[1] Churros made with the San Diablo Artisan Churro Maker (photos #1 and #2 © San Diablo Churros).

[2] This tube-shaped device turns the dough into churros, ready to fry or bake.

[3] Party idea: a Fiesta Churro Bar, with DIY sauces and garnishes. Here’s the recipe (photo © BHG).

[4] How about spicy churro fondue? Here’s the recipe (photo © McCormick).

We love churros. Every time we’re at a restaurant that serves them, they’re our dessert.

It’s no longer just at Mexican restaurants, either. Churro-loving chefs of modern cuisine have added their interpretations of churros to their menus, often with fusion flavors, like black sesame and espresso custard.

And creative home cooks add their own takes. A few examples:

 
But our recommendation today is an easy way to make classic churros at home.
 
 
INTRODUCING SAN DIABLO ARTISAN CHURROS’ CHURRO MAKER

How about an all-in-one gadget to make and customize your perfect churro (photo #2)?

It’s the creation of Scott Porter, founder of San Diablo Churros.

A churro lover and caterer who developed a full line of at-home churro products, his products now include Take & Bake Churros, frozen dough, signature sugar toppings and fillings, and the churro maker.

Now at your fingertips: churros anytime—for the family, for guests, for your next coffee break.

Just make the dough, load it into the tube-shaped churro maker, press out the churros and fry them up.

Nine different nozzles let you have fun with shapes. You also start off with 40 recipes.

But beware: You may have more friends and neighbors dropping by to snack on your churros!

Tip: Churros are best enjoyed warm. If they cool to room temperature, give them 30 seconds in the microwave.

And be prepared to party on June 6th: National Churro Day.

More Churro Options

You can also buy San Diablo Artisan Churros’ Take & Bake Churro Kit—ready made and ready to bake and eat. There’s a choice of sauces: dulce de leche, Nutella and sweet cream.

There’s even an option made with gluten-free dough.
 

PARTY TIME: A FIESTA CHURRO BAR

How about a Fiesta Churro Bar (photo #3)?

 
 
CHURRO RECIPES

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CHURROS

Wait! Don’t run! We’re not talking about Aunt Patty’s brick-in-a-box.

Here’s a stunner of a book by Jason Schreiber. He’s a favorite food stylist of Martha Stewart (she wrote the foreword).

It’s not the cookbook you might imagine. The book could just have easily been called Fruit with Cake, or Cake and Fruit, or even Rad Fruitcakes (note that fruitcake and fruit cake are both accepted spellings).
 
 
75 EXCITING FRUITCAKE RECIPES

In the book, Jason shares 75 recipes he’s created for fruited cake delights that are beautifully imaginative and wildly tempting.

You won’t find anything usual or expected in Fruit Cake; every recipe is new, exciting, and something most of us would never have thought of.

Divided into six chapters, each contains a multitude of answers to specific baking fancies and desires, depending on your mood, your stomach’s mood, or your desire to impress.

Do you want a snack now, no waiting? Chapter 1, “Constant Cravings” has little delights that are simple to make: Hazelnut Plum Snacking Cake, Raspberry Tea Cake, Banana Tiramisu…

They all are “fruit with cake,” and all perfect for an afternoon break.

No Forks Needed

Onward through the “Out of Hand” chapter: treats that need neither fork nor knife (our favorite: “Strawberry Tamales de Dulce,” sweet, gingery tamales with jam and cream).

The “Showstoppers” chapter presents an out-of-this-world world of roulades, multi-storey layer cakes, plus single layer dwellers like “Ume-Shiso Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Cake” made with dried and fresh red shiso leaves, and “Guava Crepe Cake.”

“All Rise,” applauds the heights of “Bourbon Peach Kugelhopf,” “Blood Orange Bee-Sting Cake” and their like. They make your kitchen pulsate to that aromatic yeasty beat.

Want a happier-than-ever-after ending? Find it in “Soaked.”

Big and boozy, be warned: In Jason’s own words, “some of these cakes pack a punch, so you might want to designate a driver to take you home.”

Or just stay home and drown yourself in “Flaming Figgy Pudding,” “Stout Cake,” or “Fig, Port, and Chocolate Cake,” for starters.
 
 
A COOKBOOK STAR

Yet the best treat in Fruit Cake is the person who conceived it.

Jason Schreiber’s voice is light but highly and accurately informative. It’s also friendly, clever, and often downright funny.

His introductory and final notes on basic techniques, kitchens, and tools are dead-on.

He gives you everything you need to become a professional-quality baker. Read, and you will be fully informed.

Sprinkled throughout are delightful reminiscences, nutty poems, and great little tips.

There’s glorious, unusual colorful photography with a retro vibe that manages to also be oddly “today.” It perfectly reflects the author’s approach to contemporary, imaginative baking, and thinking about baking.

Fruit Cake is a wildly wonderful keeper. Go stain those pristine pages!

Great for gifting, or for your own baking adventure, get the cookbook from your local bookstore or from Amazon.

– Rowann Gilman
 
 
> DECEMBER 27th IS NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF FRUITCAKE
 
 
BEVERAGES WITH FRUITCAKE

Here are classic pairings for classic fruitcake—the ones with dried fruits, winter spices and alcohol.

Consider pairing them with other cakes-with-fruit, like those in the Fruit Cake cookbook.

 
 
MORE FRUIT CAKE FUN

[1] Every type of fruitcake you can imagine—except the regifted bricks of fruitcakes you may have experienced. Get your copy from Amazon or your local bookstore (all photos © William Morrow, publisher).

[2] This delectable version pays homage to the fruitcakes of the Middle Ages. The earliest known recipe for fruitcake dates to ancient Rome.

[3] Three fruitcakes that great-grandma never envisioned.

[4] Need a quick fruitcake fix? This version is no-cook!

[5] This fruitcake is topped with fresh strawberries.

[1] Enjoy a cup of matcha effortlessly, with Cuzen Matcha (photos #1 to #5 © Cuzen Matcha).

[2] You can turn the whisked matcha into a hot or iced latte.

[3] The ground matcha leaves drop into a cup of hot water, where they are whisked into a froth with a magnetic whisk.

[4] Dried whole matcha leaves—a rare sight (are they ever seen outside of Japan?).

[5] The whole leaves are broken into a size that fits into the machine.

[6] The traditional preparation is to whisk the ground matcha powder in water until it froths. You can build up arm muscles if you do it often enough (photo © Match & Co | Unsplash).

Every so often we come across a niche product that’s really interesting.

But, we think, how many of these can they sell?

In the case of the Cuzen Matcha Maker, it depends on how many matcha tea lovers have $369 and space on the kitchen counter.

The matcha-drinking world is all abuzz over this dedicated matcha maker, which was a hit at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this year and showered with awards‡.

It takes all effort from whisking up a cup of matcha tea, the bright-green Japanese signature tea noted for its super-nutrient-packed green tea.

Here’s more about matcha tea.
 
 
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MATCHA GREEN TEA

While all tea* comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, matcha is grown differently† from other teas has a unique nutrient profile.

Matcha is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that are found in tea. (The caffeine is similar to coffee.)

Antioxidants help stabilize harmful free radicals—compounds that can damage cells and cause chronic disease.

In addition to antioxidants, some studies have found that the antioxidants in matcha boost brain function, may help protect the liver, may help prevent cancer, may promote heart health, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and actually helps with weight loss. Here are the details.

Matcha, which is a ground powder, has more catechins and antioxidants than steeping a cup of green tea from leaves.

By one estimate, the number of certain catechins in matcha is up to 137 times greater than in other types of green tea [source].

That’s why some people focused on health and nutrition drink lots of matcha. And any green tea lover will appreciate its unique flavor and frothiness.

Here’s a chart that compares the nutritional profile of matcha versus brewed green tea leaves.
 
 
WHY DO YOU NEED A SPECIAL MACHINE?

For thousands of years, matcha has powder, ground from a particular type of tea leaf from Japan. Crafting it involves precise measurements, sifting and rapid flicks of a bamboo whisk to create the right froth.

Matcha is sweeter and creamier than regular green tea—and sometimes a bit grassy. More people would make matcha at home if it didn’t involve whisking the fine green powder into a froth.

Cuzen Matcha does it all, with a clever magnetic whisk that does all the labor (hand-whisking can be tiring for some of us).

Just add pre-measured packets of organic tea leaves into the machine, where they’ll be ground and whisked into your cup of hot water in 90 seconds. (A bonus is the aroma from the freshly ground leaves.)

The only cleanup is a quick rinse the cup and the whisk.

With a Cruzen Matcha machine, you can:

 
Here’s a video.

The downside is that this is a new product. If the company doesn’t get enough customers, it is likely to disband. The machine will still work, but you can’t get the un-ground matcha leaves.

After a quick web search, we found one option, Japanese Gen-Mai Cha from Upton Tea. Gen-mai cha is mixed with toasted brown rice. It’s delicious, but a different experience.
 
HEAD TO CUZENMATCHA.COM to learn more and purchase a machine.
 
 
MORE MATCHA

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEA
 
 
________________

*This refers to conventional black, green and white teas. Herbal teas, which are brewed from many different plants, are not included in this analogy, although each has its own nutrient profile and health benefit(s).

†The tea plants are covered to avoid direct sunlight, for 20–30 days before harvest. This increases chlorophyll production and boosts the amino acid content. The leaves are harvested, the stems and veins are removed and the leaves are then ground into the fine powder known as matcha.

‡In 2020 the Cuzen Machine was named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020, won the Future of Foods Award at San Francisco Design Week Awards 2020, was a CES 2020 Innovation Awards Honoree, and was longlisted for the 2020 Dezeen Awards.

Chef Eric LeVine is a chef whom we love to follow.

He is a fountain of creative ideas, always looking to bring something new and delectable to his restaurant menus.

His aim is not just to feed his patrons well, but to delight them.

Also a cookbook author and multi-award-winning chef—including a champion of the Food Network show, “Chopped”—he keeps surprising us.

As the chef/owner of different types of restaurants, some of his creations have been very high end.

This dish, from his gastropub 317 Main Street in Farmingdale, New York, is universally approachable.

Here, Chef Eric joins two favorite dishes, Steak & Eggs and Mac & Cheese. It’s great fusion food.

Just about anyone can make it at home, for for brunch, lunch or dinner.
 
 
IT’S EASY TO PUT TOGETHER

A marriage made in heaven: Steak & Eggs weds Mac & Cheese (photo © 317 Main Street Restaurant | Farmingdale, New York).

2. PREPARE the mac and cheese. Keep it warm.

> Place the cooked pasta in an oven-safe pan or bowl, cover with foil and put in an oven preheated to the lowest temperature (220°F, 104°C).

> Or, you can keep it warm in a slow cooker (Crockpot, e.g.). Here’s how.
 
3. FRY the eggs.

4. ASSEMBLE: Place the macaroni and cheese on the bottom of a large bowl or plate, and the sliced steak and fried egg on top.

5. ADD a Bloody Mary or Virgin Mary, and dig in.

Thanks, Chef Eric!

[1] One of Cask & Kettle’s five flavors, Irish Coffee, delivers a great hot cocktail in seconds (all photos © Cask & Kettle).

[2] All you need is a Keurig-style brewer and Cask & Kettle pods.

[3] How about a Mint Patty cocktail?

[4] Make a Cask & Kettle Ice Cream Sundae. Add a scoop of ice cream with an optional topping of chocolate sauce, caramel sauce or whipped cream.

[5] Each festive-looking box contains 5 pods.

In two decades of roaming through trade shows, reading the trade and consumer press, and popping into every specialty food store we pass, we’ve never come across anything like Cask & Kettle.

When we first heard about Cask & Kettle hot cocktails, we were intrigued.

When we tasted them, we were delighted, enchanted, charmed…and one step away from being elated to realize that we could have these delectable hot cocktails at home, whenever we liked.

Hot cocktails have existed for centuries, from buttered rum, toddies and mulled wine (here’s the difference), to hot milk punch and the Tom and Jerry. to the more modern Irish Coffee (invented in 1943), to every modern mixologist’s recipes since then.
 
 
INTRODUCING CASK & KETTLE

Cask & Kettle is the inspired creation of entrepreneurs.

The magic happens with the simplicity of a Keurig home coffee brewing machine (photo #2).

It delivers brewed craft cocktails made with fine spirits, that deliver bold flavors and delicious aromas.

All of this comes from a Keurig-type K-pod, which includes the alcohol and other ingredients.

Just pop the capsule into your Keurig and press the button. In a minute, your cocktail is ready.

Whether you want to sip alone or serve guests, every cup is a party.

Delicious as the cocktails are straight, you can enhance them for spectacular results (see below).
 
 
THE HOT COCKTAIL FLAVORS

Each one is better than the next. The current lineup includes:

 
Each cocktail contains approximately one ounce of high-quality distilled spirits, plus decaffeinated coffee. Each multi-serving package contains five capsules (photo #5), each delivering a rich cocktail.

They are caffeine-free and gluten-free.

And the cocktails are a forgiving 130 calories per cup!
 
 
HOW TO SERVE CASK & KETTLE COCKTAILS

Is Cask & Kettle a coffee cocktail? A cup of spiked coffee? An after-dinner drink? A dessert?

It’s all of the above? Enjoy it:

 
 
GET YOURS!

A box of Cask & Kettle is a great gift, but start with gifting yourself!

They are certainly a “cup of cheer” in these gray, isolated times.

(They’d be just as great on a sunny day in June.)

We look forward to the end of the work day, when we can brew a cup and turn on the news.

Cask & Kettle is about $15 for a package of five capsules.

Check the store locator at CaskAndKettleUSA.com.

Cask & Kettle is available in Walmart, Sam’s Club, boutique stores and most Safeway stores.

Or, check online for “Buy Cask & Kettle Cocktails.” We found several e-tailers, including Drizly.com.

For more information, visit the brand’s website.

For gifting, Cask & Kettle will stand out as something different. The Cask & Kettle package fits into standard wine or bottle wrapping.

We send this innovative, delightful new brand our best wishes for success!
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF COCKTAILS

 
________________

*These proofs are for a 6-ounce cocktail. You can lower the proof significantly by selecting an 8- or 12-ounce cocktail on the Keurig. This adds more water, diluting the proof—but the results are still delicious.