Product Reviews No.2
Every month, I take a moment to review products I’ve been sent or have found along the way. I choose a product from a variety of categories and this month, I’ve chosen carefully:
FOODS (Frozen | Spice)
DEEBEES Tea Pops | DESSERT WITHOUT THE SUGAR, ALLERGENS, GMOS OR GUILT.
Something I was genuinely looking forward to … While I gather that this isn’t going to have that fruit forward finish, I did expect something to integrate seamlessly with the pops themselves. I tried the Tropical Mango and Berries & Cherries first. Both sounded delightful but they were a bit bland, bitter and the naturalness of the fruit was swallowed whole by the pungent tea takeover. The Berries & Cherries just didn’t come through and the Tropical Mango wasn’t “mango-y” enough. I’ve had tea pops that were homemade and with fresh fruits, they were incredible so I approached these with that same hopeful gleam. I tried these on a very hot Los Angeles day and perhaps my expectations were too high but these two wouldn’t be my summer tea pop of choice.
That said, I enjoyed the Toasted Coconut and for a health conscious “grown up”, it does the trick. The Southern Iced Tea pop reminded me of what I think of about Southern summers on the front porch. I could taste the black tea and selfishly, I would have preferred this to have a bit more punch.
OVERALL: I can appreciate the idea of a “healthy popsicle” but aside from the Toasted Coconut, I can’t say I’m a huge fan.
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SPICE | SAUCE
Montana Mex | {SALTS} Picante + Chile | {SAUCES} Spicy Everything Sauce + Ketchup
I’m a HUGE fan of spices and every moreso, spices and sauces that make my everyday cooking far more adventurous. I came across Montana Mex thanks to HSN, Chef Curtis Stone and Chef Lorena Garcia who were going to be doing a show with it’s creator, Chef Eduardo Garcia. I had the opportunity to interview Eduardo and then, I tried his line from Montana Mex: Chile, Picante, Sweet Salt + Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Everything Sauce. My 3 go-to’s? Chile + Picante Salts – AND – the Everything Sauce! With the perfect amount of heat,
HOW I — — USE THEM: I blend the spices when grilling or sautéing any of my veggies, though my favorite combo is with green beans (whole and fresh), cashews with half a lemon mixed with a generous portion of the Chile and a happy dash (or two) of picante. I use these salts with fruits (try the picante and sweet salt with mangos, pineapple, or even doing a run and throwing some Granny Smith apples on the grill.
OVERALL: This is a staple in my pantry.
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PRODUCT
Weber Grill 1200 | Iron Cast Grill + Skillet
This little beauty is something of a revelation in the grilling world. With cast iron grill and griddle, I played around and made burgers and fried eggs simultaneously! Easy to use, affordable and playful in design, this is my new summer must-have. To learn more about my experience using the new Weber Grill, you can read HERE and for #recipes you can visit, HERE.
COST: $199 USD
OVERALL: I have one in my backyard now. This is one of the most versatile, easy-to-use, mobile barbecues around.
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COOKBOOK | Book
Russell Dean Lowell’s | In Search of Duende
In Search of Duende is an in-depth cookbook exploring the notion that sometimes, a little extra “luck” (aka, “duende”) is on our side and in this case, Chef Lowell’s duende acts as his guide through adventure and cooking. With ingredients primarily caught, hunted or foraged, this reads like a colorful culinary guide and cookbook. Giving a glimpse at the man, not just the chef, including his real life friendship with one of the greatest Hockey defensemen ever, Chris Chelios (which admittedly, is pretty darn cool), this cookbook is full of stories and recipes from roadkill in Malibu, the terrain of Cuba, fly fishing in Baja to pink aprons in honor of Chef Lowell’s mom who lost her battle cancer, this cookbook is full of stories and recipes.
MY REVIEW: It’s a unique approach to cooking as well as a closer look at Chef Lowell’s unfaltering belief in a little magic and a some much garnered luck in life … and in food.
AVAILABLE for Purchase $35.00 USD
