Category Archives: New Products

What I’ve Been Drinking of Late, Part 2

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If you only know Seghesio for its Zinfandel wines, summer is the perfect time to try its Vermentino.
If you only know Seghesio for its Zinfandel wines, summer is the perfect time to try its Vermentino.

2018 Seghesio Family Vineyards Vermentino

I’ve long been a fan of Seghesio Family Vineyards’ Zinfandel wines, so elegant and concentrated in deep berry flavors with often a back note of cocoa.

In 2008, it started planting more Italian white varietals in its Russian River vineyards, including Vermentino, a grape that traditionally grows near the Ligurian Sea.

I had a chance to try a sample bottle of the 2018 release ($24), which garnered 90 points from Wine Enthusiast.

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Get Snacking With Mighty Lil’ Lentils

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Teeny crisp, fried lentils aim to be the next snack sensation.
Teeny crisp, fried lentils aim to be the next snack sensation.

They have the hard crackling crunch of miniature corn nuts. And a great roasty, toasty, nutty, and earthy taste.

Mighty Lil’ Lentils is a new plant-based snack made from lentils that are crisped up in safflower or sunflower oil, then salted and dusted with other flavorings.

It’s the newest product from Seapoint Farms, the California company that’s the largest importer and manufacturer in the United States of edamame.

The company is now turning its attention to lentils, the tiny legumes that are a good source of protein and fiber.

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What I’ve Been Drinking of Late, Part 1

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This incredible Sauvignon Blanc not only is a sparkling wine, but comes in a can -- thanks to Maker.
This incredible Sauvignon Blanc not only is a sparkling wine, but comes in a can — thanks to Maker.

I had to chuckle when a friend told me that since mid-March her husband has been having a glass of wine nearly every night. And the man doesn’t normally even drink!

But that’s what the anxiety of a pandemic will do to you, especially when you’re holed up at home for days, weeks, er, months on end.

Recent studies have shown that we are indeed consuming more alcohol now.

I may not be enjoying any multiple wine pairings at restaurants right now, but I’m definitely sipping some interesting glasses at home at least a few times a week. Hey, it’s research, right? And I can relax, knowing I don’t have to drive anywhere afterward, either. Here’s what has tickled my taste buds of late:

Maker Canned Wines

If you typically turn up your nose at wines in a can, you are missing out. Because Maker’s canned wines are not only carefree fun, but serious enough to command attention, too.

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Going Goaty, Part I: Strawberry Buttermilk (Or Kefir) Tart

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I swapped out raspberries for strawberries, and buttermilk for goat's milk kefir, to make this summery tart.
I swapped out raspberries for strawberries, and buttermilk for goat’s milk kefir, to make this summery tart.

2020 may very well be most remembered for the pandemic, but perhaps also for the Year of the Goat.

Maybe it was the early run on traditional baking and dairy supplies in March and April. Or maybe it’s the fact that with nowhere to go, people branched out in their tastes, longing for a taste of something new to combat the doldrums.

Whatever the case, the country’s two leading goat dairies are reporting a rise in sales. In fact, Meyenberg, the top producer of goat milk that sources from more than two dozen West Coast Dairies, saw its goat butter sales spike by 50 percent from last year. Its sales powdered goat milk also grew by 67 percent this year. Sonoma County’s Redwood Hill Farm also saw increases in sales of its goat yogurt and kefir.

Redwood Hill Farms goat milk kefir and yogurt.
Redwood Hill Farms goat milk kefir and yogurt.

I readily jumped on the goat milk bandwagon when Meyenberg and Redwood Hill Farms sent me some product samples to try.

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Charles Chocolates’ New Chocolate Subscriptions

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Caramel Almond Sticks (front) and Triple Chocolate Coated Almonds are part of the haul in the new Charles Chocolates subscription service.
Caramel Almond Sticks (front) and Triple Chocolate Coated Almonds are part of the haul in the new Charles Chocolates subscription service.

You know that giddy feeling you get when your favorite magazine finally arrives in the mail each month?

Well, imagine how ecstatic you’d feel if instead artisan chocolate arrived in your mailbox every month. Or even every week.

That’s the new irresistible subscription service launched by San Francisco’s Charles Chocolates.

Choose from small, medium or large boxes to be delivered every week, every two weeks, once a month or every two months. Prices range from $25 to $75 per box, with free shipping throughout California or 2-day air shipping for $5 to all other states.

The boxes contain some of Charles Chocolates’ best-selling items, all of them made in small batches. Subscribe for long enough and you’ll also be privy to seasonal specials, as well as new treats not yet released to the general public.

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