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


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Luxurious Chocolates Taste Like Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Box Of Campbell's  Soup Thanksgiving Chocolates
[1] The 2023 special collection of Thanksgiving sides-inspired chocolates from Campbell’s x Philip Ashley Chocolates (photo © Campbell’s).

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with butter and chives.
[2] America’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish: mashed potatoes (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

A pan of stuffing with onions and sundried tomatoes.
[3] The runner-up favorite side: stuffing/dressing† (photo © Bella Sun Luci).

A skillet of macaroni and cheese.
[4] Coming in third: mac and cheese (photo © Flavor & The Menu).

 

To add some tasty fun to Thanksgiving, Campbell’s, whose soups and other products are used to make popular side dishes, has a special treat for gifting.

In a partnership between Campbell’s and Memphis-based Philip Ashley Chocolates, the chocolatier has created a limited-edition collection of chocolate truffles for Thanksgiving.

Available for pre-order on November 7th, the flavors are inspired by Campbell’s most iconic side dish recipes.

The flavors include:

  • Green Bean Casserole. This truffle brings out the umami flavors of the dish by featuring Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom condensed soup, green beans, and onion-infused sea salt in a dark chocolate fudge bonbon.
  • Jalapeño Cheddar Mac & Cheese. A top side dish that continues to grow in popularity around the holidays, this truffle features Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup, triple cream Brie, and jalapeño-infused white chocolate ganache in a blond chocolate bonbon.
  • Baked Corn Casserole. This truffle is composed of cornbread, sweet corn, and Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup in a white chocolate bonbon.
  • Hot Honey Mashed Sweet Potatoes. A balance of sweet and spicy, this truffle is composed of sweet potatoes, thyme, hot honey, Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup, and milk in a chocolate bonbon.
  • Everything Bagel Mashed Potatoes. A trendy twist on the nation’s favorite side dish, this truffle features a Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup, caramel coated with everything bagel seasoning in a dark chocolate bonbon.
  •  
    > A box is $35. Head to PhilipAshleyChocolates.com.

    > The history of chocolate.

    > The different types of chocolate.

    > The history of Thanksgiving.
     
     
    AMERICA’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING SIDES

    Campbell’s announced the results of their State of the Sides report*, which found that Americans love their Thanksgiving sides!

    This year’s Top 5:

  • #1 Mashed Potatoes, up from second place in 2022.
  • #2 Stuffing/Dressing, down from first place in 2022.
  • #3 Mac & Cheese, new to the Top 5 in 2023.
  • #4 Yams/Sweet Potatoes, down from third place in 2022.
  • #5 Green Bean Casserole, down from 4th place in 2022.
  •  
    More from the research:

  • On average, Americans serve 5 side dishes at their Thanksgiving table.
  • 67% of responders prefer side dishes to the entrée.
  • More than half would be content if their plate consisted of sides only.
  • The most popular side dishes Americans chose this year are mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing, mac and cheese, yams/sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole.
  • 59% want to make their holiday sides from scratch.
  •  
    > For Campbell’s side dish recipes, visit SidesSeason.com
     
     
    __________________

    *Data from Campbell’s custom research and Ipsos Global Market Research (2023).

    †Stuffing is a seasoned mixture (bread crumbs, vegetables, herbs, and butter, e.g.) that is typically cooked inside the cavity of the turkey. Dressing, on the other hand, is cooked in a separate pan or dish.
     
     

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    Elefante Green Gold Pineapple: A Better For You Food Gift

    Feast your eyes on the exotic Elefante Green Gold™ pineapple, a delicious and better-for-you food gift. (Gifts include those you give to yourself.)

    This dazzling emerald green-skinned pineapple is taller, thinner, and larger than an average pineapple. Plus:

  • Its soft, white flesh, very aromatic flesh has a honey-sweetness and almost no tart acidity.
  • It boasts an edible core.
  • It’s picked when perfectly ripe and ready to eat (the shell remains green).
  •  
    Each three-pound pineapple comes packaged in a beautifully decorated box with an incredible tactile feel, all while being 100% recyclable.

    It’s also adorned with a special second label that immerses the reader in Ghanaian culture and symbolism.

    The Elefante Green Gold is a variety native to West Africa. It’s grown in Ekumfi Abor in Ghana, a few hours west of Accra, Ghana’s capital.

    The name, pronounced ela-font-tay, translates to elephant. The pineapple is grown in an area of Ghana where elephants roam.

    Here’s more about Elefante Farm.

    The farm specializes in ethical pineapple cultivation and creating sustainable farming communities.

    > June 27th is International Pineapple Day.

    > The first Tuesday in October is National Fruit at Work Day.

    > The history of pineapple.
     
     
    THE SUGAR LOAF PINEAPPLE

    This variety, the Sugar Loaf pineapple, is native to Ghana and considered extremely rare and exotic. Ghana’s climate is ideal for pineapple cultivation.

    The “Sugar Loaf” name truly reflects the taste (the sweetness has subtle flavor notes of honey).

    Elefante Green Gold is the proprietary, trademarked name of the pineapples grown on Elefante Farms.
     
     
    GET YOUR PINEAPPLES

    This is an easy way to send a delicious food gift that’s different, special, and affordable. They’re available year-round.

    > Just head to Melissa’s Produce.

    The Elephante pineapple will keep at peak for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

     

    A Sugar Loaf pineapple, just cut from its stem.
    [1] The beautiful Elefante Green Gold pineapple (all photos © Elefante Farms).

    Am Elefante green sugar loaf pineapple from Ghana.
    [2] The pineapple arrives in a lovely gift box. The core is completely edible—no waste.

    Elefante Green Gold Pineapple growing on its stalk.
    [3] An Elefante Green Gold Pineapple growing on its stem.

     
     
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    Famous Chefs’ Surprise Ingredients In Deviled Egg Recipes

    Deviled Eggs Topped With Salmon Roe (Caviar)
    [1] Chef Ina Garten adds smoked salmon to her deviled eggs, with a topping of salmon roe (photo © California Caviar | Facebook).

    A bottle of Durkee's Famous Sauce
    [2] Durkee’s Famous Sauce, used by our mother and grandmother (photo © B & G Foods).

    Green Deviled Eggs with mashed avocado added to the yolks.
    [3] Egg yolks mixed with mashed avocado create a creamier egg stuffing (photo © Avocados From Mexico).

    Piping Deviled Eggs With Fancy Tips
    [4] Piping the egg mixture creates special effects (photos #4 and #6 © D’lish Deviled Eggs Cookbook).

    Deviled Eggs With Piped Filling
    [5] Chop the yolk mixture finely and use a large open star tip to pipe it mixture (photo © DeLallo).

    Deviled Eggs With Asparagus & Sweet Onion
    [6] Use vegetables in season, from asparagus in the spring to pumpkin in the fall.

     

    November 2nd is National Deviled Egg Day. We have some of our favorite deviled egg recipes below.

    For the simplest approach, we like chopped sweet gherkin and a bit of juice plus Durkee Famous Sauce.

    Or for a special treat, a heaping topping of salmon caviar. We garnish both versions with a bit of fresh dill.

    Our mom and grandmother always used Durkee Famous Sauce in deviled eggs. Here’s more about it.

    Below, some famous chefs add surprising ingredients to their deviled eggs.

    > The history of deviled eggs.

    > More deviled egg recipes.
     
     
    HISTORY OF DURKEE’S FAMOUS SAUCE

    This popular tangy sandwich spread has been around for more than 100 years. It was even served in the Lincoln White House! [source]

    The E.R. Durkee & Co. Spice Dealers was founded in Buffalo, New York, in 1857, by Eugene R. Durkee. Durkee’s Famous Sauce was patented that year.

    At the Century of Progress International Exposition, also known as the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, the company, now Durkee Famous Foods, had a booth for visitors to try their wares.

    Their stand-out product was, and remains, Durkee’s Famous Dressing and Meat Sauce, which, according to a pamphlet from the Exposition, was made from a “secret formula [which uses] vinegar, in which 12 different spices have been steeped for six months.”*

    This vinegar is then combined with eggs and other ingredients “to complete one of the most fascinating dressings ever produced:” a thick mustardy, tangy-vinegary, mayonnaise-based sauce (some say, a cross between Dijon mustard and mayonnaise).

    Attention housewives: Men, an earlier advertorial pamphlet said, were especially fond of the tangy flavor [source].

    Eugene Durkee died in 1926, leaving everything to his daughters. Since the 1980s the company has had a series of owners. Most recently, in 2016, it was sold by ACH Food Companies, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, to B&G Foods.

    In addition to deviled eggs, Durkee’s Famous Sauce is great on a BLT, club, or turkey sandwich (“Turkey and Durkee”) as well as:

  • An all-around tangy sauce for meats and vegetables
  • Cole slaw, egg salad, potato salad deviled eggs†
  • Burgers, hot dogs
  • Fried chicken, tenders, wings
  • Remoulade sauce substitute
  • Salad dressing
  •  
    While the sauce has fallen out of fashion, you can find it on Amazon.

    And here’s a copycat recipe from Morton’s Steak Bible Cookbook should you like to make your own. Blend until smooth:

  • 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  •  
     
    FAMOUS CHEFS’ SURPRISE INGREDIENTS FOR DEVILED EGGS

    Thanks to Taste Of Home for the scoop here.

    Sunny Anderson: Fried Onions. The Food Network host is all about texture in her deviled eggs, so she tops them with fried onions for a crisp, delicious bite. To spice things up, she adds minced jalapeños to the yolk mix.

    Anne Burrell: Truffle. Burrell brought deviled eggs back to the culinary scene in 2008 when she introduced a truffle deviled egg on the menu of her Manhattan restaurant Centro Vinoteca. Her recipe calls for truffle oil in the yolk mix, topped with finely chopped black truffle peelings.

    Ree Drummond: Pickles. Drummond uses chopped pickles and relish, plus a splash of pickle juice to set her deviled eggs apart.

    Joanna Gaines: Brown Sugar Bacon. Gaines’s recipe uses bacon coated in brown sugar, cooking it until crispy. The sweet and savory pieces are chopped and sprinkled on top as a garnish.

    Ina Garten: Smoked Salmon & Salmon Roe. Garten mixes cream cheese and smoked salmon into the yolks for a rich, creamy filling. She then tops the deviled eggs with salmon roe.

    Robert Irvine: Green Apple. Irvine cooks shallots in butter and adds parsley and Dijon mustard to the yolk mix. But his secret ingredient is minced green apple, which adds a refreshingly sweet twist. Each deviled egg is garnished with lemon thyme or mint.

    Aida Mollenkamp: Avocado and Proscuitto. This “green eggs and ham” recipe uses mashed avocado to give the egg yolk mixture a creamy, delicious flavor and green color. Mollencamp then tops the deviled eggs with prosciutto.

    The Neelys: Barbecue Sauce. Pat and Gina’s secret ingredient for deviled eggs is barbecue sauce, smoky and sweet.

    Rachael Ray: Anchovy Paste and Parm. Ray gives her deviled egg recipe a Caesar salad twist, using anchovy paste and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

    Michael Symon: A Symphony Of Ingredients. Symon mixes ketchup and Sriracha chili sauce and balances the heat with crème fraîche, cilantro, bacon, Dijon mustard, and lime.

    Ming Tsai: Tea. Tsai boils the eggs with lapsang souchong tea leaves, a smoky Chinese black tea. The whites of the egg take on a rich, smoky, herbal flavor. He mixes the yolks with mayonnaise, chipotle, green onion, and jicama.
     
     
    __________________

    *The ingredients on the package today: Soybean Oil, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Mustard, Salt, Whole Egg Solids, Food Starch-Modified, Xanthan Gum, Spice Extractives.

    †Substitute 1/4 to 1/5 of the mayo with Durkee’s.

     

     
     

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    A Pumpkin Espresso Martini Recipe For The Holidays

    We’ve made pumpkin Martinis with pumpkin-flavored vodka, and with pumpkin spice syrup.

    But this year’s version uses actual pumpkin purée and other ingredients that make it a fusion of pumpkin pie with a cup of coffee.

    > October 1st is National Pumpkin Spice Day.

    > October 26th is National Pumpkin Day.

    > June 19th is National Martini Day.

    > The history of the Martini.

    > The history of coffee.

    > The history of pumpkin.

    > More pumpkin spice recipes.

    > Make your own pumpkin liqueur.
     
     
    RECIPE: PUMPKIN ESPRESSO MARTINI

     
    Ingredients Per Drink

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin purée
  • 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka
  • 1-1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) Kahlúa or another coffee or espresso liqueur
  • 1-1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) hot espresso, strong coffee, or prepared instant coffee
  • 1-1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) half-and-half or creamer of choice
  • Ice
  • Garnish: whipped cream, a shake of cinnamon
  •  

    Pumpkin Espresso Martini In A Martini Glass
    [1] A Pumpkin Espresso Martini (photo © Bonefish Grill).

    Bottle Of Patron Liqueur
    [2] Patrón XO Coffee Liqueur (photo © Patrón Tequila).

     
    Preparation

    1. PREPARE the espresso or coffee. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

    2. ADD the ingredients to the cocktail shaker, adding the espresso last so has less time to melt the ice.

    3. PLACE the lid on the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds to create the foam.

    4. STRAIN into a Martini glass. Garnish as desired and serve.

     
     

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    Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus Recipe With Almond Butter

    Pumpkin Pie Hummus Recipe With Banana Chips
    [1] Pumpkin pie hummus for dessert or a sweet snack (both photos © Once Again Nut Butter).

    A Jar Of Once Again Maple Almond Butter
    [2] Once Again Maple Almond Butter is available year-round online.

     

    How to turn hummus into pumpkin pie? Once Again Nut Butter gives it a shot, with this recipe with maple, honey, and pumpkin pie spices.

    Serve it as a dessert hummus or a sweet snack with banana chips, cinnamon pita chips, or other dippers.

    The brand’s Maple Almond Butter substitutes for the tahini in conventional hummus recipes.

    The result is a delicious dip and spread.

    > The history of hummus.

    > The history of pumpkin pie.

    > The history of almonds.
     
     
    RECIPE: PUMPKIN PIE HUMMUS

    We also tried this concept using store-bought plain hummus. The texture and flavor vary, but it still works.
     
    Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and puréed
  • 1 can pumpkin purée
  • 1/3 cup Once Again Maple Almond Butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch of salt
  •  
    For Serving

  • Apple chips, apple slices, banana chips, cannoli chips, carrot and celery sticks, cookies, cinnamon pita chips
  •  
    Preparation

    BLEND all the ingredients together. Serve with your favorite dippers, or spread over Biscoff speculoos cookies.

     
     
    ABOUT ONCE AGAIN MAPLE ALMOND BUTTER

    For 30 years, Once Again has been producing delicious organic and gluten-free peanut butter and natural nut butters—almond, cashew-sunflower—plus tahini and chocolate spreads.

    Once Again Natural Creamy Maple Almond Butter with Natural Vanilla Flavor, used in this recipe, is certified gluten-free, peanut-free, vegan, kosher*, and paleo.

    If you can’t find it locally, you can purchase it on Amazon.

    And, it makes a better-for-you foodie stocking stuffer or party favor.
     
     
    __________________

    *Certified kosher by BVK Kosher, Vaad Hakashrus of Buffalo.
     
     

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