Floral

The Bloom of Health

Author: Kirsten K., Cold Drinks, Food & Drink, Wellness

Kombucha—that tart and trendy fermented tea beloved by hipsters and health nuts alike—can be an acquired taste, but it’s one I acquired long ago when “going raw” was all the rage and the only bottles of this beneficial elixir one could find on the shelves of natural foods stores were brewed by GT Dave.

At the time, I worked at an alternative healthcare center and had to pass by Whole Foods on my way home, so I’d frequently stop in for a bottle of GT’s Kombucha and enjoy a brief buzz from the fermentation. This was before most brands were recalled from store shelves in 2010 for reformulation to comply with alcohol limits. When they returned later that year, they had the same acetic zing and healthful probiotic cultures, but weren’t quite as fun anymore.

Until, that is, I caught the bouquet of this Bloom Spring Edition Kombucha from GT’s Living Foods. The blend of raw, organic kombucha with elderflower, jasmine, and violet hits all the right notes* while combining to create a unique floral flavor all its own. If you’ve been wary of trying kombucha or haven’t developed a taste for it—yet—Bloom might just grow on you.

While I feel a sense of well-being whenever I drink kombucha, the health benefits of this beverage are still being debated, but you can benefit Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation every time you post a selfie on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with your bottle of @GTsKombucha and the hashtag #InFullBloom. GT’s Living Foods will donate $5 to the organization for each post through the end of June, so drink up and help this flower empower youth while putting you #InFullSwoon.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

GT’s Bloom Spring Edition Kombucha

 

GT’s Kombucha can be found in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and most major supermarkets and natural foods stores.

 

*If they’d also added rose, I might not be able to calm down.

 

Brew Love

Author: Kirsten K., Coffee, Food & Drink, Hot Drinks

As I’ve written before, I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker until a few years ago. Even then, I’d only indulge a couple of times a week and would often take a break from coffee altogether for a month or more, but over the past year my boss has developed an addiction to Starbucks’ Chai Tea Latte—and addicts don’t like to drink alone.

She began bribing me to pick up her tea by offering to buy me a coffee, so each time I went I’d order whatever was featured on the board that day. Eventually, I moved through most of the menu (recently finding a favorite in their seasonal Juniper Latte), so when my mother informed me that she’d read about Starbucks’ new Rose Hazelnut Latte, I jumped at the chance to try it…only to discover that it’s actually available from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (mothers, amirite?).

Most people have taken sides in the Battle of the Brew, with SEAL* Team Starbucks in one camp and the “Bean” Berets in another, but I see myself as a sip-lomat—able to reconcile both. Since there’s a Coffee Bean location less than one mile from my house, I raced right over and HOLY HAZELNUT, THIS LATTE IS DELICIOUS!

Rose and hazelnut is not an obvious pairing, and I had been dubious about this duo, but it was like magic in my mouth. The rose dominates, while the hazelnut provides a subtle note of warmth. A common complaint with floral flavors is that they can taste like soap or perfume, but this rose is strong and sweet without being cloying. My mother, who doesn’t typically enjoy florals, declared this drink to be the best latte she’s ever tasted. Kirsti gave it an A+.

I have since tried both the iced and Ice Blended® versions (although I prefer it hot) and gained name recognition among the baristas, who informed me yesterday that this is a seasonal flavor—presumably for Valentine’s Day—which will only stick around for another week! Once I picked myself up off the floor, I began to gear up for a campaign to rescue Rose Hazelnut from retirement, because this is BREW LOVE, and brew love is supposed to last forever.

So get your latte while it’s hotte (or iced) and join me in contacting the company before this delightful drink becomes a has-bean.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Rose Hazelnut Latte

 

★“Stellar” Espresso And Lattes

 

Awesome Floss

Author: Kirsten K., Coffee, Food, Food & Drink, Holidays, Hot Drinks, Sweets

Happy New Year, Swooners! Unfortunately, I spent much of my time over Christmas and New Year’s recovering from illness, so I wasn’t able to schedule our annual holiday posts, but I found comfort in sipping my new favorite drink: the Juniper Latte. I swoon over the scent of evergreen, but never thought it would grace my Grande until I saw this seasonal brew on Starbucks’ menu. Once I experienced the flavor of winter foliage, I wanted MORE of this “treet,” but adding pumps of the juniper syrup to my coffee order also meant adding unwanted sweetness, so I began to look online for a juniper extract to jazz up my java. That’s when I discovered Nature’s Flavors.

I ordered juniper in the form of an organic flavor concentrate (which works like a charm in my latte), but fell down the rabbit hole while exploring the many extracts, oils, syrups, powders, and other natural and organic flavors offered by the company. There were so many to choose from in such a variety of forms that I had to create a spreadsheet to make sense of them all! In addition to evergreen essences like juniper and pine, they have an endless assortment of fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, floral, liquor, and baking flavors, as well as surprising options running the gamut from acorn to zabaglione.

I wanted to try them ALL, but before I broke the bank buying up bottles, I found that they offered many of their flavors in the form of “floss.” Cotton candy may be referred to as candy floss or fairy floss in some parts of the world, but it’s still the same fairground staple we know and love, and it provides a light and (f)airy vehicle for sampling all types of tastes (Alfredo, anyone?). Naturally, I gravitated to the florals: jasmine, lavender, orange blossom, rose, violet…and one I’d never tried before—apple blossom. Awesome!

Nature’s Flavors also carries juniper cotton candy floss, but next time I might try something more daring, like dragon fruit, or bold, like bay. With their slew of selections, I won’t need a reminder to floss daily.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Nature’s Flavors Cotton Candy Floss

 

For the do-it-yourselfers, Nature’s Flavors offers all natural and organic cotton candy sugars. Click here for some more fun ways to floss.

 

Fantastical Botanicals

Author: Kirsti Kay, Cocktails, Entertaining, Food & Drink, Spirits

I’ve always been a gin girl. My parents are gin people and their parents were gin people. To me, there is nothing more perfect than a well made G&T. Friends say they drink vodka because they don’t like the taste of alcohol, and that is precisely why I don’t care for the stuff—it doesn’t taste like anything. The spicy juniper notes of gin tickle my nose and make my taste buds sing. But vodka…it’s just a tasteless way to get a buzz. Vodka has been largely left out of the craft cocktail craze, but move over aged sherry and Aperol, because Ketel One is trying to change that.

Enter Ketel One Botanical, a trio of new vodkas distilled with real botanicals and infused with natural fruit essences. The triumvirate includes Grapefruit & Rose, Peach & Orange Blossom, and Cucumber & Mint. As anyone who reads this blog knows, this is classic Swoon Society territory, so Kirsten and I set out immediately to see if there was any swooning to be done.

Kirsten surprised me one night by coming over with the Grapefruit & Rose vodka. The label is so pretty, you would not recognize this as a brand that is available in your local CVS. What separates Ketel One Botanical vodkas from other flavored vodkas is that fruit essences and herbs are distilled into the spirit, giving the vodka a clean taste that isn’t sugary or artificial (think La Croix or Spindrift avec alcohol). It’s refreshing and delicate—a perfect foil for tonic or, if you are looking for a lower calorie drink, a splash of soda water. There are no carbs, and only non-GMO grains are used. And, at only 73 calories a serving, it’s a skinny drink too.

We made our first cocktail. The rose flavor was not too forward, so don’t be afraid to try it, even if you aren’t a person who loves the taste of roses in your food (like we do!). Put lots of ice in a goblet or lowball glass, garnish with a wedge of grapefruit and an organic rose petal, and then charge your guests $16, since you are now a purveyor of craft cocktails!

We soon purchased the other flavors. The Peach & Orange Blossom was the favorite among our friends who tried them. It was the most accessible, flavor-wise, and the essence of peach is quite lovely. I really love the Cucumber & Mint because this summer was a hot one and it was so nice to have an ice-filled cocktail with a long slice of cucumber and some mint sprigs outside in the evening. To be honest, the Grapefruit & Rose is probably my least favorite,* only because the rose flavor is almost too subtle to be detected. I will be keeping all three flavors in my home bar, though. They are a big hit!

Step away from your rosé, folks! Back away from that bourbon! Cast aside your Campari! Vodka is back, Baby! I never thought I would say that. I hope I don’t read that they are going to re-launch Tequiza next week. Some things, like Bruce Willis singing the praises of Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers, Zima, or even my ’80s hair need to remain a distant high school memory.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Ketel One Botanical Vodkas

 

Ketel One vodkas are available at BevMo and most supermarkets and liquor stores.

 

*Note from Kirsten: The Grapefruit & Rose is my favorite. 😋

 

Taking Liberteas

Author: Kirsten K., Cold Drinks, Food & Drink, Holidays, Tea

This time last year, we gave three cheers, but not everyone wants to celebrate the Spirit of ’76 by adding spirits to the mix. For those who forswear alcohol (or sugary drinks), you can offer a refreshing alternative to the usual 4th of July fare with this festive trio of teas. Featuring botanically-based hues of red, white, and blue, these caffeine-free* brews will be a natural at your patriotic party.

The crimson of classic Red Zinger from Celestial Seasonings comes from tangy hibiscus leaves, which impart their trademark “zing” with an assist from peppermint, sweet orange, lemongrass, and wild cherry bark.

What white tea lacks in color, it makes up for in character, and with eight varieties to choose from in The Republic of Tea’s line of 100% rare Chinese white teas—including Pineapple Guava, Cucumber Mint, and Asian Jasmine—you’ll find a flavor to please every palate.

But the sapphire shade of Blue-Tee from Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. is the real sparkler here. Made from pure butterfly pea flowers, this herbal tisane has been a Southeast Asian staple for centuries, but has found recent popularity in America due to its Instagram-worthy tint and peculiar properties. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the blue brew turns a violet hue. Mix in milk and you get something resembling Bridget Jones’ leek soup.

By taking liberties with afternoon tea, this British tradition becomes as American as red, white, and blue, so for those who want to skip the soda and bypass the booze this Independence Day, add these stars to your backyard bars and give guests their freedom of choice.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Red Zinger Tea from Celestial Seasonings
White Tea from The Republic of Tea
Blue-Tee from Wild Hibiscus Flower Co.

 

Celestial Seasonings and The Republic of Tea can be found at most chain supermarkets. Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. teas are available at many Whole Foods and Sprouts markets. If you can’t find the tea, look for their b’lure Butterfly Pea Flower Extract at BevMo.

 

*Herbal teas like Red Zinger and butterfly pea flower are caffeine-free. The caffeine content of white teas can vary widely depending on type and processing. White teas from The Republic of Tea are low in caffeine.

 

 

These Violet Delights

Author: Kirsten K., Food & Drink, Sweets

The last few weeks have been busy with not much time to stop and swoon…that is, until my friend Mika tipped me off to these new dark chocolate-covered violet marshmallows from Whole Foods and I dropped like a stone.

Of all the floral flavorings that Kirsti and I have written about, violet is my favorite. Add a true violet essence to soft, pillowy marshmallows, then dip them in dark chocolate—oh là là!

These confections are imported from France (where violet sweets are de rigueur) and taste just like the versions that Mika enjoyed when she lived in Lyon. True to their French provenance, these mauve guimauve are both charming and tasteful, providing the perfect blooming bite to serve as a snack, conclude a meal, or float in a cup of hot chocolate.

However, these violet delights have violet ends, because the box says “Limited Botanical Edition,” so head to Whole Foods tout de suite, because missing out on these cute sweets would be a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Whole Foods Dark Chocolate Violet Marshmallows

 

 

All That Jasmine

Author: Kirsten K., Cold Drinks, Food & Drink

After several days of “May Gray” here in Southern California, the sun finally broke through this week. Today has been cloudy and cool, but the weekend forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the high 80s. A whiff of summer is in the air. On my evening walks, the smell of night-blooming jasmine has been so thick that I can practically taste it, but if I want to actually taste it, I reach for a bottle of Jasmine Sparkling Essence Water from World Market.

Folks, there’s no way to describe the wonder of this water. It contains no sugar or other additives, just the essence of a thousand fragrant blossoms floating down an effervescent stream. As our regular readers know, Kirsti and I love floral flavorings, but while it’s common to find rose petal jam, lavender honey, and all that jazz on supermarket shelves, it’s more rare to come across culinary jasmine.

Of course, I enjoy drinking white and green jasmine teas, but they have a different, more delicate flavor than this sparkling water, which exudes a potent perfume similar to that of Medicine Flower’s jasmine extract. I found it tucked away on a shelf at the far back of my local World Market, so you might have to do a little hunting to sniff out this hidden gem, but it’s SO worth it.

Summer’s almost here, Swooners! Drink it in.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Jasmine Sparkling Essence Water

 

 

Bon Bon Bon Appétit

Author: Kirsten K., Food & Drink, Sweets

Kirsti likes to say, “Do one thing, do it well.” Whether a Rolex watch or a single malt Scotch, focusing on one product in order to achieve mastery elevates it to the level of fine art. It’s a philosophy that she and I share, particularly when it comes to food (refer to her post about Killer Shrimp for a classic example). Recently, we heard about the proprietors of a chocolate shop in Detroit, MI, that don’t just do one thing well, they do it Bon Bon Bon.

Bon is a French word meaning “good.” Bonbons are petite confections, typically covered in chocolate, that are “good-good.” Bon Bon Bons, on the other hand, are rectangular receptacles of tempered chocolate filled with an exhilarating array of flavors and textures that can best be described as “swoon-worthy.” Conceived and constructed by a talented team known as the Babes Babes Babes, these unique sweets are master pieces.

Kirsti and I were seduced into ordering the Spring Collection, featuring floral flavors like Classic Jasmine and Lavender Honey strewn among more cutting-edge combos like Mesquite Smoke and Shaded Jade. It arrived in spare, industrial-style packaging that belied the lush ingredients within, but cleverly protected each bonbon in its own tiny box.

The company’s website states that “each Bon Bon Bon packs two polite bites (or, one less-than-polite bite).” Given that the chocolates were delivered to me and it was my responsibility to carefully (and fairly) cut each straight down the middle, saving one half for Kirsti, I believe I deserve props for remaining “polite.” But a polite bite still packs a punch, with enough layers of sensation to leave a lingering impression.

If this shop was located down the street from me, I’d be in trouble, but there’s also a troubling amount of packaging required when shipping chocolate to warm climates like ours in Southern California. A person only has so much use for cold packs and sheets of insulated mylar bubble wrap, so Kirsti and I may have to limit our indulgence to the winter months. But for those around the country who are still mired in rain and snow, now is a great time to jump on the Bon Bon Bon wagon and treat yourself to some of these singular sweets. Bon appétit!


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Bon Bon Bons

 

 

A Rose-Flavored Holiday Story

Author: Kirsti Kay, Dessert, Food & Drink, Holidays, Recipes, Sweets

I did a crazy thing this year. I entered the Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off. I never enter contests. I hate competition. I remember being in school and getting chosen last for sports teams. I hated sports. I still do. To this day, the only sport I can play with any kind of confidence is ping pong. But I always hated competition, because there has to be a loser. I know what it feels like to be chosen last, or not at all, and I don’t want anyone to feel that lonely feeling, so I have avoided competition my whole life.

A few weeks ago, I saw the ad for the Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off and thought, “I CAN DO THAT!” I have some recipes that are twists on classics! I have some skills! I can bring something unexpected, yet nostalgic, to the holiday table! So I entered. I entered with a cookie I have been making for many years: rose petal shortbread. I tweaked the decorations to add holiday-colored sugar and red rose petals so the cookies would have Christmas flair, and I entered with pride.

After hitting “submit,” I realized I would have to ask my friends to vote for me. The only thing worse than competition is asking everyone I know to do me a HUGE favor. I hemmed and hawed, I sweated, I wrung my hands, I whined to my husband Aaron, but I asked. And people responded. Not only did they vote for me—some every day—they shared my post on their own pages and sent me encouraging notes of support. I was blown away by the collective kindness.

Well, I did not win, but I’m totally OK with that. The fact is, the contest was more of a popularity vote than how good your cookie is. I still feel great about my recipe, which I think reflects the zeitgeist of what is happening in baking and is really delicious and easy to make. But most of all, I felt the holiday spirit in all of my friends who voted and reposted and encouraged me. I felt humbled by the friends of friends who voted and said they thought my recipe sounded amazing and they couldn’t wait to try it.

Of course, it would have been a fancy brag to have won (there wasn’t even a prize, just bragging rights), but I got what I needed out of the contest—I felt loved and supported by so many people, even people who don’t know me. I probably won’t be entering any more contests, but I’ll keep baking and I’ll keep sharing and I’ll keep appreciating my friends and family and my new friends of friends who believed in me enough to vote for a cookie they haven’t tasted, made by a gal some of them didn’t even know. You picked me first. And that means more to me than any bragging right.

Happy Holidays, Wonderful Friends!!


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

HOLIDAY ROSE PETAL SHORTBREAD
Makes about 24 cookies

Cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon rose extract*
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon crushed dried rose petals (optional)†
2 cups all purpose flour

Icing:
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
sparkling holiday sugar and fresh (organic, non-pesticide) torn rose petals for garnish (chopping makes them dark around the edges)

Combine butter and confectioners’ sugar in a stand mixer fitted with paddle and mix until combined with no lumps, 2-3 minutes. Add the rose and vanilla extracts and the crushed rose petals (if using) and mix until incorporated. Add flour in two stages until just combined.

Transfer the dough to a gallon-size Ziploc bag, leaving a small hole at the top so air can escape, and roll out with a rolling pin until dough has fully and evenly filled the shape of the bag. Refrigerate on a flat surface at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment. Cut the sides of the Ziploc bag and peel back the top layer. Use a ruler and nick each side of the dough at 2-inch intervals with a pizza cutter or knife. Gently cut out your squares and transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheets. Use a fork to make traditional tine marks in the dough.

Put one cookie sheet in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes, 18-20 minutes. Watch carefully toward the end. You want the cookies very slightly browned at the edges only. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.

To make icing, combine confectioners’ sugar with milk and mix with a small whisk until smooth. To decorate, drizzle icing over cookies with a fork and, while icing is still wet, sprinkle with sparkling sugar and rose petals.

 

*Rose extract is available at many grocery stores and at Amazon.

†Organic dried rose petals are available at Amazon or World Market (in the spice section).

 

Taking the Waters

Author: Kirsten K., Beauty, Cold Drinks, Food, Food & Drink, Fragrance, Savories, Sweets, Wellness

Here in Southern California, we’re on the tail end of yet another summer heat wave. It feels like we’ve been pummeled with them this year, barely having time to enjoy a week of “cooler” temps (90s instead of 100s) before the next one rolls in. This latest wave brought some dreaded humidity that made going outside feel like stepping into a wet sauna. Ugh. We’re only midway through the season, so to keep my cool and freshen up when there’s no time for taking a bath, I’ve been taking the waters.

I discovered the culinary delights of rose water and orange blossom water when I got to know my Persian co-workers many years ago. They explained that Middle Eastern cooks use these floral waters in cooking and baking the way that most Americans use vanilla. I quickly learned that the waters also make fragrant and refreshing toners and tonics. During the summer, my favorite cooling trick is to pour them into spray bottles and keep them in the fridge for sweetly-scented spritzing throughout the day.

For years, I could only find Indo-European brand rose and orange blossom waters at Whole Foods and the ethnic foods aisle of some chain grocery stores, but then a large Middle Eastern market opened a few miles from my house and introduced me to a whole new world of culinary waters. There were familiar ingredients, like dillweed, cumin seed, and licorice, alongside less common ones, such as borage, sweetbriar, and willow, but some of the names were unrecognizable to me. What the heck is hedysarum? And fumitary water sounds like a treatment you’d be given on the road to wellville.

I bought them all.

Since I’m more of a baker than a cook, the dillweed and cumin have languished on a shelf, but orange blossom continues to be a favorite scent, and a rose by any other name—whether Naab or Ghamsar Kashan—smells as sweet. A whiff of willow holds hints of violet and rose, while fumitary emits the unexpected essence of peppermint. On sweltering summer nights, nothing beats a mist of mint water on sheets, pillows, and overheated skin, especially under the cooling currents of a fan.

Many of the descriptions online recommend taking these waters as a tonic beverage with plain water and sugar added. According to one, chicory water can “refine the blood,” promoting skin and liver health. Another claims that fenugreek water helps lower blood sugar and strengthen hair. Willow is said to stimulate the appetite, while fumitary (sometimes called fumitory) is beneficial for treating eczema and psoriasis. Hedysarum, which has a flavor completely unfamiliar to my American palate, tastes slightly medicinal, with a sharp earthiness and a trace of fruit that is both strange and exotic … and, apparently, useful for whooping cough.

In addition to Indo-European, I have found culinary waters from Cortas, Al Wadi, and Sadaf, but the largest selection is produced by Golchin. Most of them are only $3-5 a bottle, so stock up this summer and hydrate liberally, inside and out, because taking the waters is (almost) as therapeutic as a trip to the spa.


Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Culinary Waters

 

If you don’t live near a Middle Eastern market and can’t find these culinary waters at your local grocery store or gourmet food shop, many are available online from Persian Basket.