It’s National Caramel Month, not that we needed another excuse to dig in to this tasty tan treat. A jar of caramel sauce is an excellent companion for plain pound cake, brownies, pie, ice cream or as a dip for fresh fruit. Play “pastry chef” and drizzle microwaved caramel back and forth across the plate before adding the main dessert. Plain fruit becomes a deluxe fruit platter with caramel dipping sauce: A small warming dish with a tea candle keeps the caramel hot. For individual fruit plates, put the caramel in shot glasses, sake cups or espresso cups and warm the filled cups briefly in the microwave.
We prefer the deluxe caramel sauces from The King’s Cupboard (see our review). You can add chopped pecans and a teaspoon of rum or brandy to jazz up even average grocery store caramel sauce.
Cupcakes For The Cure: Pink Ribbon
Cupcakes from Crumbs.com and Crumbs
shops in New York and L.A.
Cupcakes can make you happy, but they can also help find a cure for breast cancer. Crumbs, the cupcake mecca in New York and Los Angeles, is selling Pink Ribbon cupcakes from October 1 through October 15. Available at Crumbs shops and nationwide via the company website (www.crumbs.com), these tasty treats are a very good excuse to nibble for the cure.
Created especially for for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, $1.00 from each cupcake sold (@ $3.75) will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, www.stopbreastcancer.org.
Isn’t it time for a cupcake? (That’s a rhetorical question. It’s always time for a cupcake!)
October 1, 2009 at 7:26 am
· Filed under Pasta-Pizza
Celebrate National Pasta Month (October) by treating yourself to some great pastas. Check out the pastas in specialty food stores. Most people are tempted to save money on staples like pasta. But pasta isn’t a commodity—you get what you pay for. The best companies pay for the best strains of durum wheat, and spend lots on equipment that retains the most protein and texture as the dough is processed into pasta. If you’re not already using the best brands, next time, test a better brand against what you generally use. See if the extra dollar or even three dollars for a package that serves four people isn’t more than worth it for the extra-delicious taste and texture. Italians are demanding about the taste of their pasta; they use very little sauce.
See reviews of some top brands that are worth every dollar, plus recipes.
Are you matching your pasta with the right type of sauce?
September 30, 2009 at 7:53 am
· Filed under Giftable, Snacks
Like potato chips? You’ll love Original Saratoga Chips and the story behind them. Saratoga Chips were the original potato chip—created by an ornery cook in a fit of pique when a diner at the Saratoga Springs, New York resort where he worked sent back his fried potatoes as “too thick.” The cook, George Crum, did an “I’ll give him thin potatoes, all right!” and sliced the potatoes paper-thin, frying them in oil until they were crunchy. But surprise: The customer loved them and as history knows, so did everybody else.
The chips were then marketed as Saratoga Chips and were sold through the 1920s, when brands like Lay’s and Wise and strong regional brands gained ascendancy and Saratoga Chips faded into obscurity. Until now. Two entrepreneurs have revived the brand and carefully researched the recipe and technique. And they’re delicious! Beautiully boxed, they make great gifts as well. There’s even a petite 1.5-ounce size for stocking stuffers or party favors.
For a special, flavorful yet low-calorie and healthy appetizer, slice blocks of soft Japanese tofu and sprinkle them with toasted black sesame seeds, soy sauce and nori flakes. For even more flavor, add bonito flakes. Arrange on a large platter and let guests help themselves, or serve individual plates with two slices (the tofu looks especially beautiful on Asian-style dishes). If your regular supermarket doesn’t have an Asian products section, buy nori and bonito flakes at an Asian grocer. As with any condiment, a good brand of soy sauce makes a big difference.
