Product Review: Zach's Spice Company, Texas Style BBQ Sweet Rub

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

I was lucky enough to be given this delicious pack of  Texas Style BBQ Sweet Rub by my sister.  Being a Melbournian, I am miles away from Texas but this little packet of seasoning from Zach's Spice Company is as close to a Texan BBQ as I could get in my own home.  My sister advised she purchased this at David Jones however Zach's also has an online ordering system (see above link).

The flavour was divinely smokey but sweet and savoury at the same time.  I like the fact it has no MSG.

I used the whole pack (435g) of the stuff to marinate 2kg of chicken thighs.  I found the flavour a wee bit too salty.  So next time, I would either use less rub or use more meat.  As I was serving this to a crowd, I ended up skewering the meat to assist with portioning.

Marinated chicken kebabs (raw) 

On the bbq

Ready to nom.  I served it with a sweet relish.  

A definite crowd pleaser which I would be purchasing more of.

Until next time,
Nom Seeker, Glutt

Product Reviews: La Bellissima Pasta Company

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

When a dear friend of mine said she would come over and cook me dinner, I really thanked my lucky stars that I have managed to score her as a friend when I essentially bring nothing to the table in terms of the relationship.

She rocked up with the following in tow - fresh pasta, pasta sauce, parmesan and pizza from La Bellissima Pasta Company.  I discovered that La Bellissima Pasta Company make Italian dishes that are on sold to various Melbourne restaurants.  They also sell direct to the public from their manufacturing site in Werribee.  Their details here.  It was a work of moments to heat and serve and we had a lovely Italian feast between us - tasting very similar to what you would get at a restaurant.

So relaxing to host a weeknight dinner this way.  Guest brings their own food to feed you...takes less than 15 minutes to heat...yummy meal in minutes..not too much washing up.

We had the fresh fettucini with a bolognese sauce.  Being fresh pasta, it had a denser texture than the dried versions and a lovely eggy taste.  The bolognese was very thick and luscious.  It was probably fattier than my own bolognese recipe but it tasted way better.  The parmesan tasted nice and freshly grated.

The star in my opinion was the hot salami pizza.  It crisped up beautifully in a hot oven after 15 - 20 minutes.  It had an abundance of topping.  It would probably be worthwhile to go back and buy a stack of these pizzas to freeze at home.  Then you would have a quick back up option for dinner.

La Bellissima Pasta Company - I would definitely visit this place and stock up on the parmesan and pizzas.  The fresh pasta is lovely too.  I was a bit concerned with the heaviness of the sauce so I would probably serve the pasta with my own sauce which I load up with hidden veggies to lighten.

I almost forgot to mention the cost - all of the above was under $25.  It fed 3 adults and 1 child. Not bad economy.

Cheerio

Product Review: Farm Gate Sales - Cherries and Strawberries

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

We love our summer cherries and strawberries around Christmas time.  Buying them at the supermarket or even the greengrocers doesn't really compare to getting them fresh from the farm yourself. 

Fruits from the garden of Eden

These beautiful, almost too perfect to be real cherries are from 'Phil Chapman' farm (43 Parker Road, Wandin East, Victoria 3139.  ph: 03 5967 4303).  We go every fortnight in December, year after year to get our fix of these luscious cherries.  Prices vary depending on the grade of the cherries.  They range between AU$40 - $60 per 5kg box.  The cherries come pre-picked.  However if you would like the experience of picking yourself, some berries are available for self picking. 

The strawberries are from Kookaberry Strawberry Farm.  Kookaberry Strawberry Farm is a new discovery of ours.  We normally get our strawberries from another farm in the area however we found out our regular source has closed down.  Kookaberry strawberries are gigantic.  They are also practically flawless.  They could have been a bit sweeter but they are juicy.  We will definitely go back for more.  Prices:  $10 per kg pre picked.  Kookaberry Farm is not a u-pick farm. 

Today we purchased 10kg of cherries and 2kg of strawberries.  We will probably chomp through these in a week or so and will drive up again for more!  Viva la summer!

Until next time,
Nom Seeker, Glutt. 

Product Review: Baccarat iD3s Saute Pan

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

I have been using my Baccarat iD3s Saute Pan for three months now.  Not a day goes by without me using it for some purpose or another.  It is the best induction friendly pan I have ever owned.  I have owned Scanpans, Anolon, Circulon, etc but Baccarat iD3s beats them all. 

Can't live without - Baccarat iD3s Saute pan

Firstly, it is a great size.  I can use it for casseroles, stir fries, pan fries and it would even be suitable to cook a small batch of soup for one or two.  Both the lid and the pan are oven proof.  So it easily moves from stove to oven.  I recently baked this gigantic pizza sized Yorkshire pudding with it.

Yorkshire pudding with rosemary and smoked salmon

It is truly induction friendly.  I have bought cookware before and they advertise it as suitable for induction cooktops and it does pass the magnet-on-the-pan-bottom test but once I got it home, the induction doesn't 'read' or recognise the pot/pan.  Very frustrating.  But I didn't have a problem with the Baccarat iDs3. 

The Baccarat iDs3 is also dishwasher safe - very handy.  And it feels sturdy and solid in your hands. 

I bought mine at House a few months ago when there was a special on and it came with a gift with purchase (small fry pan).  Here is the link. It was an impulse buy as I walked into the shop intending to buy Le Creuset cookware and the sales person convinced me this was better value for money and suited my purposes.  I have absolutely no regrets. 

Until next time,
Nom Seeker, Glutt