Gingerbread chocolate, with crunchy gingerbread pieces. I can get with that. Winter Fruit and Nut ie. pear and apple, not that unusual either. But cinnamon coriander chocolate? Ack! I tasted the cinnamon, but the coriander was just soooo weird! Are you telling me the Swiss really eat this stuff?
I'm suuuuuch a Target whore. My house is furnished with a combo of IKEA, TJMaxx/Marshall's, and Target. Almost everything was bought on sale too. Darn you Target! I have no room for any more plates or bowls, and yet, when they're on clearance for 50% or 75% off, I can't resist! Aren't they puuurdy? :)
Also, where else can I find cool stuff like blooming tea? I'd been seeing the ads on some internet sites and they looked really cool. But even the ones who gave free samples still required a $2 shipping per tea ball charge. Eeek! I can buy a canister of loose leaf tea for that price! But $2.99 for 3 tea balls isn't so bad.
This was found in the kettle aisle where there was a clear tea pot with a dozen blooming tea balls for around $30. As if I'd spend that much on a tea pot and tea balls, I used my French press to show you what it looks like instead. See? Tea ball. This is my favorite bloom, "Juliet's Kiss." "Summer Bouquet." "Guilded Lotus." If you have the patience or 3 minutes, you can watch "Guilded Lotus" "bloom." And if you can't find this at your local Target, check out the website for Primula Tea. The teas were a nice jasmine green tea. But the best part was watching them "bloom."
And also, where else can I find affordably priced European chocolates? $1.66 for a large bar of Swiss chocolates in really unusual flavors like tiramisu, hot chili pepper, and lemon and black pepper. There were pieces of dried chili pepper in the chocolate. I've had chili pepper chocolates before, but it had always been chili powder. I liked the spicy kick of this chocolate bar. Did you know the Aztecs put chili in their hot chocolate? The lemon and black pepper didn't go so well together for me. And tiramisu was as yummy as you'd figure it'd be.
My best Target deals so far? A Mexican red side table for $12.99 (90% off from the Global Bazaar collection). A pink metal 3-light chandelier for $1.56. I have no idea where or how to hang it but I bought a metal chandelier for $1.56!!! And blue, green, and orange Isaac Mizrahi plates for 31 cents. C'mon, I know I'm not the only bargain shopper out there...
No, this wasn't made for Valentine's Day but for Lunar New Year's Eve dinner. And my dining companion was my little sister. But hey, if you have a different dining companion and want it to be romantic... ;)
The heart-shaped fondue pot has no significance. Faced between a round pot or a heart-shaped one, and for the same price, I opted for the cuter heart. That's all. I actually use the fondue pot more for keeping spinach dip continuously hot during parties.
Anyway, so the reason for the fancy-ish dinner was because lil' sis helped me scrub the bathrooms and kitchen in preparation for Tet. Someone else helping me clean is always a cause for celebration in my book. My brother had just enjoyed a fancy fondue dinner at Melting Pot. And, of course, that mention got my cravings going...
According to Melting Pot, fondue originated with the Swiss as a way to use up hardened cheese. The French slapped on the word fondre (to melt). The Americans made it popular during the 1950s. Most recipes include gruyere or emmenthaler cheese and wine. So if you want to be authentic, find another recipe for fondue. Mine is based on my limited budget and taste. :)
Fondue with Feta and Cheddar Cheeses
You'll need:
1 8-oz package cream cheese
2 cups milk
1 tblsp cornstarch
As much feta or cheddar or any other flavor of cheese as you'd like.
In a saucepan on medium heat, melt cream cheese with 1 cup of milk. You can cut the cream cheese into cubes first or just chunk it with a wooden spoon on the stovetop. Dissolve 1 tblsp cornstarch in another 1 cup of milk. Add the milk to the pot after the cornstarch is fully dissolved. The mixture will still be pretty liquidy at this point but should thicken in about 15 to 30 minutes. Just keep stirring occasionally.
When the mixture is almost as thick as you'd like, add feta chunks or shredded cheddar as I did, or any other cheese of your choice. Add wine too if you'd like.
Once all the cheeses have melted and the mixture is smooth, pour into a fondue pot.
As for dipping options, you can prepare all the other items while the cheese is melting. I chose to make toasted artisan bread loaf chunks, pesto tortellini, blanched French beans, boiled red potatoes, and grilled steak sprinkled with seasonings.
Lil' sis likes the above photo because it showcases the dipping foods more. I like the photo below because you can see my leaf plate better and the fondue pot is still in the picture.
Dinner was a lovely way to usher in the Lunar New Year, but I think I gained 10 pounds overnight.
Gingerbread chocolate, with crunchy gingerbread pieces. I can get with that. Winter Fruit and Nut ie. pear and apple, not that unusual either. But cinnamon coriander chocolate? Ack! I tasted the cinnamon, but the coriander was just soooo weird! Are you telling me the Swiss really eat this stuff?
