Amazon Prime Members Now Get Sweet Discounts at Whole Foods

While it may be beyond cliche to complain about Whole Foods being expensive at this point, it’s still a valid issue for many. Luckily, there are plenty of smart ways to save money at Whole Foods, and now you can add another one: be an Amazon Prime member. Starting today in Florida, Whole Foods is offering lots of discounts to Amazon Prime members, and they’ll be rolling out nationwide soon.

According to Amazon’s press release, “Prime members can now get an additional 10 percent off sale items, typically hundreds of products throughout the store, plus weekly deep discounts on select best-selling items.”

Whole Foods/Twitter

Specific offers will change each week, but think $10 off per pound of wild-caught halibut steaks, a full pound of organic strawberries for just $2.99, a buy-one-get-one-free deal on cases of the Whole Foods 365 store brand sparkling water, 2 bags of KIND granola for $6, and 50% off cold brew coffee at the stores’ Allegro coffee bars.

While these discounts for Amazon Prime members are currently only available at Whole Foods stores in Florida, the deals “will expand to all Whole Foods Market and Whole Foods Market 365 stores nationwide starting this summer.”

In the meanwhile, if you’re an Amazon Prime member in certain other locations (like Denver, Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, Austin, and Dallas), you can currently get free 2-hour delivery from Whole Foods when you shop through Prime Now. And if you’re in San Francisco, you can even get booze included in your Whole Foods Prime Now delivery! Back when this perk was first launched, Whole Foods founder and CEO John Mackey said of the partnership with Amazon, “Together, we have already lowered prices on many items, and this offering makes Prime customers’ lives even easier.”

Clearly, things just keep getting better. Of course, you still have to pay a yearly Prime membership fee (currently $119), but if you shop a lot at Whole Foods, or plan to thanks to this development, the grocery savings could definitely help offset that cost.

While the price—and other issues like geographical location and reliable, easy access to technology—will remain prohibitive to some consumers who might like to eat more organic, responsibly farmed, healthy food at lower prices, this is definitely a welcome development for many.

In the words of Amazon Prime’s Vice President, Cem Sibay: “This new Prime benefit at Whole Foods Market is a perfect pairing of healthy and delicious food at even more affordable prices. Our vision is that every day Prime makes your life better, easier and more fun, and shopping at Whole Foods Market with exclusive deals and savings is all of this and more.”

Read more about it here.

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Eat Like a Queen with These Absurd Royal Wedding Foods

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s upcoming wedding is sure to be a classy affair. But in case you thought that lemon and elderflower cake and the world’s finest champagne were the only foods fit the occasion, you thought wrong. The royal nuptials are worthy of nothing less than Velveeta’s finest macaroni and cheese and a tower of Rice Krispies treats. It’s true!

If our inbox is to be believed, every food brand and their scheming, scone-filled stepmother want a piece of the throne for themselves. Below are some of the most absurd culinary tie-ins and promotions that revolve around the weekend’s big event. If we’ve learned anything from them, it’s that you too can become royalty by eating basic AF snacks from the comfort of your couch. Now isn’t that the American dream?

Velveeta Crowns & Cheese

With their latest marketing campaign, Velveeta asks a pivotal question. “Being a princess is not all it’s cracked up to be…So why settle for being a princess when you can eat like a queen?” What do queens eat you ask? Fancy-ass mac ‘n’ cheese, that’s what! The kind where the pasta is shaped like crowns and served on pillows as velvety as the sauce. That’s what the brand is hoping to serve up with the launch of  Velveeta Crowns & Cheese, at least.

Campbell’s Royal Wedding Soup

Campbell’s

Campbell’s came up with a recipe for Royal Wedding Soup. It features Meghan’s favorite gourd—zucchini! But here’s the catch, it doesn’t come in a can. You have to make it yourself. Sorry, but there’s nothing all that regal about slicing up your own veggies and slaving over a stovetop. Unless it comes with a spiralizer, a butler named Jeeves, or an adorable corgi, we’ll have to pass.

Strongbow Cider Teacups

Afternoon tea is aquaint British tradition. Strongbow believes the best way to get Americans on board with this afternoon ritual is to booze it up. And they’re not wrong with their approach. Drinking rosé cider out of china tea cups (pinkies out, of course) is the classiest way to day-drink. Three servings in and you may even start speaking with an accent.

Kellogg’s Cereal Party

Kellogg’s

Kellogg’s is hosting a royal viewing party at their flagship New York City cafe, complete with a menu of cereal-infused treats. Apparently the brand has been the official cereal provider for the royal household for three monarchs, which has us wondering what so many kings and queens are doing eating Froot Loops and Apple Jacks when they have literally any breakfast food at their beck and call. If I were Queen Elizabeth II, you better believe I’d be asking for the world’s most complicated frittata every morning. It’s your divine right.

Burger King’s Chicken Royale

Burger King

One monarch honors another, as the Burger King himself commemorates the royal wedding with the Chicken Royale sandwich. The crispy chicken patty is topped with barbecue sauce and two onion rings, which according to a press release “signify the royal matrimony.” That’s just how I like my fast food, served as a quick corporate cash-in with a side of romantic symbolism. Maybe Harry and Meghan should just get married at White Castle instead?

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How to Cook with Tamarind

Look at the long, lumpy, brown pods of the tamarind tree and it might not surprise you to learn they’re legumes (like peanuts—and snap peas), but inside their brittle shells, there’s sticky, fruity, sour pulp clinging to the seeds. The tangy pulp is used in dishes around the world, including in Mexican, Indian, and Thai cuisine, and it’s also one of the semi-secret ingredients in Worcestershire sauce. Joanne Chang and Karen Akunowicz told us a bit about how they use tamarind at Myers + Chang in Boston. Check out their tips, and then keep reading for additional information on different forms of tamarind, and recipes to help you start incorporating it into your own cooking.

Tamarind is naturally sour, and gets more intensely tangy the older it gets—yet it’s still more nuanced than, say, lemon juice. Freshly processed tamarind in particular is rounder and warmer in flavor, but in any case, just a little adds tons of flavor to a dish. It’s also said to be a good facial scrub, and useful for polishing brass! But in the kitchen, try adding it to salad dressing and barbecue sauce, or even homemade soda for an interesting kick. The majority of recipes that include tamarind usually call for tamarind paste or concentrate (interchangeable terms), but there’s a difference between making your own and buying it already made. You can purchase tamarind in three forms:

Fresh Tamarind Pods

While it can be hard to find (your best bet is at a Mexican or Asian market), it’s worth seeking out fresh tamarind. Break open a hard pod and you’ll find moist, sticky pulp with some thin vein-like membranes clinging to it, and hard, flattish seeds inside. To make homemade tamarind paste, you’ll want to pull off the stringy membranes and as much of the skin as possible (if some flakes remain, that’s okay), soak the pulp in hot water for 15-20 minutes (a good starting ratio is 3 ounces of tamarind pulp to 1 cup hot water) until it’s soft, then push it through a mesh sieve to filter out the seeds and any leftover bits of skin. Add some of the warm soaking water back to the strained pulp and stir until incorporated; in most recipes, it’s better to leave it on the thicker side, since you’ll use less that way and won’t add much extra liquid to the dish. But you can always keep adding more water in small amounts to thin it to your desired consistency. If you see “tamarind water” on the ingredients list, then you will want to make it thinner and runnier. Any leftovers can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for a few weeks, or in the freezer, portioned into smaller amounts to make using it in future easier.

Tamarind Pulp

If you have trouble finding fresh pods, try seeking out tamarind pulp; it should be available in plastic-wrapped blocks in any Asian market. It may be refrigerated or frozen, but can also be shelved with curry pastes and the like. You can buy it online too, though it will be more expensive that way. Sometimes the seeds and membranes have already been removed, which makes turning it into concentrate even easier. As above, you’ll simply soak it in hot water until softened, then—if it still has seeds—press it through a strainer to remove them, and add back a little water at a time to adjust the texture. If it’s already been seeded, just pour off excess water into a small bowl and stir to get the texture you want, adding back some of the water as needed. Leftover concentrate can be stored as above, and leftover pulp itself should last for quite a long time in the fridge.

Tamarind Paste or Tamarind Concentrate

While making tamarind paste or concentrate from fresh pods or blocks of pulp yields the best, most complex flavor and allows more control over the texture, it’s generally easier to find already-prepared tamarind concentrate than it is to find other forms of the fruit. Check the Indian, Asian, and/or Mexican aisles at any large grocery store for small jars of tamarind concentrate. Some brands are thinner than others, so depending on the viscosity of the kind you buy, you may need to adjust other liquid recipe ingredients to compensate, or even thin out the paste itself with a little hot water, but it doesn’t strictly require any additional processing and is ready to use straight from the jar.

Tamarind Recipes

At Myers + Chang, tamarind paste is blended with butter and sweet soy sauce to make a glaze for cod. Experiment in your own kitchen with similar preparations, or try one of these tamarind recipes:

Pad Thai

Chowhound

Tamarind is an essential ingredient in pad Thai, even though a lot of people may not know it’s there. It provides the sour flavor to the fish sauce and palm sugar’s salty and sweet. Get our Pad Thai recipe.

Tamarind Caipirinha

Chowhound

Cold tamarind drinks are a popular thirst quencher in several spots around the world, and you can easily make your own flavored soda or tamarind agua fresca at home (or just buy a bottle of Jarritos). But for a more potent option, try this take on a classic Brazilian caipirinha. A teaspoon of tamarind paste lends a sour, fruity kick, while black peppercorns bring a floral heat, and brown sugar is a little rounder and more complex than the usual white. Get our Tamarind Caipirinha recipe.

Pork Belly with Tamarind and Sweet Chile Glaze

Sweet Cherrie Pie

Simmered pork belly that’s finished in the oven is the perfect mixture of tender and crisp; coated in a sticky, sweet-sour glaze with a hefty dose of tamarind pulp, plus garlic, sweet chile sauce, honey, and ginger, it’s perfect with simple steamed rice and crisp, cooling vegetables. This recipe gives Celsius temperatures for the roasting portion, but if you’re working with Fahrenheit, turn your oven to 425 for the first roast, and then down to about 340 for the rest of the cooking time. Get the recipe.

Roasted Tamarind Chicken Thighs

A Pleasant Little Kitchen

A full cup of tamarind concentrate mixed with an equal amount of orange juice, plus lime juice, garlic, and ginger, makes for a bold, tangy-sweet take on simple chicken thighs. This is the kind of quick and easy dish you can whip up on a busy weeknight, without sacrificing interesting flavor. Get the recipe.

Stir-Fried Tamarind Eggplant

Chowhound

While tamarind is great as a glaze for meats, it also works wonders for vegetables. Try tamarind glazed vegetable tacos for a change, or skew more East Asian and make a tamarind-accented eggplant stir-fry. Fish sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and Thai basil round out the flavors, with a little heat from Thai chile and garlic too. Get our Stir-Fried Tamarind Eggplant recipe.

Tamarind and Coconut Fish Curry

My Heart Beets

A touch of tamarind is all that’s needed to lend a faintly sour note to this richly spiced coconut-based fish curry, which actually tastes better the next day, so if you’re looking for a make-ahead option , give this a try. Get the recipe.

Thai Instant Pot Massaman Curry with Beef

Paint the Kitchen Red

Massaman curry is relatively mild but rich and heavily seasoned with sweet spices like cinnamon, anise, and clove, with a little tart tamarind to balance them. Beef stands up well to the strong flavors, but chicken is good too, as is tofu and/or a mix of vegetables. Here, there are potatoes and onion, along with roasted peanuts for crunch, and it’s all made in an Instant Pot for a weeknight-friendly dinner that’s delicious enough to serve on special occasions too. Get the recipe.

Tamarind Candy

Binjal’s Veg Kitchen

Piquant tamarind candy is popular in Mexico, India, Thailand, Jamaica, and Trinidad, but maybe not as well known in the U.S. If you love the punch of sweet-sour candy, you should definitely give it a try. The soft, mouth-puckering spheres of chewy, sweetened and seasoned tamarind pulp are usually rolled in crunchy sugar for a nice contrast, and they’re easy to make at home. This version includes red chile powder and roasted cumin for an extra depth of flavor. Get the recipe.

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Disney’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Gauntlet Cup Will Give You Super Drinking Powers

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Meatballs With Ginger and Mint

Get Recipe!

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Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies)

Have you ever had a brookie? It’s a tempting combination of chewy chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies!

Continue reading "Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies)" »

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What Is the Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato?

As summer approaches, the gradually warming weather and bright sun makes many of us think about screaming for ice cream. Hot days tempered with cool, creamy, milky, flavorful ice cream…few things could be better. However, these days many more of us are instead “urlando per gelato” which means “screaming for ice cream” in Italian. “Wait a minute,” you might be thinking. “‘Gelato’ literally translates to ‘ice cream’ in Italian? Aren’t they two totally different things?” With the number of corner gelato stores that have popped up all across the country, one would think that gelato is a completely different beast from ice cream—after all, if it’s the same name, shouldn’t it be the same product? But there are a number of differences between American ice cream and Italian gelato, and some of them may surprise you.

iShift/Shutterstock

To start, let’s review the basic components of American-style ice cream. At its core, ice cream consists of three main ingredients: cream, sugar, and air. Of course there are variations on the basics, such as the additions of flavorings, stabilizers such as guar gum, and eggs. All the ingredients are churned together quickly and repeatedly at very cold temperatures to add air which makes it light and creamy, and also prevents ice crystals forming when the water content begins to freeze. By law, U.S. ice cream that’s not labeled as low-fat must contain at least 10 percent milkfat—and many contain much more than 10 percent—which is why nobody would ever mistake it for a health food. Also, depending on the style, the air content could be upwards of 50 percent. That means when you eat ice cream, it’s possible that only half of what you put in your mouth are the actual physical ingredients. More premium-quality ice cream should have less air, while basic brands will have more. Just remember, the air content doesn’t mean you can eat an entire pint in one sitting and think it only counts for half a pint. Still not a health food.

JM Travel Photography/Shutterstock.

While gelato is made in a similar fashion, its proportions of everything are different. Gelato isn’t subject to the same butterfat requirements, so most gelato uses cream with a higher milk content and lower butterfat content, generally under 10 percent. You’re probably surprised by this: Many think that in an apples-to-apples comparison, gelato is fattier and more caloric because of it’s thicker, creamier consistency and more intense flavors. You can actually thank the air content for that little trick, though; gelato is churned much more slowly, introducing less air so it’s more dense. Because there’s less fat and, therefore, it is already lighter, lots of additional air isn’t necessary to produce that creamy mouthfeel. Additionally, while ice cream, because of the higher air and milkfat content, has to add more sugar to ensure more expressive flavors, gelato needs less sugar to help the flavors come through. That’s why gelato often seems to have more potent, authentic flavors. Also, gelato is stored and served at a warmer temperature than ice cream, making the texture much softer and creamier. Just think of all the times you’ve pulled a tub of ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for five minutes to soften up enough to scoop, while you hover expectantly with your spoon. Gelato needs no such wait time.

Less fat? Less air? More flavors? Less softening time? For some, gelato is a clear winner in the ice cream department. However, personal preference always reigns supreme. If you’ve never tried gelato, go for a traditional flavor such as stracciatella (vanilla with hardened chocolate syrup on top) or pistachio. But nowadays you can find flavors as varied as strawberry, limoncello, and even tiramisu, so you’re bound to find something pleasing to your palate.

If you have an ice cream maker, there is some debate about whether or not you can use it to make truly authentic gelato. It would be a little harder because of the slower churn and the temperature differences. But if you’re looking to try, or to at least have some options on how you can incorporate either ice cream or gelato into everyday recipes, look no further than below, and scream—or “urlare”—away!

Espresso Gelato

Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock

Espresso? Gelato? Could you get more Italian? This recipe is a great example of make-at-home gelato, which does require an ice cream maker. It’s also a great example of how gelato often gets its intense flavor: not only from the add ins, but the expressive chunks of fruit, cookies, or—as in in this case—espresso beans sprinkled throughout. You’ll need a lot of time to bring this together, but the results mean you get your after-dinner coffee and dessert in one fell swoop. Get our Espresso Gelato recipe.

Toasted Pecan Gelato

b.asia/Shutterstock

Don’t want the caffeine high after dinner from the espresso gelato? Try this toasted pecan for a totally different flavor, and fewer steps to get to the end result. Toasted pecan is also a fantastic flavor to add on top of apple pie or with a few cookies. Get our Toasted Pecan Gelato recipe.

Maple Ice Cream

Chowhound

Super decadent, maple ice cream will go great on its own with just a spoon, or topped onto waffles instead of maple syrup. Have you read this far and gotten frustrated with not having an ice cream maker? The Chowhound community gives some great hacks and workarounds for those without that gadget in the comments section. Get our Maple Ice Cream recipe.

Chocolate-Dipped Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream Bars

Chowhound

Want a decadent ice cream treat without having to make the ice cream? Check out these fancy ice cream bars, dipped into luscious chocolate for a hand-held snack. Note the request to use premium ice cream: Remember, the higher the quality, the less air getting in the way of your flavor bomb. Or substitute for a delicious gelato which will automatically have lower air content. Get our Chocolate-Dipped Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream Bars recipe.

Basic Bananas Foster

Chowhound

Even easier than the ice cream bars, but with more of a dramatic effect, wow guests at your next dinner party with Bananas Foster flambé. No Bananas Foster recipe is complete without vanilla ice cream, so grab some premium vanilla bean from the local store or use the link to make your own. Get our Basic Bananas Foster recipe.

Mochi Ice Cream

Chowhound

Mochi are traditional Japanese rice cakes made out of glutinous rice that’s been formed into a paste. It’s commonly filled with ice cream, and this recipe specifically includes my favorite kind, red bean. Don’t be alarmed by the word “bean” here, it’s even more delicious than vanilla bean. If red bean isn’t your thing, you can use green tea ice cream or really any flavor you want. Get our Mochi Ice Cream recipe.

Drunken Affogato

Chowhound

Affogato, which is traditionally ice cream drowned in espresso, gets a grown-up makeover in this recipe by swapping out the espresso with a liqueur. Because the flavor combinations are endless, this is an excellent dish for using an exciting gelato instead of ice cream. Get our Drunken Affogato recipe.

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