A semi-hard cheese (or Schnittkäse), Kuh Heublumenkäse comes from Bavaria, the largest state in Germany. Bavaria contains the city of Munich, and according to GermanFoods.org, 75% of German cheeses are produced there. This cheese is made from cow’s milk, with floral and herb ingredients that include safflower, blue mallow, peony and marigold, with rosemary, oregano and a dash of unrefined rock salt.

So, as you wait out the arrival of spring in the bloomin’ cold, have a taste of a fresh flowering meadow. I encourage you to ask for this cheese from your local cheese monger and pair it with a Pinot Grigio. Or, for an authentic German experience, pair it with a dark German-style beer such as Gordon Biersch Dunkelweizen.

You can learn more about German cheese (and other foods) at GermanFoods.org. If you’re looking for German cheese in your local shops, keep an eye out for any names that end with the suffix käse—German for “cheese.”

1. Coffeemaker. Brew your morning cup at home. Resisting a three dollar cup of purchased coffee will save you nearly $1,000 per year. If your coffeemaker is old, you can upgrade…and buy great beans.

2. Freezer. In 2008, shipments of home freezers were up 5% as consumers started to realize the savings in stocking up on frozen sale items. Purchase meat, fish, poultry and costlier items you use a lot of (Haagen-Dazs, anyone?) while they’re on sale and stick them in the freezer. If you have room, buy a supplemental freezer and look for an ENERGY STAR model to save even more on energy costs.

The Ronco food dehydrator.

4. Your Favorite Foodmaker. What do you regularly spend money on that you could make at home, if you had the right appliance? If you have a daily need for cappuccino, smoothies, pizza or frozen yogurt, you might break even or be ahead of the game if you got the right appliance or gadget and fed your hunger at home.

5. Food Dehydrator. If you spend a lot of money on healthy dried fruit and veggie snacks, consider making your own with a food dehydrator. Ronco has a nice one, “as seen on TV.” If money is no object, see our Snacks Section for our favorite dried fruit and vegetable snacks.

There are many claims to the invention of the Margarita, but the prevailing credit goes to Margaret “Margarita” Sames, a wealthy Dallas socialite. As the story goes, the cocktail was born over the Christmas holiday in 1948. According to an interview in 1994 in the San Antonio News-Express, published in the town where Mrs. Sames had retired on the 45th anniversary of the cocktail:

Margarita and her husband, Bill, invited some friends from Dallas to visit them in Acapulco. Their cliffside hacienda was under construction, so they borrowed a home from a local friend, with luxurious grounds and a pool with a swimming bar. Sames wanted to make a refreshing drink that could be enjoyed poolside before lunch. “After all, a person can only drink so many beers or so many Bloody Marys, or screwdrivers or whatever,” she said. “I wanted to make up a new drink.”

Margarita had initially tried to invent a rum drink, inspired by her visits to Cuba, but had no success. Tequila was her favorite spirit, so she turned there. Having tasted and enjoyed the orange-based French liqueur Cointreau, she decided to combine the two. At the time, she said, there were no mixed drinks using tequila, which was served in classic style in a shot glass, with salt and a slice of lime.

Margarita Sames was 35 years old when she invented the cocktail that would become America’s favorite. No matter what your age, as long as you’re of drinking age, you too can invent an immortal cocktail. Just be sure to do a lot of blogging about it, so there won’t be any question years from now, that it started with you.
 
  

The winner will be randomly selected and announced on March 2nd, and will receive one five-pound box of the Nuovo pasta of his or her choice.

From the top: Portabella & Asiago Ravioli,
Gorgonzola & Sundried Tomato Girasole and
Roasted Vegetable Pansotti.

– Avocado Shrimp Boats
– Cardamom–Scented Tropical Fruit & Marshmallow Skewers with Apricot Sauce
– Garlicky Grilled Pizzas with Grilled Shrimp, Feta, and Sun Dried Tomatoes
– Grilled Chicken and Roasted Pepper Panini
– Grilled Greek Feast
– Grilled Mango-Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp

According to The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, 58 percent of grill owners use their grills year round. So, check out the recipes, download your favorites and get grilling!