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Archives for September 2019

Nelson Asparagus – How to prepare yours.

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asparagus nelsonIn this week’s post, local Nelson chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker has a few tips to help you prepare delicious new season asparagus. Take it away, Grant…

Spring has, as they say… Sprung! I know I say it every year, but this is my favourite season. Looking out across our garden, I can see blossom just beginning to bloom on the fruit trees. The only downside to all this new growth is that the lawn seems to need mowing daily!

The first few bunches of asparagus have begun to appear on the produce shelves at Fresh Choice Nelson. Asparagus availability will continue until mid-summer. Asparagus is a simple and versatile ingredient to use, but some find it intimidating as it can overcook so quickly. With this in mind, I have a few preparation methods that may help.

How to prepare asparagus:

Blanch & refresh:

A method that comes straight from the restaurant is called blanch and refresh. This is actually useful for lots of vegetables (particularly anything green). The method helps to retain a bright colour and flavour after cooking.

  • Fill a bowl with water and ice cubes and set aside.
  • Plunge your asparagus spears into a pan of boiling water.
  • Cook for just 1-2 minutes, or until tender.
  • Remove the spears with tongs or a slotted spoon, and place directly in the bowl of iced water.
  • Store in the fridge until needed, then simply drain and quickly reheat in a pan with a little butter, when you’re ready to serve.

BBQ:

Another great way to cook asparagus is to chargrill it. Use either a griddle pan or place it on the barbecue. Perfect for summer! Slightly scorching the spears brings out a nutty flavour while still retaining their shape.

  • Coat the spears in a little olive oil.
  • Get your barbecue hot! Place the asparagus spears directly on the hot plate or grill plate, and season with salt and black pepper.
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes, occasionally turning until tender.
  • The asparagus is ready when it softens slightly and has some dark marks on the outside.

Peel raw ribbons:

Asparagus can be eaten raw too as part of a salad. The best looking method is to peel ribbons neatly from the sides of the asparagus and add them to summer salads.

  • Simply peel off long ribbons until you get to the middle, then turn over and repeat on the other side.

Don’t forget to head to Fresh Choice Nelson for your delicious new season asparagus!

Rugby World Cup 2019 – Tournament Tasters

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rugby world cup beerThanks to our Guest Blogger and beer aficionado… In this week’s article Denis, “the man” Cooper writes about the Tournament Tasters you need when you settle down to watch Rugby World Cup 2019! We have plenty to choose from at Fresh Choice Nelson.

Woo hoo! Rugby World Cup 2019 has officially kicked off! Here’s my prediction. The All Blacks will win the tournament. The only way anybody else is going to get their hands on the cup is when they are engraving it All Blacks!

Did you know that the same whistle has been blown for the opening game of every Rugby World Cup tournament? It was first used in 1905 during a game between England and New Zealand. Whew, must be some saliva built up after all those years!

Check out this RWC (really wonderful craft) beers to build up your saliva while watching Rugby World Cup 2019.

The Game Changer:

The brewery with the most totally apt name for the ABs in an RWC is Sprig & Fern. They have the Game Changer. It’s a 6.7% strong pale ale and is a brew of two halves. One half is hoppy as hell, and the other is equally strong with malts. Grapefruity hops come forward one moment and then – in a flash – biscuity malts will dominate. It’s up to your taste buds to decide the game-changer.

Dirty Boots:

You can’t have rugby and not get Dirty Boots. Dirty Boots from Garage Project is a big, bold, hop-forward American Pale Ale that will push your taste buds to their limit. Lots of resinous pine and grapefruit flavours dominating… It’s hard to put them down.

Velvet Boot:

The All Blacks have the velvet boot of Beauden Barrett. Or should that be Blueden Barrett, now that he’s with the Blues? Kereru Brewing also has a velvet boot, in the form of an 8% strong Belgian Ale. Velvet describes the smoothness, while the boot is an accurate indication of the power!

Sprint down to Fresh Choice Nelson and ruck out something different to try for Rugby World Cup 2019.

NZ Red Wines @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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NZ Red WinesWelcome back to our Fresh Choice Nelson wine aficionado, Neil Hodgson. This week Neil shares a few of his favourite NZ red wines. Take it away, Neil…

Spring may be here with days getting longer and warmer, but you know to expect a few cold days ahead, especially if you follow the long-term weather patterns. Heading into the warmer summer months we tend to select lighter, fresher wines to enjoy with the lighter, fresher foods everybody enjoys tucking into after warming winter meals.

The tendency at this time of year is to move away from those big, rich, higher alcohol Aussie reds. That said, with some cooler weather still on the cards I think that there are some NZ red wines that fill the gap between summer and winter drinking very nicely.

NZ Red Wines @ Fresh Choice Nelson:

Varieties like Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and various blends of those varieties, when grown in New Zealand’s more temperate conditions, tend to be lighter in body than the same wines produced in Australia. These NZ red wines are still packed with flavour though!

There are some simply outstanding red wines produced in this country. Particularly in regions like Hawke’s Bay and Waiheke Island. So the Grocer at Fresh Choice Nelson has asked Lee, his wine buyer, to ensure there are plenty on the shelves for you to choose from.

Classic wines like 2016 Awatea from Te Mata Estate ($39), 2016 Elspeth Cabernet Merlot from Mills reef ($50 on promotion) and the Vidal Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon ($66) from the brilliant 2013 vintage may be in the higher price range, but they are outstanding wines and deserve the price tag they carry.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to spending $50 plus, then check out NZ red wines like the under-rated 2018 Black Barn Merlot Cabernet for $26, (a saving of $6). Or maybe the 2016 Mills Reef Reserve Merlot Malbec ($24, a saving of $4).

These are all excellent NZ red wines that won’t disappoint when you open them on a cooler spring night. Head to Fresh Choice Nelson to buy yours!

New vegan products @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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vegan products nelsonIt’s time to welcome back our Guest Blogger, Maddy Bellcroft. This week Maddy has been busy checking out some of the new vegan products on the shelves at Fresh Choice Nelson. 

I always enjoy checking out the new vegan products at Fresh Choice Nelson. It always amazes me what delicious new things people are making. This week the Grocer has been kind enough to give me a few to taste test and report back on.

Good Boost Co Yoghurts

This range of yoghurt is dairy-free and made from almonds. It’s also vegan-friendly. The vanilla bean flavour tastes great with sliced banana, coconut chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For a sugar-free option, try the plain flavour, which is also delicious.

The Alternative Dairy Co

These guys have a range of soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free cheeses. I tried the parmesan style block which the label says is ‘bold, rich and tasty’. It has a good strong flavour which is sometimes lacking with dairy-free cheeses. I had it on homemade pizza and finely grated on pasta.

Tonzu

Tonzu vegan sausages have been around for a while. But this week I got to try the new Sage and Onion flavour. The ingredients are nice, and they utilise activated whole soybeans. This vegan product is also organic and high in protein. I had these Bratwurststyle using a whole roasted sweet potato as a bun, topped with mustard and sauerkraut.

Tonzu has also brought out vegan nuggets which are similar in consistency to the sausages. I tried tasty tomato flavour which when fried or baked are perfect for spaghetti and meatballs.

Special treat alert!

New Valsola Ice Creams, in the freezer aisle. These come in a few different flavours and are vegan. I found the chocolate waffle cone flavour hard to resist, a perfect accompaniment to a movie on a rainy evening.

There are lots more vegan products hitting the shelves at Fresh Choice Nelson. Make sure you keep an eye out for them!

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