Most likely, her delicious new red wine, an Italian and French varietal blend known as a Super Tuscan.

Blake Leonard and Beatrice Landini (who lives in Tuscany and doesn’t celebrate American independence) introduced their first bottling, BLBL, a few weeks ago. The two partners, who first met at the age of 14, are now 24 and old enough to be in the wine business.

Both BLs come from a noteworthy food heritage. Blake, the marketer, is the granddaughter of the founder of Stew Leonard’s, a fine food empire in metropolitan New York. Beatrice, the winemaker, is the daughter of Alessandro and Nicoletta Landini, proprietors of Fattoria Viticcio, one of the finest winemakers in the Chianti region of Tuscany.

Chianti and the other notable Tuscan reds—Brunello and Vino Nobile di Monepulciano—are made with at least 85% of Sangiovese grape, which is usually blended with other local grapes.

Photo by Joshua Wong Photography.

BLBL is a blend of 40% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah grapes. The wine is full-bodied with beautiful ripe fruit, and at $13.99 for a 750 ml bottle, it is the best bang for the buck we’ve had in a long time.

The wine is currently sold exclusively at Stew Leonard’s eight Connecticut, New Jersey and New York stores (and shippable to addresses in these states). Stew Leonard’s customers know a good deal when they see one: We expect the wine to fly off the shelves.

In this economy, when we can’t afford a $200.00 bottle of Sassicaia, our favorite Super Tuscan, we’re grateful that we live in one of the BLBL states.

Fill with recyclables or other trash, pull the
drawstring and it’s ready for the trash hauler.

Flings Pop-up Recycle Bins are an attractive and environmentally-friendly solution for collecting indoor or outdoor trash at parties, sporting events and barbecues.

They arrive flat and snap open to attention as a ready-to-use recycling container or garbage bag. Each bin holds up to 60 cans or bottles; the line has been certified green by the Sierra Club. Flings can be put out with the trash or taken to a recycling facility.

There are birthday bins, celebration bins, tailgating bins and other designs, including the “recycle” bin with the green universal recycling symbol. The designs add a festive air to any event (it’s as festive as trash gets).

The manufacturer is continuously working with suppliers and trash haulers to ensure the optimum use of biodegradable and recycled materials, and compatibility with what it calls “our country’s trash infrastructure.”

Ice cream and “pie” unite in one container.
Photo by Katharine Polllak | THE NIBBLE.

Alas, we like to eat lots of ice cream. Looking at the calorie counts of superpremium ice cream brands is an eye-opening experience. There are up to 300 calories for a teeny quarter-cup serving (some flavors with high-calorie inclusions are even more). Raise your hand if you limit your portion to a quarter of a cup!

So while we eat our fair share of superpremium ice cream, to feed the majority our habit we look for lower-calorie alternatives.

Breyer’s No Sugar Added Ice Cream in the Smooth & Dreamy line hits the spot. Enjoyed plain or with fruit, added to a diet root beer or whisked into a glass of nonfat milk (we add a packet of non-caloric sweetener to the milk for a sweeter shake), it makes a very satisfying ice cream experience.

Another way to go is a brand like Lovin’ Scoopful, a light, low-calorie premium (not superpremium—see the difference) ice cream with half the fat and one-third fewer calories than other premium ice creams. The milk is rBST-free.

• To see the rest of the line, visit LovinScoopful.com.
• Find reviews of our favorite ice cream brands, recipes and more in our Gourmet Ice Cream Section.

Have a sip of blanco (white) Tequila, followed by a red sangrita, followed by a blue Margarita.

You can serve them in snifters, as shown, or in shooter glasses.

Get the recipe and have fun!

Drink the American flag! Photo courtesy
Riazul Premium Tequila.

Grill up a storm, but avoid charring the
food. Stainless steel grill basket from
SurLaTable.com.

Learn what these compounds are and why you should keep them out of your food.

And check out 12 other tips for grill safety.