Friday, March 27, 2009

Thomas Gourmet Foods Chutneys

Chutneys are luxuriously exotic but food-friendly and approachable fruit-based condiments that are spoonably thick like jam, intriguingly spiced, and provide a richly-flavored counterpoint to meats, poultry and seafood. Often associated with Indian and Caribbean cuisine, where chutneys are often intensely flavored and densely packed with chunks of fruits and vegetables, chutneys are also used in the cuisine of the American South, where they are mellower in flavor, playing a gentler complementary role to main dishes like roast pork, chicken or lamb.

True to its mission of making delicious sauces and condiments that spark the imagination, Thomas Gourmet Foods has created a line of North Carolina chutneys that blend farm-fresh Southern fruits with just enough exotic spice to bring out the best in your food. Their Apple Chutney starts with sweet ripe apples and combines them with refreshingly zippy ginger, sweet raisins and tart lime juice for a zestily sweet-savory accompaniment for pork, beef or chicken, either as a table condiment or a glaze. It also pairs nicely with cheese and crackers, and serves as a grown-up substitute for jelly or jam on your bagel or croissant. For folks craving more of an old-fashioned Southern flavor, Thomas Gourmet Foods Green Tomato Chutney is a blast from the past. This tasty chutney begins with naturally tart green tomatoes and combines them with just enough onions, apples and golden raisins for a tangy, well-balanced savory condiment that's not too sweet. I like to pair this green tomato chutney with hamburgers and other robust meats, grilled tuna steaks, and even with omelets, or cream cheese and crackers.

If you enjoy Indian food and curry dishes, you'll love Thomas Gourment Foods Mango Chutney. Similar to traditional Indian chutneys but with a more delicate flavor for more universal appeal, this mango chutney is made with sweet mangoes and raisins plus fresh ginger and pungent garlic to temper the sweetness. Of course, you can use this mango chutney with curry dishes, but it's also a fantastic accent for simple seafood, poultry and meat dishes, and it makes a delicious condiment for sandwiches and burgers. If a sweeter, more jam-like chutney is your preference, then the Peach Chutney from Thomas Gourmet Foods is for you. Made with sun-ripened southern peaches and just a touch of garlic and exotic spices, this mouthwatering chutney is an ideal table condiment or cooking glaze for chicken, seafood and pork. I like to stir a little peach chutney into chicken salad, or use it instead of tartar sauce or cocktail sauce with fried seafood.

All four flavors of Thomas Gourmet Foods Chutneys are all-natural, made in North Carolina, and on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria


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