Rigoni Di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread

It has been a really long time since I was compelled/physically able to write about any food products.  Life has taken some interesting twists and turns since my last post.  Things have changed.  I live in Denver now.  I have a toddler and don’t do as much experimenting in the kitchen because with her I need to stick with what works (sweet potato and pears).  I have also done a fair amount of thinking about our food choices as a family and have made some significant changes in how we eat.  And some of those changes include buying less processed food overall, and reading labels closely for GMOs/other toxic ingredients that seem to lurk everywhere.  The hardest part for me is giving up store-bought sweets and chocolate.  But pretty much everything has conventional corn syrup, all the way down to the last M&M.  Nothing is safe, really.

Enter Nocciolata.  It’s an organic hazelnut spread, much like Nutella, but with a richer, nuttier flavor.  Many people reported they had a hard time getting used to the flavor after having Nutella.  I personally prefer Nocciolata’s true hazelnut and smooth milk chocolate flavors, over that of Nutella.  Made in Italy, it features the Organic Farming seal, as well as the USDA Organic stamp.  It is composed of just 8 ingredients (7 out of 8 are organic) and is legitimately dangerous.  My vehicle of choice is usually Whole Foods Organic Honey Graham Crackers.  The spread and the cookies make the perfect combo and you can make little sandwiches.  Absolutely addicting. And absolutely all natural and preservative free.  I finished a jar a week or so ago.  I told myself I am not going to buy another one but who am I kidding?!?!?  I would spread this on paper and eat it and it would be amazing.

I picked this gem up at my local Whole Foods in Cherry Creek, Denver.  It’s also available for purchase on Amazon, and can also be found at Wegman’s and Zabars.  I never want to be without this product in my kitchen cabinet ever again.

Mymoune Jams & Preserves

Both in food and music, two tremendous parts of my life, I am always searching for the epic jam.  During these last 9 months of pregnancy, I have to admit that I have been concentrating more on the former than the later.   And luckily, to go with my insatiable peanut butter and cheese cravings (not together), I have discovered a very high quality jam that goes well with both.

Mymoune jams and preserves are beyond comparison.    With 70%-88% fruit content and  very few other additional ingredients, these taste the way jams should.  Like fresh, bright fruit, full of flavor and not sugar.  Made in the mountains of Lebanon, these jams and preserves  are 100% all natural, and contain no colorings, preservatives, or additives.  The fruit is selected and then slow cooked in small batches to ensure real fruit flavor and taste.  They come in a lovely variety of flavors including strawberry, apricot, fig (fresh and dried), mulberry, rose and cream of dates with almonds.  Some flavors are available in both a jam and a preserve; the preserve retaining large chunks of the fruit, which, in my opinion, add a pleasing element of texture.

These products work great incredibly well on a cheese plate, as a dessert topic or in baked desserts, or on their own with some simple toast.  They come adorably packaged in glass jars with simple paper labels and rustic burlap wrapping over the cover.  They are only available at select locations in the U.S., including Sahadi’s , Kalustyan’s , and a select few Dean & Deluca’s and Whole Foods locations (see http://www.mymoune.com/ for details)

Taste #5 Umami Paste

U/ma/mi.  No, not the lyrics to the latest Rihanna song, but the borrowed Japanese term for the 5th taste.  It means pleasantly savory, meaty,  brothy.  Foods that are rich in umami are, but not limited to, tomatoes (and tomato products like tomato paste, ketchup, etc.), parmesan cheese, bacon (and other cured pork products), anchovies, shiitake mushrooms, oysters, seaweed, beef, bonito, sardines, green tea, and many others.  Umami increases palatability, salivation, and can considerably reduce the use of salt in cooking without compromising taste.  In short, umami rocks, and is a flavor sensation you are probably familiar with but have just been unable to previously define.

I have been using umami flavors to bring depth to my cooking for years.  A little minced anchovy, some truffle oil, or a few gratings of good parmesan cheese can really go a long way in bringing out the flavor to an otherwise flat, simple dish.  Enter Laura Santtini’s new Taste #5 Umami Paste.  Made with umami rich ingredients such as tomato paste, black olives, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, porcini mushroom paste, and anchovy paste, this concentrated paste will bring richness to your cooking with so many different types of applications.  Mix it with some good olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper for a quick and delicious salad dressing.  Rub on raw meat, veggies, or tofu before cooking for added flavor.  Squeeze some into pasta sauces, soups, stews, and stir-fries in lieu of extra salt for a kick of savory flavor.  You can also eat this raw and serve with crackers or crostini, or spread on a sandwich or panini.

There are so many amazing applications, I cannot even list them all here.  I only recently picked this up and have had so much fun playing with it already.  It’s a time savor and it really comes through when you need it to.  I am already madly in love with this great product.  Try it for yourself! It can be found at the following locations:  Dean&Deluca, Amazon.com, Union Market, Stinky Bklyn, & Kalustyan’s.  Let me know what you think and if you have found any other awesome uses for it!