THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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FATHER’S DAY: See’s Candies Milk Chocolate Seegars

Dad will light up with happiness when you hand him a box of See’s Candies chocolate “Seegars” (how long were the See’s folks waiting to be able to make that pun!). In fact, at the economical price of $6.30 for a box of three, you can afford to hand out Seegars to all of your favorite dads.

Seegars are made from milk chocolate that’s been rolled and packaged in brown foil to resemble actual cigars. Of course, Dad will have to enjoy these in private—we don’t want him influencing the kids! Seegars are available at See’s Candies stores and online at Sees.com. Certified kosher by KSA.

Chocolate Cigars
Dad can relax with a Cognac and a good [chocolate] cigar. Photo by Emily Chang | THE NIBBLE.

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FOOD HOLIDAY: International Cachaça Day

Caipirinha
Celebrate International Cachaça Day by mixing up a Caipirinha, made with cachaça, lime and sugar (photo courtesy Leblon Cachaça).
 

Cachaça (kah-SHA-sah), Brazil’s noble spirit, was invented nearly five hundred years ago, one hundred years before the founding of its Caribbean cousin, rum.

Here in the United States, cachaça is considered “Brazilian rum,” but don’t call it that in front of a Brazilian! Rum is distilled from molasses, while cachaça is a purer spirit, made from fresh cane juice, the purest product of sugar cane (molasses is the residue after the sugar crystals are extracted—read more about the levels of molasses).

The key ingredient in Brazil’s national cocktail, the Caipirinha (ky-puh-REEN-ya), cachaça is not only popular in its country of origin, and is the third most consumed spirit in the world (hmm—how much do they drink at Carnival, anyway?).

So, have a Caipirinha to celebrate the day as you chant the mantra: Cachaça is made from cane juice, rum from molasses. When you can no longer chant this quickly, you’ve had too many Capirihas—time to move on to the espresso bar.

  • Read more about the History of Cachaça
  • Try some of The Nibble’s Cachaça-Based Cocktail Recipes
  • Check out more June Food Holidays
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    NEW PRODUCT: McCormick & Lawry’s Sauces & Marinades

    America’s major food manufacturers pour sweetener into everything from soup to salad dressing, so that products like barbecue sauce, which normally have their share of sweetener, are tantamount to “meat sugar.” But when Lawry’s 30 Minute Marinades, along with McCormick’s Grill Mates packet seasonings, arrived at our door, we gave them a try. And thank goodness, because this worldwide leader in spices turns out much finer BBQ sauces and marinades than many smaller specialty brands. We marinated tofu squares in Lawry’s Signature Steakhouse and Buffalo BBQ sauces and baked them at 400°F for 25 minutes for a delicious lunch.

    McCormick Grill Mates marinades arrived in exotic, evocative flavors, Hawaiian Luau and Mojito Lime. In other hands, these types of flavors could be overwhelming or sticky sweet; McCormick’s marinades perfectly captured the flavor themes with finesse.

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    Create a meal in just 30 minutes with Lawry’s Signature Steakhouse and Buffalo BBQ Marinades.

    With Lawry’s Buffalo BBQ flavor, initial vinegar sweetness gives way to a nice burn of cayenne pepper and chili. A bite of the Signature Steakhouse reveals a popular taste with an acidic tang of Worcestershire and nice sting of pepper. These are sauces made for all America: they are flavorful but not potent.

    On to the marindades. We liked the contrasting, smoky and bright flavors of the Mojito Lime. Peppery heat was backed by a refreshing sugary citrus punch. Hawaiian Luau did not evoke visions of volcanoes or guests in Hawaiian shirts (thank goodness!), but had a nice, even balance of tart pineapple and red pepper.

    While all of the products contain high fructose corn syrup and other chemicals that would never get onto an “all natural product” list, as you have probably read, the jury is out as to whether it is the HFCS or all the bad eating habits and the level of over-sweetened food in general that have been responsible for obesity epidemic. We’re not supporting HFCS, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying these products.

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