Addicted to Droga
December 16, 2007 I love rocky road and was lucky enough to discover the latest local artisan confection Droga from Good Addiction. Founder Michelle Bordin has refined her 25-year-old family recipe so perfectly that these hand-made chocolate treasures are flying off the shelves in gourmet shops.
Definitely not your average rocky road - it has fresh dry-roasted and salted peanuts wrapped in rich milk or dark chocolate. With that lovely salty/sweet flavor combo, you're gonna float on cloud nine with each bite. Yum! They also feature single-serving mini boxes for party/wedding favors or corporate events.
Available at Whole Foods (Northern CA), specialty gourmet shops (see www.goodaddiction.com/instores.html) and online: www.goodaddiction.com
Photo credit: Aya Brackett
-Tami
Available exclusively at Barneys New York (New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and San Francisco).
Try the refreshing and cheery Peppermint Ice Cream recipe below. It is guaranteed to put you in the holiday mood...
Peppermint Ice Cream
Children—and adults too—are fans of peppermint ice cream. Colored palest pink and dotted with bits of peppermint, the scoops can be served in cones or bowls.
This is especially good with chocolate cake.
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 ounces hard peppermint candies, crushed into small pieces
In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved.
In a bowl, whisk the yolks together until they change to a lemon color. Gradually whisk about 2 cup of the hot milk mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Add the peppermint extract, stirring well. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is partially frozen, stir in the candies. Makes about 1 quart.
Recipe used with permission from Chronicle Books.
Photo credit: Richard G. Jung
Available to the US market for the first time, the Les Exclusives line is a pair of specialty confections: the Orangettes (candied orange peel covered in Valrhona dark chocolate), and the Mendiants (milk and dark chocolate disks studded with apricot, hazelnuts and pistachios). These delicacies are traditionally made in French households during Christmas.
Available at: 
This great online sale is only valid 12:01am EST on Thursday, December 13th through 11:59pm EST on Monday, December 17th (offer is NOT valid on the purchase of gift certificates, taxes, shipping & handling, and in shu uemura boutiques).
Best of all, FREE shipping is available on purchases over $75! Just register online - when you spend over $75, your shipping is on the house. You will also receive advance notice of new product launches, get a shorter check-out process, and all exclusive online promotions (deluxe samples, product offers, in-store events, etc.).
Feed Your Soul cookies lets the gift giver customize the entire process - choose the packaging, then pick the recipient’s favorite cookies, add an inspirational quote and finally pen a personalized note. They will even donate a portion of the proceeds to the charity of your choice. I love the tasty holiday flavors: Gingerbread, Chocolate Chip Mint, Pumpkin Pie (yummy!), S’mores, Chocolate Brownie Chunk, Strawberry Linzers, and the new White Chocolate Cherry Jubilee. (
Recchiuti Confections has a lovely holiday collection of burnt caramel chocolates. Trust me, whoever gets this will LOVE you. The festive winter designs were created by Dave Braden of The Engine Room, a local San Francisco design firm. (
A celebrity favorite, Lily Lambert created two lines of sensual perfumes - The Master Number Series and The Spectrum Collection. The Spectrum's E perfume is particularly complex, with notes of cocoa, opium, rain, and musk. The #33 in the number series has an ethereal scent of green African musk, Tunisian musk, French vanilla, and sage. (
Fun and whimsical, Crazylibellule and the Poppies has an intriguing line of solid perfumes that will delight everyone. Worn alone or layered, the Shanghaijava collection includes the following scents: Musk & Patchouli, Ginger & Coconut, Mystic Incense, Litchi Blossom, Spiritual Lilac, Blue Orchid, and Ananas Imperial (my personal fave). (available at: 
For the natural beauty addict, Sundari has two holiday sets that will satisfy any skincare fiend. The healing body care set contains the best-selling Neem and Manuka Body Cleanser, Neem and Blood Orange Body Lotion, Neem and Triphala Body Oil, a votive candle and matchbox, while the skin care contains the Neem and Burdock Cream-Gel Cleanser, Neem and Avocado Balancing Moisturizer, Neem Night Cream, and Neem Eye Cream. (
For your special guy, the Sothys Homme Revitalising Hair & Body Care is a great two-in-one hair and body product. Great for travel and the gym, it contains d-panthenol and silicones to ensure healthy, shiny hair. It's also gentle enough for sensitive skin types. (
Another worthy men's gift idea is the deluxe Kiehl's Ultimate Man Collection . Perfect for both manly and metro types, it features the Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash, White Eagle Shave Cream, Ultimate Man Scrub Soap, Lip Balm #1, Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, and Facial Fuel. (
Happy Holidays!
Tami
There's a lot of fun colors to play with for the eyes. The Violetta duo eyeshadow contains a smoky lavender and a soft metaillic violet, allowing you to go for a soft and elegant look, or you can layer for a more dramatic effect. The Cheyenne duo is another winner with a metallic sienna and a gothic plum. I also love the sparkly glints in the Night Rider single eyeshadow.
The Luster blush is a nice golden apricot, imparting a warm glow that will work on most skin tones. For lip color, the Viridiana lipstick is the perfect burgundy shade to carry off the Old Hollywood flair. My favorites are the new Rose Gitane and Bad Education lip glosses - sheer sangria and crimson shades that are just gorgeous. Your lips will be saying 'kiss me!' with these colors.
Another new item to note is the Lip Gloss/Lip Stain Gloss collection. Combining a long-lasting color with a high-shine gloss, these duos create the ultimate sexy pout. Worn separately or together, you can layer the shades to your individual taste. Or get them all to mix and match! The Sandpiper/Daredevil (shimmering amber coral and scarlet red) and the Turkish Delight/Sayonara (pink sorbet, rose petal pink) duos are expecially lovely.
To combat dry winter skin, the Limoncello Body Smoothing Lotion is wonderfully hydrating, sloughing off layers of dead skin cells. It has a nice, luxurious feel...plus you smell like a lemon drop!
Available online: 
As the first step, the gentle Naseberry Eye Exfoliant is excellent at smoothing out the wrinkles. Wild Black Carrot helps diminish fine lines while Green Apple and Calendula infuse antioxidants to the skin. The Raspberry Eye Masque provides intense hydration with 16 vitamins and herbs to improve elasticity. The area around my eyes were so nice and dewy after using these two products. It is like an instant eye-lift. For maintenance I follow with either the Cucumber Eye Gel (instant de-puffer) or the iron-rich Wild Plum Eye Cream (targets dark circles). All of these may be used individually or together as a four-step treatment.
There is a holiday gift with purchase - buy any 2 Eye Quattro products and receive a lovely special edition ornament filled with travel size minis of the entire eye care collection!
For more winter protection, definitely get the creamy Linden Calendula Treatment or the Rich Black Perlette Grape Moisturizer from the Tradition Series (a group of favorite products with extra rich formulations). Super potent with active anti-aging ingredients, these will be a surefire way to prevent the cold weather dryness. Folks will be wondering what your secret is to fabulous skin!