February 19th is National Chocolate Mint Day. You could grab a York Peppermint Pattie, or you could make this easy pie.

It contains both white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies, plus an Oreo cookie crumb crust.

The active time is 30 minutes, but it takes 6 hours to set in the fridge. So get started!

Note that, like a mousse, this recipe is not cooked. So if you have any health concerns, use Safest Choice pasteurized eggs.

HOLIDAY NOTE: If you make this during the holiday season, you can garnish it with miniature candy canes.
 
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PIE

Ingredients For 10 Servings

[2] Use round striped peppermint candies, unless you have a stash of candy canes (photo © Stock Exchange).

1. PLACE the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer at low speed. Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. REMOVE a half cup of the cream cheese mixture and set aside.

3. ADD the white chocolate to the sugar and eggs, beating on medium to combine. By hand, fold in the whipped cream. Gently stir in the peppermint and pour it into the pie crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile…

4. STIR the chocolate chips into the reserved 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture. Remove the pie from the refrigerator. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture over the pie. Spread to cover the pie, or use a knife to swirl chocolate. Freeze, covered, until firm.

5. GARNISH as desired and serve.
 
 
MORE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT RECIPES

If your family or guests don’t like the idea of “sashimi,” use the Italian word, for raw fish: crudo.

Our very favorite is to slice sea scallops in half and plate them a bit of EVOO, a splash of yuzu, a garnish of salmon caviar or tobiko, and if we have them, a sprinkle of microgreens or minced chives.

For a dinner party, with all the other demands of the kitchen, we like to start the meal with a flavorful appetizer that takes very little time to prepare.

It’s a great dish for warm or cold weather.

You can serve the scallops family-style on a platter, or individually plated. Either way, check out the garnishes below.

For wine: Sauvignon blanc is a favorite of ours; but also look at gewürtztraminer, grüner veltliner, pinot blanc or riesling. Big, oaky chardonnays need not apply.

Be sure to check out the recipe for Raw Scallops With Citrus, below.

Also below, the different parts of the scallop. (You learn something new every day!)
 
 
SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR RAW SCALLOPS

First, add some color. Pale scallops on a pale plate need some visual excitement. Think red and green accents. When trolling the produce aisles, look for bright colors.

 
Next, pick your dressing:

We like to put the dressing on the plate, and lay the scallops on top of it.

 
Depending on what you use, consider an optional lemon or lime wedge.

Onto our featured recipe. Because it’s winter as we write this, we’re going seasonal with beautiful citrus.

Any citrus works, but we especially like red grapefruit, blood orange (photo #6), and cara cara orange (photo #7). How about a medley of all three?
 
 
RECIPE: RAW SCALLOPS WITH CITRUS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PEEL the citrus and remove the pith. Slice the fruit into widths that will match the scallops (to the extent possible).

2. RINSE the scallops and slice horizontally. You can choose how thick or thin to slice them, but aim for four slices per scallop.

3. PLATE the fruit and scallops. Depending on their comparative sizes, you can plate them as shown in the photo, or place the scallops atop the sliced fruit.

4. DRIZZLE a small amount of the optional olive oil over the food, or in a circle or droplets around it. Sprinkle with sea salt and optional chili flakes. Garnish as desired (you can grate citrus zest over the dish, or sprinkle it around the rim of the plate) and serve.
 
 
KNOW YOUR SCALLOPS

Parts Of The Scallop

Scallops are bivalves, a class under the family Mollusca. Bivalvia is a group of sea or freshwater creatures that also includes clams, cockles, mussels, and oysters. They have no head, but consist of two shells attached by a hinge (photo #8).

There are three edible parts inside: the creamy-white muscle meat, the orange coral/roe, and the frilly membrane that encloses the muscle (photo #10).

Unless you buy live fresh scallops, you won’t see the coral or the membrane.

If you do see live scallops (typically at the coast), buy them to experience the other two parts that, sadly, get thrown away when the meat is removed (because they can’t be sold for more money than it costs in labor).

How To Buy Scallops

It’s always best to buy seafood the day you plan to use it. When you buy fresh scallops, they should have a clean scent, no “fishy” aroma.

The scallop meat also should be beige, not white.
 
Watch Out For STP

White scallops indicate treatment with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP). STP is a safe food additive that is used to prevent the scallops from drying out. A little STP is okay.

But if the scallops look artificially white and/or are oozing a milky liquid, they’ve been over-treated with STP. This is deliberate, because it increases the weight of the scallops by causing them to absorb excess water.

You want to pay for scallop meat, not water. Plus, if you cook them, over-treated scallops won’t brown when seared; and the delightful fresh flavor will be impacted. Another scallop-buying tip:

Watch Out For “Jumbo” Scallops

Avoid jumbo “scallops,” which are not scallops but less expensive skate wings. When scallops are in short supply (or for other unscrupulous reasons), fishmongers can punch round “scallops” from skate.

In addition to their large size, another giveaway is that the scallops look like they’re falling apart.

We like skate, but when you’re paying for scallops, be sure that’s what you get.

Scallop Nutrition

Scallops are low in calories: 31 calories per ounce, or just 93 calories for a three-ounce starter portion, which delivers 6 grams of protein.

Scallops are a very good source of phosphorus and selenium, and a good source of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Seafood does have a bit of cholesterol (15 mg/ounce), but no saturated fat. Enjoy!
 
 
> Check out the different types of fish and seafood in our glossary.
 
 
 
 
CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] The inspiration for this article, from The Wholesome Fork. [2] With a bright garnish from Fabulessly Frugal. [3] Ham and cheese roll from Mangia Bene Pasta. [4] Omelet roll with a side salad, from All Recipes. [5] A chunky pesto roll from A Little Bit Of Spice. [6] A Japanese-style steamed chicken omelet roll, from Yi Reservation.

Recently, we were reminded of one of our mother’s breakfast specialties: omelet rolls. She had two favorites: cream cheese and jelly, and cream cheese and smoked salmon.

We loved them, but the one food we can’t seem to make well is an omelet (sorry, can’t explain it). Personally, we’ve never seen rolled omelets at restaurants, except for sushi restaurants, which slice the plain pan-cooked egg “loaf,” tamago (literally, grilled egg; but often called egg custard) into pieces for sushi or sashimi.

When we landed on Esther Schultz’s website and saw the top photo, a re-visitation was required.

Esther’s inspiration was to make a wrap sandwich using eggs in place of bread. Her turkey arugula omelet roll, is below.

Esther prefers healthy recipes, so we’ll share her enthusiasm that “Just one of these turkey arugula omelet rolls contains a whopping 19 grams of protein. That is about the same amount of protein as you would find in 2 ounces of roast beef.

“The calorie count is just 173 calories, making it an excellent protein-rich snack, or a delicious lunch when paired with a salad.

“It is also a wonderfully child-friendly choice. You can let your children choose their own fillings and roll them themselves making them a fun, customizable lunch.

“And the best thing about them? They only take 10 minutes to prepare.”

They taste great at room temperature; and if you don’t like your omelet flipping skills, you can bake the omelet in a pan.

However you make them, if you slice them you can call them pinwheels.

IDEAS FOR FILLINGS

We like the idea of omelet rolls for brunch, or instead of (or in addition to) tea sandwiches, even as cocktail nibbles. The choice of fillings are endless. Consider pairing your favorite:

 
Next, consider:

 
For a light lunch, serve with:

 
RECIPE: TURKEY ARUGULA OMELET ROLL

Prep time is 5 minutes, cook time is 5 minutes.

Ingredients Per Roll

 
Preparation

1. WHISK the eggs with the salt and pepper.

2. HEAT a skillet over a medium heat with a splash of oil. Add the eggs and cook slowly without stirring. When the eggs are mostly set, gently flip the omelet and cook for another 30 seconds.

3. PLACE the omelet on a plate, topped with the turkey and arugula. Carefully roll the omelet, cut in half and serve.

________________

*Add a pinch of sugar instead of salt and pepper

George Washington never chopped down a cherry tree, but you can still celebrate his birthday (either on Presidents Day or his actual birthday, February 22nd) with something cherry.

National Chocolate Cherry Day is January 3rd.

Here, we have three recipes:

 
The first recipe was developed by Jen of the website Baked By An Introvert. She notes that “This recipe was inspired by my favorite candy, chocolate-covered cherries.”

The chocolate cupcakes have a “surprise” filling of cherry preserves, and the buttercream also has some cherry preserves for color and flavor. You can use plain buttercream if you prefer, tinted pink.

Before you start baking, make it a point to look at all the wonderful recipes on BakedByAnIntrovert.com.

> The history of cherries.
 
 
RECIPE #1: CHOCOLATE CHERRY CUPCAKES

Prep time is 20 minutes, cook time is 20 minutes.

Ingredients For 20 Cupcakes

 
For The Buttercream Frosting

[1] Pretty as a picture: chocolate cherry cupcakes from Baked By An Introvert (photo © Baked By An Introvert).

[2] If you want to play against the cherry filling, tint plain buttercream pink or make this pink champagne frosting recipe from Wicked Good Kitchen (photo © Wicked Good Kitchen).

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F, line 12 muffin cups with paper liners (or 20 muffin cups, if you have two pans). Set aside.

2. BEAT in a large bowl until fluffy the oil, butter, and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. In a separate bowl…

3. WHISK together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add it to the wet ingredients, along with the milk. First, add some of the dry mixture, then some milk, then some dry mixture, repeating as necessary and beating after each addition. The contents should be well blended.

4. SPOON 2 tablespoons of batter into each paper cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (with only a few dry crumbs). Remove the cupcakes from the pan(s), and cool completely on a wire rack. When cool…

5. CUT a small well in the top center of each cupcake, using the point of a sharp knife. Fill but don’t stuff the well with cherry preserves, and replace the top portion of the cupcake. (Nibble on the well pieces you’ve removed, or keep them in a plastic snack bag to toss onto ice cream or yogurt.)

6. MAKE the frosting. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar; then beat in the cream until the frosting reaches your desired spreading consistency. Then beat in the preserves or food color to tint pink. Garnish and serve.

TIP FROM JEN: If the frosting becomes too loose or curdled looking, add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting comes together again.
 

[4] It’s more than dipping fruit: You create the almond-nuanced syrup inside the chocolate shell, too (photo courtesy Choclatique).

[5] Finish with homemade cherry liqueur (photo courtesy Balkan Lunch Box).

RECIPE #2: CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY CORDIALS

Making chocolate-covered cherries is as easy as dipping strawberries or other fruit in chocolate: Melt the chocolate, dip the fruit and let dry.

However, if you want to make cherry cordials—with the cherry floating in syrup, here’s a recipe Taste Of Home (photos #3 and 4).

Prep time is 25 minutes plus chilling.

Ingredients For 36 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the sugar, butter, milk, and extract in a small bowl. Knead until smooth and pliable. Shape into 1-inch balls and flatten each into a 2-inch circle.

2. WRAP one circle around each cherry and lightly roll in your hands. Place with stems up on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

3. MELT the chocolate and shortening in the microwave; stirring until smooth (the shortening helps the chocolate adhere to the cherry). Holding onto the stems, dip the cherries into the chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. Place them waxed paper until the chocolate is set. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate for 1-2 weeks before serving, to allow the flavors to meld.
 
 
RECIPE #3: MAKE CHERRY LIQUEUR

You can’t have it today; it takes 40 days to infuse (photo #5).

But here’s how, from Balkan Lunchbox.

You may need to wait until cherry season to buy the cherries. We haven’t tried it with frozen cherries.

Check out the photos and video. For a quick look at the recipe:
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. DE-STEM the sour cherries. Get rid of damaged ones. Wash the remaining, de-stemmed cherries.

3. POUR in the brandy, as much brandy as the jar can take. This process may take a few minutes. If space allows, add more sugar on top, and fasten the lid.

4. TAKE the jar outside, and leave it in direct sunlight (or in a place with a lot of light) for about 40 days or 6 weeks. Every 4-5 days take a spatula with a long handle and mix the sugar and sour cherries well. You may need to remove a few cherries from the top in order to mix thoroughly. Return the cherries to the jar and fasten the lid. After 40 days…

5. STRAIN the brandy into glass bottles. Serve it with dessert, with coffee, or as an aperitif. Keep the remaining sour cherries to use in a dessert.
 
 

Mardi Gras 2017 falls on Tuesday, February 28. It always falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Celebrating the Carnival season, Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) has been a state holiday in Louisiana since the 19th century.

The Milk Punch recipe is below. But first:
 
 
WHAT’S MARDI GRAS?

The Carnival season begins on or after the Epiphany or Kings Day (January 6th), and culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday refers to the practice of eating richer, fatty foods the last night before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning “confess.” But the idea of rich foods is far more appealing.

Why “Carnival?”

Centuries ago, Catholics in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. It stuck, engendering huge Carnival events elsewhere, including New Orleans and Rio de Janiero.

In New Orleans, parades and other celebrations begin the extended weekend before, starting Friday, February 24th.

You don’t have to go all-out to celebrate, or even prepare a Jambalaya Bar for friends and family.

Instead, invite them to drop by for a slice of King Cake, a glass of milk punch, or both.

You can buy a King Cake—the traditional Mardi Gras buttery yeasted sweet cake, or make one with the excellent mix kit from King Arthur Flour. It includes the yeast cake mix, almond paste, white icing mix and decorating sugars.

BYO plastic baby: Per, tradition the person who gets the piece of cake with the baby (or coin, or other token) gets good luck all year!

IMPORTANT: Never bake anything plastic in a cake; it will melt and render the cake inedible (and for all we know, it can catch fire). The technique is: after the cake is baked and still warm (and more pliable), insert the good luck token into the cake from the underside, before icing.

Here’s more on the history of King Cake.
 
 
TO DRINK: MILK PUNCH

Milk punch is in the category of drinks made with milk or cream: Brandy Alexander, Classic Ramos Gin Fizz, Grasshopper, Irish Coffee, Mudslide, Pink Squirrel, White Russian, and many others (hey—another idea for a themed cocktail party: cream-based cocktails).

[1] These King Cakes (photos #1, #2 and #3) were made from a kit from King Arthur Flour (photos © King Arthur Flour).

FOOD TRIVIA: Sugar was added to cocktails to cover up the taste of the alcohol, as was milk.
 

[4] You can serve milk punch in whatever glasses you have (photo © Michelle Banovic | Atwood Hotel | Chicago.

[5] Don’t forget the nutmeg. We have a special nutmeg grater (like a peppermill for nutmeg); but you can use your Microplane (photo © McCormick).

[6] You don’t need expensive Cognac for this recipe—although if you have the palate, go for it. Instead, you can use regular brandy (photo © E. J. Brandy).

MILK PUNCH HISTORY

Milk punch was popularized in the 17th century by Aphra Behn, one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing. At the time, all types of punch were served from a punch bowl.

The milk punch of the era was made with cream curdled with lemon juice. Those recipes gave way to milk punches that use(d) fresh milk or cream, like egg nog—which is a milk punch enriched with eggs.

Milk punches—egg nog or other—became holiday and celebratory traditions (for example, Mardi Gras).

In modern-day New Orleans, milk punches vie as brunch drinks with the Bloody Mary, created in 1940 in New York City (Bloody Mary history).

There are as many recipes for milk punch as for anything else, but for Mardi Gras we serve up the recipe from Brennan’s, a favorite New Orleans restaurant since 1946.

For a 17th-century-type recipe, try Benjamin Franklin’s recipe. He used brandy and included lots of lemon juice (which curdled the milk).
 
 
MILK PUNCH RECIPES

This, and other cognac-based milk punches, often use Napoleon brandy, a designation for a brandy or cognac aged at least five years. Feel free to use VSOP; with all the cream and sugar, the nuances of the Napoleon will be covered up.

If you don’t like or don’t have brandy, you can substitute bourbon, rum, whiskey and even tequila.
 

RECIPE #1: BRENNAN’S BRANDY MILK PUNCH

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Plus

Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

2. SHAKE vigorously and pour into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with nutmeg.
 
 
RECIPE #2: BRANDY MILK PUNCH

Here’s a recipe from New Orleans Online that uses more milk and less sugar.

Ingredients Per Drink

1. COMBINE the brandy, milk, and sugar with the ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, and shake until frothy (about 1 minute).

2. STRAIN into a double-old fashioned glass filled with cracked ice. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

________________

*Some people prefer gin, tequila or other spirit.

†We prefer less sweetness, so reduce the simple syrup.

‡Cognac must be made in the Cognac region of France, while brandy can be made anywhere in the world. Otherwise, there is no technical difference; both are distilled from wine grapes. While there are many good brandies, Cognac is considered the superior spirit. Here’s a review of 14 top brandies.