Category Archives: New Products

Canned Tuna and Salmon Get Globally Inspired

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Freshé Sicilian Caponata tops fresh kale.
Freshé Sicilian Caponata tops fresh kale.

Henry and Lisa Lovejoy take seafood seriously and responsibly, having founded EcoFish in 1999, a New Hampshire company that sells sustainably-caught frozen and canned seafood nationwide.

It was the first seafood company certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. Its seafood advisory board also includes some of the globe’s leading marine conservation scientists.

Freshé is the company’s line of single-serve, easy-open, tinned seafood designed to be a protein-packed small meal to take on the go to enjoy wherever and whenever.

They are all built around either certified sustainable tuna or certified sustainable aquaculture salmon.

They come in six international varieties, which I had a chance to sample recently: Provence Nicoise (wild tuna), Sicilian Caponata (wild tuna), Barcelona Escalvada (salmon), Moroccan Tagine (salmon), Aztec Ensalada (wild tuna), and Thai Sriracha (wild tuna).

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What I’ve Been Drinking of Late, Part 24

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Heidrun's California Orange Blossom mead.
Heidrun’s California Orange Blossom mead.

Heidrun Mead

For a real change of pace from the usual Napa or Sonoma Valley wine tasting, head to Point Reyes Station for a tasting of mead.

Yes, sparkling wines not made from grapes but honey.

Since 1997, Heidrun Meadery has specialized in this distinctive bubbly made in the French méthode champenoise tradition. It is one of North America’s oldest meaderies still in operation.

Mead is an ancient beverage that has been made far longer than either beer or wine. Owing to the different flower nectars gathered by the bees, the resulting meads boasts surprisingly intense and varied flavors, as I found when I was fortunate enough to try samples.

Heidrun recently partnered with the World Honey Exchange, a U.S.-based organization that helps honey cooperatives around the globe, particularly those in the threatened ecosystems of Patagonia, Ethiopia and Tanzania, gain access to larger markets.

Its three new limited-edition meads ($65 each) are produced from the nectar of Chilean Ulmo, Ethiopian Geteme and Tanzanian Miombo woodland flower blossoms respectively.

All of the sparkling meads are meant to be enjoyed ice cold in flutes, just like Champagne.

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Plant-Based Savory Spreads Make Entertaining Easy

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Growee Foods' Three Pepper Spread, which I used to saute shrimp with peppers, onions, and broccoli.
Growee Foods’ Three Pepper Spread, which I used to saute shrimp with peppers, onions, and broccoli.

When Aman Blana gave up meat and dairy, he was disappointed to find that so many vegan foods on store shelves carried a laundry list of ingredients.

He wanted something simpler, so he created it, himself, with Atlanta’s Growee Foods.

The company’s savory spreads may only be a year old, but they’ve already won a Nexty award in 2022, given to natural foods products that are deemed progressive, impactful and trustworthy.

They come in three flavors: Three Pepper Spread, Curry Zucchini, and Spiced Mango.

I had a chance to try samples of all three, which contain no gluten, nut, corn, GMOs or soy.

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Plant-Based Instant Noodles From the Noodelist

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Plant-based instant noodles made with a super-food ingredient.
Plant-based instant noodles made with a super-food ingredient.

Thuong Tan launched her Silicon Valley startup two years ago. It wasn’t centered on hardware or software.

But on noodles.

Instant ones that were plant-based, shelf-stable, and could be ready to eat in all of 5 minutes.

You see, Tan, has never been a big fan of rice or potatoes, despite her Chinese, Vietnamese and Finnish heritage. For her, noodles have always been where it’s at.

So, while working for Business Finland, the Finnish organization focused on funding, trade, investment, and travel promotion, she got the notion to start her own business, one that would bring her the same warm satisfaction as a bowl of her mother’s Vietnamese brothy noodles.

The Noodelist was born.

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Morimoto-Approved Mochi Donut Kit

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Yes, I made these at home -- thanks to Global Grub's Mochi Donut Kit.
Yes, I made these at home — thanks to Global Grub’s Mochi Donut Kit.

Get a sweet taste of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s cooking in your own home.

You can with this fun, make-it-yourself Mochi Donut Kit ($42.99) that was created in collaboration with Walnut Creek’s Global Grub.

CEO Carly Sheehey’s love for travel inspired her cooking kit company that aims to bring a delicious taste of different countries near and far to home cooks in an easy, approachable manner.

Global Grub now offers eight different DIY cooking kits that feature everything from churros to sushi.

All you have to add is a few ingredients -- and your time -- to make these gluten-free, chewy-licious donuts.
All you have to add is a few ingredients — and your time — to make these gluten-free, chewy-licious donuts.

I had a chance to test-drive the mochi donut kit when I received a sample from the company a few weeks ago.

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