Baby, it's cold outside, but we've got just the prescription to take the sting out of dreary February weather. This month, we'll be hunkering down with a mug of luxe spiced hot chocolate (garnished with a plush marshmallow, natch), tuning in to a new web series from a surprising source, and much, much more.
Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen
Launched last month, Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen [1], brings the clean lines and utility of a restaurant kitchen to your home. With everything from a sleek Y peeler [2] ($10) to a set of sturdy steak knives [3] ($150), there are plenty of options to trick out your kitchen. But what I most covet are the delicate, whisper-thin tumblers [4] ($24-30).
— Nicole Perry, assistant editor
Orchidea Hot Chocolate
La Boîte Orchidea Hot Chocolate [5] ($18) blends Éclat Chocolate [6]'s 54 percent cacao with La Boîte's Orchidea N.34 [7]. While we don't exactly know what orchid root tastes like alone, we can detect the subtle szechuan pepper and zesty lime. It's a conversation piece that's worth sipping on with guests on cold Winter nights.
— Anna Monette Roberts, assistant editor
World Nutella Day
Feb. 5 marks the eighth World Nutella Day [8], created by Nutella fans. Last year the day was nearly destroyed when Ferrero SpA, the makers of Nutella, sent a cease and desist letter [9] to Sara Rosso, the creator of the World Nutella Day website [10]. But the case eventually dropped [11]. Nutella fans are free to share their virtual love of the chocolate hazelnut spread once again.
— AMR
Früute Cookies
I can't think of many folks who wouldn't be thrilled to receive a box of Früute's cookies for Valentine's Day. With sleek, cheeky packaging and a lineup of fabulous flavors — our favorites are Salted Caramel [12], Lavender Noir [13], and Raspberry Rolls [14] ($9 each) — they're absolutely gift-worthy.
— NP
Please to the Table
If tuning into the Olympic Games leaves you with a hankering for borscht, blintzes, and other Eastern European nibbles, you can do no better than Anya von Bremzen's Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook [15], the definitive guide to Soviet cuisine. It may be out of print and carry a relatively hefty price tag ($63 and up) but it's worth it if a Russian feast is what you're after.
— NP
Owl's Brew
I'm not usually a fan of bottled cocktail mixers, but I'll make an exception when it comes to Owl's Brew [16], a line of sweetened tea concentrates crafted for mixing with everything from tequila to beer. My favorite of the trio has to be Pink & Black [17] ($16), a tart blend of black tea, hibiscus, lemon, and strawberry.
— NP
Chipotle's Original Comedy: Farmed and Dangerous
If Netflix and Amazon can have original TV shows, why can't brands? Chipotle plans to, as the company will air Farmed and Dangerous [18], a four-part comedy series, on Feb. 17, exclusive to Hulu. Of course, the show will deal with farm ethics. An agro-business sells petroleum pellets to cattle farms, but there's one minor setback: the pellets cause the cows to blow up! Though we love us some Chipotle burritos, we're wondering if the show will become a new favorite sitcom or will come across like a cheesy, drawn-out social campaign.
— AMR
Plush Puffs Mugtoppers
Bleak, bitingly cold February days absolutely call for a mug of hot cocoa. And a mug of hot cocoa is always better when marshmallows are involved. Treat yourself to a canister of Plush Puffs's ingenious Mugtoppers [19] ($7) — disc-shaped marshmallows tailor-made for hot chocolate — and you may never look back.
— NP
Paula Deen's First Live Event Since the Controversy
For the first time since the Summer controversy [20], Paula Deen [21] will appear live to do a cooking demo at Samuel's Grand Manor [22] in Williamsburg, NY, on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. for $60 a ticket. All eyes are likely to be on Paula to see how (or rather if) she behaves.
— AMR