HerbNZest_gift_collection

One winner will receive 4 fabulous gourmet 4.6oz jars in a gift box worth $18. Shipping will be via FedEx ground within the continental USA.

Here to my mom: “I love you mom because…

you believe I can do anything but love me for who I am!”

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there for being fabulous caretakers, inspirational role models, and fearless advocates to their kids!

Your HerbNista,

Deb

Owner, Tom explaining the winemaking process

When I set up the meetup for my foodie group, New Jersey Foodies at the Grape Escape wineries, I did not know what to expect. Being a self-proclaimed foodie, I was fascinated by the concept of “providing a wine making experience” but it was only once I  attended the open house and tasted their wines, was I SOLD!

Grape Escape was started by owner couple Tom and Nancy Nye to give wine-making experience to wine enthusiasts. Groups can buy into this  experience by purchasing a share of a barrel, similar to a CSA. The essential difference is that here the winemaker owns the wine and the bragging rights  to the wine. Groups partake in the entire process from picking the grapes, crushing the grapes, barrelling the wine and bottling/labeling it at the end of 8 months.

The grapes are imported from Chile/Argentina in Spring and San Fransisco/Italy in Fall. Over time, the owners have expanded this concept to include vinegar, olive oil, mozzarella, and chocolate making.

Chilean wines available for tasting

I  tasted some great Chilean wines (Pinot Noir, Malbec, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Luna, a Bordeaux blend). My favorite was a 2009 Malbec reserve barrelled in Hungarian oak. I tasted Carmenere for the first time here and loved the velvety texture of this wine. I learnt that this  variety of grape orginated from Bordeaux, France but now Chile is the world’s largest prodiucer of Carmenere.

Food by Piccollo Italia

The winemaking process is listed at here.

If you can , I would recommend attending their next OPEN HOUSE on April 24, 2012 at 6-8pm. Details are at http://www.thegrapeescape.net/events/20080424-openhouse.aspx

Hello Red Bank!

HerbNZest will be at  Sickles Market tomorrow to demo its easy-to-use, artisan, and natural condiments that can transform an ordinary meal into a gourmet experience! All HerbNZest condiments will be carried by Sickles starting tomorrow.

Come try our new Easter recipes:

1. Deviled eggs on a bed of hash browns (Prep Time: 20 minutes), inspired by Cheryl Style’s recipe (www.cherylstyle.com)

2. Ham Salad with light cranberry orange dressing (Prep Time: 15 minutes). For our vegan friends, a vegan version of this salad will be available for tasting as well.

3. Peach Iced Tea (Prep time: 5 minutes)

In addition, we will be doing a tasting of all 4 All HerbNZest condiments on french baguette.

Address:

Sickles Market

1 Harrison Avenue  Little Silver, NJ 07739

Phone (732) 741-9563

Your HerbNista,

Deb

Hello New Yorkers!

HerbNZest will be at Eli’s Manhattan today to demo its easy-to-use, artisan, and natural condiments that can transform an ordinary meal into a gourmet experience! All HerbNZest condiments will be carried by Eli Zabar starting today.

Come try the 2 new recipes that we have developed:

1. Peach Iced Tea (Prep time: 5 minutes)

2. Prosciutto Salad with light cranberry orange dressing (Prep Time: 15 minutes). For our vegan friends, a vegan version of this salad will be available for tasting as well.

In addition, we will be doing a tasting of all 4 All HerbNZest condiments on gluten-free crackers and

Address:

Eli’s Manhattan

1411 3rd Avenue  New York, NY 10028

Phone: 212-717-8100

See you soon,

Your HerbNista,

Deb

HerbNZest^TM is a NEW brand of natural and healthy gourmet condiments. HerbNZest^TMproducts will be on the display shelf in booth #3988 at the 2012 Natural Products Expo West. The products are made in the U.S.A.

Short description of promotion (% off, $ off, free shipping, ect.): Buy one case, get one case free. Offer is limited to 1 free case per sku per buyer. Offer is limited to 30 cases in total.

Which products? (All products/ specific line/specific items): All 7.6 oz jar sizes
Deal start date:  03/03/2012
Deal end date:  03/20/2012

Who is the promotion extended to? (New customers only/show attendees only/everyone): Everyone that buys at least two cases of HerbNZest^TM condiments.

Conformation to run the promotion online (Recommended = more sales):
Promotion details: Buyer must place order by 03/20/2012 in order to receive the promotion. All prices are quoted FOB our warehouse. Shipping must be paid by the buyer and will be charged on the invoice.

Please contact info [at] herbnzest [dot] com with your company information, contact and interest. Purchase order fulfillment will depend on availability of product. Payment must be negotiated and paid upfront in order to avail of promotion.

We are excited to announce that HerbNZest is making its way to the West…..not the Wild Wild West, but the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA on March 9-11, 2012. Come check us out

If you are  attending the show, come check out our 4 natural gourmet  toppings on the eye-level shelf in Booth #3988.Be sure to:

1. ask for a tasting

2. pick up a business card

3. scan your business card for HerbNZest

4. ask about our show promotions at Booth #3988

Your HerbNista,

Deb

HerbNZest artisan and natural condiments are in New York City!

Its a humble start but for all you New Yorkers, now  we’re just a subway ride away. Now, you can use HerbNZest toppings  to add the oomph to your meals, even your store bought chicken, veggie burger, or frozen ravioli! Browse our recipes or use our quick ideas to save time to create your own gourmet experience.

We are in:

Westerly Natural Markets

at www.westerlynaturalmarket.com

911 8th Ave, New York, NY10019

Brooklyn Fare

at www.brooklynfare.com

200 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, New York

Slow Food Central New Jersey Winter Markets Flyer from www.slowfoodcentralnj.org

Come check out local artisans and products (including HerbNZest Artisan Toppings at http://herbnzest.com) at the Slow Food Central NJ Market. You’ll find local wine, meats, baked goods, cheeses, and condiments.

Date: Sunday, Feb 19th, 11am-3pm

Venue: Tre Piani Restaurant | 120 Rockingham Row | Princeton | New Jersey | Tel. 609.452.1515

Tre Piani Executive Chef, Jim Weaver will be signing his new book, Locavore Adventures at the market. Suggested donation for the event of $2 will benefit Slow Food Central New Jersey. More information and flyer (also attached here) for the event is available at http://www.slowfoodcentralnj.org/.

In some ways, Valentine’s Day is like a corporate expansion strategy (okay, this is my corny business school analogy, but it caught your attention, right?). So, should you buy, build, or partner in order to expand on your love life? Buying (gifts, dinner, flowers) is easy, but of course, building is more fun, especially if you can involve your partner!

When it comes to doing something special on Valentine’s Day, consider making a romantic dinner at home! Nothing is more heartfelt and personal than creating a beautiful meal that you can enjoy together. Cooking may seem daunting, but with a little planning anyone can create this meal. We have cut out unnecessary steps, and posted easy recipe links for you to replicate this meal. Or, you could just choose the wine and romantic dessert platter out of this menu to enjoy with your Valentine.

A menu is an optional item that you could add for fun.

Valentine's Day dinner

My Home Bistro

presents

Dinner for my Valentine ——-

By Chef De Cuisine ——

 Menu

Hors D’Oeuvres: Shrimp Cocktail

Main Course: Creamy Pumpkin Ravioli

Main Course Side: Bacon wrapped Asparagus

Dessert: Heart of Hearts Fruit, Cheese, and Nuts Platter

——————-

Wine Pairing: Red full bodied wine

Our pick was the 2007 Silverado Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (92 points)

Here are the 3 steps:  Step 1. Shop for ingredients: This will take about 1.5 hours of your time. HerbNZest (HNZ) condiments can be purchased online at (use coupon code HNZ214 here to get a 15% discount on the 4-pack until 2/10/2012) and the remaining items can be bought at your local food, wine, and flower stores.

Valentine's Day dinner ingredients

Step 2. On Valentine’s Day, prepare the dinner using our simple recipes: allow 1.5 hours for preparation.

Step 3. Set the table, flowers, and candles: allow ½ hour. Invite your Valentine to a drink and voila, your romantic dinner is waiting! Enjoy your special day.

Write to share your Valentine’s Day story on www.facebook.com/herbnzest. For more recipe ideas, visit http://herbnzest.com/zesty-recipes.

Ideas for easy, green, cheap, healthy New Years Resolutions

New Year is a time for change, a time for resolve, and hence the concept of New Years Resolution. Every year, thousands of us make New Year resolutions promising to start healthier lives but fail within the first month. The reason for our failure is the lofty goals we set for ourselves.

We discuss 5 ideas that are easy, green, and edible and most importantly things that you can incorporate into your life slowly. These changes may seem harmless but have a profound impact on your lifestyle and outlook on life.

Idea 1. Buy produce in season: a good way to do it is to buy local.

Tip:

For the weekend chef: Start with your local farm stands or pick your own farms.

For the master chef: If you cook often, joining a CSA may be a good option for you to get fresh produce direct from the farm

Resources:

Learn about what’s in season at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=674

Search for local CSAs at www.localharvest.org

Search for pick your own farms at www.pickyourown.org

Benefits:

Green: saves on food transportation cost

Healthy: fresh produce (often picked that day) ripened fully on trees have more nutrients than their counterparts that are picked early and shipped cross-country.

Cheap: in season produce is also cheap

Communal: get to know your local growers and have more control over where your food comes from.

Idea 2. Incorporate whole foods and nutrient dense foods in your diet.

Tip:

Eat more whole grains instead of processed cereal and more whole fruits and vegetables instead of fruit substitutes such as juices and snacks loaded with sugar.

Resources:

Learn about nutrient density at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrient_density

and whole foods at http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

Benefits:

Green: whole foods are environmentally friendly (less processing)

Healthy: Whole foods are richer in their nutrient content and are higher in fiber and lower in sugar content.

Cheap: whole foods are cheap when purchased in season.

Idea 3. Taste the rainbow: Incorporate colors and textures in your food.

Tip:

Different textures and colors also make the food appetizing. Incorporating raw and cooked foods add variety of textures and break the monotony of diet foods. This point is linked to both 1 and 2 because typically seasonal foods are also the most color rich, which is an indicator the richness of nutrients in food.

Resources:

Learn about how to add variety of colors at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn595w.htm

Benefits:

Green: Eating raw salads once in a while saves energy.

Healthy: Raw food is nutrient dense and increases our body’s metabolism, thereby helping us lose weight.

Cheap: when bought in season

Idea 4. Substitute paper/plastic with reusable bags/containers. For certain items, shop in bulk and bin sections of your store.

Tip:

Using a washable cloth bag is the easiest way to go green. Most grocery stores have a bulk and bin section where they stock cereals, nuts, and dried fruits. Quality, price and hygiene are considerations so you may need to check out the bulk and bin section of your local store.

Resources:

Learn about bulk and bin shopping at http://lynnfang.com/2011/05/a-beginners-guide-to-bulk-bin-shopping/

Benefits:

Green: is environmentally friendly without the plastic packaging.

Healthy: typically the products are less processed one must consider the cons of the bins being less hygienic due to public tampering.

Cheap: Often legumes and dried fruits are less expensive per pound compared to a packaged brand.

Idea 5. Try drinking filtered tap water instead of bottled water. 

Tip:

Bottled water is deemed to be more healthy, tasty, and convenient whereas that is NOT true. Travel-friendly substitutes are just as convenient and more eco-friendly. Many of the brands in fact sell bottled filtered tap water.

Resources:

Learn about bottled water versus tap water at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0

and http://www.allaboutwater.org/environment.html

Check out reusable, travel friendly bottles that use filtered water at www.hydrosbottle.com

and http://www.brita.com/products/filtering-bottle/brita-bottle-aqua/

Benefits:

Green: saves energy from bottling the water and transporting it, and not using plastic bottles.

Cheap: filtered tap water is 1/10 the cost and as convenient.

Healthy: Tap water in the USA is more regulated than bottled water and hence more likely to adhere to guidelines set by regulators.

We love to hear from you, our readers! Let us know what easy, green and healthy ideas you have tried that have worked for you. Write to us at info [at] herbnzest [dot] com or comment on our post right below!