Raw Crunch Bars
Just when I think there couldn’t be a better tasting, nutritionally sound bar on the market, along comes one that blows me away. That would be the Raw Crunch Bar: a handmade, unprocessed, uncooked energy bar made with a core of four types of organic seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax), three types of organic nuts (cashews, pecans, macadamia), raw honey, and Celtic sea salt. Read more 
Asparagus and Mushrooms with Teriyaki Tofu
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy fresh asparagus (although available year-round, the largest asparagus crop is harvested from late February to June). Stem thickness indicates the age of the plant with the young, thin stalks the most desirable and tasty. The thicker stems indicate the plant is older and can be tough and woody although a peeler can eliminate the rough outer skin. The tips are the most tender and flavorful so look for firm stalks with dry tips. Read more
Raincoast Flats
Raincoast Flats are the newest creation by Canadian extraordinaire food maker Lesley Stowe Fine Foods. Well known for their Raincoast Crisps that redefined the cracker market by using dried fruits, seeds, nuts,and spices in their recipes, Lesley Stowe Fine Foods continued that same idea to come up with a flatbread that is flavorful, crunchy, and just plain delicious. Read more
The Ultimate Oxford Shirt
The Oxford shirt has been around for decades – maybe longer – and is one of those wardrobe pieces that never goes out of style but finding a well made, stylish, and great fitting Oxford shirt made of 100% cotton at a reasonable price is a challenge. If you happen to be a woman with a long torso and arms, then the search is even tougher.
My husband swears by Brooks Brothers but he’s a guy shopping for men’s shirts (and the company’s women’s shirts are too short in the torso for long-waisted women). I’m a gal looking for women’s shirts and swear by Abercrombie & Fitch and specifically, the men’s Oxford Shirt with the Muscle Fit (as opposed to the Classic Fit) meaning the shirt is cut slimmer and fits closer to the body. Meant for a man, but fitting for a woman (sounds like that 1970’s commercial for Secret deodorant that went something like “strong enough for a man but made for a woman.” Read more
Theo Coconut Bites
Theo Chocolate of Seattle, Washington recently introduced Coconut Bites: three distinct types of sweet and chewy coconut bars that seem to be the Pacific northwest’s answer to the sibling duo (Almond Joy and Mounds bars by Hershey) that originated in the northeast.
Talk about taking something from good to great. That’s Theo Chocolate. Last year the organic fair-trade certified company did it with the rollout of peanut butter cups made with CB’s Nuts Peanut Butter and their own homemade chocolate and this year the Seattle chocolate maker combined coconut and chocolate to create Coconut Bites. Read more
Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate
Five years ago, a visitor to Santa Barbara, California would have thought that the seaside town had nearly everything: great weather, lovely beaches, perfect sunsets, a creative vibe, aromatic coffee shops, artisan grocery stores, and a fabulous farmer’s market but one thing was missing: a bean-to-bar chocolate maker.
It’s not that visitors couldn’t buy chocolate in Santa Barbara – a wide variety of chocolate could be purchased at various retail stores including Chocolate Maya; instead, the town lacked a hometown chocolate maker who was willing to take on the monumental time-consuming task of making chocolate from fresh cacao beans. Read more
The CORE Meal
Core Foods – based out of Oakland, California – was established by Corey Rennell, a self-confessed adventurer who traveled the world and learned two lessons along the way: eat mainly whole fresh fruit and vegetables, and treat others the way you want to be treated. Sounds simple, but as we all know, the day-to-day demands of life often keep us from eating healthy and forgetting about the people we interact with each and every day. Read more
Nairn’s Scottish Oatcakes
Oats. A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people. ~Samuel Johnson
The world has both changed and stayed the same since Samuel Johnson (a writer famous for publishing “A Dictionary of the English Dictionary” in 1755) graced us with his wit and talent. Although England has since embraced oats in their diet, the Scots have continued to revel the grain that is well suited to Scotland’s short, wet growing season. Read more
The Vanilla Queen’s Vanilla Extract
Flavorful. Sustainable. Simply the best. ~The Vanilla Queen
Years ago, an article in Cooks Illustrated convinced me to do a taste test between real and artificial vanilla extracts. The conclusion: always choose pure vanilla extract over artificial vanilla extract because of the flavor difference. Real vanilla extract (and there are many types – each with its own nuanced flavor) is rich and a bit creamy, smooth, slightly sweet, fruity, and cherry-like with a floral fragrance whereas the imitation lacks these qualities. Read more
For the Shakespeare Inspired
Buying just the right card for that special someone usually involves a trip to Hallmark, Target, CVS or the supermarket where the selection includes the humorous (which seems to be subjective) or cards filled with flowery language that simply say too much. Simplicity in a card is almost always the best choice but finding a card that has just the right message is challenging (and nearly impossible) at the last-minute unless a supply of Bard’s Cards is on hand. Read more
Paddock Post 