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As tea
drinkers, we love our new "discovery" of Tea
By iLOLATM with its easy-to-use tea discs, that
we can take wherever we go, and have the rich flavors and benefits associated
with loose tea. We tried their Tea by iLOLATM Essentials Set,
which included two delicious selections of tea: Moroccan Mint Green Tea
No. 26, a medium caffeine tea, and Royal Cream of Earl Gray Black
Tea No. 12, a high caffeine tea, a Tea Disc Infuser, and a Tea Disc
Traveller 12-ounce thermos with tea infuser to take our tea on the go. Beautifully
packaged, Tea by iLOLATM makes a perfect gift for favorite tea drinker or as a
gift for yourself.
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We loved
"discovering" Pink House Alchemy (PHA) and using their small
batch handcrafted flavored simple syrups and shrubs
in our cocktail and culinary recipes. Their Simple
Syrups include Cardamom, Dark Cherry Grenadine,
Ginger, Hazelnut, Mexican Chile Syrup,
Pumpkin Butternut Spice Syrup, and many more, and inspired Shrubs
include Pineapple Rosemary, Pineapple, and
Ginger. Whether you opt to use it in cocktail or culinary recipes,
the possibilities are endless.
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I first met
Jacques Pépin in April
2005 at the James Beard House in New York when I
interviewed him on receiving their Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout the
years, I have watched this kind and talented Master of the Kitchen and
Master Artist charm and delight students, audiences, and readers of his
many books. He has taught us not only how to cook, but how to have fun and take
delight in the kitchen as well as in ourselves. His latest book, Jacques Pépin: Art of the
Chicken - A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird is filled with
wonderful stories and his impressive artwork and makes a wonderful gift for
yourself or your favorite chef.
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We love
using herbal teas and floral infusions in our cocktail and culinary recipes and
were delighted to "discover" Pixie Doodle Farm, based in Brooklyn, New York with a farm in Upstate,
New York in Bethel. Owned by herbalists Joe Dale Harris
and Erika Boudreau-Barbee, Pixie Doodle Farm has a diverse
assortment of teas, infusion kits, and more, all
creatively, and gorgeously, packaged making them a perfect gift
for your favorite tea lover, cocktailian, or chef.
Whether sipping their inspired blend of healthful teas or using their products
to create cocktail or culinary recipes, the products delivered very tasty
results.
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When I
think about chili, I think of cold weather comfort food, Sunday
afternoon football, tailgate parties, après-ski, sledding, or skating, and
if you need a little chili recipe inspiration, Seriously Good Chili Cookbook - 177 of the Best Recipes in
the World by New York Times Best-Selling Author Brian Baumgartner is sure to inspire. For his cookbook, Brian Baumgartner,
who many know from his role as "Kevin Malone" on the NBC Emmy-winning
TV series, The Office, compiled his recipes along with contributions
from award-winning chefs, celebrity chefs, and cooks from across the country. I
was delighted when my recipe, Righteous Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili
was included in his cookbook. Bon Appetit!
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Did you
ever wish that you could learn to cook like an Italian grandmother (nonna)?
With the cookbook, Tuscan Women Cook, Nonnas.
Memories. Recipes by Coleen Kirnan with Rhonda Vilardo you can! With tasty recipes that range from Antipasti (hors
d'oeuvre) to Zuppe (soup), Carne (meat), Dolci (dessert),
Bevande (drinks), and more, the cookbook is filled with recipes that are
easy-to-follow and include beautiful photographs of the food along with a great
story for each of them, that will have you cooking like a nonna in no
time at all. Mangia Bene!
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We recently
went to a wine tasting party at a friend's house, where we blind tasted five different
types of wine. What was interesting was that we learned many of the guests regularly
only drink one type of wine. That got us thinking; are you "stuck" in a wine
groove? Sandra's Wine Life: Find Your Wine Identity written by Sandra Guibord is fun, informational, approachable, and gets you to think
differently about your wine selections; by type, by region, by taste, and by
season. She also has great recipes to pair with the wine to make you a star at
your next gathering no matter what the season or occasion. Cheers!
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With
longevity on the rise, we were intrigued by the cookbook title, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World written by Grace O published by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. and released in August
2022 and decided to give it a read. The cookbook features a collection of 250 great
recipes along with nutritional information, guides, and resources. It is the
perfect manual for healthy living, and while the recipes are certainly healthy,
they are also mouth-watering delicious, which is a great combination. With
recipes designed to: "boost immunity, improve skin, promote longevity, lower
inflammation, and detoxify," it is easy to start the journey to healthier
eating.
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America's Test Kitchen: Modern Bistro, Home Cooking
Inspired by French Classics is a
treasure trove of wonderful recipes that will have you cooking
like a French chef in no time. The recipes are detailed enough to
encourage less experienced home cooks, as well as inspire more experienced
ones. The cookbook has a wonderful "Welcome to America's Test Kitchen"
section, followed by "Getting Started" which is a handy reference for
ingredients commonly used in Bistro cooking. Chapters cover everything from
Sauces to Appetizers, Mains, Vegetables, and Desserts, and everything in
between. Bon Appetit!
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Do you love coffee cocktails
but hate the time it takes to make them? We found Cask & Kettle
(Hard Coffee Cocktails) the perfect solution for easy to make, easy
to love cocktails that are also wonderful travel companions. With five
delectable flavors, (Irish Coffee, Spiked Dry Cider, Mint Patty, Hot
Blonde Coffee, and Mexican Coffee), to choose from,
cocktail hour or weekend Brunch just became a whole lot easier. Serve hot or
over ice and wait for the compliments. Cheers, its cocktail time!
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Khia Nelson owner and creator of K Bloody Mary Mix is a self-confessed
"Bloody Mary Snob," and her no-alcohol drink-ready K Bloody Mary Mix is
downright delectable. Khia used her years of hospitality experience to create
her small-batch Bloody Mary Mix made in Brooklyn, New York that is not only
delicious, its vegan, organic, and gluten-free.
Add vodka, tequila, mezcal, sake, or gin, or serve K Bloody Mary Mix on
its own and you have the makings for a great party. For us, holidays and brunches
would not be the same without our tradition of Bloody Mary cocktails as they
are the perfect go-to cocktail, however in addition to creating cocktails with K
Bloody Mary Mix, we also used it as a base for some very tasty culinary
recipes. Cheers and Bon Appetit!
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With the growing culinary trend
towards more plant-based, vegan, and gluten free recipes, we
wanted to learn more and read Easy Vegan Home Cooking by
Celebrity PBS Vegan Chef Laura Theodore. Chef Theodore is an
award-winning cookbook author, the host of the Jazzy
Vegetarian on National Public Television, as well as the host of
radio shows and podcasts. Her new cookbook, Easy Vegan Home Cooking
features over 125 delicious plant-based and gluten-free recipes.
Published by Hatherleigh Press and distributed by Penguin
Random House, this cookbook is a great introduction to vegan and
gluten-free cooking and baking.
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Luxury Experience readers know
that we are huge music fans; we love listening to our enormous collection of music,
writing about music and about music performances, and when it comes to buying gifts,
we love to give the gift of music. When we "discovered" Jooki (pronounced "jukey" like jukebox), a music
system designed for children to use and operate, we were instantly
smitten. Designed in Belgian by three dads in 2014 with toy and technology
experience, Jooki is a screen-free WIFI streaming and Bluetooth player
for children ages 3 and up. How exciting is that! We cannot wait to see
our little nephew Asher's face light up as he discovers music - his way, with
his Jooki.
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The Merriam-Webster dictionary
defines "picnic" as "a meal that is eaten outdoors especially during a trip
away from home; a trip or party that includes a meal eaten outdoors; something
that is pleasant or easy." Professional photographer, designer, and home
cook Alanna O'Neill's debut cookbook, The Art of
Picnics - Seasonal Outdoor Entertaining published by Yellow Pear
Press a division of Mango Publishing, beautifully captures that
feeling with inspiring recipes and stunning photography. Let the picnicking
begin!
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With the growing trend towards plant-based
food, vegetarian and vegan diets,
we were excited to "discover" The Complete Quinoa Cookbook by Catherine Gill
published by Hatherleigh
Press, as a great motivator to learn more about this highly
nutritious whole-grain that is rich in protein, dietary fiber,
minerals and vitamins. Who knew quinoa (pronounced KEEN-waa) was
so fabulous? Catherine Gill's book is filled with valuable information and over
100 recipes that cover the gamut from Breakfast to Desserts. Now that is
something to cheer about.
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Cooler weather tends to bring out
the inner cook in all of us when we want to spend more time in the kitchen
creating special meals for ourselves, as well as for family and friends. Always
on the lookout for inspiration, we fell in love with The Complete
Autumn & Winter Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen, which has
over 550 recipes that will dazzle the senses and provide plenty of inspiration
for everyday meals, holiday meals, breads, brunches, festive drinks, desserts,
lovely food gifts, and much more. Beautiful photographs and easy to follow
recipes make this cookbook a showstopper. Happy cooking!
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Whether you are looking for a bit of
culinary inspiration, wisdom, or humor, A Chef's Book of Favorite
Culinary Quotations - An Inspired Collection For Those Who Love To Cook
And Those Who Love To Eat compiled by Susi Gott
Séguret and published by Hatherleigh
Press, Ltd Is a perfect read for yourself, or for your favorite foodie. The
book features over 200 memorable quotations from Auguste Escoffier,
Irma S. Rombauer, James Beard, Julia Child,
Jacques Pepin, Alton Brown, Virginia Wolf,
and many more.
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We do lots of cooking and baking
that require very precise, exact temperatures where a degree or two higher or
lower can mean the difference between success or failure. Throughout the years
we have used many cooking thermometers to ensure accuracy, and
recently "discovered" the ThermoWorks
Thermapen® ONE, which has the added benefit of producing
fast one-second digital readings! Cooking and baking just got a lot easier. With
holiday shopping just around the corner, the ThermoWorks Thermapen®
ONE is a perfect gift for your favorite chef or foodie or to gift yourself as
well. Bon Appetit!
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BE Chocolat, named for Master
Chocolatier BEnoit, opened in January 2021 in the historic
district of Fairfield,
Connecticut, and if you thought
"Willy Wonka" had fun creating chocolates, wait until you see and
taste what BEnoit is creating at their gorgeous atelier. Mouthwatering,
high-quality Callebaut fair trade finest Belgian chocolate is the base for BEnoit's
amazing creations with inspired flavors that tempt and tantalize the palate and
are as beautiful to look at as they are tasty to eat.
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We
love excellent quality coffee to start our day, an espresso or iced coffee in
the afternoon, as well as used in cocktail and culinary recipes. We recently
"discovered" Java
Love Coffee Roasting Co., and while new to us, they celebrated
their 10-year anniversary on May 1, 2021. With their widely diverse selection
of high-quality coffees, you can break out from your usual coffee routine and
take your palate on a trip around the world with their exotic coffees from Brazil,
Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and Sumatra,
as well as enjoy one of their domestic blends. In addition to their coffee,
they also carry an extensive line of teas available online and at their 4
locations in New York and New Jersey.
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Whenever I think of memorable dinners that Edward and I have
enjoyed throughout the years, truffles are always involved.
Decadent, earthy, exotic, and expensive, a little goes a long way to add
flavor. Cooking
With Truffles: A Chef's Guide written by Susi Gott
Séguret and published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd. delves
into the intriguing world of truffles and provides both insight and 150
delectable truffle recipes designed for the professional chef
as well as the home cook. Bon Appetit!
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We recently "discovered" a
fabulous Brazilian gourmet confectionary named Soul Sweet
Boutique located in Newark and Elizabeth, New
Jersey, which also sells online and ships throughout
the United States. Owned by Thatiana Rangel, Soul
Sweet Boutique carries a wide selection of traditional Brazilian
desserts along with modern sweets to tempt your palate. Since the
pandemic curtailed our annual trips to Brazil, in addition to
missing our "family" and friends, we missed the sweets of Brazil
and were thrilled to find Soul Sweet Boutique.
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The SAMBA Montclair
Cookbook by Chef Ilson Gonçalves is a glorious celebration of authentic
Brazilian homestyle cooking. Originally from the state of Santa Catarina in the
south of Brazil, Chef Ilson Gonçalves makes his home in Montclair, New Jersey
where his creative cuisine has dazzled patrons with restaurant, SAMBA Montclair,
since it opened in December 2010. His cookbook takes the reader on a visual and
taste bud tour of Brazil with his delectable recipes ranging from appetizers to
desserts. It is the perfect "souvenir" to remember past trips to Brazil, for
lovers of Brazilian cuisine, and for foodies looking to experience other
cuisines.
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Always on the lookout for
interesting products to incorporate in our recipes, we tried and loved Marabissi Il Panforte Torta Amerene e Peperoncino (Sour
Cherries and Chili "Cake") imported
by Italian
Products & Beyond. The Sour Cherries and Chili Cake is like a
fruit and nut pâté, that also has cocoa, almonds, and honey is a delectable
accompaniment to serve with cheese as well as incorporate in baking and savory
culinary recipes. We used it to create our recipe for Luxury Experience -
Grappa Sour Cherry Almond Chicken. Buon Appetito!
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Cold and rainy weather will soon
be here making it the perfect time to stay inside and play family board games. I
grew up playing epic, marathon games of Monopoly with my sister Joanne
and brother David. As young children we spent many countless happy hours
playing this game of skill, luck, and strategy, which was permanently installed
on the games table in the family room of our home. When I learned that Top Trumps USA Inc. was
introducing a new Monopoly
Greenwich (Connecticut) edition, it brought a smile to face and my
heart raced with anticipation of playing their new game. For the Greenwich
edition, Monopoly has replaced the famous properties of my youth with Greenwich
landmarks.
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If you love wine, history,
and formal dinners, you are going to love the book Wine and the White House: A History by Frederick J. Ryan,
Jr. I fell in love with this stunning book filled with
interesting anecdotes about the Presidents of the United States of
America from President George Washington through President
Donald Trump, and provides an in-depth look at the history of wine
served at the White House through the years. For gastronomy
lovers, the book is also interesting as it includes menus from the dinners and
the wines that accompanied each of the courses. More than a gorgeous coffee
table book, it is also a wonderful reference book for yourself or to give as a
gift.
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High-quality extra virgin
olive oil, affectionately known as EVOO, is like liquid
gold for professional chefs and dedicated home cooks. With a rise in the
organic farm movement we were thrilled to find The Trentasette Collection Organic EVOO,
which is USDA Organic certification, OU Kosher certified,
and is Non-GMO imported from Italy by the company, Italian Products & Beyond that is the perfect complement to your organic farmers
markets finds. Used for dipping, drizzling, cooking, sauteing or finishing, we
loved the results using this very tasty EVOO.
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