Valentine’s Day – All Things Gourmet

Hello 2018!

Happy New Year! Happy 2018! Let’s start off the New Year with a new name! As you can see, All Things Gourmet, sounds like a nice little fit! What you’ll find here won’t change at all! There still will be recipes shared, gourmet food items to be showcased and shared, along with the sharing of information and traditions and so forth! But don’t worry, there will be little Gourmet Nibbles to be had and I will make sure you can follow my crumb trail!

The month of January is busy and filled with lots of new things, recipes and adventures ahead! There are some sauces and soups to be made, special national days to celebrate – all of course – featured around FOOD! Then we have to face it and admit it – Valentine’s is right around the corner! Yes! I know! We just finished up the Christmas and New Year’s holidays and YES! We must move on to Valentine’s and do I dare bring up the Easter Bunny?! Well, I sort of have to, because we can’t avoid them! And here they are…!

Just a few to get you started!

Over the course of the next year I also plan to keep up on the latest health and food trends, and so far there are a few similar themes I keep seeing popping up! Tumeric and other spices seems to be one trend. “Gut-friendly” fermented foods such as sauerkraut has hit the list and then don’t forget about your foods filled with probiotic! And as for gut-friendly foods, we have that and we’ve got you covered!

There are a few things about coffee I may look into – I keep reading that coffee is good for your liver and there may also be other coffee trends that I am going to try to keep my eye on. Is coffee the key to prevent premature death?I don’t know, but there are reports to claim there may be an association to drinking coffee and longevity by reducing the risk of cancer, stroke, heart and liver disease!

And coffee… that’s in stock as well!

So there’s a lot to look forward to in 2018! And it’s time to get started!

Springing Forward, But Falling Backward.

Has today’s title confused you? I truly don’t want to get you in a panic, but I am going to have to discuss some upcoming holidays for next year! I am talking about Valentine’s Day and Easter! I know, I know! We *just* made it through Halloween! Thanksgiving is not far away, heck it’s not even Christmas yet, although Christmas music is already blaring on a local radio station as of yesterday! The next major event happening around here would be Daylight Savings for those of us who observe it, which means we will have to fall back one hour this weekend.

Springing forward with holiday items, yet falling back an hour on the clocks!

Now that we have that out of the way… let me show you these spring products! Belfine is the maker of Fine Belgian Chocolate and they have these super cute chocolate pops and they all have super cute names! And while I am at it, I want to let any of our retailers know that the spring deadline is approaching! You know how to get a hold of us if you need any assistance with your order! You’ll find Belfine chocolate in the spring line up!

Let me first introduce you to Love Bear Arno, who is the perfect chocolate companion for your Valentine’s occasion! Per Belfine, “Each lollipop is individually wrapped in a transparent bag with clip and presented in a beautiful Belfine display.” Belfine’s chocolate figurines and lollipops are all hand crafted and it is really neat how they come to life.

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This is the process for the chocolate characters:

Start with a sketch
Add some color
Play with clay
Prepare the mold
Personalize the prototype
Welcome to the family!
Name and release

When the figurine is created, it is actually named and then copyrighted before venturing out into the world. How awesome is that?

Next up we have Jenny Duck and Lamb Betty for Easter. These Easter designs are sure to please everyone, young and old!

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What makes Belfine so unique and special?

Premium Belgian Chocolate made in Belgium
Unique & cute chocolate figurines
Creativity & innovation
Long term partnerships
Highest quality standards
Dedicated customer focus
Worldwide presence
Family owned business
The perfect packaging
Flexible production capacity

Belfine is definitely “kid approved” – as you have seen the smile on my youngest’s face as he’s chomping on poor Love Bear Arno! I even I heard, “Mom, this chocolate is so yummy!” from that little 4-year-old munchkin!

And as a mom, I can appreciate that there aren’t any ingredients in these chocolates that I don’t approve of! Belfine’s products are free from any artificial flavors, colors and fats. The chocolate also is free of preservatives, vegetables fats and GMO-free. As for the coloring in any of the chocolates, European standards require that only E-approved colors are used.

Belfine Belgian Chocolate Lollipops. Get yourself some! And as I wrap up this post, I’ll bring Mr. Ginger out to remind us of the Christmas season that is approaching. On that final note, don’t forget to fall back one hour this weekend for those of us observing Daylight Savings Time! (And submit your orders in for the spring deadline for our retailers!)

Travels Through and Near Nüremberg.

While I wished I was along to take these photos, the photos throughout this post for today come from Monica, our Vice President at Gourmet International. As our team was traveling to Germany for the Anuga trade show in Cologne, they also happened to stop at the Wicklein Store in Nüremberg and at Riegelein in nearby Cadolzburg.

Wicklein store front.

“Chocothek” at Riegelein.

From one of my earlier posts, we shared that the famous German gingerbread or traditional Lebkuchen, as it is called, made by Wicklein, has arrived to the warehouse for holiday orders. The team stopped into the “Die Lubküchnerei”, the Lebkuchen Bakery. Here, one can enjoy the scent of festive spices and the fresh aroma of coffee with a tasty pastry. If visiting, and you want to learn how to bake Lebkuchen, they offer workshops! How cool is that! You get to learn how to prepare and bake Lebkuchen, take them home with you and more! Check out the website for more information. It is something you would have to plan and book ahead of time, so be sure to sign up in advance!

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Another stop on their travels in Germany, the team stopped at Riegelein to check out the chocolate shop and watch chocolate makers performing their work at “Chocothek“. Riegelein is known all across Europe and across the globe for its German chocolate products. They make wonderful chocolate figurines for every holiday: Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day – even New Year’s Day – and MORE! Riegelein is a family-owned company, started by baker and confectionery master Hans Riegelein and his wife Gerda back in 1953. The company, in 1998, has now passed down to the reigns to Peter Riegelein, marking the second generation running the traditional family-owned company. I don’t know about you, but looking at all those figures on display in the photos below are making me crave some delectable chocolate!

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Growing up, I recall my mom buying Riegelein chocolates during the holidays, most notably, Christmas time. The Christmas figures are what I recall from my youth, being stuffed inside my stocking or maybe mom had (or even still does!) put a little tray of mini Santas or St. Nicholas’ out on Christmas Eve for us to nibble nibble on! And I am quite sure it was a Riegelein Advent Calendar that my brothers and I were always eager to open every day leading up to Christmas! Now, who thinks that next time I should tag along…? Nibble hint, nibble hint!? (Tee hee!)