Well I was contacted a few weeks back and asked if I would be willing to try some of her new products. Yum!
There are an abundance of studies indicating the significant benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and even last week The Los Angeles Times featured the healthful style of eating citing support from Harvard University’s, Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulos who called the Mediterranean diet “possibly the best ever!”So, here is what I got in the mail and funny story, the day I received this package I was making Seafood Paella and had run out of Saffron, and low and behold, some in the package :)
Not sure how to eat the Mediterranean way? Simple! Just head over to your local grocery store and pick up Cat Cora’s Kitchen by Gaea products.
The Greek-American celebrity chef has teamed up with Gaea, an award-winning Greek specialty foods manufacturer to create her new line of gourmet olives, olive oils, vinegars, cooking sauces, tapenades and other authentic Greek specialties. All of the products are made from the finest ingredients and are 100 percent natural, free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
Looking for an alternative to the heavy holiday dips? Try Cat Cora’s Kitchen by Gaea’s tapenades with bread and crackers! Instead of a traditional chocolate cake for your holiday party, try a lighter yet surprisingly decadent-tasting alternative like Cat’s Lathi Torte, an olive oil cake rich in healthy fats and antioxidants. This is just one of Cat’s specially created recipes that will surely have your friends and family wanting to try the Mediterranean lifestyle, too!
Starting with the Smoked Eggplant Tapenade. Oh my, that was really really good.
I love eggplant but I wasn't quite sure if an Eggplant Tapenade would be tasty, I was pleasantly surprised.
The Cyprus Cooking Sauce is infused with Orange. If you like citrus based sauces, you'll really enjoy this one.
Ok, now I will say that these were just ok for me. The dried olives snack pack wasn't what I was expecting. It definitely is infused with strong good olive oil because that is the major flavor going on there.
And then there's the saffron, I think one of my favorite spices but one that I don't get to use very often.
I was preparing Seafood Paella that day and was so glad to see it arrive in the package. If you've never tried saffron, you really don't know what you're missing.
So all in all, I enjoyed the products and I think that if you are looking for the perfect gift for you food loving or cooking lover friend or family member, you can't go wrong with some Cat Cora Mediterranean products.
Cat Cora’s Kitchen by Gaea is now available for the first time nationwide at specialty food stores and major retailers including Kroger, Target and Whole Foods. Products range from $3.18 - $24.55. Higher end products in the line such as the XXX oil and the Oxymelo Vinegar (think of it as the Greek Balsamic) are also great for stocking stuffers.
Just head on over to Cat Cora's Kitchen and check out the great products available.
Thank you to Tara from Fifteen Minutes Public Relations for the samples. All opinions are mine alone.
