Talk about fusion food: This Mardi Gras challah combines the colors* of a French Catholic tradition in New Orleans—and their iconic King Cake—with the braided yeast bread challah, the sabbath bread of the Jewish people.

Mardi Gras is early this year, February 13th. To celebrate the occasion, our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog created this beauty with all natural colors. Each slice is just a little bit different.

 
Together, they create a vibrant harmony in purple, gold, and green…

…for Mardi Gras…
…for Easter…
…for any time you need some happy colors on your table.

> Here’s the recipe.

> The history of challah.

> The history of bread.

> The different types of bread: a photo glossary.
 
 
KING CAKE RECIPES

 
 
RECIPES TO SERVE WITH KING CAKE

[1] Challah braided in Mardi Gras colors (photos #1 and #2 © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[2] Bring the whole loaf to the table and slice it in front of delighted guests.

[1] “Nutella” mousse made with Bonne Maman’s Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (photos #1 and #2 © Bonne Maman).

[2] A close up with an Easter-springtime ganache.

[3] The original: Nutella (photo © Mikael Stenberg | Unsplash).

February 5th is National Nutella Day, celebrating a hazelnut-chocolate spread that has become popular the world over. We’re celebrating it this year with this Nutella mousse recipe, Nutella being the brand name for the original spread.

Made by the Ferrero Company of Italy, the original product was called Giandujot (john-DOO-yote), after the Italian term gianduja (john-DOO-ya).

Gianduja is a filling for chocolate bonbons made of chocolate and cream, a.k.a. ganache, mixed with hazelnuts.

Giandujot was later developed into the spread we now know as Nutella®. The Ferrero Company officially introduced Nutella to the market in 1964.

Nutella became so popular that it engendered similar products. They can’t be called Nutella, of course; but the recipe below was used with Bonne Maman’s Hazelnut Chocolate Spread.

Whole Foods has its own 365 Hazelnut Cocoa Spread, and for those who don’t care for hazelnuts, Trader Joe has Cocoa Almond Spread.

> The history of Nutella.

> The history of mousse.

> The history of hazelnuts.

> The history of chocolate.
 
 
RECIPE: HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE IN COOKIE CUPS

Thanks to Bonne Maman USA for this recipe.

While the prep and cook times for the mousse are relatively quick, the ganache requires 4 hours or more—preferably overnight—to stiffen.

The recipe can be simplified by serving the mousse plain in a dessert dish (no cookie cups, no piping). For a fancier look, you can purchase individual meringue cups to hold the mousse instead of the cookie cups.

While this recipe has been garnished with two chocolate Easter eggs (photos #1 and #2), plain whipped cream will do. In other seasons, a small cookie, a piece of brittle, bark, a raspberry, or any other decor will do.
 
Ingredients For 6 Servings

For The Mousse

 
For The Cookie Cups

 
Plus

The mousse is prepared in two stages: first the chocolate-hazelnut ganache and then the whipped cream to fold into it.

1. BOIL 1 cup of the heavy cream in a saucepan to begin the ganache. Place the dark chocolate pieces in a mixing bowl. Pour in 1⁄3 of the heated cream, wait a few minutes for the chocolate to melt, and then mix into a homogeneous emulsion. Add the rest of the cream in two parts.

Finally, fold in the Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread. Let the ganache cool.

2. TAMP plastic wrap over the surface of the ganache and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal). Remove the ganache from the refrigerator 15 minutes prior to making the whipped cream.

3. MAKE the whipped cream. First beat the two egg whites to stiff peaks. In another bowl…

4. WHIP ¾ cup of the remaining heavy cream to snowy peaks and fold in the egg whites.

5. WHIP the ganache into peaks using an electric beater, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the whipped cream-egg white mixture to the whipped ganache, folding it in gently.

Your hazelnut chocolate mousse is ready! It will keep for 48 hours in the refrigerator.

6. MAKE the flower cookie cups. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the butter and egg.

7. KNEAD the dough, folding in the chocolate chips, to form a uniform ball. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and roll out dough to a thickness of 3/16 inch.

8. CUT OUT the flowers using a cookie cutter (the one used for this recipe measures 4½ inches across).

9. BAKE in a cup shape by placing each flower over an upside-down muffin or cupcake mold or custard cup measuring around 3¼ inches across. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 °F. Remove from the oven.

10. LET the cookie cups cool before removing them from the mold.

11. MELT the one ounce of dark chocolate and paint the inside of the cookie cups. This chocolate coat acts as a sealant. Let cool. To reduce the setting time, place the cups in the refrigerator.

12. USE a piping bag to pipe the mousse to into the cookie cups and then. Decorate as desired.

Cheese Bits of Riverbank, California, has captured our attention with its innovative line of Cheese Bits “bite size premium snacking cheeses.”

We love innovation, and Cheese Bits has it covered with three product lines, all under the umbrella of Mozzamini Cheese Bits.

The artisanal, all-natural, premium snacking cheeses are made with milk from local Northern California dairies.

Cheese Bits come in three versions: Pearls, Sticks, and Tots.

It’s not that there haven’t been mozzarella pearls (perlini), sticks, and tots (cielegeine, boconcini) out there.

But Mozzamini has expanded the flavor palette. In addition to the traditional Original (plain), there are:

 
And, a point of difference: They are made of scamorza, not mozzarella.

Both are made from from curds that are stretched (a.k.a. pasta filata). With scamorza, however, the curds are smaller so as to retain less moisture. Here’s more about it.

The product line is made from Northern California milk, and are gluten-free.

Imagine what fun you can have sprinkling them over foods to delight family and friends.

While all four flavors are available in Pearls, Sticks, and Tots, oday we focus on the Pearls because they are elegant and tasty fun.

They’re not exactly bite-size. Those would be the Sticks and Tots.

Rather, a few of these little pearls might count as a “bite.” So let us explain:
 
 
THE SIZES OF MOZZARELLA BALLS

We’re presenting this size comparison to explain the relative size of Mozzamini Pearls.

Growing up, we only knew of one size of mozzarella: the one-pound ball carried by our supermarket. But over time, U.S. cheesemakers and importers diversified the line.

The specific timeline for when different sizes of mozzarella balls were introduced is not be well-documented. Variations in size are often driven by culinary trends, consumer demands, regional preferences, and the creativity of artisanal cheese makers.

Over time, the range of sizes expanded. Today you can find a variety in upscale markets, Italian markets, and cheese specialty stores, including:

 
 
HOW TO USE MOZZAMINI PEARLS

Note that while these pearls, made of mozzarella, can be melted, the allure is as a garnish, offering added visual, flavor, and textural appeal.

For Breakfast

 
For Lunch & Dinner

You can marinate the plain pearls in EVOO, balsamic, and herbs to use as a garnish. Or use them, along with the flavored pearls, “as is.”

 
For Dessert

 
 
WASABI PEARLS: A NATIONAL AWARD WINNER

One of the four pearl flavors, Wasabi, was honored with a prestigious Silver Medal at the most recent American Cheese Society Judging and Competition (2023), arguably the most prestigious cheese events in the U.S.

There, panels of expert judges evaluated more than cheeses 1,400 entries in various categories, scoring them taste, texture, aesthetics, and overall excellence.

Wasabi Pearls was entered in the category of International-Style With Flavor Added – All Milks.

First prize in the category (Gold Medal) went to the cumin-flavored Gouda from Oakdale Cheese.

Second prize (the Silver Medal) was shared with Buholzer Brothers Dill Havarti from Klondike Cheese Co. and Cervelle de Canut, an American version of the French-inspired fresh goat cheese spread with shallots, chives, pepper and vinegar, made by Zingerman’s Creamery.
 
 
GET YOUR CHEESE BITS

> Check the store locator for retailers near you.
 
 
MORE TO DISCOVER
 
> The history of scamorza cheese.

> The history of mozzarella cheese.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese: a photo glossary.

[1] Start at breakfast with Strawberry or Original Pearls on your cereal, or any flavor on your eggs (all photos © Cheese Bits).

[2] Garnish breakfast eggs with Original, Wasabi, or Wood-Smoked Pearls.

[3] Pizza toast can be fun with browned Pearls of your flavor of choice.

[4] Ready for cocktails? How about crab canapés and Wood Smoked pearls.

[5] Sprinkle Pearls atop your favorite pasta.

[6] Pearls are packaged in plastic trays.

[7] Original Pearls.

[1] Sesame Mille Crêpes Cake (both photos © Lady M).

[2] Close-up on a slice.

Looking for gourmet inspiration to celebrate the Lunar New Year? Check out this deluxe Sesame Ti Kuan Yin Tea Mille Crêpes from Lady M.

Layers of delicate and nutty black sesame cream, paper-thin French crêpes, and floral Ti Kuan Yin oolong tea-infused whipped cream come together in this limited-edition Mille Crêpes cake.

Each cake is elegantly finished with a black sesame glaze and topped with roasted sesame seeds: a beautifuence of flavors to celebrate the New Year.

Tieguanyin or ti kuan yin is a variety of Chinese oolong tea that originated in the 19th century in Anxi, in Fujian province.

While this bit of information may not sync with a luscious, creamy cake, Tieguanyin tea is rich in antioxidants and has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

Studies have shown that tieguanyin tea can help improve heart health, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce cancer risk. The tea has also been shown to boost cognitive function and memory [source].

So, while you’re enjoying the cake, have a second piece. It may not boost your cognitive function, but it is irresistible.

The 2024 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon, begins on February 10th and is observed through February 15th.

> Here’s more about the Lunar New Year.
 
 
> Get your cake here.

> The history of Mille Crêpes cake.

> The history of cake.

> The different types of cake: a photo glossary.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon invites Bourbon lovers to partake of a special Valentine treat: a bottle of the acclaimed Kentucky Bourton along with a limited-edition four-piece chocolate collection of chocolates by prominent artisan chocolatier Compartes (photo #1).

Compartés chocolatier Jonathan Grahm teamed up with Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall to create unique chocolate designed to pair seamlessly with Double Oaked.

Handcrafted by a small team of chocolatiers in Los Angeles, each of the four ganache flavors complements the Double Oaked sweet aromatic flavor profile, starting with beautiful gold surface design.

Compartés x Woodford Reserve chocolates are handcrafted and include four unique flavors that accentuate specific characteristics of Double Oaked:

 
It’s a sophisticated—and might we say fun—way to pair chocolates with Bourbon.
 
 
GET YOUR COMPARTÉS x WOODFORD RESERVE SET 

The limited edition Compartés x Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bundle includes a 750ml of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and four-piece chocolate box.

Online, it is available for $87.94 exclusively on Reserve Bar. It’s also available at large and small retailers nationwide, and at Woodford Reserve Distillery.

> Get your Compartés x Woodford Valentine’s Day gift here.
 
 
Is It Bourbon with a B or a b? 

The Nibble capitalizes the word Bourbon because it’s a proper name.

Bourbon is the name of the county in Kentucky where it was first made, which in turn was named for the ruling dynasty of France.

Bourbon vanilla is named for them, too. After the French took possession of the island in the 17th century—where the vanilla pods grew—they named it Bourbon.

> National Bourbon Day is June 14th.

> National Chocolate Day is October 28th.
 
 
> What is Bourbon?

> The four top Bourbon cocktails.

> The history of Bourbon.

> The different types of whiskey.

[1] Woodford x Compartes, a memorable Bourbon-and-chocolate Valentine gift (photos #1 and #2 © Brown-Forman).

[2] A bottle of Woodford Reserve.

[3] Old Fashioned, one of the top Bourbon cocktails (photo © Adam Jaime | Unsplash).