Choice nibbles attracting dinner crowd looking to pair several dishes with drinksThe charms of tapas ― or in Korean, of anju ― run beyond the delightful, varied array of dishes diners chow down on while tipping back their poison of choice. They extend to the company gathered around the table, to the many conversations shared over clinking glasses and the savored bites in between. Perhaps that is why Korean anju is so deeply embedded in the nation’s dining culture. Running in abundance everywhere

Drop in for breakfast at Half & Half restaurant in Clayton, Mo., and the first choices on the menu will be the day’s two featured coffees, available via an assortment of brewing methods. A recent selection consisted of Ethiopia Idido, touted as having “blueberry, strawberry and chocolate” elements, and Brazil Sertaozinho, with notes of “dried fruit, cocoa nibs and toffee.”“It was very hard to put that on a menu,” says Mike Marquard, who oversees coffee at Half & Half. “I’m sure a lot of customer

BOSTON (AP) _ U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials plan to investigate whether inhalable caffeine sold in lipstick-sized canisters is safe for consumers and if its manufacturer was right to brand it as a dietary supplement. (Aeroshot)AeroShot went on the market late last month in Massach

New Zealand and Australian drink that has gone mainstream in Britain served at new cafeFLEE FLEE co-owners Park Kwan-joo and Choi Chung-hwan, who enjoyed the flat whites they downed in England, knew from the start that the drink would be a fixture of their cafe’s menu. “In a flat white, you can really taste the coffee,” Choi, 35, said explaining why he likes it. “Flat white rides the line between a cappuccino and a latte.” “A good-sized amount is served up and it tastes good,” said Park, 35. Par

Heugimjajuk is a kind of porridge made of finely ground black sesame and non-glutinous rice. It is sweet in taste and easily digested, so it is a good nourishing meal. According to Oriental medicine, heugimja (black sesame) promotes health, makes hair healthy, and keeps weight off. Ingredients● 1 cup non-glutinous rice,  1 cup water ● 1 cup black sesame seeds,  2 cups water ● 4 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp salt 1. Preheat the frying pan and stir-fry sesame seeds for 40 min. on low heat.2. Grind ses

This is the first vintage for Jack Hammer Wine Co., and they’ve come out with a terrific Pinot Noir for the price. The grapes come from all three Central Coast counties ― Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara ― and the juice sees some aging in old French oak barriques.The result is a delightful Pinot Noir with bright fruit flavors, gentle spice and round, smooth tannins. It goes down very easy and marries with all sorts of dishes.Drink it with hors d’oeuvres and vegetable dishes, with gril

Dotorimuk muchim is a dish made of jellied acorn starch, vegetables and seasoning. Dotorimuk muchim was considered a dish for the relief of famine victims in olden days when provisions were scarce. Recently, it has become a popular diet food because it is low in calories. Ingredients● 300 g acorn starch jelly, 70 g cucumber, 30 g carrot, 30 g crown daisy, 15 g green pepper, 10 g red pepper ● seasoning sauce: 1 1/3 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ground red pepper, 1 tsp minced green onion

Celestino Lucin, winemaker for Abbazia di Novacella, an abbey in Italy’s Alto Adige region that dates to 1142, is renowned for his white wines. This Sylvaner from the 2010 vintage is no exception.The grapes are grown on steep hillsides surrounding the abbey. Yields are low. And the result is this complex Sylvaner with a flowery bouquet and mineral undertow. It tastes of honey and pear, and its crisp acidity makes it an ideal food wine.Drink it with steamed mussels or clams, vegetable soups and g

It’s the right time of year for baking whoopie.If I have made you blush, rest assured what follows is a strictly G-rated affair.Whoopie pies are an all-American baked good that looks like a puffed-up sandwich cookie but tastes more like a cupcake. Think cake with frosting that doesn’t get all over everything. Just exactly where the titillating name came from is unclear, but anyone who grew up in the Northeast knows whoopie pies have long been lunchbox, bake sale and convenience store staples.Who

Grilled pumpkin- chocolate tart is served at Mas La Grillade in New York, U.S.(Bloomberg) Eating chocolate cake for breakfast may actually help you lose weight It sounds too good t

 STOSIKOVICE NA LOUCE, Czech Republic (AP) ― In a vineyard in Moravia, the Arctic chill striking Europe at least has some people jumping with joy.Winemakers in southeast Czech Republic, waiting for a dip in temperatures during an unusually warm winter, finally got the deep chill they needed to harvest grapes for the most prestigious part of their business ― ice wine.The sense of relief was palpable after temperatures finally dropped to minus 7 Celsius allowing grapes to be picked for the sweet,