Yup, this is the day when kids and even sweet fanged foodies indulge themselves. It's Halloween here in the States and although it's celebrated in other parts of the world, it's a big draw here. Halloween is a time to indulge in mini Snickers or candy corn, popcorn balls or caramel apples. It's a fun day with treats and surprises at every door.
Halloween started out as a Celtic celebration known as the Feast of Samhain .It was the day when the Celts celebrated the dead when the otherworld became thin enough for spirits to pass through. Basically Samhain means summer's end in Gaelic and that's when they celebrated the harvest with bonfires and feasts. The name Halloween itself came from old English :Eallra Hālgena ǣfen or All Hallows Eve. Today we know it as the day for costumes and candy.
We all have our Halloween foodie favorites and memories. Some might remember chocolate or vanilla cupcakes topped with orange icing and black sprinkles. other might remember stuffing handfuls of candy corn into their mouths. I used to like the candy cigarettes and bubble gum myself, A s I got older I used to buy my favorite candy , namely Milk Duds, to hand out , hoping for a few leftovers at the end of October 31st.
I'd like to hear about your favorite Halloween foodie memories. Which one of you out there went mad for popcorn balls? Or Reese's peanut butter cups? Did you like the ghost lollipops or the solid chocolate pumpkins? Let's hear from you sugar crazed ghoulies .
Showing posts with label Butler's chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Butler's chocolate. Show all posts
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Today Is Sweetest Day!!!
October 17th is a national holiday! It's Sweetest Day a day devoted to all things sweet, especially candy and more specifically chocolate. Actually I had forgotten about this.Let's face any October holiday is overshadowed by Halloween. However this one is a fun one too and celebrates candy.Unlike the other this has a deeper meaning and remind sus to be selfless.
Sweetest Day isn't one of these new-fangled holidays to brew up trade for candy companies. it was actually started in 1922 by Herbert Birch Kingston in Cleveland. it was designated to be the third Saturday in October and was created for the benefit of Cleveland orphans and shut ins..The holiday still a big one there as it is in Detroit and Buffalo. People give and receive small boxes of chocolate along with sweet notes. It's to remind people that others in their lives have meaning and worth.
This Sweetest Day I'll be buying little ballotins from Butlers for family . The candy shop has the best candy and I want my relatives to appreciate the good taste of fine chocolates. I also want them to know that they mean the world to me and this a very small way of thanking them for doing too much. It's also a nice way of reminding them that they do mean so much to me.
This Sweetest Day treat your friends and loved ones to a small gift of chocolate or even a random act of kindness. Remind them of how much they mean to you and how they sweeten up your life.
Sweetest Day isn't one of these new-fangled holidays to brew up trade for candy companies. it was actually started in 1922 by Herbert Birch Kingston in Cleveland. it was designated to be the third Saturday in October and was created for the benefit of Cleveland orphans and shut ins..The holiday still a big one there as it is in Detroit and Buffalo. People give and receive small boxes of chocolate along with sweet notes. It's to remind people that others in their lives have meaning and worth.
This Sweetest Day I'll be buying little ballotins from Butlers for family . The candy shop has the best candy and I want my relatives to appreciate the good taste of fine chocolates. I also want them to know that they mean the world to me and this a very small way of thanking them for doing too much. It's also a nice way of reminding them that they do mean so much to me.
This Sweetest Day treat your friends and loved ones to a small gift of chocolate or even a random act of kindness. Remind them of how much they mean to you and how they sweeten up your life.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
That Extinct Breed -The Ice Cream Parlor
Where have all the ice cream parlors gone to? If you're of a certain age, you'll remember like that (quick finger snap here). They were everywhere. Even some towns here in North Jersey had them. Now try to find one. Some do exist here in my state but they're down at the shore. I haven't seen any in this area since the late Nineties.
Don't get me wrong . I can still get a decent sundae in my neck of the woods. There are Friendlys all over here yet I classify them more as a restaurant than an ice cream parlor. They do make brilliant sundaes filled with the right amount of syrup and whipped cream. There's also Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins which serve the standard stuff like cones and banana splits. Yet there are really no family owned ones anymore. I'm sure there are a few left in Manhattan . Most of them are at the Jersey shore where the big seller's are just cones or cups. Luckily the ice cream is home made and some even have their own invented flavors.
Maybe entrepreneurs should bring back the old fashioned ice cream parlor. Look there are now a plethora of cupcake stores everywhere and this was a food that all but forgotten just a few years ago. It's time for old fashioned, brightly lit, long marble countered ice cream parlors to be revived.With them should come the ingenous and heavenly creations that not only we enjoyed but our parents and grandparents did as well. Who wouldn't want a melon or pineapple sundae made with fresh fruit and freshly churned vanilla ice cream? Or the bottomless banana split that can feed ten people? Or homemade malteds with real malt in them? There's nothing like getting a chocolate soda with friends or just spend a relaxing Saturday in a plush booth enjoying a simple chocolate syrup drenched sundae.
Ice cream parlors will be relegated to Americana soon enough. It's time to bring back these wonderful places. There's nothing like spending an afternoon in one enjoying freshly churned ice cream.
Don't get me wrong . I can still get a decent sundae in my neck of the woods. There are Friendlys all over here yet I classify them more as a restaurant than an ice cream parlor. They do make brilliant sundaes filled with the right amount of syrup and whipped cream. There's also Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins which serve the standard stuff like cones and banana splits. Yet there are really no family owned ones anymore. I'm sure there are a few left in Manhattan . Most of them are at the Jersey shore where the big seller's are just cones or cups. Luckily the ice cream is home made and some even have their own invented flavors.
Maybe entrepreneurs should bring back the old fashioned ice cream parlor. Look there are now a plethora of cupcake stores everywhere and this was a food that all but forgotten just a few years ago. It's time for old fashioned, brightly lit, long marble countered ice cream parlors to be revived.With them should come the ingenous and heavenly creations that not only we enjoyed but our parents and grandparents did as well. Who wouldn't want a melon or pineapple sundae made with fresh fruit and freshly churned vanilla ice cream? Or the bottomless banana split that can feed ten people? Or homemade malteds with real malt in them? There's nothing like getting a chocolate soda with friends or just spend a relaxing Saturday in a plush booth enjoying a simple chocolate syrup drenched sundae.
Ice cream parlors will be relegated to Americana soon enough. It's time to bring back these wonderful places. There's nothing like spending an afternoon in one enjoying freshly churned ice cream.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Cupcakes Gone Global!
Well it looks like that American standard has gone international. What am I writing about? Not Coke or Pepsi. Not hamburgers or popcorn but cupcakes. Yes, cupcakes. In yesterday's Food section of the Times (remember it's Thursday and one article is always dissected) there was a piece about cupcakes shop hitting theMiddle East. Who on earth can resist this classic sweet. There's nothing like a moist tender cake under a big fluffy mound of buttery frosting!
The article written by Anna Louis Sussman write;s about Sugar Daddy's, a new cupcake shop in Amman, Jordan>, The owner FadiJaber, had an epiphany after eating at the famed Magnolia bakery in Greenwich Village. His customers, mostly women, fell in love with them, thanks to Sex and the city reruns that feature Carrie and friends munching on the famed treats. He has also opened shops in Lebanon, Isreal and Tel Aviv. Not only does he sell American style cupcakes but also brownies and cheesecakes.
You might wonder how well the cupcake translates for international tongues. Everyone from England to China seems to like this low key treat. They can also be adopted to fit the country's tastes. Mr. Jaber makes a "Blind Date" cupcake that's made with chopped dates and a cream cheese icing. Most people worldwide love chocolate and vanilla so even these flavors are nothing out of the ordinary. What may be startling or new to some palate is the amount of icing that every cupcake requires. This may come off as super sweet to countries who prefer plain cakes.
Cupcakes are not only favored by our celebs but by the entire world these days. Let's face it. Who can resist these sweet and colorful treats No one on the planet can!
The article written by Anna Louis Sussman write;s about Sugar Daddy's, a new cupcake shop in Amman, Jordan>, The owner FadiJaber, had an epiphany after eating at the famed Magnolia bakery in Greenwich Village. His customers, mostly women, fell in love with them, thanks to Sex and the city reruns that feature Carrie and friends munching on the famed treats. He has also opened shops in Lebanon, Isreal and Tel Aviv. Not only does he sell American style cupcakes but also brownies and cheesecakes.
You might wonder how well the cupcake translates for international tongues. Everyone from England to China seems to like this low key treat. They can also be adopted to fit the country's tastes. Mr. Jaber makes a "Blind Date" cupcake that's made with chopped dates and a cream cheese icing. Most people worldwide love chocolate and vanilla so even these flavors are nothing out of the ordinary. What may be startling or new to some palate is the amount of icing that every cupcake requires. This may come off as super sweet to countries who prefer plain cakes.
Cupcakes are not only favored by our celebs but by the entire world these days. Let's face it. Who can resist these sweet and colorful treats No one on the planet can!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
More S'Mores!!!
This is the time for camping and campfire treats. That means bring out the s'mores. These fun , gooey sweet treats have been a staple of summer since the turn of the last century. Everyone knows them. Everyone loves them. Who doesn't? They're a fun mix of our favorite flavors and foods .
S'mores are as American as apple pie and maybe even better tasting (sorry pie lovers). They just basically toasted marshmallow sandwiched between a square of milk chocolate and two graham crackers. The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate to a creamy goodness and it then squishes between the graham crackers. You can also make s'mores in a microwave however you don't get the crispy burned marshmallow coating though. The treat was invented around 1900 with the advent of its' newly mass produced ingredients. The recipe spread from one campsite to another and the name just came about with people asking for more of it. The recipe debuted in the Girl Scout Handbook 1927 edition.
Most people stick with the traditional recipe of plain graham crackers a square of Hershey's milk chocolate and a toasted marshmallow You can create a more decadent version with any dark chocolate and chocolate graham crackers. I've also found out that there are flavored marshmallow./s which come in different flavors like cinnamon and mint along with chocolate (they're called Plush Puffs and you can order them at www.plushpuffs.com) . You can use these to make wickedly tasty s'mores!Another variation is to layer a thin coating of plain or crunchy peanut butter on the graham crackers before adding the chocolate and marshmallow.
Before the summer is out, treat yourself to that hot weather standard, the s'more. You'll be making more and more of them after one bite. They're just a fun snack.
S'mores are as American as apple pie and maybe even better tasting (sorry pie lovers). They just basically toasted marshmallow sandwiched between a square of milk chocolate and two graham crackers. The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate to a creamy goodness and it then squishes between the graham crackers. You can also make s'mores in a microwave however you don't get the crispy burned marshmallow coating though. The treat was invented around 1900 with the advent of its' newly mass produced ingredients. The recipe spread from one campsite to another and the name just came about with people asking for more of it. The recipe debuted in the Girl Scout Handbook 1927 edition.
Most people stick with the traditional recipe of plain graham crackers a square of Hershey's milk chocolate and a toasted marshmallow You can create a more decadent version with any dark chocolate and chocolate graham crackers. I've also found out that there are flavored marshmallow./s which come in different flavors like cinnamon and mint along with chocolate (they're called Plush Puffs and you can order them at www.plushpuffs.com) . You can use these to make wickedly tasty s'mores!Another variation is to layer a thin coating of plain or crunchy peanut butter on the graham crackers before adding the chocolate and marshmallow.
Before the summer is out, treat yourself to that hot weather standard, the s'more. You'll be making more and more of them after one bite. They're just a fun snack.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Butler's The New Best Chococlate
The other day I wrote about Butler's Chocolates as one of the new things to watch on the foodie scene. It is an amazing shop, different from Godiva yet similar in some ways. It's also a great place to stop in for a coffee or an ice cream.
Butler's originated in Dublin in 1932 on small little street called Lad Lane. Marion bailey was an expert chocolate maker and began to sell her creations in the small sweet shop, Like today's recipes she used only the best Irish butter, imported chocolate and fresh fruit san d nuts. later in 1959, Seamus Sorenson bought it from her yet still kept the original headquarters in Lad Lane. over th e last fifty years it expanded its facilities moving from the original area to Pearse Street then eventually opening a factory in Clonshaugh Dublin,. They went first to New Zealand and then to , of all places, my local mall in Northern New Jersey. I'm glad they did though.
Butler's has become my new favorite candy. I love the dark bitter chocolate bars filled with praline and whole almonds as well as their "gift" chocolates, a free bonbon when you ordered coffee. It's has a smooth caramel center, and a creamy, milky chocolate exterior. I can't wait to go tonight to buy their fudge and brittle. The iced mocha lattes are the best, having the consistency of a rich chocolate milk shake. it;'s a quick pick me up when you're bargain shopping.I''m also in live with their Grand Marnier mousse cake , a perfect round or orange liqueur flavored mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round.
Be lucky if you live in the Bergen County region of New Jersey . You;re only a stone's throw away from some of the best candy in the world. If not , then take a trip to Dublin to experience this amazing chocolates or visit their web site.
Butler's originated in Dublin in 1932 on small little street called Lad Lane. Marion bailey was an expert chocolate maker and began to sell her creations in the small sweet shop, Like today's recipes she used only the best Irish butter, imported chocolate and fresh fruit san d nuts. later in 1959, Seamus Sorenson bought it from her yet still kept the original headquarters in Lad Lane. over th e last fifty years it expanded its facilities moving from the original area to Pearse Street then eventually opening a factory in Clonshaugh Dublin,. They went first to New Zealand and then to , of all places, my local mall in Northern New Jersey. I'm glad they did though.
Butler's has become my new favorite candy. I love the dark bitter chocolate bars filled with praline and whole almonds as well as their "gift" chocolates, a free bonbon when you ordered coffee. It's has a smooth caramel center, and a creamy, milky chocolate exterior. I can't wait to go tonight to buy their fudge and brittle. The iced mocha lattes are the best, having the consistency of a rich chocolate milk shake. it;'s a quick pick me up when you're bargain shopping.I''m also in live with their Grand Marnier mousse cake , a perfect round or orange liqueur flavored mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round.
Be lucky if you live in the Bergen County region of New Jersey . You;re only a stone's throw away from some of the best candy in the world. If not , then take a trip to Dublin to experience this amazing chocolates or visit their web site.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
New Stuff Plus Butler's Chocolates
There's a ton of new products and one fmalous newly arrived Irish candy store chain to write about today. I found a greatweb article yesterday about all the new food that will be coming out in Fall of 2009 and January 2010. Plus I happened on a great new candy store, coffee shop at my mall called Butlers. This is a foodie cornucopia of neat new tastes and textures.
Well, the newest foods on the markets are actually old ones with new spins. There is the pequino whic is like a watermelon for Barbie. It tastes more like a pickle and would probably be good in a salad or doused with vinaigrette aliongside burger s and kabobs. There's also a jalapeno infused relish that would be tasty along side spicy ribs next summer. That old standard cheese takes on a new spin with smoked (!yes smoked) blue cheese and a mild cheddar coated with a ground esspresso bean rind. The biggest surprise is the addition of bacon to both chocolate and pancake mixes.The meat's saltiness acts as a perfect foil for the sweet. If you think about it , combining bacon with sweet is nothing new. We've been dipping it into our maple syrup and pancakes for some tiome now.
Speaking of new and chocolate, the Irish chain Butler's has finally landed here in the States and at my local mall. I'll be writing more about it this Friday. I just stopped yesterday in for a chocolate iced latte which was phenomenal.It was like a mocha shake , all thick and creamy.They also sell phenomenal pastries and we had a mini cake with a Grand Marnier mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round. Yummm. Another fun plus is that the store gives you an indvidual bonbon with your coffee. This was smooth and creamy too. I can't wait to go back Friday to get some other great treats
Foodies be on the lookout for all sorts of new foods to hit your local grocery shelves. Also keep an eye out for Butler's at your local malls. The new is coming so be prepared.
Well, the newest foods on the markets are actually old ones with new spins. There is the pequino whic is like a watermelon for Barbie. It tastes more like a pickle and would probably be good in a salad or doused with vinaigrette aliongside burger s and kabobs. There's also a jalapeno infused relish that would be tasty along side spicy ribs next summer. That old standard cheese takes on a new spin with smoked (!yes smoked) blue cheese and a mild cheddar coated with a ground esspresso bean rind. The biggest surprise is the addition of bacon to both chocolate and pancake mixes.The meat's saltiness acts as a perfect foil for the sweet. If you think about it , combining bacon with sweet is nothing new. We've been dipping it into our maple syrup and pancakes for some tiome now.
Speaking of new and chocolate, the Irish chain Butler's has finally landed here in the States and at my local mall. I'll be writing more about it this Friday. I just stopped yesterday in for a chocolate iced latte which was phenomenal.It was like a mocha shake , all thick and creamy.They also sell phenomenal pastries and we had a mini cake with a Grand Marnier mousse on top of a moist chocolate cake round. Yummm. Another fun plus is that the store gives you an indvidual bonbon with your coffee. This was smooth and creamy too. I can't wait to go back Friday to get some other great treats
Foodies be on the lookout for all sorts of new foods to hit your local grocery shelves. Also keep an eye out for Butler's at your local malls. The new is coming so be prepared.
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