Comfort Food Vol. 2

There’s a time to push the envelope, to get adventurous, to try that foamed anchovy amuse bouche, to brave the twenty-course wild-foraged tasting menu. But when you dream about food, what dishes dance through your slumbering head? Tomato soup and grilled cheese. Mom’s Sunday roast. Cookies. Bacon. Mmmm… There’s food for the mind — and the Instagram account — and then there’s food for the heart. And this month, we’re putting the brain on autopilot and indulging. Comfort food often does its comforting in a blanket of butter. But for us, the beauty of these foods is their nostalgic simplicity (OK, a little bacon doesn’t hurt). In other words, comfort today needn’t come with regrets and bellyaches tomorrow. It might taste like mom’s, but it’s better for you — so your heart’s happy, and healthy too. Tuck in, and eat up.

Bourbon "Old Fashioned" Hot Toddy Recipe Here

Classic Old Fashioned Syrup // Cocktail Crate // Long Island City, NY

We know you want to roll up your sleeves and flash those vinyasa-toned forearms, shaking up cocktails for your ogling guests — but they don’t want to watch; they want to drink, and you should be shmoozing, not sweating it out behind the bar. So do what the trendiest mixology meccas do and plan ahead with DIY drinks. Cocktail Crate's mixer is perfect. It has everything but the booze: a classic blend of orange and aromatic bitters, sultry sweet with brown turbinado sugar. Mix four parts whiskey to one part Cocktail Crate, fill a couple of swing-top bottles, set the bar with an ice bucket and bowl of orange twists, and save the shaking for the dance floor. Need a winter warmer? Turn up the heat with our simple, satisfying version of the Old Fashioned Hot Toddy or go full Breakfast comfort blast with Old Fashioned Whiskey French Toast. 

Recipes:

1. Rum Old Fashioned
2. Long Island City
3. Spiced Whiskey Sour

Smoke And Fire Peanut Butter // Fix and Fogg // Houston, TX

Where there's smoke, there's fire and in this case, they combine to make some of the most unique and delicious peanut butter we've tasted. Fix & Fogg is a small team "dedicated to the best nut butters in the world" and they are well on their way with everything from chocolate almond butter to coffee and maple peanut butter. We reach for the Smoke And Fire which works perfectly smeared on toast but also lends a smoky, spicy kick to any dish making it a versatile pantry staple. 

From The Maker:

Hatch Chile And Manuka Smoke

We make our award-winning Smoke and Fire peanut butter by blending our Super Crunchy peanut butter with New Mexico Hatch chile. Then we go a little crazy and add natural Manuka smoke and Spanish smoked paprika to send you on an epic journey of flavours: a smoky start with a spicy lingering finish.

• Hatch chile and Manuka smoke
• No added sugar or palm oil
• No nasty additives
• Proudly made in the USA
• 13.2oz

Fast 5 Uses:

1. Avocado + Peanut Butter + Toast
2. BBQ Marinade For Meats
3. Smoke & Fire Hummus
4. Smoke & Fire Peanut Butter Cookies
5. Stir Into A Smoothie 

More Fix & Fogg Recipe Here

Bacon-Flavored Sriracha // Fat Cat Foods // Orlando, FL

Bacon? Sriracha? What more could you want in sauce form? Orlando husband-and-wife team Eyal Goldshmid and Deborah Moskowitz make a boatload of award winning sauces and we think this one is the cat's meow. We highly recommend this fiery flavor giver in these Sriracha Turkey Satay Burgers.

From The Maker:

Our Bacon-Flavored Sriracha blends the garlicky-peppery punch of the classic Thai-inspired hot sauce with the savory, salty succulence of roasty-toasty bacon. It’s the ideal American condiment, purr-fect with burgers, fries, grilled cheese sandwiches and more. Plus it’s preservative-free and vegan (yes, Vegan). What could be better?

Fast 5 Uses:

1. Pizza
2. Toss With Wings
3. Mix With Mayo To Kick Up A Sandwich
4. Mix Into Guacamole
5. Toss Roast Vegetables In Bacon Sriracha

Salami & Fig Grilled Cheese Recipe Here

Fennel & Pepper Pork Salami // Foustman’s Salami // San Francisco, CA

A fourth generation salumi maker slow curing world-class salami in the San Francisco Bay Area? Believe it. It might not be the rolling foothills of Italy but owners Justin and Jessica Foust have a foothold on building an Artisan empire stateside (in the rolling hills of San Fran). Based on old country family recipes, this salami gets a healthy splash of pinot grigio, a hit of black pepper and subtle liquorice kick from fennel. No need to reinvent the wheel here, your favorite bottle of red, good cheese and crusty bread.  But if you want to reinvent the wheel?  We layered Foustman's with fresh figs and Taleggio for a grilled cheese that is far from child's play.

Notes From The Maker: 

1) These salamis are shelf stable and do not need to be refrigerated until after opening. Perfect for camping, hiking, picnics or traveling.

2) Salami Casing - We use a fibrous casing, which is made from plant cellulose and should be removed before eating. 

3) Our old-world style, Italian dry salami is coated in an organic white mold as part of the dry-curing, preservative process. Like you would find in some fine cheeses, this mold is harmless and contributes to the unique flavor profile of our salami.

Due to the fact that our salami is vacuum sealed in plastic, the growth of this mold is inhibited, so you may not see any mold on the surface when you first open your salami.

As it is exposed to air, though, you may begin to see a white mold develop (the mold may also be green or dark colored, which is fine). Don't be scared! This mold is beneficial and prevents harmful bacteria from spoiling the salami. It is totally edible, but will usually be removed along with the outer casing, which should be removed anyways before you enjoy your salami. 

Jerky Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe Here

Grass Fed Beef Jerky // Slant Shack Jerky // Brooklyn, NY

Sure, Jerky and “Mantry” can be a cliché, but when we stumbled across the team at Slant Shack using sustainably raised grass-fed beef for this artisan meat treat, we took notice. Tear into a bag of this dehydrated goodness, while rehydrating with an ice cold brew and seeking refuge from that convenience store stuff.

Bean-To-Bar Dark Chocolate // Antidote Chocolate // Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Crushing a Crunchie bar won’t get you very far but high-grade dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, boasting benefits that include stress reduction, heart health and improved brain function. Greenpoint based Antidote combine exotic flavors on a fruity base of 70% dark chocolate. The result? a solid substitute for a weekday snack attack or the perfect topping to kick up comforting weekend french toast.  

Brioche French Toast With "Old Fashioned" Bourbon Caramelized Bananas, Smoke & Fire Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Recipe Here

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