Did you know that today’s well-known Kombucha drink is actually a natural folk remedy that has been in existence for more than 2,000 years? It got its name from a Korean physician, Dr. Kombu, who treated Emperor Inkyo with this fermented tea or “Cha” from China, thus Kombu + Cha = Kombucha.
After the holidays, we all look for ways to eat healthier — and let’s be honest, we all enjoy a snack. Keep your snacking healthy this season by loading up on delicious fruit treats. Wawona frozen fruit from Fresno has been grown on a family farm for more than 60 years. Their fresh-frozen fruit is hand picked at the peak of ripeness and processed within 24 hours to capture that fresh-fruit taste. When fresh peaches and strawberries are out of season, you can still find them in these frozen bags.
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s time to relieve some stress. New Chapter Perfect Calm is a great, organic, whole-food multi-vitamin with added organic herbs that can help calm stress.
Check out our handbook to all things fabulous for the new year.
479º Popcorn — it’s San Francisco’s latest craze! But why 479º? Because 479º Farenheit is the optimal temperature for popping corn! This line is handmade in small batches and has unique flavor profiles, including Black Truffle & White Cheddar and Fleur de Sel Caramel. Crack a bag open, but beware — you might finish it all in one sitting! • Stephanie Stille, Specialty & Ethnic Foods
Nugget is full of great gift ideas for the holidays! Check out our Healthy Living department for a huge selection of great gifts, including accessories from some of our favorite lines:
Have you ever wondered where coffee gets its flavor? Does the origin of the bean or the length of time a bean is roasted affect the flavor of your coffee? The answer is both! The origin characteristics usually influence the look, taste and smell of the coffee, while the roast degree affects the flavor intensity: as the beans caramelize throughout the roasting process, the origin characters of the beans are muted and new aromas are developed.
For both flavor and aroma, we love coffees from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
B.T. McELRATH Chocolatier
Named one of the top ten chocolatiers in North America in 2010 by Dessert Professional, B.T. McELRATH Chocolatier has it going on! Our favorite bar, The Salty Dog, is made with 70 percent dark chocolate and pieces of butter toffee and sea salt. It will knock your socks off — you’ll be glad that it’s a sharing-is-optional kind of bar! For milk chocolate lovers, the Prairie Dog bar is made with 40 percent milk chocolate, butter toffee pieces, toasted almonds and sea salt. Can you say delicious? You’ll want to savor every bite of these bars.
Can you believe that Twinings tea has supplied tea to every successive British Monarch since Queen Victoria? In 1837 the Queen granted Twinings a Royal Warrant for tea, which appointed the company as the supplier of teas to her household, and they have been supplying tea to the British royalty ever since!
One of our favorite teas made by Twinings is the Ultra Spice Chai. This tea has a vibrant aroma and bold taste. When drinking you’ll pick up flavors of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger; perfect for cozying up on a winter’s eve with a book in hand, next to the fire! • Stephanie Stille, Specialty & Ethnic Foods
At your next holiday party or family gathering, ask if anyone knows where the term Egg Nog came from. Unless you have a “know-it-all” uncle, I would bet that no one will offer an answer.