Nobumasa Takahashi Wasanbon Sugar Skulls

Still looking for unique Halloween items for your upcoming gathering? These wasanbon sugar skulls would make a great conversational piece.

Designed by Nobumasa Takahashi, the sugar skulls are made of wasanbon, a very fine and expensive Japanese sugar with a texture resembling icing sugar. Wasanbon has a buttery creamy taste and can only be made in the Winter months, when it is dry. The sugarcane used to make wasanbon is harvested in December and the sugar is processed no later than February. The production of this sugar is complex, and the entire process takes approximately 20 days and is all done by hand.

Wasanbon means “Japanese three trays”, where at one point in the 8-step process, the sugar is laid out on a tray to be polished. This is done by adding water to the sugar and then kneading it until the sugar crystals are polished into a fine granular texture. Traditionally, this 'polishing technique' was done 3 times, hence the name wasanbon (bon meaning tray and san meaning three).When the sugar is polished, it has to be dried that same day to prevent molding.

The Nobumasa Takahashi wasanbon skulls are offered in a package of 18 pieces - 9 white and 9 black. They are all natural and bamboo charcoal gives the black ones their dark color.

The skulls can be purchased at Spoon & Tamago’s online store.

 

Read More

Ever So Posh Lobster Cocktail Potato Crisps

I recently received some goodies from the UK and was ecstatic when I saw these Marks & Spencer Ever So Posh lobster cocktail potato crisps. I loved the flavor idea, I loved the packaging and mostly, I loved the name "Ever So Posh"!

When I first opened the bag, there was a deadly scent of seafood. I thought for sure the chips would have a strong taste of lobster, but surprisingly, they were mild and did not have a strong seafood taste at all. The main ingredient is lobster cocktail seasoning, which among the dried herbs, lemon and tomato, also includes dried oyster and dried lobster. The texture of the chips were very similar to any kettle cooked chips.

Other Ever So Posh flavors available are: Parmesan, Asparagus & Truffle and Sea Salt & Lemon Vinaigrette.

Read More

An American Chocolate Road Trip with Wild Ophelia, Beef Jerky Chocolate

Just when you think you've seen it all, they come out with Beef Jerky Chocolate! Now, this is one chocolate combination you don't come across often.

Wild Ophelia, sister company to the very popular Vosges Chocolates, is an all natural American brand that combines chocolate with ingredients sourced from small American farmers and food artisans.

With a very Southern flair, Wild Ophelia offers flavors such as Beef Jerky, Southern Hibiscus Peach, New Orleans Chili, Sweet Cherry Pecan, Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chips and Peanut Butter and Banana.

In true Katrina Markoff style, everything has a story. And here is the one of "Wild Ophelia". On a small ranch house in Leipers Fork, tennessee, Wild Ophelia was nicknamed such because of the smart plans she hatched while a kid. Instead of making pocket money serving lemonade, she would serve her experimental creations such as chocolate dipped beef jerky and fresh peaches with hibiscus, hence the inspirations for the Wild Ophelia chocolate line up.

Also similar to Vosges Chocolate, the Wild Ophelia bars have tasting tips. Here is the one for the beef jerky bar: "Close your eyes, breathe. Let the plains of Wyoming roll on your tongue as you snap the chocolate in your mouth. Beef jerky, smoked paprika and deep milk chocolate deliver the power of the magical cacao bean".

The beef jerky chocolate was really good. The beef jerky bits were small enough to blend with the chocolate creating a very nice uniform flavor that wasn't overpowering.

The artwork inside the chocolate box is adds a nice design touch too.

Read More

Fou Lard Scarf, Bacon Worth Wearing

If we didn't tell you this was a bacon scarf, you probably wouldn't have even noticed. Delicately designed, this Fou Lard bacon scarf created by Swiss designer Natalie Luder, is a true masterpiece.

Foulard is the french word for a silk scarf, and if you break up the word, you also get fou = crazy and lard = bacon, which is how this scarf got its clever name. This limited edition scarf is 100% silk that is digitally printed with a black row hem.

Luder studied Jewellery Design at the Geneva School of Applied Arts and at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. Although her training is in jewellery, she has not limited her work to just that. Most of her work is inspired by food, but with an appearance versus reality twist.

Read More

Funky Food Ilustrations by Anek

Anek's simple and colorful food illustrations are creative and sophisticated. Kitchen art is tough to master. Most are tacky or very mainstream looking, and in all fairness, it's not easy to make a salad, a jar of olives, or herbs look inspiring.

A graphic designer and illustrator in Croatia, Anek primarily focuses her work on food as it has always been a big part of her life (especially her Granny's recipes). Her artwork is featured in restaurants and products across the globe including the UK, New Zealand and Portugal. 

Read More

Zinio Magazine Giveaway!

I am giving away 10 free Zinio magazine subscriptions to my fabulous readers!

If you've never heard of Zinio, they are a digital newstand and bookstore that offers thousands of magazine subscriptions and books for your computer or mobile device. For magazines, you can purchase either a full subscription or a single issue.

They currently have a holiday sale offering up to 50% off on select magazines such as La Cucina Italiana, Vegetarian Times, Wine Spectator and Clean Eating. This is the time to load up on magazines!

Better Homes and Gardens magazine is also offering special holiday issues at a discount to help you plan for the upcoming parties and festivities.

For a chance to win 1 of 10 Zinio Magazine Subscriptions to any magazine of your choice, leave me a comment and let me know which magazine you've got your eye on between now and Thursday Dec 20. Winners get to pick one full subscription to any magazine of choice offered on Zinio. That's literally thousands of choices. For example, 1 subscription to Epicure will get you 12 free digital issues.

The giveaway ends Thursday Dec 20 11:59PM ET and 10 winners will be selected using random.org.

In addition to leaving a comment, make sure there is a way I can get a hold of you, either by including your site information or by sending me your contact information via the contact form. I know, the blogger comment form is somewhat of a pain. But be sure to leave a comment. That is your ticket for a chance to win. Good luck!

Read More

Direct Fair Trade Golden Berries. Amazing Dried Fruit from Level Ground Trading.

If you love tomatillos, chances are, you'll love the golden berry as well. Inca berry, Aztec berry, Cape gooseberry...it's all the same thing. Contrary to the name, the golden berry is not actually a berry. Its a member of the nightshade family similar to the tomato and eggplant, with the tomatillo being its closest relative.

The dried golden berry has a sour, tart flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked. It is considered a superfood that is high in Vitamin A and C. It is also high in protein and a great source of bioflavonoids. In the natural medicine world, the golden berry has been used to treat asthma, rheumatism and malaria. On a more benign level, it can help with weight management and better organ function.

Level Ground Trading sells direct fair trade golden berries, which are vine-ripened and organically grown in the volcanic soil of Narino, Columbia. They are free of sulphites, additives and preservatives. They have partnered with Fruandes to ensure a sustainable income to small scale farmers.

The partners also sell pineapple sourced from the jungles of Casana, mangoes near the Magdalena River Valley, and coconut and bananas from Colombia's coastal regions. You'll be amazed at the quality of their fruit. It's how fruit should taste all the time.

Read More

Alfred Coffee Table, Inspired by Waiter Holding a Tray

Smart design hardly goes unnoticed. This Alfred Coffee Table, designed by Italian designer Giorgio Bonaguro, is an elegant table inspired by a waiter's five fingers when holding a tray. It's five legs, all with different dimensions and in different positions, delicately balance a round table top that represents the tray a waiter holds. The plexiglass top comes in different colors - red, orange, yellow, green and white.

Giorgio Bonaguro is industrial and interior designer based in Milan.

Read More

Three Muses. Strong Women. Kitchen Items.

We love how a painting inspired by women and kitchen tools can turn into something so artistic and peculiarly beautiful. Three Muses. Strong Women. Kitchen Items. was created by Miami artist Robyn West.

When Robyn was 13, her grandmother moved in with them and brought all sorts of old farm kitchen items. She became fascinated with the tools and what it stood for. To her, they represented strength, both phsyical and emotional. This piece has been shown around the U.S., and when the iconic Philip Pearlstein saw this painting, it made him chuckle. Now that's something to brag about.

Imagine the different conversations this piece would stir up if it was hung up in your kitchen.

This piece and other work can be viewed at her Etsy shop smilingrobyn.

Read More

Doodle Bread

Obama Doodle Bread

If you're a big doodler, then you're gonna love Doodle Bread. A UK based company, Doodle Cook has made it easy to be creative with your bread using their easy shape kits. Doodle with cocoa, tomato & beetroot, spinach & rosemary and blueberry flavors. You can now admire your work in every slice of bread you serve.

Happy US Thanksgiving!

Romney Doodle Bread

Read More

Teacup Ring

This tea cup ring, created by Kay of Ruby Robin Boutique, caught our attention with its charming details and beautiful colors. This kawaii miniature ring features a delicate floral bone china tea cup set with a slice of lemon and two handcrafted chocolate chip cookies. It's amazing how so much detail can be packed into such a little package.

Kay creates all sorts of vintage inspired jewellery in her studio in Cork, Ireland. When you set eyes on her creations, you'll be mesmerized by its beauty and delicate charm. Influenced by her family who owned a craft shop and earned their living from crafts, Kay started making things at a very early age. She tried different things throughout her life - such as dragon figurines, face painting and dress making - until she finally decided that jewellery making was her true passion.

Read More

Steak Wear

Have you been searching everywhere for that perfect steak necklace? Look no further, TheSpangledMaker, an LA jewellery designer with a very quirky and fun style, has got the perfect one!

This steak necklace was inspired by Mark Ryden's series of paintings called "The Meat Show". The talented jewellery maker behind TheSpangledMaker has actually had a strange life long relationship with meat. Artistically, she appreciates the beauty of meat and is looking forward to making more pieces using different cuts of meat. However, the thought of ingesting it is a little scary for her, causing her to be an on and off again vegetarian for the past 15 years. Regardless, her quirkiness is definitely projected in her work, giving it a very unique style. Think the wackiness of Alice in Wonderland mixed with the surrealist style of Frida Kahlo and Mark Ryden.

Boys, if you're seeing this necklace and thinking you'd really like some steak cuff links, you're in luck. They've got those too!

Read More

Wholesome Chow Organic Gluten Free Baking Mixes

Wholesome Chow's claim to fame is that they sell the world's ONLY certified non-GMO, organic gluten free and vegan mixes. Now that's a mouth full. Non of their mixes require any eggs, dairy, casein, gluten or wheat, and apple cider vinegar is what is needed to help their cakes and pancakes rise. Here are their products:

Organic All Purpose Baking Mix
Organic Vanilla Cake Mix
Organic Lavendar Cake Mix
Organic Chai Spice Cake Mix
Organic Chocolate Cake Mix
Organic Chocolate Lavendar Cake Mix
Organic Vanilla Frosting Mix

Couple Veronica Rains and Jeffrey Bailey started the company in 2010 with hopes to deliver high quality, great tasting, convenient baking mixes to those looking for gluten free and vegan choices. Now, they've got products in stores in over 15 states, and an online store for those that don't have access to the retail shops.

Their organic lavendar cake mix makes a super moist cake with just the perfect amount of lavendar.

The pancakes have a chewy consistency. Add some honey, strawberries and vanilla to their pancake mix and you've got a great breakfast that will have your family and friends asking for more.

Read More

Labneh or Laban (Lebanese Strained Yogurt)

So I've been doing a little digging to see how you guys are finding my site and what pages are the most popular, and surprisingly enough, it is my Middle Eastern/Persian posts that are my top viewed pages.

Here are the most popular:

• Persian Chickpea Cookies - This is a great cookie alternative that uses chickpea flour instead of regular flour.
• Persian Spinach and Noodle Soup - The ones who can't get an exact recipe from their Persians mom go straight to the web for one.
• Nocochi Cafe in Montreal - This cafe sounds very similar to the chickpea cookies.
• Persian Pastries from Arya Market - Who can resist Persian Pastries!?
• Pomegranate and Jello Dessert - Ok, so this one didn't legitly make it on to the most popular list but its a really great dessert that Persians make that is fun and mind blowingly simple to make.

I keep telling myself I need to write more about the Persian and Middle Eastern foods I make at home because I never want to forget this stuff. And I know that if I don't write it down, I will forget! The foods I learn to make or the products I come across are really cool, and I think you will think the same too!

My latest discovery is Labneh or Laban, a thick strained yogurt spread that is common in the Middle East, in countries like Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It's consistency is right in the middle of yogurt and cheese and kind of resembles a thick cream cheese. It is sour like yogurt and is commonly used as a spread or dip. The fat content is about 10%, which is similar to a low fat cheese.

Although labneh is not Persian, Persians also eat it which is how I discovered it. CK's family uses it as a spread for their Kookoo (omelet) sandwiches, which I will explain more in a later post!

I bought my Labneh from Mid-East Food Centre. I like to buy the freshly made labneh from the cheese counter but they also sell pre-packaged labneh as well.

Check out this cool Majdouli Cheese that I also buy at Mid-East Food Centre.

Mid-East Food Centre
1010 Belfast Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-244-2525

Read More

Indie Coffee Passport, Ottawa Edition

Hey, all you coffee and tea lovers from Ottawa, have you guys heard of the Indie Coffee Passport?

If you're the adventurous type and are always seeking out the next best place for tea or coffee, this is a cool thing for you to check out. For just $14, you get to sample tea/coffee from 12 different independent coffee shops in Ottawa. The card is good for one cup of coffee or tea (up to $4.50) from each of the participating shops.

 



The shops are mainly based in Central Ottawa including Sandy Hill, Downtown, Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Westboro/Hintonburg and Little Italy.

Here are the participating shops:

• Alpha Soul Cafe - 1015 Wellington Street W, 613-761-8000
• Cafe Morala - 734 Bank Street, 613-235-4740
• Collected Works - 1242 Wellington Street W, 613-722-1265
• Cyclelogik - 111A Wellington Street W, 613-722-2345
• The Daily Grind Art Cafe - 601 Somerset Street W, 613-233-2233
• Grounded Kitchen & Coffeehouse - 100 Gloucester Street, 613-567-1234
• i Deal Coffee - 176 Dalhousie Street, 613-562-1775
• Le Michel-Ange - 35 Laurel Street, 613-601-4614
• Stella Luna Gelato Cafe - 1103 Bank Street, 613-523-1116
• Sun Cafe & Flowers - 410 Bank Street, 613-422-0642
• T.A.N Coffee - 317 Wilbrod Street, 613-421-0228
• The Tea Party - 119 York Street, 613-562-0352

You can purchase the passport online or drop in at any one of the participating shops minus The Tea Party on York Street.

If you want one, get it soon because the card expires November 30th!

Read More

Bear Fruit Nibbles

While waiting for a train in Maidenhead UK recently, I came across a great healthy snack with super cute packaging. I had no idea what I was buying when I first grabbed these fruit nibbles. I wanted a snack. I loved the packaging. So I bought them. For those who don't think marketing works, I have to disagree because it does!

Bear Fruit Nibbles are a tasty all natural, no nonsense snack option that is free of added sugar and preservatives. They are simply hand picked fruit that are slow baked. That's it!

What I was surprised about was how good they were. I can't speak for the other flavors, but the pineapple and mango one was really good! The addition of the pineapple really added some punch to the snack.

How can you resist when you read things like "we snarrrl at sulphites and grrrowl at gumming agents". Do as the packaging says and go get yourself a bear hug at bearnibbles.co.uk

Read More

Winners of the Taste & Travel Magazine Giveaway

The winners of the Taste & Travel magazine giveaway are:

La Table De Nana, Hungry Hippo, Lily, yzhalia, and Just Kira!

If you guys can send me an email at nooschi [at] gmail [dot] com with your mailing addresses, I'll get the magazines sent to you ASAP!

Thanks and hope you all had a great weekend!!

Read More

Taste & Travel International Magazine + GIVEAWAY

If you haven't picked up a copy of the latest Taste & Travel magazine, get on it! For those of you who couldn't snag a copy because it was sold out, it's a great new culinary travel magazine that recently launched across Canada. It's all about food with a travel flare, showing you great food from the coolest places around the globe. No worries if you can't travel to all the exotic places featured in the magazine because it includes lots of recipes that you can try at home, from tangy curry fish from Assam, to Piri-Piri sauce from Mozambique, and Mayan Spicy Chocolate Chicken!

In addition to great articles on Yucatan, Morocco and South Africa, the upcoming issue also has a write up on Ottawa! YAY!

What I love about this magazine is that it contains intelligent journalism. Something can be learned in every article and recipe; not your typical '75 recipes in less than 30 minutes'!

The mastermind behind Taste & Travel is Janet Boileau, an accomplished food enthusiast and publisher who holds a PhD diploma from the University of Adelaide in culinary history, and a Master of Arts in Gastronomy from Le Cordon Bleu.

Taste & Travel is a quarterly publication that can be found in Chapters stands across Canada. I personally love being able to hold and read a printed magazine, but if you're more of a digital person, you can get an electronic subscription through Zinio at this link here.

The first issue, a collector's special launch edition, flew off the stands in just a matter of weeks. If you didn't get a copy, here's your chance!

I'm giving away 5 copies of the collector's special launch issue to the first 5 commentors. All you have to do is tell me what you love most about the food magazines you currently read. Is it the recipes, chef features, or food porn? For me, it is definitely for the food porn and recipes.

Read More

Ki' Xocolatl Chocolate

I've got another great product to share...I get very excited when I do.

When I met up with my friend, J, who recently got back from her vacation in Mérida, Mexico, she presented me with this beautiful flashy bright pink box. When I looked down, I noticed that it was chocolate from Mexico, Ki' Xocolatl chocolate to be exact. I looooooove exotic chocolates, so this was the perfect gift for me.

Ki-Xocolatl is a collaborative project between Belgian chocolatiers Mathieu Brees and Stephanie Verbrugge, and cocoa producers of Chiapas and Tabasco in Mexico. Ki-Xocolatl means delectable chocolate in the Mayan and Nahuatl languages.

The company works directly with the farmers of the Chiapas and Tabasco regions, and the cocoa is organic certified. Instead of insecticide, the fertilizers are a mix of plants, veggies, and cocoa by-products.

J brought back the dark chocolate with pink pepper bar for me. It was a smooth, dark chocolate with a hint of pink pepper. Subtle and not too strong. This bar also had hints of all spice, which was different.

Other flavors include: semi-bitter chocolate with chili and spice, and chocolate with milk and Cocoa seed Criollo Tostado

The only Ki' Xocolatl boutique is situated in Mérida, so if you're lucky enough to go, check it out.

Tienda Ki'Xocolatl
Santa Lucía
Calle 55 Número 513
Entre 60 y 62
Colonia Centro
C.P. 97000
Mérida, Yucatán

Read More

Fruit and Nut Pringles

My friend busted these Pringles out while I was visiting at her place one day. Her brother had just gotten back from Vietnam and brought back these fruit and nut Pringles for her as a gift. When she asked if I wanted to try some, I was like "heck ya!" As some of you know, I'm a sucker for International edible goodies. Check out these Skittles and Kit Kats I've written about.

Were the fruit and nut Pringles good? I wish I could say yes, but they really weren't. The whole nut & fruit concept was a good one and they were cool to try, but it's not something I would buy again.
The two flavors we had were blueberry & hazelnut and lemon & sesame. The fruit taste was very artificial in both, kind of like candy flavors on chips. Of the two, the blueberry and hazelnut was the best. I expected to like the lemon & sesame better but it just tasted like lemon candy with sesame. The blueberry was at least a bit more subtle.

Read More