A little taste of this; A little sip of that

A little taste of this

Stonewall Kitchen, one of my favorite brands, launched many new products this summer, including jams, sauces, baking mixes, and cheese ball mixes. Two of my favorite recent releases are the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Sauce and the Dark Chocolate Toffee Sauce. Yum - so good you'll want to eat it right out of the jar! Heat 20 seconds in the microwave before serving over vanilla ice cream, fruit, or cake.Or coat a corner of a Walker Shortbread cookie in one of the sauces and let it harden. For easy treats you can make at home, try Stonewall's new Chocolate Gingerbread and Chocolate Peppermint Krinkle cookie mixes!

I have to take the time to rave about a specialty bakery that opened last year in Spring Lake, NJ. The Scone Pony (whose name is a take off of The Stone Pony, a bar in Asbury Park NJ where Bruce Springsteen got his start) offers the best scones, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other assorted baked goods that I've had in a long time. The Scone Pony is owned by sisters Debra Bruchian and Tara Conaton - with a lot of help from their mother, Marry Ann, who honed her recipes for 25 years at a bakery she ran in Cliffside Park, NJ. I personally tasted a delicious red velvet whoopie pie, a warm, flaky croissant, and a piece of incredible coconut cake, a German chocolate cupcake, and the best peanut butter cookie I've ever eaten - dense, yet crumbly and reminiscent of the old GirlScout cookie "The Gaucho" from years ago (only this one was 100x better, and I don't usually care much for peanut butter cookies!). I also had a bite of a wonderful Italian Sfogliatelle. Needless to say, after this I experienced a little bit of sugar shock, but it was worth it! If you're in the Spring Lake/Jersey Shore area, don't pass this place up: 305 Washington Ave, Spring Lake, NJ 732-280-8887. It's right around the corner from Tom Bailey's, whose outdoor grille is now open.

A little sip of that

Beaulieu Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc California Coastal Estates 2009. Delicious apple, pear, and peach flavors. Pairs well with light proteins like chicken, fish, or lobster. Vegetarians should try it with a corn chowder or squash dish. Under $10, too!

This next one is a little splurge, but worth it: 2008 Domaine Alary Cairanne Font D' Estevanas Blanc. The Alary Family have been growing wine grapes in the Rhone valley for over 11 generations! This pick is crisp, flowery, and minerally with nectarine and grapefruit notes. It's in the $18-24 range, so treat yourself.

Interesting Food Fact

According to the recent NASFT newsletter, a study of retail consumers by MarketForce showed that 53% of consumers eat chicken more than 4 times a week. Let's hope these people are buying all natural and organic!

Melyssa's rant: let's try to get that number down! Replace some of those chicken with Quorn or seitan, you'll be surprised how little you miss the real thing.

Kudos to healthier eating - sales of packaged whole wheat bread surpasses those of packaged white bread over the last year. Hopefully the trend towards whole grain will continue!