Three new flavors of yummy gluten-free Lucy’s Cookies. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

It has to taste really good to a general audience. We never write about anything unless we would continue to buy it and eat it after the first batch is gone.

So it is with Lucy’s Gluten Free Cookies, a 2010 Top Pick Of The Week. Crisp and airy, these cookies are a pleasant repast even if you don’t have any food allergies.

But if you do: The cookies are not only certified gluten-free, but they’re also certified vegan and kosher (by Star-K). They’re nut-free, cholesterol-free, non-GMO, all-natural and baked in a dedicated facility.

Just in time for the holidays, Lucy presents three new seasonal flavors: Ginger Snap, Maple Bliss and the anytime favorite, Chocolate.

Find Lucy’s Cookies via the website store locator or at Amazon:

 
Learn more about Lucy’s Cookies at Dr.Lucys.com.

Find all of our gluten-free product reviews.

Quince are pear-green when unripe. When
ripe, they turn gold. Photo courtesy
Wikimedia.

Native to the Caucasus, the mountain range that separates Europe and Asia, quince is related to both the apple and the pear. It looks like a combination of the two, or a large, lumpy pear. The fruit can easily grow to six inches in length. The plural form of the word is the same as the singular—quince, not quinces.

Most varieties of quince are too hard and astringent to be eaten raw. Instead, they are used to make jam, jelly, quince pudding, pies and tarts. Adding a dice of quince to applesauce and apple pies enhances the flavor and texture. The white flesh turns red after a long cooking time.

The word “marmalade,” which originally meant quince jam, derives from “marmelo,” the Portuguese word for quince. The form of quince we personally eat most often—membrillo—is a quince paste (crema de membrillo) enjoyed with Spanish cheeses. (If you see it, buy it—it couldn’t be more delicious.)

Buying & Storing Quince
Choose quince that are hard and firm. Although the fruit may have bruise marks, they usually do not affect the quality.

Store quince in a plastic bag in the refrigerator; they’ll keep for several weeks. Once ripe, the skin will turn from green to yellow, but the fruit will still be firm (and in need of cooking).

Quince should be peeled before cooking.

Celebrate fall by making this Quince Tart Tatin, a recipe from one of our favorite chefs, Charlie Palmer.

Find more of our favorite pie recipes in our Pie & Pastry Section.

If the planning is effortless, so much the better.

That’s why we were so pleased to discover Cookies & Corks—a young business founded by two young moms who met via their kids’ activities.

Cookies & Corks is a new twist on wine pairing: dry wines with sweet foods. The company sells cookies and recommends which types of wines to pair with them.

Then, instead of popping the cork and serving a plate of cheese, you serve a plate of cookies.

These are not just any cookies, but sweet-and-savory cookies crafted specifically to pair with the wines. Your own recipe for chocolate peanut butter cookies, for example, would need to be tweaked a bit to work as well as the Cookies & Corks version does.

Open the box, pop the cork and enjoy.
Photo courtesy Cookies & Corks.

Here’s what’s in store for your get-together:

 
Each box contains 15 all-natural cookies—five each of three flavors. Wine pairing suggestions are included, and the wines are easy to find.
 
If the concept of cookies and wine sounds quirky to you, there’s only one thing to do: Get a box of Cookies & Corks and see for yourself. Sophisticated and novice wine drinkers alike will have a fun time, enjoying the tasty cookies and marveling about how well the pairings work.

You don’t need to throw a party: Cookies & Corks for a quiet movie evening is also a special event.

And the next time you give a bottle of wine, including the matching box of Cookies & Corks will make it memorable.

Learn more at CookiesAndCorks.com.