Good things

Ghirardelli Chocolate 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Unsweetened Baking Bar starts with the finest cocoa beans from around the world Our unsweetened baking bar will give your desserts the delectable essence of pure chocolate intensity. Net Weight: 4 oz.

Nintendo & Wii tops on the wish list

We should own stock in Nintendo.  It's a corny joke, I know, but by the time we get through with the wish list, our family will have done its part to boost the sagging economy.

Recently, we had the opportunity to review some of the great new games available for the Nintendo DS and DSi as well as the Wii (only $199 now).  What a blast!

Enter the Wii Game Giveaway beginn.ing Dec. 1

Tops on our must-have list:

FOR THE Wii

Astro Boy

If you are a fan of this old-school japanese manga from the 50s, then Astro Boy: The Movie gives you the chance to be  Astro Boy. Use all his super powers- lasers, arm cannons, super strength, and flight- on the ultimate adventure to save Metro City. Harness his positive "blue" energy and embrace destiny.

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the Fifth Sun

Take control of Zak Saturday and his family the Saturdays, scientific explorers dedicated to discovering and protecting secret artifacts and mysterious creatures known as Cryptids. Fight against the dastardly V.V. Argost’s evil plot to control the Cryptids and rule the world. Don't expect this game to stick to the cartoon story line; it has its own twists and turns.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks

This fast-paced, 3D-action game is based on the hit television series ALIEN FORCE airing on Cartoon Network and offers all-new story content, multiple playable alien forms, and an unlimited combo system with puzzles and challenges that will engage players of all levels. No more earning aliens to blast. This version gives them to you from the get go.

Game Party 3

Get your old school game on with  Game Party 3's pick-up-and-play game pack featuring Croquet, Bocce Ball , Racquetball and Mini Golf. Game Party 3 is perfect play for the family or for a crowd - up to four can play or in tournament mode up to 16. Don't miss Root Beer Tap.

SceneIt?

Rock the Hollywood scene with movie quizzes from anagrams to scene clips. Earn glitz and buy bling. It's all about who you know (and a little bit of what you know too).  Score big and be the star of Tinsel Town. Try a free demo and see why everyone is rushing the red carpet.

For DS

Style Savvy

Hours of retail therapy await the fashionista. Style Savvy, launching this holiday season, invites players to create a fashion-forward boutique, help customers in the game find their perfect style using 16 different brands and compete in glamorous runway contests. Let's go shopping!

Touchmaster 3

The DS favorite mini-games compilation redux.  Ultimate TouchMaster brings on on a new batch of puzzles from the MegaTouch series. With 20 games designed for quick touchscreen sessions, Ultimate TouchMaster is versatile family fun for hours.
       

Seattle Gourmet Coffee a great home brew

Always on the alert for a great tasting new coffee to brew at home, I was delighted to taste test the micro-roasted coffees of Seattle Gourmet Coffee.

The master roasters at Seattle Gourmet Coffee sent me three pounds of beans, one each of Emerald City Blend, Northwest, and Sorrento.

Grinding was a delight as I inhaled the rich and aromatic aroma of the coffees. If the nose of these coffees is any indication - dark, nutty and potent. The kitchen was filled with an enticing invitation to perk a pot.

I tried the Sorrento first. Billed as a darker Italian style roast, typical of Southern Italy, I found it to be lighter than I was expecting. Smooth and low acid, I recommend a higher coffee to water ratio to achieve a fuller bodied brew. 

Northwest,  a medium-bodied roast with a smooth and spicy finish, was next.  This coffee is balanced and has an amazing depth of flavor.  A real bargain at $11.95 per pound.

When I think of Emerald City, I think of the bejeweled fantasy city of the Wizard of Oz.  Now, after tasting Seattle Gourmet Coffee's blend of African, South and Central American, and Indian coffee beans, I'll be dreaming of a hot and tasty cup of java.

Emerald City Blend with its luxurious mouthfeel and intense flavor was by far the favorite.  </p>

Seattle Gourmet Coffees can be bought online and the company also offers a Coffee of the Month Club (a terrific value at $50 for one pound per month, plus shipping & handling, as well as a 30% discount on future purchases ). 

Seattle Gourmet Coffee is offering 10% off your order with the following promotional code: BURKE 1.

Good things to eat & great gadgets

We love to test new products and try new flavors here at Eat. Drink. Memory.

Unless otherwise noted, the products we review here at Good Things have been sent to us.  We are under no obligation to publish a favorable review; however, we do not, as a rule, perpetuate negative criticism.  

If we love it, we say so and recommend it highly. If it's just so-so, we tell you that.   

We hope you find these insights helpful and please feel free to email us with suggestions.

The Republic of Tea serves dessert in a teacup

I've heard there are people who don't like dessert.  I am not one of them.

The thought of ending a meal without something sweet makes me sad.  But then I remind myself that dark chocolate is chock full of anti-oxidants and no more blues.

When I heard The Republic of Tea was introducing a new dessert tea - specifically chocolate - I was ready to give it a taste test.

The Republic's Minister of Enlightenment was kind enough to send me the new Coconut Cocoa Dessert Tea and a recipe for Chocolate Coconut Iced Latte.

The low caffeine dessert tea is an herbal blend of roasted carob, caramel malted barley, roasted chicory, dates, coconut flavor, cocoa powder and chocolate flavor. 

Since my only experience with barley is in soup and my acquaintance with chicory is limited to its use as a coffee substitute, I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened the canister. 

A little research demonstrated that both barley and chicory are good, good, good for you as a brew. Barley is reported to aid digestion and ease congestion and bronchitis symptoms while chicory is said to cleanse the blood and improve the health of the liver.

Chocolate and coconut added to the mix could only be a bonus.

Opening the canister, I got a whiff of the wonderful pleasures to come.  The aromas of coconut and coconut were rich and dark, like a delicious cordial.

I put the kettle on and got the teapot ready.  My mother and I watched the kettle impatiently.  After rinsing the pot, we poured the hot water over two tea bags and waited for the tea to steep sufficiently.

The tea's color was a deep, nut brown and the aroma was lovely and tropical. I was happy just smelling my cup. 

Normally, I take milk and sugar in my tea, but since The Republic promised this tea was naturally sweet (and therefore a low calorie treat), I took my first indulgence without the usual suspects.  It is naturally sweet and could certainly be consumed without any addition.

But I am a creature of habit and nothing says tea cozy like a milky-sweet cup. I added my sweet addictions and finished the last drop.

My mother is a tea purist. She takes her tea with a teaspoon of sugar, no more, and no lemon, no milk. Nothing fancy for her. Black tea or green tea keeps it simple.  She found the coconut overwhelming. It was not her cup of tea.

Of course, I loved it. Coconut Cocoa Dessert Tea lends itself to lingering after dinner and I'm pretty sure it would pair quite nicely with a mango mousse or pumpkin cheesecake.

Coconut Cocoa Dessert Tea is packaged in a recyclable tin containing 36 unbleached, round tea bags free of unnecessary strings, tags and staples. Available now, the dessert tea has a suggested retail price of $9.50.

Also available from The Republic of Tea is Double Dark Chocolate Mate, an organic roasted yerba mate from Brazil generously dusted with all-natural dark organic cocoa powder. Available now, the dessert tea has a suggested retail price of $15 for a tin containing 36 unbleached round tea bags.

Chocolate Coconut Iced Latte

Yields one serving.

Brew two tea bags in 6 ounces of filtered water for five minutes. Remove tea bags and allow tea to cool.

Add 3 ounces of milk or milk substitute. Blend milk and tea. Serve in a tall glass over crushed ice.

RATING: 3 out of 5 

Plump up the volume: Lip Fusion XL

Jump into bed at night and plump your pout with LipFusion XL - 2X Micro-Injected Collagen + HA Advanced Lip Plumping Therapy.

Smooth it on and wake up to intensely plump, firm, hydrated, and full-out sexy lips.

LipFusion XL is a non-injectable lip volumizing therapy combining two times the pure active collagen of LipFusion's original plumpers with hyaluronic acid (HA), in one high-performance topical nighttime treatment.

Designed to work in synergy with the body's natural water, lips get optimal enhancement from two intense naturally-occurring fillers in one powerful, pout-perfecting formulation: Patented, dehydrated, marine collagen-filling spheres™ penetrate skin's surface on contact, then seek out body's natural water, and rehydrate to instantly plump and smooth lips.

Once Lip Fusion XL is applied, lips swell continually for hours to visibly "fill" lines, boost volume, and keep lips lusciously moist.

These glowing promises sound fantastic - too good to be true.  And while LipFusion XL is a really nice, minty lip smoother and soother, I didn't get the dramatic difference overnight.

My lips looked smoother, more kissable, but nothing short of Botox is going to transform my smallish lips into a full, lush pouty pucker. 

Carmex gives me the same results. With a suggested retail of $50, I'm looking for miracles in the morning. The results don't justify the cost.

Plump up the volume, baby.

RATING: 2 out of 5 

Plush Puffs: best gourmet marshmallows ever

If your notion of marshmallows is old school bags of semi-soft sort of bland Campfires, then we have some serious good news for you.

Plush Puffs are plump all natural marshmallow pillows packed with flavor from Vanilla Bean to Caramel Swirl (my personal favorite) to Peppi Mint and Chocolate Chipetta. 

The plush bags of gourmet marshmallows retail for $6 for 16-18 i -inch cubes of gooey deliciousness.

Eat them straight out of the bag plain, toasted, dunked in chocolate fondue, or afloat in your hot chocolate.

Need more inspiration? Plush Puffs' website has recipes.

RATING: 5 out of 5

Awaken Savor's all natural spice blends

Awaken Savor's fine spice and herb blends offer exotic and enticing tastes from around the world at prices that don't break your budget. 

One of my favorite Awaken Savor blends is Ras el Hanout , a rosy-hued rub which includes saffron stigma, mild paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander seed, cassia, turmeric, fennel seed, allspice, green cardamom seed, whole dill seed, galangal, nutmeg, rosebud powder, bay leaves, caraway seed, cayenne pepper, clove, mace, cubeb pepper, brown cardamom, lavender flowers, orris root.

Its subtle yet intense aroma, which reminded me of the Chicken Tikka Masala I had enjoyed for years at my favorite restaurant in Seattle, Cedars on Brooklyn, compelled me to prepare a home-cooked version. 

I also prepared chicken breasts, marinated in olive oil and pomegranate-infused wine vinegar with a pinch of salt (a habit I haven't totally dropped), and then grilled  for a quick lunch with steamed jasmine rice and greens.

Za'atar is a peppery, smoky traditional Middle Eastern blend of thyme, oregano, basil, savory, whole dry marjoram, ground sumac berries, sesame seeds, orange peel, and hyssop.  

Za'atar is something of an aquired taste.  However, I enjoyed Awaken Savor's version much more than  Penzey's Fine Spices blend, which I used a few years ago and found to be a little bitter. 

I whipped up a simple olive oil and lemon juice based marinade with a pinch of salt and chopped chives.  There was enough to divide for use on grilled tilapia filets one day and baked chicken breasts the next.  The blend has a multi-layered flavor which enhanced both the poultry and fish.

I approached Texas Tear Dropper meat rub with some trepidation. A fiery blend of chipotle, cayenne, aleppo, chiles, black peppercorns, wasabi, and mustard, I had been warned it was HOT. However, after marinading a London Broil in the rub with red wine vinegar and a little olive oil and grilling it to medium rare, I found the spice-infused meat extremely flavorful with just the right amount of heat.  It also has a strong and delicious aroma.

All Awaken Savor blends are salt free; I added a small amount of salt to two of the marinades I prepared, but you can easily do without.  They are all natural and each product comes with a recipe card that includes the origin of the blend.

Awaken Savor products are available at www.awakensavor.com, and at many fine food stores. 

RATING: 4 out of 5 

Om Extrait de Caviar refines and redefines

Even those with an inner twelve-year-old to appease face the reality that skin gets tired and eyes get puffy and recovery time doubles as you grow older.

Enter Om Extrait de Caviar, a little discovery I made while pampering my older bones and body at Reflections Spa at Grand Cascades Lodge.

Made from all natural, organic essential oils, fruit, flower, herb and vegetable extracts - and yes, caviar extracts, this little jar of eye cream is soothing and regenerative, repairing and refining the delicate tissue around the eyes

Rich and buttery, this eye cream glides on and you'll love the results.  The skin beneath my eyes (always a little puffy - even as a kid) felt tauter and were really nicely soothed after a particularly tiring night of editing copy.

You can also use Om extrait de caviar to firm those pouty, sexy lips of yours too.

A .5 ounce jar retails for $72, and it's worth every penny.

RATING: 5 out of 5 

Kicking it up with Sabrosa salsa

I am not a salsa-holic like Sabrosa founder Duane Thompson.

In fact, most salsa finding its way into my condiment collection will shortly find its way to the back of the fridge to grow old and moldy until I realize the experiment has gone badly awry.

Not so, Sabrosa. 

This low acid, all natural product, made locally in Virginia, is one I can eat with a spoon.  And I did, literally. 

The night I cracked open a jar of the mild salsa (my favorite), I took tiny bite from my dainty little bamboo tasting spoon, and then another, and another. 

Forget the organic corn chips I'd bought.

In two days, the jar was sadly depleted, finding its way into huevos rancheros, quesadillas, grilled sandwiches, wraps and onto chips and nachos.  I even added some to a pot of pintos.

The fire-roasted peppers give this not-overly spicy (as in heat) salsa its full-bodied flavor.  The fact that it's low acid makes it perfectly digestible, even for those, like me, suffering from acid reflux.

Sabrosa comes in mild and medium.  Available online and by mail order or locally in Virginia markets.

RATING: 4 out of 5 

Soirée bottle-top decanter elegant solution to single-serving decanting

Soirée is not just a lively social gathering.  It's a bottle-top wine decanter designed to beautifully aerate and enliven your next bottle of wine.

Will Soirée make a drinkable wine tastier?  Yes, without a doubt. Connoisseurs can use the bottle top decanter to "double decant" and remove sediments as they pour to a more traditional decanter for table service.

I tasted two bargain reds using the delicate-looking but sturdy ornament-shaped decanter - William Cole's Chilean cool climate Pinot Noir, the 2007 Alto Vuelo and the Spanish 2007 Altos de Cuco, a 40 % Monastrell, 30% Tempranillo, and 30% Syrah blend from Yecla in the region of Murcio .

The deep red Pinot Noir was a jammy strawberry with an extended finish, featuring expanded notes of vanilla and cinnamon.  The Monastrell blend  was intense and full-bodied; the ruby red wine blossomed with deep blackberry aromas.  

The overall experience was a bit like nostalgia for an old lover, decidedly better for having the space to consider it. 

Soirée comes equipped with two rubber gaskets, to accommodate any bottle, and a nifty stand. Retailing for $24.99, it makes a fun gift paired with a bottle of wine, and a must-have for your home accessories collection.  

Easy to use, clean and store, the Soirée is an elegant flourish for entertaing as well as a perfect solution for single-serving decanting.

Click here to buy yours.

RATING: 4 out of 5