[1] Seedless lemons from The Wonderful Company are a boon to bakers, cooks, and everyone who likes a squeeze of lemon on food and in drinks (both photos © Wonderful Citrus).

[2] Look for this label in your grocery store.

[3] Why squeeze pits along with the lemon juice (photo © The Fillmore | NYC [since closed])?

[4] Who wants to sip around the pits (photo © Raw Pixel | Pexels).

We love lemon: not just lemon-flavored foods and drinks, but the slices, wedges, or halves served with foods and drinks.

When baking and cooking, 79% of responders to a survey* say they use lemons as an ingredient, and 73% use lemons for making drinks.

There’s nothing like a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to perk up:

 
But oh, those pits! Who wants to pick them out of the food, or suck them up from a glass?

A whopping 83% of those surveyed said they were likely to purchase seedless lemons.

And now, you can buy seedless lemons!
 
 
A BETTER LEMON

The Wonderful Company—sellers of POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Pistachios and more—has introduced Wonderful Seedless Lemons, a naturally seedless, Non-GMO Project Verified variety of lemon.

Wonderful Seedless Lemons, now rolling out in produce aisles at grocery stores nationwide and online at Amazon Fresh, is a welcome upgrade.

 
They’re also a boon for chefs. “…if you’ve ever seen the face of a prep chef who’s been told to slice and seed a carton of lemons, you can imagine the potential,” says L.A. Times writer David Karp.

The only fly in the lemon juice is that seedless lemons will command a 50% premium over regular lemons.

But now that we’re headed into the biggest cooking and entertaining weeks of the year, don’t you deserve them?

(And while the holiday season doesn’t coincide with the introduction of Wonderful Seedless Lemons, mark your calendar for August 29th, National Lemon Juice Day.)
 
 
THE HISTORY OF WONDERFUL SEEDLESS LEMONS

While other fruits have been bred to be seedless, the standard lemon varieties such as Eureka and Lisbon have been hard to crossbreed into a seedless variety†.

The Wonderful Seedless Lemon was created in Queensland, Australia by a farmer who set out to create a seedless lemon using innovative breeding techniques‡.

After a number of years, he finally found a seedless lemon tree in his orchard and began to grow them commercially.

The Wonderful Company procured the exclusive North American rights to grow them, and Wonderful Seedless Lemons are now being introduced in the U.S. and Canada.

For more information, visit WonderfulSeedlessLemons.com.
 
 
HOW TO GET MORE JUICE FROM A LEMON & WAYS TO USE THE JUICE
 
8 MORE USES FOR LEMON JUICE

*Results of a third-party study commissioned by The Wonderful Company that surveyed lemon buyers nationwide.

†It’s because both lemons closely derive from one ancestor, a natural hybrid of citron and sour orange that originated thousands of years ago in northeastern India. Thus, new attributes from the DNA cross-breeding is limited./span>

Almost all true lemons contain seeds, and although the number varies greatly from a few to dozens, depending on season and pollination, there’s no way to tell from the outside how many pips (the word for small, hard seeds) lie within.

Some lemon trees occasionally develop natural mutations which can be seedless. Some 25 years ago, a few California growers planted a mutant variety called Seedless Lisbon that came from Australia. However, on average it bore a quarter less fruit than standard seeded lemons, so was not economically viable.

Other growers around the world have attempted to grow seedless lemons, but until now, the seedless varieties proved insufficiently productive or shapely to compete with regular lemons [source].

‡For food geeks, here’s how it was done by the originator, 2PH Farms: Starting in the late 1990s with Eureka lemon bud sticks, wood for grafting was treated with gamma irradiation to induce mutations that rendered their progeny seedless. But of course, it took years of experimenting to get to commercially viable seedless lemons.
  

Order quickly if you want this wonderful “Advent calendar”: Only 150 sets were made (photo #1).

Unlike the old-fashioned Advent calendar where little doors were opened to reveal the day’s treat (photo #3), Woodhouse Chocolate’s 2019 version puts each treat in a separate, reusable tin.

Each tin contains a wonderful chocolate surprise: hand-decorated chocolate figures, filled chocolates, hot chocolates, barks and mendiants (photo #2).

The red gift box contains 25 tins, one for each day from December 1st through Christmas. The high-end box, with a magnetic closure, can be (and should be!) repurposed.
 
GET YOURS NOW

To celebrate the Advent and count down each day with a wonderful array of Woodhouse chocolates, head to WoodhouseChocolate.com.
 
 
BEER & WINE ADVENT CALENDAR

Today, most Advent calendars are made for children: large and festive rectangles of printed cardboard with a different window to be opened on each of the 24 days. The more elaborate versions have a small gift behind each door or drawer: a charm, a tiny toy, a piece of candy.

But now there are also alcoholic versions. You can find beer Advent calendars at Aldi supermarkets and at Costco.

There’s a wine Advent calendar with 24 compartments of wine from WSJ Wines.

And here’s a selection of Advent calendars with beer, spirits and wine, recommended by Town & Country Magazine.
 
 
WHAT’S AN ADVENT CALENDAR?

Advent is from the Latin word adventus, means “coming.” It’s a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, on Christmas Day.

A tradition begun by Lutherans in Germany, the first known Advent calendar dates to 1851. Its purpose: to count down the 24 days of December until Christmas.

Most Advent calendars begin on December 1st, regardless of when Advent is celebrated in any particular year (it’s the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas, which can range from November 27th to December 3rd).

Early Advent calendars were handmade. Some were strictly religious in nature; others were secular.

Some involved affixing colored pictures to a piece of cardboard. Children’s versions had pieces of candy affixed to cardboard. Some have been handed down as treasured family heirlooms.

The first printed Advent calendar was published in 1908, and the now-familiar versions followed, with windows that opened out of the cardboard to reveal a religious image, inspirational photo or, for children, a treat or a coin.

[1] Woodhouse Chocolate’s elegant Advent calendar (photos #1 and #2 © Woodhouse Chocolate).

[2] Mendiants are bars or disks of chocolate studded with nuts and dried fruits, with a religious significance. Here’s the scoop.

[3] An old-fashioned Advent calendar. Each door reveals a small toy or piece of candy (photo © Neiman-Marcus).

[1] Turn snack mix into party bars, with this recipe from Hannah Kaminsky’s new book, Sweet Vegan Treats (photo © Hannah Kaminsky).

[2] Turn a party mix into the party bars above (photo © Chex).

[3] A book for anyone interested in vegan desserts. including kosher and lactose-intolerant eaters),

We love this recipe from NIBBLE contributor Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog.

It ports the concept of a party mix (like Chex Mix) to a snack bar. Says Hannah:

“Don’t drag out that tired old bag of snack mix; whip up a festive batch of bars liable to become the life of the party!

“This sweet and salty treat takes shape as grabbable, munchable squares, rather than a handful of loose munchies, leaving less mess to collect between sofa cushions the next day.

“Make it for a movie night, a game of Scrabble, video games, or just for hanging out with friends.”

This recipe comes from Hannah’s new book, Sweet Vegan Treats.

You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy every one of them. People who are kosher or lactose intolerant will also enjoy these non-dairy recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: “PARTY MIX” BARS

Non-vegans can use regular butter instead of vegan butter.

If you want a nut-free recipe, substitute crispy dry roasted chickpeas and/or soybeans (edamame) instead.

Ingredients For 20 To 24 Bars

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the pretzels, both types of cereal and nuts in a large bowl. Liberally coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set both aside.

2. SET a medium saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Once it has liquefied, add the sugar and syrup, stirring as necessary until the sugar crystals dissolve.

3. TURN up the heat and bring the mixture to a steady boil. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until it appears to have thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla. Pour the contents over the dry mix and fold it in carefully but briskly, being careful not to crush the cereal.

4. POUR everything into the prepared pan and gently press it out into an even layer. Let it cool completely before cutting into bars.

Because Thanksgiving is the American holiday, we always serve American wines.

If you pour just one white wine and one red wine at Thanksgiving, that’s O.K.

But for those who want to up their wine-pairing game, the folks at Cameron Hughes Wine (photo #3) have put together a Thanksgiving food and wine pairing guide and an explanation of their choices.

Cameron Hughes focuses on value wines: good wines for $12 to $18 a bottle. He does it by not owning his own vineyards, but instead purchasing grapes directly from growers.

Check out all the wines from Cameron Hughes.
 
 
HOW MANY WINES ARE “TOO MANY?”

If you think the following amount of wine is “too much” for one Thanksgiving meal…well, it depends on how much of a foodaholic you are. We’ve been serving six different types of wine with big dinners for decades.
 
1. Apéritif & All-Purpose White: Chardonnay

For those who want a white wine aperitif, Chardonnay is a popular choice. At the table, it pairs with all the traditional dishes. It really shines with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, which is why it’s also the go-to for vegetarian meals.

2. Turkey: Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the go-to wine for the main course. It is the perfect pairing for turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. If you choose one wine for the dinner table, make it Pinot Noir.

3. Beef: Cabernet Sauvignon

If your Thanksgiving dinner includes prime rib, Cabernet Sauvignon is a heartier wine that stands up to beef, and more substantial dishes and sides like stuffing with especially with sausage or dishes with spicy ingredients like chiles.

4. Beef, Ham & Turkey: Zinfandel

Zinfandel is the happy medium when serving turkey or a roast, and is also a perfect pairing with ham. Its spiciness complements ham’s cloves and a sweet or savory glaze.

5. Seafood & All-Purpose White: Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris (pee-no gree) can be your white wine aperitif, or wine of choice for anyone who only drinks whites. But it shines with shellfish dishes, especially those with olive oil. Its acidity cuts through the rich fats and enhances the crustacean flavors.

6. Apéritif & All-Purpose White: Albariño

This grape from Spain is not as well-known in the U.S., but is is now being planted by more American growers. It is an excellent aperitif, a touch more aromatic than Pinot Gris. It’s an excellent alternative to Pinot Gris for seafood.

7. Dessert

There are fewer dessert wines made in the U.S., but your wine store’s clerk can help you here. If not, look for a Late Harvest Riesling, Ice Wine, Orange Muscat, or one of our favorites, Bonny Doon’s Viognier Vin de Glacière.

In Vino Veritas, and for Thanksgiving, In Vino American Veritas.
 
 
>>>CHAMPAGNE PAIRINGS FOR THANKSGIVING<<<

[1] So much to eat, so many wines to pair (photo © Aldi).

[2] There’s even a wine for pumpkin pie and other Thanksgiving desserts (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[3] If your crowd are wine enthusiasts, treat them to wine pairings for Thanksgiving (photo © Cameron Hughes).

[1] You can serve either gnocchi or tortellini in his rich pumpkin soup (photos #1 and #2 © DeLallo).

[2] If you like, substitute tortellini for the gnocchi in the photo.

[3] Flash-fried sage leaves. Here’s the recipe (photo © Saveur Magazine).

This bowl of soup is hearty enough to be the main course at lunch or dinner, with a green salad.

It’s gnocchi in a bowl of thick, silky pumpkin cream soup (here are the different types of soup).

The soup is a creamy pumpkin purée with fresh sage and bacon. The gnocchi are topped with grated parmesan.

“It’s like autumn in a bowl” says DeLallo, creator of the recipe.

You can buy the gnocchi or, if you’re a hand at pasta-making, make it with this kit from DeLallo.

We bought ours, and we also bought some pumpkin tortellini to try it both ways. Both were great!

You may wish to serve the soup with crusty bread and a dish of olive oil for dipping.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN SOUP WITH BACON, SAGE & GNOCCHI

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BOIL a large pot of salted water to cook the gnocchi or tortellini.

2. HEAT a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes.

2. REMOVE the bacon, set aside and pour in the vermouth. As the alcohol simmers, scrape up any crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula (these bits are known as the fond*). Let the vermouth reduce by roughly half, about 3 minutes. With the pot on medium-high heat…

3. ADD the onions to the pot and cook until translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock, stirring until thoroughly until combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. ADD the cream to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the sage, pepper and bacon. Then add the vinegar and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the gnocchi to the soup and serve with the sage leaves. When the soup is brought to the table:

5. PASS around the parmesan cheese so people can choose how much they’d like. We prefer to pass around a wedge of parmesan and a hand grater for the fun of grating one’s own—and also because freshly-grated cheese tastes better.

Parmesan is salty so this recipe has no salt added, and chicken stock is salted as well. You may wish to have a salt shaker on the table for those who want more.

________________

*Fond is the French word for bottom, indicating food which sticks to the bottom of the pot and has to be scraped off to be eaten.