FOOD STUFF (original) (raw)

Feb. 9, 2000

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February 9, 2000

Section F, Page

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Whole Leaves, No Strings For a New Tea Bag

Honest Tea, the Bethesda, Md., company that makes some of the best bottled iced tea -- much less sweet than others -- has introduced tea bags. Unlike most tea bags, which contain chopped up or pulverized tea leaves (called fannings and dust), Honest Tea's bags contain whole-leaf tea, the kind used for brewing from scratch. The bags, which make an excellent cup of tea, have no string or tag, but are made in one piece, with one end designed to hang over the edge of the cup.

Five of the eight varieties are organic: Earl Grey, Gunpowder Green, Assam, Moroccan Mint and First Nation Peppermint, which is made from peppermint supplied by Crow Indians in Montana. The nonorganic teas are Kashmiri Chai, Decaffeinated Ceylon and Black Forest Berry. The teas are 4.50to4.50 to 4.50to5 for a box containing 15 tea bags. In New York, they are now available at Dean & DeLuca, 560 Broadway (Prince Street); Eli's Manhattan, 1411 Third Avenue (80th Street); the Vinegar Factory, 431 East 91st Street; and Amish Market, 731 Ninth Avenue (49th Street).

Amour Is the Magic Word

From Friday through Monday, bottles of wine with romantic names will be sold at a 20 percent discount at Union Square Wine and Spirits, 33 Union Square West (16th Street). They are Trenel St.-Amour Beaujolais 1997, regularly 16.95;ChateaudesMilleAnges1995Bordeaux,regularly16.95; Chateau des Mille Anges 1995 Bordeaux, regularly 16.95;ChateaudesMilleAnges1995Bordeaux,regularly10.99; Robert Pepi Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Two Hearts 1995, regularly 14.99;andGroffierChambolle−MusignyLesAmoreuses1985,regularly14.99; and Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoreuses 1985, regularly 14.99;andGroffierChambolle−MusignyLesAmoreuses1985,regularly200. A tasting of the wines, not including the Chambolle-Musigny, will be held on Friday and Saturday, 4 to 8 p.m., and Monday, 2 to 6 p.m.

Ice Cream Spans the Seasons

This has certainly been the right winter to open a place called Avalanche. But this little Upper East Side spot should also be popular in summer, as its specialties are ice cream and sorbet.

Benoit Gerin, who had worked in the pastry kitchens of several French restaurants in New York, rented the space at 311 East 92nd Street last fall and started making ice creams and sorbets for restaurants. In December, he fixed up the front of the store with a few tables and some old French posters and began selling his confections, including cookies and meringues, to retail customers.

The rich ice creams and intense, ultra-smooth sorbets come in more than a dozen flavors, including Valrhona chocolate, Tahitian vanilla, rum raisin, pistachio, white peach, coconut, black currant and litchi ($4.50 a pint, 1ascoop).ThereisalsoaContinentalbreakfastfor1 a scoop). There is also a Continental breakfast for 1ascoop).ThereisalsoaContinentalbreakfastfor4, and sandwiches and quiches for 3.50to3.50 to 3.50to5.

Mr. Gerin bakes birthday cakes and will rent the cafe for children's parties. He will also tell you, proudly, that his ice cream is made without cream. But those who are concerned about fat should know that it has a French-style custard base, with eggs.

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