Luxury Products

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 gorgeousatelier. 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.

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 …

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!

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 …

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 …

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 …