Product Review: Verve Culture Green Curry Thai for Two

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Hello There Loyal Fans and Followers!

I have something I want to share with you, but first of all,Full Disclosure…..
By no means  do I receive any compensation or product endorsement from any company, but I am always happy to find extremely  the excellent products in which I think most people could benefit from.

One of this such finds is Thai for Two Curry Kits from Verve Culture.

Verve Culture is a women-run business spanning three generational groups from Baby Boomer, Gen X, to Millennial. We are in constant pursuit of life travelled fully. As founders,a mother and daughter team and have worked together for 25 years in the gift industry. After becoming disillusioned with the mass produced products prevalent in the marketplace, we started to seek products that were more unique and have actual heart and soul.

Verve Culture’s concept is about Culture Exploration and is not product specific. They curate iconic items that are made in the country of origin using traditional practices.  They also work with a team of amazing artisans and craftsmen from around the world that are proud to share their stories of heritage and passion.

They are committed to offering an inside view of how certain tools and tastes can create memorable experiences with friends and family. Beautiful, purposeful, authentic and respectful of the people who make the items, is at the heart of Verve Culture’s  philosophy. Each of  their kitchen, homeware and gourmet food products comes with the story of where it is made, by whom, and the history of the item.  Verve Culture believe that exposure to new cultures and experiences brings joy.

And with that being said, I was intrigued to try some of their epicurean food offerings.  Earlier this year, they were offering a special deal on buying four meal kits  and receiving one for free, with free shipping. Given the COVID-19 Pandemic and I was missing the entrees and soups from my favorite Thai restaurant, I took a chance to see what these products were all about. In the past, I have tried meal kit services like Plated, Home Chef, and Blue Apron with mixed success.

So I decided to try the Green Curry , which is is one of the most recognizable and iconic dishes from Thailand. It is both gently soothing and packed with flavor.  Verve Culture  work with an organic farm in Thailand to give the consumer  authentic green curry ingredients that are hard to get – seasonings and herbs, like kaffir lime leaves and Thai green chile peppers  that makes the meal deliciously, authentically Thai. This kit is unbelievably easy to make.  Along with the pre-packaged items in the kit, you can add your own protein and vegetables, follow the easy directions, and in less than ten minutes you’ll have your first bite. ……..and it is a delicious one, leaving you wanting more.

The Thai Green Curry Meal Kit includes:

  • Instructions
  • Organic dried herbs
  • Organic green curry seasoning
  • Organic green curry paste
  • Organic coconut milk

Straight from the source
Verve Culture worked with a USDA-certified organic farm in Thailand that yields fresh, pure produce like kaffir lime leaf, galangal, and lemongrass. This farm uses renewable resources and conserves the fertility of their soil and water to preserve the environmental quality for future generations.

Everyone-friendly
These Thai kits are organic, vegan, gluten-free, and sustainably-made. They’re easy, convenient, and healthy – and not to mention gift-worthy thanks to the beautiful drawstring bag! Perfect for date night or a hostess gift at your next dinner party.

You’ll have date nights and family nights covered with our Thai cooking kits. Check out the rest of them here.

Meet the Farmers
Verve Culture partnered with Somkiat and Pornpan – a couple who met in university studying Food Engineering. Their family is dedicated to sharing the true taste of Thailand from their organic farm, and only use pure ingredients without fillers. Learn more about them here.

Ingredients: Ingredients:
Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Sugar, Organic Green Chili,  Salt, Organic Rice Bran Oil, Organic Garlic, Organic Shallot, Organic Galangal, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Coriander Leaves, Organic Dried Sweet Basil Leaves, Organic Kaffir Lime Rind, Organic Dried Kaffir Lime Leaves, Organic Dried Sliced Chili, Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid (INS330)).
* Contains Coconut
* Manufactured in a facility that uses peanut ingredients.

Thai Green Curry is known for its spicy, tangy and pungent flavor, enriched with the fresh taste of coconut milk and kaffir limes leaves. 

Here is my offering of the meal kit. I opted to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as my protein. Broccoli, green beans, and julienned carrots along with a few fresh serrano chilies and mini red bell peppers were my vegetables of choice.

Basically, everything in Verve Culture’s Thai for Two Organic Green Curry cooking kit comply with global standards for organic certified ingredients.

6 EAST STEPS FOR AUTHENTIC GREEN CURRY

  1. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat and fry Organic Green Curry Paste for 1 minute to release the aroma. Use less paste to make the final dish less spicy.
  2. Add the Organic Coconut Milk and stir until the oil starts separating on the surface.
  3. Add 1 1/4 (150 ml) water. Bring to a boil.
  4. Add Organic Green Curry Seasoning. Mix well for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add your desired meat or protein and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add desired vegetables. Stir the mixture for another 2-3 minutes until cooked.
  6. Add Organic Dried Herbs, and mix well together.

Serve with jasmine rice, and enjoy!

Simple Green Curry combination suggestions:

  • Chicken, broccoli and green beans
  • Chicken, asparagus, broccoli and spring onions
  • Shrimp, zucchini and sugar snap peas
  • Tofu, green beans, broccoli and green peppers
  • Tofu, asparagus and green beans

For the more adventurous palate…

    • Thai eggplant is round, green, and found in most Asian markets. Occasionally you will also find Pea Eggplant there too. When cooked, both of these eggplants become softer and absorb the flavor of the sauce.
      thai-eggplant pea-eggplant
    • Bok Choy and Chinese Broccoli are traditional and nutrient dense vegetable additions to Thai curry, and are available in most supermarkets
      bok-choy        chinese-broccoli

The best thing about Verve Culture’s  Thai for Two cooking kits is that you can customize them in countless ways. Use all the vegetables that are in the fridge. Take advantage of that great deal on pork at the supermarket. Use tofu or seitan on meatless Monday. The possibilities are endless, and totally up to you!

To be perfectly honest, this was one of the best meal kits I ever had. It was so easy to make that any home cook on any level from beginner to completely experienced, will find it a pleasure. It is also great for kids who are just learning to cook as well.

The basic kit cost $12.00 each, which comes down to $6.00 per serving. A few other kits cost about $15.00. This price range is reasonable for most home cook’s budgets. It is also the perfect meal kit to use in family activity in teaching kids how to cook a simple meal.

The packaging provides for shelf stable products. The coconut milk is vacuumed sealed in a pouch as wells as the other ingredients like the green curry paste, the dried herbs and seasonings are also packaged separately and labeled for you convenience.

On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the rating that is the best ever, this meal kit is a 5, ten times over. It was really that good. Authentic Thai to a tee……

Just so, you know, that in the  past two months, these kits have become very popular.

So , just a note, go to the Verve Culture website and pre-order today! This flavor is currently sold out and will be back in stock in limited quantities in late September. Order today to reserve your Green Curry Cooking Kits. Be sure to check out our other flavors which are still available (but selling fast!).

Hello Friends!

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Thank You!

Food Review: KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken

 

 

 

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In January 2016, the tastemakers at Kentucky Fried Chicken put their spin on a Tennessee Classic and began selling it as “Nashville Hot Chicken” and another offering called “Nashville Hot Tenders” in its U.S. restaurants after a trial run in the Pittsburgh area. Press releases from the chain stated that it  was “the most successful product testing in the company’s recent history”. According to the advertising, KFC promises a a spicy bird with a savory burn.The company even espouses that the “Colonel’s” latest creation was inspired by one of Nashville’s most famous dishes. The ads also say that their version of Nashville Hot Chicken is spicy, smoky, crispy chicken that’s bold and full of flavor.

So with all the hype about KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken, I was curious to give it a go.

Welp, having grown up down in the Deep South, I have had the opportunity to experience the REAL Hot Fried Chicken, from the original hole-in the wall-joint known as Prince’s Hot Chicken on the north side of Nashville, Tennessee. Hot Fried Chicken might have had a scandalous start some 70 odd years ago, but everyone in Nashville still seems to crave its fiery flavor.

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Legend has it that Thornton Prince, III was the inspiration for  hot fried chicken,which was by accident. Thornton was purportedly a womanizer, and after a particularly late night out, his girlfriend at the time cooked him a fried chicken breakfast with extra pepper as revenge. Instead seeking absolution from his irate girlfriend, Thornton decided he liked it so much that, by the mid-1930s, he and his brothers had created their own recipe and opened the BBQ Chicken Shack Café, serving up the specialty of hot fried chicken. Only one spice level was offered back then, but today, you can order Prince’s Hot Fried Chicken as plain, mild, medium, or extra hot.

 

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So it’s no surprise that Hattie B’s, a bold newcomer to Nashville’s growing hot chicken landscape, has been an enormous success since opening their first location in 2012. In just a few years, Hattie B’s has become every bit the go-to for a hot chicken christening as Prince’s or fellow old-school joint Bolton’s. True Heat fiends whisper among themselves and those foodies “in the know” that Hattie B’s’ hottest preparation, “Shut the Cluck Up,” is a more-than-worthy challenger to Prince’s extra-hot. With that said, Hattie B’s is aiming straight for the taste buds of the  masses.

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What ironically started out as breakfast revenge is now considered to be a staple food for late-night diners, especially in Nashville. On weekends, most restaurants dedicated to the fare of hot chicken are open very late, some past 4 am.

As of 2015, there are an estimated two dozen restaurants in the Nashville area that serve hot chicken, either as the focus or as part of a larger menu.

Reflecting the growing popularity of the dish, several cities in the United States host restaurants that serve hot chicken or a variation thereof, including Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Birmingham, and Ann Arbor. Even a restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, serves Nashville-style hot chicken.

The original Prince’s Hot Chicken is so hot, you will not be able to finish it. It think it has a Scoville Scale Rating that goes beyond the Komodo Dragon Chili Pepper and the Carolina Reaper Pepper, both being Hotter Than Hades.

Welp, KFC’s version is adequate. I had the two piece thigh and drumstick meal that came with two pickles, a side of cole slaw and KFC’s signature biscuit. The meal does not include a beverage, but the total entree came to $5.49 plus tax, without a drink. To be perfectly honest, KFC’s version of Nashville Hot Chicken will not have you wiping you nose on a slice of white bread or reaching for something to cool your tongue.KFC’s blend of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika were just a little too bland and one note for me. There was a little heat, and the chicken is spicy, but I have had hotter spiced chicken, from my Grandmother’s Creole kitchen, for sure. The hot pepper sauce that coated the chicken was too salty followed by the taste of burnt sugar as an after taste, and there with an over abundance of grease.

As with any regional favorite that has become a trend, good food it is often duplicated, but never fully replicated. So for me, KFC’s version of Nashville Hot Chicken was “okay” with an average grade of C+.

 

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Product Review: Cookies from Sarabeth’s Kitchen

Hello Cookie Lovers!

I think I just found the best tasting cookies in the whole wide world! I cannot pick just one, I love them all.

They are cookies from  Sarabeth’s Kitchen, located in The Bronx, NY.
Sarabeth Levine
And yes, there really is a  Sarabeth. Sarabeth Levine, an award-winning jam maker, acclaimed pastry chef and restaurateur, who is the driving force behind the success and outstanding reputation of the Sarabeth brand. Sarabeth’s personal search for perfection extends to everything she creates.

In 1981, Sarabeth began making Orange-Apricot Marmalade from her home kitchen from a 200 year old family recipe and selling it to local food shops. From that humble beginning, Sarabeth with her husband and business partner, Bill Levine, now own and operate a jam factory, a wholesale-retail bakery café and nine restaurants. It is a true American success story.

But back to the cookies!

The come perfectly wrapped and freshly baked. I could actually smell them through the box when the FedEx Delivery Person dropped them off. I could not wait to open the box!

I ordered the Mixed Cookie Box…….And look at what was inside.

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Sarabeth’s quest is to provide every customer with an experience that reflects her devotion and passion to creating wholesome food. The mission of Sarabeth’s is to offer simplicity, perfection and classic tastes in her restaurants and through her products. And yes, these cookies do deliver. With a richness and homemade perfection that you thought your mother or grandmother could bake with so much love.

These cookies are worth every penny, trust me!

 

Just so you know in advance……..

These cookies are baked on demand.

Bakery items are shipped Monday through Wednesday only. Unless Overnight or Saturday Delivery is selected. Saturday is NOT a business day

There is also a special shipping notice for all baked goods. In order to ensure maximum freshness, baked goods must be shipped via Federal Express 2nd dayservice unless they are being sent to one of the following regions:

VA, CT, MD, ME, VT, NH, RI, MA, NY, NJ, PA, DE, OH, WV, NC, SC, MI, IN, KY, TN, northern IL and northern GA.

If you are in one of the listed states, you may safely ship via UPS Ground for a significantly reduced rate. Otherwise, please select one of the Federal Express shipping options when you check out.

And just in time for Father’s Day, Sarabeth’s is offering 15% off of all cookies! Use the code “DAD15”.

Not just a gift for Father’s and Dad’s on their special day, but you can also treat yourself to a box of cookies too!

Happy Father's Day!

 Here are just a few of the cookies that are offered from the bakery at Sarabeth’s Kitchen. Just click on the name of the cookie and you will be directed to the site!

Chocolate Chubbies

chubbies  It’s not a brownie. It’s not a cookie. It’s a Chubbie. Three types of chocolate and two types of nuts (walnuts and pecans). These are chocolate nut heaven.

Mixed Cookie Box

mixed
These delectable cookies are the favorites of Sarabeth’s cookie craving multitudes. Baked fresh daily to order, they come packaged in a white bakery box, festooned with a bright ribbon and Sarabeth logo sticker. You cannot go wrong bringing this gift to a friend, unless you eat them all before it gets there. You get 6 Chocolate Chip Cookies, 8 Chocolate Chubbies and 6 Chocolate Chip Clouds.

Cookies in a Jar

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Sarabeth’s hand-made, all-natural, selection of 4 popular cookies come packaged in a reusable food-grade plastic jar. Chocolate Chip, Classic Shortbread, Chocolate Shortbread and Oatmeal Raisin.

Use the empty jars for storage of cereal, sugar, candy, leftovers, nuts (and even bolts!) or other assorted hardware! Baked to order.