June 2016 Taste Club Pantry Box Full Spoilers + 50% Off Coupon!

Here’s everything appearing in the June 2016 Taste Club Pantry Boxes, although we’re not sure about the sizes of the items:

Red Clay Hot Sauce 

I started putting Tabasco in my cheerios and on my grapes when I was a kid and despite the valiant attempts of my mother to try and make me stop, I never did. I have been a loyal friend to Tabasco for virtually my entire life but since the commencement of the hot sauce craze that launched some time ago there are so many flavors to choose from that hot sauce is becoming a parody of itself. There’s bacon hot sauce and blow your pants off hot sauce and infused with everything on the planet hot sauce, etc… so it’s become hard to dive into a new favorite. That is until I tried this one. There is a reason the South has some of the best food in the country and it’s because they love food, they appreciate food, they take their time with food. This hot sauce makes me want to jump on a plane to South Carolina and pour a bucket of it onto a plate of Fried Chicken or Creamy Grits. It’s simplicity, much like the south itself, brings you right back to the roots of hot sauce and how it should taste and what it’s used for – to make things that are already good just a little bit better and to actually have a flavor and not just a burn. It’s simple and true and beyond flavorful and now I have to remove my favorite lip gloss from my purse to make room in it for this guy.

Avocado Oil 

This avocado oil is one of the most interesting things I’ve had in my pantry and has also recently become one of my favorites. I was thrown back at first because I thought it might taste like avocados and it doesn’t, so don’t be alarmed when you expect to eat liquid guac and you don’t – which, let’s be honest, sounds pretty nasty. There is a light, smooth and buttery flavor to it that I absolutely love. But my favorite thing about this oil is its versatility. I drizzled some on top of sourdough bread and toasted it for an amazing (and healthier) alternate to bread and butter. I also made a flavorful salad dressing because it’s light enough to where you can substitute it for anything that calls for Olive Oil. I used it to grill veggies and to marinate chicken (both very yum) and, my favorite was when I drizzled it over popcorn for an amazing and light flavor that melted butter just doesn’t have. There are honestly endless amounts of creative ways to use this oil and the best thing about it is that it’s actually healthy, which generally isn’t the case with oil. It has nutrients that benefit your heart, skin, hair and nails so feasibly I can have dinner, grow my hair and get a manicure all at the same time. It could happen.

Jar Goods Classic Red

I don’t need noodles, pizza dough or meatballs when it comes to this sauce. All I need is a spoon. I hope there is a heaven for Jar Goods because that’s where the Classic Red is going. I am a non-Italian Italian food freak so marinara sauce is a pretty big part of my foodie life. Spaghetti plays a major role in my dinner rotations and on the days I am too tired and lazy to make my own sauce (all days) I mosey over the store and buy whatever sauce has the cutest label since I really don’t see much of a difference in flavor. They all taste kind of bland, watery, spiceless and unremarkable. They do the trick, sure, but life is short and sauce should be spectacular. And, spectacular is this here sauce. It’s creamy and thick and tastes like it has fresh tomatoes dancing inside the jar. I’ve used it a few different classic ways: dressed up on noodles and on a pizza crust, straight out of the jar with a spoon (do it, you won’t be disappointed) but my favorite was heating it up and dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into it! It’s so smooth and creamy it could almost pass as tomato soup! Last night I made chicken parm for my mom and I told her I made the sauce myself. It tastes so fresh and homemade that she completely believed me. I hope she’s not reading this. 

Delta Blues Rice Grits 

One of the things I appreciate most about the South is the fact that they take their food seriously and are super passionate about home cooking. No matter what anyone says or where you go, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and sweet potato pie is always going to be better in the south than anywhere else – especially if they come straight from Mississippi, like our grits here! I’ve never liked grits because my best friend’s Mom grew up in Virginia so in their household it was either grits or shrimp with their entire faces and body parts still on them. Needless to say I was a little traumatized by southern food at a young age. But as I got older and more adventurous in the kitchen I started experimenting with grits. I concluded that they made for a nice side dish but were nothing really special. I realize now that was because I was cooking with store-bought manufactured junky grits that had probably been sitting on the store shelves for months. When I tried the Delta Blues it changed my entire perception. Delta Blues farms and mills their grits to order and packages everything in small batches to maintain it’s absolute freshness. And it shows. Or, rather, it tastes. The creamy richness of the grits when cooked makes for such an interesting and satisfying texture. Our kitchen staff and I made an authentic shrimp and grits recipe with it (shrimp’s were de-eyed and de-legged, however, at my request) and it was like taking a bite right out of the South. The Delta Blues website has some delicious recipes to make with the grits – might I suggest cooking up some shrimp risotto and listening to some smooth BB King? And can I come?

Salmon Chemisé

To start with, the packaging of spices in this adorable salmon colored tin makes me smile every time I approach the little spice station in my kitchen. It stands out amongst some pretty boring pepper shakers and sea salt jars so it always catches my eye. Which is great because I have been finding myself using it on everything as of late. I am not a giant fan of salmon so take my word for it that this blend is not just for that fish. I’m sure it’s amazing on salmon – you can let me know – but it’s absolutely superb on everything I have tried it on. I cooked a pot of Jumbalaya the other night and sprinkled some Chemisé in it before slow cooking and it added a ton a flavor. I also made a clam dip recipe that has been in my family for years but I sprinkled some of these spices in place of salt and pepper and it took it to a whole new level. Now I can justify the lie when I tell people that the recipe is mine. You can also check out recipes from Gary Fuller’s cookbook “Cooking with Two Snooty Chefs” – where you’ll find a recipe for Chemisé louis topping for fish, which our kitchen team made (on our website) and loved. And you’ll also find a savory salmon Chemisé cheesecake – which I’m sure is good but you can let me know about that one, too…

Blackbird Chocolate Granola 

This granola is likely a parents dream come true because kids will definitely eat this instead of Frosted Flakes for breakfast. Especially since it has the word “chocolate” in it, which is the best part but also fairly deceiving in a good way because it isn’t overly chocolaty. I’d say granola in general is a fairly deceptive product because most mainstream and grocery store granola’s advertise their health factor but are actually loaded with bad carbohydrates and starch and things that just sit in your stomach and bloat you. Not this one! It’s healthy and crunchy and sweetish and absolutely divine. It’s great mixed with milk for breakfast or for a pretty yogurt parfait. Our kitchen staff made an amazing French Toast recipe with it that I haven’t stopped thinking about since I ate it. We also ate half the bag with our hands. You’ll get it once you taste it.