• 08Jan

    The Start of a Veggie New Year: Review Of Morningside Farms’ Products

    With the new year upon us, we all have our own resolutions; some of us want to loose a few unwanted pounds or just try a new, healthier way of eating and living. People can sometimes be  ambivalent about starting a vegetarian diet, however, the rewards can be very beneficial. Naturally, the best way to approach something new is to take small, careful steps. Here are a few delicious dishes from Morningstar Farms that I find very helpful in kick-starting a vegetarian diet, and will also begin to put you on the path to a new, healthier way of eating.

    Breakfast–as were told many times growing up–is the most important meal of the day, and this is very true. For some, however, breakfast over time can become dull–or sometimes repetitive. Here are some veggie-friendly foods that can wipe away the morning doldrums of breakfast.

    Morningstar Farms -Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage, Egg and Bacon Biscuit

    A golden, flaky buttermilk biscuit filled with egg, cheese, and veggie bacon crumbles. This is absolutely perfect for people on the run in the morning, and it only packs 270 calories! At first, it’s an awkward eat, and what I mean by awkward is that when you first take a bite, the sausage (which is also in crumbles), bacon, cheese and egg is more of a filling–think of it as an éclair of sorts for a better picture. Awkwardness aside, it is very good. The biscuit is not like your standard breakfast sandwich that you would find at a McDonalds or Burger King, but it’s definitely worth getting up early for.

    Morningstar Farms – Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties

    These delicious, maple flavored patties will wake anyone up from their well-needed eight hours of sleep. It’s better to prepare the patties on a iron skillet rather than in a microwave, but using the latter won’t be detrimental in enjoying these vegetarian, maple-flavored delights. If you do decide to take the quick route and use the microwave, then the patties may appear to be bland; but worry not, again, the flavor will still be present after that first bite. They taste the exactly the same as your standard maple patties, but with less grease. You can have them with a side of eggs, toast–or both! Very healthy and only 80 calories per serving.

    Lunch is very important, it needs to be able to recharge our work-battered bodies to the fullest. Why go out and eat when you can not only bring your lunch, but make it a healthier lunch break, as well.

    Morningstar Farms – Sesame Chik’n

    Breaded veggie chicken nuggets, edamame (soybeans), sugar snap peas, carrots and diced red peppers with Asian-style noodles smothered in a sumptuous sesame sauce will kick your taste buds and get you through the rest of your workday. Avid eaters of Chinese food will definitely appreciate this quick and easy meal. I found this dish to be very delicious myself, however, it was difficult to distinguish the difference between the two. It looks, tastes and smells like the real thing (the other being made with meat, of course). With only 310 calories, your lunch break will now be a healthier one.

    Dinner, the last meal of the day; where family gather and talk about the long–and sometimes, stressful day they had. What better way to do this than over a nice, healthy vegetarian supper.

    Morningstar Farms Meal Starters – Recipe Starters

    These delicious beef-substitute crumbles are already recipe-ready and very fast and easy to cook. You can substitute these for practically any dish you want. At first glance, the crumbles may seem dull and flavorless, however, that is far from the contrary. The crumbles taste slightly different, partially due to the crumbles being made of soy, and are lighter than ground beef–with less grease, of course; but it is still enjoyable and fun to prepare. Having a spaghetti night? No problem! Or perhaps lasagna? My personal favorite thing to do is use the crumbles in Hamburger Helper.  Only a mere 80 calories per serving!

    These are just a few of the foods that Morningstar has available. They have many different dishes that you can mix-and-match to synthesize a veggie-friendly meal. Also, these dishes are an excellent way to get you started on that resolution to again, either shed a few pounds, or just try something new. Either way, it is definitely worth a try. Happy New Year!

    By Guest Writer: Antonio Washington

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  • 21Dec

    Holiday Savings: World Market Holiday Deals & Free Pinkberry

    I recently wrote about saving money on groceries, and am following up with some info on a good place to do some last-minute holiday shopping, World Market. I shop at the Pentagon Row location, but there is also one in Friendship Heights.

    They currently have 50% off of Asian ceramic sets (teapot and sushi plate sets), lotion/bubble bath sets (they call it something else), and only on the December 23rd, HOLIDAY CANDY! Peppermint bark, here I come!

    Plus, join their “Explorer Club” and you can print out coupons from the site and their emails, some of which can be combined. Yesterday I combined a 10% off coupon with a $10 off of $30 coupon, and some of my items were already 50% off. They have a good selection of snacks, spices, tea, coffee, etc. They have wine, but I’m unsure if the coupons apply to that.

    —————————————

    As of Thursday, there will be a new Pinkberry in town, (on M Street) just in time for the holidays. “The new Pinkberry (3288 M Street, NW) will open its doors in Georgetown for the first time on Thursday, December 22nd, and offer a special winter treat to all shoppers: one free small Pinkberry from 12 to 4 p.m. Stop by their newest Georgetown location and share in the wonderment!” Can you say no to a free frosty treat…even in the winter?

    -JAY

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  • 14Dec

    Be a Winner with this Easy Holiday Recipe; then Win $1 Million with a Recipe of Your Own

    In my inbox.

    -JAY

    ————————————–

    Be a Winner with this Easy Holiday Recipe;
    then Win $1 Million with a Recipe of Your Own

    Short on time for laying out a party spread that’ll wow your holiday guests?

    “The secret to creating something memorable is often as simple as pairing unexpected flavors that really hit it off,” says Dave Hirschkop, owner of Dave’s Gourmet (www.davesgourmet.com), maker of award-winning sauces.

    “It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated,” he says. “If you mate ingredients that have chemistry, you’ll blow your guests away.”

    If you’ve already created that blow-em-away recipe – the sauce that’s the hit at every gathering – it could win you up to $1million in royalties in Dave’s Gourmet Recipe Challenge.

    And if you haven’t, Hirschkop has a gift for you: His Easy Holiday Dip will make short work of party-pleasing.

    Easy Holiday Dip

    1 ½ cups roasted red peppers (from jar or canned)

    1 8-ounce package of cream cheese

    ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

    1 Tablespoon olive oil

    ½ teaspoon paprika (I like smoked but any will do)

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Put everything into a food processor and pulse until smooth, creamy and delicious.

    Serve with fresh-cut veggies (carrot sticks, celery, you know the drill folks) pretzels or pita chips.

    For you chile heads, add a couple drops of your favorite Dave’s Gourmet hot sauce and make that dip rip!

    Dave’s Gourmet Recipe Challenge

    And now about that recipe contest. Dave’s Gourmet is looking for a winner to add to its product line, and guess who’ll get the royalties for six years? That’s right – you. Up to $1 million. Hey, it’s only fair if your name’s on the label.

    Payday starts immediately with a $2,000 advance.

    Just submit for your original recipe for a sauce, salsa or dip by Dec. 31 at www.davesgourmet.com. Dave’s team will test the recipes and choose semifinalists, who’ll be taste-tested by a Dave’s Gourmet panel. Finalists will be notified Jan. 12-14. The winner (or winners) will be chosen by food professionals attending the Fancy Foods Show in San Francisco. They’ll be notified Jan. 18.

    Isn’t it about time your killer sauce paid off? Dave thinks it is.

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  • 11Dec

    Some of the Best Products We’ve Eaten Recently

    • Carla Hall.

      Jer’s Squares.  We got to meet Jerry Swain and hear him speak about his candy and company at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show.  We tried 4 varieties of the squares (bite-size chocolate peanut butter products), including the Original, Cara Mella, Pretzo Chang-o, and Toffee Break. All were excellent and addictive, especially the Original.

    • Carla Hall’s Cookies & Granola. Carla has an amazing personalty (very fun and friendly and inviting). Her granola contains a variety or nuts (including pumpkin seeds) and dried fruit and is very very good–we killed two packages of it pretty quickly. She makes little tiny cookies in both sweet and savory varieties. I was especially partial to the savory Goat Cheese and Dried Cranberry and sweet (gluten free) Hawaiian Wedding (coconut, lime, powdered sugar) varieties. Whole Foods carries 5 of the 10 varieties of cookies.
    • Moorenko’s Icecream. Of the 8 varieties we’ve tried, our favorites are the Prune Armenac, Chocolate Malted, Fresh Ginger, Honey Lavender, and Vanilla. I am not a fan of the Pistachio White Chocolate (I don’t like white chocolate), Grapefruit Campari Sorbet (it was too bitter), and Orange Cream Ice (it was a texture thing but I don’t think she got it wrong). Whole Foods and many other markets carry these ice creams.
    • Lucy’s gluten free (and vegan) cookies. We tried the sugar cookies and the cinnamon thins at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show (Bloom was handing them out so must carry them), and both varieties are very tasty; They would be good for regular cookies, but for a gluten free product, they are great (crunchy and delicious).
    •  Saffron Road has some good gluten free chicken nugget products in Wholefoods freezer case. While we prefer the Tandoori Nuggets to the (battered) chicken bites, both are good (and gluten free). We’ve talked about their other products here.
    • Viva La Papa Peruvian potato chips are available at the Fairway Market in Manhattan, but are not yet in stores in DC. We tried 3 varieties, Anticucho BBQ, Mixed Chillies/Lime, and Sal De Maras (sea salt), and the one we preferred was the chilli/lime variety, which tastes more like what we expect BBQ chips to taste like than the Anticucho BBQ.

    Some of these products were from the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show. It was a great show where we also got to see Guy Fieri, Mary Beth Albright (we’ve met her previously and love her), and Paula Deen present.

    -JAY

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  • 25Nov

    Tips to Save Money on Groceries

    I know we’ve all been following the Extreme Couponing craze (or at least seen commercials for it). I’m by no means an extreme couponer (since they devote 40+ hours a week to research, collection, and organization), but I do save a bit of money, so here are some of my tips.

    1) If something is wrong with a product you bought (even if you just don’t like particular variety from a good company), let the manufacturer know, or if that doesn’t make sense (like with bad fruit), complain to the store (and bring the receipt, even if you can’t always have to bring the item). Often the manufacturer will respond with one or two free coupons to replace the item, or the store will just replace it. Examples: I’ve had companies send me free coupons for OTC medications (which had a few crushed tablets), specialty bread (which was sliced badly), specialty chips (which were stale when opened even though they were not expired). And, we received a coupon for a free box of cereal when complained that a major specialty cereal company’s product was just plain not to our liking (so we couldn’t eat it), although we like their other products (and told them so). Often the company already knows that they are having these issues and are working on it. I’ve gotten inedible watermelons at local supermarkets and some farmer’s market vendors (where one’s relationship to them as a customer really matter) occasionally in the summer, and when I told them and showed them the receipt (in the case of a supermarket), they replaced the items (even though I did not bring the offending fruit with me). I’ve been given free drinks or coupons for free appetizers at restaurants when something has been bad (such as a huge wait), without asking for anything, although I may have checked in a couple of times. Some prescription medication manufacturers give coupons or samples to doctor’s offices to give to patients or even give you an item for free one time only.

    2) Get to know your vendors, whether it is the produce guy at the supermarket, cheese store employee, farmers market vendors, or even servers in restaurants. This way, they give you stuff to try, warn you when something is bad, or tell you when new stuff just got in or is on sale. At a farmer’s market last week, I was given two tubs of cheese for less than the price of one, and I’ve gotten products free (or even samples when none were already present) at farmer’s markets as well. Often the end of the day is the best time to get a deal on something at a festival or farmer’s market so they don’t have to carry it all home.

    3) Ask manufacturers for coupons through their emails or websites. You can tell them you want to try their products more of their products, eat healthier, etc. Sometimes the coupons may be free, but $1 off something you like or want to try is good. Product reps who are in supermarkets will sometimes have coupons, and will also know which stores have their items on sale, and for how much. Often manufacturers periodically have coupons on their webpages or Facebook pages. Some companies send samples.

    4) Use online coupon sites to print out coupons.

    5) Know how store sales, coupon policies, and membership cards work.  Whole Foods email list will tell you their (extremely discounted)  Friday sale item is a day early, and last Friday, I had a coupon for that item as well that I could combine with the same.  If your supermarket has coupons you can load on your membership card (Giant, Harris Teeter), do that, and they may combine with other sales or coupons. Whole foods has a coupon book in the store that a lot of people don’t know about and the items are often on sale as well, so I’ve gotten (as examples) De Bolles pasta for 30 cents or Celestial Seasonings tea for $1.50. Harris Teeter and Giant double coupons up to 99c, meaning an $1 coupon stays as it is, but Harris Teeter runs a few sales a year where it doubles coupons up to $1.99 for a week (this happened two weeks ago). So, 2 weeks ago, I bought the Sunday Washington Post and went online to download coupons (including ones from the two companies that give coupons in the paper such as Red Plum), and saved about 40% on that bill (some items were on sale at buy one get one). I would have made money (towards other items) on some transactions but Harris Teeter’s policies do not work that way. Giant does not take internet coupons unless you are on the self serve line. The SavingStar app loads your membership cards for various stores (Giant, Safeway, Harris Teeter, CVS) with coupons. At Giant’s website, you can use your membership account to load their (p0rtable in-store) scanner with coupons which may work together with other coupons.

    6) Get newspaper coupons from friends who don’t use them or the recycling or trade with friends. This is something I do not do but should.

    -JAY

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  • 02Nov

    Johnnie Walker Tasting at Againn

    Johnnie Walker Highball

    I recently attended a Johnnie Walker tasting event, held at Againn in Northwest DC.  I invited a friend, Nikki, to go with me and we arrived just as the event was beginning.  About 20 people were seated at tables arranged in a hollow square, inside of which were two gentlemen in kilts.  Yes, Scottish kilts.  The two men spoke about Scotch and what to expect from the tasting.  A waiter came around and asked if we’d like a cocktail.  We were served a highball that contained Johnnie Walker Black Label, ginger ale, ginger syrup, and fresh lemon juice with a lemon slice garnish.  The drink was relatively strong, but refreshing and tasty.  At each place setting, an midnight blue oaktag booklet expounded on the benefits and quality of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.  Underneath the booklet, a printed out menu described our food pairings for the evening.

    First Course: Spring Mix Salad

    Johnnie Walker Green Label was the first whisky we tasted.  One of the kilted men, Peter Zimmerman, gave a short talk on the Green Label in the middle of the hollow square of tables.  He told the group that the whisky contained a blend of 15 single malts aged for 15 years in sherry barrels.  He added that we should expect a smoky finish, and suggested we add a few drops of water to the alcohol.  Peter later explained that the water breaks the surface tension of the drink, allowing for more flavor and scent.  I found the Green Label to be a bit sharp for my taste, but it went well with food selection.  The first course consisted of a fresh spring mix salad with cherry tomatoes and radish slices.  The salad had been tossed with a light vinaigrette.  Accompanying the salad, warmed baguette slices were served with butter.

    Second Course: Pork Belly Entree

    Following the first course, an intermediate basket of bread was served.  Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to ask what kind of bread it was, but it was heavenly.  The crust was thin and crisp, decorated with sesame seeds.  The inside was unbelievably soft and smelled deliciously yeasty.  Truthfully, I would go back to Againn for this bread alone.  It was really that good.

    The next whisky up was Johnnie Walker Black Label.  The expectation for Black Label was a creamier, full-bodied taste with hints of black pepper.  We were told that the Scottish have a word for alcohols exhibiting this “meaty” quality: mortlach.  Peter described Black Label as his favorite everyday whisky.  The main course paired with the whisky was a pork dish.  It consisted of a creamy scoop of grits topped by tart pickled cabbage.  Around the island of grits, a light brown sauce was the perfect salty balance to the tartness of the cabbage.  Over the cabbage, three slices of braised pork belly were topped by a airy and crisp piece of crackling.  The pork belly was literally

    Third Course: Sticky Toffee Pudding

    fork-tender, and I’d never had a crackling that wasn’t overwhelmingly salty… until the one I had at Againn.  The delicious sesame-sprinkled bread was served with the meal, as well.  The entire entrée was well balanced in terms of flavors, and the Black Label was a very good pairing for it.

    The dessert course was served next, and was accompanied by Johnnie Walker Gold Label.  The Gold Label was the tastiest of the whiskies and had a creamy texture in the mouth.  Undertones of honey and spices made it taste expensive and high-quality.  The dessert pairing was made up of a scoop of stout-flavored ice cream served over a sticky toffee pudding.  I was unimpressed by the ice cream, as it was a bit too icy for my taste and the stout flavor was too faint.  However, the sticky toffee pudding was amazing.  The pudding portion was perfectly steamed and spiced.  The sauce was delightfully buttery; overall, the dessert and Gold Label were the best pairing of the evening.

    The last whisky we were served was the Johnnie Walker Blue Label.  The special aspect of the Blue Label comes from the blends from which it’s made.  Some of the whiskies in the blend are no longer available for purchase, and some are 30 years old or more.  In the blue booklet at our place settings, suggestions for engraving or inscribing the bottles as gifts for the holidays were on a couple of the pages.  The Blue Label was the smoothest whisky we tasted that evening, but I still prefer the Gold Label for flavor.  The service at Againn was incredible; I would recommend it to anyone looking for a hearty and flavorful food and delicious bread.

    -TKW

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  • 14Oct

    Mucho Macchu Pisco at Zengo

    This month, Zengo in Chinatown launched their new “Taste of Lima-Tokyo” menu.  This seasonal menu features interesting takes on Japanese and Peruvian foods, including a stand-out selection of mouth watering cocktails that make even the most temperate of personalities just a little bit tipsy.

    I had the opportunity to sample the menu this past week.  The highlight of the evening clearly were the innovative cocktails, including a Spicy Passion Fruit Pisco Sour, Chicha morada mojito (twist on a traditional mojito that utilizes a surprisingly tasty purple corn juice), and a blood orange-chancaca whiskey sour (which adds unrefined sugar cane juice for an extra punch).

    In fact, all of the drinks on this menu are excellent.  Many of the concoctions utilize Macchu Pisco brand’s impressive selection of pisco products.  Try their Nusta reserve pisco if you want a relatively easy to drink pisco straight up (though I have to admit, I prefer pisco in a mixed form).

    Zengo’s Lima-Tokyo food menu also offers a surprising array of unique flavors that expertly integrates tradition Japanese and Peruvian ingredients.  Some of the dishes are a bit heavy-handed, allowing one strong flavor to overtake the dish (e.g., the Concha a lo macho is smothered with just a little too much cream or the Chupe de mariscos allows the brininess of the shellfish to overwhelm the otherwise delicate milk-dashi broth).

    But other dishes hit just the right note – balancing flavors to a surprising end that is indicative of great fusion cuisine.  The Rainbow ceviche, featuring organic salmon, tuna, fluke, and Okinawan potatos is delicious and pairs perfectly with an after-work cocktail.   Another winner is the Oyacho chicken served with a quail egg and a creamy Peruvian queso fresco chili sauce.  It is one of the best chicken dishes I’ve tasted recently.

    All in all, the Lima-Tokyo menu is worth the trip – make sure to have a cocktail and the ceviche while you’re there.

    – Guest Writer Yasmine (YSS)

     

     

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  • 12Oct

    Spice Sample Roundup

    Though this article is well overdue, I’ve finally gotten around to writing up the Bag O’Spices that JAY gave to me from the Fancy Food Show.  Trying all the samples out on different types of meat and other consumables has been a delicious blast.  Plus, I’ve chosen a few blends that will find a permanent space in my cabinet.  Without further ado, I submit the following reviews:

    Dizzy Pig:  I tried four samples by this brand and three were very good as BBQ rubs.  The regular Dizzy Dust, Jamaican Firewalk, and Tsunami Spin had distinct flavors and aromas before and after cooking.  Dizzy Dust was a great all-around rub with everything you’d expect from a BBQ seasoning, a.k.a., smoky, slightly spicy goodness with a touch of sweetness.  Jamaican Firewalk did have a kick, but I wasn’t put off by it.  I could taste allspice and a touch of cinnamon, which rounded out the rub.  Tsunami Spin definitely incorporated a pungent and tangy set of ingredients in its blend.  Incidentally, I used it to flavor some homemade fried rice and I was impressed by how well the flavors complemented the vegetables.  The Pineapple Head was just too subtle to use as a regular rub.  I tried it out on both chicken and pork, but to no avail.  It tasted as though I had used a brown sugar rub with a little cinnamon and black pepper on the meat.  However, upon consulting the company’s website, it turns out that they recommend Pineapple Head for desserts and grilling fruits.  Lesson learned.

    Lisa Shively’s Quick Meal Mixes:  I tried three samples by this brand, all of which were tasty.  Each pouch had simple instructions for coating a couple pounds of meat, or how to prepare the meal.  First up was the Cajun Chicken.  It was pleasant to pour the mix into a large zip-top bag and shake the chicken around — that’s all the preparation necessary.  The flavor held up on the grill, and it was nicely spicy.  I appreciate heat in a blend, but I don’t want my tongue on fire through a meal.  The Jamaican Chicken blend was definitely hotter than the Cajun Chicken mix.  It wasn’t too hot for me, but I think that picky kids wouldn’t like it.  Again, the flavor was good for grilling (we used it on pork chops).  I couldn’t identify the source, but the blend had a bit of an exotic taste.  The last mix I tried was the Best Roast Ever, which had the subtitle of For Crock Pot.  I must confess that I ignored the package instructions and rubbed the seasoning on a bunch of steaks.  Personally, I rather enjoyed the grilled pot roast taste; however, I can certainly understand that anyone trying this method might be disappointed.  Some of the subtlety is definitely lost due to grilling, but I’m thinking pan-frying a steak with the Best Roast Ever mix could be a good balance for those without the luxury of time.

    Satisfy Your Soul:  I tried two blends by this brand, and both were good for different reasons.  The simply-named Cajun Seasoning was exactly what you would expect.  It was pushing the envelope on “hot” but didn’t go overboard.  The blend contained the usual paprika, pepper, herbs and salt necessary to any rub.  Therein lies the cleverness; the Cajun Seasoning tasted good on chicken, pork chops, mahi-mahi, steaks, and potatoes.  Would it stand out among other rubs for grilling?  Probably not.  Will it taste good on just about everything?  Definitely.  In contrast, the Egyptian Dukkah was exotic, unusual, and slightly harder to work with.  For a spice blend, the seasoning had fairly large chunks of almonds and garbanzo beans (about the size of split peas).  I found that these pieces fell off during turnovers on the grill, annoyingly disappearing into the depths of the flames.  A much better idea is to dip your chosen meat (I used chicken, of course) into a mixture of one beaten egg and a splash of milk, then roll around said meat in a dish containing the Egyptian Dukkah.  A deliciously crusted piece of chicken really makes the effort worth it.  The sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander really stand out in this blend.  The addition of the almonds and garbanzos makes the seasoning both unusual and memorable, not to mention crunchy.

    Chef Salt:  I tried two flavors by this brand and one was very good.  I used the Bacon BBQ rub on a pork chop.  I know, I know — pork seasoned with more pork.  Unfortunately, my piggy wishes were not granted.  The taste of bacon was definitely missing from this seasoning.  It smelled like bacon when I applied the rub, but after grilling the pork chop it dissipated.  Personally, I would have been okay with that, but it didn’t taste like bacon.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a good general-purpose rub.  It just lacked the bacon-taste.  On the other hand, the Tunisian Fire was delicious.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the tiny plastic baggie.  Instead of burning my tongue to a cinder, the rub contained highlights of lemon, coriander, cardamom, and a comfortable level of heat.  The blend was different, and held up on the grill.  In fact, the smokiness brought out a touch of sweetness from the rub.

    Char Crust:  There was only one sample by this brand.  I was intrigued by the idea of creating a crust on my meat without grilling.  I applied the product as instructed and cooked a couple steaks under the broiler.  The crust created was pretty cool, I have to say.  The only issue I had stemmed from the flavor, which was All American Barbecue.  It was tangy, smoky, spicy, and sweet all at the same time.  I think I would have preferred a single taste profile, rather than the flavor competition in the blend.  If I saw this brand in a store, I would be willing to try other flavors.

    Todd’s Dirt:  I only tried one sample by this brand.  Though this company makes various blends which I have not tried, I must say that I was impressed by the versatility of this seasoning.  I used Crabby Dirt on chicken, pork, catfish, and tilapia.  It truly was good on all the different meats.  I suspect this is because the ingredient list reads like a spice cupboard.  I’m okay with that, but it should be noted that Crabby Dirt does not make your meat taste amazing.  Much like the Satisfy Your Soul’s Cajun Seasoning, it is a reliable go-to blend that can easily season potatoes or fish or pork chops.  Although I haven’t tried it, I suspect it would be very good as dipping oil seasoning for baguettes.

    -TKW

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  • 24Aug

    Product Reviews: Grilling Cheese Frozen Indian Food, Cake Mix, Multi-Grain Crackers, Spreads, & Chocolate Rum Turtles!

    I’m still working through a pile of samples from the Fancy Food Show. Here are some more standout products from the show:

    Last week I grilled Karoun Dairies‘ Yanni Grilling Cheese and Jalapeno Grilling Cheese. The plain variety was great in sandwiches with homemade (from a garden) pesto on grilled ciabatta rolls. The jalapeno variety was delicious and eaten straight (after being grilled) and were made with an excellent blend of jalapeno and spices.

    Saffron Road makes frozen ethnic (mainly Indian, Thai, and Moroccan) entrees, which are carried in this area by Whole Foods. We tried 4 varieties: Lamb Vindaloo, Lamb Saag, Lemongrass Basil Chicken, and Chicken Tikka Masala. I passed on the Chicken Pad Thai, and don’t remember seeing the Lamb Koftis or Moroccan Lamb Stew at Whole Foods (Arlington). Whole Foods had one of Saffron Roads’ chicken nugget products (I think it was the Chicken Bites) but not the Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets, so I passed on the nuggets as well.

    So, how were the frozen dinners? They all have tasty sauces and quality ingredients. They are a little small for me, which made me wish that they included a compartment with an added vegetable or even a dessert. Also, their listed spiciness level is inconsistent (across products) and therefore not very accurate. Plus, if you follow the microwave directions, results are inconstant across entrees, even with the same microwave. Some entrees will get severely overcooked if you follow their directions, and we had a problem with one entree (Chicken Tikka Masala) with the meat cooked much faster than the rice. I still recommend Saffron Road’s products, but you should watch them like a hawk when they are being microwaved.

    My favorite of the products was the Lamb Saag, which had more of a substantial sauce (because of the spinach). My second favorite was the Lamb Vindaloo. The Lemon Grass Basil Chicken was probably my least favorite but it still had interesting green peppers (which seemed to have some vinegar in them). Texturally, the lamb did seem to respond a bit better to being microwaved.  I will definitely purchase the Lamb Saag (and probably the Lamb Vindaloo) again.  I may even try the other entrees and nuggets

    I took this at pic the Fancy Food Show.

    I met the Cake Mix Doctor (Anne Byrn) at the show, and then found her Deep Dark Chocolate Cake Mix at Ross in Seven Corners for $3, so I picked one up. “S” made it today (and used store bought chocolate frosting) and it turned out well although a little dense. We used regular sour cream, but might use light sour cream next time. “S” said that she would “…make this to bring to a party instead of buying a pre-made cake.” Anne has good recipes on the website to “doctor” cakes.

    Milton’s Craft Bakers‘ makes multi-grain crackers.  I got my hands on three varieties: Original Multi-Grain, Everything Multi-Grain, and Roasted Garlic & Herb.  Our favorite of the three varieties was the Garlic & Herb, with the Everything coming in second, although they were all tasty.  They did a great job with the flavor combinations on the Garlic & Herb and Everything varieties, with the former containing rosemary (extract), garlic powder, dehydrated garlic, and parsley flakes, and the latter containing rosemary (extract), caraway seeds, poppy seeds, dehydrated onions, sesame seeds and onion and garlic powders.  While they are delicious, it would be nice if the crackers were larger so that they would work better as a cheese delivery method. I’ve seen the Original variety being sold at Costco three boxes at a time; Milton’s says that Safeway and Harris Teeter carry most varieties.  They use recycled board & ecofriendly inks in the packaging for the crackers.

    I actually felt bad for the other participants at a Blush N Brush class when they ate boring look crackers as we munched on Milton’s. No, that doesn’t mean we shared. 🙂

    I also sampled Rigoni’s  Fiordifrutta organic fruit spreads and Nocciolata (organic hazelnut/chocolate spread).  There are some great Fiordifrutta flavors (I tried strawberry, fig, and grapefruit); I’ve been buying their products for years.  The nocciolata is a new product to me, and is delicious.  If you like Nutella and want a great tasting organic alternative, try this product.  It was great on toasted (good quality) wheat bread.

    For those of you who want your chocolate and booze in one shot, try Tortuga‘s Chocolate Rum Turtles With Sea Salt.  It is a product from Barbados, and the flavor combination of chocolate, rum, and pecans is layered and delicious.  I also have one of their rum cake samples on hand. Mmmmmm, rum.

    -JAY

    Disclaimer:  I know something to this effect is stated in our “About” section, but (as sometimes happens), we received freebies.  That said,  our words are our own.

     

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  • 10Aug

    Some Of The Best Things We’ve Eaten Recently

    Chicken Madeira at the Sheraton Herndon Dulles.

    We’ve had some great products and meals lately.  Some of the standouts:

    We recently had dinner at the Sheraton Herndon Dulles.  The Food & Beverage Manager knew that we’d be staying at the hotel and lured us into the restaurant with this description:

    “Our enticing seared sea bass atop a bed of crisp sautéed savory vegetable medley is absolutely divine and is quickly becoming a favorite amongst our guests and continues to be one of my favorites !”

    Did the dish live up to the hype?  Yes, it was flavorful, and was served with a citrus emulsion, broccolini, yellow summer squash,  and braised potatoes.  The Chicken Madeira was served with with asparagus, mashed potatoes,  a vegetable medley, and melted fresh mozzarella, and was very good as well.  The sauce was so flavorful that I could probably drink it straight; the fresh mozzarella and asparagus wasn’t the best combination, with the melted mozzarella clinging to the asparagus like a rubbery shell.  The crab cake appetizer was good, with the cakes being both tender and flavorful.  You also can’t go wrong with their molten chocolate cake with ice cream.

    Curried Crab With Watermelon From Spilled Milk Catering.

    Matthew T. and I attended an event hosted by Spilled Milk Catering.  Many of their dishes of very good, with some of the standouts being Mac & Cheese Lollipops served with a Tangy Mustard Sauce, Indian Spiced Lamb Lollipops served with a Mint & Cumin Yogurt, and Curried Crab served on Watermelon Skewers with a Mint & Cilantro Salad.

    They also had some great desserts, including little Ginger Sponge And Goat Cheese Ice Cream Sandwiches, Lemon & Blueberry Cheesecake Bites, and little Mint Chocolate Whoopie Pies.  Their pastry chef is Jenna of Modern Domestic and (the Planning Committee of)  DC Food Blogger Happy Hour.

    Ginger Sponge And Goat Cheese Ice Cream Sandwiches From Spilled Milk Catering. Image Courtesy of Moderndomestic.com.

    We talked to a couple whose wedding is being catered by Spilled Milk;  the said that they chose Spilled Milk because out of all the  catering companies they spoke to, Spilled Milk was the most responsive to them when it came to planning the menu.

    And, yes, Matthew T. actually drank some of the milk from their display, which luckily was real milk.
    Angell Organic Candy Bars exhibited at the Fancy Food Show (although Suzanne Angell is a bit camera shy).  I was able to procure a few bars, and  recently tried the Dark Angell and Angell Crisp.  They are organic, gluten-free, delicious, and are made with really good quality chocolate.  I had the Snow Angell in my possession, but passed it to someone who enjoys white chocolate more than I do.  Angell has a great catchphrase: “Eat No Evil.”

    Kari’s Malva Pudding was also represented at the Fancy Food Show.  Two of the puddings arrived by mail recently, the original and the chocolate.  They are basically delicate sticky cakes that arrive frozen and need to be heated up.  Both varieties were delicious (and addictive) and pair well with vanilla ice cream.  The company does need to work on it’s packaging, but I’m sure they are aware of that fact.  From their webpage:

    “Malva Pudding is the favorite dessert of Nelson Mandela. Art Smith, Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, served Malva Pudding during the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy’s first Christmas dinner. Although it is a pudding, it is not like a chocolate pudding, or a baked fruit pudding. It is more like a cake, a moist and delicious cake, moist like a tres leches, but an entirely different flavor – lighter and more caramelly.”

    -JAY

    Disclaimer:  I know something to this effect is stated in our “About” section, but (as sometimes happens), we received freebies.  That said, our words are our own.
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