It is the Girls new favorite hostess gift and we think it is best presented in an old-fashioned mason jar, but you could give it away as a party favor in plastic bags and we are sure no one would complain!

OK, the Superbowl is over and now, you have to get back to eating right.  Right?!  Well, I’ll tell you what eating right is, this little delicacy called Bacon Peanut Brittle. 

     It is absolutely addictive and a great thing to do with any leftover peanuts from Sunday’s game.   I created this “pig candy” a few years ago for a “pork-in-every-course” class that I was teaching called Swine and Wine.  The brittle was the after-dessert mignardises.  It was a whim when I first made it, but one that I have seen catching on lately.

     Because it is smoky, sweet, salty and savory all in one bite, it makes a great snack, appetizer or dessert.  And, because it is so satisfying, you really don’t eat that much of it—I mean, your teeth would be aching and your jaw would be sore if you sat down and ate a whole batch at once.  I love making it and bringing it to friends as a hostess gift or setting it out with assorted nibbles and bits when I have people over for drinks. When the brittle is cool, I place the shards in an old-fashioned mason jar, but you could give it away as a party favor in plastic bags and I am sure no one would complain! 

     The key to making the brittle crystal clear (see picture) instead of cloudy is making sure that the bacon is not over-cooked or burned (dice raw bacon and cook slowly over low heat) and that all the excess fat is drained away from the bacon.  I do this by wrapping the drained bacon in a few layers of paper towels and gently wringing it out.  Other than this, there is no trick to making the brittle.

     If you want to really up the ante, make it with Schaller and Weber’s double-smoked bacon.  It is by far the best bacon I have ever tasted and I have tasted them all!  If you don’t live in the New York area, you’ll have to order it by web or mail but it is well worth the wait!

check out the July issue of Bon Appetit magazine. Elizabeth was featured as one of three “BBQ Masters” along with BBQ Buddies, Kenny Callaghan of Blue Smoke Restaurant (NYC) and Paul Kirk, a.k.a, The Baron of Barbecue. Elizabeth created 2 exclusive recipes for this story, Grilled Gazpacho Salad with Shrimp and Char-Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Three-Herb Chimichurri. We urge you to try both the recipes.

For a festive appetizer, serve in a margarita glass rimmed with a mixture of Kosher salt, lime zest and smoky paprika. Mix the avocado and tomatoes just before serving to layer the flavors and keep all the ingredients fresh and chunky. Fleur de sel or coarse sea salt sprinkled on at the table adds the necessary salt note and a nice crunchy texture.

Oyster Rockefeller: A Short Story For those of you who are interested in the history of the dish, this famous recipe actually came from Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans and not New York City! According to Antoine’s website, the story goes something like this: Around 1850, Antoine Alciatore, the original owner of Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, made a specialty dish of snails called "Snails Bourguignon" which was very popular. In 1899 when Jules Alciatore took over the business, there was a shortage of French snails. He decided to create a similar recipe that used local Louisiana gulf oysters so that he would never have any trouble in procuring the ingredients he needed. Mr. Alciatore is said to be a pioneer in the art of cooking oysters (as they were rarely cooked before this time). According to legend, a customer exclaimed with delight after eating this dish, "Why, this is as rich as Rockefeller!" The dish was given the name Rockefeller because the green

Elizabeth traveled to Orlando, FL, for the Gourmet Products show. She wasn’t expecting to have a food epiphany in Orlando, but on the last night she had an appetizer that was so good, made so much sense and is so easy that she couldn’t believe that no one had done it before. The restaurant was Tommy Bahamas and the dish was “Scallop Sliders!” Once you think about a scallop and a slider, it makes perfect sense to make mini “burgers” out of fresh sea scallops. If you are looking for a soul-satisfying and slightly sophisticated recipe, this is the ticket!

Pizza on the Grill by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer

In the South, sweet spiced pecans signal the start of the fall holiday season. We've expanded our geography and mixed the sweet tastes of the South with the spicy taste of the Southwest for the best "handful of nuts" we've had in a long time. They are good with a beer, but even better with a glass of champagne!

My barbecue buddy, Steven Raichlen, first introduced me to the concept of grilled gazpacho many years ago.Since then, I’ve made my own version and make it every chance I get.Sometimes, I serve it as a starter but most of the time, I serve it with tortilla chips as the world’s best grilled salsa!