Thanks to farmers markets, we’re seeing more of the watermelon radish, a large Chinese radish—up to 3 inches and more in diameter—with reverse radish coloring. It has a white exterior and a beautiful rosy-magenta flesh, which resembles a watermelon and captivates everyone who sees it.
A sweet radish without the peppery bite, its color and mildness make it a lovely surface for hors d’oeuvres and a beautiful garnish (sliced, quartered, or julienned).
Serve slices in lieu of mozzarella with sliced tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar—a change of pace that saves calories and fat.
Toss thin slices with mâche or microgreens in a Dijon-honey vinaigrette.
Add them to sandwiches for color, flavor and crunch. Try watercress and radish sandwiches with unsalted butter. Cook them like turnips.
To store watermelon radishes, discard the leafy tops and wrap the radishes in plastic. They’ll keep for several weeks. By the way, the Chinese name is shinrimei, and the radish is known by several other names including Rose Heart and Beauty Heart.
People in Vancouver are lucky; they can drive down to Butter Baked Goods and pick up their handmade marshmallows. While the store does not have online sales, we had the pleasure of tasting the marshmallows at a trade show earlier this year, and recently came across the marshmallows at Dean and DeLuca.
Of course we bought them, and they were just as good as we remembered—airy, delicate and beautifully flavored. You can send them as a Thanksgiving or holiday gift via DeanandDeluca.com: three gift-boxed bags in Pumpkin Spice, Toasted Coconut and Vanilla are $28.00. (When you get to the site, search for “marshmallows.”)
Gourmet marshmallows are one of our favorite sweet treats: made from egg whites, sugar, gelatin and flavoring, there’s no fat or cholesterol,* and one large marshmallow is very satisfying. You can put them in hot chocolate, craft gourmet s’mores and use them as accents with other desserts.
November 13, 2009 at 8:56 am
· Filed under The Nibble
Tasty placecards: Use affix the card to a pumpkin bonbon. Photo courtesy of WeddingBee.com.
For Thanksgiving dinner, it’s easy to make place cards that are good enough to eat: Just stick a card in a bonbon (preferably, pumpkin, maple or other holiday flavor).
If you’re artistically inclined, buy tent place cards at any card shop or stationery store. Then look for candies the size of a quarter: flat chocolate turkeys or pumpkins, nonpareils or colorful white chocolate pastilles. Affix a piece of candy to the left side of each place card, using a paste of 2T confectioner’s sugar and 3 to 4 drops water. The cards add fun and anticipation from the moment people see the table. Guests can remove and eat the chocolate at the end of dinner.
For other holidays, you can attach Christmas trees, hearts, bunnies, etc. If you don’t want place cards, use chocolate place settings.
November 12, 2009 at 8:43 am
· Filed under The Nibble
Hors d’oeuvres from GoodWives.com.
Entertaining? Plan 4 to 6 cocktail hors d’oeuvres per person if you’re following drinks with dinner; 8 to 10 pieces if it’s just a cocktail party.
Some brands of frozen hors d’oeuvres available to consumers are the same brands caterers use. They’ll cook up hot and crispy in your oven in just 7 or 8 minutes. Just try the products in advance of the event so there are no surprises. Not only do you want to be sure that the food tastes as good as it looks; different ovens produce different results, and you don’t want to experiment while guests are waiting to be fed!
Find reviews of our favorite hors d’oeuvres, plus recipes, in our Hors d’Oeuvres & Cocktail Snacks Section.
