[2] Creepy Bonne Bouche (for Halloween, it’s Bone Bouche).


3] Got brains? Coupole cheese is one big brain.

4] Cremont, dripping with honey.

Something wrinkled this way comes…with a beautiful Halloween Cheese Board from Vermont Creamery.

What are a cheese connoisseur’s fantasy for most of the year become creepy cheeses for Halloween.

Wrinkled, moldy and dusted with ash, these geotricum-rinded cheeses are a perfect cheese treat for the holiday (along with some wine, hard cider or beer, of course).

Geotricum candidum is a yeast—not a bacterium, fungus or mold, as is often written. Call it “geo” for short.

Geo is in the air around us, and under the right conditions, it grows on a fresh cheese to develop an opaque rind that wrinkled as it ages.*

Many of the traditional cheeses of France are made with geotricum rinds. The yeast is used to make the non-wrinkled rinds (no “brain” texture) on cheeses such as Camembert, Saint-Nectaire and Tomme de Savoie.

In the U.S., geo cheeses have been called ghostly little cheeses, franken-rinds, and beautiful brains—the highest of compliments on All Hallows’ Eve.

They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky…and delicious.

Yes, you eat the rind.
 
 
MORE HALLOWEEN CHEESES

Not a goat cheese fan?

Check out this article for spooky cheeses:

 
Also consider:

 
MORE HALLOWEEN CHEESES RECIPES

*On the down side, the mold also acts as a plant pathogen, causing sour rot on carrots, nectarines, peaches and tomatoes.
________________
 
PUTTING TOGETHER A HALLOWEEN CHEESES BOARD

1. Start with a selection of frightful cheeses. If you’re not a goat cheese fan (maybe you’ve never had one as good as Vermont Creamery’s?), see the “More Halloween Cheeses’ paragraph above for other suggestions.

2. Set the tone with a dark cheese board. We love the “gravestone” look of a gray slate board (see photos above).

3. Add pairings such as dark olives (especially wrinkled ones), dark dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, raisins) and toasted pumpkin seeds. Slices of dark rye bread and crackers studded with dried fruit and seeds suit the scary season.

4. Decorate with dried moss and these simple DIY ghostly maple leaves (or oak, or elm, etc.) from the wonderfully creative folks at Sweet Paul.

5. Drip some honey (consider spicy honey!) over the edges for more creepiness. This works best with one board or platter that sits on top of a larger one, so the honey drip has a neat landing spot.

6. Place the crackers and breads around the larger platter.

The Craft Beer Association has applied its expertise to pizza pairing.

Why not? Wine connoisseurs match the flavors of wines to dishes, to the nth degree (we know: we’re one of them!).

Their chart below can be hard to read, so here’s our adaptation of the recommendations…

…along with our recommendation for a tasting party (photo #2).

While you may not be able to taste all six pairings at once, break down the list, perhaps into pairs: two pizzas, four beers.

See what you think about the recommended beer pairings, versus the other two beers.

The Different Types Of Beers
 
 
PIZZA & BEER PAIRINGS

1. CLASSIC CHEESE PIZZA

 
2. MEAT LOVERS PIZZA

 
3. MUSHROOM PIZZA

 
4. ROAST VEGETABLES & OLIVES

[1] Plain cheese pizza with a Pilsner (photo courtesy Men’s Fitness).

[2] Tasting different beers with the same pie at Bowery-St.

 
6. MEAT & HEAT

 
Have fun with it!
 
 

[2] You can top your pizza with anything you like—just as with a wheat crust. This Shrimp Caesar Salad pizza is from HealthyMood_SF | Instagram.

[3] Kevita Master Brew kombucha has great flavor plus probiotic benefits (photo courtesy KeVita).

Typically, we have a weekly Top Pick and runners up.

But we feel so strongly about all four of this week’s picks—all “good for you” options—that we declare a four-way tie.

The products are presented in alphabetical order.
 
 
1. CALI’FLOUR FOODS

If you miss conventional pizza because of a diet plan, check out Cali’Flour, gluten-free pizza crusts made from…fresh cauliflower! (The business is based in California; hence, Cali’Flour.)

Add cheese and your favorite toppings, pop the pizza into the oven, and you’ll soon snack or dine on a crisp, totally satisfying low-carb, low-glycemic pizza.

You can also use the crusts more creatively, for example, to make gluten-free grilled cheese sandwiches and panini.

The all-natural, grain-free crusts have 60 calories and 1 net carb per serving, and are hand-crafted from simple, fresh ingredients: vegetables, mozzarella, eggs, basil. There is no added sugar.

There are three Cali’flour options:

 
There are also gift cards.

Order yours at CaliflourFoods.com.
 
 
2. KEVITA MASTER BREW KOMBUCHA

KeVita, known for its artisan fermented, probiotic, kombucha beverages, are a delight to drink. Made with green and black teas, they’re naturally energizing, with organic caffeine and kombucha green and black tea.

Effervescent, light and delicious, they’re also good for you.

We recently received samples of four new energizing Master Brew Kombucha flavors, available at retailers nationwide:

 
We liked them all, but the Citrus gave us such refreshing energy, we went out purchased a dozen bottles.

The company says that Kevita Master Brew Kombucha has six times more beneficial organic acids than leading brands.

Each bottle 450-ml bottle contains more than 4 billion colony-forming units of live probiotics, 80 milligrams of organic caffeine and 20% of the daily value of B vitamins.

Even better for the casual kombucha drinker: It’s just 35 calories per 8-ounce serving.

For those who avoid even tiny amounts of alcohol, the line carries Verified Non-Alcoholic certification. It is also certified organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and vegan.

Discover more at KeVita.com.

Coffee lovers who find themselves diagnosed with acid reflux, heartburn, ulcers and other stomach issues typically get a “no coffee” directive from their healthcare professionals.

The acids in coffee irritate the condition (see more about this below). And while we’ve tried Coffig (a caffeine-free, acid-free product made from roasted figs) that is pretty satisfying, it’s close but not the same.

Lucky sufferers: You now have Trücup low acid coffee. (EDITOR’S NOTE: The company spells it trücup, without an initial capital letter. THE NIBBLE doesn’t use that format: To editors, a proper name with no initial cap looks like a typo.)

We tried two of the five low-acid blends, and pronounce them to be excellent cups of coffee. You might not notice that the acid has been removed, unless you specifically seek a cup of coffee with that bitter edge. Removing the acid makes the brew very smooth and rich, a bonus for some people.

As a drinker of black, French Roast coffee, we loved Trücup.

Premium coffee beans from the best growing regions are blended; then, using a natural, proprietary process, the stomach-upsetting acids are removed.

There are five low-acid options:

 
There are bags of ground coffee and K-cups.

There’s also a decaf, Fake It To The Limit; but it’s not low acid. Evidently, you can create decaf or low acid coffee, but not both.

Order your Trücup at Trucup.com.
 
To set the scientific record straight about the acidity of coffee:

According to an article in Scientific American, the acidity of the coffee itself doesn’t cause stomach distress. Coffee’s pH is similar to potatoes.

It’s the gastric acid secreted by the stomach cells in response to the coffee acids, chlorogenic acid and caffeine, stimulate the secretion of gastric acid. Here’s more about it.
 
 
4. VEESTRO VEGAN MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE

We don’t typically review meal plan services, and we’re not vegan.

But Veestro is a great delivery service for those carnivores and pescatarians who want to eat more sustainably. A few vegan meals a week is no sacrifice, especially when they are delicious as those from Veestro.

We only tried a few items, but were ready to head to the store and buy more—until we realized they were subscription only.

You choose what you want. Order a few items à la carte, or sign up for a plan. Give a subscription as a gift.

Fully prepared, hand-crafted meals arrive on your doorstep, in eco-friendly packaging. Just heat up (as needed), and dig in.

For all friends and family reading this: Send us as many Ahimi™ Poke Bowls as you like. We’re addicted and can’t wait to clear out the freezer so we can lay in even more.

By the way, the vegan tuna sashmi, delicious and sustainable, is the first-of-its-kind alternative to raw tuna. Along with other vegan sushi and sashimi, it was created by Ocean Hugger Foods, based in New York City.

There are gluten-free and kosher options as well. Check them out at Veestro.com.

[5] K-cup users: Trücup’s got you covered (photo courtesy Trücup).

[6] Our latest passion: a vegan poke bowl (it’s called “Ahimi”) from Veestro.

[7] Country-fried Chick’n is one of 50 Veestro options.

The Mexican holiday, El Día De Los Muertos, is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. A celebration of the Life and Death of loved ones who have passed over to the other side, it has many festive traditions to honor them.

One we rarely see in mainstream U.S. food stores is pan de muerto (also also called pan de los muertos, bread of the dead). Pan de muerto is eaten on the holiday: at gravesite picnics, or in front of the home altar to the deceased.

These sweet yeast loaves or rolls are fragrant with anise seed, orange zest (sometimes orange blossom water) and cinnamon, and are topped with sugar. Since the deceased can’t eat the food, the aromatic ingredients enable them to enjoy the scent.

In some regions the breads are decorated with bone-shaped pieces of dough, which represent the deceased. They are usually placed in a circle to portray the circle of life.

Loaves may also be shaped into skulls, animals or even shaped to resemble the deceased.

A tear drop can also be added to represent the Aztec goddess Chimalma’s tears for the living (El Día De Los Muertos derives from an Aztec tradition).

Another tradition is for the baker to wear decorated wrist bands, originally worn to protect his/her wrists from the hot stove or oven.

Different regions have different traditions, as do individual families. In some regions, pan de muertos is eaten beginning two months or so before the official holiday.

During the holiday, everyone eats pan de muerto as well as the deceased’s favorite foods.

Today’s tip: Look for the bread in Latin American food stores. If there are none near you, consider baking your own, with your own touches, using the recipe below as a starter.

 
RECIPE: PAN DE MUERTOS

This recipe (photo #1) was developed by Dionne Baldwin of Try Anything Once Culinary for Zulka sugar.

The strips of dough that run vertically around the bread resembles the bones. See the illustration below for all significant elements.

(A mini-tip: At THE NIBBLE, we use Zulka sugar exclusively. It’s minimally processed; and if you use sugar as a topping (e.g. on cereal or atop baked goods), you can taste the difference.)

Prep time is 3 hours 20 minutes, cook time is 35 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 3 Loaves

 
Preparation

1. ADD the sugar and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer add. Mix for 30 seconds using the paddle attachment. Add in the anise seeds, salt and flour.

2. COMBINE the water and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds, then test with a thermometer to make sure the temperature is at 90°F or lower. Add the yeast and stir together. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Then pour the milk and yeast mixture into the dry ingredients along with the eggs, butter and orange juice.

[2]With a bit of dexterity, your dough can resemble bones (recipe, using orange blossom water, from UVC Blog).

[3] This version leaves off the sugar topping (photo courtesy Hot Bread Kitchen).

[4] A variation with a sesame seed garnish (here’s the recipe from the New York Times).

[5] A variation shaped like a skull, with colored sugar (here’s the recipe from Epicurious).

3. MIX everything together on low using the dough hook. Once the ingredients are combined, knead for 8 minutes. Add the flour 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should be tacky, sticky, but not coming off on your finger when you poke it. The dough should roll on the bottom of the bowl without sticking.

4. LIGHTLY OIL a clean bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for two hours or until the dough doubles in size. After rising, gently punch down the dough and remove from the bowl. Turn out onto a clean, dry flat surface to form the loaves.

5. DIVIDE the dough into three equal pieces. Pull off a handful of dough from each piece and set the handfuls aside. Form each large piece into a ball by pulling the sides down and pinching together underneath the dough ball.

6. FORM each large piece of dough into a ball by pulling the sides down and pinching together underneath the dough ball.

7. RETURN to the handfuls of dough set aside. Make the pieces that cross over the bread to resemble bones with a ball for the top. Pull off a small piece from each handful and roll into a long strip for each loaf. Cut the strip into 2-3 pieces, long enough to stretch from one side of the loaf to the other, tucking the ends underneath. Lay the pieces on top of the loaf, crossing in the center. Do the same with the last two handfuls. Leave the small dough balls aside for now.

8. PLACE the formed loaves on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and let them rise in a warm place for an hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

9. PLACE one of the small balls atop of each loaf. Press down on top of each ball with your palm, pushing it into the loaves.

10. BRUSH room temperature water on top of each loaf. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is a light brown color. Remove from the oven and let the loaves cool on a wire rack.

11. BRUSH melted butter on top of the cooled loaves and sprinkle sugar on top.
 
 

An explanation of the tradition from UVC Blog.

[2] Halloween-ify it with season Oreos (photo Walmart).

[3] Trade the flower lollipop for chocolate spooky pops (photo Melville Candy).

October 28th is National Chocolate Day, and pastry chefs nationwide are outdoing themselves.

Most of the recipes sent to us are beyond the skill of home cooks, but we found something fun from The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.

There, from the Yardbird Southern Table, we received a more sophisticated version of that childhood favorite, dirt cake.

Dirt cake is an American invention made from crushed Oreo cookies and pudding, to create edible earth or mud. The garnish is gummy worms, figuratively inching their way through the dirt. (See the history of dirt cake below.)
It’s a simple dessert, whether made by Mom or a pastry chef. Each cook can add a spin:

 
 
RECIPE: MISSISSIPPI MUD FLOWER POT ICE CREAM CAKE

The Venetian’s version is essentially a flowerpot ice cream cake: ice cream, nuts, Marshmallow Fluff, chocolate cake. The Fluff is used to create the lollipop, but you can use it as a layer inside the dish.

If you have the patience to do that (we don’t), great. Otherwise, buy a flower lollipop.

We also purchased a chocolate pound cake loaf instead of baking a chocolate cake.

Ingredients Per Serving

Preparation

1. CRUMBLE the cake and pat into the bottom of the dish. Add the optional candy layer.

2. CRUSH the Oreos and pecans into fine crumbs using a food processor. Alternatively, place the cookies in a re-sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside.

3. ADD the layer of ice cream on top of the cake. Cover with the Oreo-pecan “dirt.”

4. ADD the lollipop and garnish with gummy worms and/or mint leaves.
 
To Make The Marshmallow Lollipops

Whisk 1 cup of Marshmallow fluff in a bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then create six circles and join them into a flower shape on a lollipop stick (photo #1). Color with a sprinkle of decorator sugar. Let harden.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF DIRT CAKE

Here’s the chronology thanks to Food Timeline.

Recipes evolve over time. Dirt cake evolved from Mississippi Mud Pie, which dates to the mid-1960s.

Likely culinary ancestors are Elizabethan-era Trifle (cake and whipped cream), 19th century Viennese torts, 1900s double fudge brownies, 1920s Black Bottom Pie, and 1950s novelty ice cream cakes.

The earliest print reference suggests it was concocted by the wife of a rising star chef based in Long Beach, California, circa 1965.

Perhaps she was inspired perhaps by Mud Pie and gummy worms, the latter a relatively new candy phenomenon imported from Europe (the history of gummy candy).

The Mud Pie, also known as Mississippi Mud Pie and Louisiana Mud Pie, was originally a no-bake, frozen, fudge-topped or -swirled ice cream pie in a chocolate cookie crumb pie crust.

The minute a recipe gets into a cook’s hands, there’s a chance that changes will be made. With Mud Pie today, ice cream flavors vary; some recipes incorporate marshmallow or whipped cream. “Adult” versions are laced with liqueur.

Mud Pie became a phenomenon in 1970s, when it hit mainstream restaurants such as The Chart House restaurant chain. It became a “signature” dessert during the chocoholic 1980s.”

The concept evolved into a children’s dessert, dirt cake, garnished with gummy worms.

Mud Cake, a baked dessert, came later.