Degustabox Selection

 I always enjoy opening the subscription food boxes from Degustabox, as I love surprises. Degustabox Selection is one of their best yet.

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those whoch have been around in a while but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustbox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

Degustabox Selection is a premium selection of 10-14 high-quality fine food and drink items. It gives you a unique unboxing experience of exploring exciting new products and flavours. Only limited quantities are available and this offer will not be repeated. Give yourself or someone you love a well-deserved treat today!

What did we get in Degustabox Selection box?

Aspall Premier Cru Cyder (£2.20) is the product of the month. Crafted at the original Cyder House in Suffolk, Aspall Premier Cru is a refined and elegant cyder with a fresh apple taste and long dry finish. It has floral notes and presents a perfect balance of acidity and soft tannins. Recommended to be served with roast pork, spicy tagines, Red Leicester and White Stilton.

It is vegan friendly and naturally gluten free.

If you enjoy cider (cyder) based cocktails, how about a Cider Sangria or a Snakebite cocktail?!

Available in all major supermarkets and at Majestic.

Odysea Extra Virgin Olive Oil (£8.99): both Greek Early Harvest and Kalamata PDO are produced with hand-picked olives from groves in the Peloponnese, an area known for its fine oil. The oil is cold extracted within hours of the olive harvest to ensure exceptional quality and flavour.

Greek Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced with hand-picked Megaritiki olives and sourced by Yannis Sellas from groves in Corinth. It's a complex medium to robust oil, with notes of green herbs and salad leaves. 

As I go through litres of olive oil, cooking all kinds of meals, I was delighted with this product. 

You should receive 1 od 2 items in your box.

Available on odysea.com, Amazon, at Sainsbury's and Wholefoods.

Hilltop Hot Honey (£3.50 for 340g) is a honey infused with chillies. It's an inspired combination of sweet and spicy. Hilltop signature honey is infused with chillies for an innovatory and sophisticated taste. 

Free from additives and bursting with flavour. It works great as a base of marinade for meat or drizzled over vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beetroot). Add sweet heat to ice-cream, pizza, cocktails and more.

It is more suitable for people who love spicy food. My younger son didn't quite appreciate a crumpet with this honey.

I used it to make a salad dressing, and also drizzled over the roasted vegetables.

Available at lovehilltop.com

Lyons Coffee Bags (Go-Joe/Rockadero/Perkadilly or Decaf Dreams, £2.20) are compostable coffee bags which can go in the food recycing or green waste bin. The bags are a convenient way of enjoying a freshly roasted ground coffee, without a mess.

You will receive 1 of 4 flavours in your box.

When you buy a box of Lyons coffee bags, they make a donation to Project Waterfall, which is committed to providing a sustainable source of safe water and sanitation for coffee growing communities around the world.

Geeta's mango chutney is one of my favourite products. And their lime pickle is excellent too. I was delighted to see a couple of items from Geeta's extensive range.

Geeta's Sweet & Spicy Mango Sauce (£1.50) is inspired by the family-favourite mango chutney recipes. This versatile sauce is made with juicy Indian mangoes, a pinch of chilli and a selection of aromatic spices (cumin, cardamom, black pepper and nigella seeds).

Use it as a dip for vegetable sticks, a drizzle over your favourite salad or jacket potatoes, a marinade for kebabs, both meat-based and vegetarian, or in a stir fry.

Available at Ocado, Amazon, and Geeta's online shop.

Geeta's Tandoori Marinade (£0.75) helps create a delicious North Indian dish from Punjab, which is simple and easy to prepare. 

Ingredients include paprika, salt, roasted cumin powder, dried ginger, dried garlic, roasted fenugreek powder, dried mint, chilli powder, black pepper powder, dried mango powder, dried fenugreek leaf, dried lemon juice powder, cardamon powder, cinnamon powder, cloves powder, cumin powder and bay leaf powder.

The recipe on the back of the sachet is for a Tandoori chicken, but it could also be used with king prawns or paneer.

I haven't tried it yet, as I plan to take it with us when we stay in a cottage on holidays.

Rustichella d'Abruzzo Penne (£3.49) is a product of Italy. This Durum Wheat Semolina pasta is bronze drawn, and dried slowly at low temperature. The pasta has a unique texture and a superior taste.

Rustichella d'Abruzzo was born in 1924 and after almost 100 years of history, this is the pasta brand used by the best chefs around the world.

Perfect with a tomato-based sauce, with fresh basil, and Grana or Parmesan cheese.

Available at odysea.com/brands/rustichella

Mr Filbert's Chilli & Fennel Gourmet Mixed Nuts (£1.75) is an exciting snack, made with 100% natural ingredients. It is gluten and dairy free, and contains nothing artificial. These mixed nuts (peanuts, cashews and almonds) are roasted to perfection, and flavoured with chipotle chillies and fennel.

A great little snack for when you're feeling peckish, or as part of a cheese and snack board.

Suitable for vegans, these nuts are a great source of plant protein.

Available on Ocado, Amazon and at www.mrfilberts.com

Mr Filbert's Classic Dry Roasted Peanuts (£0.99) are a twist on the classic recipe. Suitable for vegans and free from gluten and dairy, they contain no artificial flavours and preservatives. A good source of plant protein. 

Ingredients include 94% peanuts with sea salt, yeast extract, smoked paprika, ground celery seed, onion powder, rapeseed oil, garlic powder.

If you love peanuts, you will find them irresistible.

Avaialble at Ocado, Amazon and www.mrfilberts.com

Who doesn't love Bahlsen biscuits? Bahlsen Ohne Gleichen Milk (£1.79) are a delicious treat, great with a cup of hot chocolate, tea or coffee. You get a delightful praline cream sandwiched between two crisp wafers and topped with a square of creamy mild chocolate.

Nutritional information: 174kcal and 11g of sugar per 3 biscuits.

Available at Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Ocado.

Mackie's of Scotland Pickled Onion Potato Crisps (£1.70) are thick cut potato crisps made in Perthshire, Scotland, by the award winning family business Mackie's, who use the best varieties of potatoes and carefully selected seasonings, and never add any artificial colours and flavourings.

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

These crisps have a great crunch and dry texture. If you love the taste of pickled onion, you'll be in a crisps' heaven with this pack.

Available in all major retailers, selected Scottish stores only.

The Original Black Garlic 1Shot Pate (£1.99) is described as "a flavour bomb, missing ingredient and superfood in one". Its flavour is a combination of sweet and savoury umami. This handy pate will add depth to a variety of dishes, from chilli to Bolgnese, from dressings to stocks, stir fries, risotto and sauces.

You should get 2 items in your box. Range is available at Sainsbury's. Ottolenghi, Planet Organic, Sous Chef and Spice Mountain.

And finally, the drinks - Double Dutch Drinks (Cucumber & Watermelon Mixer/Skinny Tonic Water/Pomegranate & Basil Mixer, £0.60 per can or £3.50 for a pack of 6).

Double Dutch founders Joyce and Raissa are passionate about all things flavour. Their inspired range of naturally flavoured drink mixers and soft drinks features among others such lovely flavours as Cucumber & Watermelon, Pomegranate & Basil and Skinny Tonic. These are great mixers for gin and other spirits.

You should receive 3 items in your box.

Use code DEGUSTASUMMER10 at doubledutchdrinks.com for 10% off your order.

Available at Waitrose, Ocado & Amazon.

What did I tell you?! A fantastic selection! 

Herring in mustard marinade

Last year I have subscribed to a Russian food forum Povaryonok, and every morning I receive an email with several recipes of the day. It's a lively forum, where passions fly easily about all things food-related. I am not registered on the site, and don't join in, but do read comments and often smile.
Posters get really heated and emotional about some of the recipes, especially if they are the classics of the Soviet times.
A couple of months ago I've spotted a recipe for marinated herring (if you do follow the link, the recipe is in Russian). Salted and marinated herring is one of the foods the Russians really know what they are talking about.
For some reason, I could never find a decent marinated herring locally. I've tried many varieties sold in supermarkets and delis, and usually what you get is fish which tastes of nothing much but vinegar. It could be in jars with dill and cream, or in mustard sauce but would still taste strongly of vinegar, which in my opinion doesn't do justice to this tasty fish.

If you're as disappointed as I am with the bought marinated herring, it's very easy to make your own.

I have adapted the recipe by the user called Lada from the Russian forum.
The result was utterly delicious, if you like this kind of food. My husband would shudder in mock or perhaps real horror, and my kids would not eat it even if their lives depended on it. I agree, it's an acquired taste.

I think this recipe is a variation of what is known here as a soused herring.

I love it simply on a generously buttered rye bread, or served with plain boiled potatoes.

Herring in mustard marinade
Ingredients:
2 herrings
200ml water
1 bay leaf
1tbsp caster sugar
2tsp sea salt
2tsp dry mustard (I used Colman's)
2tbsp olive oil
1tsp ground black pepper
1/2tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2tsp ground turmeric (optional)
1/2tsp ground cumin (optional)
1tbsp cider vinegar

In a medium pan bring water to boil, add a bay leaf, sugar, salt, mustard and spices, mix well. Boil for half a minute. Let the marinade cool.
If buying a whole herring, ask the fishmonger to remove the head, clean and trim the fish.
I didn't remove the bones, but if that's a problem, please do.
Sliced each fish into 4-5 pieces.
Place the herring pieces in a tupperware container, big enough to hold all pieces in one layer. Pour the cold marinade over the fish. Put the lid on, and place the container in the fridge for 2 days.

Next time I make it, I will add thinly sliced onion and maybe some dill. Cinnamon was hardly noticeable thanks to mustard, so I would skip it altogether.

Schwartz Grill Mates Deep South Brown Sugar Marinade Mix

As it happens, the Brits are as enthusiastic about the grilled food as those BBQ aficionados across the pond. The BBQed and grilled food has become a trend which stays put. If you are happy to lick your fingers eating sticky food from the BBQ, you'll be glad to know that this summer Schwartz has launched a new range of Grill Mates™. This range is "featuring exciting US flavour combinations that will bring to life any barbecue dish. Simply add one of the four delicious marinades to transform your meat or fish before cooking on the grill."
The specially-formulated Schwartz Grill Mates™ Marinade Mixes are available in a sachet; they serve 4-6 people and are available in four tasty flavours: Mojito Lime, Deep South Brown Sugar, Cajun and Smokey Texan.

Schwartz is proud to inform us that "it sources only the highest quality herbs and spices from all over the world and is committed to making great flavour simpler for everyone. The Grill Mates™ range reflects the trend of infusing foods with cocktail-inspired flavours, which appeared in the 2008 Flavour Forecast, produced by parent company McCormick. The new Schwartz Grill Mates™ range will be available nationwide from all leading supermarkets (RRP £1.00)".

As it happened, we had guests coming for dinner yesterday and having perused the selection of Grill Mates, I've decided to prepare the pork tenderloin with Schwartz Grill Mates Deep South Brown Sugar Marinade Mix.

To prepare this sweet and spicy marinade mix with a hint of whisky, you will need
1 sachet of Schwartz Grill Mates South Brown Sugar Marinade Mix
50ml oil
2tbsp orange juice
2tbsp white wine vinegar
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

I have also added juice from half a lime to the marinade.

Set aside a couple of tbsp for basting, pour and rub the rest over the meat of your choice. Cover and leave to marinade for 15 minutes minimum (or even leave it overnight). I left it for a couple of hours.
The marinade is aromatic and very colourful.

This Grill Mates mix is made with the brown sugar, salt, tomato powder, chilli powder, honey powder, red bell peppers, sunflower oil etc
It doesn't contain any artificial colours, added MSG, preservatives or hydrogenated fat.
Pork tenderloin is a lean cut, but delicious. If you baste it regularly, it won't dry and be juicy and tasty.

As you can see, I didn't cook the pork on the BBQ. Our vintage BBQ is too rusty (maybe I will win it one day? wishful thinking, as I keep entering all competitions to win a BBQ).
Once the pork was left to marinade for a couple of hours, the ceramic tray went in the oven preheated to 180C.

I have also sliced two pears and added them to the tray with 100ml rose wine and juice of half a lime and half an orange. The rose wine was one of those indescribable varieties that typically appear in the dinner for £10 offers in Sainsbury's or Waitrose, not entirely bad but not exciting either. The pears were added after the pork was cooked for at least half an hour at 180C (then I lowered the temperature and cooked for another 45 minutes).
Serve with the roasted baby sweet peppers and roast potatoes.

My friends are used now to being guinea pigs for my new recipes and jokingly ask "Is that for your blog?" when I serve something new to them. This dish has been unanimously voted as a success.


If you liked this recipe suggestion, keep an eye on my future posts, as I have been sent a selection of new Schwartz products for testing and reviewing.

For more information about the range and further mealtime inspiration, visit Schwartz. Join the conversation on Facebook at SchwartzCookingClub and Twitter at @SchwartzCooking