Written by Hilary on February 6th, 2010
My nostalgia for warm weather continues. Thankfully I’m currently in the Bay Area which is at least thirty degrees warmer than New York (though still thirty degrees shy of my ideal).
Last July, with temperatures delightfully high, I had a date one evening with my friends Adam and Jenny for a New York Philharmonic concert. We agreed on a picnic before the music started. Jenny brought a cold bottle of white wine and some fresh apples and plums. I had thrown together some packages pretzels, dried fruit, etc before leaving home.
My random assortment was immediately overlooked upon seeing Adam’s contributions. Homemade eggplant carbonata. Heirloom tomatoes with garlic to top homemade olive oiled herbed crostini. A cheese plate assembled by the fromage section of Whole Foods. Something salmon, I think. Several other things I am forgetting.
It was wonderful. I highly recommend being friends with Adam. (And Jenny, the wine was classic.)
Next time I will up my game!
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Tags: apples, Central Park, cheese, concert, crostini, dried fruit, heirloom tomato, new york, nyc, plums, pretzels, white wine, Wine
Written by Hilary on February 6th, 2010
The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference is a cool book by Jodi Helmer filled with tips on how simple things can add up to benefit the Earth.
Believe it or not (husbands, boyfriends, men, are you reading?) Valentine’s Day is coming right up.
Jodi has some ideas for how we can add some green to the holiday:
* Order organic roses for your Valentine. Conventional roses are sprayed with chemicals to kill insects and mildew and are dunked in preservatives to keep them from rotting before they’re shipped. Organic roses are grown without pesticides or preservatives.
* Surprise your Valentine with a candlelit dinner. Turning the lights out isn’t just romantic, it saves energy. To make the evening even more eco-friendly, opt for soy candles over candles made from paraffin. Soy candles are made from natural ingredients, last longer than paraffin candles and reduce the amount of soot released into the air by 90 percent.
* Toast your Valentine with organic wine. Organic wines are made with grapes that have not been sprayed with pesticides and contain no added sulfites (acids that occur naturally in most wines but are often added as preservatives). Organic wines from local growers are the most environmentally-friendly choice because they have not been shipped long distances.
* Consider buying a piece of estate jewelry for your Valentine. The pieces are more unique than the jewelry sold in big box stores and estate jewelry is the ultimate in reducing, reusing and recycling.
Boyfriends, husbands, crushes- we promise, even though we read this too we will be act totally surprised when you do these things for us!
Posted in Beautification, Gifts, Wine | No Responses »
Tags: candles, Earth, eco-friendliness, environment, flowers, green, holiday, roses, valentine's day, Wine
Written by Hilary on February 5th, 2010
Lately I’ve been missing being outside. Scurrying among buildings and subway stations in the cold does not count.
So this photograph is a lovely escape. I took it in September when we were in southern Vermont, visiting our good friends Emily and Ellen who had moved there from New York City two months prior.
The weekend was packed with beautiful sites, good conversation and delicious eats- including this table of appetizers one evening before dinner. Ridiculously rich gouda fondue, homemade croutons, organic apple slices from the orchard we’d visited that morning, green olives, and a full-bodied red wine.
All this we enjoyed around a fire in their backyard as their labradoodle, Scout, begged for samples. Aaaahh.
These days I’ve nearly forgotten what it’s like for daylight to stay past 5pm.
Posted in Appetizers, Wine | No Responses »
Tags: apples, autumn, cheese, croutons, fire, fondue, gouda, green, green olives, olives, orchard, red wine, Vermont, Wine
Written by Hilary on February 1st, 2010
I have to be honest. I’m not usually the biggest fan of cordial-like chocolates. Bad memories from low-quality chocolate samplers from my youth, perhaps?
Still, I could pass up the chance to try some fruit-centered dark chocolates from Wolfgang, thanks to Angela and her offer of samples. 100% All-natural fruit and fruit juice? Preservative and trans-fat free? Ok!
I let them sit on the counter for a few days until one evening, while watching Mad Men, I decided to give one a try. I selected the blueberry flavor. WOAH- delicious! I reached for another: raspberry. Incredible! Alright, better try the final flavor, cranberry, to compare while the others are still fresh on the taste buds. Amazing! The fillings are sweet without being cloying, and there are noticeable pieces of real fruit.
Two other cool things about these Wolfgang fruit chocolates: they’re pretty healthy (especially the blueberry which is just 80 calories for two) and they’re not expensive ($5.89 for baskets of about 5 ounces).
Buy them online or at many Whole Foods, and discover a kind of chocolate you may have never known could be so tasty!
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Tags: blueberry, chocolate, cordial, cranberry, dark chocolate, dessert, low, raspberry, sweet, Wolfgang
Written by Hilary on January 31st, 2010
Blissoma is a line of skincare solutions that is 100% natural. It describes itself as “a compact range of bio-conscious skincare focused on raw, organic, unprocessed, and nutrient dense ingredients.”
The full line includes 4 moisturizers, 2 toners, a brown rice cream cleanser, creamy Rhassoul clay mask, and an antioxidant sprayable lotion (used for the prevention and healing of UV damage).
Thanks to Julie, I was lucky to have the opportunity to try the cleanser, one of the moisturizers, and one of the toners (images above).
The mild rice cleanser is exactly how it sounds: mild and white, with a medium thickness, and a touch of oil.
The toner is very light and refreshing. It comes in a mist bottle which can be sprayed onto the skin or onto a facial pad.
The evening facial creme is pea-green in color with a thin consistency. It’s mildness makes it well suited for a thin application before bed.
I found all three products to live up to Blissoma’s claim of being just one step away from original plant materials. They’re earthy, fresh and mild. I wouldn’t prescribe them for a teenage boy with an acne problem, but for anyone with all-around healthy skin looking for upkeep with ingredients they can feel good about, I would recommend this line.
Take a closer look and purchase at Blissoma online or at select Whole Foods stores.
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Tags: Blissoma, cleanser, creme, evening, lotion, rice, toner
Written by Hilary on January 30th, 2010
We’ve all heard of sporks (spoon + fork), but how about spifes?
As Alanis Morissette mourns, “Isn’t it ironic? It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife…”
Not a problem anymore, Alanis! The spife (by Zespri) is a spoon + knife. It’s perfect for eating kiwifruit: the knife slices the fruit in half, and the spoon scoops the flesh for eating.
Plus, how cool is the yellow kiwi above, compared to the more common green?
Apparently kiwis pack more nutrients per bite than the 27 most popular fruits. And, a Rutgers University study concluded that the kiwifruit is one of the most nutrient-dense fruits on earth. Kiwis are high in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber, and have low glycemic levels.
So now we really don’t have as many excuses for not eating as much kiwifruit as we should.
Thanks to Cynthia and the Zespri team for the samples.
Posted in Ingredients, Products | No Responses »
Tags: Alanis Morissette, cut, fiber, fruit, glycemic levels, green, kiwi, kiwifruit, knife, potassium, spoon, vitamin c, yellow, zespri
Written by Hilary on January 27th, 2010
When I was in seventh grade my dad went on a business trip to Brazil and brought me back a t-shirt that said, “BRASIL.” Kids at school pointed to it and said, “Your shirt is spelled wrong. You’re supposed to spell it with a z, not an s.” Oh, the worldly intelligence of Midwestern preteens.
Anyhow, it’s happy hour! Leblon Cachaca is a delicious liquor that will help you forget all of your disturbing junior high memories. Cachaca (pronounced ca-SHA-sa) is a spirit distilled from sugar cane juice, made in Brasil as it’s spelled on its beautiful glass bottle. It is the third most consumed spirit in the world behind only vodka and soju/shochu.
Where has it been all my life? (…And what is soju/shochu…?)
Here’s a recipe for a delicious, classic caipirinha. (Step-by-step photo instructions here.)
The Leblon Caipirinha
- 2 oz Leblon Cachaca
- 1/2 Lime
- 2 tsp Superfine sugar or 1 oz Simple Syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
- Glass-Rocks
Cut the lime into four wedges. Muddle the lime and sugar in a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add Leblon Cachaça. Shake vigorously. Serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.
The Leblon website has dozens of other recipes (mixed drinks, party drinks, frozen drinks) and some cool videos, too. Thanks to Matthew and Miranda for the sample and viva Brasil!
Posted in Beverages, Happy Hour, Products, Recipes | No Responses »
Tags: drink, drinks, lime, liquor, sugar cane
Written by Hilary on January 26th, 2010
Zukay Live Foods has a really exciting line of salad dressings that I have been looking forward to posting about since before I even tried them. I first heard about them from the product blog of the Park Slope Food Coop where, like much of the NYC metropolitan area’s population, I was at one time a member.
As the brad name implies, Zukay Live Foods’ salad dressings are made from, well, live ingredients. 100% raw and vegan, they’re a mixture of fermented vegetables and herbs without added fats or sugars. They are only about 5 calories per serving. So, they’re wonderful alone or for mixing with your desired amount of olive oil (or other variety of oil).
Another use I discovered was mixing them with hummus to make a dip. Delicious!
Let’s get on to the flavors. There are six:
Carrot Ginger
Tomato Provencal (with kalamata olives and herbs de Provence)
Sweet Onion Basil
Cucumber Mint
Tomato Pepper Pesto
Red Pepper Cilantro
I have sampled the first four (thanks, Scott!) and can vouch for the freshness, vibrancy and wonderfulness of each. I have no doubt the last two are delicious as well. The bottles “hiss” a bit when you open them- proof of their “life”!- and they have very herby, lively aromas.
Learn more at Zukay Live Foods, where you can also place an order.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: basil, carrot, cucumber, dressing, fermented, ginger, healthy, low-cal, olives, onion, red pepper, salad, salad dressing, tomato, Vegetables
Written by Hilary on January 25th, 2010
Some fun, fruity, sexy beverages have hit the neighborhood: ME Beverages!
Caffeine-free, low-cal, free of added sugars, all-natural, and in cute slim 10.5 oz cans, how can you help but love ME?
They’re curious, uninhibited, vivacious and unavailable.
No really… they’re:
Curious: Blueberry-Lime. The curious individual is inquisitive, careful, and eager to know [...] Continue Reading…
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Tags: Beverages, blueberry, dragonfruit, fruit, grapefruit, lime, natural, sparkling
Written by Hilary on January 24th, 2010
Most of us have had green tea, but how about green tea powder?
I had been noticing all sorts of recipes that called for the stuff, but couldn’t locate it at any grocery stores. I even popped into some tea/spice shops in Chinatown to no avail.
Matcha Source to the rescue! [...] Continue Reading…
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Tags: green tea, healthy, ice cream, Japan, latte, powder, salt, squash, Tea, truffles
