You may think of meringue as cookies, or dessert cups that hold fruit or mousse, like vacherins or pavlovas*. It can also be made into a cake layer (dacquoise), or float, freshly beaten, in a sea of creme anglaise.

The Difference Between Pavlova & Vacherin

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert or formed into a crisp shell. It is filled with fresh fruit, ice cream, mousse and/or whipped cream.

Vacherin is also made of crisp meringue, but typically formed into layers that are filled with almond paste, fruits, ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Essendially, they use the same ingredients, but style them differently.

(Note that vacherin is also the name of a cow’s milk cheese made in France and Switzerland).
 
 
TYPES OF MERINGUE

French Meringue

That’s classic meringue, a dry meringue also called basic meringue.

Egg whites are beaten until they form soft peaks. Then sugar—ideally superfine sugar, which you can make it by pulsing table sugar in a food processor—is slowly incorporated to maximize volume. This results in soft, airy, light peaks that stand up straight—for a while, anyway (they’ll ultimately deflate).

French meringue is spooned or piped into dessert shells (such as vacherins) and cake layers (as in a dacquoise), and baked, later to be topped with fruit, mousse, or whipped cream.

It is also often folded into batter to make lady fingers, sponge cakes and soufflés.
Italian Meringue

A softer style of meringue, Italian meringue can top a lemon meringue pie or Baked Alaska.

One of our favorite childhood desserts, Floating Island (île flottante in French), consists of beaten egg whites form into “islands” and set in a sea of custard sauce (crème anglaise).

After the whites have been whipped to firm peaks, boiling sugar syrup is poured in. Whipping continues until the meringue has reached its full volume, sand is stiff and satiny.

The technique delivers a more stable, soft meringue for cakes, pastries and pies, that doesn’t collapse.

Italian meringue is often used to frost cakes; it can be used alone or combined with buttercream. It creates meringue toppings on pies.

Here‘s a recipe.

As a technique, pastry chefs use it to lighten ice cream, sorbet and mousse.

Swiss Meringue

Swiss meringue is whisked over a bain-marie to warm the egg whites. After the sugar is completely dissolved, the mixture is removed from the heat and beaten vigorously to attain full volume. It is then beaten at a lower speed until cool and very stiff.

This forms a dense, glossy marshmallow-like meringue. It is usually then baked.

Swiss meringue is smoother, silkier, and somewhat denser than French meringue and is often used as a base for buttercream frostings.

Here’s a recipe from Martha Stewart.

MERINGUE-MAKING TIPS

 
 
RECIPE #1: RED WINE ITALIAN MERINGUE COOKIES

Only a pinch of red wine sea salt is used, to garnish; so if you don’t have/want to make red sea salt (the recipe is below), look to see what you do have; lavender or rosemary sea salt, for example. In a pinch (pun intended), you can use plain kosher salt or coarse sea salt.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. HEAT the wine and sugar to a rolling boil, in a saucepan over high heat.

2. ADD the egg whites to a clean bowl and mix at high speed, until the egg white is all frothy and starts to form soft peaks. When the wine comes to a rolling boil…

3. LET the wine boil for another 60 seconds, remove from the heat and pour into a measuring cup with a lip, or other easy-pouring vessel. With the mixer on high…

4. SLOWLY pour the wine down the sides of the bowl. Continue to mix at high speed until the hot mixture reaches room temperature (the volume will continue to increase). Turn off the engine of the mixer once the mixture has cooled down.

[1] Meringue cookies (photo courtesy American Egg Board). [2] Pavlova: a hollow center that’s filled with strawberries (photo courtesy Rob Shaw | Bauer Media). [3] Vacherin: layers of meringue filled with fruit, etc. (here’s the recipe from Hello Magazine). [4] A vacherin variation: stacked layers of meringue garnished with fruit and whipped cream (here’s the recipe from Martha Stewart). [5] Floating island: freshly-beaten meringue in crème anglaise (here’s a recipe from Big Red Kitchen). [6]. Swiss meringue, colored to frost cakes and cupcakes (photo Johnny Miller | Martha Stewart).

[7] Red wine sea salt meringues (photo and recipe courtesy Raw Spice Bar). [8] Homemade red wine salt (photo and recipe courtesy Two Wolves). [9] Pink and chocolate: the perfect meringues for Valentine’s Day (here’s the recipe from The Kitchn)

5. PREHEAT the oven to 225°F, and pipe or otherwise shape the meringue as you wish. First line baking sheets with parchment, dusted with confectioner’s sugar to prevent sticking. Then you can use a piping bag with or without nozzle (the original meringues were shaped with two spoons!). You can pipe roses, stars, or use the occasion to pipe different shapes (why must they all be uniform?). Here’s more about piping meringues.

6. BAKE for 1 hour, then remove from the oven and cool to room temperature (you can leave in the oven with the door open). If not using the same day…

7. STORE completely cooled in an airtight container, packed loosely and with room at the top, so you don’t crush them.
RECIPE #2: HOMEMADE RED WINE SEA SALT

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BRING the wine to a boil in a saucepan over medium to high heat. Reduce the temperature and simmer until the liquid reduces to 1-2 tablespoons and is thicker and a bit syrupy.

2. ADD 1 to 1-1/2 cups of salt For every tablespoon of reduced wine. Add one cup, stir and if the liquid hasn’t absorbed as well as you would like it to, add some more. Stir until the salt is completely covered. Spread over paper towels on a plate and let dry overnight.

3. STORE in clean air-tight jars; add a ribbon and present as a gift.

HERE’S MORE ABOUT MAKING YOUR OWN FLAVORED SALTS.

It’s easy, it’s great for gifting, and you’ll save a fortune! Check it out.

Here’s more about flavored salts—not all are made from actual sea salt. Conventional salt is less expensive; and when it’s flavored, you can’t detect the subtle mineral and other terroir nuances of sea salt anyway.

 
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.

The other is called “pets” in the manuscript of collected recipes written by Lady Rachel Fane (c. 1612–1680) of Knole, Kent. Slowly-baked meringues are still referred to as pets in the Loire region of France (the reference appears to be their light fluffiness, perhaps like a kitten?).

Meringues were traditionally shaped between two large spoons, as they are generally at home today. 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.

He also invented modern mayonnaise, éclairs, and other icons of French cuisine.

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†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? But as our mother often said: “Who cares; let’s eat!”
  

But now, there’s aged coffee, a growing trend.

Aged coffee is not analogous to old, stale, flat coffee. It comprises specially selected beans, that are aged using techniques that bring out the best aged qualities.

While the marketing message compares aged coffee to aged balsamic vinegar, whiskey, wine, etc., that’s an apples-to-oranges comparison. Still, aged coffee isn’t exactly new. The first coffee drunk by Europeans was aged.

THE HISTORY OF AGED COFFEE

Venetian traders first brought coffee to Europe in 1615, but it wasn’t a “quick trip” from Venice.

At the time, all imported coffee beans came from the port of Mocha, in what is now Yemen. It traveled south by ship around the Cape of Good Hope, then all the way up the west coast of Africa, continuing northward to England.

By the time the coffee arrived, exposure to salt air over time significantly changed the taste of the coffee. When coffee was subsequently grown in Indonesia, the voyage was even longer.

Europeans came to prefer the flavor over “fresh” coffee. In fact, when the Suez Canal opened in 1869, greatly shortening the voyage, Europeans still preferred the aged coffee to the fresher beans.

And so it came to be that some coffee was intentionally aged for six months or longer in large, open-sided warehouses in shipping ports—plenty of salty ocean air to transform the beans.

Over time, preferences changed. Fresh coffee beans became the preferred type of coffee in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere.

However, everything old is new again, and aged coffee has become the old new style to try.

Here’s more history of coffee.

AGED COFFEE HAS BEEN IN THE U.S. FOR A WHILE

Starbucks has been aging coffee for certain single-origin coffees and for signature blends, such as Anniversary Blend and Christmas Blend.

At Peet’s, you can find Aged Sumatra Coffee.

Boutique producers also have introduced customers to the joys of aged coffee.

Ceremony Coffee in Annapolis has a Barrel Aged Coffee Series.

Water Avenue Coffee in Portland, Oregon sells Oak Barrel Aged Sumatra Coffee and Pinot Noir Barrel Aged El Salvador Coffee.

So is aged coffee a connoisseur product, or a marketing throwback to the past?

It is definitely the former! Everyone who savors a full-bodied cup of coffee black should try it. Why black? Well…add too much milk and sugar and you won’t taste the marvelous nuances.

What To Know About Aged Coffee

[1] A glass of Nespresso aged coffee from the 2014 vintage (photo courtesy Nespresso). [2] Sumatra coffee beans: aged (top) versus unaged (photo courtesy Starbucks Melody). [3] Roasted and ready to grind (photo © Nebojsa Rozgic).

[4] and [5] Nespresso Limited Edition Selection Vintage 2014 contains three sleeves.

HOW TO CREATE AGED COFFEE

Beans with the promise to age well are carefully aged under conditions that are best for the particular type of bean and vintage. As with many agricultural products, the “terroir” of the bean—the type of land, climate, seasonal weather and other environmental factors—produces different flavors and aromas in the finished product.

After harvesting, the beans are bagged in burlap and regularly rotated to distribute moisture and prevent mold and rot. Some roasters prefer to age the beans in wine or whiskey barrels to impart still more flavors and aromas to the finished beans.

The beans are usually aged at their origin, often at a higher altitude, where the temperature and humidity are more stable.

Aging time ranges from six months to three years. Samples are roasted and brewed several times a year during the aging process and when the desired flavors have been achieved, are roasted after they are finished aging.

A dark roast is best, as it evens out the flavor and accentuates the body of the coffee. Sometimes they are blended with other aged beans.

However, some connoisseurs prefer a light roast on single-origin aged coffees, which better emphasizes the single-origin qualities.

INTRODUCING NESPRESSO’S FIRST AGED COFFEE:
THE LIMITED EDITION SELECTION VINTAGE 2014

For the first time, super-premium coffee brand Nespresso now offers coffee lovers the chance to taste aged coffee.

After years of development and expertise, Nespresso experts selected Arabica beans from the highlands of Colombia, which promised to age well. These beans, from the 2014 harvest, were then stored under controlled conditions for two years.

They were then ready to roast. The experts selected a sophisticated split roasting technique: One part of the beans was roasted lighter to protect the elegant aromas specific to these beans; the other part was roasted darker to reveal the maturity of the taste and enhance the richness of the texture.

The result: a cup of espresso that is rich in body, mellow in flavor and velvety-smooth in texture. An elegant woodiness is layered with fruity notes.

The goal—to create a new sensory experience for coffee aficionados—has been achieved! The aged coffee is a real treat—and a great gift idea.

Don’t let this limited edition slip through your fingers. Get yours now, in either original or Vertuo capsules.

Then, we can both look forward to the next aged vintage!
 
 
HOW MANY COFFEE REGIONS CAN YOU NAME?

More than 40 countries around the world grow coffee.

How many can you name? (The answer.)
  

Want to bring something fun to work or school for Valentine’s Day?

These strawberry brownies from Kevin Lynch of Closet Cooking can be made for any occasion.

But we especially like the heart-shaped effect of halved strawberries for “love” occasions: Mother’s, Father’s, Valentine’s, anniversaries, etc.

You can adapt the idea to your favorite brownie, or use his. We tweaked his a bit, using 2/3 cup sugar instead of 3/4 cup, since the chocolate topping is so rich; and used white chocolate for the top for color and flavor variation.

For a step-by-step photos and substitutions for gluten-free, vegan, etc., see the original article.

There are more Valentine dessert recipes below.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY HEART BROWNIES

These chocolate-covered, strawberry-topped fudgy brownies are sure to please.

Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 20 minutes. Cool Time: 30 minutes. Total Time: 1 hour.

Ingredients For 9 Servings

 
Preparation

[2] Use smaller strawberries for more of a heart shape (photo © Quinciple).

2. COMBINE the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium heat; melt, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. MIX the sugar into the eggs. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Blend the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture.

4. POUR the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven.

5. SPRINKLE the strawberries on top of the brownies. Melt the chocolate over medium-low heat on the stove or in a microwave. Pour it over the strawberries and let cool until the chocolate is set, 30-60 minutes.
 
 
MORE VALENTINE DESSERT RECIPES

[1] Red and pink layered ice cubes (photos #1 and #2 © Ocean Spray).

[2] Art in a glass.

[3] Add some pomegranate ice cubes (here’s how from Kelly Elko).

[4] Flower ice cubes: small flowers make a big impression (here’s how from Martha Stewart).

[5] More ways to use an ice cube tray: save pesto (photo courtesy P&G Every Day) or…

[6] lemon juice (photo courtesy Food Network).

[7] The old-fashioned metal ice cube tray with a removable divider (photo © West Elm).

[8] Silicone trays make it easy to pop out the cubes (photo © Ikea).

These days, many people enjoy refrigerator-freezers with built-in ice makers.

But here’s a reason to hold on to those old-fashioned ice cube trays. In addition to party ice cubes, you can also use them to make granita—and much more, as you’ll see on the list below.

Because we’re days away from Valentine’s celebrations, how about some special ice? You can’t get these from a mechanical ice-cube maker!
 
 
RECIPE: LAYERED VALENTINE ICE CUBES

Ingredients Per Ice Cube Tray

 
Preparation

1. PLACE 4 blueberries in each of 16 ice cube cups. Add about 1 teaspoon blueberry flavored juice. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until solid.

2. ADD 1/2 tablespoon white cranberry drink to each cup, atop the frozen blueberry layer. Freeze for 1 hour or until solid.

3. TOP with 1/2 tablespoon cranberry beverage. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until solid.
 
 
OTHER VALENTINE ICE CUBES

Don’t have time or desire to layer ice cubes? These are much easier:

 
 
MORE USES FOR ICE CUBE TRAYS

Certain foods are easier to pop out if you have silicone ice cube trays; others work better with a lever pull in an old-fashioned metal tray.

Once whatever you’re making is frozen, you can transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for storage. Here are some ideas to try.

Drinks

 
Desserts & Snacks

 
Cooking

For the first two: Once your cubes are frozen, pop them from the tray into a resealable freezer bag. For precise measures, determine in advance what the tray compartments hold.

 
More Uses

There are household uses, from homemade detergent cubes to sprouting seedlings. Just look online!
 
 
HISTORY OF THE ICE CUBE TRAY

Before the advent of the ice cube tray, ice for drinks and similar purposes was chipped from large blocks with an ice pick.

An American physician, John Gorrie, built a refrigerator in 1844 to make ice to cool the air for his yellow fever patients. The refrigerator produced ice, which he hung from the ceiling in basins to cool the hot air.

Some historians believed that Dr. Gorrie also invented the first ice cube tray in its current form. He is known to have given his patients iced drinks to cool them down.

 
 
WHAT ABOUT CLOUDY ICE CUBES?

You may have noted that commercially-made ice cubes are completely clear, while homemade cubes from the fridge are cloudy in the center.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] Every Mojito requires lots of fresh mint (photo © Indian Home Cooking).

Mojito fans: Nielsen-Massey has tailored the classic recipe for Valentine’s Day, using their vanilla extract and rosewater.

If your Valentine plans are already set, put this on the calendar for Mother’s Day.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY-ROSE MOJITO
 
Ingredients For The Strawberry-Rose Syrup (Yield: 1 Cup)

Not all flavored cocktail syrups are simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water). Here’s a syrup made This recipe from Nielsen-Massey makes enough syrup for four Strawberry-Rose Mojitos.

 
Ingredients For The Mojito (Per Drink)

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the syrup. Add the ingredients to a small food processor and pulse until smooth; set aside.

2. MUDDLE the mint leaves in a tall glass. Add the syrup, rum, lime juice and lots of ice.

3. TOP with club soda and a freshly squeezed lime wedge; stir.

4. NOTCH the strawberry, place it on the rim of the glass and serve.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. ADD the syrup, lime juice and mint leaves to a pitcher and muddle together.

2. ADD the rum, club soda and ice; stir to combine.
 
 
MOJITO HISTORY

The mojito (mo-HEE-toe) is a quintessential Cuban cocktail. The name derives from the African voodoo term mojo, to cast a small spell.

According to Bacardi Rum, the drink can be traced to 1586, when Sir Francis Drake and his pirates unsuccessfully attempted to sack Havana for its gold.

His associate, Richard Drake (a distant relative), was said to have invented a Mojito-like cocktail known as El Draque (Drake’s pirate nickname) that was made with aguardiente, a crude forerunner of rum; plus sugar, lime and mint.

Around the mid-1800s, when the Bacardi Company was established, rum was substituted and the cocktail became known as a Mojito. Here’s the original Mojito recipe.

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*Nielsen Massey uses its Tahitian vanilla extra. Here are the different types of vanilla.