[3] How about chicken noodle soup Asian-style, with ramen noodles and sliced chicken? You can use traditional American vegetables—celery, carrots, onions—and stock; or accent the stock with ginger, soy sauce, plus bok choy and napa cabbage. Here’s the recipe (photo © Recipe Tin Eats).

[3] Got glass mugs or Irish coffee glasses? Use them! Here’s the recipe (photo © A Family Feast).

[4] Here’s a twist: chicken-tomato soup with vegetables, topped with Chinese fried noodles (photo © Munchery).

If you haven’t made homemade soup, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is—especially a broth-based soup. Just add the ingredients to a pot of water or stock, bring to a boil and simmer. That’s it in a nutshell (with details depending on individual recipes).

We couldn’t decide which soup to make, so we turned to the numbers: America’s #1 favorite is chicken noodle soup.

Our grandmother made this classic comfort soup from scratch with fine egg noodles (photo #4). Our mom preferred wide egg noodles.

But why not have fun with it and use one of the many fun shapes: bowties, corkscrews, shells, wagon wheels, etc.?
 
 
ADD AT LEAST ONE GARNISH

Some garnishes—like cheese and sour cream—don’t work well with broth-type soups. But here’s what does—and you can add as many of them as you wish:

 
 
RECIPE: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

We make our chicken soup from scratch (here’s a recipe), but you can do it faster with a box of chicken stock and pre-cooked chicken breasts.

We use lots of fresh dill and parsley in our stock, but some people prefer thyme.

Ingredients

 
Garnishes

Pick one or two; or set out several and let each person customize his/her own bowl of soup.

 
Here are garnishes for other types of soups.
 
Preparation

1. DICE the carrots and celery, slice the onions, mince the herbs and cook them all in the stock until the vegetables are al dente. If you’re using raw chicken breasts, add them as well. You can make the recipe up to this point in advance and refrigerate; first, remove the chicken breasts and tightly wrap them separately. When ready to serve…

2. COOK the noodles according to package instructions. While it cooks, dice, slice, or shred/pull the cooked chicken. Taste and add salt and pepper to the stock as desired.

3. PLACE the drained, cooked pasta and the chicken in serving bowls. Ladle the stock and vegetables over them. Garnish as desired.
 
 
BEYOND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Check out our Soup Glossary for the different types of soups to make.

Have you ever roasted radishes? Few of us do; but like other root veggies, roasted vegetables can taste even more glorious than raw ones.

We liked this particular recipes for “Valentine veggies.” We adapted the recipe from Duda Fresh, using their Dandy Radishes.

We adapted this recipe from Duda Farm Fresh Foods of Florida, using their quality produce.

 
RECIPE: ROASTED RADISHES WITH ORANGE & ROSEMARY

Ingredients

 
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*Save the peel for drink garnishes. You can cut it into strips and freeze it. Alternatively, you can zest the peel and toss with the radishes and olive oil. You can also freeze extra zest.

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil and set aside.

2. TOSS the radishes in a large bowl with the olive oil and rosemary. Place on the baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly browned in spots.

3. REMOVE from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm with the orange slices.

 
MORE WAYS TO COOK RADISHES

You can cook radishes as you would cook any vegetable, with just about any technique.

 
12 MORE WAYS TO SERVE RADISHES

They’re great at breakfast, lunch and dinner. We haven’t figured out a radish dessert, yet.

Check ‘em out.

HOW TO USE RADISH GREENS (RADISH TOPS)

The green tops of root vegetables are edible—by humans as well as the bunnies and hamsters who love to nibble them.

We especially like beet, celery root, radish and turnip greens; and like the feathery carrot greens as garnish.

[1] Roasted radishes look like edible valentines (photo courtesy Duda Farm Fresh Foods). [2] Look for the freshest radishes, with green tops—and never buy the sad, peeled versions in cellophane (photo courtesy The Chef’s Garden). [3] Great with Bloody Marys and Martinis: radishes dipped in cultured butter and topped with a few flakes of crunchy sea salt (here’s the recipe; photo courtesy Vermont Creamery).

 
Go rad with new approaches to the radish.
  

[2] Create a twist with a channel peeler (photo © Two Tarts).

[3] Get yourself a channel peeler (photo © 1 Easylife | Amazon).

[4] You can knot a long strip of peel (photo © Bar Boulud | Boston).

Each weekend we try a different cocktail from the many recipes we receive.

This one from Tommy Bahama had previously caught our eye; and when we passed by a bottle of fresh-squeezed red grapefruit juice at our specialty produce store (and February is National Grapefruit Month), we knew it was time to try it.

Tommy Bahama calls this a Grapefruit Basil Martini, but allow us to offer a correction: A Martini is a savory drink, originally just gin and vermouth (here’s the history of the Martini).

You can tweak a Martini recipe while still retaining the savory character of the drink. There are Vodka Martinis, Dirty Martinis, dill martinis and a variety of garnishes, from the classics to the modern (like gherkins or pickled habaneros).

But adding juice and sugar to vodka does not make it a Martini. (Nor would substituting grapefruit juice for the tomato juice create a Grapefruit Bloody Mary, et cetera, et cetera and so forth).

So why do some call anything with vodka a Martini?

Because “Martini” is a familiar name and sells better than other descriptions. We like to keep the record straight (avoid alternative facts, as it were).
 
 
RECIPE: GRAPEFRUIT BASIL COCKTAIL

Ingredients Per Drink

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*You can substitute pink or white juice; but the redder, the better looking the drink.
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For The Simple Syrup

You can purchase simple syrup; but it is so easy to make. Why spend $7.00 and up for a bottle?

For other cocktails, you can infuse the simple syrup with whatever flavor you’d like: ginger, habanero, fruit, lavender, rose, vanilla, etc.

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the simple syrup. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool, 20 minutes or more. Strain out the flavoring and keep in the fridge in a lidded jar. The syrup can be made up to two weeks in advance.

2. PREPARE the cocktail. Muddle a large basil leaf with simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add the remaining ingredients and the ice. Shake well until chilled.

3. STRAIN into a glass and garnish with a fresh basil leaf and or grapefruit peel.
 
 
HOW TO MAKE A GRAPEFRUIT PEEL TWIST

This works for any citrus fruit. All you need is a channel peeler.

1. SCRUB the fruit to remove any pesticides. Using the channel peeler, cut a spiral around the top of the fruit, trying to avoid the bitter white pith.

TIP: At this point you can take the peel and rub it along the rim of the glass. This touch of citrus oil on the rim is particularly effective for drinks such as the martini or other less fruity cocktails. Thanks to Two Tarts for this tip.

2. WRAP the strip of peel in a tight spiral around your finger or a round kitchen implement (like the handle of a spatula). Hold it for a few seconds; then place it onto your cocktail.
 
> Here are more ways to use the peel.

> Here’s a recipe for candied grapefruit or other citrus peel.

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

But nature’s first ready-to-eat candy was the date. Figs may have been the first cultivated food (more about that below), but dates, which followed them, became the go-to candy.

Wild dates are not edible, but early farmers discovered how to make the date palm bear sweet, succulent fruit. Honey, dates, figs and honey-coated nuts satisfied the sweet tooth for millennia.
 
DATE NUTRITION

A premium date has the sweetness of honey crossed with sugar syrup. The flesh is soft and easily digestible. Its simple sugars—fructose and dextrose—replenish energy quickly (dates have been called “the world’s first energy snack”).

Dates are as sweet as any dessert—but the sweetness is natural sugar (largely glucose and fructose), not refined sugar.

With only 24 calories per date (248 calories per 3.5 ounce/100 gram serving), nutritious dates are as satisfying as empty-calorie candy and baked goods. They are high in dietary fiber and contain more potassium than bananas. They are virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free and sodium-free. And they contain an impressive number of vitamins.

The science behind dates is also impressive. The fruit is loaded with different antioxidants that help with cholesterol, inflammation, eyesight and various cancers.

As with any food, quality makes a big difference. There are luscious dates that are “food for the gods,” and sad, dried-out dates that at best should only be used for cooking and baking. If you can’t find good dates locally (we have this problem), you can buy them online. Nuts Online is a good source.

You don’t need to mourn the sweet fruits of summer when you have a supply of good dates.

And, as we’re close to Valentine’s Day, you have a good reason to make it a date.

As with everything, there are different grades of quality. Go for the best. If your grocer doesn’t have the best, buy online.

TYPES OF DATES

Different date varieties ripen at different types during the season. The peak season for harvesting dates is mid-autumn through mid-winter (October through January in the U.S.). That means that a good variety is available now.

Some varieties are chewier than others, some varieties are sweeter than others. But whatever the variety, look for plump, shiny dates and steer clear of those that are too sticky or covered with crystallized sugar.

Most dates are sold with the pits in. To pit them for cooking, dust the blade of a paring knife with flour to minimize sticking.

California’s Bard Valley, on California’s southeast border, is our nation’s date-growing capital.

BARHI DATES: A small to medium size, barhi dates are nature’s caramel. The skin turns from amber to golden brown when the dates are cured. Sensual, velvety and syrupy-soft, a hint of vanilla gives them a caramel-like flavor. Add some mascarpone and you’ll have a dessert with flavor and texture extraordinaire.

DAYRI DATES: A medium to large size, with a soft (as opposed to chewy) texture. Of all the date varieties, Dayri dates have one of the strongest, most quintessentially “date-like” flavors. They’re generally not as sweet as Medjool, so are an alternative for those who want a less sweet date. When fully ripe, the skin is brown to dark brown.

[1] Barhi dates. [2] Dayri dates. [3] Khadrawi dates. [4] Medjool dates (date photos courtesy Good Eggs). [5] Dates grow in clusters at the top of the date palm tree (photo courtesy Dates Are Great).

DEGLET NOOR DATES: Deglet Noor dates are chewy, medium-sweet, and substantial. They have a brown sugar sweetness, with rich, nutty overtones. They’re considered a dry date, giving them a longer shelf life and a more meaty texture great for tossing into salads. The variety is not sticky, so they’re good grab-and-go snacks. Those who generally don’t like dates should try them.

HALAWI/HALAWY DATES: A small to medium date with bright golden brown skin and tender flesh, these soft dates are appropriately named: Halawy means sweet in Arabic.

KHADRAWI/KHAWDRY DATES: Khadrawi dates have been called pudding-like. They would fit right in on a plate of chocolates. The medium to large fruits are not overly sweet. The skin is orange-brown to light-brown. These dates do not keep well, so need to be eaten fresh.

MEDJOOL DATES: Medjool dates have a meaty, chewy texture with a strong, quite sweet flavor. The most common date variety grown commercially in California, a top-quality Medjool is large and pillowy.

THOORY DATE: This sweet, nutty date is in the dry style. It is known as the “bread date” because it is qwll suited to baking. The medium to large fruit has golden-brown flesh.

ZAHIDI DATES: Zahidis are a medium-size fruit with smooth, glossy, golden-yellow skin. It has a meaty, semi-dry texture that makes it good for snacking or baking.

[6] Bacon-wrapped dates. [7] Fish with a date crust. [8] Dates in a grain dish (photos 6-8 courtesy Medjool Dates). [9] Date cake (photo courtesy Bestia LA). [10] Dates with honey syrup (photo courtesy Melissas).

Just look for “date recipes” and you’ll find hundreds of ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

 
BREAKFAST

Serve chopped dates with breakfast foods to start the day with more energy. They’re delicious on hot or cold cereal and you can refrain from adding refined sugar. Or serve as a garnish for pancakes or eggs. More ideas:

 
APPETIZERS & WITH COCKTAILS

 
MEALS

 
SNACKS

 
DESSERT

 
 
THE HISTORY OF DATES

Archaeobotanists found evidence that the dawn of agriculture may have come with the domestication of fig trees in the Near East some 11,400 years ago—around 9400 B.C.E.

This is roughly 1000 years before the domestication of the dietary staples wheat, barley and legumes. The discovery makes the fruit trees the oldest known domesticated crop (source).

The date palm tree is believed to have originated in northern Africa. It was cultivated along the banks of the Nile River and throughout the Fertile Crescent, a crescent-shaped region containing the comparatively moist and fertile land of the otherwise arid and semi-arid lands of Western Asia*, the Nile Valley and the Nile Delta.

Also known as the “cradle of civilization,” this area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers comprised the lands we now know as Iraq, small portions of Iran and Turkey, the Levantine coast of the eastern Mediterranean (Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Syria and the West Bank) and Egypt’s Nile Valley.

Here’s more on the first domesticated plants and animals.

*Western Asian comprises Anatolia, the Arabian peninsula, Armenian Highlands, Iran, the Levant, Mesopotamia, the Sinai Peninsula and the South Caucasus.

[2] Want cake without all the chocolate? Go for blondies instead (photo © Valrhona Chocolate).

[3] Key lime or lemon bars also do the trick, although are more jiggly than brownies and blondies (photo © Baking Obsession).

If you don’t have the time or inclination to bake from scratch, the easiest specialty cheesecake starts with a purchased cheesecake base.

In the case of this Brownie Caramel Cheesecake (photo #1), you can purchase the brownies, too; or make a quick batch from a mix.
 
 
RECIPE: BROWNIE CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

 
Topping Variations

 
Preparation

1. CUBE the brownies/bars. Place as desired atop the cheesecake. We made concentric circles and covered the whole top.

2. WARM the sauce as needed to drizzling consistency, and drizzle over the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
 
OTHER CHEESECAKE TOPPINGS

Fruit Curds

Spread the top of the cheesecake with fruit curd (photo #3).

Commonly available choices are cranberry, Key lime, lemon, orange or passionfruit.

It’s easy to make fruit curd from scratch; but it takes a bit of time and clean-up.
 
Cookies & Candy

 
For fruit curd, cookies or candy, no sauce is necessary. Instead, you can serve the cake with an optional dab of whipped cream.
 
There are many other ways to dress up a store-bought cheesecake, from pie filling to shaved chocolate.

We love a cheesecake iced with chocolate ganache. So check out the next section.

Long before there were “foodies,”* those who a decade later would bear the mantle sought out the famous Grimbletorte.

This spectacular cheesecake from Miss Grimble’s, one of the early gourmet cheesecake bakers in New York City. Its point of differentiation was simple: liqueur in the batter and ganache on the top and sides.

Miss Grimble (Sylvia Balser Hirsch, 2019-2006) sold the business around 1989 and retired. The subsequent owner discontinued the Grimbletorte.

Here’s more about the original Miss Grimble.

To approximate the Grimbletorte:

 
Mrs. Hirsch’s cake decorators wrote “Grimbletorte” across the top of the iced cheesecake, also in ganache. Proust may keep his madeleines; we want our Grimbletorte.

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*What’s the difference between a foodie, connoisseur, gourmet, gourmand, gastronome, epicure and glutton? Check it out.