desserts, snack foods, snacks

Easter – a second chance to indulge!

We all love Halloween. A legitimate excuse to eat way more candy than any other time of the year. But, hey, Easter is our first time each year to indulge ourselves beyond our typical sugar allowances.

Take me, for example. I rarely eat chocolate – though I adore it and do keep a supply of 70% dark chocolate handy for emergencies. Still, Fannie May was kind enough to send me some samples of their Easter collection – they do seasonal confections for every holiday.

Fannie Mae Easter bunnies

Well, I was getting hungry already when I opened the lovely red-beribboned, handled white basket (Fannie Mae really knows how to package its products in beautiful bundles!). I first examined each of the three chocolate bunnies – milk, white, and dark chocolate. Ooo, what fun to give to the kids in my life.

Fannie Mae Pixie Egg

And then I saw the smaller box marked Fannie Mae Pixie Egg. I thought, well, I’ll just slice it in half – happily, they give you a clear admission as to calories for all their confections. I said, to no one in the room with me, oh, look at all that caramel. And I wasn’t disappointed when I bit into the half in my hand. I savored that creamy caramel, bite after bite, on that first half I’d cut. But honestly, the little teaser pieces of pecan embedded in the thick milk chocolate coating guaranteed I wasn’t going to stop at half.

I had to eat popcorn for dinner that night, but it was worth it.

appetizers, bar food, beverages, cocktails, fine dining, spirits, wine

Unique vibe, unusual wines, unbeatable caviar service

Celebrated early birthday and Valentine’s Day last night at the one-of-a-kind Heritage Restaurant and Caviar Bar, 2700 W. Chicago. Seeing that it’s located in the heart of Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, you might be tempted to dismiss it. “That couldn’t be a good place for high-end menu items. It’s too far out,” you might think.

Heritage beet vodka and caviar bump
Heritage beet-infused vodka with caviar bump.

If you’re looking for super fancy, mink-coat-worthy ambience, look elsewhere, though you won’t be embarrassed no matter how you dress. But if you’re looking for tasty treats served with unique accompaniments and top-drawer caviar service in a funky, laid-back atmosphere with relaxed, cheerful, and knowledgeable servers, come out and try Heritage.

An appetizer selection encompassed a plate of hearty house-made brown bread with a small crock of butter rosette, crispy/crunchy house-made potato chips, and several thick slabs of some of the most delicious pickles I’ve tasted in a long time. Another option is a lovely 2-ounce grilled, juicy ground beef slider, topped with a tiny fried quail egg and served on a rich, tasty bun – the perfection of which begged to be spared the application of pedestrian condiments like ketchup and mustard.

Another appetizer was a unique combination of duck and crab with pickled cabbage, deep-fried in a huge egg roll wrapper. This may be  what some would call an acquired taste.

Then came the piece de resistance: the caviar service. It arrived in a  special caviar-serving device that included six small glass dishes arranged on a silvery metal carrier – five dishes filled with different types of caviar and one dish of creme fraiche.  Alongside this was a small plate with six indentations (not unlike a miniature  Passover Seder plate) that contained small amounts of: egg yolk, egg white, fresh dill, fresh parsley, red onion – all finely chopped – and some capers. We each received our own miniature pearlized spoonula for dipping and spreading the precious roe and for scooping up the accompaniments. After one of our experienced companions explained it, we all thoroughly enjoyed the ritual. A couple of us expressed that we’d not enjoyed previous encounters with caviar nearly as much.

Our servers were exceptionally gracious and good-natured. When one of us spoke of a dental issue and asked if there was some softer bread available, our server said she’d consult with the chef. She soon returned with the message the chef was making her her very own private beignet. Sacre bleu! It arrived warm, though quite late. Still it was welcome and seemed like a good substitute for dessert with its light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar topping.

When we saw another server going by with a trayful of small beautiful glasses with translucent red liquid inside and one of those pearlized spoons on top of each, we had to ask. She said it was their own beet-infused vodka with “a bump of caviar.” Of course we couldn’t resist and ordered one apiece. Caviar first – let it melt in your mouth. Then enjoy the beet-infused vodka chaser. A profoundly successful ending to our Heritage adventure. Caviar lovers, who needs dessert? – though Heritage does offer a few options.

Go see what they’re up to next at Heritage. You may be surprised and will likely be delighted.

California wine, California wines, Chardonnay, Chicago food and drink, holidays, Pinot Noir, pinot noir, red wine, rosé wine, white wine, wine

Thrill your last-minute giftees with luxury wines

Dutton-Goldfield 2017 magnum Pinot Noir

You hear from us often about the wonderful wines of Dutton-Goldfield. We love these rich and resonant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays and more. And we’re also pretty impressed with some of the ways they’ve put together options for these beauties as  ways to gift your business associates, neighbors and  loved ones.

You can pick a pack of three different editions. Or now get 1.5L bottles and magnums for your most impressive gifts.

Need inspiration? Not sure if your giftees love reds, whites, or rosés? Gift them all 3! With Dutton-Goldfield’s Pinot Three Ways Holiday Package, your recipient will receive one of each of their Pinot Noir, Shop Block Pinot Blanc, and Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir.

Whether you’re the host or are sharing with your loved ones, their  1.5L bottles are a beautiful addition to any holiday table. These large format bottles make an exciting and impressive gift for the wine lover on your list, or hey, why not as your own well-deserved treat?! Check out their cellared library of distinguished magnums here – 10% off all magnums for the holidays.

If you’ve never given fine wines as gifts before, this is a great opportunity to share your Dutton-Goldfield discoveries with loved ones and business associates, You’ll be proud and your giftees will be thrilled.  Deadline purchase dates for timely shipping below.

Ground December 14th
2-day Air December 19th
Overnight December 20th

Blessings and joy for the holidays for you and yours.

comfort food, cooking, home cooking, kitchen appliances

Truss your bird like the pros

Got twine? That’s how most sources tell us to truss our turkey (or chicken or Cornish hen), right?

The pros tell us we really should tuck all the ends in when we roast a bird. It yields more even cooking, resulting in all the parts of the beast getting cooked to the same doneness. And preventing that prize roast from developing burnt or dried out wings and legs. And the traditional method of trussing is twining…

Forgt the twine! Roast turkey like a pro.

But for most of us, the chances of having twine around the kitchen are slim to none. To my delight, TurboTrusser sent me its nifty trussing device to try. It’s  designed to do the job for you in a snap. This little item recently won investors on Shark Tank. It hooks onto your comfort-food bird (there’s a size for chicken, Cornish hen and turkey), snagging the wings and tucking the legs close to the body. You don’t have to fight with the roast turkey or chicken to get it neatly tucked together. And you can still put your stuffing in there if you like. Plus, it stores flat so you can tuck it into any drawer ’til you’re ready to roast again.

Turkey-day approaches, people. Check out TurboTrusser and see how it works for you. Or give it as a holiday gift to your favorite home chef.

beverages, Chicago food and drink, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks

WonderJuices are pretty tasty

Do you drink juice? I’ve tended not to drink anything much besides V8 and/or tomato juice. But I was recently invited to try several flavors of Beetology/WonderJuices. Took me a while to get to them, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Tasty – and It’s even got fiber!

Picture these flavors: Wonder Melon, Wonder Lemon, and the Beet series: Beet + Lemon + Ginger, Beet + Cherry,  Beet + Berry, and Beet + Veggie and more. Sound good, right?

First, be sure to chill the hell out of all these flavors. They seem to come alive when they’re nice and cold. Now you can use them for breakfast as the liquid in your smoothie or in a small juice glass as a shot of whatever vitamins/carbs are in your chosen flavor. And they are all just a tiny bit sweet, so it tastes kind of like you’re having a shot of dessert with your bagel or eggs, toast and bacon.

Once I discovered how refreshing the juices are, I felt maybe the rich flavors were a little intense for me. So I experimented with mixing a couple ounces of the juice with a couple ounces of flavored carbonated water. Start with half juice and half water and see if you like more of one or the other. Delicious!!

And of course the next thought in my head is, hey, this would be great as a no-fuss cocktail. They’ve done all the selecting and mixing of the flavors for you. Again, experiment and you might come up with the next cocktail sensation. I’m thinking vodka or rum with the Wonder Melon flavor (which, BTW, has a lot of fiber!); gin with the Beet + Lemon + Ginger; maybe port with the Beet + Cherry. Or mix half and half with champagne for a new take on a mimosa.

Now remember, these juices are cold-pressed, which means they’re extracted under immense pressure from fresh raw fruits and veggies.  They’re marked “consume within 5 days of opening” because they’re not pasteurized and can begin growing bacteria fasater than many things we put in our stomachs.

For a tasty cocktail, a unique smoothie, or a refreshing dessert-y drink, you can’t beat these. Prices are high (~$23/6 on Amazon), so think of them as a lovely occasional treat and an easy way to entertain guests.

beverages, California wine, California wines, Chardonnay, Chicago food and drink, Pinot Noir, pinot noir, red wine, rosé wine, white wine, wine

Despite smoke, Dutton-Goldfield strikes gold again

Imagine fighting not just regular natural issues like drought, hungry bugs and creatures, extreme temperatures and more, but trying to make excellent wine from grapes having to grow in smoke-smothered skies. At Dutton-Goldfield they don’t lose heart.

While they weren’t able to produce any 2020 Pinots from Sonoma County, they were busy at their Certified Sustainable Mendocino County vineyards and in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley where smoke invasion was minimal. Here are two of their crisply luscious 2021 Chardonnays. a 2021 Pinot Blanc, and a 2022 Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. And if any of these pique your tastebuds, order ASAP because these are all small productions of 150 to 300-ish cases. Prices range from ~$30 to ~$60.

2021 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley. Fermented 100% in the barrel, along with 100% malolactic fermentation, the lees for these are stirred twice monthly. After the blend is mixed, the wine is further aged all summer in French oak barrels that are selected to emphasize not the oak but rather the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, like ginger/nutmeg and buttercream to compliment the citrus. Your nose is greeted with aromas of lemon zest surrounded by spring flowers. Look for pear, kiwi and green apple notes. Then your mouth encounters “lemon curd and creamy pear lifted with a lime zest finish.”

A delicate oyster mineral finish makes it a perfect pairing with local Dungeness crab and oysters (prepared Rockefeller is good), or a creamy clam chowder. Cheese it with a cave-aged Gruyère. Alc. 13.5%.

2021 Devil’s Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, Marin County. This wine is made from grapes that grow in the harsh climate of the Marin coast, but with slightly protected exposures. We wanted to bring out the brightness and freshness of these old vines on this wild site but maintain the creaminess that we love in Chardonnay. After fermenting  first in tank and then in old French Oak barrels, we let malolactic fermentation (30% of the wine) give it some complexity. Then we did the blending. Enjoy the zippy nose of lime zest and lemongrass touched with jasmine. Note the creamy key-lime-pie texture on first sip. Then enjoy the exotic flavors of kiwi and guava whipped by the ocean air. Finish with green apple and pear.

Think shellfish with this wine – linguini with claims or shrimp chowder. Goes beautifully with many cheeses, from young goat to aged cheddar. Alc. 13.3%

2022 Rose of Pinot Noir, North Coast. This lovely expression is a unique blend of berries from our Putnam vineyard and our green valley sites, all of which are known for their excellent structure and acidity along with plushness and complexity. Aging in 100% stainless steel maintains the freshness and brightness of this wine’s summer-sipping qualities.

Imagine a summer fruit basket of strawberry, watermelon and peach aromas touched TIG sweet orange blossom. Crisp but creamy. Now tast the trawberries and cream with dried cranberry and pink grapefruit notes. Savor the succulent finish that calls you irresistibly to have another sip. Match this gem with almost any foods – starters to mains, charcuterie to salads to fowl and fish. Alc. 14.1%

2022 Dutton Ranch – Shop Block Pinot Blanc, Green Valley of Russian River Valley. The goal with their Pinot Blanc is to showcase its freshness and minerality. Fermentation is 100% in stainless steel. Partial malolactic fermentation fleshes out the exotic peach aromas and gives extra richness in the mouth but not so much that you lose the fresh acidity and minerality. The finished wine leads with its signature peach aroma, and gives out both the blossoms and the fruit. In the mouth you’ll get peach/apricot flavors with perfect creaminess and a fresh finish with ocean salinity.

Drink this lovely sipper on its own, or let it complement your appetizers and salads. Try with white gazpacho or scallop ceviche, a coupe of no-cooking summer treats. Select fresh and mild types of cheese so that both cheese and wine can shine. Alc. 13.3%

2021 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. This blend represents our visitation for the character of this special region: juicy berry fruit, both in the nose and in the mouth, solid structure with fine tannins, and alluring balance. Fruit is hand-sorted and then treated to our unique process – cold soaking the must (extracting spice and fruit characters, taming tannins). Fourteen to twenty days on the skins. Individual lots pressed, then racked into French oak barrels to age. We blend in early spring and let our favorite lots rest in barrel to marry flavors and gain complexity until August bottling. This voluptuous wine expresses its place beautifully. Dark ruby with color hints signals the lushness to come; the nose confirms it with its rich and varied berry selection. Boysenberry, cherry and blueberry dance over sandalwood and baking spice bottom notes, while a scent of purple flowers enhances the experience.

Drink this pinot with fish, fowl, and savory dishes made with mushrooms or earthy roasted root vegetables. And don’t miss the chance to try it with a fine Gouda cheese. Alc. 13.5%.

Guarantee you’ll love the creations of Dutton-Goldfield. Go ahead. Indulge yourself.

 

 

California wine, California wines, Chardonnay, Chicago food and drink, Chicago restaurants good for meetings, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, sparkling wine

La Crema wines star at Expo Chicago 2023

Try La Crema’s flagship Chardonnay

La Crema Wines, a star under the Jackson Family Wines banner, is bringing the pleasures of its Sonoma tasting room to several major U.S. cities with the La Crema Experiential Tour. Chicagoans can enjoy La Crema wines at Expo Chicago at Navy Pier this April 10-16 as they have been chosen as the only wines on offer to Expo patrons. Expo Chicago, going on this week, partners with the city’s most prestigious institutions to feature select aligned programming, including museum exhibitions, gallery openings, and more. And you can sip these lovely La Crema wines while you stroll around.

These delicious and luxurious wines have also been designated the only wine that will be featured at the 2023 Kentucky Derby. So if you’re planning to attend that prestigious event this year, you can look forward to partaking in a selection of wines that will greatly enhance your experience.

Consider joining the La Crema wine club that lets you access exclusive offers on their 38 types of wines. This collection covers everything from the every day wine for lunch or supper all the way to those elevated vintages that make special occasions even more remarkable. The depth and range of their offerings includes a few options sparkling – e.g., blanc de blancs –  along with a wide selection of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Their newest wines include a Sauvignon blanc and a Rhone white blend.

La Crema Head Winemaker Craig McAllister speaks passionately  about the company’s commitment to sustainable growing practices. He recently brought a selection of its wines to Smith and Wollensky in Chicago ahead of their exclusive engagement with Expo Chicago 2023. If you can make it this week, get your tickets at Expo Chicago. If you can’t, don’t fail to try some of La Crema’s wine selections, especially its flagship Chardonnay. Your mouth will thank you.
Chicago food and drink, comfort food, food related products

Fish recipes to take your Lenten meals over the top

Did your Catholic family eat frozen fish sticks every Friday in Lent when you were a kid? It was the only exposure of any kind to fish that my siblings and I had. I remember fondly the crunchy coating and the non-taste of the little bit of “fish“ inside. The coating and the ketchup and the jarred tartar sauce made an okay dinner option for me.

Nowadays we know we’ve gotta be careful where we get our fish so we don’t over fish and strain our great oceans anymore than they already are. A company called Wild Planet has some really original ideas for using their sustainably fished products that they fish for using the pole and line fishing methods.

Herewith, a couple of Wild Planet recipes that won’t remotely remind you of frozen fish sticks.

Southwest Chipotle Tuna Burgers
Recipe by @crepesandbows

Southwest Chipotle Tuna Burger

Ingredients

2 (5oz) cans Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna
1 Egg
2 tbsp Chipotle pepper paste
2 Green onions, finely chopped
½ cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable or olive oil

Burger Toppings (optional): Mayonnaise, Brioche buns, Lettuce, 1 Avocado, sliced, Pickled onions

Directions

Mix everything together and refrigerate for ~30 minutes to let the flavors develop.  Using a measuring ½ cup, form cakes and gently round with your hands. Preheat the pan to medium heat, add oil and pan sear until each side is crispy golden brown. To serve – add some mayo to brioche bun, top with lettuce, tuna burger, avocado slices, and pickled onions.

Mackerel Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

3 large butter lettuce leaves
1/2 cup raw beet, cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup grated Granny Smith apple
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 (4.4oz) can Wild Planet Wild Mackerel Fillets in EVOO, undrained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving plate. In a bowl, mix together the beets, apple, lemon juice, lemon zest and the reserved olive oil from the can of mackerel. Divide the mixture atop the lettuce leaves and top with mackerel fillets.

Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper.

Anchovy Frittatas

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 (4.4oz) can Wild Planet White Anchovies in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, undrained
1 cup chopped kale
1 cup broccoli slaw
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil from the anchovies can and sauté kale and broccoli slaw until beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sauté another minute. Add eggs to skillet and cook undisturbed for a minute or two. Top with anchovies, place in oven and cook 10-15 minutes or until eggs are fully set and frittata has puffed a bit. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly and serve.

Go forth and enjoy. You don’t need to confine yourself to Fridays or even to the Lenten season to get the most out of these and other  excellent recipes.

appetizers, comfort food, cooking, desserts

Giftable food ideas to cheer your holidays and all year long

We’ve been lucky to be asked to taste a few products to see if we want to recommend them to our readers. Here are some that we are happy to tell you about. Many of these items would also make terrific gifts for the right person on your list. And if, like me, you waited too long to buy, make a pretty coupon for when the product does arrive!

Wake up your tastebuds with Piro Olive Oil!

Piro Olive Oil from Tuscany

Recently sampled a product from the Piro Olive Oil company. We weren’t sure what to expect from Piro, but our taste buds and tongues alerted us instantly with the first bite of a salad we dressed with it.

Lighter. Zingier. Fruitier than the olive oils we tend to use for almost everything in our kitchen. Like a wake-up call for the unadventurous or for those who’ve received gifts of unique olive oils in the past and didn’t take the time/effort to test them out before they got too old (guilty).  :- (

The company writes of Piro as suitable for cooking. Good to know so you don’t need to be afraid to heat it up. Seems like it’ll do a lovely job with salmon or other fish. But we especially loved it on our salad. Found it just as delightful on a heavier salad (love it on this green bean and potato salad). We’re thinking it might enhance even a sweeter dish like a fruit salad. This is a truly versatile, beautiful olive oil. And it’s also touted as high-antioxidant. Oh, what is not to love? Try it! SRP – $18 for 100ml.

Imported from Tahiti vanilla products to perfect your desserts

Tahitian Gold Vanilla products

Many of us grew up with that little bottle of grocery store vanilla extract – in many cases labeled “imitation” because the real thing was too expensive. We may know about vanilla beans but never bothered to learn how to use them. Happily we just learned that Tahitian Gold makes a bevy of vanilla products that promise to help your baked goods and desserts shine a little brighter.

Now you may or may not know that somehow, during the pandemic it seems, vanilla bean paste has become a prominent item on American cooking promotion sites. It started regularly appearing as a preferred ingredient in cookie, cake and dessert recipes but perhaps, like many of us, you haven’t tried it yourself yet. It’s not  stiff, but rather  a creamier version of extract. We really enjoyed using Tahitian Gold’s version – like we were using a more luxurious product – and we detected a noticeably richer flavor than  grocery store versions. SRP ~$22.50/4 oz.

You can also dig into Tahitian Gold’s Vanilla Sugar to top your cakes and cookies or mix in your plain Greek yogurt (num!). Or use their ground vanilla beans or vanilla extract to give your desserts the extra oomph of real vanilla products made with imported vanilla beans and designed to deliver maximum flavor even with  smaller quantities. Their vanilla extract is reasonably priced and available in several sizes. Prices on other items reflect the greater amounts of time and care that must be devoted to producing them, but here again the company offers a large size and a smaller, more affordable size. Visit their site for more information: Tahitian Gold. SRP  ~$18.50 for 1 Tahitian vanilla bean

If you haven’t done much research into the differences in vanilla products, here’s an excellent article on the subject from the New York Times (may need subscription).

Parma! Vegan Parmesan by Sister River Foods

Parma vegan parmesan – cheesy, umami

I was excited when I first learned that nutritional yeast made a great topping for popcorn. I’d only been enjoying that combo for about six months when I then discovered something even better. Recently learned about a woman-owned company called Sister River foods that makes products based on nutritional yeast but finessed with other ingredients. Their Parma! Vegan Parmesan is delicious. It’s a combination of nutritional yeast, sunflower, seeds, walnuts, Himalayan crystal salt, and hemp seeds. It has more nutrition and a much more complex and umami flavor than just nutritional yeast.

The company also makes a nut-free version of its plant-based Parmesan – the Garlic Basil version. And oh my goodness, they also make a jalapeño-bacon-flavored nut-free Parmesan (I love jalapeños!). And more. And how about this one? Garlicky Green Parma! has Italian herb flavor with some kelp and some pumpkin and sesame seeds for added nutrition. Who knew you could get so much good nutrition in a super tasty topping that’s actually vegan which – besides working for keto, vegetarian, and every other diet type – further translates into good for the planet. 7-oz sizes go for ~ $12.

Chicago food and drink, comfort food, cooking, culinary news, holidays, snacks, spirits, whiskey

Food and drink to raise your holiday spirits

Holidays around the world are almost universally celebrated with special food and drink. This year’s Christmas season arrives with lots of us having spent more time in the kitchen than usual these last few years. And, what with COVID still lurking about, maybe you’re still  cooking more at home than you used to. Anyway, here are a couple of food items and some libations we discovered recently that could help raise your holiday spirits.

BAKON™, by Thrilling Foods, is a new meat substitute that actually chews and tastes like real bacon. It’s made with tofu that’s dry-salt-cured and smoked to produce very nearly the taste, texture, and mouthfeel of the real thing without the harm to animals and the environment. It even looks like bacon and, like bacon, produces fat in the skillet. Just handle it delicately and be sure to watch their video on how to cook Bakon so it’s done the way you like your bacon. If you could help the planet and enjoy “bakon” guilt-free, why not? Spaghetti carbonara, anyone? Or how about this Easy Breakfast Casserole? SRP ~$13 for 8-oz pkg of 8-10 thick strips.

Lot 40 Rye Canadian Whisky, by Northern Border Collection. Distilled in single batches in copper pots, it’s got smooth notes of oak and vanilla and toffee that make you feel like sitting down with a fireplace and some holiday music and maybe, if you are so inclined, a fine cigar. A refreshing and zesty mix.  43% alc. SRP ~$30-40. Prices vary so shop carefully.

Safe Catch Sustainable Seafood. Tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines – all fished for in sustainable ways and packaged in individual servings and in cans. A single-serve envelope in one of their many different flavors makes an easy, protein-rich lunch or snack. Delicious and so convenient – zip open the envelope, drain, and pour out on top of your plate of,  maybe, potato-green bean salad. The tuna in cans is firm and solid and makes maybe the best tuna salad we’ve ever tasted – try this recipe from Culinary Hill. I’m imagining using the canned tuna as a nutritious, delicious sustainably sourced substitute in any casserole or other dish that uses cooked chicken. Oh, yeah, fish tacos, etc. All their products meet much stricter-than-required limits on mercury and are certified safe for pregnant people and children. Salt-free versions available. Sold at Mariano’s, Foxtrot and dozens more. SRP for Elite Tuna ~$22 for 6-pack of 5 oz cans. Check here for other pricing.

Besamim Artisanal Liqueur, by Sukkah Hill Spirits. Absolutely perfect for the holidays – or really any time. “… cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a silky, moderately sweet medium body and a gently warming frosted carrot cake and candied spiced nut finish,” says Beverage Tasting Institute. What’s not to love? Now, imagine this in your Santa mug full of egg nog…  37% alc. ~SRP $22+ for 375 ml.

Fireside Straight Bourbon Whiskey, by Mile High Spirits. Distilled in copper in downtown Denver and aged at least two years, this expression is one of a selection of bourbons at Mile High. This version, made with 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% chocolate malted barley, radiates notes of dark caramel, roasted coffee and smokey brown sugar. Perfect for Old Fashioneds and not bad to sip on its own. It’s not sophisticated but does offer plenty in the its layers of flavor. In a nice nod to sustainability, Mile High says BYOB – bring your own (empty) bottle back to their tasting room and get a drink on the house. 40% alc. SRP ~$50.

Elevate, 6x Distilled Vodka (gluten free), also by Mile High Spirits, A local-corn distillate cut with Rocky Mountain spring water, this expression is smooth and versatile – in your Bloody Mary or any  mixed drink. Smooth enough to drink on its own, too. Same deal with returning the bottle for a free drink. Nice move from the Denver area green people who adore their mountains and want to make sure they’re around for eons to come. 40% alc. SRP ~$20.

Whatever you decide to try, have a good December.

 

Lovin' how Chicago does it!