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


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Wolfgang Puck’s Lobster Cobb Salad Recipe

June 15th is National Lobster Day, so buy a few crustaceans and get creative! How about dressing one of America’s favorite salads with lobster instead of chicken? Here’s a Lobster Cobb Salad recipe from Chef Wolfgang Puck.
 
 
RECIPE #1: WOLFGANG PUCK’S LOBSTER COBB SALAD

Ingredients

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce cut into thin strips
  • 2 heads watercress
  • 1 pound diced cooked lobster meat
  • 1/2 pound cooked chopped bacon
  • 1/2 pound. cut green beans
  • 2 medium diced tomatoes
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs (separated into yolks and whites and
    then chopped)
  • 2 diced avocados
  • 1/4 pound crumbled Roquefort cheese
  •  
     
    RECIPE #2: WOLFGANG PUCK’S BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

    Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  •   Lobster Cobb Salad
    [1] In Bob Cobb’s original recipe, the ingredients were chopped and laid out in neat rows. That’s the lobster in the center row (photo © The Tuck Room | L.A.).


    [2] In a classic Cobb Salad, the individual ingredients are presented separately, giving the salad more eye appeal than a chopped or tossed salad. This version of the recipe has diced cheese, ham and turkey instead of the original avocado, bacon, chicken; plus a bonus of crunchy celery (photo © eMeals).

     
    Preparation
     
    1. MAKE the vinaigrette.

    2. ASSEMBLE the salad ingredients in stripes across a dinner plate and serve with the balsamic vinaigrette on the side.
     
    3. TOAST with a glass of Champagne or other sparkling wine, to the lobsters of the world for tasting so darned good.
     
     
    COBB SALAD HISTORY

    Late one evening in 1937, Bob Cobb, owner of The Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, was scrounging in the kitchen’s refrigerator for a snack. He grabbed a mixed bag of ingredients: a head of iceberg lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, a cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing.

    He then took some crisp bacon from a chef’s station and started chopping. He shared the snack with his friend Sid Grauman of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, who came back and asked for a “Cobb Salad” the next day. It was put on the menu and became an overnight sensation. Movie mogul Jack Warner regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick one up.

      

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    PRODUCT: A Favorite Cookie Becomes A Cake

    williamsonomacookie1
    Baking Dad a cake for Father’s Day? How about a super-sized cake version of one of his favorite cookies?
    What’s new in the world of adorable bakeware, you ask? We’d like to introduce you to Williams–Sonoma’s Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan—too cute to pass up, no matter how cluttered your bakeware cabinet. The set includes two nonstick pans that turn out cakes embossed with the word “cookie,” turning a layer cake into an hommage to an iconic American snack. Make the classic chocolate with vanilla filling, chocolate with peanut butter filling—or try more sophisticated flavor combinations (we like chocolate cake with pistachio buttercream, but don’t think we’re chocoholics—we also tried a delectable hazelnut cake with coffee filling, using The King’s Cupboard Hazelnut Cake Mix). Buy the set at Williams–Sonoma.
    • Learn what other cookies may inspire your next cake-baking venture with our Cookie Glossary.
    • Is it a sandwich cookie or a sandwich cookie cake? It’s neither; it’s a Whoopie Pie. Whoop it up: read our review.

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    PRODUCT: Tequila For Father’s Day

    Looking for a Father’s Day gift? How about a fine tequila? The best are made from 100% agave juice (the other kind, “mixtos” are mixed with cane sugar). They are distilled into:

    • (1) blancos (“whites”), which are not aged, although some are colored gold with caramel to make them look aged, and are known as joven abocado or oro
    • (2) reposados (“rested”), which are aged for two to nine months, and
    • (3) añejos (“olds”), which are aged from 18 months for up to 4 (some up to 5) years.

     

    Margaritas are made with mixtos or blancos; reposados and añejos are enjoyed straight for their oaky, complex qualities. Many añejos are aged in old cognac or bourbon casks, and pick up some flavors from the barrels. Someone who enjoys a fine scotch or bourbon would appreciate an añejo. Herradura Seleccion Suprema Muy Añejo Tequila is considered one of the world’s great spirits. El Tesoro de Don Felipe Paradiso Añejo Tequila is also top-ranked. They can cost upwards of $125. In the $50 range, and almost as good, look for Espolon Añejo Tequila and El Diamante del Cielo Añejo Tequila. Serve fine tequila in a snifter—no salt, no lime. By the way, the spiky agave plant, from which tequila is made, is not a cactus—it’s a member of the lily family!

    anejo_tequila

    The mellow color of an añejo tequila. Añejos should be sipped straight like a fine Scotch; blancos are for Margaritas.

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    FATHER’S DAY: A Giggly Good Gift For Dad

    It Makes Me Giffle

    It Makes Me Giggle’s party-in-a-box delivers a yummy cake.

    A gift from ItMakesMeGiggle.com is a party-in-a-box: You choose your party (birthday or other occasion), choose your cake (chocolate-iced gourmet orange chocolate bundt cake or gourmet marble bundt cake) and personalize your gift by calling a phone number to record your greeting. You can also type out a message and include a photo.

    Then, the lucky recipient gets a party box with your greeting(s) plus the cake, candles, matches, knife, forks, plates, napkins, party hats, and if that’s not enough, a noisemaker and confetti. We’re pretty picky about our chocolate cake, and we enjoyed every crumb. It’s made with fresh orange juice,orange peel, chocolate chips, cocoa and a bit of whiskey, although the cake contains less than .5% alcohol. Yet, there’s enough alcohol flavor so that the kids will leave it for the grown-ups.

    It’s a fun gift for Father’s Day or any occasion with this caveat: We wouldn’t send this gift to anyone very elderly or very young, because when you open the box, the greeting is surprising and loud. The cost is $44.99, and you can place a web or phone order. There are four plates and forks, but you can cut at least six slices—so call dibs on seconds.

    Check out the Father’s Day Boutique at igourmet.com

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    NEW PRODUCT: Two New Flavors Of Philadelphia Soft Cream Cheese

    We admit a weakness for cream cheese in all its forms (those forms include cheesecake). We were raised on Philadelphia Cream Cheese, when there were only Regular, Chive and Pimento options. Today, there are 15 varieties, and the Philadelphia folks have been feeding our habit with containers of tempting, soft, flavored cream cheese: Chive & Onion, Garden Vegetable, Salmon and Strawberry. Two newbies are Spinach & Artichoke (tastes like artichoke dip) and Sundried Tomato & Basil (tastes like our old, discontinued favorite Pimento).

    We needed no arm-twisting to dig into these for bagel breakfasts, luncheon sandwiches, casual snacks, baked potato garnishes (hold the Strawberry) and best of all, easy entertaining. You can turn out quick, impressive canapés with soft, easy-spread flavored cream cheese. Just look at the easy, tempting recipes on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website, and you’ll be chilling the wine and calling your friends.

    Sundried Tomato Cream Cheese

    Easy, elegant hors d’oeuvres: Your favorite cracker (here, a Triscuit), new Sundried Tomato Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, a bit of shredded mozzarella and some snips of fresh rosemary.

    You’ve got plenty of time to whip up several of these for Father’s Day, and impress the family (or hubby) with your kitchen chops.

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