Valentine’s Shopping Recommendations

Telluride Truffle’s Velvet Heart

Austrian Gem Heart and Chain from Alpen Schatz

Now that the Super Bowl is behind us, it’s time to focus on love. Yes, that’s right I’m talking about Valentine’s Day and you still have time to order a special something online for your sweetie, your mom or dad, your daughter who’s away at school, your mother-in-law or that dear friend you want to remember. There’s no need to fuss, just go ahead and let my handpicked selection of purveyors send the package off for you.

Telluride Truffle has earned my affection with their medium velvet heart filled with incredibly beautiful and delicious hand painted, glossy chocolates. Ruth’s Toffee, another local favorite, continues to rate as my all-time favorite for toffee. Type in promo code Bonjour in the coupon box for Telluride Truffle and mention Bonjour Colorado to Ruth to receive a 10% discount on online orders.

Looking to really make a statement? Select an Austrian Gemstone Heart from Alpen Schatz, a European-styled boutique and online shopping emporium based in Telluride. Colorado. These precious gem hearts come in three different sizes in a variety of stones including rose quartz, crushed crystal, onyx, turquoise and more. Handcrafted by a master jeweler in Salzburg, Austria, these heirloom-quality treasures surely show your love for this Valentine’s and forever. If you’re working off of a smaller budget, consider Alpen Schatz’s Italian silk scarves and  alpine scarf ornaments, also offered in a variety of colors and styles. Type in Bonjour upon check out to receive a 10% discount on online orders.

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More Online Shopping Recommendations

Beautiful and Edible Treats for the Doggies

The heck with ordering from Amazon or Lands’ End, why not be more original and shop from a quaint online boutique? I’m thrilled to see that mom-and-pop Internet businesses continue to open daily, so let’s patronize them as much as possible. These little shops and shopping offers—whether online or on your street corner—make up the soul of America.

For pampered pups, order some freshly-baked dog treats from My Dog’s Bakery, a business recently located to Ridgway, Colorado. I can’t say they’re delicious, however, they are yummy-looking and surely lovingly made.

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My Best Online Shopping Recommendations

Singing, Dancing Marmot Skier from Alpen Schatz

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14 Dec 2011, 5:14pm
Colorado Food & Wine Shopping The Rockies Travel:
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Comments Off on More Lovely Wines for Making Merry

More Lovely Wines for Making Merry

Colorado Warmth: Talon’s Aquila Dessert Wine

I had so much interest in my Favorite Reasonably-Priced Wines for the Holidays story that I decided to post another piece about newly-discovered sips. I’m savoring a delicious Merlot Port from St. Kathryn Cellars and an Aquila Dessert wine from Talon Winery with a creamy Stilton as I write this. I’m fearful this combo will turn into my latest après-ski or after dinner nibble during these cold Colorado days and evenings. (Oh dear, that Dukan Diet is already looming. Thankfully I’ll be out on the slopes on a regular basis from now on.)

These truly delicious nectars also make great gifts. Order them by calling 877-858-6330. They’re Colorado wines, from Palisade, so they’ll ship anywhere within the state and also to seventeen other states around the U.S. Note that the Talon Aquila Dessert wine resembles Port, sweet with a nice spice. The St. Kathryn Merlot Port, also delightfully cloying and mellow, tastes more fruit forward. Yum, I’m licking my lips as I write this—I just might bypass eggnog entirely this year.

Unexpected Goodness with Un4seen

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Drooling Over Pastry Paris

“Pastry Paris: In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert”

“The fine arts are five in number, namely:  painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry.”

                                                                                                  —Antonin Carême (1783-1833)

The above quote surely served as inspiration for Susan Hochbaum in the creation of her darling book, “Pastry Paris:  In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert” (The Little Bookroom). A luscious treat, enticing enough to devour in one sitting, “Pastry Paris” takes my vote for the best gift-y book of the season. Lovers of Paris, pastry, history and beauty will savor it like a best-loved dessert.

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1 Dec 2011, 1:17pm
Food & Wine Podcasts Shopping:
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Elevating the Everyday with Ross Sveback

Ross and His Dinnerware Collection

I have two words for the holidays: puffed pastry. Or maybe three: frozen puffed pastry. Lifestyle expert Ross Sveback reveals it as his secret weapon. I also just featured it as a holiday tip in my recent interview with Angela from Seasonal and Savory. In the below Travel Fun program, I share with Ross how I use it every year to make my Galette des Rois, a traditional French, almond paste-filled pastry that commemorates the Feast of Kings Day. Now I think I’ll whip it up into some other petits merveils throughout the season. And if I follow more of Ross’s advice, I’ll buy canned chicken stock and do more planning ahead so that I won’t be so stressed when preparing holiday meals.

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Seasonal and Savory: A Delightful Blog Chockfull of Recipes for All Seasons

Saffron and Honey Rolls

I began following Angela Cooks on Facebook a couple of months ago and found myself constantly clicking through her FB links to posts on her Seasonal and Savory blog. I haven’t made a single recipe but I have enjoyed many heartwarming culinary moments through her sharing.

I came to discover that Angela Cooks is actually Angela Buchanan, a professor at CU Boulder where she teaches rhetoric. I didn’t even know that was a course. “It’s a Communications Class,” Angela explains to me in the below Travel Fun interview. And yes, there is a connection with food, this enthusiastic cook’s passion both in and out of the classroom. In the first part of our chat, she talks about a Food & Culture class that she teaches in which students must do a food memoir. Tune in to hear what she says. Aren’t some of our best memories, especially travel-related ones, associated with the memory of certain foods?

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23 Nov 2011, 6:54pm
Food & Wine Podcasts Travel:
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Benito’s Wine Reviews: A Great Resource for Food, Wine and Fun

Benito’s Thanksgiving Feast

Aside from dining with the late, great Julia Child, I can think of one other person’s table I’d like to be at this Thanksgiving if I wasn’t here in Telluride. I’d have to travel all the way across the country to Memphis where I’d happily find myself in the company of Ben Carter AKA Benito. This guy sounds like so much fun! And even better, he knows how to impart his enthusiasm and vast knowledge of food, wine, spirits and much more in his highly successful blog, Benito’s Wine Reviews. He’s passionate and from what I know about him, I’d describe Ben as a good ‘ole American bon vivant.

Ben Carter AKA Benito

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    This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Maribeth Clemente. This blog sometimes accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner of this blog is sometimes compensated to provide opinion on products, services, Web sites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for certain posts or advertisements, she always gives her honest opinions, findings, beliefs or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger's own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.
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