Orchard Grocer is Open for Business!

While most of you were huddled under the covers during yesterday's sleetstorm, this professional vegan was trekking through the elements to Orchard Grocer, the all vegan deli and food market that finally opened next door to MooShoes last week after much anticipation.

Why? Because I could not wait another day to check it out. I took this photo during one of many stalking occasions while they were under construction.

The interior is a sight to behold: shelves upon shelves of vegan staples, snacks, and delicacies.

There are beverages, candy, and more vegan cheeses than you can imagine.

I'm sure that in my excitement I missed seeing more than a few things, but I specifically appreciated the inclusion of typically hard to find items like Ranch Gordo beans and vegan nutella.

There's a deli area in the rear of the shop with a considerable selection of baked goods and prepared foods- both traditional and inventive. Check out the vegan lox (made from carrot)! I got some for OD and will report back.

The deli also serves made-to-order sandwiches.

So many varying choices; it was really difficult to decide.

 

Since it was early, I chose The Bowery. That's a lie; I love a breakfast sandwich and would order one anytime- thankfully this one is available all day.

Filled with [just eggy enough & perfectly pressed] turmeric tofu egg, [impeccably seasoned] tempeh bacon, and [smooth and creamy] Chao cheese on a [pillowy] potato roll; this is officially my new go-to, eastside, sammie shop. I mean, a potato roll? Come on!

My only complaint was that some members of the staff were a little pushy about their namesake sandwiches, making it slightly uncomfortable to enjoy my sandwich of choice in peace at the window seating. Perhaps someone can address this issue sooner rather than later? Just because you're cute doesn't mean you get to dictate what my tastebuds are craving.

*please note: kitty is next door in MooShoes, not in the market

Self-promotion notwithstanding, I managed to pick up some new and/or new-to-me items, as well as personal staples, and elusive flavors of longtime favorites- what more can you ask for upon a first visit?

Oh, you know what else? VEGAN SOFT-SERVE! That's right, Orchard Grocer is not messing around: vanilla, chocolate, and twist with optional toppings...cup or cone. The combinations are endless!

OG, we're going to be lifelong friends; I just know it.

Best of luck!

ZOUQ South Asian Snacks

I hadn't heard of Zouq's South Asian snacks before being contacted for a review, but as soon as I read what they are all about, I couldn't wait to receive the samples.

Every single variety of the snacks were extremely appealing, but the first one I dug into was the fiery sticks: delicately trimmed potato fingers tossed in a signature blend of original Indian red chilies and granulated mango powder, fried to crispy perfection.

They were like grown up hot fries crossed with potato sticks; I happen to be particularly fond of grown-ups, hot fries, and potato sticks, so I was immediately impressed.  The only reason I didn't eat the whole tin at once was because I had three other tins competing for my attention.

 

I meant to just taste one at a time, but I couldn't resist tucking into the curry crunch: a potpourri of sweet and sour taste, harmoniously blended with rice flakes, chickpea flour, peanuts and turmeric powder.

Unsurprisingly, this combination hit all the right notes of sweet, salty, and crunch.  There was no spiciness to this one, but an incredible amount of flavor.

The golden lentils: a selection of carefully sorted lentils, perfectly sauteed in oil and sea salt, resulting in a lively bite-sized snack were the plainest looking snack of them all, but I was on a roll and I wasn't going to stop until I'd sampled each of the four varieties.

On first taste I was ready to dismiss them as plain, but there is something about them that makes them just as enjoyable as the others- even though they accomplish that feat without any pizzazz.  I wouldn't necessarily choose this variety first, but the light, pleasant, crunch meant that nary a lentil went to waste.

Finally, I'd tasted my way through the assortment and made it to the jubilee mix: a blend of chickpeas, green peas, cashews, cumin seeds and coriander to give a perfectly balanced vibrant snack.

In theory, this variety reminded me of the curry crunch- solely by virtue of the assortment of flavors, textures, and spice.  But this one had so many elements- including the spiciness that was absent (but not lacking) from the curry crunch, that it may have even exceeded that one in flavorful impact.  I found myself eating a bit of each intermittently and never did decide on a favorite.

I'm no stranger to these types of snacks that can be found in South Asian markets in the U.S., but Zouq's options are in a class of their own.  I haven't seen them in the northeast as of yet saw them at Homegoods the other day, but you can also order them online; I highly recommend that you do.  They don't seem to currently be offered as a variety pack, so Zouq- if you're listening, that's my suggestion!  Happy snacking.

From the company:

ZOUQ – A New Line Of South Asian-Inspired Snacks – Launches Across The West Coast

 Made from all-natural ingredients, these exotic, vegan and gluten-free snack mixes offer a cultural experience in every bite

Los Angeles, CA (March 4, 2014) – Created by foodies that adhere to the mantra, “Share your food, share your culture”, ZOUQ is a new line of exotic snack mixes that offer an array of South Asian-inspired spices and ingredients in convenient, transportable packs.

“The name ‘ZOUQ’ came from a blend of three different words with origins in ancient languages that all relate to taste, flavor and marketplace,” said ZOUQ Founder and CEO Uzair Anjarwalla. “This blend of ancient language represents what we’re looking to do with this company, that is, create a brand that aims to connect cultures through the medium of consumer packaged foods.”

ZOUQ was inspired by the idea that food is the easiest and simplest way to participate in a culture, no matter its geographic location. With a background in entrepreneurship and a lifetime of global travel, Anjarwalla quickly realized the need for cross-cultural connection. Strong family ties in the South Asian region led to the launch of ZOUQ snack products using authentic flavors sourced directly from the culture and fabric of the area.

Each ZOUQ product is made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients and is vegan, gluten-free, cholesterol-free and MSG-free. ZOUQ South Asian-inspired snack mixes come in the following flavors:

·      Fiery Sticks: Delicately trimmed potato fingers, tossed in a signature blend of original Indian red chilies and granulated mango powder, fried to crispy perfection.

·      Golden Lentils: A selection of carefully sorted lentils, perfectly sautéed in oil and seal salt, resulting in a lively bite-sized snack.

·      Jubilee Mix blends in Chickpeas, Green Peas, Cashews, Cumin Seeds and Coriander to give a perfectly balanced vibrant snack.

·      Curry Crunch is a potpourri of sweet and sour taste, harmoniously blended with rice flakes, chickpeas flour, peanuts and turmeric powder.

The ZOUQ snack line will be available in both an easy, transportable and consumer-friendly can and single-serve pouches. The can, which is equal to roughly three/four servings, will retail for $3.99 and the single-serve pouch has a MSRP of $1.49. ZOUQ is currently available for purchase at select retail locations and online at http://zouq.com/where-to-buy/.

“We’re excited to be bringing these flavors and textures to market that are so near and dear to our hearts,” said ZOUQ President Talib Fakhri. “We want to make unique, exotic ingredients - spices and flavors we grew up with - accessible in the everyday experience.“

For more information, please visit www.zouq.com and like us on Facebook.

About ZOUQ:

ZOUQ Foods International® is a company that loves exotic foods and flavors. ZOUQ connects cultures through the medium of food, with the goal of sparking international cultural discussion and experience. ZOUQ was created by a passionate group of foodies who want to find and preserve exotic foods and flavors from around the world, and to bring them to mainstream markets and consumers of the United States in premium packaged goodness. For more information, visit: www.zouq.com