How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut and Fermented Carrots: Fermenting 101
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, What's Up at TIK, Wines & Spirits, USA
Fermentation is all the rage in foodie circles. From kombucha to kimchi, yogurt to sauerkraut, it may seem like the next new food fad. Fermented foods have been getting press lately as doctors and dietitians promote it as a path to better gut health. Instead of taking a probiotic pill, why not try naturally fermented foods that you can make at home? It is easy, delicious, and good for you.… Read
Post
The Best Labor Day Menu for 2021
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Special Occasions, What's Up at TIK, Wines & Spirits, USA
Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. Kids start back to school, the weather starts to turn, and fall is just around the corner. Every year Labor Day is one of my favorite holidays. Sure, my garden by this point looks horrid, as I've invariably let the weeds take over. And my kids are usually as unruly as the garden at this point, and I am ready to send… Read
Post
Piña Colada Recipe for National Piña Colada Day
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Wines & Spirits, USA
Tomorrow, July 10, is national piña colada day, and in honor of it we're all about piña coladas, including an authentic recipe straight from Puerto Rico. Did you know that the piña colada was invented in Puerto Rico? That much is certain, although there is still a lot of debate over who specifically invented it. Most people think it was invented at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in the 1950's, but… Read
Post
5 Best Things about Our New Flavors of Puerto Rico Culinary Vacation
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips, What's Up at TIK, Wines & Spirits, USA
We always love expanding our culinary tours into new destinations, and we could not be more thrilled with our newest culinary tours in Puerto Rico! What could be better than a top culinary destination with a European feel, a ton of history and culture, miles of coastline, and part of the US? US travelers don't even need a passport, and it's a quick plane ride away. Yes, you do currently… Read
Post
Beer in the Windy City
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits, USA
Today is National Beer Day, and in its honor we'll be talking about beer in our hometown, Chicago. The rise in the production, sales, and quality of so-called "craft" beers in the US in the past few decades, and particularly since the 1990's, has meant a corresponding increase in craft breweries and brewpubs, not to mention a plethora of amazing brews to try. When I was young and growing up… Read
Post
Types of Cocktails & Mixed Drinks
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, What's Up at TIK, Wines & Spirits
Happy National Cocktail Day! We don't think one really needs a reason to enjoy a nice cocktail, but we don't mind having one. So what exactly is a cocktail? A cocktail is a mixed alcoholic drink that includes one or more spirit and some type of mixer. Not very specific, is it? cocktail (noun): an alcoholic drink consisting of a spirit or several spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as… Read
Post