Category Archives: New Products

A “Spam” Musubi That’s Vegan

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A musubi that's not quite what you think it is.
A musubi that’s not quite what you think it is.

It looks exactly like everyone’s guilty-pleasure Hawaiian snack food.

Only this musubi is vegan.

Indeed, this one spotlights a new plant-based version of Spam.

To the growing list of faux “beef,” “chicken,” and other proteins now comes OmniPork.

Designed to mimic pork, it’s made from a blend of non-GMO soy, peas, shiitake mushrooms, and rice. It was developed in Canada by food scientists for Hong Kong-based food innovation company, Green Monday, which owns OmniFoods.

It’s available in three forms — OmniPork Ground, Strips, and Luncheon, each for $5.99 per package. All three can be found in the freezer cases of Sprouts; while the Strips and Ground are carried by select Whole Foods.

When I received samples of all three, I went straight for the Luncheon first, curious to see how it would compare to the familiar stuff in a can. The verdict? Quite impressively.

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One Of The Best Butters In The World Just Got Even Better

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French butter flavored with loads of raspberries -- a taste sensation to make you sit up and take notice from the first taste.
French butter flavored with loads of raspberries — a taste sensation to make you sit up and take notice from the first taste.

Let’s be clear: I have not tried every single butter in the world.

I just know that the latest products from France’s Le Beurre Bordier completely floored me.

I had already been captivated by its regular salted butter. But its seasonal Framboise (raspberry) and Bear’s Garlic & Kampot Pepper butters made me fairly gasp as they melted languidly on my palate.

Mass-produced butter can be made in a day. Founder Jean Yves Bordier needs 72 hours to turn milk from local farmers in Brittany into his high-fat, small-batch butter. He only makes the butter on demand, too, so it’s as fresh as it gets.

Campbell’s The Frenchery, a French online marketplace of gourmet food products, is the only retailer in the world to carry the entire line of Le Beurre Bordier butters (aside from Le Beurre Bordier, itself). The Frenchery pre-orders the butter ahead of time, and takes possession of it once arrives at Los Angeles International Airport. All in all, it’s about two weeks time from when the butter is made to when it gets on your table.

Thanks to The Frenchery, I had a chance to taste samples of these special seasonal butters. Like any Le Beurre Bordier, these two butters are softer than conventional ones. So much so that if you leave the bricks of butter out on the counter, they will soften to perfect spreadable consistency in only about 15 minutes.

You can’t miss the raspberry butter ($12), not with its vivid raspberry salt-water-taffy color through and through.

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Tasty For Kids, But Sure To Please Adults, Too!

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Would you believe there's butternut squash in this ready-to-drink smoothie?
Would you believe there’s butternut squash in this ready-to-drink smoothie?

With their cheery, colorful designs featuring a cute, overall-clad cow on the bottles, Clover The Rainbow smoothies are clearly intended for kids.

But the worst kept secret is they are so delicious and satisfying that adults will surely be clamoring for them, too.

The new product by family-owned Clover Sonoma is all organic. It’s full of fruit. And psst, it also contains vegetables.

Just get a load of the three flavors: Blueberry Beet; Strawberry Carrot; and Strawberry Banana Butternut.

I had a chance to try samples recently of all three, which come in single-serve resealable bottles. Just keep refrigerated, and give it a good shake before enjoying.

Keep refrigerated until you're ready to refresh with one.
Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to refresh with one.

All three flavors are creamy, thick, and not overly sweet. Honestly, if you didn’t see the veggies listed predominantly on the front, you might not know they are there, as these smoothies are definitely fruit-forward tasting.

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Get Ready for Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles

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Tacos made not with meat -- but Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles.
Tacos made not with meat — but Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles.

You know a tofu product has got it going on when my husband, aka Meat Boy, will bite into a taco stuffed with it and not miss meat one iota.

Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles makes Taco Tuesdays even easier and more healthful.

It’s the newest product from Oakland’s Hodo, maker of artisan tofu products made with only organic soybeans, which I had a chance to sample recently.

The plant-based crumbles are like ground meat in texture with a warm, smoky, spicy taste from chipotle, ancho, cumin, and tomato paste.

Just sear in a pan, then spoon into griddled tortillas with salsa and your favorite fixings. Dinner is ready — just like that. The crumbles could also be used in taco salads, chili or enchiladas.

Find it at Whole Foods in the coming weeks.
Find it at Whole Foods in the coming weeks.

The 10-ounce package ($6.99) states that it makes 3.5 servings. I’d say that the crumbles will easily fill enough tacos for two hungry people. The entire container has 510 calories. Each serving has 13 grams of protein, 182 milligrams of calcium, and 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

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What I’ve Been Drinking of Late, Part 13

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A new way to enjoy single-serve wines.
A new way to enjoy single-serve wines.

Le Grand Verre

First came single-serve wine and Champagne bottles. Then, mini wine cans.

Now, get ready for tube wine.

Just launched in the United State, Le Grand Verre packages offerings from boutique French wineries in single-serve, screw-top, slender, plastic tube-like containers.

The shatter-proof, recyclable container, which holds 6.3 ounces, was designed by research funded by the state of Burgundy. It’s so compact that you could easily slip one into your pocket, too.

The company was founded by CEO Nicolas Deffrennes, who got the idea for it after joining Harvard University’s wine club; Regis Fanget, who has worked in advertising for French luxury goods; and Valerian Dejours, a computer science engineer.

The wines come in 4-packs, either featuring one wine or a variety, for $19.99 to $29.99. Most are also crafted by female winemakers or female-owned estates who adhere to organic or sustainable farming practices.

A cute and convenient 4-pack.
A cute and convenient 4-pack.

I had a chance to try a sampler pack with two different reds and two different rosés. Each tube holds one generous glass.

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