By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Just in time for Father’s Day, a do-it-yourself kit beer making kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. Whether your patriarch is familiar in the kitchen or not, this no-brainer, easy-to-follow process allows even the I-can’t- boil-water type to make high quality and complex beers on top of the stove.
Brooklyn Brew Shop’s user-friendly beer making kit uses only fresh, whole ingredients, such as cracked barley, hops, spices and yeast, and follows the traditional brewery method to producing beer that has been used for centuries. This kit includes a one gallon reusable glass fermenter, chambered airlock, thermometer, tubing, [...]

Unfortunately for those who enjoy playing with their food, Molecular Gastronomy has been mostly inaccessible. From the consumer’s point-of-view, such high-priced cuisine is often to be savored on special occasions only. For the amateur chef, it’s forbidding territory. Just take the name: Gastronomy, which clearly  implies “for professional chefs only” and Molecular, which indicates that the whole affair should best be left in the hands of scientists only.
Until now that is… With the Molecule-R DIY molecular gastronomy kits, we can all play the part of food scientists and it seems, even come up with credible, edible results to make our [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
As we all know, Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection and it is considered to be one of the most important Christian holidays. But what we may not all know (I did not) is that Easter falls on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox (when there is exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness), which was March 21st. Thus, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th. This year, Easter is on Sunday, April 8th. And after 40 days of Lent – the time [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Although this might not sound very succulent, I was once an avid coupon clipper. But, quite frankly, I got tired of having coupons pile up at the bottom of my purse and getting all ripped and soiled and the whole thing just became too much of a hassle.
Now, before you mention that there are accessories to organize coupons, you should know that I also had a coupon folder to help organize but when I changed purses, it did not always find its way into the one I was using. By the time the coupon folder [...]

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife
So, about a year ago, foodie experts predicted that 2011 would be the year of the pie and that cupcakes would be retired in favor of the tarte. I didn’t see much evidence of this, did you? My measurement? Cupcake shops are still flour-ishing (you get it) but there is nary a pie shop – much less a mini-pie shop – in sight. But, now a year later, trend or no trend, I am somewhat suffering from cupcake fatigue and I’m definitely ready to embrace another handheld alternative in the form of the mini-pie, aka the [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Heading out or staying in, chances are that some form of alcohol consumption will take place over the holidays, particularly on New Year’s Eve. Regrettably, some of us may overindulge and may be less than our normal cheery selves the next day.
Although hangovers are probably one of the best deterrent to repeat over-drinking, we – I am sure – have all said ‘yes’ when we should have said ‘no’ to that one last drink, leaving us full of regret the next morning.
To help ease the morning-after-why-did-I-do-that feeling are a few remedies:

Zaca Patch – Here is [...]

Eeeeek! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and you just realized that you still have a few people you need to buy for!! No need to panic. Here are some great ideas that keep on giving up to a full year (although monthly, three, six and nine month subscriptions are also available) – showing them that you did not forget them after all. Whether you put a card under the tree of send them an e-card from afar, these gifts will thrill anyone on your list. And, p.s. you may just want to treat yourself! We’re totally ok with that.

 
Not Another Bill [...]

The Succulent Wife is celebrating its 5th year as a blog. As some of you know, we started as an online gift shop for women artists to share their stories and their work. Since then we have grown to share the stories and products of people, companies and corporations that we love and wish to support. We often get

 
Last but most certainly not least is our final Gift Guide for the season: The Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide. For many, stockings are the best part of Christmas. Don’t you love finding those little gems for each member of your family, especially those that do not cost a fortune?
Here are some great finds to fill everyone’s stockings:

 
FOR HER

 
Hopscotch Necklace – Do not let the price fool you. This chunky geometric wooden bead necklace would be a stylish complement to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Buy from Fleet Collection. $16.00

 
Password Book – If she is anything like me, I [...]

By Amie Valpone, Culinary Marketing Consultant & CEO of the gluten-free blog, The Healthy Apple.
It’s certainly not your typical Thanksgiving without stuffing and bread pudding, but going gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to say good-bye to your favorite holiday dishes. Simply tweak them a bit by substituting gluten-free bread and grains such as buckwheat or quinoa and you won’t even think twice about those gluten-ous grains.
At first, it may seem a bit odd not to reach for your favorite loaf of whole wheat bread or your Grandmother’s famous stuffing but believe me…with a swap of pasta with quinoa and a [...]