Say it with cheese
We loved the creamy texture and delectable, pure flavor of the aged goat cheeses from Vermont Butter and Cheese Co. Bijou (with a sweet tang and soft texture); Bonne Bouche (ash-ripened, very creamy with a subtly sweet taste) and Coupole (firm with a softer center and mild flavor) cost $9-$16 each at Sam’s Wines & Spirits in Chicago, Downers Grove and Highland Park, Whole Foods Markets, Don’s Finest Foods in Lake Forest and Schaefer’s in Skokie.
A blooming cup of tea
The petal replaces the metal with the Audrey tea strainer from Koziol. Set the plastic flower over your mug, then add loose tea and slowly pour in the hot water. When you’re finished steeping, place the flower in its stem-shaped stand. The strainer will fit a wide variety of cups and mugs. It’s available in several colors and costs $15.50 by mail from The Well-Tempered Kitchen (welltemperedkitchen.com or 207-563-5762).
Kiss me, I’m 100
The Hershey’s Kiss celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The company is selling it in all sorts of flavors these days–dark chocolate espresso, peanut butter, caramel–but for us, it’s hard to let go of our favorite, that classic silver-wrapped nub of chocolatey goodness. You also can seal your letters with a kiss, courtesy of the recently issued U.S. postage stamp–but we’ll still take the candy.
