Monday, August 30, 2010
European food is always better: enter the German crunch bar
The result?
A slightly crispy, mostly chewy chocolate bar which, despite the poor quality of the chocolate (about on par with Nestlé), definitely has an edge on its more orthodox cousin, the Crunch Bar. The aforementioned rice cake makes up the majority of the bar's mass, and does a pretty successful job of disguising the waxiness of the chocolate. It's not fabulous, but there is certainly a place for this kind of candy bar; it's a snack food, not high-end single-origin dark chocolate, and as long as you don't ask it to be anything more than it is, it's a worthwhile purchase. It's tasty and original in a way that indubitably makes it worth a shot.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Fresh and Chewy New shipment of Pontefract licorice from England now in stock!
Ten things you always wanted to know about liquorice, but were afraid to ask!
1.Liquorice is good for boosting brain function, fighting dental decay and improving the digestive system. It also tastes pretty damn good.
2.No one is quite sure how liquorice first arrived in Britain. It could have been the handy work of the Romans, Crusaders or Benedictine monks. Whoever it was, they obviously had great taste!
3.Pontefract is the spiritual home of liquorice. The history books first link the two back in the 1500s. The area’s rich loamy soil made it perfect for growing the plant, from whose roots liquorice is extracted.
4.Napoleon is said to have always chewed liquorice root, which blackened his teeth.
5.Talented chemist George Dunhill is credited as being the first person to make liquorice confectionery, by coming up with the bright idea of adding sugar in 1760.
6.By the 1940s, Pontefract was producing 400 tonnes of liquorice every week, and exporting it all over the world. This was truly a golden age for the product.
7.Liquorice can be worn, as well as eaten – well, kind of! In 2004, the Liquorice Festival featured a live catwalk fashion show, with all the garments and accessories made from liquorice. Doubt we’ll see them down Top Shop any time soon, however.
8.These days, 23 million Catherine Wheels are produced at our Pontefract site every year. This great product delights kids and adults alike.
9.Liquorice is not just used as an ingredient in sweets. It can also be used in cheese, sausages and beer – in fact, everything you need for a balanced diet!
10.Although it’s 50 times sweeter than sugar, liquorice is light on calories and fat. So if you’ve been struggling to slip into that summer bikini, you know what to reach for.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo
Alcohol and wood, dried fruit, and malty aromas and flavor. This beer tastes a bit stronger than it's ABV IMO. I got a good whif of bourbon right out of the bottle, and it carried through to the last sip. Some yeasty undertones as well. This is perhaps a little more dry and bitter than I prefer, but a nice strong ale, and you can appreciate the aging. I just get a boozy cling on my tongue. Very little head if poured according to the bottle instructions, and a fair amount of solids in the bottom. A nice ruby brown beer that hints at the strong flavor to come. Tasted from the bottle @ 65F.

Stingo, traditional strong ale originating in the north of England, is mentioned in literature before 1700. Samuel Smith's Stingo melds the fine history of this style with the signature elegance of the brewery. Brewed from British malt and multiple hop varieties, Stingo is fermented in open-topped stone "Yorkshire Squares," with the Samuel Smith ale yeast strain. It is then aged for over a year in oak barrels that previously held cask-conditioned ale, gaining complexity and depth from the wood. Bottle conditioning - bottling the beer with live yeast for carbonation - produces soft conditioning as well as a fruity aroma and finish; it also allows Stingo to age and develop in the bottle for many months.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Buy Beemster with Garlic and Beemster with Wasabi Retail Cuts
A beautifully balanced creamy cheese infused with wild field garlic. Beemster with Garlic is a dream come true for garlic lovers. This cheese is smooth and creamy, yet allows for the enjoyment of wild field garlic in addition to a quality cheese.Beemster with Garlic melts wonderfully and is a great addition to any sandwich or melted on top of a soup. Never overpowering, this cheese is a wonderful addition to burgers, potato dishes and sneaking tastes on the side!
Buy Beemster with Wasabi Retail Cuts Here
The wasabi plant belongs to the same family as mustard and horseradish. Its root is ground together with soy sauce to produce a strong-flavored paste that goes great with sushi—and also, surprisingly, cheese. The well-tempered wasabi allows the cheese’s youthful milk flavors to shine through. Delicate, yet noticeable, it lends the cheese a faint yellow-green tint and a mild kick. This Beemster has a great texture for snacking, and it is delicious melted on burgers or cubed into Asian salads.
Beemster with Wasabi is part of the Royal Garden Selection of Beemster Flavors—young creamy Dutch cow’s milk cheeses with striking ingredients, including mustard seed, wild garlic and even stinging nettles. The various flavors are added by hand
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Maui Brewing CoCoNut PorTeR
Pours ruby black (yeah, I wrote that...) with a wicked stiff tan dome of a head. Wow, fantastic head to be honest! Aroma is strong of nutty toasted malt & ashy. This is a malty beer with strong notes of coconut as the name implies, but I also get some hops as well. When It's cold I get a bit of a metallic flavor, but as it warms up, that goes away. (And I really wonder how much of that is psychosomatic.) Definite caramel, nuts, & toasty coconut wrapped up in a lightly sweet porter.
Deep into this beer I get a creamy butter nuance that really adds depth to the flavor profile. Complex yet so smooth, sticky on the lips, and clinging to the glass. This is a really well made beer!
This beer is a medium bodied full-flavored porter and very enjoyable. And I really like that it's in a can, which is perfect for picnics and boating. I would absolutely buy this again. Tasted from the can @ 55.1F.
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION: Our Coconut Porter is a classic robust porter spiced with all natural toasted coconut. It is black in color and crowned with a creamy, dark tan head. It begins with a malty-toasted-coconut aroma followed by a rich, silky mouthfeel with tastes of dark malt, chocolate, and hints of coffee. It then finishes with flavors of toasted coconut and hoppy spice to balance the finish. 5.5% alc. 32 IBU.
Beemster with Nettles is herbaceous and creamy.
Buy delicious Beemster with Nettles
Beemster with Nettles is herbaceous and creamy. Nettles, an herb long known for its health benefits, are laced throughout the cheese for a lovely sprinkle of green. Beautiful, unique and delicious! Beemster with Nettles provides a wonderfully refreshing taste that is always sure to please.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout
Aroma of malt, coffee, with citrus notes. Beautiful, stiff tan head, that sticks around for a bit clinging to the glass for life! Dark brown cave...no light getting through this bad boy. Seems fairly clear though. Sweet, slightly bitter, with salt undertones. I would say there was a slightly sour note to the aroma, and this is followed up by a slightly sour flavor note, but totally appropriate for this beer IMO. 8 Ball is VERY smooth & well balanced, and has a superb creamy texture I was not expecting. Moderate carbonation leaning toward light, and no abrupt off-flavors.
This is a very drinkable stout, and in fact I can picture myself enjoying sevral of these in a pub with no regrets. Tasted from the 12 oz bottle @ 53.3°F.
Leyden Cheese is known as komijnekaas (cumin cheese) in Holland
Buy Leyden Cheese from Holland Now
Leyden is a classic Dutch gouda-style cheese seasoned with cumin and caraway seeds. It is made from rich, skimmed, pasteurized cow’s milk with the additional ingredient of buttermilk, and is aged over three months. In Holland it is known as komijnekaas (cumin cheese), but because of its popularity around the city of Leiden, it is exported under the name of Leyden.
We love making toasted cheese sandwiches with Leyden, it's the best!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Want a great new cheese? Try Walnut Gouda Cheese by Dutch cheesemaker Rouveen
Buy Walnut Gouda Cheese Rouveen
Hide this nutty cheese from the squirrels! With its creamy texture and crunchy nuts, Walnut Gouda is irresistible to both man and critter.
Walnut Gouda makes snacking easy, providing a classic cheeseboard combination without all the bother and mess of cracking nuts yourself.
Walnut Gouda turns a mild Gouda into something fantastic and exciting. Subtle yet flavorful, the walnut adds a sensual warmth to the basic Gouda cheese, whose texture is not gummy like many Goudas on the market.
The flecks of walnuts provide a visual accent as well as an interesting contrast in texture. A truly surprising cheese, we recommend serving Walnut Gouda at your next party or get-together.
This Gouda is a natural fit for pears and apples. Some even enjoy it with a nutty ale or a hearty port wine.
Rouveen is the maker of this cheese as well as the name of a rural city in Holland famous for its cheeses.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
HITACHINO NEST ESPRESSO STOUT
Superb beer...unexpected mix of subtle and in-your-face flavor, but just this side of over-the-top. Thick dark brown head, serious coffee note (of course), great aroma, smooth bitter finish with a nice touch of mollasses on the end. This beer has an interesting viscosity to it. Sampled from teh bottle @ 57.5F.
Hershey's 5th Avenue Chocolate Bar
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Friday, August 13, 2010
Beemster Classic cheese from Holland Aged 18 Months
Beemster Premium Selection and Garden Selection
Beemster cheeses are composed of only grade-A cow’s milk coming from cows that graze freely on the lush,
pesticide-free grasses of the famous Dutch Beemster Polder located 20ft below sea level in North Holland.
The Beemster Polder was reclaimed in the year 1612 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Location in 1999.
The rare environmental makeup of the Beemster polder allows for the creation of the highest quality cheese in the world, Beemster Cheese. (Bam- Stir)
This extra aged Beemster Classic has an intense, somewhat sweet flavor. This cheese with the typical caramel color has a wonderful complex aroma. Although Beemster Classic has been matured over 18 months, its texture is still rather creamy and can be cut without crumbling too much. Dutch cheese, with enough age on it, can be grated as a wonderful alternative to Parmesan or eaten alone. Classic was the first cheese from Beemster introduced to the U.S. and to this day remains the best selling Beemster cheese. Beemster Classic is the perfect age for any kind of cheese connoisseur to enjoy – mellow enough for young palates, but robust enough for fine wines at a dinner party.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Where can you find Smoked Gouda cheese from Holland? Right here!
Buy Smoked Gouda cheese from Holland here. This cheese is wonderful with sliced apples.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Boernkaas Raw Milk Farmer's Gouda
The texture is similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano - very firm and flaky with the same clusters of protein crystals that burst with flavors on the palate. The color is deep amber and burnt orange, and the flavor is sweet and salty with a butterscotch finish.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Gouda Cheese, The difference between Edam and Gouda
Gouda is a yellowish Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda. The cheese (which accounts for more than 60% of Holland's chese) is made fromcow's milk that is cultured and heated up until the curds separate from the whey.
About ten percent of the mixture is curds which are pressed into circular moulds for a couple of hours. Next, the cheese is soaked in a brine solution which gives the cheese its rind and improves the taste.
After the salt soaks in, the cheese is then dried for a couple of days before being coated to prevent it from drying out. Exported Gouda is usually the young variety (aged between 1 and 6 months, rich yellow in color and with a yellow paraffin wax coating. This cheese is easily sliced on bread with a cheese slicer.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Devon Double and Clotted Cream
GREAT BRITAIN
Double & Clotted Creams
Devon County in the South West of England is famous for thick creams which are mainly produced on farms and in small dairies. The most famous of all is Clotted Cream. It achieves its thick clotted texture by heating cream of high-fat breed cows, such as the Jersey type. The cream is heated in pans, traditionally made of copper but latterly stainless steel. It then cools slowly. In the farmhouses, the pans were heated crudely over a fire or stove and the cream was rich in acid and aromaproducing bacteria. Dairy or factory methods are much better controlled, using steam heated pans. Buy Clotted cream Here.
The cream is usually packed in shallow trays a few inches deep and forms a crust. The consistency is thick and heavy, almost like treacle, and is traditionally served by scooping the cream out into cups or small cartons.
Double cream is the British term for heavy or whipping cream in the United States, but it is a little thicker than our whipping cream. It contains about 48% butterfat. Double cream is so rich, in fact, that it is easy to over whip it and get it too thick. Some cooks add a tablespoon or so of milk to 8 to10 ounces of double cream before whipping it to keep it loose. Double Devon Cream is the most versatile type of fresh cream. It can be used in cooking, for pudding or as a pouring cream. It can even be frozen for up to two months.
The Devon Cream Company has been producing its range of fabulous creams for over 20 years. These creams are carefully heat-treated to preserve freshness and they have a long shelf life.
Double Devon Cream Devon Cream Company
Traditional Double Devon Cream contains 48% milk fat and has a distinctive flavor. Spoon it straight from the jar onto fruit, scones, gateaux or warm apple pie. It also works in a variety of savory recipes including pasta and sauces.
Clotted Cream Devon Cream Company
Traditional Clotted Cream contains a minimum of 55% milk fat. Its richer flavor and thickened texture set it apart from Devon Cream. It is usually spread on fresh baked scones, topped with strawberry jam and served with piping hot English Tea.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
King Ludwig King's Beer Cheese
King Ludwig Beer Cheese buy it here
“King Ludwig” beer cheese is washed in King Ludwig brand dark beer, named for Ludwig the Second – eccentric Bavarian king whobuilt the “Cinderella” castle. Featured on the label are images of the king and his castle. “King Ludwig” beer cheese is based on a typical Bavarian style of cheese – yellow, semi-hard with small holes. This beer version has a hearty, almost meaty flavor from the dark beer. It made from fresh, unpasteurized milk from cows raised on mountain farms in protected regions of Europe where they are fed on fresh grass and hay. Terrific on its own or served with German whole grain bread and a mug of Bavarian beer. Prost!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
MAREDSOUS ABBEY 10 TRIPEL
Wild fruity nose, clear amber with light cream head. Definite sour & wild notes. Very balanced to say-the-least, and reminds me a bit of the Allagash line, in the sense of very well crafted, well balanced beer. Tasted from the bottle @ 45°F.
RATED 97 @ ratebeer.com
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:Maredsous Triple is only served on special occasions at the Abbey . This ale has a full, robust character, revelling in its glorious aroma and rich aftertaste. The abbey beer par excellence for the true connoisseur. This is a golden-bodied Triple, replete with festive sparkle, creamy body, and a luscious head. Its elegant smoothness belies the strong alcohol content. You will revel in its balanced, long, and warming finish.
Maredsous is the authentic beer of the Benedictine monks of the abbey of Maredsous in Belgium. The abbey is located in the Belgian Ardennes, south of the City of Namur, in the Province of Namur, next to a picturesque village called Den�e.
At the abbey of Maredsous, 33 monks live, pray and work according the Rule of St Benedict, a tradition that goes back to the 6th century. Dedication and hospitality are the most important values at the abbey of Maredsous.
The library, containing over 400,000 titles, some over 1000 years old and the visitor's center St-Joseph embody these Benedictine values that contribute undisputedly to the authentic taste of the Maredsous abbey beers.
The Maredsous Abbey beers are still brewed, based on the original Benedictine monks' recipe and production is under close supervision of the Abbey's community, represented by the Abbot, Bernard Lorent. An important part of the profit generated by the Maredsous beers, is used for charitable causes.
Now selling Gouda Cheese with walnuts and Ewephoria Sheeps milk cheese from Holland
Ewephoria Sheep's milk cheese from Holland, you really are missing out on a nice cheese experience. When this Cheese is aged for 4 months it is called 'mature', when labeled 'aged' it is aged for (at least) an additional 2 months. The taste is sweet and nutty. You can look to the photo (left) and see that the first 1" of the cheese shows the aging. The taste profile of this drier part is akin to the lingering sweetness of a parmigiana. The center of the cheese shows off the semi soft character of the cheese as a whole. You can buy Ewephoria Sheep Cheese here.his is a vegetarian cheese that is perfect for those lactose intolerant cheese lover among us!Thursday, August 5, 2010
ANGEL'S SHARE ALE
daaayaaaam... Wow, very very good. Booze & barrel in the aroma...wants to be syrup, and man what a finish. Zero head on my sample, and it really reminds me of another favorite beer, Bourbon County Stout. Very malty, sweet, with a slight bitterness snuck in fo rgood measure. Very smooth, and I really think this beer will age for many years. This stuff has legs and coats your mouth leaving you wanting more. One of the best beers I have tasted this year. Tasted from the bottle at 60F.Tuesday, August 3, 2010
SIERRA NEVADA 30TH ANNIVERSARY ALE
OSKAR BLUES GORDON ALE
Our "Velvet M-80" is a luscious, double-red ale with a gooey aroma, a sticky mouth feel, a malty middle and unctuous hop flavors. Gordon also sports a surprisingly comfortable finish for a beer of its hefty size (8.7% ABV, 60 IBUs). It's brewed in tribute to Gordon Knight, a Colorado craft beer pioneer and Vietnam vet who died fighting a 2002 wild fire outside of our Lyons hometown.
AWARDS:
- Gold Medal 2010 World Beer Championships
- Gold Medal 2008 World Beer Championships
- Top 5 Extreme Beers The New York Times
- Bronze Medal 2008 World Beer Cup
Sunday, August 1, 2010
King Oscar Sardines in Dijon Mustard sauce
Buy delicious King Oscar Sardines in Dijon Mustard sauce from Norway here. I love these sardines from King Oscar, the Dijon has just the right little kick to make you want another bite. Take a look at the lovely sardine salad below.
This is a delicious and good for you salad! We love sauteed zucchini in garlic, on our sardine salad. And don't forget what http://www.eatingwell.com/ has to say about the humble sardine and health. Packed with omega-3s and vitamin D, sardines are one of the healthiest foods we can consume. They are also quick to reproduce and have rebounded since the Pacific fishery crashed in the 1940s, so much so they are one of Seafood Watch’s “Super Green” sustainable choices.
The Best Source of Omega-3s
When researchers looked into why native Alaskans have such low incidence of heart disease, they discovered their high-fish diet might be the answer. Fish and shellfish are the only significant natural dietary source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3 fats that promote heart health and may improve symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish high in omega-3s at least twice a week, and getting at least 250 mg per serving. The fish with the highest levels of omega-3s tend to be “oilier,” cold-water fish, such as sardines (1,950 mg per 3-oz. serving), wild salmon (950 mg per 3-oz. serving) and even mussels (700 mg per 3-oz. serving). Farmed fish are often fed diets high in vegetable oil and usually have much lower levels of omega-3s.
Is That Fish Toxic?
All foods we eat contain some toxins—including mercury, PCBs and pesticides. These toxins originate on land (often released by industry or agriculture) and leach into the waterways, where mercury becomes even more toxic as it converts into methylmercury. These contaminants then accumulate up the food chain. The highest levels of toxins are in large fish, such as swordfish or sharks, wild freshwater fish, such as lake trout, and fish like striped bass that spawn in rivers near industrial or agricultural regions. Since high levels of mercury may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency advise women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children to avoid some types of fish and to choose those that are lower in mercury. To see a list of fish with a health advisory, visit edf.org.
We feel we have the best selection of sardines click on the link and check it out!


























