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All vinegars are not created equal. One sip of Katz Late Harvest Zinfandel Vinegar and you know you’re in for a special vinaigrette, a memorable braised pork dinner or some mighty delicious roasted cauliflower drizzled with this stuff.                                                             

Made from zinfandel grapes that have been given time to develop their sugars, the fermented juice is aged in oak barrels. It’s a terrific balance of sweet and tangy, with no “bite” and plenty of rich jammy flavor. It costs about $11 for a 12-ounce bottle; a three-pack also includes Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar and Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Vinegar. Available at Katz and Company and Amazon.com.

A well-made root-beer float is the stuff of summertime bliss.
It’s a pretty easy concept. A bottle of root beer and a plop of vanilla ice cream.
But, in their zeal to make it all even easier, the folks at venerable A&W have come up with an icky dud.
The colorful A&W Float bottle says it all: “A Creamy Blend of Rich A&W and Ice Cream Flavor. Yum.
                     

I’ll give them credit for creating a hint of the milkiness that results when ice cream starts to melt into a soft drink. But the flavor is phony;  the sugar level is off the charts; the slightly viscous texture (pectin included) is off-putting; and the promised “frothy head” is non-existent.
The company is introducing an orange float, too. Made with Sunkist orange soda and “ice cream flavor,” it’s also a thin, wimpy imposter.

You can always count on The King’s Cupboard for a rich, chocolatey exclamation point on dinner. The latest triumph, unveiled at the recent Fancy Food Show, is the one-minute mousse. Well, not exactly. But pretty darn close.

 

Just combine the Mousse Mix and ¼ cup of heavy cream, microwave for a minute, let cool and fold it into the remaining ¾ cup of whipping cream which has been whipped to stiff peaks.  It’s smooth, silky and delicious.  Three flavors are available: Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate Cappuccino. A package to make four servings costs about $5 at specialty stores and The King’s Cupboard Web site.