Unless you’re one of the lucky few who have succeeded in dodging this modern age of social media, you’ve probably seen Dubai chocolate swirling around the web. You know, those giant chocolate bars filled with a crunchy, yet creamy pistachio filling that have taken over our screens and just about every other gas station checkout counter? Yep, that’d be the one. After succumbing to peer pressure, I finally tried this very chocolate bar in question, and—after setting me back a whopping $18—I had to admit that it was pretty darn delicious.

I’ve always had a soft spot for recipes that feel a little extra without actually being complicated. Just like any good relationship, there’s something comforting about knowing you can create something special without overthinking every step or ingredient. This very sentiment is what inspired Every Rose Has Its Hawthorn—a Valentine’s Day mocktail crafted to encapsulate love in all its layered, often messy, yet simplistic nature at heart.

I recently purchased a kitchen scale, and it has completely changed the game when it comes to testing and developing recipes. My newest culinary gadget has been such a gamechanger that I am quickly forgetting the many years I spent guesstimating measurements and eyeballing ingredients. This has been especially true for simple yet finicky recipes, such as bread dough,

This blog is final recipe of the 6-part series on recipes featuring our new line of organic flavor extracts.

Well, it’s official folks. My 6-part recipe series showcasing Mountain Rose Herbs’ new line of organic flavor extracts is coming to a bittersweet close. Dusting off my flour-drenched apron and reflecting on the recipe rabbit holes I have fallen down since beginning this journey, I’ve found myself filled with gratitude for each and every uniquely delicious experiment we’ve explored together. Starting off simple yet strong, we began with vanilla crème brûlée, then onto notes of sweet and sour with my hazelnut pear tart and lemon poppyseed Bundt cake, followed by the chocolatey wonderland of peppermint mocha and orange chocolate. For our final stop, I wanted to challenge myself and bring us full circle with the last flavor extract on the list: almond extract.

This blog is part of a 6-part series on recipes featuring our new line of organic flavor extracts. Stay tuned for more flavor inspiration coming soon!

Maybe this is just me and my sweet tooth, but the candies I enjoyed as a child have stuck in my brain like hard candy sticks to molars. From distinctly wrapped strawberry bonbons, saltwater taffy from the Oregon coast, to orange-shaped chocolate spheres covered in gold foil, each sugary morsel shaped many of my earliest memories. In particular, the latter takes me back to (literal) sweet moments spent carefully breaking off each chocolate orange slice one by one, and letting the rich, citrusy flavors melt onto my tongue. With this mouthwatering memory in mind, I set out on a mission to recreate this nostalgic treat in my own kitchen.

This blog is part of a 6-part series on recipes featuring our new line of organic flavor extracts. Stay tuned for more flavor inspiration coming soon!

With each added layer of clothing marking the days leading up to winter, there is little my bundled-up self wants to do besides sip on a piping hot beverage. Once my taste buds tire from drinking gallons of spiced apple cider and homemade chai, I tend to gravitate towards the famed and festive beverage synonymous with the holiday season: the one and only, peppermint mocha.

This blog is part of a 6-part series on recipes featuring our new line of organic flavor extracts. Stay tuned for more flavor inspiration coming soon!

Long before I learned how to read, much of my time as a young girl was spent perched in a particularly sunny window, staring wide-eyed at vibrantly illustrated picture books. My fascination with eye-catching imagery quickly evolved from kids’ books to another type of illustrative literature that my mom kept an impressive collection of: cookbooks! Something about flipping through page after page of appealing images woven with thoughtfully crafted recipes has always filled my empty stomach with inspiration, and is what I credit to leading me to be the culinarian I am today.

This blog is part of a 6-part series on recipes featuring our new line of organic flavor extracts. Stay tuned for more flavor inspiration coming soon!

Although I’m a fan of Thanksgiving classics just as much as the next guy, I’ll admit that the same old main course and side dishes can begin to feel (and taste) a bit mundane over the years. For me, this is especially true when it comes to dessert. The usual suspects, pumpkin pie and pecan pie, have always seemed a bit plain, mushy, sickly sweet, or all of the above. Luckily, I was tasked with bringing dessert to Friendsgiving this year, so it was the perfect opportunity to knock their feathers off with a not-so-traditional dessert that is still right at home alongside a crowded table of familiar favorites.

This blog is part of a 6-part series on recipes featuring our recently new line of organic flavor extracts. Stay tuned for more flavor inspiration coming soon!

Beloved and recognized throughout the world, vanilla bean needs no formal introduction. With a unique ability to enhance rather than overshadow pretty much anything it's paired with, it’s no wonder vanilla has been crowned with such a reputation in the flavoring hall of fame. With that being said, even the most famous flavors are subject to their fair share of controversy.

Once darkness falls and vampires begin emerging from their satin-lined coffins and werewolves serenade with their haunting howls, many of us are gearing up for our own traditions to celebrate this season of spooky. For me, the month of October tends to unleash a beast with a taste for leaving the real horror to the mess of my craft cabinet and kitchen countertops. After wrapping up the finishing touches on my annually elaborate DIY costume, it was time to dust off the trusty cauldron to craft for my ghoulish guests to sip on during our Halloween festivities. Since no spirits should be contained to cheaply-made plastic goblets filled with sickly sweet, boozy syrup, I concocted a bewitching mocktail recipe that will trick and treat anyone who dares take a sip into having a spooktacular evening—alcohol-free!  

The act of adornment is a spectacle found all throughout our natural world. From the late-spring blooms of indigo-hued camas adorned with starry-eyed flowers, to the impressive lekking rituals of male sage grouse boasting their fans of striped feathers, and intricately beaded earrings dangling above a vibrant dress, adornment appears in every corner on Earth. In the context of herbalism, botanicals can act as an internal and external embellishment, enhancing not only our physical health but also our spiritual and emotional well-being.