[1] Cut heart shapes for Valentine’s Day (photo courtesy Kavemania | Facebook). [2] Use cookie cutters to create special designs (photo courtesy Martha Stewart and [3] SXC). [4] These artisan marshmallows are delicious, but too tall and pillowy to cut into shapes (photo The Nibble).

HOW TO CUT MARSHMALLOWS

Instead, use sharp kitchen scissors. Dip them in warm water, or use a paper towel to apply a very thin coat of neutral cooking oil, like canola or grapes.

You can try both methods to see which you prefer.

Then, snip away and use the smaller pieces.

Slices can be placed into petal designs. If your palate and doesn’t like supermarket marshmallows (or prefer vegan marshmallows, sugar-free marshmallows, etc.), this is also the way to get mini marshmallows.
 
WAYS TO USE MARSHMALLOWS

Beyond garnishing hot chocolate, you can:

 
MAKE YOUR OWN MARSHMALLOW DESIGNS

It’s easy to make flatter marshmallows in the shapes you like, as special garnishes. Use the marshmallows immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

We adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart. The process is the same if you want regular size marshmallows. Just use fill a baking pan to the height you want, and cut the marshmallows into the size and shape you like.

Ingredients

 
Plus

 
Preparation

1. SPRAY the baking sheet with cooking spray; line with parchment paper and spray the parchment. Set aside.

2. ADD the water to the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin and let the mixture soften (about 5 minutes).

3. PLACE the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and the second 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid; then cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup reaches 238°F (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.

5. POUR the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

6. CUT: Coat a 1- or 2-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out individual marshmallows as possible, re-spraying the cookie cutter as needed. Use the marshmallows immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. If they become hard, pop them in the microwave for 2-3 seconds (not longer or they’ll begin to melt).
 
USING MARSHMALLOWS FOR KITCHEN TASKS

A marshmallow can stop ice cream cones from dripping, soften brown sugar, steady tapers in candle holders, and more.

Plus, tips to keep them soft, unstick th em and freeze them, and Check ‘em out.
 
THE HISTORY OF MARSHMALLOWS

The ancient Egyptians were the first to use sap from the root of the marsh mallow, a swamp plant, to make candy. (It was also used medicinally.)

Here’s the history of marshmallows.

[2] Jasmine-scented tea (photo courtesy Par Avion Tea).

[3] Earl Grey Extra Bold has more bergamot flavor (photo © Twinings).

[4] A bergamot orange: a sour orange popular for marmalade and flavoring (photo © Clove Garden).

Earl Grey is one of America’s most popular flavored teas, a Keemun base flavored with a splash of bergamot oil, the latter pressed from the peel of the bergamot sour orange from southern Italy.

The tea is named for Charles Grey (1764-1845), the second Earl Grey. A distinguished aristocrat, he served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1830 to 1834.
 
 
WHO INVENTED EARL GREY TEA?

There are different legends to explain how the tea recipe came to bear the Earl’s name.

According to the one told by the Grey family, the tea was specially blended for Lord Grey by a Chinese mandarin*, at Howick Hall, the family seat in Northumberland, England. The Earl never visited China.

The mandarin particularly chose bergamot to offset the preponderance of lime in the estate’s well water.

Lady Grey, a political hostess, used it to entertain in London. She had her tea blended at Twinings, beginning in 1931.

The blend proved so popular that Lady Grey was asked if it could be purchased by others. This is how Twinings came to market “Earl Grey” as a type of flavored tea.

The Greys (ostensibly lacking good business advice) did not to register the trademark. As a result, they have never received a penny from the worldwide sales.

However, they are sporting about it: Today’s boxes are signed by the current Earl Grey.

Traditionally, “Earl Grey” was made from black teas, but tea companies have since begun to offer Earl Grey in other varieties as well, such as green and oolong, along with dual-note flavors, such as the new varieties from Twinings.
 
 
TWININGS NEW EARL GREY BLENDS

Twinings North America has added to its line of Earl Grey black teas with the introduction of three new blends:

 
Stephen Twining, the tenth-generation manager of Twinings, commented:

“Lavender and jasmine compliment the bold flavor of bergamot. Extra Bold is perfect for Earl Grey lovers who crave an intensified, more vibrant taste. We know these new blends will resonate with a new generation of tea drinkers.”

In addition to enjoying the teas at home, you can visit the gardens at Howick Hall, the home of Earl Grey, and have tea in the Easrl Grey Tea House.

Here’s more information.
 
 
DO YOU KNOW YOUR TEA TERMS?

Take a look at our fully illustrated Tea Glossary, one of the most popular of our 100 food glossaries.

*In imperial China, a mandarin was bureaucrat scholar in service of the government.
 
  

Should you be drinking currant juice? Of course, especially when it tastes so good, whether straight, in spritzers, or as a mixer. You can also add a splash to herbal tea.

The flavor is a bit grape-like (some call the taste a blueberry-cranberry blend), but currant juice is distinctive, bold, pleasantly tart, and sophisticated. It’s the kind of juice wine drinkers would choose if they couldn’t drink wine anymore

Why aren’t we all drinking currant juice? Growing black currants was banned for 100 years in the U.S. (more about that below), but now there is juice aplenty.
 
 
NUTRITION CURRENCY FROM CURRANT C

Currant C and Knudsen’s both sell black currant juice.

Currant C’s all-natural product, sold in 16-ounce bottles, is not pasteurized and needs to be refrigerated. The juice is made from concentrate with filtered water, and a bit of pure cane sugar is added to offset the tartness. Each 16-ounce bottle of Currant C contains two servings, at 130 calories each.

If you prefer a noncaloric sweetener or otherwise don’t want added sweetness, you can buy the concentrate. Knudsen’s 32-ounce bottle is unsweetened and shelf-stable.

Currant C, a pioneer grower in New York State, sells individual bottles of black currant juice and the concentrate to make your own; plus dried currants, currant vinegar, and currant seed oil, gift packages, and more. Check out the full line of currant products.

If you have a black currant bush at hand, it’s easy to make your own juice concentrate.
 
 
WHAT ARE CURRANTS?

Currants are berries that grow on a vine, The genus Ribes includes the edible currants (black currant, red currant, white currant), the gooseberry, and several hybrid varieties.

The genus comprises some 150 known species of flowering plants that are native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The black currant genus and species is Ribes nigrum.

Currants Versus Zante Currants/Raisins

Since currants only began to be grown recently in the U.S., what are those things we’ve been calling currants?

They are the so-called Zante Currants, which are actually raisins (dried grapes) that are not related to real currants.

They diverge in the botanical order: they’re not even cousins.

 
Zante currants are the dried form of an ancient Greek grape variety properly called the Black Corinth, Vitis vinifera, the smallest of the seedless grapes.

They come from the third largest Ionian Island called Zakýnthos, which is often called Zante. The variety is named for Corinth, the Greek city where they were grown more than 2,000 years ago.

The Cause Of The Confusion

After the commercial cultivation of currants was outlawed in 1911, currants dropped off the culinary radar screen. In the 1920s, Greece began to export small dried seedless grapes, one-fourth the size of the average raisin, from the area of Corinth.

On the arrival of the first shipment to the U.S., the Greek writing for the word “Corinth” was mistakenly translated at the pier into “currant.”

Since the growing of real currants had been banned for quite a few years at that point, the name stuck. Generations of Americans have become accustomed to cooking and baking with “currants” (often labeled “Zante currants”) which are really tiny raisins.

What About Red Currants?

Red currants are true currants. They are more tart than black currants, so are less desirable for juice.

But for baking and recipes where sugar is added, the two are interchangeable.

Fresh red currants are popular garnishes, adding a touch of scarlet to everything from cocktails to desserts.
 

[1] Fresh-picked black currants (photos #1 and #3 © Currant C). .

[2] Red currants are more tart than black, so less desirable for juice. (photo courtesy Rose Vita | Morguefile).).

[3] Currant C, delicious black currant juice, needs no added sweetener. It can be bought as bulk concentrate, much more affordable per serving.

[4] Homemade blackcurrant jelly made from hand-picked wild currants (here’s the recipe from Made by Jayne).

[5] Zante currants are not currants (photo © Sun-Maid).

[6] Duck with blackcurrant sauce (here’s the recipe) from Table Of Zekki.

[7] Blackcurrant sorbet (photo © Salcombe Dairy).

[8] Blackcurrant Pavlova (photo © Kwestia Smaku; the recipe is in Polish).

THE HISTORY OF CURRANTS IN THE U.S.:

 
 
EDITOR’S NOTE: BLACK CURRANT VS. BLACKCURRANT

You will find black currant and red currant spelled as blackcurrant and redcurrant. But white currant is always spelled white currant.

In the interest of consistency, we use the two words.
 

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

How about gelatin shots as a treat for Valentine’s Day? Use unflavored gelatin and other drink ingredients to turn your favorite cocktails into a solid form.

The alcohol-free version, Jell-O Jigglers, uses Jell-O for flavor and color; and engendered the return of a very old recipe—popular among young ladies in the 1860s, popular among all youth in the 1980s and beyond.

For the record:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF JELL-O SHOTS

Many of us think of Jell-O shots as the creation of fraternity culture in the late 1980s. But the first published recipe is more than 100 years older: alcoholic punch turned solid with gelatin. You can find it in the original cocktail recipe book published in the U.S.: Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide of 1862. You can still buy it (reprinted) on Amazon.com.

That recipe used generic, unflavored gelatin. Thanks to some pretty crafty sleuthing on the part of JelloShotRecipe.Blogspot.com, you can see a photocopy of the first known recipe for a molded gelatin-alcohol combination.

They may have been forgotten by the cocktail culture, but in the U.S. Armed Forces in the 1950s, they were made as a subterfuge to consume alcohol on the alcohol-restricted Army bases.

The brand of flavored, colored gelatin called Jell-O was invented in 1897. Marketed as a light dessert, the product’s success began to wane in the 1960s; by the 1980s the company needed to revitalize the brand.

The marketing team pored through older cookbooks and discovered what they renamed Jigglers, adding new excitement to the brand with the fun-shaped finger food snacks.

The fun molds created for Jell-O Jigglers charmed children. The concept enticed teens and young adults to add alcohol to the Jell-O and call them Jell-O shots. Simple squares cut from a baking pan sufficed.

Back in 1862, Jerry Thomas advised: “The strength of the punch is so artfully concealed by its admixture with the gelatine, that many persons, particularly of the softer sex, have been tempted to partake so plentifully of it as to render them somewhat unfit for waltzing or quadrilling after supper.”

Refined ladies of the time could not be seen downing drink after drink, but the “gelatine punch” nibbles had the same effect as they have today (a.k.a., “drunk on Jell-O shots).
 
 
MODERN JELL-O SHOTS

Today, Jell-O shots are made in baking pans and cut into squares or fingers; made in theme-shape ice cube trays (hearts, stars, shamrocks, etc.), garnished with edible glitter, coated in hard chocolate, tiered in two or three colors, embedded with berries or cherries, and so on.

You’ll find endless recipes online. Note that many, like the one immediately below, are made with plain gelatin as opposed to Jell-O; and are thus technically gelatin shots.
 
 
RECIPE #1: COSMOPOLITAN JELL-O SHOTS

Eat your heart out, Carrie Bradshaw! Other people are enjoying their Cosmos in solid form—and they’re spill-proof.

We adopted this recipe from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen.

Prep time is 20 minutes plus setting in the fridge; total time is 4 hours.
 
Ingredients For 32 Pieces

[1] It takes more time to turn out a good supply, but heart-shape shots are an extra treat (here’s the recipe from That’s So Michelle).

[2] A favorite American cocktail, the Cosmopolitan, is transformed into a solid state (photo © Jelly Test Shot Kitchen).

[3] Look for fancy ice cube molds locally or online (photo courtesy Craftster).

[4] What to do with that bottle of cassis, Chambord, or framboise: Make gelatin shots. Here’s the recipe (photo © Sugar And Charm).

[5] Get a copy of Jelly Shot Test Kitchen: Jell-ing Classic Cocktails—One Drink at a Time (photo © Running Press).

 
Preparation
 
1. COMBINE the cranberry and lime juices in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let it set for a few minutes; then place over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).

2. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the liquors, blending thoroughly. Pour into a pan or molds and chill until set, several hours or overnight. To serve…

3. CUT into the desired shape and garnish with lime zest. They can be served on a plate or tray, or placed in mini-cupcake wrappers immediately before serving.
 
 
RECIPE #2: JELL-O JIGGLERS

Because there’s no alcohol for flavoring, Jigglers simply need Jell-O. Here’s the recipe via Craftster.org:

If you don’t have a flexible mold, you can always make Jigglers—or shots—in an old-fashioned ice cube tray (using the bottom only) or a small square or rectangular pan.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SPRAY the mold with Pam, blotting any excess cooking spray.

2. DISSOLVE the Jell-O in the boiled water, stirring to dissolve. Add the cold water, blend, pour into the mold, and refrigerate until set, two hours or longer.

3. POP them out of the molds (the joy of silicone!), plate, and serve.

[7] For maraschino lovers: a creative idea for shots or jiggles (no alcohol—here’s the recipe from That’s So Michelle).

RECIPE #3: CHAMPAGNE & CHAMBORD GELATIN SHOTS

This recipe is from Sugar and Charm.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the Champagne, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Add the packets of gelatin and let proof for a few minutes. Once bloomed, put the pot over medium heat and bring to a slow boil until the gelatin is dissolved.

2. REMOVE from the heat and add the Chambord. Pour into a square baking dish or cake pan and refrigerate, covered, for a few hours until set. After half an hour, add the optional glitter.

3. CUT into squares or fingers.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF GELATIN

Gelatin (also spelled gelatine) has been made since ancient times by boiling animal and fish bones. Aspic, a savory, gelatin-like food made from meat or fish stock, was a French specialty centuries before the dawn of commercial gelatin.

Beginning in the 1400s, gelatin (a protein produced from collagen extracted from boiled animal bones and connective tissues) had been used to make fancy aspics and desserts.

The next development, commercial gelatin sheets, was easier but still cumbersome: Gelatin was sold in sheets and had to be purified first, a time-consuming process.

Powdered gelatin was invented in 1682 by Denis Papin. Here’s a longer history of gelatin and Jell-O; and a much longer discussion on Wikipedia.
 
 

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

There’s also a National Pink Day on June 23rd.

If you want to hold your own party, menu options are below. It can be a cocktail party—pink cocktails, pink nibbles—or an entire dinner or buffet.

You can make anything pinker with beet juice, red food color, or rosy accents like pomegranate arils, raspberries, and strawberries. You can make sauces and soups pinker with a touch of crème fraîche, mascarpone, sour cream, or plain yogurt.

You can keep it all pink and rose, or add bright red and burgundy accents.

You are encouraged guests to wear something pink to the party (pink nail polish counts).
 
 
PINK PARTY MENU

PINK & RED COCKTAILS

 
PINK & RED WINES

 
There are scores and scores of pink cocktails, winetails, even beertails—just search online.
 

RED & PINK APPETIZERS

[1] Always a hit: rosé champagne or other sparkling rosé wine (photo © Tommy Bahama).

[2] Hibiscus Margarita, with a bit of hibiscus syrup for color (you can use regular food color) and a rim of hibiscus salt (photo © Miro Kitchen).

[3] Smoked salmon tartine (photo © Ocean Cut Chicago).

[4] Cherry tomato-burrata crostini (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

[5] Lobster bisque. You can serve soup shooters on a buffet (photo © MackenzieLtd.com.

[6] Think pink with poached salmon (photo © Pom Wonderful).

[7] An easy dessert: sorbet, sparkling wine, berries. Ω[7] An easy dessert: sorbet, sparkling wine, berries. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Cookie Rookie).

[8] You can buy this rose-topped cake from Williams-Sonoma.

 
PROTEINS & OTHER MAINS

 
PINK & RED SIDES

________________

*Combine 3 cups cooked rice, 1/2 pound cooked, sliced shrimp and 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery in a large bowl. Make dressing with 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and salt to taste. Dress the salad and then fold in 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries. Chill and serve on a bed of greens.
________________
 
PINK & RED DESSERTS

 
RECIPE: SPICY PINK SALAD DRESSING OR DIP FOR CRUDITÉS

Ingredients

1. MIX mayonnaise, sour cream, sherry, tarragon, garlic powder and hot sauce until well blended.

2. ADD a few drops of food coloring to desired shade of pink. If the dressing is too thick, you can thin it with a small amount of milk. Chill well before serving.

Recipe courtesy Food.com.

 
________________

†Mignardises (min-yar-DEEZ, from the French for “precious”) are a type of miniature baked good, also called petit-fours, a group of small sweets beyond what Americans think of as petit-fours (small cubes of layer cake). Mignardises are bite-size or smaller, and are served with coffee and liqueur at the end of the meal. At restaurants they are a lagniappe (lon-YAP), a small gift from the house.

Mignardises is a category that includes petit-fours. The delicacies can take many forms and shapes: mini cakes and cookies including macarons, as well as non-baked sweets such as glazed or chocolate-dipped fruit, marzipan, chocolates, pâte de fruits and nut clusters.

Petit-fours is French for “small baked pastries. There are two styles of petit-fours: glacée (iced) and sec (dry). Petit-fours glacées or frais (fresh) include filled and/or iced petit-fours, miniature babas, miniature éclairs, tiny iced cakes and tartlets. Petit-fours secs include small cookies, macaroons, meringues, palmiers and tuiles.

Friandises (free-yon-DEEZ), from the French for “delicate,” is a term often used instead of petit-fours or mignardises.

According to The Oxford Companion To Food, these terms are often used interchangeably; and of course, it is not surprising when word meanings evolve over time.