Products

Serendipity3 Original Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix

With my grandnieces visiting for the holidays, I took out my sample of Serendipity3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix I received from the company after a recent Fancy Food show. I wanted them to try this product made from a secret blend of 14 exotic cocoas. But before doing so, we headed to the legendary eponymous New York City restaurant, founded in 1954, to sample it where it started, learning that the restaurant had just served the 30 millionth one to Cher during her appearance at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. At the restaurant, the three of us finished every last drop of the tasty dessert served in a goblet, [...]

By |2023-12-31T20:56:39-05:00December 31st, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|3 Comments

The Greek Periyali, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC + ChefWise by Shari Bayer

We met our friend, Shari Bayer, the publicist for Periyali, at the restaurant to discuss her new book, ChefWise, and sample their fare. Our host greeted me upon arrival and welcomed me to Greece, jesting, "No passport needed." Mak, our waiter, also welcomed us, sharing that he had been with Periyali since they opened on December 21, 1987. He recalled the exact date because it is his birthday. I sampled their El Grego ($22), a blend of bourbon, Amaro Nonino liqueur, spiced honey and bitters. With my cocktail, we started nibbling their five mezze offerings, which are always yummy. These included their taramosalata (a fish roe spread with olive oil and [...]

The Magical Renew Sponge

It was love at first use. I opened a package of GreenPan's Melamine sponge that I had received at a media Housewares Show, deciding to see how it worked. Their claim of wiping away cooked-on sticky food (aka carbonization that happens when fats burn onto your pan) with only water intrigued me.   I was flabbergasted when it worked! The cooked-on food just wiped away. I tried it a second time to be sure it wasn't a fluke. "Made of non-abrasive melamine, this scrubbing sponge is specially designed to clean your GreenPan ceramic cookware and other nonstick pots and pans," claimed the press materials. Instead of trying it on a nonstick pan, I [...]

Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur

The press release about Mozart's four new Chocolate Liqueurs piqued my curiosity. These chocolate liqueurs hail from Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The company first macerated cocoa from West Africa with vanilla from Madagascar,  then combined three of their liqueurs with cream from the Netherlands. The dark chocolate has no cream. With an espresso martini having recently become my dessert of choice, I wondered what one would taste like if made with their newly introduced Dark Chocolate Liqueur. I had to find out. Sadly, the drink was disappointing. I then looked in their press materials to see what drink they recommended for using the dark chocolate liqueur. [...]

By |2023-11-03T10:38:20-04:00November 3rd, 2023|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments

New Kitchen Gadgets Shown at the Inspired Home Housewares Show

Once a year at Chicago's McCormick Place, the International Housewares Association's (IHA) Home + Housewares Market occurs in March. The organization often has a New York preview showcasing about 50 new products the companies introduced at the show. What follows are some of the new items that I'd like to share with you. As a New Yorker with a tiny kitchen, my eyes lit up when I saw the GreenPan Ovenware that would fit in my toaster oven, which I admit is where I do most of my baking. This ovenware is pricey yet durable with its ceramic nonstick coating, heavyweight gauge and one-piece design. The 8- X 8-inch square baker [...]

Stan Donuts

Stan's donuts publicist sent their special edition Olive Oil Le Stan in a press package with enough to share with neighbors. Most enjoyed the flaky croissant texture and the rich orange zabaglione (Italian custard) filling. One family disagreed, thinking they were too fatty and sweet. These donuts ($4.95 each) are so decadent that I could only eat a quarter. I froze the rest, and when I wanted a treat, I'd bake a quarter in a 450-degree toaster oven for about 3 to 4 minutes. The company had no nutritional information for these special ones. I  asked. If you're not familiar (I wasn't until they ended up on my doorstep!), Stan's [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:13:23-05:00February 16th, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments

Frutero Ice Cream: Tropical Fruit Flavors from Around the World

I prefer the flavor of fruit in gelato, not ice cream. If you like fruit ice cream, you might be interested in these new tropical fruit flavors from Frutero where — according to the company — the fruit is picked at the peak of freshness and sourced from around the globe. Their mangoes are from Colombia, coconut from Thailand and pineapple from Hawai. The seven flavors include Passion Fruit, Guava, Guanabana, Coconut, Mango, Pineapple and Tangerine. To find a store near you, click here. SRP: $5.99 per pint

By |2022-10-09T09:44:42-04:00October 9th, 2022|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments

City Saucery Calabrian Chili Spread

I always made my own until I sampled City Saucery's Spicy Calabrian all-purpose tomato sauce, Same with other friends I gave jars to try. Yes, it's that good. If you're unfamiliar with the Brooklyn-based company, they source local fresh, overripe tomatoes and oddly shaped carrots that would go to waste and turn them into their sauces, one called Ugly Tomato Sauce. City Saucery makes the Spicy Calabrian sauce from tomatoes, onions, olives, carrots, scallions, EVOO, basil, sea salt and wild oregano with a kick from Calabrian chilies.  When I stopped by the booth to return an empty jar to receive $1 off my next one, I noticed their Calabrian chili [...]

Quri the Quinoa Peruvian Vodka

Just arriving on our shelves is Quri, an award-winning Peruvian vodka made from quinoa sourced from a single-family farm and ancient Andean glacier water filtered through volcanic stone. It's one of two vodkas in the world made from the locally originated grain, with Quri the only one produced in the Andes. If you're not familiar with this nutritious grain, quinoa seeds are richer in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals than many grains. Quinoa has been farmed for over 5000 years by the Incas. And now, it's the base for this vodka, one with a mission to better the lives of the Andes people. The distinct slightly grain [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:47:49-04:00May 14th, 2022|Food & Drinks, Products|0 Comments

Spiribam Rum Tasting from Martinique and St. Lucia

    Recently,  at a virtual Spiribam Rum Tasting, I learned how wonderfully decadent sipping rum could be! Some at the tasting compared it to cognac. The umbrella company, Spiribam represents, markets and distributes rums from Martinique and Saint Lucia. We sampled Chairman’s from St Lucia; Rhum J. M. from Martinique and Clement from Martinique. With the holidays around the corner do treat yourself to one or more of these or purchase one as a hostess gift. Prices for a 750 ml bottle of what we tasted and photos of the actual rum! Chairman's Vintage 2009 $70 Chairman's 1931 $100 Rhum JM XO $75 Rhum JM 10 Year $130 Rhum [...]

By |2021-11-21T11:21:45-05:00November 12th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments

Le Grand Verre Single-serve Bottled French Wines: Stocking Stuffer Idea

I know it's a bit early to be talking stocking stuffers, but I may have discovered a perfect one for your favorite oenophile. The publicist for Le Grand Verre offered to send samples for a virtual wine tasting of some of their premium French wines that we'd try during a wine tasting led by some of the French wine-makers. These wines, solely from boutique winemakers, are bottled in slim, single-serve recycled, double-coated PET packaging. The collection represents France’s best styles, varieties and terroir from regions such as Bordeaux, Languedoc and Provence. In addition, the majority of the wines in the portfolio are helmed by women or crafted by female winemakers. [...]

By |2021-10-10T10:17:22-04:00October 9th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Recommended|0 Comments

Broken Shed: The Vodka of Tomorrow

As a vodka-lover, I looked forward to sampling Broken Shed Vodka, New Zealand’s award-winning, super-premium. And, I found their creative “The Vodka of Tomorrow” campaign amusing. It pays tribute to New Zealand, highlighting that, thanks to time zone differences, it’s already tomorrow there. Hence the name. Cute. As of this writing, Broken Shed is available in 24 states not including New York. Click here for their product locator. The alcohol by volume is 40% / 80 Proof; the suggested retail price of a  750ml bottle is $30. I do recommend this vodka, and enjoying it neat! It's that good.  

By |2021-10-06T08:03:23-04:00September 29th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Products|0 Comments

Saco Chocolate Chunks, A Favorite

I've had a love affair with Saco real semi-sweet chocolate chunks since I discovered them early in my career as a food editor. Actually, my affaire de cœur was with the company and its products.  I used only their  Cultured Buttermilk Blend for making pancakes as the boys were growing up. To this date, I won't make pancakes without the blend. Yes, that good. My memory has faded on how I met Ray Sanna (the son of Bartel Sanna, the founder of Saco), but I do recall what a gentleman he also was. I hear that at 74, he's still on the floor every day fixing things.  With the resurgence [...]

By |2023-03-02T10:55:21-05:00June 7th, 2020|Food & Drinks, Recommended|9 Comments

Shy Brothers Cloumage, A Versatile Tangy Cheese

Cloumage is made from Shy Brothers' coastal Massachusetts farm's cows' milk plus three ingredients. According to the company, their Ayrshire cows enjoy seasons of grasses and herbs influenced by the salty, foggy ocean air. They batch-pasteurize their milk to preserve its natural enzyme. In recipes, use this tangy cheese in place of sour cream, yogurt, crème fraîche, buttermilk or mascarpone. Cloumage keeps for 12 months refrigerated and one month after it’s opened. It can be baked, frozen or both. Two tablespoons contain 20 calories, 1 gram fat of which 0.5 grams is saturated and 110 mg sodium. Cloumage is available in 7 -ounce packages, plain and flavored with an average [...]

By |2020-05-24T11:11:09-04:00May 17th, 2020|Food & Drinks, Recommended|2 Comments

Super-Premium Gin Tasting Including the Indian Crafted Jaisalmer

This has been the year of super-premium gin, at least with the samples I've received to review.  The gins include McQueen and the Violet Fog, Brockman and the most recent Jaisalmer (pronounced jess-all-mur). McQueen (SRP $40), as I had written, is a complex non-juniper forward gin with a bit of heat, spice, herbal, citrus and herbal notes. Good on the rocks.  Brockman (SRP $40), too, is light on juniper with notes of citrus peel, coriander, blueberries and blackberries. It's made in the United Kingdom. Jaisalmer, the Indian craft gin takes its name from the Golden City, located in the NorthWest of India in the state of Rajasthan (SRP $50). It [...]

By |2019-07-07T12:20:01-04:00July 7th, 2019|Food & Drinks|0 Comments

Pressels Compared to Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps

Oddly when the person promoting these new Pressels emailed us, she knew nothing about  — nor seemed interested in learning about — the competition. Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, a company that we've written about many times, also offers crunchy and flavorful crisps strong enough for dipping that are also lower in both sodium and fat than traditional pretzels, which is a claim made by Pressels. Specifically, one ounce (about 20 quarter-sized) of the everything variety Pressel  has 120 calories, 2 grams fat (of which 1 gram is saturated) and 210 milligrams sodium compared to the everything variety of Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (of about eleven  2-x-2 1/2-inch crisps) that have [...]

By |2019-05-13T14:08:03-04:00June 22nd, 2019|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments

Bialetti Mini Press, A Portable Stovetop Espresso Maker + Coffee

Walking around the 2019 Preview exhibits of The International Housewares Association I stopped by the Bialetti booth, the Italian cookware and coffee maker company, as I saw the Mini Express. This cute tiny aluminum press is a perfect espresso maker for those with teensy kitchens who don't have space for a large one, or to even take camping! Imagine fresh espresso before fly fishing. This is a 2-cup portable stovetop espresso maker with dual spouts. Meaning it makes two 2-ounce cups of espresso in 5 minutes after filling the lower chamber with water and the metal filter with a favorite espresso grind. The SRP is $34.99 but is available for [...]

Violet Fog, A Special Gin Moscow Mule

An attractively packaged and designed bottle arrived at my doorstep. Inside the thick gold-embossed black box along with the final two stanzas of the poem that inspired the McQueen and the Violet Fog name was a bottle of the eponymous gin. The press materials tout the liquor as "made with an unparalleled 21 sustainable botanicals from around the world, at least six of which are found in no other gin." This Sovereign Brands gin is a small batch one, bottled in Jundiai, Brazil. I decided to make the "Violet Fog" recipe (basically a Moscow Mule) that accompanied the bottle. I first made it with Bombay Saffire, the brand my dad [...]

Moscow Mule Origin + Ayesha Curry Mug Set

In the early 1940s or late 1930 — as the story goes — John Martin then president of G.F. Heublein & Brothers — the company that brought A-1 Steak Sauce to America, purchased a small vodka distillery called Smirnoff for $ 14K. Martin lamented to his friend Jack Morgan, Sunset Strip pub owner that he couldn't move the vodka, while Morgan lamented that his ginger beer was collecting dust. A customer at the pub mentioned that she had copper mugs she no longer wanted. Hence, the birth of the Smirnoff Mule. To make a (now called) Moscow Mule,  I use Pickett's #1 All-Natural Ginger Beer Concentrate. I combine 1 ounce [...]

By |2019-01-20T09:30:50-05:00February 2nd, 2019|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More|0 Comments

Pasqua Wine Dinner at Rue 57, Midtown, NYC

Was invited to meet Alessandro and Riccardo Pasqua of the eponymous estate near Verona, Italy for dinner at Rue 57 with a few other journalists to sample and learn about their wines. The publicist mentioned that Pasqua ranks among Italy’s top 20 family-owned wineries in terms of value. After experiencing their wines, I concur. Each wine we sampled worked well with food, from the $16-bottle of Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Bianco Veneto IGT 2017  to the $100 Mai Dire Mai Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2011. The wine sampled included: Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Bianco Veneto IGT 2017 ($16) Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Rosso Veneto IGT 2016/ ($16) [...]

By |2020-02-20T14:13:53-05:00January 20th, 2019|Big Apple Life, Food & Drinks|0 Comments
Go to Top