And now, something new to add to your shopping cart: Zespri† RubyRed Kiwifruit, a berry-sweet seasonal fruit only find in stores for a limited time this spring.

Its vibrant red flesh perks up any dish; its sweet flavor tastes like a cross between a kiwi and red berries

Kiwifruits are nutrient-dense, chock full of antioxidant vitamin C along with anthocyanins, the phytochemical pigments that give fruits and other plants a blue, purple, or red color.

 
Part of the sparkle of RubyRed kiwifruit cultivar† is that it isn’t around for long. This limited-time seasonal fruit is available in stores nationwide through May, so grab some while you can.

Visit Zespri.com to find a store near you and explore more recipes before the season ends.

Here’s detailed information about the red kiwifruit.

Below:

> Easy ways to enjoy kiwi.

> How to ripen kiwi.

> Kiwi parfait recipe.

> Kiwi ice pops recipe.

> How to ripen kiwi.

> More kiwi recipes.

> The difference between “kiwi” and “kiwifruit.”

> What is a cultivar?
 
 
Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of kiwifruit.

> SunGold kiwi fruit.

> Spring fruits and vegetables.

> The year’s 80+ fruit holidays.

> National Kiwi Fruit Day is observed annually on December 21st.
 
 
EASY WAYS TO ENJOY KIWI

Naturally sweet and simple to prepare, kiwi is beloved by adults and kids alike, at every meal of the day:

 
While some fruits should be kept out of the fridge, you may prefer the flavor of kiwifruit chilled.

Kiwifruit contains a balanced mix of sugars (fructose and glucose) and organic acids (citric and quinic acid). Chilling brings up the refreshing “zip” of the acidity and helps to maintain its characteristic sweet-tart balance.

[2] Add a new fruit to your yogurt parfait (photos #2, #7, and #9 © Zespri).

[3] The season is short, so don’t wait to find them (Abacus Photo).

[4] The kiwi is the national bird and a primary national symbol of New Zealand since the late 19th century (Public Domain).  

[5] A colorful snack with a drizzle of honey (photo © Real Food Revealed).
 
 
HOW TO RIPEN KIWI

Kiwifruit is usually ready to eat when you buy it. It should feel slightly soft to the touch, like a ripe peach or avocado. Once ripe, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

If the fruit is a bit firm when you buy it, it will usually ripen at in three to five days at room temperature. Let it soften: The firmer the fruit, the more tart it will taste.

To speed up the ripening process, place kiwis (or any fruit) in a closed paper bag on the counter with an apple or banana. Fruits like apples and bananas produce natural ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening.

 
For more information about Zespri—the world leader in premium quality kiwifruit—and delicious kiwi recipes, visit the ZespriKiwi.com.
 

[6] Yogurt parfaits are a tasty and nutritious breakfast, lunch, or a snack (Abacus Photo).
 
 
RECIPE #1: RED KIWI YOGURT PARFAIT

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. DICE one kiwi and thinly slice the other one. You don’t need to peel them.

2. LAYER 1/4 cup yogurt, kiwi and granola in the bottom of 4 tall glasses. Continue layering with remaining ingredients.
 

[7] Get out the ice pop molds and make a batch of these. It’s easy (Abacus Photo).
 
 
RECIPE# 2: RED KIWI ICE POPS

Blended with fruit juice and frozen with fresh slices of kiwi, these pops are simple, colorful treats.

Ingredients For 4 Pops

 
Preparation

1. DICE three kiwis into small cubes. Thinly slice the remaining kiwi and set aside for decoration.

2. ADD the kiwi cubes, sweetener, and liquid in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetener as desired before freezing.

3. PLACE the sliced kiwi into ice pop molds and pour the juice mixture over top, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top for expansion.

4. FREEZE for 4-6 hours or longer. Run the molds under warm water for a few seconds to more easily remove the pops.

Variations

 

[8] Grab them now: The season is short (photo © Real Food Revealed).
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KIWI AND KIWIFRUIT

The difference between the terms “kiwifruit” and “kiwi” are often used interchangeably in the U.S., but they have very specific meanings in New Zealand and other parts of the world.

 
The name “kiwifruit”: Before it was either kiwifruit or kiwi, the tree was known as the Chinese Gooseberry (Actinidia chinensis). Native to central and eastern China, it was introduced to New Zealand in the early 1900s.

The name “kiwifruit” was coined in 1959 by New Zealand exporters, specifically to differentiate the fruit from the bird and the people, to create a brand association with the country, and partly to distance the fruit from its Chinese origins during the Cold War era.

Another reason: It avoided high U.S. tariffs on “berries” and “gooseberries.”

But in the United States and Canada, “kiwi” became the standard shorthand for the fruit.
 
 
MORE KIWI RECIPES

 

[9] You can eat the fuzzy peel, or peel the fruit.
 
________________
 
*While imported fruits are available year-round, spring fruits grown in the U.S. include these favorites: Apricots have a short season starting in May. While avocados are available year-round, California avocados are at their peak in early-to-mid spring. Blueberries, fresh and local, start to become available in late spring. Cherries start to appear in late spring, signaling the start of the stone fruit season. Lemons and limes are in their prime. Mangoes hit their peak in May. Nectarines and peaches start to arrive in late spring. Pineapple, while often seen as a summer fruit, reaches peak sweetness and juiciness from March through July. Rhubarb, a vegetable that acts like a fruit, is one of the earliest spring harvests and highly sought after for pies, crisps, and jams. Strawberries begin to appear in early to mid-spring, with peak season in April and May.

†Zespri RubyRed is one specific, trademarked cultivar within the broader group of 6 key species of kiwifruit. Zespri developed their cultivar in New Zealand with The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited and is marketed under the Zespri brand, with Zespri’s grading/quality programs and controlled supply. Other red kiwifruit cultivars grown/marketed by different companies and countries include Donghong, Hongyang, and Red Passion, among others. As with all agricultural products, the appearance, eating quality, and consistency can vary by cultivar and supplier.
 
‡Cultivar is a term coined as a short version of “cultivated variety.” It’s a plant that has been selected by plant breeders for specific, desirable traits and is maintained through deliberate propagation. Unlike a botanical variety which occurs naturally in the wild, a cultivar is the result of human intervention, such as selective breeding, cross-pollination, or even genetic engineering by breeders who seek specific colors, sizes, flavors, disease resistance, or climate compatibility (drought, cold).

There are also “natural” cultivars that begin as an unusual, spontaneous genetic mutation on a wild or cultivated plant. These are called “bud sports,” and breeders/growers can choose to clone them and keep the variety going. Examples include the Braeburn apple, Cara Cara orange, clementine, Golden Delicious apple, Granny Smith apple, Hass avocado, Meyer lemon, navel orange, nectarine, pink grapefruit, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris grapes. When these mutations occur, they only exist on that one specific branch or tree.

Because these mutations are often sterile or won’t grow from seed, growers must use grafting—clipping a piece of that specific branch and fusing it to a rootstock—to replicate the fruit (or vegetable, houseplant, ornamental flower, grass, etc.—bud sports occur across the entire plant kingdom). Popular vegetable mutations include broccoli, cauliflower, orange carrots, and russet potatoes.

Kiwifruit, genus/species Actinidia deliciosa, commonly known as the fuzzy kiwifruit, is a deciduous woody vine in the Actinidiaceae family. It’s a member of the order Ericales, which includes blueberries, Brazil nuts, cranberries, persimmon, and tea, among others.

To be officially recognized as a cultivar, a plant must be distinct (easily distinguished from others), uniform (all plants in the group look similar), and stable (retains its traits when propagated).
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2026/03/09/great-ways-to-use-celery-for-national-celery-month/ Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:35:33 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=157018
Continue reading "Great Ways To Use Celery For National Celery Month" →]]>

It’s National Celery Month and April is National Fresh Celery Month, both celebrating a vegetable that most of us don’t pay much attention to.

Yet celery, an unsung hero, is one of the most versatile “workhorse” vegetables in the kitchen.

According to the California Celery Research Advisory Board, U.S. per capita consumption of celery is about 9 to 10 pounds per person annually. That means that even if you don’t think you eat much celery, you do—in one way or another.

While it may be best known as healthy munchie (alone or with carrot sticks) and as stuffed celery (from Ants on a Log to fancier fillings like crabmeat salad), it’s famously the star of Ants on a Log (stuffed with peanut butter and raisins), its most popular uses are actually foundational to global cooking.

To give celery it due, we have a number of “food for thought” suggestions below, including:

> Fancy stuffed celery recipes (photo #8).

> Beyond the Bloody Mary, other cocktails that like a celery stick garnish.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of celery.

> The two different types of stalk celery.

> The year’s 7 celery holidays.

> More ways to use celery.

> 35 celery recipes from Bon Appetit.
 

[6] Cheesecake-filled celery sticks for a sweet-and-crunchy snack. Here’s the recipe (photo © Duda Fresh).
 
 
1. AROMATICS

Before we proceed, a tip: Don’t throw away the celery leaves. They are:

 
Onto the main body: the celery stalk.

 
As part of the flavor foundation of many Western recipes, celery is a critical component of major vegetable bases used to start most soups, stews, and sauces. The “big three”:

 
 
2. MAYONNAISE-BOUND SALADS

Because of its high water content and satisfying crunch, celery is the primary way to add texture to salads that bind the ingredients with mayonnaise. Celery provides the essential “snap” in:

 
 
3. SNACKS, SIDES

 
 
4. SOUPS & STOCKS

 
 
5. DRINKS

 

[7] Cheesy celery gratin is an unexpected but special side. Here’s the recipe.
     

[1] It’s a Celery Caesar: Caesar salad with a base of celery instead of romaine. Here’s the recipe (photos #1 and #4 © Bon Appetit)

[2] Top grilled fish with shredded celery hearts or ribs (photo © King Restaurant | NYC).

[3] Instead of peanut butter and raisins, these “ants on a log” use cream cheese and other toppings (photo © Cava).

[4] A sophisticated upgrade: lady bugs on a stick tops the celery with guacamole and cherry tomatoes (photo © Calavo Avocado).

Thai Celery Salad[/caption]
[5] You don’t need lettuce for a green salad. This Thai salad combines celery, peanuts, chiles, and cilantro. Here’s the recipe.

[6] If you like cream of celery soup, this easy recipe cooks in just 25 minutes (photo © Taste Of Home).
[8] Fancy stuffed celery (Gemini Photo).
 
 
FANCY CELERY STUFFINGS

Start with uniform lengths: cut all the stalks to exactly 2.5 or 3 inches.

 
Seafood

 
 
Sophisticated Cheeses

 
 
Gourmet

 

[9] Three cocktails with celery garnishes: Celery Gimlet, Savory Gin & Tonic, and Dirty Martini (Abacus Photo).
 
 
CELERY STICK COCKTAIL GARNISHES

Celery is a surprisingly versatile garnish because of its structural integrity and its ability to provide a crunchy, vegetal contrast to a drink.

While it is the go-to partner for a Bloody Mary, here are several other cocktails where a celery stick (or a small celery heart) works beautifully.

It the stalk is too wide, use half of it, sliced vertically.

We’ll start with Bloody Mary’s “relatives” before moving onto drinks that are only related to her by alcohol.

 
Now, for the “Way Beyond Bloody Mary” cocktails:

 

[10] Pascal celery, the most common type grown in the U.S. (photo © Good Eggs).

________________
 
*For drinks like a Celery Gimlet, savory G&T, or Dirty Martini with celery and olives, check out:
> Gin Mare (Spain), for explicit olive/rosemary/thyme synergy.
> Monkey 47 (Germany, Black Forest): 47 botanicals, with plenty of forest herbs and lots of green, herbal, and woody notes.
> Hendrick’s Orbium (Scotland), for a bitter, more amaro-adjacent Martini base.
> St. George Terroir (California), for lots of pine and sage.
> The Botanist (Scotland, Islay), for layered herbal complexity that’s still very mixable.
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2025/06/16/how-not-to-celebrate-national-kitchen-klutzes-of-america-day/ Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:41:26 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=151582
Continue reading "How Not To Celebrate National Kitchen Klutzes Of America Day" →]]>

[1] For the kitchen klutz in your life. Order the book on Amazon (photo © St. Martin’s Press).

[2] To stop a pot from boiling over, see photo #9 (all photos created by A.I. unless specified).

[3] To prevent the lid from blowing off a blender or food processor, see the *footnote.

[4] To put out a fire quickly, see photo #10.

[5] To save your knuckles from shredding on the shredding surface of a box grater, see photo #11.

[6] You’d be surprised how many people reach for the wrong one, especially when they’re in canisters. Solution: Use the professional method of mise en place (MEEZ on PLASS), measuring everything and setting it on your workspace before you begin cooking.

[7] Look twice at both the recipe and the container to ensure you add the right one.

[8] Here’s the episode where Julia Child flips a potato pancake and it flopped out of the pan. In this frame, she’s patching it together.  

We recently celebrated National Kitchen Klutzes Of America Day (June 13th)—inadvertently, because we set a potholder on fire. So we thought we’d take a look at other kitchen klutz disasters and offer some suggestions.

We don’t mean to make light of kitchen disasters; we take them quite seriously. So we hope this list will be a good guide to prevent you from joining the ranks of Kitchen Klutzes of America.

Most kitchen klutz disasters come from rushing, multitasking, using the wrong tool, or stepping away from the stove to do something else.
 
 
WHAT IS A KLUTZ?

Klutz comes from the German word Klotz, which means block, lump, or log. It’s also slang for a clumsy person.

The anglicized word klutz entered American English in the early 20th century as slang, brought to these shores by Yiddish-speaking immigrants. It became entered the parlance of New York City, and spread nationally through cartoons, television, etc.

There doesn’t seem to be an origin story of how the National Kitchen Klutzes Or America “holiday” came to be. But we can surmise that it was founded by an actual kitchen klutz (or someone who lived with him or her).

According to at least one source, the “celebration” can be traced to the 1980s. The concept spread enough that a publisher came out with a book (photo #1) in 1996.

No suggestions are given for how to celebrate the day. So here’s our thought: Go out to eat all meals on June 13th. Then you cannot possibly be a kitchen klutz on the big day.

> Check out all of the year’s food holidays. There’s at least one every day!

[9] This inexpensive silicone Boil Over Spill Stopper is the solution to photo #2. Find it on Amazon (photo © Quetcolor).
 
SPLATTER MESS

 
 

[10] We always have one of these next to our stove. It takes up little room and can be sprayed in an instant (unlike activating a conventional fire extinguisher). Pick one up at any hardware store (photo © First Alert).
 
FIRE & SMOKE

 
Be sure your smoke alarm has fresh batteries and that you keep a small fire extinguisher next to the stove (photo #10).
 
 

[11] We first learned to cook using a box grater—and had skinned knuckles to show for our efforts. The introduction of the Microplane was a knuckle-saver (photo © Microplane).
 
KNIFE & GRATER ACCIDENTS

 
 

[12] As the water component in wine turns to ice, it increases in volume, which puts pressure on the bottle that nost wine bottles can’t withstand. It can cause the cork to pop out, or the bottle to crack or even explode.
 
FREEZER

 
 
INGREDIENT ERRORS

We’ve all done it:

 
Hopefully, next June 13th, you’ll be a reformed Kitchen Klutz.

But if not, there’s no shame. Remember these famous chefs’ kitchen mishaps on TV:

   
________________
 
*To prevent the lid from blowing off a blender, first: Don’t overfill the blender. The jar (pitcher) should be filled only halfway to two-thirds full. Work in smaller batches as necessary.

Hot mixtures especially need more room for expansion. First, let the liquid cool slightly before blending. Remove the center plug in the lid to let steam escape (you can cover the hole loosely with a folded towel). You can also hold the down with your hand (firmly, but not forcing it).

Begin blending at a low speed, then gradually increase it. This reduces the sudden pressure build-up that can pop the lid off.

And of course, even with a half-filled blender, ensure that the lid is firmly in place, with any locking mechanisms engaged.

†Oil spatter: Water and oil don’t mix. We know you’ve heard that, but if your food contains moisture (e.g., vegetables, meat, or anything just washed and not dried thoroughly)…if you’re cooking foods that release juices into the oil (e.g., marinated meat, wet batter)…or if there are water droplets left in the hot pan before you add the oil…you can be splattered with hot, burning oil.

Here’s how to reduce oil spatter:

> Pat food dry before cooking.

> Heat the pan first, then add oil (unless recipe specifies otherwise).

> Place the food in the pan gently.

> Use a splatter screen over the pan.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

 
 
 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2025/05/18/chopped-salad-sandwich-recipes-history-for-national-salad-month/ Sun, 18 May 2025 19:18:32 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=151106
Continue reading "Chopped Salad Sandwich Recipes & History For National Salad Month" →]]>

May is National Salad Month, and if you haven’t yet tried a chopped salad sandwich, this is the time!

How would our culture evolve at seemingly warp speed if not for TikTok? One of the foods that has viraled into our lives is the chopped salad sandwich, which appeared a couple of years ago and quickly became a thing.

Just as with a conventional chopped salad, each bite delivers a delightful blend of flavors and textures.

You don’t have to start with a conventional salad—say, a Chef Salad or a Greek Salad.

If you prefer, you can take many popular sandwich fillings—BLT, club, falafel, ham and cheese, hoagie, po’ boy, Reuben, turkey and Swiss—add enough veggies, chop the ingredients, and bind with your favorite dressing.
 
 
THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS AN EXTRA-FINE DICE

Dressing serves as the binding agent, but if you use a thin dressing (e.g. vinaigrette instead of mayo), you need a stronger bread.

The viral sandwiches are on hero rolls, but we prefer ours on crusty baguette or rustic loaves (for crunch), focaccia or naan (for sturdiness).

While we enjoy pita pockets, be had to search for thicker ones so the dressing different drip through.

> The history of the chopped salad is below.

> The history of salad.

> The history of the sandwich.

> The different types of sandwiches: a photo glossary.

> The 25+ sandwich holidays.

> The 40+ salad holidays.
 
 
WHAT WE’VE MADE SO FAR

It’s easy to turn your favorite salad into a chopped salad sandwich. Finely dice your favorite ingredients—largely veggies and proteins, but nuts and fruits (dried or fresh) and other crunch (e.g. Chinese noodles) work, too.

Thus far, we’ve turned these salads into chopped salad sandwiches (we use a mezzaluna rocker, photo #8):

Next up we’re planning a Mexican chicken salad with tomatoes, bean, corn, and tortilla strips, using the Cheesecake Factory’s recipe.
 
Allow us to note that all of the traditional “salad” sandwiches—chicken salad, crab salad, egg salad, shrimp salad, tuna salad—can be chopified by adding more vegetables—the ones you’d receive if you ordered the salad on a platter instead of a sandwich.

You can invent your own chopped salad sandwich too, and that’s the fun of it. We had the remnants of a Mediterranean dinner in the fridge, so created our own Mediterranean chopped salad sandwich with:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE CHOPPED SALAD

The ancient Romans made a forerunner of the modern chopped salad called acetaria (their word for salad, derived from acetum, Latin for vinegar). An assortment of raw vegetables were cut into small pieces and dressed with vinegar, oil, and herbs.
 
 
The Modern Chopped Salad: Born In The U.S.A.

The modern chopped salad began to appear in the early 20th century. Beginning in the 1920s, versions of the Italian Antipasto Salad (photo #4) began to appear on menus of Italian-American restaurants in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, cities with large Italian immigrant populations.

Taking the ingredients off the antipasto platter, as it were, the Antipasto Salad was (and is) a mix of cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables, all cut into bite-sized pieces and dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

But it was a Beverly Hills restaurateur who created the dish that engendered the spread of chopped salads nationwide, helping to establish chopped salad as a restaurant staple.

It was created by Jean Leon (né Lluís Ferreny Anguera), the founder of La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. The eponymous La Scala Salad (photo #5) was on the menu when he opened the original La Scala restaurant in 1956 (it’s still there, in a different location).

Leon had emmigrated from Aragon, Spain. His restaurant quickly became famous among Hollywood celebrities and elites, and the La Scala chopped salad became one of his signature dishes.

It was its own version of the antipasto salad, featuring finely diced lettuce, salami, mozzarella cheese, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas) with a distinctive vinaigrette dressing.

It was chopped so finely that it could be eaten with a spoon, which was part of its appeal: It allowed celebrities to eat salad neatly without worrying about being photographed with lettuce hanging from their mouths.

The salad was widely copied in restaurants across the country and is considered one of the pioneering versions of the modern chopped salad.

The Cobb salad, debuting in 1937, certainly is a chopped salad (photo #7) although it was never marketed in those terms. Still, it contributed to the format’s popularity with its aesthetic appeal of rows of finely diced ingredients.

By the 1980s and 1990s, chopped salads had become increasingly popular in American restaurants, particularly in delis and Italian-American establishments.

The early 2000s saw a major boom in chopped salad chains like Chopt and Sweetgreen, which made customizable chopped salads. Thusly, the chopped salad became lunch staple.

What’s next? With today’s global cuisine influences and the availability of specialty ingredients, there’s no stopping the opportunity to create vibrant variations.
 
 
Predecessor Sandwich Inspiration

We don’t want to close without a shout-out to sandos that appeared long before chopped salad sandwiches (and long before the word sando, for that matter, which first appeared in print in the U.S. in 1965):

 
 
________________

*The difference between Chef Salad and Cobb Salad: They have more similarities than differences. For starters, both include lettuce (usually iceberg or romaine), tomato, and hard-boiled eggs. The meats, cheeses, other veggies, and dressings differ. Both are plated with the other ingredients on top of the greens. Chef salad is sometimes tossed.

> Meats: Chef has ham, turkey, and/or roast beef; Cobb has grilled/roasted chicken and bacon.

> Cheese: Chef has Swiss or Cheddar), Cobb has blue cheese.

> Other Veggies: Chef has cucumbers, Cobb has avocado.

> Dressing: Chef has Thousand Island, Ranch, or vinaigrette; Cobb has blue cheese, Ranch, or vinaigrette.

†Yes, olives are fruits, not vegetables. They are the fruit of the olive tree. Not all fruits are sweet: Chiles are also fruits.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] This Chopped Chicken Salad Sandwich has bacon and ranch dressing—a nice switch from mayo. Here’s the recipe (photo © Eat Like Erin).

[2] An Italian Chopped Salad Sandwich can be your version of a chopped hoagie Here’s the recipe (photo © Bellyful).

[3] A Chopped Cuban Sandwich. Here’s the recipe (photo © I Am Homesteader).

[4] One of the early chopped salads was the antipasto salad. Here’s a recipe (photo © DeLallo).

[5] Dating to 1956, the La Scala Salad from Los Angeles spread the popularity of chopped salads. Here’s the recipe (photo © Cucina By Elena).

[6] The classic Chef Salad. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Stay At Home Chef).

[7] The classic Cobb Salad. Here’s the recipe (photo © Ain’t Too Proud to Meg).

[8] If you don’t use a mezzaluna, it’s an eye opener. Be sure to get one with a double blade (photo © Chef Master | Amazon).  
 
 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2025/02/06/for-furmint-february-try-furmint-a-white-wine-from-hungary/ Thu, 06 Feb 2025 15:57:21 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=145611
Continue reading "For Furmint February Try Furmint, A White Wine From Hungary" →]]>

February 1st was International Furmint Day. The month is designated Furmint February. But what is Furmint*, many might ask?

It’s a white grape from Hungary, made into a noteworthy white wine.

We knew Furmint as the main white wine grape used in the grape blend for Hungarian’s famous Tokaji (Tokay), but we’d never had any that was bottled as a single varietal.

So we set out to find a few well-regarded to taste with wine friends at a weekend dinner.

This turned out to be a challenge, since Furmint wines appear to be quite rare in the U.S. We ended up buying them online.

So white wine lovers: Let’s all do our part. Try it, share it, and get sales up so more people can get to know this food-friendly, affordable wine.

It’s not a wine that gets much attention in the U.S. Furmint (FUR-mint) is important enough that the world’s best wineglass maker, Riedel, has designed a glass for it (photos #9 and #10).

Before we go further, a bottle of Furmint and a set of glasses would make a welcome gift for a wine connoisseur (by which we mean students of wine as well as experts).

An overview of Furmint (FUR-mint) follows. Also below:

> The history of Furmint.

> The year’s 40+ white wine holidays.

> The white wine varietals.

Also on TheNibble.com:

> All the red wine holidays.
 
 
AN INTRODUCTION TO FURMINT

From Hungary’s Tokaj region, Furmint is a white grape variety most famously known for its role in producing the prized Tokaji Aszú† (TOE-ky ah-ZU) sweet wines from the region. Nobles from all over Europe became fans, with King Louis XIV of France calling it the wine of kings.

Its high acidity and sugar content make the grape perfect for sweet wine production. It’s also thin-skinned and susceptible to the noble rot†, the mold Botrytis cinerea (photo #7).

Botrytis cinerea attacks the grapes and sucks out moisture, which concentrates the grape’s sugars and flavors into a honeylike sweetness and complexity.

Botrytised wines are the apex of sweet wine production, sought after by many for their lush, rich, intense sweetness.

Tokaji Aszú is one of the most famous dessert wines in the world. Like Sauternes, the botrytis brings out complex flavors of honey and apricot; and in the case of Tokaji Aszú, Furmint’s intense minerality as well.

Thus, while traditionally associated with sweet wines, many Hungarian winemakers now produce excellent dry Furmint wines. Food-friendly and refreshing, with high acidity and high minerality, wine aficionados now have the chance to discover dry Furmint.

While our focus here is dry Furmint, let’s start by defining the different types of Furmint wines.
 
 
Four Styles Of Furmint Wines

 
 
PAIRING DRY FURMINT & FOOD

The key to pairing food with dry Furmint is to work with its high acidity and complex mineral character. That’s pretty easy with everyday favorites such as:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF FURMINT WINE

A wild grape native to Hungary, Furmint has been cultivated in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region for centuries, with documented mentions dating back to the 16th century, during tumultuous period of the Ottoman occupation (1541 to 1699 C.E.).

Ampelographers** believe that it is highly probable that the grape originated there.

Furmint’s use in Tokaji dessert wines has its first known reference 1635, describing a full-bodied sweet dessert wine made from late-ripened grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot).

Although it was still a dangerous frontier zone exposed to frequent raids, during the Ottoman occupation the Tokaj wine region remained unoccupied and became a sanctuary for wine production and cultural preservation.
 
 
The Wine Of Kings

Tokaji Aszú, the sweet wine made from Furmint, gained international acclaim quickly. In the 17th century, it was known as the “wine of kings, king of wines,” a phrase famously attributed to King Louis XIV of France, a lover of Tokaji wines.

This reputation spread across European royal courts, making it a prestigious quaff among nobility.

The unique wine-making process involved hand-picking individual botrytized grapes from the cluster, a labor-intensive method that made the wine extremely expensive and rare (not all grapes in a cluster would get botrytis).

In 1737, the Tokaj wine region became the world’s first classified wine region, predating the Port wine region (Douro Valley, Portugal) in 1756. The famed classification of Bordeaux did not happen until 1855.

The sweet wine was well established by the late 18th century when, in 1796, the Hungarian politician János Dercsényi described Furmint as the “genuine Tokaji Aszú” grape [source].

During the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867 to 1918), Tokaji wines became known as a national treasure and were often used as diplomatic gifts

The phylloxera epidemic that began in 1863 and lasted for decades nearly destroyed Hungarian vineyards (as well as those in other parts of Europe, Australia, South Africa, and California, as the insect spread).

The recovery was slow, and wine production in Europe was further disrupted by the two World Wars and communist era.

While Tokai was produced then, quality was often sacrificed.

After the fall of communism in 1989, Hungarian winemakers began reviving traditional Furmint production techniques. They started focusing on both the traditional sweet styles and exploring dry Furmint wines, which have gained significant international recognition in recent years.
 
 
The Emergence Of Dry Furmint Wines

While Hungary has been producing dry Furmint wines for centuries, it was in small quantities for local consumption. The main focus was where the money was: in the world-famous Tokaji Aszú.

Dry furmint became widely recognized and commercially significant only recently, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

In the 1990s, after the fall of communism, Hungarian winemakers began experimenting more with dry Furmint, influenced by international demand for food-friendly dry white wines.

By the early 2000s, top producers like István Szepsy (Szepsy Winery), Disznókő, and Királyudvar began making high-quality dry Furmint wines, proving its potential beyond sweet wines.

Since then, Tokaj and other regions have developed crisp, mineral-driven dry Furmints, gaining international recognition.

Dry Furmint is now considered one of Hungary’s flagship white wines, enjoyed both domestically and internationally, with styles ranging from fresh and citrusy to rich and oak-aged.

They have caught the eye of winemakers in other countries. Plantings appeared in the neighboring countries of Austria and Slovenia.

There are small plantings in California, Australia, and South Africa as small winemakers experiment with what the grape might do in their regions—where the climate is very different from southern Hungary’s.
 
 
The Name “Furmint”

The origin or etymology of “furmint” is not entirely certain, but here are the leading theories—for which there is no evidence:

 
The truth is out there…somewhere.

[1] A dry Furmint from István Szepsy’s Szepsy Pince (cellar or winery). One of the greatest winemakers in the history of Hungary, Szepsy was instrumental in reviving Tokaj’s reputation post-communism. He was one of the first to refocus on making high-quality dry Furmint wines in addition to the traditional sweet wines. The Szepsy family has been making wine in Tokaj since the late 16th century (photo © 9 Elms Wines).

[2] The first records of Disznókő vineyards, one of the most renowned wineries in Tokaj, date back to 1413. By the 18th century, the estate was recognized as a premier Tokaji vineyard. Its modern revival began in 1992, when it was acquired by the French company AXA Millésimes, a wine investment group that restored the winery, modernizing production (photo © Disznoko).

[3] See the difference in color between the dry Furmint above and this late harvest Furmint, the result of the concentration of sugar and aging (photos #3, #4, #6, and #7 © Disznoko Tokaj | Facebook.

[4] Sparkling Furmint.

[5] Tokaji Aszú, the king of wines or wine of kings (photo Best Of Hungary).

[6] A cluster of furmint grapes, just snipped from the vine.

[7] Grapes attacked by Botrytis cinerea mold dry out like raisins. This concentrates the flavor.

[8] This dry Furmint celebrates the beloved Hungarian Vizsla, one of whom was evidently an army officer. It’s inexpensive and the label makes it a best-seller Here’s more about the wine (photo © Vivino).

[9] The world’s first Furmint glass was designed by the world’s leading wine glass maker, Riedel (photos #8 and #9 © Furmint Glass).

[10] Gift a box of two Furmint glasses along with a bottle of furmint.  

________________
 
*Furmint is capitalized because it is named after a grape variety, not a geographic location. This is in line with the style guidelines followed by the Associated Press and The New York Times. Wines that are not named after the type of grape are not capitalized, such as rosé and sherry.

**Ampelography is the science of identifying, naming and classifying cultivated grape varieties through detailed analysis of the unique characteristics of the plant.

***There are three rosé holidays. JThe second Saturday in June holiday was founded in 2014 by Bodvár House of Rosés, a Swedish brand, as a U.S.-focused promotional holiday. The fourth Friday in June, International Rosé Day, was established in 2018 by the Provence wine region in France, which is essentially the global home of rosé.

†Tokaji Aszú is a sweet dessert wine made primarily from botrytized grapes. Botrytis, a fungus, leaches moisture from the grapes, drying them out, which concentrates the sugars and flavors (photo #7). Hence the nickname, noble rot. Aszú means “dried.” Note that while botrytis is often referred to as “gray mold,” mold is a type of fungus. While the mold first appeared spontaneously in warm, humid conditions, winemakers can now use techniques to encourage its growth.

When pairing foods with Aszú,the rich, lusciously sweet, high-acid wine making is a versatile pairing wine that works well with sweet, salty, spicy, and umami-rich dishes.
>Cheese Pairings: blue cheeses (Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola), aged Cheddar or Comté, goat cheese.
>Savory Pairings: foie gras, duck à l’orange, honey-glazed ham, roast pork with apples, spicy Asian cuisine (Indian, Szechuan, Thai).
>Dessert Pairings: fruit tarts (apple, apricot, peach, pear), crème brûlée, nut or spice cakes (gingerbread, hazelnut, walnut).
>Snacks: dark chocolate with sea salt, dried fruits and nuts (almond, apricots, figs, walnuts), (Figs, Apricots, Almonds, Walnuts) – A simple yet elegant match.

††The other Hungarian grapes that can be used in a Tokaji blend, hárslevelű and sárga muskotály for added complexity, zéta and kövérszőlő for aroma, and kabar for richness and depth.

‡There are two Champagne Days. The first, celebrated on the fourth Friday of October, was created in 2009 by Chris Oggenfuss, a California wine educator. The second, on New Year’s Eve, grew organically.

‡‡Cap Classique is a term used in South Africa for méthode traditionelle sparkling wine production. This is the same technique used in Champagne, a labor-intensive process where wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating the bubbles.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

 
 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2024/07/30/try-a-new-but-ancient-spice-hilba-a-k-a-fenugreek/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:54:06 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=146939
Continue reading "Try A New (But Ancient) Spice: Hilba a.k.a. Fenugreek" →]]>

[1] A jar of hilba, also called fenugreek (photos #1 and #2 © Pereg).

[2] The seeds can be purchased whole (photo #3) or ground.

[3] The seeds grow in pods. You can grow the plant at home (photo © Luscious Green Balcony).
 

[4] A bunch of fresh fenugreek leaves, ready for salads or cooking (photo © Thamizhpparithi Maari | Wikipedia).

[5] Fenugreek seeds are added to one of the flavored Gouda varieties from Marieka, which spells it foenegreek (photo © Marieke Gouda).

[6] Mixed roasted vegetables with fenugreek/hilba (photo © Pampered Chef).

[7] Here’s a recipe for fenugreek lentil soup with crispy herbs (photo © Simply Nootropics).    
If you like to try new flavors when you cook, it’s time to spice things up with a little-known (in the U.S.) spice superstar: hilba (or hilbeh—the Arabic name), also known as fenugreek (derived from the Latin faenugraecum, meaning “Greek hay”).

The plant’s leaves and seeds are common ingredients in dishes from the Indian subcontinent and have been a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.

> The difference between herbs and spices.
 
 
Why two different names for the same spice?

There are often many different names for a product, based on the number of languages of the peoples who use it.

Because Pereg Gourmet Spices, which inspired this article, uses the Middle Eastern name, we’ll use the terms interchangeably.
 
For both, the botanical name is Trigonella foenum-graecum, a member of the Fabaceae family (commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family).

Hilba packs a flavor punch of warm, sweet, and slightly bitter notes. “It adds a depth of taste that will leave your taste buds dancing,” says Pereg, which re-introduced us to the spice, which we hadn’t had in decades.

The flavor of fenugreek seeds can be bitter by itself but when cooked into a dish it adds a slightly nutty sweetness similar to notes of burnt sugar or maple syrup.

You can toast them lightly, but not too much or the heat will add bitterness.

> How to toast spices, nuts, and seeds.

Ready to embark on a flavor adventure? Hilba is incredibly versatile. Sprinkle it on meats, stir it into soups, or add it to your favorite dips.

> See the recipes below.
 
> Get your hilba/fenugreek. You can order it online from Pereg Gourmet Spices.

The Pereg line is gluten-free, GMO-free, certified kosher by OU, and verified CRC kosher.
 
 
USES FOR HILBA / FENUGREEK

Fenugreek is a “triple-threat,” used as an herb (dried or fresh leaves), a spice (seeds or ground seeds—photo #2), and a vegetable (fresh leaves—photo #4—sprouts, and microgreens).

It has a distinctive maple syrup aroma from the chemical compound sotolon (which also gives the same aroma to lovage).

The seeds are often roasted first, which enhances the flavor and reduces inherent bitterness.

 
> Check out the recipes below.
 
 
GLOBAL TRADITIONS WITH HILBA / FENUGREEK

Here’s how the spice is used in global cuisines [source].

Armenia: Fenugreek seed powder is used to make a coating paste for basturma (pastirma), air-dried beef. The dish is also found in Albania, Armenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Iraq, the Levant, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

Egypt: Fenugreek is known by the Arabic name hilba or helba. Seeds are boiled to make a drink that is consumed at home, as well as in coffee shops. Farmers in Upper Egypt add fenugreek seeds and maize to pita dough to produce aish merahrah, a staple of their diet.

Eritrea and Ethiopia: The word for fenugreek in Amharic is abesh or abish. In addition to a culinary spice, the seed is used as an herbal medicine to treat diabetes.

Georgia: The cuisine uses a related species, Trigonella caerulea, known as “blue fenugreek.”

India: Fenugreek seeds are used both whole and powdered in the preparation of dal, pickles, vegetable dishes, and spice mixes such as panch phoron (Indian Five Spice Blend) and sambar powder (a spice blend of coriander seeds, Bengal gram dal, dried chiles, fenugreek, pepper, pigeon pea dal, and turmeric powder). Fresh fenugreek leaves are an ingredient in some curries, and in potatoes dishes such as aloo methi (which means “potato fenugreek”).

Iran: Fenugreek leaves, called shambalileh, are one of several greens incorporated into the herb stew ghormeh sabzi, the herb frittata kuku sabzi and the soup known as eshkeneh.

Morocco: Fenugreek is used in rfissa, a noteworthy stew of chicken, lentils, and onions served on a bed of shredded msemen flatbread or trid (a.k.a. b’stilla, a paper-thin pastry in the manner of phyllo).

Turkiye: The spice is very popular for basturma/pastirma (air-dried beef). The name comes from the Turkish verb bastırmak, meaning “to press.”

Yemen: A small amount of oud† al hilba (ashwagandha in India) is traditionally added to ground fenugreek seeds, then mixed with water to create a paste called hulbah. It is believed to aid in digestion and perhaps more importantly for Yemenites, lessens or eliminates the maple syrup smell.

Yemenite Jewish: Sephardic Jews in Yemen grind the seeds and mix them with water, where they greatly expand. Hot chile spice, turmeric and lemon juice are added to produce a frothy relish called hilbeh, which eaten with a sop (e.g. bread) for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. It is eaten daily and ceremonially during dinner on the first and/or second night of the holiday.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF HILBA / FENUGREEK
 
Fenugreek is believed to have been first cultivated in the Near East, from a wild strain of the genus Trigonella, “little triangle” in Latin due named for its yellowish-white triangular flowers. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants know [source].

Wild members of the genus grow wild in the Canary Islands, southern Europe, non‑tropical Africa, western and central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Australia.

Hilba/fenugreek is a member of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) botanical family, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family. It’a a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants, the third-largest* land plant family with nearly 20,000 known species.

Charred fenugreek seeds, carbon dated to 4000 B.C.E., have been recovered from Tell Halal, Iraq and Tel Lachish, a Bronze Age settlement in Israel.

Desiccated seeds were also found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, the “boy king” (c. 1341 B.C.E. to c. 1323 B.C.E.). Much later, Cato the Elder (149-149 B.C.E.) cited fenugreek with clover and vetch as crops grown to feed cattle [source].

Moving to first century C.E., we find that the Romans flavored wine with fenugreek; and in Galilee, Josephus notes that it was grown as a staple food [source].  
 
EASY RECIPES WITH HILBA / FENUGREEK

Discover a whole new world of flavor!

 
Shahiat tayiba, which is bon appétit in Arabic.
 
________________
 
*The first two are Asteraceae, the aster family of flowering plants with more than 32,000 currently accepted species; and Orchidaceae, the orchid family, with some 28,000 known species. For a recap on third place, see above.

†An aromatic resin—think of other edible tree resins like mastic.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

 
 
 
   ]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2024/06/26/what-do-the-different-colors-of-plastic-bread-tags-mean/ Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:59:49 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=146787
Continue reading "What Do The Different Colors Of Plastic Bread Tags Mean?" →]]>

You learn something new every day (if you’re lucky), and today we learned why bread tags—the colored plastic tags (photo #1) or twist ties that close plastic bags of bread—are made in different colors.

Also called bread buckles and bread clips, these tags or twists are part of a color-coordinated system that marks when the bread was baked and packaged.

It’s meant to help the market’s stock clerks identify older loaves that should be pulled from shelves.

While we always look at the expiration date before we buy bread, looking at each tag for the loaf’s expiration date would take too much time for food store staff.

The color-coding helps the clerks pull older loaves from the shelves speedily.

> The history of bread tags is below.
 
 
HERE’S THE COLOR CODE

Most bakeries don’t produce bread on Sundays and Wednesdays, which is why they’re missing from this list. The colors were assigned in alphabetical order: blue, green, red, white, yellow.

 
 
HERE’S HOW TO RE-USE THE TAGS

You can find dozens of creative and useful ways to re-purpose the plastic tags when the bread bag is empty.

Our favorite is as “cable labels” to identify computer cables, charging cords, monitor cord, printer cord, TV cord, and others.

You could purchase these colored labels (photo #3) to identify all of your cords, or you could think green and use a Sharpie and your bread tags.

Whether you use cable labels or bread tags, organizing your cords with color-coded labels lets you pick out the cord you’re looking for.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE BREAD TAG

According to some sources, the bread tag was invented by Floyd G. Paxton of Yakima, Washington (1918-1975). The story is that he invented his “Kwik Lock closure” on a flight in 1952.

Necessity is the mother of invention: He opened a bag of peanuts and had no way to close them.

So Paxton used his pocket knife to carve out a prototype closure device from an expired plastic credit card (prior to 9/11/2001 you could carry knives onto the plane).

His invention was later adapted for commercial use as an easy way to initially seal and then reseal bags [source].

Today, Kwik Lok is the global leader in bag closures.
 
 
> The history of bread.

> Check out the different types of bread in our photo glossary.

[1] Go green: repurpose your plastic bread tags. Here are 25 uses (photo © Kwik Lok).