Gourmet Foods
Recommended products.
Updated March, 2008 - Joanne
Recommended products.
Updated March, 2008 - Joanne
Az. Agr. Prunotto Mariangela Jam
This is a jar of amazing cherry jam which I would go out of my way to buy again. I believe I purchased it at the Rockridge Market Hall. Really good. Look for the label (which, btw, is not affilated with the winery).
Ohana Organic Buckwheat Soba NoodlesThey come in packs of two, ready-to-eat and reheat quickly and well. I like the texture of them much better than the dried kind. They also make a great Udon noodle as well. We purchased them at Whole Foods and now regularly have them around - my 5-yr-old loves them!
Fine Cheese Co's Apple Pickle RelishWe tried this first with cheeses for the Great Cheese Pairing project, but since then I've fell in love with it for other things, like on sliced pork or with hot popovers. It would be great with cold chicken. Slightly sweet and slightly savory it achieves a wonderful balanced between jam and chutney. Don't miss it. Now if I could just remember where I bought it I could get a 2nd jar!
Attune Live Culture BarsI've been finding these in the yogurt section of Whole Foods (and ideally they should be refrigerated to protect the active cultures - but they don't have to be). The Chocolate flavors are real chocolate and you'll feel like you are eating a sweet pick-me-up instead of getting your daily acidilophus dose. The bars are small too, so it's a little indulgence. The Blueberry Vanilla is white chocolate. I like the chocolate crisp. Attune also offers yogurt & granola bars but I like the chocolate-based bars better. Warning they will melt in hot weather.
India Tree Nonpareils - Nature's Colors
I've been searching all over for non-PHO sugar decorations and India Tree has stepped up to the plate. They offer a lovely array of pastel colors (all-natural coloring) and brighter orange and yellow as well as Party decoratifs: white string of pearls and white snowflakes. Hurray!
Olio di Oliva - Stephen Singer Oils
This olive oil has a nice balance of flavor and butteriness. It's not 100% Extra Virgin which gives it more body and more olive-y flavor - which I like in olive oil. (It's 40% EV).
La Panzanella Croccantini Flatbreads
We like the Sesame and Original. As an accompaniment to Cheese or Charcuterie this wonderful crispy flatbread from Seattle, WA is perfect. Now a staple in our house. It's Jack's favorite cracker to pair with cheese.
Heritage Palm Sugars
Natural Artisan alternative to Sugar made from Coconut Palm blossoms from Big Tree Farms. "The sweet nectar that bleeds from these flowers is a treasured resource. Kettle boiled over an open hearth fire within an hour of harvest the nectar slowly evaporates into a caramel sugar unlike any other." Works well in recipes as a substitute. Found at igourmet.com.
Princess Maraschino Cherries (Natural)
In five words:
No
High Fructose
Corn Syrup.
Alter Eco Organic Ground Cane Sugar
I love this company's mission and this sugar is great. I've substituted it in most baking projects where baker's sugar or white sugar is requested with great results. Fair Trade Sugar.
William Poll Baked Potato Thins - Original
These are divine with Crème Fraîche and smoked salmon, and a glass of champagne. Imagine a flavorful very thick potato chip - not too greasy or salty. The potato thins also make a perfect platform for appetizers. The sell by date is very important as the oil will go rancid - so buy from a reputable store. William Poll's line of cheese based dips are delicious as well - I've just tried the cucumber.
Dry Soda Company
I've just discovered this very interesting soda company based in Seattle, WA. The sodas are based I think on phosphates (they contain phosphoric acids) and what you get is a slightly dry not sweet, slightly tart, bubbly drink. The flavors we tried were Rhubarb, Kumquat, Lavender, and Lemongrass (and that is our order of preference). Alone the only really pleasant to drink one is the Rhubarb with the Kumquat as a second choice. Dry Soda makes a great base for a cocktail or try them as mixers (Vodka Tonic variation - use the Lemongrass or Rhubarb instead of tonic). Really fun!
Hickoryworks Pure Brown County
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Curious I requested a sample of this syrup which has a definite smokey element to the flavor. It's a sugar based syrup flavored with shagbark hickory. It seems lighter than maple syrup and perhaps less sweet. It was such a hit with both me and the youngster in the house I've since bought two bottles. Yum!
The Occasional Gourmet - Berber Spice
I've tried a few of their exotic blends like dukah and some of their more mundane products like vanilla sugar and have liked all that I've tried. Their unique packaging keeps small portions of spices on hand and sealed until you need them. Can't wait to try their' Pumpkin Pie' spice packet out.
Blisscotti Very Vanilla Bean
I really wasn't expecting to even like these. When the three of us are fighting over who gets the last bite I guess that should tell you something.
Beecher's Blank Slate with Honey
This handmade farmer's cheese spread from Seattle's artisan Cheesemaker has just a hint of Washington honey and is true to it's name – making a perfect blank slate on bread for any sort of sweet or savory topping. Try as a topping itself. Recommended!
Svenska Original LantChips
These Scandinavian Style Potato Chips from Sweden were a real surprise. We were sent samples to try and we really didn't expect to like them as much as we did – as a matter of fact we've stopped buying the brand we were choosing in favor of these. They are small batch made – and taste like it. The sour cream is mildly flavored so it's attractive to those not usually liking that flavor. They are crispy not greasy, and thin. Our two wishes is that we could buy them more easily (at the time of writing they are only available at IKEA in the US) and that they would offer a salt and vinegar version. Definitely worth a try.
Ritrovo's Sweet & Salt from Abruzzo
In a quest for a new fun salt, I recently tried this one from Ritrovo (who also make Truffle & Salt, Fennel Salt and Saffron Salt). Sweet & Salt is a flavored salt and it's ingredients include concentrated, air-dried and finely-screened mosto cotto (cooked-down grape must from the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine grape), sweet baking spices and dried fruits, even small nuggets of dark chocolate and toasted vanilla bean. I was a little hesitant as to what to use it on - but it was an interesting flavoring for Pork Tenderloin and I would recommend it for pork overall. The flavors are delicate so they do not overpower a dish -merely give it another dimension. It might be also fun to try on an apple tart, pie or on baked or grilled fruit.
Toby's Ranch Dressing
I generally don't buy salad dressing – this is currently the only exception. This Oregon company uses good fresh ingredients and it tastes like it. It's a refrigerated product. A mixture of buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise – the improvement would be 100% organic ingredients (and from sustainable sources). The only listed organic ingredient is the sugar. Tastes close to home-made.
Old State Farm Maple Syrup This is hands down the best maple syrup we've tried. Jack likes a lighter style and Joanne likes a maple syrup with deep flavor - so we have often had to have two bottles going to serve our desires – Old State Maple Syrup from Pennsylvania makes us both happy! It's available from Heritage Foods USA.
Starr Ridge Crackers
These crackers aren't new to us - in fact we always have a package on hand for a cheese course emergency. We love the Red Onion with Pistachio & Asiago Cheese but the back up is the Olive Oil. You can easily demolish a box in one sitting rather- so be forewarned. The crackers are made with flour, olive oil, salt, etc. – exactly what you'd use if you were making them yourself.
Maggie Beer's Blood Plum Paste
This is hands down the best pairing with Cravanzina Robiola I could imagine finding - unbelievably delicious. It would be great with any soft mold ripened cheese like Brie de Meaux or D'Affinois. We've also enjoyed her Fig Paste and Cabernet Paste.
Grinders from Cape Herb and Spices
I just like these grinders which are made in South Africa by Cape Herb and Spices. I’m using these almost daily – sometime twice daily. Grains of Desire is replacing Grains of Paradise, which I normally use. It contains: black peppercorns, red rose petals, grains of paradise, ginseng, orange rind, nutmeg, and cloves. It's a lot of fun on eggs and, well, everything it seems. There is a lot of pepper in the mix though so I have to back off a bit for Trent and Jack.
You twist the top and the ground spices fill the plastic lid which then you remove and dump or sprinkle – or you can just remove it first and use it like a regular grinder. The grinders themselves are really sturdy the bottle is recycled glass and the top is plastic – I haven’t checked to see if they are refillable, but I love the design and the product. I purchased these from Chelsea Market Baskets who import them. Jamie Oliver apparently liked them too, as they make a signature line for him. Highly Recommended.
Trent loves these marshmallows and so do I! They have a velvety texture and a very subtle Madagascar vanilla flavor. Containing organic ingredients and things like sugar, cornstarch, salt, gelatin, water, etc., the ingredient list passes muster too.
We’ve tried other all-natural and organic brands – but these are the ones to find – I never seem to have enough left to make anything with them… next time I’ll have to get two packages. I used to buy them at Whole Foods but they switched the brand they carry (the other is not as good). I found these at The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg, CA. Highly Recommended.
Sugar Shots - Organic Liquid Cane Sugar If you drink Iced Coffee or Iced Tea with sugar you need to consider this really cool new product. It's liquid sugar (not simple syrup which most of the liquid sweeteners are) and could be compared to turbinado in flavor (which they also offer but it is not organic). The bottom line? You get more sugar and less water in your drink of choice and you don't have the dissolution problem (there is still some water in sugarshots). You use 1 tsp of Sugarshots for a packet of sugar. It's also possible to bake with it (I haven't tried it) and I've heard it makes a fantastic Mojito (among other cocktails). I really love the taste of molasses on the finish.
Sugo Rosa is like a Vodka Sauce with small chunks of tomato and onion. You'll find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It will keep in your refrigerator for quite a while after opening. It's awesome on the Pasta Shop's Smoked Chicken Ravioli. I also used it in my 5 Cheese Veal Parmigiana.
Two Seasoned Salts You Must Try:
La Force Basque
I just ordered it from Formaggio Kitchen. It was not quite what I had imagined – heady with Piment d'Espelette and a really savory scent. I wasn’t entranced at first sniff. But on roast chicken it was fantastic. Jack was picking the bones. (Twice I've roasted a whole chicken coated with La Force Basque and Olive Oil at 425°F to very critical acclaim) Contains: "flower of salt, chili from Espelette, pink pepper, parsley and spices. Fresh. Wonderful. Highly Recommended!
Profumato del Chianti
Profumato del Chianti is one of the most exciting pantry items I’ve found. I’ve just finished my first bottle so I just ordered a replacement from Formaggio Kitchen (read my review of the order here). It is finely ground salt with herbs of the region – rosemary, lavender and ??? The aroma is heavenly. It’s so fine that it integrates with the skin of poultry or the crust on meat to give a unearthly wondrous flavor. I really need to try it on fish. Highly recommended.
Kurobuta Ham from Snake River Farms - offered by David Rosengarten
The Kurobuta ham was ordered from a mailing from David Rosengarten's Rosengarten Report. It was huge hit - tender and flavorful. The best ham we've eaten in memory. We were very, very happy with it! Unfortunately, we ordered another in December of 2006. This one fell apart into three pieces when we took off the plastic wrap. We still heated it and served it, hoping for the best. But, it was too late; already overcooked and the seasoning overwhelmed the ham flavor. We won't order again.
Hint Water
I discovered this water reading through a review of the NY Fancy Food Show and they were kind enough to send samples. We drink a lot of water and I was really excited to see a flavored water product with no sugar - and with really interesting flavors like cucumber and apple. After consuming the samples we ordered a case each of Apple and Lime water. I also liked the Cucumber and Jack liked the tangerine and mint. Some flavors are a bit candied on the nose but not on the taste. We've ordered the Lime most often.
Trent really likes the Apple water although he does have a hard time opening and closing the unique twist top. I'm not a fan of the apple as it tastes like a red delicious and to me it leaves a strange aftertaste. But I'm really enjoying the lime! (The flavors are intense, btw. – Jack)
Update: January, 2006 - New flavors were shown at the SF Fancy Food Show: Pear, Tropical Punch and Peppermint. We were really dubious about the Peppermint but it is fantastic! The Pear which we thought would be our next favorite was not as exciting as the Tropical Fruit which we think Trent will really like.
Wow! A great new shortbread. Melt in your mouth! From a San Francisco bakery in Hayes Valley - the Cakemaker. Yum. I can't decide whether the Brown Sugar or the Macadamia Nut is the best. They also make Lemon – which is good too!
Serendipitea TeaJack has settled into a groove of Serendipitea’s Coconut flavored tea, Burroughs Brew. That’s the tea he wants to drink. The black tea is good quality, organic and fair trade certified and there are pieces of coconut in the tea. It is delicately flavored and doesn’t have an artificial taste.
For flavored tea I I like Serendipitea’s Colonille a vanilla flavored tea which I first discovered at the Soho Grande in NYC. We order tea from Serendipitea regularly. Shipping is always prompt so we are rarely out of stock. They have a flat shipping charge so we usually order in quantity or you can now order through Amazon.com.
Click here for our latest report.
A New Tea: Palais des Thes
Sam Bodhi FOP District de Nuwara Eliya Sri Lanka
This tea has a flowery and malty balance that I enjoy. It’s working out great as a breakfast tea. Their tea quality seems high but it is pricey. I purchased this one at Dean & DeLuca and I would look for it again there.
Straus Organic
Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream
A favorite of both Jack & Trent. It seems to be always stocked in our freezer (magically the supply replenishes). It's really the best store-bought chocolate ice cream around (says Jack). You must try it. If you can't get it locally then order it from Diamond Organics. They have two new flavors, Mint Chocolate Chip and Coffee, but for Jack there is no substitute for the Dutch Chocolate.
Organic White HoneyI keep switching honey to try and find one I like anywhere near as well as Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey from Volcano Island Honey. No luck at any price - from cheap creamed honey to farmer’s market honey to to sulla honey from Italy to expensive varietal honey. It’s $12 at Whole Foods and $25 at Dean & DeLuca. It is the quintessential toast honey.
Pacific Gourmet's Butter Rum Cake
So good you'll have to walk away to stop eating it. It literally melts in your mouth and it's so rum soaked you'll swear you are drinking it. Really tastes like homemade.
F&B Food Tastings
| Jan-05 | Butter Fest! |
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| Jan-05 | |
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Apr-05 |
They've just released "
