Entries tagged with 'Valentine's Day'
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Despite the dark chocolate snobbery that often rules the chocolate world, Ghirardelli is looking out for the shunned, stepped-on milk chocolate lovers. Understanding that the less sexy option still accounts for 80 percent of total chocolate sales in the U.S., the company recently launched a luxe milk chocolate line, and it's on another level than cheap Easter candy. When Serious Eaters acquired a medley of the new flavors—regular milk, hazelnut, almond, crisped rice, and a milk/dark duet—the inner milk chocolate sympathizers in us came out. We all seemed to get so excited rooting for milk chocolate. "I like the way chocolate tastes when mixed with sugar and milk: sweet and creamy. This doesn't mean I like all milk chocolate,...
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Left, chocolates from Patrick Roger; top, macarons from Pierre Hermé; bottom, tea from Mariage Frères In honor of Valentine's Day, pastry goddess and Paris lover Dorie Greenspan shares 25 romantic things to do in the City of Love. Naturally, most of her suggestions are food-related, including where to go for chocolates (Pierre Marcolini, Patrick Roger), pastries (Pierre Hermé, Des Gateaux et du Pain), tea (Hotel George V, Mariage Frères, Ladurée), and splurge-worthy meals (Jules Verne, Le Grand Vefour). Related Romantic Restaurants in Paris February in Paris Interview With Macaron Specialist Dorie Greenspan...
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It's not really a restaurant if you need a key for the bathroom, especially when the keychain involves a plastic sausage. At least that's what Amy, Tim's girlfriend on HBO's The Life & Times of Tim has decided. "If your food is served on a brown tray, that can be stacked, above the garbage? That's not a restaurant." Things to consider when debating Valentine's Day dinner options this weekend. The video, after the jump....
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When Valentine's Day rolls around, I like a little bit of sweet talk. As much as I love Necco wafers, it seemed to me that the everyday Sweethearts were a bit chalky and disappointing. Luckily, it seems like Necco has decided to spice things up lately, with chocolate, smoothie, and tart versions of the classic classroom Valentine's staple. Interestingly, it seems there is a flavor of love, and each flavor has its own personality. The chocolate Sweethearts taste like solid hot cocoa, and take a very traditional approach to romance, whispering sweet nothings like "Be Mine," "My Love," and "Marry Me." Chocolate, it seems, is into some old-fashioned commitment....
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Because plastic trays and buffet lines do have a curious romantic quality, take your sugarbuns to Ikea. Updated: At select U.S. stores from 5:30 to 8 p.m., couples can feed each other "Salmon Wellington, divine rice pilaf and some Sweetie-Baby carrots with Cha-Cha-chive sauce" plus a free bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling cider for $19.90. At Canadian outlets after 3 p.m., the deal includes "steak, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and sautéed onions topped with a brandy peppercorn sauce," finished off with a piece of cake for $19.98....
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"Chocolate and cheese are both super-rich foods, and a little goes a long way. Savor every bite and go for quality over quantity." Ever since a college friend baked a bar of fine Swiss dark chocolate between two halves of a wheel of Brie, I've been intrigued and a little obsessed with the idea of pairing chocolate and cheese. It's tougher to get right than, say, pairing fruit and cheese, and sometimes it's downright nasty, but when you do get a good match, it can be truly sublime. And it also happens to be a really nice way to end a special Valentine's Day meal with two of the greatest foods humans ever created....
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Our macaron giveaway just ended, but that's OK. We've got another sweetheart of a contest for you to enter today. This one gives you the chance to win a Praise the Lard Gift Box from Zingerman's. Here's what's in it: A pound of Benton's Bacon In a country full of worthy candidates, Allan Benton's intensely flavored bacon just might be my favoriteBroadbent Kentucky Sausage: Why is this Kentucky sausage, which comes in a cloth bag, so delicious? It's made with fresh ground pork, sage, red pepper, salt, and a secret ingredient or two and then smoked over green hickory for 24 hours. That's why? 'Nuff saidSam Edward's Virginia Breakfast Sausage: The Edwards family has been making this sage-y sausage for...
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We first tried Mitzy Budiono's French macarons last September before her macarons were even on the market. Since then we've watched Budiono's business grow as she established Itzy Bitzy Patisserie and started selling macarons at the Brooklyn Flea and Tafu in New York City. This week, for the first time, she is offering overnight shipping so macaron lovers around the country can enjoy her creations. For Valentine's Day, Budiono is offering a box of a dozen macarons with two of each of her February flavors, plus an additional non-macaron treat, to two Serious Eats members. February's flavors are Champagne, chocolate strawberry, chocolate hazelnut, coffee, Earl Grey, and houjicha. If you want to buy her macarons at her website, mention...
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On Fridays, Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20 drops by with Serious Grape. This week, what to swill on Valentine's Day. Photograph from robertpaulyoung on Flickr Admit it. You're already trying to figure out what you're going to give your sweetie for Valentine's Day. Most of us reach for Champagne or some other sparkling wine, and that's a wonderful, traditional choice. But if it's romance you're looking for, why not consider a bottle of dessert wine instead? They come in white, red, and rosé versions, and one will pair perfectly with your plans for dessert. Dessert wines are some of the least understood wines on the market. In part that stems from the mystery of how they're made. Dessert...
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I love to be kissed. By Hershey's. My boyfriend lives in England, so I have to take 'em where I can get 'em. Whether absence makes the heart grow fonder, I can't say. But I can swear that chocolate is an excellent distraction. --> I've blogged about Candy Corn Kisses at Halloween. Candy Cane Kisses at Christmas. Now, I've fallen in love all over again. I have two new Valentines, and they're sweet as candy....
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