The Return of the Peppermint Patty
Fasten your seat belt, ma’am. Here I come again! ~Peppermint Patty
The peppermint patty – a dark chocolate enrobed peppermint candy – was first introduced nearly 75 years ago by the York Cone Company. Back then (before synthetic peppermint oil was invented and patented), the York Peppermint Patty was known for its crisp texture and contrasting flavors: bitter dark chocolate and sugar-sweetened peppermint center. Read more 
10 Kitchen Tips for My Younger Self
When I was 23 years old, I was asked to bring a dessert to a pot-luck luncheon at work so I decided to bring a homemade cheesecake. The night before, I got home from work late and didn’t have time to bring the cream cheese to room temperature so I took the 6 bars of Philadelphia Cream Cheese out of the refrigerator and proceeded to make the cake only to be asked the next day what the white clumps in my cheesecake were. Not one of my better baking moments but one I’ve never forgotten because I eventually learned that certain ingredients have to be at room temperature to blend properly. Read more
Steve and Andy’s Candied Orange Peel
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The foodie world has been abuzz with talk about a Brooklyn-based company called Steve & Andy’s Organics who make organic, non-GMO marmalade, preserves, chutney, handcrafted gluten-free flours, salted lemon peel and candied orange peel. Intrigued with the idea of any product that uses oranges, I set out to obtain Steve & Andy’s Candied Orange Peel, which took some time and persistence because everyone wants this new product. Read more
First Field Jersey Ketchup
I’m a total sucker for New Jersey. Although I wasn’t born in the Garden State, I spent most of my childhood in a suburban neighborhood across the street from a fruit orchard where I learned to climb trees and balance myself on a thick branch while enjoying a crisp apple. In middle school, I worked at the local farm stand where I became proficient in the best way to enjoy sweet corn: freshly picked, peeled, and raw. But the most important lesson I learned about New Jersey had to do with tomatoes. Read more
Roots and Branches Artisan Crackers
Simple, pure & delicious….
Three crackers ruled the grocery aisle in the 1960’s and early 1970’s: the Saltine, the Triscuit, and the Ritz. In the mid-1970’s, the Wheat Thin burst onto the market (how could we forget those Sandy Duncan commercials?) and forever changed the cracker industry. All of a sudden, crackers had savory flavors and boasted of fiber content with unrecognizable ingredients and loads of sodium. But, crackers – like most things – have come full circle with the reemergence of simple crackers made with wholesome ingredients that most of us have in our pantry. Read more
Domori Javablond Chocolate
Domori is an Italian chocolate company founded in 1997 by Gianluca Franzoni after a trip to Venezuela where he lived for three years working with the Criollo bean – the rarest and finest cocoa bean in the world. Read more
Top Ten Vegetarian/Vegan Dining Options in the Palm Beaches
Dining out in the Palm Beaches (which is loosely defined as West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens) includes many options for vegetarians and vegans with a wide range of choices: the hole-in-the-wall takeout joint, the casual cafe, the neighborhood eatery and the sit-down white table-clothed restaurant. So, if you’re looking for fresh, organic or just plain delicious food in the Palm Beach area, consider any of the following (in no particular order): Read more
Awesome Bars
You can’t fake awesome. ~Awesome Bars
If you happen to look up the word “awesome” in the dictionary, the definition will be “something that inspires awe, wonder, or excitement” so it seems especially appropriate that a company who makes granola bars that cause some very serious excitement, call themselves and their products “Awesome Bars.” Read more
Seely Candy Canes
We elves stick to the main four food groups: big candy canes, little candy canes, broken candy canes, and crushed candy canes. ~An enlightened elf
For an authentic candy cane experience, wrap your fingers around a Seely Peppermint Candy Cane: a handcrafted individually pulled, twisted, and crooked treat made with pure Oregon peppermint oil from the peppermint plants grown on Seely’s Family Farm along with cane sugar, organic tapioca syrup, cream of tartar, and natural plant-based color. Read more
Peppermint Chocolate Bars
During the holidays, chocolate and peppermint sweets are abundantly popular because the cool flavor of peppermint combined with chocolate is hard to beat. A classic holiday combination of crushed candy canes blended with rich dark chocolate makes for a winning combination but if the candy canes happen to be organic and the chocolate happens to be made by Videri then you’re in for a very special treat. Read more
Paddock Post 