Category Archives: Ginger

Cheers to The New Year With An Arugula Gimlet

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A riff on a classic with a festive bold hue.
A riff on a classic with a festive bold hue.

What more festive way to celebrate the holidays and usher in the new year than with a great cocktail.

A vibrant green one at that with a deeply peppery taste.

“Arugula Gimlet” is a recipe in the new book, “Every Cocktail Has A Twist” (Countryman Press), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by the Sonoma-based couple, Carey Jones, a food and spirits writer who was the managing editor of Serious Eats, and John McCarthy, a mixologist and sports writer.

What makes this book especially fun is that it includes recipes for 25 classic drinks, but then goes further to provide 200 variations on them.

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Zingerman’s Gingerbread Coffee Cake

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The ultimate gingerbread cake.
The ultimate gingerbread cake.

It may be called “Gingerbread Coffee Cake,” but it boasts no mountain of crunchy streusel on top like you might imagine.

Instead, this coffee cake actually has brewed coffee in it.

Along with a bountiful array of invigorating spices.

So much so, you won’t even miss the absence of a crumb topping.

This cake is so extraordinary that when Zingerman’s Bakery made the decision not to include it in its first cookbook, “Zingerman’s Bakehouse” (Chronicle Books, 2017), regulars were aghast.

Fortunately, the beloved 30-year-oled, Ann Arbor, MI bakery rectified that omission by featuring it in its newest cookbook, “Zingerman’s Bakehouse’s Celebrate Every Day” (Chronicle Books), of which I received a review copy.

The book is a collaborative project by the team at Zingerman’s that includes managing partner Amy Emberling, marketer Lindsay-Jean Hard, editor Lee Vedder, and marketing manager and food photographer Corynn Coscia.

The idea for this cookbook grew out of the pandemic, when people were eating out less, and desiring to cook and bake more at home. The Zingerman’s staff used that time to write down more of its best-loved recipes to share.

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Get Your Cookie Fix With Ras El Hanout Snickerdoodles

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Not your usual snickerdoodles.
Not your usual snickerdoodles.

When it comes to cookies, my husband is decidedly “Basic Boy.”

Meaning, he likes his chocolate chip, peanut butter, and snickerdoodle. And doesn’t like to veer to far from them.

So, “Ras El Hanout Snickerdoodles” satisfied both of our appetites. His for the classic. And mine for something a little more adventurous.

This wonderfully chewy and warmly spiced cookie recipe is from “Love Is A Pink Cake” (W.W. Norton & Co.), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Claire Ptak, a Californian who moved to London to open her Violet Bakery. Of course, you may also know her as a former pastry chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Or you may recognize her as the baker commissioned in 2018 to make the wedding cake for none other than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

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Sip, Sip, Hooray: Part 3

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The Swedish brand packages European-made wine in cans that are decorated by artists from around the world.
The Swedish brand packages European-made wine in cans that are decorated by artists from around the world.

Djuce

Wine in cans is sure having a moment. And these from Djuce are as dramatic as they get.

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, this sustainable-wine company just expanded into the United States in Los Angeles and San Diego, and soon to arrive in San Francisco. The cans are decorated with striking, contemporary artwork from artists around the world, and filled with wine from European producers.

Cans were chosen not only because they are lighter and easier to transport, but according to the company, also because they are 28 percent more efficient to recycle and their use cuts CO2 emissions by 79 percent compared to glass.

Currently, Djuce offers 11 wines from seven regions in Europe, all sustainably farmed, certified organic, vegan, and low in sulfites.

The 2021 Meinklang Kontext, a natural orange wine.
The 2021 Meinklang Kontext, a natural orange wine.

I had a chance to sample three of them. Each can is 250ml or roughly 1 cup, which makes for a generous portion for one person or a modest pour for two people to share.

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Reveling In Milkboy Swiss Chocolates

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Milkboy Swiss Chocolates' newest bar.
Milkboy Swiss Chocolates’ newest bar.

Ah, the Swiss — they sure know how to make timepieces. And they certainly have a way with chocolate.

Milkboy Swiss Chocolates is a prime example of that.

Gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, and certified Kosher, the award-winning chocolates are produced in Switzerland, using milk sourced from the Swiss Alpine region and Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa.

Recently, I had a chance to sample its chocolate bars, including its newest in the lineup, Alpine Milk with Refreshing Lemon and Ginger Bar.

What you notice immediately with any of the chocolates upon placing a square upon your tongue is just how creamy the texture and how smoothly it melts in your mouth.

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