Treat him or her to delicious and festive red and green mozzarella rolls from the Mozzarella Company, one of America’s finest artisan cheese makers. This is no ordinary mozzarella: It will please the most discriminating turophile (that’s Greek for cheese lover).

The red and green spiral fillings include basil pesto, green olives, prosciutto and sundried tomatoes. They’re great for slicing for hors d’oeuvres and salads (how about a holiday Caprese salad with fresh basil and roasted red peppers) or making fancy holiday grilled cheese sandwiches. We love them as indulgent snacks: just us, the mozzarella rolls and a knife and fork. And maybe a crisp white wine.

Deck the halls with mozzarella. Photo courtesy Mozzarella Company.

• Purchase the holiday mozzarella basket and other wonderful cheese gifts at Mozzarella Company. The mozzarella basket is $85, shipping included.
• Read our review of Mozzarella Company cheeses, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Does the label and fancy cap color influence
your choice of wine? Post a comment.
Photo courtesy HobNob Wines.

Most products are not revolutionary or even different—another granola, another line of pasta sauce “made from Grandma’s recipe,” and so forth.

Thus, we had to chuckle when we received this pitch for HobNob Wines (a brand we’re not familiar with). Nothing was mentioned about the quality of the wine. Instead: “Each budget-friendly bottle doubles as décor while complementing your holiday feast.” They didn’t mean, “stick a candle in the empty bottle.” They were referring to their snazzy bottle labels and coordinated cap colors.

The wine bottle as table décor? So we should buy wines because of the snazzy labels? Because our guests don’t know what they’re drinking, as long as it’s alcohol?

We’ve heard some people mis-use the word “mantra” instead of slogan, diminishing a profound word that means “capable of creating a spiritual transformation.” Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and wordsmiths of the world: protest!

While we can LOL at the “mantra,” we’re bemused by the concept of wine as table décor. It sure would save on the flowers! Maybe we run in rarefied circles, but our guests would be much more impressed with some bottles of 1945 Mouton Rothschild, 1895 Yquem and 1931 Quinta do Noval Nacional. Now that’s table décor!

(In fact, if that’s how you’re decorating your table, please invite us to dinner!)

If you’re not sure about which wine to buy, don’t pick the spiffy label. Consult your wine store clerk, who will be able to point you to substance (the best-tasting wine) over style (the best-looking packaging), for the same price. Anyone who asks for a wine with a mantra may get what he or she deserves.

• Check out our favorite wine and dessert pairings.

Crush a package of red spiral peppermints between sheets of waxed paper with a rolling pin. (You can also crush candy canes.) Keep them in an airtight jar.

Then, use them to apply a bit of holiday flavor to ice cream, the rims of hot chocolate mugs, cake and cupcake icing, vanilla yogurt…whatever strikes your fancy.

It’s as if the Good Peppermint Fairy touched her wand to make things a bit more special!

• See many more garnish ideas.

Crack me, crush me and use me for decor.
Photo by Jeffrey Collingwood | SXC.