Golden Star is terrific gift for anyone, and
especially for those who are abstaining
from alcohol. Photo courtesy of Golden Star.

If you’re a non-drinker, designated driver, or otherwise avoiding alcohol—but yearning for something as sophisticated and flavorful—Golden Star White Jasmine Sparkling Tea was created for you. It looks like a glass of Champagne, but has the sweetness of Sauternes. You’ll like it so much that you may not notice (or care) that it’s non-alcoholic. It’s a real find for non-drinkers and drinkers alike: Anyone who seeks something new and exciting will love it.

In addition to sipping as a cocktail, Golden Star Sparkling Tea pairs well with fish (including sushi), cheese, salads and fruit desserts.

Golden Star White Jasmine Sparkling Tea is totally different from artificially carbonated tea soft drinks, be they herbal, green tea or other. The tea is fermented like grapes in wine fermentation tanks. While management is mum on the process, they describe it as a marriage of the artisanal crafts of wine making and brewing. The result is complex, sophisticated and as worthy of your attention as a good glass of wine. And, the ingredients are organic. This sparkling tea is intoxicating—although no one will get intoxicated.

• Read more about Golden Star in the full review.
• Check out more of our favorite beverages.

• Cheese experts also enjoy pairing specific condiments with cheese. Click here for our Guide To Cheese Condiments. 

We posed this question to the Mushroom Council and they gave us valuable mushroom pairing tips. We’ve included them in a new article along with mushroom buying tips and six delicious mushroom recipes.

One of our favorite recipes for carb counters is Portabella Eggs Benedict, which substitutes a nutritious portabella mushroom cap for the high-carb, nutritionally meager English Muffin (see it in the photo at right).

• Go “mushroom hunting”: Read the article!
• See more of the fabulous fungi in our Mushroom Glossary.

When should you use a portabella versus a
porcini? Find out in our latest mushroom article.

• See an even more glamorous centerpiece, Edible Arrangements.

Herradura is the Spanish word for
horseshoe; hence the horseshoe motif
on the bottle.

In addition to an outstanding Margarita made with Casa Herradura Silver (blanco), we tasted all four varieties neat. The difference in the varieties of tequila is in the aging: 45 days for Silver (used for mixed drinks), 11 months for Reposado (which means “resting,” as it’s aged or “resting” in the barrels for 11 month), 25 months for Añejo (which means old) and 49 months for Extra Añejo. While we liked them all, it’s no surprise that the Extra Añejo was the crowd favorite; but at $350.00 a bottle, we’ll be contenting ourselves with the more affordable Añejo.

If you’re headed to Guadalajara, take the “tequila train” into the country for a tour of the hacienda and your own tequila tasting with a tequila-dispensing mule (honest!).

– Tiny dice of cantaloupe
– Jumbo white lump crab meat
– Tossed in a dressing made of lime juice, orange juice, a splash of tequila and a hint of jalapeño
– Garnished with a fresh basil leaf

The basil is such a wonderful flavor counterpoint that we might top the crab cocktail with strands of shredded basil instead of a single leaf garnish.

• Read about the history and types of tequila.