Sauce type
Known for its oils, vinegars and other condiments, Maison Orphée is adding a new string to its bow with its new Sauce Accent collection. Neither really mayonnaise nor quite vinaigrettes, these creamy sauces stand out for their versatility and their bright, quite original flavors: there is the more classic Ail d’Orléans – a favorite –, but also Paprika Ibiza (with Mediterranean accents, slightly spicy), Citron Marrakech (a little bomb of tangy flavor) and Masala Jakarta (to accompany Indian dishes, in particular). The products replace the usual condiments such as ketchup or mustard, but can also find their place in a sandwich, in a marinade, as a dip… A beautiful Quebec innovation, with a short and healthy list of ingredients!
Vegan, gluten-free, egg-free and preservative-free
Suggested price: $6.99 for 250 ml, available in the Maison Orphée online store and at Metro
Iris Gagnon-Paradis, The Press
Visit the Maison Orphée website
Good tuna salads
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLOVER LEAF
The three new tuna salads, snacks to eat on the go
Tuna giant Clover Leaf is jumping in the water again with new offerings, including a trio of ready-to-eat salads, all topped with fish and olive oil: couscous, quinoa, and corn. The quinoa one seemed a little too oily to us, while the other two were more balanced. In all three cases, they remain tasty and very practical to take with you for lunch, for a picnic, or as a snack after a sports activity. We’re not reinventing the wheel, but we appreciate the fact that the tuna is wild and all without preservatives. Another product: flaked light tuna garnished with olive oil and chili flakes. Nothing revolutionary there either, but the pieces of fish really enhanced the tabbouleh we included them in.
Suggested prices: $3.99 for 160g (salads) and $6.99 for 3 x 80g (tuna with olive oil and chilli), in supermarkets
Sylvain Sarrazin, The Press
Visit the Clover Leaf website
Ready-to-eat legumes
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEL MONTE
Del Monte’s New Legume Salads
A bean salad is always filling when you’re looking for a vegetarian side dish packed with protein. Del Monte has just launched ready-to-eat seasoned bean salads, which are a great way to vary your meals. Of the three options available, the spicy Southwest seasoning (with dark red beans, pinto beans and corn kernels) was the winner – very tasty in a burrito bowl. The mild curry and herb and lemon versions were a bit bland, but when you add fresh, crunchy vegetables (bell pepper, celery, etc.), you get a very convincing blend of flavors. The portion is generous and can easily be doubled when combined with other ingredients. What’s also great is that these cans can be opened without a can opener.
Suggested price: $3.29 for 398 ml, in supermarkets
Laila Maalouf, The Press
Visit the Del Monte website
A mayonnaise with a little extra
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MAILLE
Maille’s new Dijon mayonnaise
There’s something new from Maille, and the latest addition to the condiment family is a particularly tasty Dijon mayonnaise that has managed to carve out a place for itself among our fridge essentials. A perfect marriage between the creamy texture of classic mayonnaise and the tangy taste of Dijon mustard, it allowed us to add spice to our sandwiches and wraps in no time. Exquisite with eggs and chicken, we absolutely loved it to coat a potato salad, but also simply as a dip or with fries.
Suggested price: $7.99 for 340 ml, at supermarkets
Laila Maalouf, The Press
Visit the Maille website