Eatwith Is Your New Best Friend for Fantastic Food Tours & Experiences

Whether you love to cook or just love to eat, you need to check out Eatwith, a new social dining platform that offers unique culinary experiences with locals all over the world. Between cooking classes, once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences, and food tours, there’s an Eatwith experience for everyone and anyone. With offerings in over 130 countries, this new website has me dreaming of traveling to Croatia just to experience a sunset hiking excursion that ends in a gourmet picnic—or taking a quick trip to Brooklyn to experience a seafood tasting. 

If you’re planning an upcoming trip or just looking to experience something new at home, be sure to sign up for Eatwith and start exploring the hundreds of options available all around the world. 

Check out some of the food tours, cooking classes, and eating excursions we’re dying to take part in below! 

Dining Experiences

An Israeli Brunch Feast in Oakland, California

Eatwith

If you can’t make your way to Tel Aviv to experience an authentic Israeli brunch, this dining experience in California will come pretty close. Enjoy a traditional over the top Israeli brunch, complete with a cheese plate, homemade pastries, shakshuka, and an assortment of traditional Israeli spreads and sides.Book Now

Hike to a Sunset Picnic in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Eatwith

Whether you’re going on a “Game of Thrones” tour in Croatia or just want to visit a beautiful part of the world, make sure to book this adventure on your next trip to Dubrovnik. Enjoy a 40-minute hike to an incredible lookout, where you’ll feast on traditional Croatian dishes including cured meats, fresh fruits, market finds, and local cheeses, and watch the sunset over Dubrovnik’s Old Town.Book Now

Food Tours

Coffee, Gelato, and Tiramisu Tour of Rome

Eatwith

Caffeine and sweets? Say no more. Forget about counting calories on this walking tour around the historic city of Rome, where you’ll taste the very best Italian desserts: gelato and tiramisu. If you have a sweet tooth, this is definitely a tour you don’t want to miss. Book Now

Amsterdam Food Walk & Tasting

Kav Dadfar/Getty Images

Stroll through the canals of Amsterdam while discovering the history behind some of the best Dutch delicacies. Taste some of the most delicious Dutch cheeses, traditional herring, famous stroopwafels, and more on this walking tour. An added bonus, wine and beer are included! Book Now

Cooking Classes

Italian Cooking Class at a Chef’s House in Florence, Italy

Eatwith

While we are huge fans of the KitchenAid pasta-making stand mixer attachment set, nothing beats making pasta in Florence with an Italian chef. Having studied in Florence this past semester, I might be a little biased, but this experience is one you truly won’t forget. Enjoy plenty of wine while learning tips and techniques from an expert and cooking a delicious and authentic three-course Italian meal. Book Now

French Macaron Workshop with a MasterChef

Eatwith

This class will make you feel as fancy as it sounds—leisurely sip Champagne while you learn how to make macarons from “MasterChef France” winner, Chef Jean-Yves. You’ll feel like a master chef yourself after making some gourmet macarons that are almost too pretty to eat. This exclusive cooking class can only accommodate four people, so make sure to book in advance. Book Now

If none of the above suit your style or you are looking for an option that’s a little more local, check out Eatwith.com to explore all their different offerings. With hundreds of unique tours, classes, and food experiences located all over the world, the opportunities are endless!

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2LFnPNI
via IFTTT

The History of Ice Cream Sundaes

The ice cream sundae is a simple yet iconic construction: one or more scoops of ice cream, topped with one or more syrups (chocolate, caramel, or fruit). These days a whipped cream topping is essential; ditto some kind of textured topping, alone or in combination (candy sprinkles, nuts, and—occasionally—canned or fresh fruit). And a sundae wouldn’t be a sundae without a crowning maraschino cherry.

It seems like a thing that’s always existed, but of course, it had to come from somewhere. It falls fairly early on in the timeline of American ice cream history, though it’s a relative newcomer in terms of frozen desserts through time.

Who invented the ice cream sundae?

That’s a matter of opinion, fueled by local pride. Some say the first sundae was dished up in Ithaca, New York, in 1892. Two Wisconsin towns—Two Rivers and Manitowoc—have competing claims. Buffalo, New York, has also stepped up. Same with Norfolk Virginia and Plainfield, Illinois. Oh, and don’t forget Evanston, Illinois, Cleveland, New York City, and New Orleans. What seems clear is that the sundae was the creation of late 19th-century America, either as a simple dish of scooped ice cream doused in fruit syrup, or an ice cream soda (ice cream and syrup) without the fizzy water, since in some places (Illinois, for instance) the drinking of soda was illegal on Sundays.

By the early 1900s the sundae was an inevitable weekend treat in soda fountains. Fancy variations sprang up, thanks to inventive fountain owners and enterprising jerks. Wikipedia lists the Robin Hood sundae, Cocoa Caramel sundae, Black Hawk sundae, Angel Cake sundae, Cherry Dip sundae, Cinnamon Peak sundae, Opera sundae, Fleur D’Orange sundae, Knickerbocker sundae, Tally-Ho sundae, Bismarck, and George Washington sundaes, and that’s only a small, random listing.

Pixabay

Classic Sundae Blueprints

Some of those above examples might sound inscrutable since they’ve faded from popular consciousness or may have been one-off creations to begin with (we can only assume the George Washington involved extra cherries…), but other classic sundae formulas are still going strong. Here’s a sampling:

Black and White Sundae

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream with marshmallow sauce—the black and white cookie of the sundae world.

Banana Split

A peeled and split banana with three scoops of ice cream, each with a different flavored sauce, crushed pineapple, whipped cream, nuts, and maraschino cherries—so big it required the invention of a new type of sundae glass to hold it all. (Even this timeless classic is open to interpretation, though; we made it a bit healthier—and simpler to put together—in our Frozen Yogurt Banana Split recipe.)

Chowhound

Hot Fudge Sundae

Ice cream, warm chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts or sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry. So good it has its own food holiday (which happens to be on July 25).

Turtle Sundae

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauces, whipped cream, and chopped, toasted pecans.

Brownie Sundae

Built on a base of brownies, you have vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, peanuts, and whipped cream. We updated that too, in our Brownie Ice Cream Parfait recipe.

Chowhound

Ice Cream Sundae Recipe Ideas

Any of the above are easy enough to recreate at home, and we wrote a whole guide on setting up the ultimate ice cream sundae bar for a party, but if you need some single-serving inspiration, check out some of our favorite ice cream sundae combos and mix-and-match components below. Don’t neglect savory sundae toppings either—or unique ice cream flavors, for that matter.

And by all means, make homemade ice cream for the main event, but these are also all great ways to dress up a store-bought pint (or gallon).

1. Strawberry S’mores Sundae

Chowhound

The basic elements of a s’more plus strawberry ice cream. It’s an indulgent tower of broken-up graham crackers, scoops of ice cream, hot fudge sauce, marshmallow topping, almonds, fresh strawberries, and a charred marshmallow topknot. Get our Strawberry S’mores Sundae recipe.

2. Caramel Sundae with Cinnamon-Sugar Chips

Chowhound

A sundae inspired by flavors found in many Tex-Mex desserts. The caramel ice cream is a bit salty, the chocolate sauce is slightly bittersweet, and the Cinnamon-Sugar Chips are a riff on the churros commonly seen in Mexican markets (and Disneyland). Get our Caramel Sundae with Cinnamon-Sugar Chips recipe.

3. Grilled Fig and Orange Blossom Sundaes

Chowhound

This Middle Eastern–inspired ice cream sundae is a cool way to end a meal of grilled kebabs on a hot summer night, but instead of chocolate sauce and caramel, try topping your ice cream with grilled fresh figs. Get our Grilled Fig and Orange Blossom Sundae recipe.

Related Reading: Sweet & Savory Grilled Fruit Recipes for Summer | How to Grill Dessert

4. Easy Chocolate S’mores Sundae

Chowhound

Gooey enough to satisfy kids, architectural enough to appeal to adults, this ice-cream-sundae take on classic campfire s’mores is literally over-the-top. Get our Easy Chocolate S’mores Sundae recipe.

5. Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

Chowhound

Moving into mix-and-match toppings, this intense chocolate sauce is more bitter than sweet and the perfect pairing for your next ice cream sundae. Get our Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce recipe.

6. Traci Des Jardins’s Caramel Sauce

Chowhound

Our Basic Caramel Sauce recipe is a good place to start (and no fancy thermometer required!), but this luxurious recipe is the ultimate ice cream topper, from a San Francisco chef famous for her indulgent French-inspired cooking. (A salted caramel sauce can be nice too, though.) Get Traci Des Jardins’s Caramel Sauce recipe.

7. Marshmallow Sauce

Chowhound

A warm, drippy marshmallow sauce may be the underdog topping when compared to chocolate sauce, but it adds a little texture and sweet vanilla pop to an ice cream sundae. Get our Marshmallow Sauce recipe.

8. Chunky Strawberry Sauce

Chowhound

For those who like things fruity, a fresh strawberry sauce is just the thing, and takes almost no time at all to make. Get our Chunky Strawberry Sauce recipe.

9. Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

Chowhound

Feeling nostalgic for Magic Shell? Make it at home! Simply combine chocolate with a little vegetable oil or coconut oil (nearly any type of chocolate—milk, bittersweet, or semisweet, but not unsweetened—will work). It’s a fun and easy way to fancy up your next ice cream sundae. Get our Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping recipe.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2GFBxwj
via IFTTT

Celebrate Christmas in July With These Festive Recipes

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Homemade pico de gallo is the best! Chopped fresh tomatoes, chile peppers, red onion, cilantro, and lime are meant to be consumed fresh—it's called salsa fresca, for a reason.

Continue reading "Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)" »

from Simply Recipes https://ift.tt/2LEqwPO
via IFTTT

16 Gift Ideas for the Hot Pepper-Obsessed

We all have that one friend or family member who is genetically blessed with furnace-like qualities, and an encompassing love of all things spicy?

You know the one I’m talking about. The one who can count on one hand the number of days in the last decade where they didn’t ingest some sort of hot pepper product. The person who always takes the bait for an extreme heat eating challenge. The family member who casually hinted that they miiiight actually enjoy a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos turkey at Thanksgiving, and claims through watering eyes that “no, this spicy margarita is still not spicy enough.”

Related Reading: What Is the Difference Between Sweet and Hot Peppers?

You know them, and you love them, so in honor of the hot pepper-obsessed among us we’ve rounded up an inferno of gift ideas from the mild to the wild and even a few that are off-the-Scoville-chart to delight all levels of heat seekers in your life.

Spicy Novelties

Budget, space, and time-friendly, for just a dash of heat this holiday season.

Sriracha Keychain, $14.23 on Amazon

Amazon

Your beloved sriracha savage will never have to be without his or her favorite condiment with this set of refillable keychain caddies.See It

Tapatío Hot Socks, $19.99 on Amazon

Amazon

For an added “kick” in the step of your favorite hot sauce aficionado, who doubtlessly knows there are other go-to options besides Sriracha and Tabasco.See It

World’s Hottest Chocolate Bar, $16.99 on Amazon

Amazon

A mere four-ounces of chocolate bearing the heat of 900 jalapenos dares your heat-seeker to take the 12-minute challenge, eating a single square every 60 seconds.See It

Chili Pepper Roasting Rack and Corer Set, $14.99 on Su la Table

Sur la Table

Make roasted and stuffed jalapenos for your next summer BBQ party and blow a few minds (and tongues). The easy corer makes prep a breeze and the roasting rack ensures those gorgeous peppers cook evenly and without dumping over.Buy Now

Feelin’ Saucy

You’ll always be on fire with a gift of a new or cleverly named hot sauce. Here we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift sets.

Aubrey D. Extreme Hot Sauce Sampler, $27.99 on Amazon

When the spice girl or boy in your life can’t be bothered with mild or medium options, try this sampler which includes extremely hot, seventh-circle-of-hell, and are-you-trying-to-kill-me selections, featuring the world’s hottest peppers.See It

The Good Hurt Fuego Sampler, $34.99 on Amazon

Amazon

Adorably packaged and internationally themed, this sampler isn’t only about the heat, but also about the flavor, with sauces such as Garlic Herb and Smoky Bourbon. Try it for the firemouth whose taste buds are still remarkably intact.See It

Fuego Box Club, $12.95 and up

Fuego Box

Since you yourself are no mild-level gift giver, why not try a hot sauce subscription box so that your heat fiend gets a monthly reminder of just how hot you yourself are.See It

Dazed and Infused

Because spicy things need love, too. Despite the heat, hot peppers play quite nicely with a variety of other flavors and textures, and we have the gifts to prove it.

Three Knees Gift Set, $44.99

Bushwick Kitchen

Spicy meets sweet in this gift set – a metaphor for your relationship, perhaps? – which includes habanero-infused honey and maple syrup.See It

Related Reading: 7 Devilishly Spicy Deviled Eggs

A L’Olivier Espelette Pepper Extra Virgin Olive, 19.95 on Sur la Table

Sur la Table

Espelette is a chili native to the Basque region of Spain and lends a subtle heat to this good olive oil. Use it for dressings and sauces or simply drizzle on a plate and sop it up with some good crusty bread.Buy Now

Truffle Hot Sauce, $17.98 on Amazon

Amazon

Because your loved one is more than just a one-dimensional firecracker. They too can appreciate their heat with some nuance, umami, and luxury.See It

Hot For Teacher

If your fiery friend or relative is the type whose passion for peppers extends beyond the mere sensory, and into the cerebral, here are a few gift ideas to stoke their brain flames.

Pepper Poster, $7.39 on Amazon

Amazon

Available in both dried and fresh varieties, these posters are both decorative and informative, for the pepper-lover who’s also an insufferable (read: loveable,) know-it-all.See It

Related Reading: A Carb-Lover Tried The Bell Pepper Sandwich and Lived to Tell the Tale

Hot Chicken Cook Book, $16.46 on Amazon

Amazon

Extreme heat is not only available in sauce form, as is evidenced by the craze for Nashville-style, dry-rub hot chicken. You won’t need the restorative pickles and ice cream on hand in order to read about the history here, but maybe procure them just in case a tasting is called for.See It

Hot Sauce Nation, $12.32 on Amazon

Amazon

The definitive guide for understanding how this addiction to flavor-pain came to be.See It

Feel The Burn

Gifts for the spicy-savvy who can appreciate the delayed gratification of a DIY experience where you might just have to earn the sweat.

Heatonist Tasting Room

Heatonist

Along with the national craze for hot sauce comes the inevitable hot sauce sommelier. If your city hosts a hot sauce shop with tastings or classes, such as Brooklyn’s Heatonist, make it a day of fun/pain with a gift card.See It

Chili Lab, $49.95 on Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma

Just make sure to keep the windows cracked this winter when you dive into a do-it-yourself hot sauce making kit, where the fun isn’t only in the sauce, but also in coming up with a fire-branded name for your bespoke concoction.See It

The Ultimate Pain

Carolina Reapers, $7.99 on Amazon

Amazon

For that person for whom the term “thunderclap headache” inspired envy, rather than fear, you know what you have to do:See It

Related Video: How to Soothe the Burn of a Hot Pepper

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2y7bbOV
via IFTTT

13 Unusual Ice Cream Flavors to Try Before Summer Ends

You Can Now Make Your Very Own Unicorn Cake

This Box Containing Wine & Cheez-Its Is the Greatest Food Mashup Ever

Edelman

What am I doing this Friday night? I’m glad you asked.

Tomorrow marks the release of the single greatest food mashup ever. A wine and cheese “pairing” of millennial proportions set to turn the food world ablaze, and the single most exciting box since Justin Timberlake hosted SNL. Quirky wine brand House Wine—famous for its canned & boxed wine in minimalist packaging—will release the House Wine + Cheez-It Box, a single box containing wine along with heaps of delicious cheddar Cheez-Its.

So, yeah, that’s what I’m doing Friday night and every Friday night thereafter.

Related Reading: These Food Mashups Deliver 2-For-1 Glory

This inspired party box will be available on House Wine’s website for $25 a pop starting tomorrow, July 25th and until supplies run out. Not a fan of Cab/Merlot? Not a problem. The wine and Cheeze-It pairing box is fully customizable, and not just the wine. Pair Parmesan Cheeze-Its with a bright Chardonnay for the perfect beach or poolside snack or Malbec and Zesty Cheddar to heat things up a little.

The brands even developed a helpful pairing guide…no corkscrew needed.

Edelman

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2JQuAKL
via IFTTT

Are Trader Joe’s Cashiers Required to Comment on Your Purchase?

If you shop at Trader Joe’s with any regularity you’ve probably had a cashier comment on something you were buying. It doesn’t happen every time but I’m guessing you’ve heard “Ohhhh man, I love those” or “I’ve been meaning to try those” enough times to notice. TJ’s is famous for its friendly, smiling, and social employees but perhaps you still wondered if those comments are semi-scripted, or part of some company initiative to make us feel all warm and fuzzy. I mean, it’s not every day a stranger breaks eye contact with their tablet or smartphone to offer up real-life human interaction. So what gives?

Related Reading: 9 Trader Joe’s Employee Picks for Summer

You wouldn’t be the only person to wonder. A Reddit user that goes by the name u/Spinningimage5 sought to get to the bottom it, posing that very question in a recent Reddit thread entitled “Does every cashier at Trader Joe’s point out something you’re purchasing and say it’s so good? Are they required to say this to everyone?” 

He or she was promptly met by a slew of comments from other TJ’s shoppers wondering the same thing, as well as answers from folks claiming to be current or former employees all spilling the tea on whether or not this “habit” is required of employees, completely organic, or (as I assumed) somewhere in between.

Trader Joe’s

One user claiming to be an employee named genuinegrocer—which, if I’m being honest, sounds like an executive’s CEO’s phony profile—claims workers “are not told to say anything….it just comes out naturally because most of us love the products and we’re friendly people.” While another less suspiciously-named user skaev chimed in with “nope, we just genuinely enjoy our products and are happy when customers enjoy them too! I frequently tell customers when I don’t like something.”

The 'I Love Trader Joe's' Cookbook, $11.36 on Amazon

Recipes using TJ's products for the true blue Trader Joe's cult member only.

Buy Now

It’s hard to believe that there isn’t some level of encouragement, if not downright instruction, from higher-ups for checkout personnel to interact with customers, but it’s true that not all cashier commentary is in praise of the products, as evidenced by user KrisPBacon0905 who claims she was buying goat cheese once when a cashier exclaimed that he “hates goat cheese because it tastes like he’s licking a goat’s nipple.”

Related Reading: Trader Joe’s Whistleblower Employee Reveals All

More evidence for it being an organic practice came in the form of comments from two other “former employees”—per one of them, workers are “constantly tasting the products so if someone is, say, buying the new chili onion crunch condiment, and I just tried it in the back…you better believe I’m going to mention how I thought it tasted.” Another user reminded us that “the crew gets a discount and probably shops there and uses the products at home.”

Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute, (pack of 3), $14.49 on Amazon

A spice mix definitely worth commenting on.

Buy Now

Some folks like user WhimsicalKoala didn’t really care whether the employee comments were real or fake, saying “I just love that they can chat while working! I go to most grocery stores and you can tell they are being treated like shelf-stocking robots.” While oldenuff2know said they “enjoy the chat, plus it seems like other shoppers tend to be a little kinder and gentler with each other and that’s nice, too!”

Related Reading: 5 Ways to Use Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Spice

We reached out for comment on the policy from Trader Joe’s and at the time of posting had not heard back, though one user called somegummybears mentioned that Trader Joe’s had, in fact, addressed this subject briefly on their podcast to the tune of, “No, it’s not required!” Either way, Trader Joe’s continues to build a groundswell of consumer goodwill and almost cult-following with their innovative products at low prices, all served up by an uber-friendly staff, and frankly…we’re here for it.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2y7S5bt
via IFTTT

Oh, the Things You Can Do With an Ice Cube Tray

Grilled Italian-Style Lamb Skewers (Arrosticini Abruzzesi)

Get Recipe!

from Serious Eats: Recipes https://ift.tt/2Y2KLNM
via IFTTT