A great gift for any occasion—and especially for a last-minute holiday gift—is a subscription to a meal delivery service.

You can send it anytime, in the sum of your choice. The recipient gets an email with instructions on how to select and order his/her meals.

We recently received a gift of a week of prepared meals from Eat Clean Bro Meal Delivery Service, which serves most areas of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

There are other meal delivery options across the country, offering everything from the mainstream to keto-friendly to dairy-free, gluten-free and meals under 400 calories.

We’d never ordered from a service before, and we were very surprised at how good everything was: flavorful meals designed to nourish with “clean” food*.

Eat Clean Bro’s menu was developed by a bodybuilder, based on the guidelines that he and other athletes follow.

In fact, our meals tasted like our Mom was back in the kitchen, turning out her fine home cooking.

We got to choose the menu for the forthcoming week’s meals, and selected;

 
Everything is delivered fully cooked and ready to heat. When reheated, the meals were as delicious as they would have been right off the stove.
 
 
WHO WILL ENJOY THIS MOST?

It’s a great idea for people who don’t like to cook, or don’t have the time.

It’s a great way to get a diet off to an easy start for the new year.

Giftees can order during their busy season (example: the upcoming tax season for accountants, final exams), or the time crunches we all have.

[1] Six days of clean eating (all photos © Eat Clean Bro).

[2] Pineapple-glazed salmon with diced vegetables, chickpeas and beans.

[3] Carolina half chicken with vegetables.

A meal delivery service may be an eye-opener for a friend or family member who’s never tried meal delivery before. It’s a luxury that we think is well worth it.

To find a service in the giftee’s area, check online and check the menus.

While most services have excellent choices of meat, poultry and seafood, some services have an equally large selection of vegan and vegetarian options; some have organic and low-salt options, etc.

To our friends who are reading this: Yes, we’d like another gift of meal delivery.

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*Clean eating is a dietary concept that avoids refined and processed foods, and those that have artificial ingredients, including certain preservatives and additives. The goal is to eat whole, natural foods.

A few weeks ago we wrote about Bailey’s Red Velvet Irish Cream Liqueur in a product review.

We’ve grown so very fond of it that we’ve elevated it to a Top Pick Of The Week.

A special edition for Holiday 2019, chocolate lovers should not miss this one (photo #1).

Baileys Red Velvet Irish Cream liqueur has rich cocoa flavor that classic red velvet cake should have, but most rarely do (that’s our humble opinion).

It smells like cocoa, tastes like cocoa made with heavy cream, and for eye appeal, it’s a dusty rose color.
 
 
USES FOR BAILEYS RED VELVET IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

Sip it straight! This stuff is just too good to mix into cocktails, to bake into brownies or red velvet cake, or to swirl into cheesecake.

But you can:

 
We bought ourselves a few bottles to last through the year, and a few more bottles as holiday gifts.

We hope you love it as much as we do!

[1] Sip the pink elixir from a liqueur glass, or turn it into a mini ice cream float, shown here with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream (photo © Diageo).

[2] Have some as a chaser after a piece of red velvet cake. Here’s the recipe from McCormick (photo © McCormick).

[1] Jingle Belle: 7-Up and bitters with a raspberry-mint garnish (photo © Beatnik | Chicago).

More and more people don’t drink alcohol, and seek club soda or soft drinks at parties.

If some of your guests fall into that category, why not create a “Mocktail Menu?”

It’s quite easy, and it will bring them some extra holiday cheer.

Some suggestions:

 
Even guests who do drink alcohol may turn to the Mocktail Menu for their third drinks, and beyond.

This is the same mixture used for a regular Bloody Mary, just without the vodka.

Our recipe makes a spicy drink with lots of flavor and just 41 calories per 8-ounce glass. Plus, it has 74% of the daily requirement of vitamin C and 22% of vitamin A.

As an alternative to horseradish you can use 6 drops of hot sauce, but the horseradish adds much better flavor.

If you don’t want any heat, use more Worcestershire and lemon juice; then experiment with a drop or two of hot sauce to round out the flavors.

Ingredients For Four 8-Ounce Drinks

 
Preparation

Combine the ingredients and chill. Before serving, stir or shake the mix.

If it’s well chilled, there’s no need for ice, that dilutes the drink.

Austin, Texas has become a hot city to visit and move to, abetted by its ever-expanding food scene.

One place of interest is Fluff Meringues & More is a modern patisserie that proffers European treats in a market full of cupcakes and Southern pecan pie.

A meringue cookie is the opposite of these latter favorites. The light fluffs of egg whites and sugar are cholesterol free, lower in calories and welcome at home on an assorted cookie plate, a dessert plate garnish or with after-dinner coffee and tea.

At Fluff Meringues & More, you can have a civilized afternoon tea respite, with fetching pastries, scones, mousse, homemade marshmallows and of course, meringues. Put it on your go-to list for a visit to Austin.

While you can see the wealth of meringue flavors in photo #3, Fluff Meringues & More has shared a holiday-inspired flavor with us: Vanilla Cardamom Pistachio Meringue Drops.
 
 
RECIPE: VANILLA CARDAMOM PISTACHIO MERINGUE DROPS

Ingredients For Approximately 35 Drops

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Separate egg whites from the yolks, being sure not to allow any yolk to drip into the whites. Weigh the whites as you go. Reserve the yolks for another use).

2. WEIGH the sugar to match the 2:1 egg white ratio. Spread the sugar out on tray. Place in the oven and heat for 7-8 minutes. While the sugar is heating…

3. WHIP the egg whites in a stand mixer until they are stiff. Start on medium speed for 2 minutes, then move to high until stiff peaks form.

4. REMOVE the sugar from oven and reduce the oven temperature to 215°-230°. The oven will need to decrease in temperature quickly, so leaving the door open a bit for a few minutes helps.

5. BEGIN adding the sugar immediately. Initially spoon in large spoonfuls until 1/3 to 1/2 pf the mixture is gone. Let mix on high for 30 seconds, then start slowly streaming in the remainder of the sugar.

6. WHIP until all the granules are dissolved and the batter is stiff, tacky, and shiny. Add the cardamom and whip for 10-15 seconds. Add the vanilla and whip for 5-10 seconds. Don’t over-mix vanilla!

7. LOAD the meringue into a piping bag and pipe meringue drops onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes in the lower rack of the oven. Cool on rack for 20 minutes. While meringues are cooling…

8. HEAT the white chocolate in a double boiler (or very carefully in the microwave, at 30 seconds until melted. NOTE: If you burn the chocolate, you’ll have to start over. Stir and make sure the melted chocolate is smooth.

9. PLACE the crushed pistachios in a wide bowl. After the meringues are cool, delicately dip the bottoms of the drops into the melted chocolate, then dip into the pistachios. Place the dipped meringues back on a sheet of clean parchment paper and let them set for 15-20 minutes.

 
Now you’re ready to serve or store them in an airtight container.

 
THE HISTORY OF MERINGUE

Some sources say that that meringue was invented in the Swiss village of Meiringen in the 18th century, and improved by an Italian chef named Gasparini.

Not all experts agree: The Oxford English Dictionary, for example, states that the French word is of unknown† origin.

The one fact we can hang on to is that the name of the confection called meringue first appeared in print in chef François Massialot’s seminal 1691 cookbook, available in translation as The Court And Country Cook.

The word meringue first appeared in English in 1706 in an English translation of Massialot’s book. But before then…

[1] You can serve white meringues, but doesn’t the edible gel “paint” look great? (photos #1 to #3 © Fluff Meringues & More).

[2] You can apply the concept to any holiday; for example, pink and purple for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. You may also enjoy these Rosewater Raspberry Meringues.

[3] A great party tray. Fluffs Meringue & More calls this their Rainbow Tray.

[4] You can swirl caramel, chocolate or other flavor into the meringue batter (photo © Fika | NYC (now closed).

[5] You can get sophisticated, as with these Red Wine Sea Salt Meringues. Here’s the recipe (photo and recipe © Raw Spice Bar).

 
Meringues were traditionally shaped between two large spoons, as they are sometimes are at home today, by those without piping equipment.
 
The Dawn Of The Piping Bag & Tip

Meringue piped through a pastry bag was introduced by the great French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833—he preferred to be called Antonin), the founder of the concept of haute cuisine and the Mother Sauces.

He invented modern mayonnaise and many other recipes, including charlotte russe, coeur à la crème, croquembouche, éclairs, mille-feuille and other iconic French recipes.

He also invented modern mayonnaise, éclairs, and other icons of French cuisine.
 
The Term “Meringue”

No one can find a historical derivation of the word “meringue,” but there are many attributions to different countries (but not, surprisingly, from France).

The latest suggestion is that it comes from Middle Dutch meringue, meaning light evening meal—possibly from the Latin merenda, “light evening meal.”

How about the Middle Low German “meringe,” from mern, “to dip bread in wine.” Who wouldn’t like to dip a meringue in a glass of wine?

Contenders from include 1700 on include, from the Walloon dialect, maringue, shepherd’s loaf; marinde, food for the town of Meiringen (Bern canton, Switzerland), is completely lacking.

None of the others sounds right, either. By default, we like the Latin merenda, the feminine gerund of merere to merit, since who doesn’t merit a delicious confection?

As our mother often said: “Who cares; let’s eat!”

In Italy, torrone (tuh-ROE-nay) is a traditional Christmas dessert, and the most popular candy in Italy.

In France, it’s known as nougat: a confection made from egg whites, honey, sugar and toasted almonds.

There are many regional variations; some are softer, some chewier. If you’re headed to any Italian city—or have friends who are—ask them to bring some back.

Especially well regarded are torrone from the Italian regions of Abruzzo and Sicily, and from the cities of Alba (in Piedmont), Cremona (in Lombardy) and Siena (in Tuscany) are especially renowned.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF TORRONE

Modern torrone may be derived from an ancient recipe or Roman or Arabic origin, possibly North Africa or Egypt. One source says that the first documented mentions of torrone come from the early Renaissance in Spain.

The record isn’t clear on either, but there is history that dates torrone the Renaissance.

The dessert was created in Cremona for the marriage of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti on October 25, 1441. Its shape, a long rectangle, was modeled after the city cathedral’s bell tower, the Torrazzo, after which it is thought to be named.

Following its introduction at the wedding, torrone was considered an elegant treat and was gifted at Christmas among affluent people.

Not surprisingly, torrone also became (and still is) a popular wedding favor.

Each year, the residents of Cremona celebrate the candy at La Festa del Torrone, an eight-day celebration in November that includes a reenactment of the legendary marriage.

Today, torrone is eaten after lunch and dinner from Christmas Day until January 6th, or Epiphany (although it is enjoyed year-round). If you don’t want to make it, buy it at a store that specializes in products from Italy.

Torrone is often served with an after-dinner amaro (bitters), a sambuca (a sweet anise-tasting digestivo), or a liquor, such as Strega [source].
 
 
TYPES OF TORRONE

Today, torrone is made throughout Italy. Each region has its own signature recipe.

There are two main types of torrone: hard and soft. The difference in the cooking time and the amount of egg whites used.

Both are made in large formats, sliced to order; in bars; or in individually wrapped pieces the size of hard candies. There are:

 
While both types of torrone are made of egg whites, nuts and sweeteners, recipes for both textures vary:

 
If your appetite is whetted and you don’t want to make your own, head to TorroneCandy.com.

Torrone can be purchased in a variety of forms including bars, cubes, rounds, blocks, and bite-sized pieces and comes in two types of consistency:
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE TORRONE

Although it’s very sticky and sometimes hard to handle, fresh, homemade torrone is delicious and enables you to create your signature recipe.

You can Americanize it by adding Heath Bar toffee bits, M&Ms, a peanut butter swirl, you name it.

This recipe from DeLallo uses a blend of almonds and hazelnuts, but you can use any blend or single nut you prefer. Just toast the nuts. Here’s how.

The recipe requires wafer paper, an edible paper that is flavorless (some have a vanilla flavouring) and dissolves in the mouth. It doesn’t affect the flavor of the food, but keeps sticky confections from sticking.

Here are more uses for wafer paper.

Ingredients For 10-12 Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the honey and sugar in a large glass bowl over a pot of water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. This is your double boiler. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When there are about 5 minutes left…

2. BEAT the egg whites and a small pinch of salt to stiff peaks using a stand mixer, hand mixer or whisk. Whisk the egg whites into the honey-sugar mixture, one whisk-full at a time, making sure to incorporate each whisk-full completely before adding more.

3. USE a wooden spoon and continue mixing for another 40-50 minutes, or until thickened: a ribbon of the mixture will stay on the back of the spoon for 5-7 seconds. Add the lemon and orange zests and the toasted nuts. Stir to combine.

4. LINE a baking pan with parchment paper, followed by a single layer of the wafer paper (trimmed as necessary). Add the torrone filling, smoothing the top out with a spatula. Then top with another piece or two of wafer paper.

5. PLACE a weight on top of the entire torrone, and set aside for 1-2 hours. If you don’t have pie weights, add a piece of parchment or foil to the top of the pan and fill with dried beans or loose change. You can also use a slightly smaller baking pan that will fit on top. Regardless of the method, protect the edible paper top with parchment.

6. REMOVE the weights and protective parchment or foil, turn the pan upside down on a board and cut the torrone into small rectangular pieces. Store it in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.

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*Tip: When a recipe needs only egg whites, consider buying a carton of already-separated whites.

[1] Homemade torrone. The recipe is below. Cut the pan into longitudinal strips, then cut individual pieces to your preference (photos #1 to #3 © DeLallo).

[2] Mixing the ingredients.

[3] There’s a delicious almond in every bite.

[4] Use the freshest almonds you can buy (photo © Good Eggs).

[4] Use the freshest almonds you can buy (photo © Good Eggs).

[5] Any mild honey will do (photo © National Honey Board).

[6] Get out the sugar bowl (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog). h gt