There are moments when I'm home early, or hanging out alone, when I just do not want to sit at the dining room table and have a full meal solo. Instead, sitting on the couch watching Mad Men, I find myself balancing a plate on my lap, or eating awkwardly from coffee table to couch. In order to avoid the inevitable lasagna-in-lap scenario, I recommend Buddha Belly Plates. Adorably named and very durable, this plate has a finger hole that allows you to hold your plate with one hand and consume with the other without worrying about awkward placing and crumbs all over the couch.
It's quite easy: fill your plate with whatever meal you've chosen for the evening (such as this awesome Chacarero, Chilean street food, by Chef Pilar Rodriguez), place your thumb through the hole attached to the plate, rest it in the palm of your hand and use a fork, or your other hand, to consume your dinner delicacy. Enjoy!
Trick: Use your non-dominant hand to consume your food rather than hold your plate. After awhile you'll be amazed at your dexterity! And if you're feeling like some good Buddhist reading, sit down with some plain noodles with sesame seeds and a copy of Siddhartha.
Coffee and wine are my two biggest vices, so you can imagine the joy and excitement I felt when I came across Barista 2009 Pinotage. I acquainted myself with Pinotage for the first time at this year's annual South African Wine Show (which was appropriately timed with the FIFA World Cup kick-off). Pinotage, which is actually a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is a full-bodied grape that bursts with intense flavors of mulberries, plums and, of course, coffee.
You may be wondering how the two wound up in the same bottle, as I certainly was. South African winemaker Bertus Fourie describes it as a "happy accident." Fourie says he had run out of stainless steel tanks to ferment the wine in, so he turned to oak barrels instead. But the following morning, he awoke to find the entire cellar smelling like coffee. Although Fourie was certain he would be fired, the wine sold out immediately in stores and has remained a popular choice.
But the coffee flavor in the wine is subtle and isn't overpowering— it's more of a mellow aftertaste. I paired this wine with a dessert course consisting of soft cheeses and fruits, perfectly content in skipping my after-dinner espresso for this "happy accident."
Tip: Wines that have high alcohol contents (like this one) tend to have higher levels of residual sugars as well.
Started by an ambitious brother-sister pair out of NYC, Brewla Bars were born as the result of tasty mad-science experiments. With a drive to create refreshing frozen bars with equal health benefits, the pair decided to brew together natural tea and fresh fruits from around the globe. Each popsicle contains 100 calories or less and comes in lots of delicious flavors like "The Remedy" (green tea and raspberry) and "The Buzz" (honey vanilla black tea). Brewla Bars harness the raw greatness of natural fruit flavors as well as their high vitamin and mineral content. Look for Brewla Bars popping up in locations around you, or pick one up for $3.00 at the Fulton Stall Market at the South Street Seaport, NYC.
Tip: Enjoy any Brewla Bar as a refreshing afternoon snack and get the kick you need from the caffeine without the heavy calories or sugar of coffee.
I'm the first to admit I lack guts when it comes to hot sauce. A teaspoon spread on my scrambled eggs is as far as I go. Yet after taking a big risk on All Spice Cafe's hot sauces, both my taste buds and cooking techniques have an extra kick to them.
I decided to jump in the fire and battle three spicy amigos: Chipotle Garlic, Cayenne Habeñero, and my favorite, the Caribbean Spice Sauce. All of these sauces are excellent for marinades and brines. The Chipotle Garlic is great for marinating red meat, while the Cayenne Habañero Sauce makes for an easy arrabbiata sauce when putting it in marinara.
But what I must rave about is the Caribbean Spice. It's a mix of bold, sweet and saucy flavors that can work well with any dish.
Tip: Add Caribbean spice sauce to brown rice and shrimp to turn a simple dish into one jam packed with spices.
This estate-grown reserve dry Riesling emits a nuttiness amidst mild flavors of green tea, apples, citrus and herbal notes. Pop the cork and inhale soft, sweet floral aromas among sweet tropical fruits. Because Riesling is almost never fermented, its light flavor, acidity and sweetness goes well with a wide variety of foods. More specifically, Reisling pairs beautifully with white fish and pork; it also stands up well to the intense flavors and rich spices of Thai and Chinese cooking.
Tip: Cabbage is often cooked with Riesling to reduce the vegetables unfavorable smell.
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