Mariebelle’s Frangelico Truffles

No matter how many new truffle flavors are created, the seamlessly delicious pairing of chocolate and hazelnut remains a classic. This holiday season, MarieBelle has come out with a Frangelico truffle: dark chocolate ganache blended with the hazelnut liqueur and infused with hazelnut and vanilla. It’s a creamy, dreamy treat! The beautiful abstract mosaic-like design echoes the essence of the refreshed classic.

Food Rules

Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, a compilation of simple rules to eat and live by, became an instant phenomenon when it was published two years ago. It became a foodie bible, promoting better eating and health, with rules like “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t” and “Pay more, eat less.” Food Rules took on a life of its own with overwhelming reader response and adaptations of the rules to posters and t-shirts. So many readers shared their own rules with him that Pollan decided to publish an updated edition with some new rules like, “When you eat real food, you don’t need rules” and “If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re probably not hungry.” This new edition is also a collaboration with celebrated designer and illustrator, Maira Kalman. Kalman’s witty illustrations not only complement the rules but also bring vibrancy to the words, making it a true pleasure and fun read.

The Art of French Baking

In the midst of all the frantic holiday shopping, I see the light at the end of the tunnel: the last week of the year, warm and cozy at home with loved ones drinking hot cocoa and baking in the kitchen. And what will I be baking? With the help of The Art of French Baking, hopefully a little of everything, from cakes to soufflés, éclairs, tarts and macarons. Both chestnut cake and chestnut tart are appropriately on my list. This is the first English translation of Ginette Mathiot’s beloved best-selling classic in France, Je Sais Faire la Pâtisserie. The book breaks things down with glossaries, essential ingredients, equipment and techniques. The first part of the book includes recipes for basic building blocks like pastry doughs, sauces and frostings. These are useful references for the later chapters’ recipes — from small cakes to choux pastries. With over 350 recipes in this cookbook, it’s an essential companion for any occasion. For your holiday party, consider making some Gruyere matchsticks and chocolate éclairs with the recipes in the boxes to the right.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

Karen Page and Andrew Dorenburg’s newest book, The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine, brings wine closer to home.

The book opens with a timeline of the key wine events in American history. This really makes us realize that wine is neither foreign nor new to this country. It puts things into perspective to know that one of the aims for Jamestown was to establish a wine industry so that England no longer had to rely on France and Spain for its wine needs.

The book is filled with interviews with top American sommeliers on their wine views and tips. Their voices and priceless stories from working “the floor” and dealing with guests face-to-face add unique personality to the book and captivate the reader. For example, star soms like John Ragan of Eleven Madison Park, Sabato Sagaria of The Little Nell and Claire Paparazzo of Blue Hill tell how they entice clients to try new grapes and how most people’s palates evolve as they become more serious drinkers.

Readers will learn to build their wine palates around taste profiles: the flavors they like in food translate to taste profiles in wine. Chapter 4, “Know Your Wines: The Lists,” features information about specific grapes such as Grignolino and wine styles such as Meritage Red. The authors also break down wine pairing with food. I especially liked their take on soup: “The idea of pairing a beverage with a liquid may seem redundant or odd — but wine can provide an important contrast or complement to soup. It can be used to cut the richness…or to enhance it…”

Bringing it back home, I love the sommelier’s recommended reference section. These are tried-and-true books, magazines and websites that industry professionals are endorsing and using. Can it get any closer?

Snowmen
Soft, Yummy & Seductive Treats

Humor: that’s what we need to brighten up any holiday season. These English snowmen marshmallows are great as stocking stuffers or holiday treats for afternoon snacks. Snow white, “seductively soft,” and smile-inducing. These snowmen promise no more or no less.

Ostrich Feather Duster
Grand and Practical

Feathers are so grand! Especially when you have a bunch of them outfitting your apartment. I love the look of these ostrich feathers, which come in three different sizes ($22/$35/$45) and shades of white, dark gray or a mix of the two. You can decide if you want them to add some grandeur to your living space or to serve a practical purpose, such as grandiose dusting.

Cousu de Fil Soap
Little Indulgences

I love dropping by Woodley & Bunny since everything there is so eye-catching. It’s a great place for self-indulgence or gifting ideas. On my last visit, I fell for these soaps from Cousu de Fil ($16.50), which are sold in the United States at Woodley & Bunny’s store and website exclusively. They come in Chestnut Milk, Seaweed and Spicy Coffee.

Atsuyo et Akiko Accessories
For the Little Girl: Fur, Pom Pom & More

For the little girl who has everything, the playful and humorous accessories by Atsuyo et Akiko will surely do the trick. On many occasions I’ve tried on the necklaces myself, as the color combos are often unexpected and stunning and the designs whimsical. I’m especially enamored with the key fur necklace ($24), definitely a sophisticated addition to any stylish girl’s outfit; the bright pink pom pom ring ($10), which brings a pop of color and lots of attention; and the “Je t’aime NY” tote bag ($20), a play on the ubiquitous “I love NY” logo. The little girl in me would be more than happy to receive all of these gifts this holiday season.

Monopoint Pendant Lamp

We first fell in love with Tracy Glover’s magical blown glass lamps when we spotted them at a shop in Toronto nearly a decade ago. Several years later, we bought one — a blue-and-green hued floor lamp that evokes the sea. Since then, it’s served as a playful beacon in the corner of our living room, radiating light and happiness. Glover holds a BFA from the glass department at the Rhode Island School of Design and honed her craft in locales ranging from a Belgian crystal factory to Dale Chihuly’s Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle. The latest addition to her product list is this series of monopoint pendant lamps. Like all of the works of lighting art Glover sells, it can be customized by shape, color, pattern, length and “lamping” (LED or halogen). The hardest part is deciding between so many gorgeous options.