Take the Red Pill

You know the scenario. You reach into the cupboard for some pasta sauce to go on your penne. The options aren't numerous.

Source: Warner

There's the jar of that big-name brand, maybe it begins with a R or a P or something. How did you end up with that syrupy mess? Oh yeah, your mother-in-law gave it to you, because heaven forbid it should go to waste or something. Then there's the one you've never heard of, that office gift. TJ Gallivan's La Matrice pasta sauce. Looks like one of those fancy, expensive ones.

Now it's time to decide. Of course, you remember the scene in the 1999 film The Matrix, the one in which Morpheus offers a bewildered Neo two pills from which to choose. The blue pill is the safe alternative, and had Neo taken it he would have gone home and forgotten all about the cyberpunk shadow world. The red pill, however, shows him the real way: The way out of the dream world the robots built to fool him, the way to the truth of what can be accomplished.

Culinary Heaven

In our scenario, the sugary, goopy sauce from the leading brand is the blue pill. It's safe, you know what it tastes like (sweetener), it's somewhat satisfying, and will aid the pasta in filling your belly. You'll go to bed, wake up in the same world, and nothing will have changed or, most certainly, have altered your perception of one of your senses.

La Matrice pasta sauce from TJ Gallivan's is the red pill. La Matrice is Italian for The Matrix. This spectacular pasta sauce will excite your tastebuds and give you a rush of bold, interesting, and balanced flavors that may even challenge your notion of what a pasta sauce can be. It's traditional, yet, it's not. There's something more, something that elevates it well above the droves of jarred sauces on the supermarket shelves. Exploding with peppers and onions, La Matrice pasta sauce is aeromatic and delightful, with a gentle kick of spice for good measure.

TJ Gallivan's La Matrice pasta sauce is the obvious choice. Unless, that is, you have a better recipe. If you do, we'd like to help you take it to market. Get in touch with FoodProductLaunch.com.

In the mean time, trust us: take the red pill.

Seasonings and Rubs – Recipes Part 2 Seattle Bacon Hickory

Here is another recipe from our Seasonings and Rubs collection. 

It’s a really easy one and it’s one of our favorites – grilled porterhouse steak with bacon!  Yum.

This one is for our Seattle Bacon Hickory seasoning.  I had to show off our new label design and label material.  Thanks to our resident graphics person and to Quick Label Systems for their beautiful print and blank labels, we now have an awesome looking label (compare the one on the right to the one on the left) to go along with our great product line.

Seattle Bacon Hickory – The exquisite combination of bacon and hickory make this rub a favorite on all cuts of pork. Use this rub generously on beef or pork ribs 24 hours before cooking and they will be fallin’ off the bone delicious.

Bacon Wrapped Porterhouse Steak
Ingredients:
- 2.5 pound porterhouse steak
- 2 slices of bacon
- 1 ounce of TJ Gallivan’s Seattle Bacon Hickory Rub
- Toothpicks

Method
1. Wrap the bacon around the steak and secure with toothpicks
2. Slather rub on both sides of the steak, wrap it in plastic wrap and let sit for an hour (you should do this to get the steak to room temperature)
3. Cook to Perfection

Of course this is not the only way to cook a steak to perfection.  I’m sure you know more than I do what you like best! 

Please remember that we enjoy helping you go from your Kitchen to the Marketplace – contact us if you want help in doing so.  Also, we offer these rubs and seasonings as part of our line of private label products.  Contact me for more information. 

TJ Gallivan

© foodproductlaunch.com 2014 All Rights Reserved.  We encourage you to repost this blog in its entirety.  If you choose to use portions of it…give credit where credit is due.

 

 

Seasonings and Rubs – Recipes Part I – St. Louis Steak

Q.  Thanks for describing the rubs and seasonings that you have to offer.  Would you have any recipes you’d like to share? 

Would I?  Would I?

I sure would. How about if I post one recipe per blog? And if my readers would want to share any that they use with the same rub, that would be awesome.

First up – St. Louis Steak Seasoning, which is a mouth-watering blend of seasonings with a hint of mesquite that enhances each and every steak you grill.  It can also be used on thick juicy pork chops or tuna steaks.

Flank Steak

Try this recipe on any of these cuts of meat - chuck steak, flank steak or London Broil. The key is the marinade. Let it sit for at least 8 hours, preferable overnight. It’s like the German Sauerbraten (German sour roast) that can be prepared with a variety of meat.  The difference being the marinade and the length of time for the marinade.

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 pound Flank Steak
• Marinade consisting of:
  • 1 ounce of TJ Gallivan’s St. Louis Steak Seasoning
  • ¾ cup cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl mix together the seasoning, vinegar and water.
2. Add oil and mix well.
3. Put steak in a large (gallon size) ziplock bag. Pour marinade over the steak.
4. Refrigerate and let marinade overnight (or at least 8 hours)
5. Grill on low temperature (between 200 and 250) for at least an hour or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
6. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice with the grain and on a slight angle.
7. For gravy - strain the marinade into a sauce pan, heat and add a smooth blend of corn starch and warm water, stirring constantly.  Heat to desired thickness.

Serve with mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and caramelized onions.  This is the very definition of comfort food.

Not only do we help you go from Your Kitchen to the Marketplace, we can enhance your food product line by offering you the best in private label products, including rubs and seasonings, sauces, marinades, condiments, dressings and salsas.

TJ Gallivan

© foodproductlaunch.com 2014 All Rights Reserved.  We encourage you to repost this blog in its entirety.  If you choose to use portions of it…give credit where credit is due.

Rubs and Seasonings

Q.  I see from your website that you have some rubs and seasonings.  They look really good.  Would you please let us know more about them? 

They are pretty good if I do say so myself! 

We currently have 12 different rubs and seasonings.  Some were designed for specific foods and others are for general use. 

In general a spice rub is any mixture of spices that is made for the purpose of being rubbed on raw food before the food is cooked. The food can be marinated in the spice rub for some time for the flavors to incorporate into the food or it can be cooked immediately. The spices are usually coarsely ground. In addition to spices, salt and sugar may be added to the rub, the salt for flavor and the sugar for caramelization.

Cooking with rubs is almost always done using a dry heat method of cooking where almost no water based liquid is used in cooking – in other words…grilling.

Here’s a listing of the rubs available and the general use for them.

Austin Lil Butt Mesquite – This Texas style blend of garlic, onion, and mesquite oil makes all of your grilled food taste as big as the great state. Texans like it on ribs or brisket. Vegans like it on zucchini. One of our best sellers.

Blackened Louisiana – A classic rub straight out of the bayous of Louisiana. If you want a different tasting spice that will make you feel like you’re eating in the French Quarter this is for you. Great on fish and shrimp.

Buffalo Wide Right – This spicy and delicious blend of hot peppers and butter flavor make this a great rub for chicken wings. Ask your guests if they want their wings wet or dry!

Cayuga Falls Chicken – A mouthwatering combination of citrus and savory. A blend designed especially for grilling chicken.  Add to olive oil and brush on before putting the chicken on grill.

Florida Orange Habanero – A spicy, citrus blend of deliciousness makes this seasoning a favorite for all fish and veggies. It adds an incredible zest when used on seafood. Watch out for the habanero kick! It’s great on shrimp.

Kingston Jamaica Jerk - Island heat and spices blend with the famous traditional Carribean flavors. Apply liberally to chicken, fish or shellfish. The only blend you need for all your jerking, Mon.

Portland Buttered Apple – Sweet butter and sweet apple reminiscent of a clear and crisp autumn day. This rub is excellent on tenderloin and spectacular on a slice of Vidalia onion on the grill.

Sarasota Seafood Seasoning - A taste of the ocean or the bay.  This savory blend of pungent spices is reminiscent of spending the day on the boat with the wind and spray on your face. This rub is excellent on crabs and lobster or your favorite choice of seafood.

Seattle Bacon Hickory – The exquisite combination of bacon and hickory make this rub a favorite on all cuts of pork. Use this rub generously on beef or pork ribs 24 hours before cooking and they will be fallin’ off the bone delicious.

St. Louis Steak Seasoning – A mouth-watering blend of seasonings with a hint of mesquite enhances the taste of each and every steak you grill. It can also be used on thick juicy pork chops or tuna steaks.

St. Paul Sweet on Fire – A perfect blend of a little bit sweet and a little bit hot. Another excellent blend for fish or chicken. Brush or spray a little olive oil on asparagus, sprinkle the rub on and grill it. You’ll love it.

Wildcat Bourbon – This blend of bourbon, molasses, coffee, and chili peppers, make this one of our most popular blends. It’s great on pork, steaks and especially on chicken wings. Try it on grilled veggies or your morning home fries.

We know that if you try ‘em, you’ll like ‘em.  Please make sure to use your favorite wet sauce as a complement to them and if you need help in going from Your Kitchen to the Marketplace, just contact us.  We do everything in research and development to get you going!

TJ Gallivan

© foodproductlaunch.com 2014 All Rights Reserved.  We encourage you to repost this blog in its entirety.  If you choose to use portions of it…give credit where credit is due.

Dare We Say: Just as Good as Grandma's Sauce?

Ask any good, properly raised Italian about his or her favorite pasta sauce, and the answer will almost certainly be either one of two things: Mama’s, or Grandma’s. At least, that’s what the answer should be. If it’s not, let us know and we’ll call Mama or Grandma and tattle.

Then ask about store-bought, jarred sauces. At best, he or she will laugh in your face, and at worst you may be in for an ugly encounter for even daring to suggest a commercial sauce is comparable to a lovingly crafted, homemade sauce. Unless, that is, he or she has experienced TJ Gallivan’s Tradizionale Pasta Sauce.

It’s really that good.

TJ Gallivan's Tradizionale Pasta Sauce

This isn’t food designed by an industrial think tank to maximize profits by selling a gazillion jars of mediocre disappointment. Crafted in a real kitchen, just like yours, TJ Gallivan’s Tradizionale Pasta Sauce (one of TJ Gallivan’s Private Label Products) is a tomato-based delight, built upon a homemade recipe full of bold and exciting flavors that perfectly complement each other. The word “tradizionale” is Italian for “traditional,” and TJ Gallivan’s Tradizionale Pasta Sauce is traditional partly in the sense that any chef, budding or experienced, would be proud to be able to take credit for it.

The sauce itself is thick, tangy and satisfying, not overly sweet like the those cheap sauces that populate the most real estate on the grocery store shelves. Those other sauces cover up their mediocrity with sugar (or, more likely, high fructose corn syrup), but TJ Gallivan’s Tradizionale Pasta Sauce imparts a smooth flavor that belies the delicate balance of herbs and spices, which in turn makes it stand out from the crowd. Mr. Gallivan himself developed the recipe from scratch over years of testing; he sent jars to friends and family, listened closely to honest feedback, tweaked the recipe, and tried again. And again, and again, until he’d finally developed a homemade sauce that pleased all the people, all the time. It can be done!

In fact, maybe you’ve already done it. Maybe you’re well on your way. If you have a recipe you think could be a success, FoodProductLaunch.com is here to help you on your way. Whether you would prefer assistance with every step through Food Product Launch’s Full Service R&D, or just need some of its Ala Carte Services, FoodProductLaunch.com can guide you and your recipe from your kitchen to supermarket shelves. Feel free to contact the experts whenever you're ready to take your cooking to the next level!


© foodproductlaunch.com 2014 All Rights Reserved.  We encourage you to repost this blog in its entirety.  If you choose to use portions of it…give credit where credit is due.

Wedding Favors–12/13/14

Q.  Are you aware that there’s an interesting date coming up and that there are a lot of couples planning their weddings for that day? 

Yes!

I have heard that the hottest wedding date this year is not in the summer, but it’s December 13th, 2014 or 12/13/14!  According to a recent poll by David’s Bridal, approximately 20,000 couples will marry in the US on 12/13/14.This will be the last of these kinds of dates for a while (until 1/2/34) and many people are booking their special days/celebrations so that it’s easier to remember.  That reminds me of my friend Phil, who is a longtime Washington Redskins seasons ticket holder.  His seats/row/section are sequential and no matter how tipsy he gets at the games, he can remember where his seats are as long as he can still count to twenty. 

As you may know FoodProductLaunch.com offers private label hot sauces for your events and you can order them now so you can receive them in time for your wedding.  We offer gourmet hot sauces for you so that you can offer them as gifts/favors to your wedding attendees and guests. 

How are we different than every other company that offers private labeling for weddings and other events?  We work with you within the confines of our own template to create a custom label specifically for you.  It's not a cookie cutter [Your Name Here] label.

There's a one time fee of $50 for your label creation, using our template.  You provide a picture, your preferred colors, text and information about the event.  We do the rest.

You can choose from our two different hot sauces - cayenne and habanero - and each case (12 bottles) is $36 plus shipping.  That’s a little bit more than three bucks apiece for the most unique of wedding favors. We will mix and match cases so you can offer a hot and a milder alternative to your friends and family.

We've lived and traveled all over the world and our private label products exhibit our varied tastes.  Our products span the globe - from Palermo to Tokyo and Buffalo to Liverpool and all spots in-between - and coast to coast LA to Chicago.  

Here's a way to make your special event even more special.  

For more information go to our website - www.foodproductlaunch.com/events or contact me directly at foodproductlaunch@gmail.com. 

TJ Gallivan

© foodproductlaunch.com 2014 All Rights Reserved.  We encourage you to repost this blog in its entirety.  If you choose to use portions of it…give credit where credit is due.