Vanilla is the second costliest spice in the world,
after saffron.
The United States is the largest consumer of vanilla beans, using around 1,200 tons per year. Most of them are made into vanilla extract. Even if you buy pure vanilla extract—not the artificial stuff, which is a fraction of the price—all pure vanilla extract is not created equal. Even when you buy the finest brands, there’s a big variation—and you can tell the difference, as you’ll see in this article. We sourced the best, and baked it into shortbread cookies and panna cotta. If you love to bake, or otherwise cook with vanilla, join us on this journey. You’ll learn about the different types of vanilla products—beyond beans and extracts), how to buy vanilla, the best brands. We’ll even share the recipes of the shortbread and panna cotta. And, we’ll tell you where you can buy the products, which make great holiday gifts for your friends who bake.
December 5, 2008 at 9:30 am
· Filed under Contest, Recipes
“At-home grillmasters” now have the opportunity to put their skills to the test and win a $5,000 backyard makeover.
The Crisco Sprays Grilling Hall of Fame contest is inviting grillmasters to share their favorite recipe for a chance to be one of the first inductees into the new Hall Of Fame and win a backyard makeover.
To enter, go to GrillingHallOfFame.com, and submit an original grilling recipe that incorporates a Crisco cooking spray (Original, Butter or Olive Oil), an image of the recipe and a brief essay, 250 words or less, explaining why you created the recipe and why you deserve to be inducted into the Crisco Grilling Hall Of Fame.
Five grand prize winners will receive $5,000 to put toward a backyard makeover. The last day for submissions is December 15, so get grilling!
Celebrate Repeal Day with a classic cocktail like
a Gin & Tonic. Click here for a recipe.
December 5th, “Repeal Day,” celebrates the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution that repealed the 18th Amendment, which had mandated nationwide Prohibition. But this is no ordinary repeal day: It’s the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition. The 21st Amendment was passed on December 5, 1933. Visit the Cocktails Section of TheNibble.com and mix yourself up something to celebrate. The 18th Amendment is the only Constitutional amendment ever to be repealed.
Since its debut, we’ve been hooked on ITO EN’s Sencha Shot, a highly concentrated 6.4-ounce steel can of unsweetened, premium green tea with an an energy boosting 152 mg of green tea catechins (antioxidants). We order it by the case. Now there’s Oolong shot, with a whopping 171 milligrams of oolong tea polyphenols. Oolong, also known as Wu-long and traditionally called blue tea, is a semi-oxidized tea, between green tea and black tea. Traditionally known as “weight loss tea” and “slimming tea,” an unidentified compound in oolong may promote weight loss, and has resulted in numerous hyped products for decades. However, you need not buy any special “slimming teas;” regular oolong will do the trick, if there is any trick to be done. (No research by a recognized scientific organization has been published.) The suggested retail price is $1.79. Both teas are sold at Whole Foods Markets and other retailers, and online at ItoEn.com.
Color coded: The green tea in the green can, the
blue tea, as oolong is sometimes called, in the
blue can.
DRY Soda Co. has unveiled the first new flavors since the line’s August 2005 debut: Juniper Berry and Vanilla Bean. The new flavors join DRY siblings Kumquat, Lavender, Lemongrass and Rhubarb. Vanilla Bean DRY is aromatic, lightly sweet and delicate—a sophisticated relative of cream soda. Juniper Berry DRY is crisp with a pine essence and high acidity. Juniper berry is the fruit from which gin is distilled—think of it as non-alcoholic gin and tonic. The line was originally developed for people who wanted a sophisticated, non-alcoholic beverage alternative to cocktails. As with all DRY Sodas, the two new flavors are all-natural, made with fruit or herb extracts and caffeine-free.
