Molecule-R Gastronomy Kit

The young professional crowd in Boston wishes they had more time and skills to be a better cook.

Did you get inspired this holiday season by all the tasty treats around you and wish you too could make them? Whether or not "unsucking" at cooking was one of your resolutions, you'll find the list of Grommets below to help you get started.

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The single best thing about building Grommet has been watching the ongoing success of our Grommet partners, like Back to the Roots Ventures. The founders are two young guys who came up with the idea to recycle coffee grounds into mushroom growing kits. I took a road trip to visit them at their Oakland CA facility, with my two-year-old nephew Killian in tow. Community outreach is a big part of their ethos at BTTR, so the team was most welcoming to a little boy.

Before our arrival, we negotiated our car around a live police sting operation (seriously) to get to the Back to the Roots office and manufacturing facility. Killian was not impressed with the Oakland Police Department activities, but this little red front loader going into Back to the Roots really got him going.

Our host for the tour, Mai-Ling Garcia, is in charge of their direct to consumer (as opposed to wholesale) operations. She is standing in front of a bunch of BTTR mushroom growing experiments in this photo. I guess you could call this area their R & D lab.

It was fun to see the original Back to the Roots boxes. It’s come a long way! These older versions do not communicate enough value or enable gifting. With Daily Grommet’s video format we can work around compromised packaging, but it is a very real problem when the Grommets get send out “into the wild” to compete on store shelves.

Visible behind the green packages are some cool hydroponic experiments happening. This is part of BTTR’s mission “to make food personal.” I.e. they are working on bringing production into the home in all kinds of ways.

Here is what the Oyster Mushrooms look like at first, and then a couple days later. (Kind of an eerie blue color to begin. Not something you would pop into your mouth on a woodlands ramble.)

This is Nikhil Aurora, co-founder, with the rest of us. (The man sports a constant smile!) I was lucky to catch him, as he had unexpectedly pushed back a trip to D.C. Nikhil was headed there in a few hours because he and his co-founder were scheduled to receive a big deal White House Empact100 List award.

Here’s the reason why Nikhil delayed his trip: he had a last minute command-performance meeting with the Peets Coffee retail team at the BTTR facility. This meant a lot to me because my sister Lisa runs supply chain operations for Peets. In a bit of serendipity last year, I connected her with Nikhil to help BTTR increase its flow of used coffee grounds from Peets’ coffee shops. I love when we can pitch in and help break a log jam for a Grommet partner, by virtue of our networks.

In this clean room is the man who expertly blends the mushroom spores, coffee grounds and growing medium to create each hand-packed kit.

BTTR is on track to hit $5M in revenue in 2012. Their holiday ramp-up is yet to start but here are hundreds of kits “aging” before they are sent out for distribution.

It’s so great to see where these hard-working entrepreneurs have taken such an improbable idea. I look forward to seeing what Nikhil and his co-founder Alejandro Velez do next. Whatever their new product might be, the Grommet community will be very interested.

This is Killian saying goodbye to the BTTR team…who all work out of this same turquoise colored room partitioned off from the production facility.

Finally, here is the original 2011 video we produced about Back to the Roots mushroom growing kits. They keep on selling, the mushrooms keep on growing, and BTTR is really making food personal.

Did you know that January is National Soup Month? After a holiday season full of large meals and tempting sweets, a month of warm and nourishing soups sounds so appealing -- don't you think?

We asked our friends on Twitter which soup recipes they were most excited about and @sahopson shared this with us:

Of course this peaked our interest, check it out -- how delicious does this look?

Brazilian Fish, Shrimp and Mussel Stew from Food & Wine Magazine

After drooling over this soup on Pinterest (check it out here and follow the link for the recipe), we had soup on the brain. This next find had our tummies grumbling:

Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup from Martha Stewart

This  Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup looked too good not to share. So we pinned it on Pinterest and shared with our hungry Twitter crowd. Turns out it was perfect timing as our friend @DianaScimone was just about to make dinner. She saw our tweet and decided to make this recipe for dinner.  How cool is that?

She officially sealed the deal on our soup cravings with her tweets. Good thing we have a whole month to drool over recipes like this and test out new soups one in our own  kitchens.

What are your favorite soup recipes? We'd love to know! Share with  us in a comment below.

And if you are on Twitter, be sure to follow our friends @sahopson and @DianaScimone because they have delicious tweets!

We'd also love to connect with you on Pinterest and Twitter -- let the recipe sharing begin!

Last week while tweeting with our pal Alma Soto, we learned that she loves to bake. Next thing we know,  we had struck up a conversation about the types of things she bakes often and it turns out she's got this famous zucchini bread recipe that folks beg her to make. Naturally, we asked her to share the recipe with us and she agreed! Alma whipped up a fresh loaf for us to snap this photo (now if only she delivered)!

More from Alma:

This recipe was handed down to me by one of my mom's friends, who made this bread regularly but never had a recipe for it. We begged her to write it down and to this day I still have my copy, oil, cinnamon stains and all!

When I first told my kids I was going to make this they thought, zucchini? A vegetable in a bread? Ew! They were convinced they would hate it. Little did they realize how absolutely awesome it is.

Suffice to say this deliciously moist and tasty, spice infused bread has become a staple during the fall and winter months and holidays in my house! Perfect for a morning coffee, a splurge snack, the talk of the office coffee room, or your next group social potluck. Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

•3 eggs

•1 cup oil

•2 cups sugar

•2 tsp vanilla

•2 cups grated zucchini

•1 small can crushed pineapple (well drained)

•3 cups flour

•2 tsp baking soda

•1 tsp salt

•1/4 tsp baking powder

•1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

•3/4 tsp nutmeg

Optional

•1 cup crushed pecans

•1 cup raisins

Topping

•Glaze drizzle

•Pecan topping

•Powdered sugar

Add all ingredients into mixing bowl and mix well. Add crushed pecans and or raisins. Bake at 350º for about 1 hour (time may vary depending on baking pan used).

Create a glaze of confectioners sugar, water, and a 1-2 drops of lemon juice. Drizzle over bread, sprinkle pecans on top (run through food processor) and powdered sugar.

Thank you Alma for sharing your zucchini bread recipe with us!

Do you have a recipe you are known for? We'd love to hear what you're baking in the kitchen!

As the Community Manager here at Daily Grommet, I spend a good part of my day on Facebook chatting with our great fans and friends. I'm always delighted to see how eager our Facebook crowd is to jump into the conversation, whether we're taking a poll, asking for opinions, or just bantering back-and-forth. Because I know our Facebook community especially loves talking about food, I decided to ask everyone to name their favorite sandwich (August is National Sandwich Month after all). In a matter of seconds, the responses were flying in. From traditional favorites to more adventurous recipes, it's obvious our Facebook crowd is all about their sandwiches.

Take my conversation with one of our members, Al ...

It's not like Al was calling me out for a challenge (no, I'm not competitive at all really), but I just couldn't let Al down. So, I decided to test this famous recipe out for myself.

The ingredients: Bacon, bread (no sourdough on hand, so I went with wheat), and creamy peanut butter -- as per Al.

At this point I was a little lot skeptical. I am not a big bacon fan (I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here) BUT I do love peanut butter, so who knows?

After cooking up the bacon, I assembled the sandwich. At this point I was thinking, "am I getting this right?"

And there she is. Bread, peanut butter and bacon. Do we call this a PB-B? Okay, and now for the moment of truth...

Not too bad Al, not too bad.

Now, who is up for making some of the other favorites sandwich recipes? Did you see Heather C.'s favorite? Tuna fish and banana -- I'll let you all test that one!

No? Well, neither had I. But recently, chefs in-the-know have been experimenting with it, and it has diners wondering just what that elusive yet distinctive flavor could be. Is it curry?? ... anise?? ... saffron?? Is it in fact all three, or something entirely different?

I'm actually quite familiar with fennel: the vegetable and the herb. It does have an anise-like quality. Sliced fennel bulb, or finocchio -- also known as "Florence fennel" -- is a beloved vegetable in Italy and is often found in salads, either cooked or as a side dish. Fennel seed is also popular in some tomato sauce recipes, and you can even chew fennel seed to freshen your breath.

But fennel pollen is a whole new, dare I say, invention? The Pollen Ranch in Lemon Cove, California (already sounds delicious) has been the leading promoter of herb pollens like fennel and dill, and the trend has really caught on in culinary circles.

Fennel pollen is collected just after the fennel plant has come into flower. The drying process is what makes this spice so expensive ($20 an ounce!). Once dried, the pollen can be packaged and used as is, or it can be blended with other ingredients.

I was intrigued and decided to try some.

The pretty little golden tin arrived in the mail from Daily Grommet. I opened it, smelled it and, of course, had to taste it.

What does it taste like? The dominant note is a very light licorice flavor (anise), but there were other mysterious back notes:  crushed toasted pecans, lemon peel, chervil flakes, fleur de sel, cumin, according to the ingredients on the tin. I knew a pinch of this would perk up my summer cooking and grilling.

Pork loin brushed with olive oil and rolled in fennel pollen

In Italy, fennel pollen is used most frequently with pork dishes. I rolled a pork loin in olive oil and some of the fennel pollen to marinate for several hours. We grilled the loin over hot coals for about 20 minutes -- it smelled divine -- sliced it and served it. Delicious. I think the fennel pollen even made the pork more juicy and tender.

What next? It's often used in the preparation of sausages. And famous chef Mario Batali rolls goat cheese logs in the fennel pollen as an appetizer.

Bu since I live near the ocean on Cape Cod, I was searching for a more regional use. Stuffed clams came to mind. Just as the baked stuffed clams come out of the oven, I sprinkled each with a dusting of the fennel pollen and served.

“What is that flavor?” a guest asked.

Ah, the kitchen secret might have to be revealed.

This flavor enhancer can be sweet or savory, so it would work with any favorite fish dish or a risotto ... the “gold dust” of the kitchen gods.

Try it and see.

I decided right then that a tin of fennel pollen will be my go-to gift for friends, especially for the cook who has everything and is on the lookout for the latest new foodie vibe.

Rita's Baked Stuffed Clams

1 cup minced clams, drained but save some of the liquid

½ minced onion, 1 small clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. butter

½ cup fine breadcrumbs like Panko

salt, pepper

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

fennel pollen, about 1 tsp.

Saute the onion and garlic in butter. Add in the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, clams, lemon juice, parsley and 1 Tbsp. reserved clam juice. Off heat stuff the clam shells or ramekins with the clams/stuffing. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. To serve: sprinkle with a dash of fennel pollen and a wedge of lime.

Tis'  the season for summer entertaining and backyard dining. We've got the perfect collection of Grommets that are sure to enhance your summer get-togethers.

Salsabol

A beautiful ceramic bowl with a strategically engineered lip that’s designed to push the dip onto your chip for a more stable scoop. Buy the Salsabol spill proof salsa or dip bowl here.

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iSi Twist and Sparkle

Once you experience this DIY carbonation system, you might find yourself trying to carbonate every beverage in your home. Juice, tea, wine, cocktails, mocktails... you name it, this little gadget can add bubbles to it. Buy the iSi Twist and Sparkle seltzer maker/drink carbonator here.

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Firewire

Made of stainless steel cable, Fire Wire skewers can literally bend to your cooking needs. You can shape them to fit inside a container for marinating (try doing that with rigid metal skewers), or twist them so they fit on your grill. Buy Firewire's flexible metal skewers here.

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What Is It?

They look just like the ubiquitous paper plates and plastic cups that appear at picnics and barbecues everywhere, but they’re not disposable. They’re made of durable melamine, so they’ll hold up to gobs of barbecue sauce and potato salad much better than the flimsy dinnerware they pay homage to. Buy What Is It? Melamine plates and cups here.

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Allsop

When the garden work is done and the sun is down, it’s time to enjoy the Allsop’s stunning solar-powered lanterns. The accordion-style lanterns and string lights are made from nylon so the vibrant colors will stay bright and won’t fade from sun exposure. Add a glow to your summer entertaining. Buy solar hanging lanterns and string lights here.

Today, we tend to eat many meals on the run and find that we are forcing ourselves to "make time" to have a meal together. So when Debi Shawcross reached out to tell us about her new cookbook Friends at the Table: The Ultimate Supper Club Cookbook, we were really delighted.

With a nostalgiac nod to a  supper club from the 1930s and 1940s, Friends at the Table will teach you how to plan your menu, organize the event, and get it all on the table at once. Seasonal menus, tips for table decorations, and music selections make this a book for novice and expert alike. With plan-ahead instructions and ingredients you can find at your local grocery store, Friends at the Table is the ultimate how-to guide and cookbook for a modern day supper club.

Debi's cookbook is filled with fabulous recipes. She even shares several on her site like Southwestern Ceasar and Apple and Cranberry Crisp with Maple Whipped Cream (see them here).

Thinking about starting your own supper club, or just looking for new delicous recipes? You're in luck, Debi is generously giving away a copy of her cookbook to one lucky reader!

Just tell us, who would you invite to your dinner table?

Comment below to enter  to win a copy of Friends at the Table!

Contest is now closed. Congratulations to Angie P.!

General contest rules: To enter, you must be a U.S. resident and at least 18 years of age and you must leave a comment or question on today’s post. No purchase necessary. One entry per person. The winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. Employees, contractors, and the families of employees and contractors of Daily Grommet, Inc. are not eligible to enter. You are not eligible to win if you have received a prize or giveaway from Daily Grommet in the last six months. Void where prohibited. Contest will run from 1pm PST June 6, 2011 to 10 pm PST June 10, 2011.

At Daily Grommet we love to tell the story behind the products that we feature. Today's story spans generations and continents. If it weren't for the act of courage taken almost a century ago around the world, this story wouldn't be able to be told today.

Buy MYdrap napkins on a roll here.

The founders, Antonio and Maria Guasch were workers of a textile company. They were fed up with the abuses of the owner and decided to open their own factory. After many difficulties the company was founded in 1925 in Barcelona. A few days after Antonio Guasch died. Maria did not give up and she went ahead with the business in a time when women were supposed to be at home with babies. Maria had to work extremely hard to start her fledgling business and educate her son and daughter at the same time.

Her son, Jacinto Guasch took over the business and later, in 1980, the company opened a new factory in Monistrol de Montserrat, near Barcelona at the foot of the mountain. During the next 10 years the company had two factories, but in 1990 the factory in Barcelona was closed and all the production was moved to Monistrol. The old factory was sold when the old industrial area of Barcelona was converted for the Olympic games of Barcelona 1992.

After a heavy textile crisis in 1991-1992 the company realized that the sector was extremely vulnerable to foreign competition coming from Asia. With the clear goal of innovating they developed their seamless technology.
This technology allowed them to develop innovative and high quality product at a competitive cost.

They first created Rolldrap, cotton cloths in a roll, in 1996. Today they are leaders in the Spanish market of cotton cloths for the hospitality market and the product is expanding through Europe. In 2005 they explored the possibility of developing other products that would use the same seamless technology. The idea of manufacturing textile napkins on a roll was the first step. The success in the hospitality market was immediate. The concept of a disposable textile has captivated hotels, caterers and restaurants all over the world.

Following the success of the MYdrap napkins for the hospitality market they developed the same concept for the retail. In 2008 they registered the MYdrap brand. The concept of cotton napkins in a roll available in a range of colors and sizes has been an immediate success. The product has expanded all over the best stores in Europe, Japan and Canada and we wish to do the same in the USA.

MYdrap on the Today Show

After being featured as one of 'Today's Style Fashion Emergency Fixes' a couple of weeks ago (see the video below) the MYdrap team has been invited back and will be featured this Thursday, April 14th. We can't wait to cheer them on and watch the US market embrace this product. Grandma Maria would be very proud.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We know from the first Babycakes Mini Cupcake Maker feature that our community has a passion for quick baking and sweet mini treats (remember Juli and her  Babycakes mini cupcake maker recipes?). However, Thursday's feature which introduced the extended Babycakes Maker line spurred A LOT of excitement.

So, for those of you who want to create cake balls, mini donuts, or want to experiment with a favorite whoopie pie recipe -- we thought it would be fun to offer a giveaway!

If you missed it, check out all three in this video. Then, leave a comment below telling us which maker  you would like to win.

*For an extra entry, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter then come back and leave a seperate comment telling us you did. Good luck!

General contest rules: To enter, you must be a U. S. or Canadian resident, and at least 18 years of age and you must leave a comment or question on today’s post. No purchase necessary. Up to 3 entries per person. The winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. Employees, contractors, and the families of employees and contractors of Daily Grommet, Inc. are not eligible to enter. You are not eligible to win if you have received a prize or giveaway from Daily Grommet in the last six months. Void where prohibited. Contest will run from 8am PST March 19, 2011 to 10 pm PST March 23, 2011.