Section: FNW

Wine, Etc.: Italian wine recommendations for Valentine's dinner

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00

At this time of the year we force ourselves to write yet another column about St. Valentine's Day, a commercial holiday as real as the tooth fairy.

The Valentine's Day legend, happily fueled by greeting card companies and florists, is that Emperor Claudius II concluded in the third century that single men make better soldiers, so he banned marriage for anyone able enough to handle a sword. But an indignant Valentine defied Claud...

Handmade chocolates anyone can do

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00

Attempting to make chocolate bonbons from scratch is enough to test anyone's love.

First you have to cook up some fussy filling, and get it into - and to hold - just the right shape. Then you have to temper the chocolate, the ultimate of troublesome and tiresome culinary labors. And don't even get me started on the mess all this makes.

But I was convinced there had to be an easier way. So I started playing. The result is t...

Super Couponing: Back to basics: When a purchase is not a transaction

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00

Whether you're a longtime reader of my column or a new one, it's never a bad idea to review some of the questions and concepts that can confuse new couponers. In the next few columns, I will answer some of the most frequently asked questions I receive from new readers. I have addressed some of these topics in earlier columns, but in some cases it has been more than a year and the topic is worth discussing again.

In short, we hav...

A Caesar salad for the chillier months of the year

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00

No matter how delicious a Caesar salad is, chilly temperatures tend to be a turnoff for all things leafy green.

Which is why I decided to tinker with the basics of this classic salad, to see whether I could make a winter-friendly version that was true to its tangy, cheesy roots, but also hardy enough to be desirable on a snowy night.

I kept the classic Romaine base, but bulked it up with roasted cubes of butternut squash. Warm and...

Good eats for the big game

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00

A stromboli is kind of a cross between a grinder and a calzone. Bread dough is rolled out, filled with sliced meats, cheeses and vegetables, then rolled up into a tube and baked.

To serve, stromboli are simply sliced like a loaf of bread, creating a spiral baked sandwich that is perfect for large parties. If you like, you also can serve sandwich condiments (or even warmed marinara) alongside the stromboli slices for dipping. We've o...

Wine, Etc.: 3 wines from New Zealand we think you should try

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00

Eric Platt, vice president of Pacific Prime Wines and a Maryland resident, recently talked to us about his new project and had us taste some of the wines his firm is importing to the United States.

Five New Zealand wineries have joined forces and formed Pacific Prime Wines to import and distribute their wines in America, and have achieved a presence in 14 states in less than a year.

New Zealand is primarily known as a producer of ...

Super Couponing: When it's OK to buy more than 3 months' worth of an item

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00

Dear Jill: I've seen the light! I have embraced stockpiling. I've seen how much money I can save by shopping sales cycles and stocking up a little bit at a time. I usually buy about three month's worth of an item, as you recommend, but there are times I wonder if I should stock up even more. Do you ever purchase groceries in quantities that last longer than 12 weeks?

- Sheila R.

Wine, Etc.: Some great wines that are easy on the wallet

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00

A while back we offered a list of recommended wines under $15 after hearing from a loyal reader who said this was the category where his palate and pocketbook were. The column drew several more pleas for more recommended wines in this price category.

We are sympathetic since we don't pour expensive wines to a crowd either. So we enlisted the help of local retailers who provided the names of some of their best sellers. Together with ...

Simple ingredients make sensational pasta

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00

When you select the right ingredients, it doesn't take many of them to create a fantastic dinner. Nor much time.

The trick is to pick ingredients with tons of flavor, then let them do the heavy lifting for you. I usually start with a main ingredient that is basically agreeable to any flavor. Chicken, pasta, pork tenderloin, potatoes - all great choices.
Next, pick a few pantry staples that pack gobs of flavor. Cheeses, cured m...

Super Couponing: In search of coupons for fresh food

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00

Dear Jill, How I can save lots of money on fresh food such as lean meat, produce, milk, eggs and fruit? All I ever see are shoppers getting things like 1,500 deodorant sticks for free. Let's be real here. Who needs 1,500 sticks of deodorant, toilet tissue, laundry detergent, dog food or lotion? I couldn't use that much deodorant in a lifetime! I never see coupons for fresh food - the main products on my grocery list. - Cindy B.

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Americans love Greek yogurt

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00

Chobani is making Greek yogurt as fast as Americans are eating it.

Its plant in South Edmeston, in upstate New York farm country, already pumps out 1.5 million cases of the thick yogurt every week, and pallets are stacked four stories high in the chilled warehouse.
But like other Greek yogurt makers, Chobani is expanding.
Greek yogurt now accounts for a quarter of the total yogurt market after a dizzying growth spurt that is...