Showing posts with label product review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label product review. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Easy Pizza and Flatbread with Stonefire's Naan

If you know me, you know I don't cook much at home, but I may start making pizzas more often now ... ?After all, adding toppings and putting it in the oven is super easy, it was always the crust that's the problem! But thanks to Stonefire flatbreads and naans, I've made a couple of tasty pizzas at home!

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 There are many varieties in the Stonefire line, from the original tandoori-baked naan, garlic naan, to a thin crust pizza flatbread (that even comes with a pack of pizza sauce). I just made one with the simple things I liked: mozzarella cheese, sausages, and fresh tomatoes and basil, but if you want to be more creative, there are recipes in the back of the flatbread packages.
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There are directions to heat them up in microwave or oven, but I recommend the oven especially if you're making pizza to get that crispy crust! On my first try I didn't leave it in the oven long enough, but the texture was much better the second time I made it. Evoking Sandra Lee, my semi-homemade pizza made for a great lunch ;-P

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Product Review: Hell Fire Pepper Jelly, Aptly Named!

I'm not one to try the ghost pepper, or enjoy the incredibly spicy dry curry at Jitlada. Basically, I can't really handle spicy food (although I'm getting much better). Still, when they offered a sample of the Hell Fire Pepper Jelly, I was curious. Yes, I'd love to try it! I've had jalapeno jam before and it wasn't all that spicy.

The small jar came with a cute little spoon. The golden color looks unassuming. It smells both spicy and sweet - hard to tell which way the taste will lean but it smells good.

Hell Fire Pepper Jelly

I didn't have any bread at home, so I went over to Wandering Chopsticks' house and for the first taste spread it over white bread, took a bite ... sweet, a little touch of tartness, .. then it creeps up on me: oh my god, SPICY!
Hell Fire Pepper Jelly Spread
Hell Fire indeed! This was no jalapeno jam I randomly tried years ago, this thing is the real deal! Now, white bread is probably not the best way to eat this. WC suggested this would be a good dipping sauce for meat. Perhaps glaze for barbecued meat? Yes, I think that would work very well with this. It already has the flavor components of a sweet BBQ sauce, with a super kick.

Bottom line: if you like spicy and want to try something different, this one is for you.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Snowiest Cities and Sam Adams' Summer Ale

The past winter, Columbia, Missouri had 51.6 inches of snow, making it the snowiest city in the US. Boston brewery Sam Adams decided to help by hosting a "Summer in a Bottle" party, hosted by brewer Dean Gianocostas. The party will be held on May 3 (that's tomorrow!), complete with grilling and beach photo backdrop. Lucky Columbia residents can win tickets through local promotions. They will also send summer ales to the 2nd through 10th snowiest cities.

Los Angeles certainly was not one of the snowiest city, but I received a special Summer Ale delivery anyway. According to Sam Adams, the Summer Ale was "brewed with lemon zest and grains of paradise, a centuries-old exotic African pepper." I was curious and googled it. Wikipedia says the pepper is a native West African plant, also commonly known as melegueta pepper, not to be confused with the South American malagueta pepper.
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
It wasn't as peppery as I had expected, just a hint below the citrus flavor. The golden-colored beer was crisp with a richer aftertaste, and only a touch hoppy which made it very drinkable for me. I'm sure I'm completely biased here since I drank one after a 7-hour bartending gig, but it was quite refreshing! Nothing like a glass of cold, crisp ale to revive you, right?

Monday, March 29, 2010

Saturday, SNL, Sam Adams Spring Brew.

What do you do when you get a six-pack in the mail? You bring it over to your friend's house with the big TV on a Saturday, of course!

That's exactly what I did with the 6-pack of Samuel Adams Noble Pils - their new spring seasonal beer that's brewed with all five of their Noble Hop varieties. This Pilsner replaces the White Ale as Sam Adams' spring beer. We kicked back with some korean omelet rice that my friend's roommate made and watched SNL.
The beer: a pale yellow/straw pour. Citrusy aroma. Crisp and light but still has a malty character. Hoppy finish - but not too bitter. Very easy to drink. Definitely a good inexpensive beer to drink with friends in front of a TV.

I also thought my friends can give me some input about the beer that I can incorporate into the review. Alas, I miscalculated.

These statements were the extent of their contribution:

"It's good."

"It's ... uh ... citrusy?" (me: Stop reading the label!")

"It reminds me of something. But I don't know what."

Good job, guys. Good job.

-- update 3/30/10 --

One of my friends actually came up with a great review after all! It was a bit late but I decided to append it here since it was a well-written and thorough review:

"Sam Adams' Noble Pils, brewed in time for Spring, can make for a pleasant seasonal alternative to the more mainstream beers.

A first sip and you notice that the beer is not as carbonated as expected. Another sip and you realise that this allows you to taste the hops that much better. The beer has a surprisingly watery feel in the mouth, which can be a nice change from some of the 'drier' beers.

Taking a look at the green colours on the label, you might think of citrus, and you'd be right - in theory that is. Whilst the blurb on the label mentions the 'lively, citrus hop character', the taste of the citrus is barely noticeable. This is a pity, as it would have made a positive contribution to the flavour of the beer, particularly given that it seems to be intended as a spring beer. However, there's plenty of taste there - the 'Noble Pils' is so-named because, as the label informs us, it was made with all five Noble hops.

Whilst those accustomed to heavier lagers may not be so interested in Sam Adams' latest offer, it makes for a welcome alternative to those who are used to lighter beers and are looking to try something with a little extra taste to it."

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