[1] Five lovely chocolate oxen are waiting to celebrate the Year Of The Ox with you (photos #1 and #2 © Burdick Chocolate).

[2] The wood box is a “keeper.”

[3] Celebrate the Year Of The Ox from February 12th through February 18th (photo © Liu Ziang | Panther Media).

Have you ever eaten a chocolate ox?

We didn’t think so.

That’s because the one chocolatier we know who makes them is L.A. Burdick, who celebrates every Lunar New Year with a chocolate interpretation of that year’s zodiac animal.

You were born in the Year Of The Ox if your birth year is 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997…and for the Centennials, 2009 and 2021.

The Lunar New Year begins on Friday, February 12th: the Year Of The Ox. (The date changes every year, based on the lunar calendar.)

“Chinese New Year” is an old-fashioned term, replaced by Lunar New Year.

That’s because in addition to China, other countries in Asia also celebrate the Lunar New Year: Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The celebration lasts up to 16 days, but only the first seven days are considered a public holiday.

You’ve got more than two weeks to indulge in your favorite Asian foods.

So plan your Asian feasts; but first, head to Burdick Chocolate to get your Chocolate Oxen.

This limited edition is available from January 25th through February 19th.
 
 
YEAR OF THE OX CHOCOLATES

Burdick’s mini chocolate oxen (each is about two bites) are entirely handmade without molds, meaning that no two are alike.

And as befitting the occasion, the chocolates have Asian flavor accents.

The “drove” (a.k.a. herd) of oxen includes:

 
Each wood “keeper” box is tied with a gold ribbon and hand-stamped with a gold wax seal featuring the Chinese character for good luck.
 
 
> WHAT IS CHOCOLATE GANACHE?

> RECIPE: BIBIMBAP: A KOREAN CLASSIC FOR THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

> CHINESE “GOOD LUCK” FOODS FOR THE NEW YEAR

> RECIPE: CHINESE LONG BEANS

> RECIPE: EGG DROP SOUP

> RECIPE: POTSTICKER DUMPLING SALAD

> RECIPE: YUSHENG, A RAW FISH SALAD FOR THE LUNAR YEAR

Veganuary is a food event that began in the U.K.: an annual challenge run by a U.K. nonprofit that promotes and educates about veganism.

It encourages people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. The event began in 2014, and participation has more than doubled each year.

Some 400,000 people signed up for the 2020 campaign, and the organizers estimated that this represented the carbon dioxide equivalent of 450,000 airplane flights, and the lives of more than a million animals [source].

We love vegan foods, but can’t commit to an entire month of veganism. Still, we’ve had our eye out for interesting recipes to try.

One of these is the Aloo Tikki burger recipe, below.
 
 
WHAT IS ALOO TIKKI?

If you like mashed potatoes and crispy fried food, aloo tikki is a must-try: a crispy vegan patty of mashed potatoes, seasoned with lots of herbs and curry spices (cilantro, garam masala and ginger, e.g.).

Some have called it India’s equivalent of hash brown potatoes [source].

Aloo tikki translates to potato patties or croquettes*. It’s a popular Indian street food that’s also made at home as an evening snack, served with chutney or [talk about fusion] ketchup.

The seasoned mashed potatoes are mixed with green peas and often onions, formed into patties and fried† until the skin turns crisp.

It’s a vegan snack, although some cooks add crumbled paneer, the fresh Indian cheese.

Aloo tikki originated on the Indian subcontinent: North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It’s served hot, with sides of sweet and/or savory chutney (consider coriander-mint chutney), and sometimes yogurt. The preparation in photo #5 adds sliced cucumbers.
 
 
FUSION FOOD: AN ALOO TIKKI BURGER

Blogger Tina Dawson of Love Is In My Tummy ported the aloo tikki patties into a vegan burger. You can see her entire post here.

Tina says that when that when McDonald’s opened in India, they needed meatless options for the vegetarian population.

India has a larger percentage of vegetarians than any other country—nearly 30%. The next closest nations have less than half that percentage (Switzerland, Taiwan and Israel, 13-14% [source]).

Veganism is a growing movement [source].

Needless to say, the McAloo Tikki Burger, served with vegan mayonnaise, was a hit!

So Tina created her own version using Idaho® Russet potatoes, peas and onions, seasoned with onions and spices.

She added another fusion touch: double coating the patties in panko-style breadcrumbs.

She made the burgers vegan with dairy-free cheddar-style cheese, vegan mayo, baby greens and “other usual burger fixings.”

The recipe was shared with us by the Idaho Potato Commission.

Thanks to both!
 
 
RECIPE: ALOO TIKKI BURGERS (MASHED POTATO PATTIES)

Making the patties is the most time-consuming aspect of the recipe. As a time-saver, you can make the patties ahead and freeze them.

Ginger garlic paste, a staple in Indian cooking, is used in this recipe. You can buy it in your local Indian/Asian food store or online (there’s a ton of it on Amazon).

Or, make your own by blending equal parts of ginger and garlic until smooth. You can keep it in the fridge for a few weeks, or freeze it in mini ice-cube trays.

It’s a versatile condiment that can be added to dips, marinades and sauces, and used as a spread on sandwiches and burgers.

Editor’s note: Instead of the ketchup, mayonnaise, and most of the other condiments and garnishes, we made a quart of raita, a spiced yogurt-cucumber sauce, dip and spread that we adore. Here’s the recipe.

We also avoided the carbs in the bun and served the burgers on a bed of mesclun (mixed baby greens).
 
 
Ingredients For The Patties

 
For The Crumb Coat

 
For Frying

 
Garnishes & Condiments To Assemble

[1] The aloo tikki burger, American-Indian fusion food (photos #1 through #4 © Love Is In My Tummy | Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Ingredients for the aloo tikki burger.

[3] Double-coated and ready to fry.

[4] Frying to very crisp.

[5] Don’t want a burger? Serve aloo tikki in its original form: fried patties with green chutney and tamarind chutney. Here’s the recipe and excellent step-by-step photos from Hebbars Kitchen. Serve it for lunch or dinner with a salad, or as party food (photo © Hebbar’s Kitchen).

1. MAKE the patties. Peel and mash the potatoes until they are soft and free of large lumps. Set aside.

2. HEAT the oil in a skillet and sauté the onions over medium heat for a minute or two, until they begin to soften. Add the red chili powder, ginger garlic paste and frozen peas. Continue cooking until the peas soften. Remove from the heat.

3. COMBINE in a large bowl the mashed potatoes, garam masala, chaat masala, salt, lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Add the sautéed onions. Stir well to combine, using your hands if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

4. SCOOP ½ cup of the mixture and shape into patties about 3¾” wide. Set aside.

5. CRUMB COAT the patties. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate. In a shallow bowl, mix the cornstarch and enough water to make a runny paste.

6. DIP each patty into the cornstarch mix, then into the breadcrumbs, back again into the cornstarch and then again into the breadcrumbs. This double coating gives the patties a very crisp texture that will stay crisper, longer.

7. FRY the patties. Heat the oil for deep frying in a small skillet. Place a wire rack over a baking tray for draining. Working in small batches, deep-fry each patty on low-medium heat until golden brown all over. Drain on the wire rack, letting the excess oil drip off. Alternatively, you can use paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

8. ASSEMBLE the burger with the fried patties with your favorite burger fixings: Sesame topped burger buns, baby greens (instead of just plain lettuce), dairy-free cheese, vegan mayonnaise, caramelized onions, red onion rings, tomatoes, pickles and ketchup.
 
 
PATTY VS. PATTIE

The correct spelling is patty. Patties is the plural form, so many folks assumed the singular to be pattie.

The dictionary does not recognize “pattie” as a word; although the York Candy Company chose this [incorrect] spelling for their York Peppermint Pattie.

The word “patty” first appeared in English around 1700, derived from the French pâté.

It first referred to an item of food covered with dough or batter, then fried or baked (oyster patties was a popular dish). It then referred to ground or minced food; and finally, the thin, round candy we call a peppermint patty.

We’d be remiss not to note that Peppermint Patty is also a character from the Peanuts comic series.
 
________________

*In the Hindi-Urdu and Marathi languages, aloo are potatoes and tikki are patties. Tikki also means croquette or cutlet.

†Don’t think of baking them instead. It loses the crispiness for which the snack is known. Better to bake a seasoned mashed potato casserole and let the edges crisp up.

‡Chaat masala is a spice blend that typically consists of amchur/amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt (often kala namak), black pepper, asafoetida (hing) and chili powder. You can substitute a mix of cumin powder, amchur powder, chili powder and salt. However, if you need to buy amchur powder, you might as well by chaat masala.
 
 

National French Fry Day is July 19th, but this recipe is winter comfort food.

Duck fat fries are a special treat, beloved among chefs. They’re a great accompaniment to grilled meat, roasted chicken, and yes, duck.

In this recipe the fries are pan baked, resulting in a crisp duck fat crunch and an aromatic blend of roasted garlic and herbs.

If you prefer to deep fat fry, the recipe is below.

This oven-baked recipe is from Kita Roberts of the Girl Carnivore blog. Read Kita’s full post here.

She calls the fries by their French name, frites (freet, French for “fries”).

We really like her added touches of truffle oil and rosemary, and the flavorful aïoli dip (that’s garlic mayonnaise—see more uses for aïoli here).

Double the batch and use it on sandwiches, vegetables (including crudités), potato chips and other dippables and spreadables.
 
 
RECIPE: HERBED DUCK FAT FRIES (FRITES)

Ingredients For 4 Servings

For The Potatoes

 
Seasonings

 
Ingredients For The Aïoli

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Toss the sliced potatoes in a dish with the duck fat, reserving 2 tablespoons of fat. Season liberally with salt.

2. RUB 2 baking sheets with a thin layer of the reserved duck fat. Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheets in a single layer.

3. BAKE for 25-30 minutes until golden and crunchy, flipping the fries and rotating the pans halfway through cook time. Meanwhile…

4. MAKE the aïoli. Whisk the mayo, mustard and Worcestershire together in a small bowl. Drizzle the truffle oil, chopped rosemary, rosemary salt and pepper over top. Set aside. When the fries are removed from the oven…

5. TOSS with truffle oil and season with the chopped roasted garlic, herbs and rosemary salt. Allow the fries to cool for a few minutes. Serving with the aïoli.
 

THE CORRECT DEEP FAT FRYING TECHNIQUE

D’Artagnan, specialist in duck products, offers these tips to make your deep-fat fries—fried in any type of fat—the best.

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF FRENCH FRIES & THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRENCH FRIES
 

ABOUT DUCK FAT

People who cook ducks and geese typically render the fat and freeze it for future use.

Those who don’t cook and render can buy rendered duck fat.

Check your specialty food store, or fine butcher, or order online from D’Artagnan or other e-tailer.

[1] A grilled steak with duck fat fries and aioli dip (photo © #1 and #2 Girl Carnivore | Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Mmmm…can you have a meal consisting of all French fries?

[3] A cheeseburger with duck fat fries (photo © Benjamin Zanatta | Unsplash).

[4] Duck fat fries are delicious with any grilled meats (including burgers and veggie burgers) and poultry (photo © Tim Toomey | Unsplash).

[5] You can buy rendered duck fat from specialty food companies like D’Artagnan (photo © D’Artagnan).

The smoke point makes duck fat perfect for high-heat cooking. Chefs consider it the best animal fat for cooking, and it enhances the flavor of anything it touches—including eggs, potatoes and other vegetables, as well as meat and poultry.

While it may sound like a cholesterol orgy, there are actually health benefits to duck fat.

A few years ago we suggested sweet potato toast as an alternative to avocado toast, beet toast, eggplant toast, hummus toast, mushroom toast and green pea toast.

We provided a recipe from Chef François Payard, who put a gourmet twist on the sweet potatoes with caramelized onions, balsamic vinaigrette and sliced roasted sweet potatoes instead of mashed.

Here’s the recipe.

Today, we take a different approach: sweet potato toast with lots of topping choices.

We like it for breakfast, lunch or a nutritious snack.

While a spread of mashed or puréed sweet potatoes on crusty sourdough toast is a simple pleasure, the fun in this recipe is the toppings.

For a brunch serving suggestion: Provide different toppings in ramekins for DIY creations.
 
 
COOKING THE SWEET POTATOES

The most time-consuming part of the recipe—preparing the sweet potatoes—can be done days in advance.

We have always baked or boiled the sweet potatoes for mashing, with some added butter for richness, a bit of maple syrup and sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spices.

But the current trend is to slice them horizontally and roast them. The slices are then placed atop the toast. (An alternative is to use thick vertical slices instead of toast.)

The sliced potatoes look nicer on the bread, but are not as neat to eat. Mashed potatoes stick to the toast; sliced potatoes don’t. The choice is yours.
 
 
RECIPE: SWEET POTATO TOAST

Ingredients Per Serving

 
Sweet Potato Toast Toppings

There are both sweet and savory toppings.

The sweet toppings are fruit with optional nuts and seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Savory options include everything from cheese and veggies to bacon and hummus. Take a look, then mix and match:

 
Preparation

Using the oven:

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

2. SLICE the sweet potatoes evenly, 1/4″ – 1/2″, using a sharp knife or a mandoline.

3. LIGHTLY oil both sides of the sweet potato slices (we toss them with our hands), and place them on a baking sheet.

4. BAKE for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. You can flip them after 15 minutes and bake another 10-12 minutes until a fork can easily pierce through the center.

5. SLICE or mash the potatoes, as you prefer.

6. TOAST the bread. Assemble the sweet potatoes and toppings on the toast, or let people choose their toppings and assemble their own.

Toaster Oven Technique:

Toasting the slices for 4-5 minutes; test for doneness.
 
 
SWEET POTATO NUTRITION

Sweet potatoes have long been ranked high in nutritional value. They are a whole, real, nutrient-dense food.

One medium sweet potato is about 100 calories and:

[1] Mashed sweet potatoes topped with mashed avocado, goat cheese and pomegranate arils (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Hello Fresh).

[2] Something sweet: mashed sweet potatoes topped with sliced apples and blueberries.

[3] Mashed sweet potatoes with sliced figs, pepitas and a honey drizzle.

[4] Sweet potatoes have a great nutritional profile (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potatoes).

[5] The next time you make mashed sweet potatoes, make extra for toast. It will keep in the fridge for a week (photo © Burpee).

[1] Sovány is the only organic sparkling fruit-flavored water (all photos © Sovány Beverage Company).

[2] Whether straight from the fridge or chilled on ice, the flavors are most refreshing—and very low in calories.

[3] Add fresh fruit and/or herbs for a fizzy mocktail.

[4] In addition to individual cans, you can buy Sovány in 12-packs or 24-packs.

Sovány is something new on the healthy beverage scene: A line of sparkling waters made with USDA organic fruit.

In fact, it’s the first sparkling water made with organic fruits. You’ll notice the real fruit flavor from the first sip.

Sovány is an elegant refresher and can substitute nicely for a higher-calorie glass of wine.

Drink it alone, or use it as a mixer. We think you’ll love it.
 
 
NO SUGAR ADDED

This elegant flavored sparkler has just 20 calories per 12-ounce can. The first three flavors in the line are:

 
There’s also Simply Sparkling, an unflavored, nicely carbonated water.

The three flavors contain a whopping 12% organic fruit juice, with no added sugar.

By comparison, Sovány’s “real fruit juice” competitors often include 6% or less juice (and not organic, either), plus added sugar [source].

The sweet fruit flavor comes from the unsweetened fruit juice. There is no sugar added. The sweetness is that which naturally occurs in the organic fruits.

We guarantee that Sovány Sparkling Flavored Beverages will deliver refreshing moments of guilt-free happiness: low-calorie with fresh, natural-tasting fruit flavor.

And environmentally friendly.

The line is:

 
Sovány is not just delicious; it’s better for you and the planet.
 
 
THE BRAND’S INSPIRATION

During the summer of 2017, company founder Marcella Fodor was craving a refreshing, tasty beverage that would fit her healthy lifestyle.

Underwhelmed by what she found in stores, she started mixing sparkling water and organic juices in her kitchen.

The blends became a staple in her fridge, and when friends started craving the recipe, Marcella knew she was on to something good.

The product name, Sovány, derives from founder Marcella Fodor’s Hungarian roots. It’s the Hungarian term for ‘slim,’ which translates in the minimalist design and approach of the brand.
 
 
GET YOUR SOVÁNY

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CARBONATED WATER