretzels at home. It’s easiest to dip pretzel rods. You’ll need a 10-ounce bag of pretzel rods and 12 ounces of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.

1. Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in microwave (melt in stages in the microwave, stirring so the chocolate doesn’t burn).
2. Dip pretzel rods 2/3 deep in melted chocolate. Set on wax paper.
3. While chocolate is still tacky, roll in crushed peppermint or other topping (sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed toffee, etc.).
4. Allow to set completely. Serve in a short glass vase.

• Find more of our favorite pretzel snacks.

*White confectionary coating is used instead of white chocolate. But we didn’t notice the difference between the allure of the pretzel and candy cane crunch.

Chocolate-Candy Cane Ice Cream Cake.
Photo courtesy Dreyer’s.

A scoop with or without chocolate sauce is a holiday treat. But you can go one step further and make an easy holiday ice cream cake.

Here’s a recipe for a Chocolate-Candy Cane Ice Cream Cake from Dreyer’s—which has limited edition 1.5-quart containers of Egg Nog, Peppermint and Hot Cocoa With Marshmallows.

The flavors are part of the Slow Churned Rich & Creamy line, which has half the fat and one-third fewer calories than regular ice cream. The Hot Cocoa With Marshmallows is especially fun: The miniature marshmallows are soft and airy and fun to bite into.

Ingredients:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix (we used Pillsbury Devil’s Food mix, which also comes in a sugar-free version)
• 1/2 can chocolate frosting
• 1.5 quarts Peppermint or Candy Cane ice cream
• Peppermint candies or candy canes to crush as garnish

Preparation:
1. Bake two nine-inch layers according to the package directions and cool completely.
2. Remove cake from pans. Using a serrated knife, cut the rounded top off one of the cakes to make one flat, even layer. Wrap and freeze the second cake for later use.
3. Remove ice cream from the freezer and let sit for 5-10 minutes to soften. While it softens, wash one of the cake pans and dry completely. Line the pan with plastic wrap.
4. Carefully spread the ice cream in the pan using the entire container. Freeze for 1 hour or until very firm.
5. Remove the ice cream pan from freezer. Spread the chocolate frosting over the ice cream and place the trimmed cake on top of the frosting. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
6. To serve, take the cake out of the freezer and let sit for about 5 minutes. Unwrap cake and invert onto a serving plate. Remove plastic wrap from the ice cream. Sprinkle crumbled pieces of peppermint candies over top of cake. Cut into slices and serve.

• Find more cake recipes and ice cream recipes.