4 Reasons This Week Made Us Extra Proud to Be Vegan
If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been asking some questions over on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to all who answer—it’s so great to 
get to know you better! And the verdicts are in—you all definitely love pancakes and French toast pretty much evenly across the board as long as they’re vegan. The same goes for chai and hot chocolate, too. Good choices indeed!
Thanks for the nice shout out from Shae Thompson on Facebook who enjoyed our fudge. Feedback keeps us pressing on to bring you the best products and service!
We were moved to tears by the story that broke last week about the chimps at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NorthWest in Cle Elum, WA, who had spent their entire lives in laboratories and finally got to experience some increased freedom. It’s a reminder of why we do what we do and that there’s no reason to ever give up hope that all animals will someday enjoy happy endings like this one.
Public voting ends today for our first-ever Tee and Tote Design Contest! Thanks to all the contestants and voters! Next phase is the ten designs that received the most votes go to our incredible panel of judges who will select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners, which we’ll announce next week! Good luck to all the contestants and thanks to everyone for supporting us.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Spice It Up!
I don’t usually have much of a taste for spiciness. I buy mild salsa and truthfully I don’t even like onions on my salads. Most Indian food is too spicy for me. 
The reason I’m telling you all of this is because I want to explain the difference between a spicy Indian curry and our spiced peanut brittle, chipotle caramels, and chipotle cinnamon fudge. Not being one for spicy foods I worry that some people may choose not to try our more exotic flavors because of their spicy names. So, let me assure you that even our most “spiced” products are not even close to burn-your-mouth-off hot peppers. In fact, we named our spiced peanut brittle “spiced” instead of “spicy” because we didn’t want to give anyone the wrong idea about it. 
Even my sensitive tastes buds love it’s warm cinnamon notes and little kick of spice at the end. Basically, if you haven’t tried these spiced confections, you’re missing out!
For a perfect pairing, our Spice Lover’s Gift Set offers spiced peanut brittle complimented by the smokier but no less heavenly flavors of our unique chipotle caramels. Some other exotic (but not at all spicy) spice blends we create ourselves include our Rooibos Chai Tisane, and the Apple Pie and Vanilla Chai spices for our vegan fudge.
Let’s Drink to National Hot Tea Month
January is National Hot Tea Month, and what a perfect month it is for celebrating the warmth and comfort of my favorite winter beverage. My honey and I just moved into a new house a few months ago, that, while very charming, is not the newest. It’s sorely in need of new windows and door, so much so that when it’s windy outside, we can feel a breeze inside. Needless to say, it’s turning out to be a rather chilly winter for us, and hot fair-trade tea is one of the things keeping us going. 
Rooibos Earl Grey has become my morning staple, and in the evenings we’ve been enjoying large mugs of Rooibos Chai with lots of non-dairy milk and stevia (it’s caffeine-free, so it doesn’t keep us up all night).
For those of us trying to trim some inches after all that amazing holiday food, tea can be a deliciously sweet treat that’s healthy for you and your waistline. Drink tea for dessert!
Warmth in the Winter
I know that our winters here in California are nothing compared to many parts of the country, but it was 18º F at my house a couple of morning this week, and that is plenty cold enough for me! During this cold, dark heart of winter, when I get up before dawn and watch the sunset from my office at 5 o’clock, it can be hard to imagine that it will ever be warm and sunny again. I am helped in keeping my spirits up, and in staying warm these days, by indulging in hot fair-trade tea on a daily basis (usually with stevia and coconut milk creamer). My all-time favorite tea is our Rooibos Earl Grey, although lately I’ve been getting into the spiciness of Chai. Since I usually drink tea in the evening, I love that Allison’s rooibos tisanes are caffeine-free so they won’t keep me up all night.
What treats or practices keep you happy and warm through the winter months?
Looking Forward to… Chocolate!
Well, the new year has begun, and as the winter holidays end and we all get back into the swing of our normal lives, it’s a great time of year to look ahead and make plans for the future. In the bakery business, we’re almost always looking ahead, to next month’s flavors, an upcoming holiday, or developing that new product we’ve been craving. 
Along with Allison’s cookbook plans, which I’ve mentioned previously, we’re also using this time to dream up ideas for the springtime holidays. Believe it or not, we’re already working on unique valentine gifts for Valentine’s Day, which is only about a month away! Yay, Chocolate!
Chocolates are, not surprisingly, always very popular in February, so this year we’re hoping to offer some gorgeous Valentine-themed boxes to house our vegan chocolates (although finding elegant heart-shaped boxes that aren’t completely garish is proving to be quite a challenge).
Do you buy chocolates for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day? Is there something else we should be offering as a more unique valentine gift?
Iced Chai Tisane
We all know that most foods are way better homemade than from the store. Have you ever thought about drinks in that same way? If you like iced chai from Starbucks, imagine how good it could be homemade! Here’s Allison’s recipe for perfect chai tea, which I highly recommend iced on these hot days. It’s easy to make, creamy and perfectly spiced, and if you use our Rooibos Chai Tisane (Herbal Tea), it’s caffeine free, so you can enjoy it any time of day or night.
What to use…
2 Tablespoons Rooibos Chai Tisane
12 oz filtered water
6 oz non-dairy milk of your choice
Your preferred sweetener
…and how
1. Place tisane and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off and steep for 5 minutes.
2. Add the non-dairy milk and steep for 2 more minutes.
3. Strain, sweeten to taste, ice and enjoy!
Sip a Sweet Springtime Treat
Looking for a sweet treat that won’t expand your waistline? Believe it or not, iced tea is one of my favorite warm-weather treats. It’s cool, sweet and refreshing, and, if you use herbal tea and stevia, it’s not sugary or caffeinated. 
We have several delicious fair-trade teas and tisanes (herbal teas) here at Allison’s, but my favorite flavor right now is our Rooibos Chai. I brew it in the evenings in quart jars, put it in the fridge over night, add a splash of nut milk and a few drops of stevia and bring it to work with me. It’s spicy and refreshing to sip on all day, plus, it curbs my sweet tooth and helps me stay hydrated. I also love that my glass jars or stainless steel bottles are more sustainable than store-bought glass or plastic ones, and my homemade, fair-trade tea tastes better than store-bought, too!
Let it Snow!
The first snow of the season arrived at Allison’s Gourmet HQ this week, reminding us that the holidays really are just around the corner. Hannukah begins today and Christmas arrives in two short 
weeks, but there’s still time to secure your holiday gift orders for friends and loved ones. Choose from our delicious, decadent selection of sweet treats, or give an instant gift certificate.
Whatever you choose, we’re here to help ring in the holiday cheer!
Today, we’re thinking warm and cozy thoughts centered on Peppermint Hot Cocoa and Rooibos Chai Tisane. Comfort in a mug!
Tell us: What’s your favorite way to stay warm on a cold, wintery night?
