Rejuvenator, one of the numerous varieties of HE-BREW.

The company, Shmaltz Brewing of San Francisco, is celebrating its 13th year of beer and shtick with a special release called Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah, their 13th “Chosen Beer” in 13 years of Shmaltz. Brewed with 13 malts, 13 hops and soaring to 13% ABV, Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah will be nationally available in 22 oz. bottles and a very limited amount of draft for select bars.

While the concept may seem schmaltzy, Shmaltz’s Jewbelation series, launched in 2004, has receiving top accolades from critics, including “5 Stars” from Celebrator Beer News, “Best Holiday Beer“ from Pacific Brew News, and 97 out of 100 points for 2007’s Jewbelation Eleven from Ratebeer.com. A recent issue of Beer Advocate (Volume II, Issue VIII) commented, “Today, Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing Company is arguably making some of the best contract-brewed beers in America.”

The beer is certified kosher, of course, by KSA. It just may be the perfect beer to serve at bar mitzvahs—to the grown-ups, of course. While Jewish law may deem the 13-year-old a man (or woman), there’s still the state liquor law to contend with.

TO ENTER:

Bar/bat mitzvah men and women (age 21+ only): Submit photos of you in your braces, awkward suits, frizzy hair, ’80s-tastic family portraits with Aunt Linda and Uncle Dan… and celebrate the day you became an adult. The “winning” photos in each of these categories will receive a HE’BREW Bar Mitzvah Gift Set and will be featured on Shmaltz’s website: “Best Hair,” “Best Family Photo,” “Most Awkward Moment,” “Youngest-Looking Adult,” “Funniest Shot,” “Best-Dressed,” “Best Braces,” and “Best Dance Moves.”

Is there anything more dill-icious than International Pickle Week? It was founded more than 60 years ago by Pickle Packers International, a trade association. The U.S. produces 20 billion pickles each year, an average of nine pounds of pickles per person. So for all the people who don’t eat pickles, or those who eat just a few slices on their Big Macs, imagine how many pounds of pickles the true pickle lovers eat! Fortunately, they’re low calorie and good for you!

Pickles are categorized as a condiment, from the Latin condire, to season. Go to http://www.pickleweek.com for recipes, picklewear (we like the “Get Pickled” tee), recipes, coupons and pickle e-cards.

Profiteroles are pâte à choux, filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce.

Discover more reviews and recipes of our favorite gourmet pastries and pies.

With FlavorStorm’s new line of Essential Cane flavored sugars, the game has gotten even more interesting. In 14 varieties, both sweet and savory, you now have magic wands flavored with everything from clove to green chile to habanero—and yes, that’s naturally-flavored cane sugar.

Essential Cane not only adds a touch of flavor, but a touch of beauty. It’s not only for the holidays, but for everyday kitchen witchcraft. The other fun part: It’s affordable…for you, for gifts, for parties, for everyday.

Read reviews of more of our favorite gourmet sugars and seasonings.

[1] Real cinnamon, called Ceylon cinnamon, is the bark of a tree that grows in Sri Lanka. You can see how dense the stick is (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[2] The bark of the cassia tree is curved, like a scroll Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).

A bit of news that may surprise you:

The spice you know as cinnamon—the one you sprinkle on sugared toast and into cookie and cake batters; the one that adds depth to curries and bite to marinades—may not be real cinnamon at all!

It may be from a tree called cassia, which originated in Southern China and is also known as Chinese cinnamon.

There are several subspecies that are now widely grown across Eastern and Southern Asia.

While professionals distinguish between cassia and true cinnamon, to the consumer, what is often sold as ground cinnamon is cassia.

Cassia curls into sticks and is cheaper than true cinnamon. You can’t tell the difference when it’s ground—so what you purchase as ground cinnamon is often cassia.

The aromas and flavors are similar, but not identical. However…the finest cinnamon in the world Saigon cinnamon, a cassia, has superior flavor and aroma and is considered the best cinnamon in the world

So when you buy cinnamon sticks, you may not care if they’re cassia.

For home cooking, they’ll deliver much of the same result*.

Learn more about the differences between cassia and cinnamon—and the best ways to cook and bake with both—in our complete review of this complex spice and its history.

You know how to cook with cinnamon. But do you know how to drink it?

Try the Cinnamon Cider Martini, one of our favorite spicy cocktails.
 

*Both Ceylon and cassia are healthy and delicious spices. However, people who to consume large amounts of it, e.g. as a supplement, need to take real cinnamon. Cassia can be harmful because of its coumarin content. High doses of coumarin have been shown to cause cancerous tumors.