Category Archives: Eat

Beluga vodka, a premium pour

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It’s bad form to drink like a fish.

But do reach for Beluga, the vodka with the sturgeon on the label.

The number one super premium pour in Russia, Beluga now sells two vodkas in the United States: the flagship Beluga Gold, with individually numbered bottles and a $199 price tag; and Beluga Noble, a finely crafted vodka packaged in a lovely bottle embellished with a shiny  sturgeon and available for less than $40.

We sampled Noble, which matures for 30 days and is distilled three times with a whisper of honey, oats and milk thistle extract at Russia’s iconic Mariinsky Distillery. The water comes from the chilly Siberian artesian springs that water the hardy grains that go into the vodka. The result is a crystal clear elixir that is a bit medicinal upon first sip and soon settles into a crisp, pleasing tonic for whatever ails you.

We mixed Beluga in cocktails and decided we like it best presented simply, with a generous splash of Schweppe’s tonic and a slice of lemon or lime. Chill the tonic and the vodka and add lots of ice. Or skip the tonic and ice and simply enjoy a nip of blizzard-cold Noble. Forget all about Siberia.

The intuitive pairing for Beluga is caviar. It’s also an impressive accompaniment to smoked salmon.

Whatever you serve it with, think of Beluga as a fish to be reckoned with in the big pond of premium vodkas. And you don’t have to swim upstream to enjoy it.

Kruising with KISS

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Stick out your tongue and say KISS.

Rock legends KISS are reuniting for the third time for Halloween 2013’s KISS Kruise III, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas on board Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl.

The four-night festival at sea gets off to a rocking start with an acoustic sail-away concert on the pool deck featuring KISS performing — without makeup! But not to puke in your beer. There will be another concert, with full makeup and histrionics. A bonus: each band member will host his own onboard activity. Napkin folding, anyone? Band mates also will hold forth in a Q&A session on the pool deck.

New for 2013 is a unique meet-and-greet opportunity for the youngest sailors in the KISS Navy. Limited to kiddies ages 2-14, each child will receive an autograph on one item of his or her choice,  along with a group photo with the band. No parents allowed! This isn’t Disney, mom and dad.

Fares for the KISS Kruise III begins at $750 per person based on double occupancy, plus taxes and fees. Prices include entertainment, meals, and access to Norwegian Pearl’s  amenities, including outdoor pool, hot tubs, rock climbing wall, and fitness center.

Beginning Jan. 8, fans can read more and sign up for the KISS Kruise III pre-sale at www.thekisskruise.com . Staterooms go on sale to the unwashed masses on March 15. Kids sail for taxes and fees only during the pre-sale. Families are encouraged to check out  the new family mini-suites, also available only during the pre-sale.

Simple Squares, simply good

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Often, the simple things are the best.

A bouquet of daisies. A diamond solitaire. And, now, Simple Squares, a yummy, nutritious snack made from raw ingredients: a blend of cashews and almonds, sweetened with honey, plus flax, vanilla, sea salt and such seasonings as rosemary, sage, cinnamon, cloves and coconut.

No gluten, no dairy, no refined sugars. The bars are both sweet and savory; and because they are not baked the nutritional value is not compromised.

Because I am committed to NOT skipping breakfast, I have found Simple Squares to be a great grab-and-go. Why settle for a donut when you can have a treat that is filling and good for you?

You can find Simple Squares at such health-conscious purveyors as Talula’s Table in Kennett Square or buy them direct from the company website. They are a tad pricey, at $29.99 for 12 1.6-ounce bars.

Shopping and dining under one roof at Art Alliance, Rittenhouse Tavern

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In the holiday season, most folks have two long lists: a shopping list of gifts to buy; and a calendar chockablock with social gatherings.

In Philly, you can eat, shop and be merry, all under the historic roof of the Wetherill Mansion at 251 S. 18th St., home to both Rittenhouse Tavern, a cushy, chic and creative restaurant, and the Philadelphia Art Alliance, where visitors can both admire and purchase contemporary crafts and designs.

The Art Alliance, located toward the street side of the building, is a bright, hip space. It’s a great place to find one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted jewelry and textiles — after all, one can never have too many decorative pillows — for that particular someone on your list.

As for the restaurant, it’s more salon than tavern. I especially appreciate the EB Manhattan ($13), a sleek and satiny concoction of Rittenhouse rye, with both sweet and dry vermouth.

Enjoy your holiday get-together with friends in either the lounge, warmed by a Carrera marble fireplace that graced the original mansion, or enjoy a repast in the dining room. (Note the mural of geese in flight, painted by Richard Blossom Farley in the 1920s.) In warmer months, guests can dine outdoors on a cobblestone patio.

The menu by chef Nick Elmi, an alum of the old Le Bec Fin, lists such high-touch dishes as Scotch eggs wrapped in pork farce (that’s chopped and seasoned piggy). Entrees include crispy striped bass with cabbage, barley and hibiscus ($27) and hay-roasted mallard breast with smoked white yam, celery and crab apple ($31). Each Sunday, Rittenhouse serves up a regional treat, an Amish-style supper of fried chicken ($19).

Open for dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Monday.

 

Want dinner in a hurry? Bring in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker pronto

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Hey, we are sure in a hurry at this time of year. We work. We shop. We decorate. We take care our loved ones. We squeeze in as many parties as we can.

And, hey, are we ever hungry!

We need a hero, as in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker. This latest must-have in the arsenal of small appliances looks like a slow cooker, but it can do much more. In fact, it’s possible to make complete meals in 30 minutes flat with this one worker bee countertop appliance.

All you need to do is layer the main course, veggies, and pasta or rice inside the pot. The Ninja does the work, cooking evenly in half an hour. Time to ring the dinner bell!

The steam oven feature makes it easy to make healthy, low-fat fare.  The heated steam captures natural juices, while fat drips away.  What about dessert? Cupcakes, cakes and other sweets can be steam baked in the Ninja using half the butter or oil. Reminds me of the wonderful steaming that produces figgy pudding.

Ninja also helps to clean up. The cooker has both stovetop and slow-cook settings, allowing  cooks to sear and brown meats and vegetables before slow-cooking. No separate pan, no spattering  pot dirtying up your stovetop.

The Ninja makes a great Christmas gift for the foodie on your list. You also might want to press it into service on Christmas Day if you are hosting a large gathering and are making oodles of food. The cooker is a super supplement to your cooktop, ovens and microwave, producing a perfect roast or ham without fuss or muss.

Expect to pay about $160 for the Ninja. You will find it at such retail friends as Target, Macy’s, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and Sears.

 

The bell keeps butter better

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I admire Julia Child for many reasons, including her assertion that a little butter is one of life’s sublime pleasures.

It also stands to reason that tearing a hole in the toast with cold, hard butter is an unfortunate frustration of the human existence. As an exalted indulgence, butter should be at the ready. Soft. Supple. Spreadable.

That is why the Butter Bell rings my chimes. Inspired by traditional kitchens in France, L. Tremain developed the crocks from durable china. The Butter Bell keeps butter fresh and soft without refrigeration. And when you have scraped the last bit from the bell, you just pop it in the dishwasher. Magnifique!

The signature line of Butter Bell crocks features raised floral patterns. Or go with classic white, with red or blue lettering. There’s Butter — one of the most beautiful words in the English language — on one side and the French word Beurre on the other. The polka-dot bell comes with a cute, spotted spreader.

Here’s how it works. Take a stick of butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften. Mash the butter into the bell. Pour about half a cup of cold water into the crock. Then insert the bell in the crock. Keep away from heat and out of direct sunlight. Replace the water every two days. One stick of butter lasts up to four weeks. Really!

It’s a super low-tech kitchen gadget for the foodies on your gift list. And there’s a special deal at Butter Bell. Buy two crocks at prices starting at $21.95 and a get a third for free.

Toast the holidays, not guilt, with DiSaronno’s low-cal cocktails

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In this season of holiday celebrations, hosts are spreading the joy — and mixing the cocktails.

Alas, that spirit of generosity also is accompanied by extra calories, a sign of the season that is even less welcome than a regifted fruitcake.

Happily, there are recipes that enable guests to enjoy a cocktail without the guilt, including  a holiday-themed recipe from the folks at DiSaronno, the centuries-old maker of amaretto.

In fact, the legend of DiSaronno dates back to 1525, when Renaissance artist and Leonardo da Vinci protege  Bernardino Luini was commissioned to paint a fresco in Saronno. To portray the Madonna of Miracles, he chose a comely local innkeeper as his muse.

As a thank you gift, she bestowed the artist with a flask of a fragrant and delicate  amaretto flavored with fruit and herbs. With its distinctive stopper and iconic square faceted Murano glass bottle, DiSaronno is still pleasing patrons — and still makes a great gift.

Here’s the recipe:

Holiday Delight – 205 calories per serving

1 ounce rye whiskey

1 ounce DiSaronno

1 heaping bar spoon of pumpkin butter

.5 ounce soy creamer

.75 ounce egg white, foamed separately

1 dash orange bitters, Regan’s if it’s handy

Foam egg whites using hand blender, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients into shaker and dry shake without ice. Add ice and foamed egg whites to shaker and shake again. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. Go for a coupe, if you have them. Top with freshly grated cinnamon.

Recipes for the End of the World

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If you adhere to the Mayan calendar and have a sneaking suspicion the world will end on Dec. 21, you might as well pig out while you can.

You will find lots of intriguing recipes in Flavors of Belize, a cookbook that celebrates the ancient history, diverse culture and exotic cuisine of this beautiful Central American nation. The book is the creation of Tanya McNab, founder of Flavors of Belize magazine, the country’s first culinary periodical, and McNab Publishing Ltd., producer of the cookbook.

In the Kriol language widely spoken in Belize there is a saying: “Yu kyaah n travl pahn stoma.” Translation: You cannot travel on an empty stomach.

No worries about going hungry with this lineup of recipes from the nation’s top chefs, a menu that ranges from fried ripe plantains to cashew-crusted grouper to mango crumble.

The Mayan culture is not the only influence in this Latin melting pot. The cookbook’s recipes also include dishes from the Brits, Mestizo, Creole, Chinese, Lebanese and other cuisines that have left their mark on Belize over the centuries.

In all, there 120 recipes and if you want to get them all in before the lights go out, you had better start cooking.

Credit cards that work for you

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In the frenzy of holiday shopping, lots of consumers struggle with the temptation to charge way too much on their credit cards.
But we must give credit where credit is due. Not all plastic is evil. Shoppers who make their credit cards work for them can lower their tab by up to $500 by taking advantage of the right offer.  Consumers can save by applying for a new credit card and/or leveraging an existing one.
Card Hub, a credit card search service, selected the best in plastic from more than 1,000 total offers and also insights from Card Hub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou, a former senior director in Capital One’s credit card division:
  • Earning an Initial Rewards Bonus:  Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – Provides 40,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 during the first three months.  That’s equal to $500 in travel or a $400 statement credit.  No annual fee during the first year ($95 thereafter).

Odysseas Papadimitriou (OP):  “Ever since the Great Recession, credit card issuers have been aggressively offering rewards bonuses in order to garner the business of cardholders who maintained excellent credit throughout the financial downturn.  The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers the best initial bonus on the market, and by using it for holiday spending, you’ll be able to either replenish your bank account soon thereafter or subsidize travel over spring break or summer vacation.”

  • Best for Earning Rewards During the Holidays & Beyond:  Blue Cash Preferred from American Express – Offers 6% cash back at supermarkets (up to a $6,000 annual limit), 3% at gas stations, 3% at department stores, and 1% on everything else.  The $150 initial bonus it provides cardholders who spend at least $1,000 during the first three months would cancel out two years’ worth of the $75 annual fee.

(OP):  “In my opinion, the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is the best everyday rewards card for people who aren’t frequent travelers.  It offers extremely attractive rewards in most people’s biggest spending categories, which means you can save on all of your shopping and automobile gas not only during the holidays when these costs might be inflated, but throughout the rest of the year as well.”

  • Best for Avoiding Interest on Holiday Purchases:  Citi Diamond Preferred Card – Offers 0% on new purchases for 18 months and has a regular rate between 11.99% and 21.99%, based on creditworthiness.  No annual fee.

(OP):  “We all want to make sure that our loved ones have the happiest possible holidays, and for a lot of us that means shelling out a few hundred dollars for gifts.  If you don’t foresee being able to foot the entire bill within the month, you might want to apply for a card that won’t start charging you interest for a while because the last thing you want is for your gift-giving tab to be inflated by a high interest rate that prevents you from swiftly getting out of your holiday debt.”

  • Best for Lowering the Cost of Debt:  Slate Card from Chase – Offers 0% on balance transfers for 15 months and doesn’t charge a balance transfer fee or an annual fee.  The savings you can derive from this card could even be enough to cover all of your holiday shopping expenses.

(OP):  “The average household has roughly $6,700 in credit card debt, and that figure is sure to rise during the expensive holiday shopping season.  It’s therefore obvious that a 0% balance transfer offer can save a lot of folk time and money paying down what they owe.  The Slate Card is the best balance transfer credit card on the market in light of its long 0% intro period and lack of fees, which combined may provide savings of more than $1,000.  An interesting strategy that some consumers might want to try this holiday season is to use one of the best rewards cards for holiday spending and then transfer their debt to the Slate Card.  This would enable you to effectively garner the best possible rewards on the market as well as the best possible 0% balance transfer deal.”

Uncorking the holidays

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As we approach the official start of the holiday season, let us give thanks for well-made, well-priced wines.

Here are four wines from California that fit the bill, bottles you will want to keep on hand from Thanksgiving through dinner on New Year’s Day — and beyond.

At our Thanksgiving table, I like to serve a red and a white. Educated Guess 2010 Chardonnay, from Roots Run Deep Winery in the Napa Valley, offers crisp acidity and fresh fruit, without oaky overtones. Expect creamy notes of vanilla and toast that are a good match with apple stuffing and green salad. MSRP: $17.

I often serve Pinot Noir with turkey and Garnet 2010 Monterey County is a fine one, with tones of clove, coffee and juniper berries and fat, juicy notes of blackberry and raspberry. Pass the gravy, please. And the cornbread and strawberry preserves. You can pour this palate pleaser for less than $15.

When you have devoured the last of the leftover turkey, uncork Educated Guess 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, a big red that pairs well with beef. Expect blackberry and chocolate-covered cherries, vanilla and a whiff of mint, with a price tag of less than $20.

At Layer Cake, the winemaker’s goal is to make reds that taste like a $50 bottle but cost $20 or less. Layer Cake 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon serves up silky blackberry and cherry
flavors, with a dusting of cocoa. With its ruby color and elegant finish, it tastes expensive. But it’s not, so you can readily indulge in treating your guests. MSRP: $15.99.