[1] Love Potion No. 31 is delicious, even if you’re not after love (photos #1 and #2 © Baskin-Robbins).

[2] Get the fancy red waffle cone with the heart-shaped sprinkles.

[3] You can mix up your own potion, with hibiscus tea, cranberry juice and pomegranate juice, plus mulling spices (photo © Anete Lusina | Pexels).

[4] A very easy love potion: the Cranberry Mimosa, cranberry juice and sparkling wine (photo © Ocean Spray).

[5] Our personal favorite love potion: a bottle of good Champagne. The roses are optional (photo © G. H. Mumm).

Those who are fond of golden oldies may remember the song Love Potion No. 9 by The Clovers (written by Leiber and Stoller, released in 1959). Here it is.

Alas, it didn’t provide the ingredients. We have some listed below.

But first, while not a real potion

so it doesn’t describe real ingredients. However, in folklore and pop culture, “love potions” often contained herbs, aphrodisiacs, and mystical ingredients.

Baskin-Robbins’ Love Potion No. 31, which debuted 30 years ago (1995) as a monthly special is making an appearance for the month of February.
 
 
WHAT’S IN LOVE POTION NO. 31?

White chocolate and tangy raspberry ice creams are swirled into wedded bliss, with chocolate chips and ribbons of raspberry purée.

To take it over the top, Love Potion No. 31 is speckled with tiny raspberry-filled chocolate-flavored hearts.

But wait, there’s more: a fresh-baked pink waffle cone that’s been dipped in chocolate and coated with heart sprinkles.

Named for Baskin-Robbins’ 31 flavors, in this flavor of the month,

> Head to your nearest Baskin-Robbins.

If you fall under the spell of Love Potion No. 31, take home some pints for the freezer…or wait until next February.

Here are two cocktails to serve with it:

 
 
WHAT’S IN A “REGULAR” POTION?

A potion is a liquid mixture, often with [purported] magical or medicinal properties, that is typically consumed to achieve a specific effect.

Potions appear in folklore, mythology, fantasy literature, and historical medicine. There are different types of potions, starting with:

 
While the song Love Potion No. 9 doesn’t list any ingredients, in folklore “love potions” typically contain herbs, [purported] aphrodisiacs, and mystical ingredients. Some historical love potions:

In Ancient Greece & Rome, love potions (called philtra in Greek) were made with mandrake root, saffron, and honey.

 
In Medieval & Renaissance Europe:

 
In The Middle East & North Africa, the famed book of folk tales, One Thousand and One Nights, mention magical brews for love and attraction.

 
In China & East Asia, some legends mention love potions made from rare herbs to ensure devotion.

 
In Africa, various cultures use roots, barks, and animal parts in love charms and potions.

 
In India, the Kama Sutra mentions herbal preparations to increase attraction.

 
In the Americas:

 
As for contemporary America, we’d be happy to start with a bottle of Krug Champagne.
 
 

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February 1st was International Furmint Day. The month is designated Furmint February. But what is Furmint*, many might ask?

It’s a white grape from Hungary, made into a noteworthy white wine.

We knew Furmint as the main white wine grape used in the grape blend for Hungarian’s famous Tokaji (Tokay), but we’d never had any that was bottled as a single varietal.

So we set out to find a few well-regarded to taste with wine friends at a weekend dinner.

This turned out to be a challenge, since Furmint wines appear to be quite rare in the U.S. We ended up buying them online.

So white wine lovers: Let’s all do our part. Try it, share it, and get sales up so more people can get to know this food-friendly, affordable wine.

It’s not a wine that gets much attention in the U.S. Furmint (FUR-mint) is important enough that the world’s best wineglass maker, Riedel, has designed a glass for it (photos #9 and #10).

Before we go further, a bottle of Furmint and a set of glasses would make a welcome gift for a wine connoisseur (by which we mean students of wine as well as experts).

An overview of Furmint (FUR-mint) follows. Also below:

> The history of Furmint.

> The year’s 40+ white wine holidays.

> The white wine varietals.

Also on TheNibble.com:

> All the red wine holidays.
 
 
AN INTRODUCTION TO FURMINT

From Hungary’s Tokaj region, Furmint is a white grape variety most famously known for its role in producing the prized Tokaji Aszú† (TOE-ky ah-ZU) sweet wines from the region. Nobles from all over Europe became fans, with King Louis XIV of France calling it the wine of kings.

Its high acidity and sugar content make the grape perfect for sweet wine production. It’s also thin-skinned and susceptible to the noble rot†, the mold Botrytis cinerea (photo #7).

Botrytis cinerea attacks the grapes and sucks out moisture, which concentrates the grape’s sugars and flavors into a honeylike sweetness and complexity.

Botrytised wines are the apex of sweet wine production, sought after by many for their lush, rich, intense sweetness.

Tokaji Aszú is one of the most famous dessert wines in the world. Like Sauternes, the botrytis brings out complex flavors of honey and apricot; and in the case of Tokaji Aszú, Furmint’s intense minerality as well.

Thus, while traditionally associated with sweet wines, many Hungarian winemakers now produce excellent dry Furmint wines. Food-friendly and refreshing, with high acidity and high minerality, wine aficionados now have the chance to discover dry Furmint.

While our focus here is dry Furmint, let’s start by defining the different types of Furmint wines.
 
 
Four Styles Of Furmint Wines

 
 
PAIRING DRY FURMINT & FOOD

The key to pairing food with dry Furmint is to work with its high acidity and complex mineral character. That’s pretty easy with everyday favorites such as:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF FURMINT WINE

A wild grape native to Hungary, Furmint has been cultivated in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region for centuries, with documented mentions dating back to the 16th century, during tumultuous period of the Ottoman occupation (1541 to 1699 C.E.).

Ampelographers** believe that it is highly probable that the grape originated there.

Furmint’s use in Tokaji dessert wines has its first known reference 1635, describing a full-bodied sweet dessert wine made from late-ripened grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot).

Although it was still a dangerous frontier zone exposed to frequent raids, during the Ottoman occupation the Tokaj wine region remained unoccupied and became a sanctuary for wine production and cultural preservation.
 
 
The Wine Of Kings

Tokaji Aszú, the sweet wine made from Furmint, gained international acclaim quickly. In the 17th century, it was known as the “wine of kings, king of wines,” a phrase famously attributed to King Louis XIV of France, a lover of Tokaji wines.

This reputation spread across European royal courts, making it a prestigious quaff among nobility.

The unique wine-making process involved hand-picking individual botrytized grapes from the cluster, a labor-intensive method that made the wine extremely expensive and rare (not all grapes in a cluster would get botrytis).

In 1737, the Tokaj wine region became the world’s first classified wine region, predating the Port wine region (Douro Valley, Portugal) in 1756. The famed classification of Bordeaux did not happen until 1855.

The sweet wine was well established by the late 18th century when, in 1796, the Hungarian politician János Dercsényi described Furmint as the “genuine Tokaji Aszú” grape [source].

During the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867 to 1918), Tokaji wines became known as a national treasure and were often used as diplomatic gifts

The phylloxera epidemic that began in 1863 and lasted for decades nearly destroyed Hungarian vineyards (as well as those in other parts of Europe, Australia, South Africa, and California, as the insect spread).

The recovery was slow, and wine production in Europe was further disrupted by the two World Wars and communist era.

While Tokai was produced then, quality was often sacrificed.

After the fall of communism in 1989, Hungarian winemakers began reviving traditional Furmint production techniques. They started focusing on both the traditional sweet styles and exploring dry Furmint wines, which have gained significant international recognition in recent years.
 
 
The Emergence Of Dry Furmint Wines

While Hungary has been producing dry Furmint wines for centuries, it was in small quantities for local consumption. The main focus was where the money was: in the world-famous Tokaji Aszú.

Dry furmint became widely recognized and commercially significant only recently, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

In the 1990s, after the fall of communism, Hungarian winemakers began experimenting more with dry Furmint, influenced by international demand for food-friendly dry white wines.

By the early 2000s, top producers like István Szepsy (Szepsy Winery), Disznókő, and Királyudvar began making high-quality dry Furmint wines, proving its potential beyond sweet wines.

Since then, Tokaj and other regions have developed crisp, mineral-driven dry Furmints, gaining international recognition.

Dry Furmint is now considered one of Hungary’s flagship white wines, enjoyed both domestically and internationally, with styles ranging from fresh and citrusy to rich and oak-aged.

They have caught the eye of winemakers in other countries. Plantings appeared in the neighboring countries of Austria and Slovenia.

There are small plantings in California, Australia, and South Africa as small winemakers experiment with what the grape might do in their regions—where the climate is very different from southern Hungary’s.
 
 
The Name “Furmint”

The origin or etymology of “furmint” is not entirely certain, but here are the leading theories—for which there is no evidence:

 
The truth is out there…somewhere.

[1] A dry Furmint from István Szepsy’s Szepsy Pince (cellar or winery). One of the greatest winemakers in the history of Hungary, Szepsy was instrumental in reviving Tokaj’s reputation post-communism. He was one of the first to refocus on making high-quality dry Furmint wines in addition to the traditional sweet wines. The Szepsy family has been making wine in Tokaj since the late 16th century (photo © 9 Elms Wines).

[2] The first records of Disznókő vineyards, one of the most renowned wineries in Tokaj, date back to 1413. By the 18th century, the estate was recognized as a premier Tokaji vineyard. Its modern revival began in 1992, when it was acquired by the French company AXA Millésimes, a wine investment group that restored the winery, modernizing production (photo © Disznoko).

[3] See the difference in color between the dry Furmint above and this late harvest Furmint, the result of the concentration of sugar and aging (photos #3, #4, #6, and #7 © Disznoko Tokaj | Facebook.

[4] Sparkling Furmint.

[5] Tokaji Aszú, the king of wines or wine of kings (photo Best Of Hungary).

[6] A cluster of furmint grapes, just snipped from the vine.

[7] Grapes attacked by Botrytis cinerea mold dry out like raisins. This concentrates the flavor.

[8] This dry Furmint celebrates the beloved Hungarian Vizsla, one of whom was evidently an army officer. It’s inexpensive and the label makes it a best-seller Here’s more about the wine (photo © Vivino).

[9] The world’s first Furmint glass was designed by the world’s leading wine glass maker, Riedel (photos #8 and #9 © Furmint Glass).

[10] Gift a box of two Furmint glasses along with a bottle of furmint.

________________
 
*Furmint is capitalized because it is named after a grape variety, not a geographic location. This is in line with the style guidelines followed by the Associated Press and The New York Times. Wines that are not named after the type of grape are not capitalized, such as rosé and sherry.

**Ampelography is the science of identifying, naming and classifying cultivated grape varieties through detailed analysis of the unique characteristics of the plant.

***There are three rosé holidays. JThe second Saturday in June holiday was founded in 2014 by Bodvár House of Rosés, a Swedish brand, as a U.S.-focused promotional holiday. The fourth Friday in June, International Rosé Day, was established in 2018 by the Provence wine region in France, which is essentially the global home of rosé.

†Tokaji Aszú is a sweet dessert wine made primarily from botrytized grapes. Botrytis, a fungus, leaches moisture from the grapes, drying them out, which concentrates the sugars and flavors (photo #7). Hence the nickname, noble rot. Aszú means “dried.” Note that while botrytis is often referred to as “gray mold,” mold is a type of fungus. While the mold first appeared spontaneously in warm, humid conditions, winemakers can now use techniques to encourage its growth.

When pairing foods with Aszú,the rich, lusciously sweet, high-acid wine making is a versatile pairing wine that works well with sweet, salty, spicy, and umami-rich dishes.
>Cheese Pairings: blue cheeses (Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola), aged Cheddar or Comté, goat cheese.
>Savory Pairings: foie gras, duck à l’orange, honey-glazed ham, roast pork with apples, spicy Asian cuisine (Indian, Szechuan, Thai).
>Dessert Pairings: fruit tarts (apple, apricot, peach, pear), crème brûlée, nut or spice cakes (gingerbread, hazelnut, walnut).
>Snacks: dark chocolate with sea salt, dried fruits and nuts (almond, apricots, figs, walnuts), (Figs, Apricots, Almonds, Walnuts) – A simple yet elegant match.

††The other Hungarian grapes that can be used in a Tokaji blend, hárslevelű and sárga muskotály for added complexity, zéta and kövérszőlő for aroma, and kabar for richness and depth.

‡There are two Champagne Days. The first, celebrated on the fourth Friday of October, was created in 2009 by Chris Oggenfuss, a California wine educator. The second, on New Year’s Eve, grew organically.

‡‡Cap Classique is a term used in South Africa for méthode traditionelle sparkling wine production. This is the same technique used in Champagne, a labor-intensive process where wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating the bubbles.
 
 

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[1] Cookies & Cream Dark Chocolate Fondue (photos #1, #2, #3, and #4 © The Melting Pot).

[2] Turtle Milk Chocolate Fondue.

[3] Fonduefetti White Chocolate Fondue.

[4] The fondue comes in a pouch of with premium chocolate wafers† and toppings. Each pouch makes five 1/4-cup servings. For larger servings, plan accordingly.

[5] If you don’t have a rechaud or hot plate to keep the fondue warm, see other ways to do it, below (photo © Swissmar).

[5] If you want to purchase a fondue pot, we recommend an electric one for convenience and safety (photo © Starfrit).

[6] Spear your food with bamboo skewers (photo Boesma | Amazon).

February 5th is National Chocolate Fondue Day, celebrating a treat that’s easy to make. So why don’t we have it more often? With three new ready-to-heat-and-eat flavors from The Melting Pot, there’s no excuse not to treat yourself.

February is also National Fondue Month, so there’s plenty of time.

You don’t need a fondue pot or fondue forks. See how to use what you already have, below.

The Melting Pot, a restaurant chain specializing in all kinds of fondue, has added an at-home chocolate fondue collection to their at-home cheese fondue options. There are more than 90 locations from coast to coast, and you can own one!

But you don’t have to leave home to enjoy their fondue. And you don’t have to plan ahead: Just open the packet and melt the chocolate (or cheese) on the stove top or in the microwave.

Perfect for celebrations, date night, friends-and-family gatherings, Valentine’s Day, or simply to indulge a chocolate craving, these packets are waiting for you to start the party.
 
 
WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

You can order a single flavor or one of each.

 
All you need to do is supply the dippers: squares of brownies and cake, fruits, marshmallows, waffles, whatever you’d like to swirl in melted chocolate.

See our complete list of dippers here.

Each pouch makes five 1/4-cup servings. For larger servings, plan accordingly.
 
 
GET YOUR CHOCOLATE FONDUE

> Head to TheMeltingPot to get yours.

And not just yours: These delightful packets are welcome any-occasion or hostess gifts.

And they’re an alternative to the standard box of chocolate for of Valentine’s Day.
 
 
HOW TO SERVE FONDUE IF YOU DON’T HAVE A FONDUE POT

It’s easy to melt the fondue on the stove top or in a microwave. Then, typically, the pot of of melted fondue is set atop a brazier with a can of gel fuel (e.g. Sterno) or a tea candle underneath to keep the fondue warm while it is consumed.

No fondue pot? No problem! Here are a few ways to serve and keep your chocolate fondue (or cheese fondue) warm at the table:

 
 
NO FONDUE FORKS? TRY THESE

 
 
A YEAR OF DESSERT HOLIDAYS

There are 200 of them!

 
 
AND MORE!
 
> An easy from-scratch chocolate fondue recipe.

> A white chocolate fondue recipe.

> What to dip into chocolate fondue.

> Who invented chocolate fondue.

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