It’s shopping time! Our team selects for you new products to put you – or not – in your mouth.
Ready-to-eat according to Cook it
Well known for its ready-to-cook meal offer, the Cook it company launched a new ready-to-eat offer a few months ago to facilitate supper (or lunch!) time, made possible thanks to the acquisition of a new factory. It’s chef Martin Patenaude (formerly for President’s Choice) who signs the recipes that reheat in the microwave in their container, in just two minutes. The whole family enjoyed the dishes, healthy and tasty, with no added chemicals: lasagna, chicken or general tao tofu… To these classics are added recipes that vary with the seasons. Keeps for about four days in the fridge and can be frozen.
Cook it
Price varies according to the subscription plan chosen, starting at $13.16 per serving, free delivery with orders of $40 or more in eligible areas
Frozen by Joe Beef
PHOTO PROVIDED BY METRO
Peppercorn beef is one of four Joe Beef frozen meals available in Metro grocery stores since the fall.
In the fall, Metro began marketing frozen meals signed Joe Beef, a project that had taken shape in the depths of the pandemic, while dining rooms were closed and restaurants ate their stockings. A launch meal was held at the McKiernan. The four dishes from the range were served in family format and in a slightly enhanced version: pork à la normande, Mississippi beef, peppercorn beef and macaroni and cheese. The room filled with foodies enjoyed themselves. The beef dishes were a little less successful at home, with a choosy 15-year-old who found the mashed potatoes a little floury, but we can nevertheless say that Frédéric Morin’s recipes translate rather good frozen. With a little more Joe Beef mustard, it’s a quick winter meal, well done!
Joe Beef
Price: $9.99 for 300 g, available at Metro
A successful vegetable “tuna”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GUSTA
Gusta’s new vegetable tuna
In terms of vegan proposals that imitate carnivorous dishes — from fauxmage at the Beyond Meat dumpling — there is often more “meh” than “wow”. Well known in this field with its sausages and other plant-based products, the Montreal company Gusta offers a convincing effort with its new vegetable tuna. The texture is really similar, and the taste is quite similar to that of fish. We also like the product’s short list of ingredients and its high protein content (18 g per serving, or half a packet), thanks to the incorporation of textured soy protein and white beans. Dehydrated onion, yeast extract and seaweed add flavor and salinity to the whole.
Gusta
Vegan, non-GMO and made in Canada
Price: $5.49 (260g), available at Metro, Avril, Lufa and many other outlets
A “dry” February that has some pep!
PHOTO VINCENT CASTONGUAY, PROVIDED BY CLUB KOMBUCHA
The Club Sélect range: Gamay and Chardonnay
Have you decided to do the Jean Lapointe Foundation’s February 28 Days Without Alcohol Challenge or are you simply looking for festive and delicious non-alcoholic options? After a first edition which had to be taken off the shelves last year (its high carbon dioxide content making it… explosive!), Club Kombucha persists and launches its Club Sélect duo again, successfully this time. In addition to being frankly good, the product is upcycled in food: the kombucha cultures are macerated with grape marc from the Quebec vineyard Joy Hill (chardonnay for the “white” and gamay for the “red”) and juice of ugly grapes (green or red) from Loop Mission. More sparkling than effervescent, the product with its subtle and delicate taste has been designed to appeal to natural wine lovers and comes in a beautiful glass bottle. So, will you take a tangy white or a light red?
Club Select
Price: $52 for 4 bottles (online) or $13 a bottle at Metro, Lufa and other outlets. Club Kombucha also offers a February Case of 28 cans for $75 (online)