Attention home cooks: Do you have a jar of sour salt? Sour Salt is the secret weapon of chefs and home cooks alike, says Pereg Gourmet Spices. The jar gives you the power of pure citric acid (also called citric salt), ready to brighten, balance, and boost the flavors in all your favorite dishes. This… Continue reading "Sour Salt: Amplify The...

[1] Classic peach cobbler with sugar-topped biscuits (photos #1, #3, #4, and #5 King Arthur Baking). [2] When peaches are out of season, you can use frozen peaches or substitute fresh mango (photo Good Eggs). [3] Always use pure vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla extract (vanillin) is less expensive, and tastes it (think of… Continue readin...

On October 19th, International Gin and Tonic Day celebrates one of the world's most famous drinks. But in the U.S., we have a second chance to raise a glass: April 9th is National Gin & Tonic Day. Much as we loved the classic Gin & Tonic recipe, this year we decided to try something new:… Continue reading "A Spicy Gin & Tonic ...

[1] The splendid Eat The Rainbow box from Farmer Jones Farm (photos #1, #2, #3, #4 Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog). [2] Oca and sunchokes. Oka, cultivated by the Incas like potatoes, are an underground stem tuber that originated in the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains. Sunchoke, also called Jerusalem artichoke, is a… Continue r...

April 5th is National Deep Dish Pizza Day, one of 12 annual pizza holidays. Thats a lot of pizza parties, but for today: the history of Chicago-style pizza, also known as deep dish pizza. The differences between Chicago deep dish pizza, stuffed pizza, and Detroit-style pizza follow.     > A year of 12 pizza… Continue reading "The H...

[1] Crunchy cheesecake bites (photos #1 and #2 Duda Fresh). [2] Start with celery stalks.   So…youd think that Cheesecake Celery Sticks are an April Fools Day joke. After all…can crunchy celery sticks, a savory snack, be turned into a dessert with cheesecake filling and chocolate sauce? Well…yes. April Fools! > The history o...

Heres a crowd pleaser of an idea for Easter dinner: an Easter candy charcuterie board (platter) at the end of the meal, instead of petit fours*. Candies and cookies take the place of the meats on an actual charcuterie board. We serve ours at the end of the meal, after dessert, with coffee. You can… Continue reading "Easter Candy Charcuterie ...

[1] The beautiful Pinkglow Pineapple (all photos Fresh Del Monte). [2] A memorable tropical fruit salad. [3] Order online and this beautiful box arrives.   A truly delightful gift for any foodie is Fresh Del Montes Pinkglow Pineapple. It looks like a regular pineapple on the outside, but the flesh is rosy pink through… Continue reading ...

For an Easter gift idea that isnt chocolate, take a look at these charming Happy O tumblers. The set includes 4 tumblers with color insets in pink, green, yellow, and blue, which not only add color to the Easter table. The pretty pastels are perfect for spring and summer. The color is only in the… Continue reading "Riedel Tumbler Glasses, A ...

[1] The winner: Boston Cream Pie. Heres a recipe. (photo Taste Of Home). [2] Bumbleberry, a mixed berry pie. Heres a recipe (photo King Arthur Baking). [3] Sweet, tart, and crisp Honeycrisp apples are great for pieand everything else. Heres the history of apple pie and numerous twists on the classic recipe. (photo… Continue reading "It's P...

[1] Boxty, Irish potato pancakes. Heres the recipe (photo Veggie Desserts). [2] Coddle, or Dublin coddle, is somewhat like a potato and sausage stew. Heres a recipe (photo Wholefully). [3] Colcannon consists of otatoes mashed with either cabbage or kale. Heres a recipe (photo Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog). [4] Irish coffee… Cont...

A tasty new way to serve crab, we present this Garlic Noodles with Crab recipe (photo #1) for National Crab Day, March 9th. Thanks to the California Wine Institute for the recipe, which was developed by Sarah Gim. You can find many more delicious recipes with wine pairings at DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com. Says Sarah: Garlic Noodles with… Conti...

[1] Banana pound cake Bundt. > The recipe is below. (photos #1, #3, and recipe Imperial Sugar). [2] Use ripe (speckled) or very ripe bananas (photo Jude Infantini | Unsplash). [3] Before you get ready to bake, check the freshness of your butter: Cut a very small piece and taste it (photo … Continue reading "Yum! A Banana Pound Cake Re...

Cookbook author, chef, and restaurateur Judith McLoughlin calls the recipe below St. Patricks Colcannon & Corned Beef. Its an alternative approach to the traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage.But we wouldnt want to limit this delicious dish to just one day a year (St. Pats). Judith adds: Most Americans are shocked when I tell them that…...

[1] A Dutch Baby pancake with a sauted apple topping. The recipe is below (photo Bobs Red Mill). [2] A Dutch Baby can be customized with numerous flavors, both savory and sweet. Above, a lemon-berry Dutch Baby. Heres the recipe (photo Camilla Styles). [3] A savory Dutch Baby can include eggs plus bacon,… Continue reading "A Dutch Baby Panc...

February is National Hot Breakfast Monthone of the 115 breakfast holidays of the year. Before the month runs out, we made this special recipe, a skillet scramble with potatoes, bacon, and sausage. The recipe was developed by Love Keil of Munchkin Time and shared with us by the Idaho Potato Commission. > The history of… Continue reading "Skil...

[1] Emmys Organics cookies are made with shredded coconut. Theyre macaroon-style treats in different flavors (photo courtesy Emmys Organics). [2] Each chewy cookie is delicious on its own or with a beverage (photo courtesy The Balanced Beet). [3] How can you resist? Head to Walmart, use the store locator or order online.   THE NIBBLE… Co...

[1] Rustic chic granola from Banner Road Bakery (photo courtesy Banner Road Baking Co.). [2] Yummy yogurt barsrefrigerated, not frozenfrom Clio Snacks. The halved bars show the consistency of the yogurt (photos courtesy Clio Snacks). [3] Sparkling Diet Cranberry from Ocean Spray: just 10 calories a can (photo courtesy Ocean Spray).   Were fort...

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[1] Tender and irresistible cookies from the box. [2] A mix to bake your own (both photos courtesy Simple Mills).   In celebration of National Chocolate Chip Day, May 15th, I ventured where I would not normally go: to the land of soft-baked chocolate chip cookies. Simple Mills sent me their vegan, gluten-free and paleo-friendly… Continue...

[1] One of three flavors of new Muesli Cupstwo are gluten freefrom Bobs Red Mill (photo courtesy Bobs Red Mill). [2] Califlour cauliflower pizza crusts, including new Jalapeno (photo courtesy CaliFlour Foods). [3] Snikiddys baked cheese puffs, organic and gluten-free (photo courtesy Snikiddy). [4] Trader Joes Birthday Bar: white chocolate, cookie c...

If youve ever seen individual meringue cups/shells in a bakery and wondered what they are: Theyre the base of Pavlovas*. Light and airy, they are filled with fruit to make an impressive gluten-free and fat-free dessert (photo #2). Pavlova is quick-assembly dessert thats impressive and low-calorie. It consists of a meringue base topped with fresh...

[1] Bet you cant eat just one box (photo courtesy Cheez-It | Kelloggs)! [2] Rich and creamy. Enjoy a bowl or just a mini-cup (photo courtesy Pacific Foods).   Last weeks product tastings yielded these favorites: snacks, soups and condiments. 1. CHEEZ-IT DUOZ Can you resist the sweet and salty combination of caramel popcorn with… Con...

Over the past 15 years, hummus, a Middle Eastern dip and spread, has exploded as favorite food in the U.S. We think of hummus as comfort food. Based on its nutrition, versatility and of course, taste, its a winner. Most people know that hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini (a paste… Continue reading "TOP PICK OF T...

Only one of us at THE NIBBLE follows a gluten-free diet, but all of us like to taste the products that are so good, no conventional eater would notice they were GF. This weeks product selection is certified gluten free, but anyone at any table should be happy to eat them. We present them in… Continue reading "PRODUCTS: Great Gluten-Free Brea...

The Chinese New Year holiday begins today. Its also called Lunar New Year, since the date is based on the lunar calendar*; and other Asian countries in addition to China celebrate it. The celebration lasts for 15 days, and an estimated 1.4 billion people around the world participate. Its the Year Of The Dog, one… Continue reading "TIP OF THE...

[1] White quinoa seeds (photo Methyl Soy | Wikipedia). [2] Red quinoa fried rice topped with an egg, at P.F. Changs. [3] Quinoa tabbouheh, at Andina Restaurant | Portland (photo by Eric Cable). [4] Harvesting red quinoa: back-breaking work (photo courtesy Tru Roots). [5] Three styles of quinoa pasta from Pereg Gourmet.   For moreR...

You can't tell that these gluten-free cookies are gluten free! Photo courtesy Cheryl's.   We have dear friends and readers with gluten sensitivity, so we keep an eye out for anything above the ordinary that they might enjoy. When Cheryl's offered us a taste test of their conventional versus gluten-free cookies in advance of National […]...

[1] Divine rum cakes in 6 flavors from Rum Sisters. [2] This expresso cake from 1812 House: a coffee lover's dream cake. [3] A duo of small espresso bundt cakes with caramel sauce.   GIFT #1: RUM SISTERS, RUM CAKES & MORE We've tried lots of rum cake. But the Rum Sisters make the best […]

Grandma Hoerner's is a company that makes Big Slice Apples, one of our favorite new snacks and toppings. Big Slice Apples were first cooked in Grandma Hoerner's farm kitchen in Kansas in the late 1800s, made from apples straight from the orchard. Grandson, Duane McCoy, rcalling the wonderful big slices of cooked apples from his […]

In our childhood, fall meant a choice of pumpkin pie or pumpkin pie. Today, there's pumpkin everything. Walk into your favorite food store: You'll find pumpkin-themed products in every aisle. Start the day with pumpkin yogurt or a bowl of pumpkin granola, toasted Thomas' Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and bagels. Wash them down with pumpkin […...

Top: Chocolate-dipped macaroons (photo courtesy McCormick). Center: Plain coconut macaroons (photo courtesy Recchiuti Confections). Bottom: Up close (photo by Georgie Grd | Wikipedia).   If you like coconut, don't wait until Passover* to make coconut macaroons. They're a great treat year-round, and gluten-free. Bring them as house gifts: ...

Drier ciders work better with meats. Photo courtesy Angry Orchard.   Skip the Pinot Grigio and taste some cider for Mother's Day. It's more novel than wine, and will suit any guest: Cider is equally popular among men and women, whereas beer is significantly more popular among men*. Cider is also gluten-free and less filling […]

On a recent trip to a churrascaria to indulge in the salad bar, our colleague Hannah Kaminsky discovered something more memorable than the jumbo asparagus and whole cloves of caramelized garlic: pão de queijo, Brazilian Cheese Bread. Not a conventional bread (no kneading required), pão de queijo (pow de KAY-zoo) is a Brazilian variation of [̷...

Top: Spicy Korean meatballs from Noodles & Company. Center: Cooked rice noodles from Indochine Kitchen. Bottom: Peacock Brand rice noodles, one of our favorites.   March 9th is National Meatball Day. Suggestion: Try something different, instead of the very familiar Italian-American pork blend meatballs with tomato sauce and Parmesan chees...

Two years ago we recommended Modern Oats, a packaging concept that places elegantly-flavored, gluten-free* oatmeal in stylish grab-and-go cups. All you have to do is add hot water to cover the oats in the coated paper cup. Put the lid back on, wait a few minutes and enjoy. No added sweetener, milk or microwave is […]

If you're looking for a great gluten-free cookie, look no further than Soulfully Sweet. You can tell that many, many test batches were baked to find the magic mixture that makes these cookies taste so good. With the right mix of ingredients and technique, you can't tell that baked goods are gluten free. Soulfully Sweet […]

Every time we dip into a bag of Bare Fruit Apple Chips, we wonder: Why isn't everyone eating these? So before Halloween, we're recommending them as the better-for-you treat, for the people you love. Everyone else can get those miniature junk candies from the supermarket. (Sorry if we have maligned your favorite candy bars; but […]