My reviews to date have been of restaurants in Spartanburg, so this product review is a new way of celebrating food in Spartanburg! Enjoy :)
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Chris "Wishbone" Walker of Blue Moon Specialty Foods in their new storefront downtown. On my way out I asked what his favorite product was, and without a pause he declared "Jambalaya!", so I knew I was leaving with a quart from the freezer. He pointed out that they sell a Rice Pilaf Kit which is excellent with it, so I added that to my order and looked forward to dinner in the coming days.
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Chris "Wishbone" Walker of Blue Moon Specialty Foods in their new storefront downtown. On my way out I asked what his favorite product was, and without a pause he declared "Jambalaya!", so I knew I was leaving with a quart from the freezer. He pointed out that they sell a Rice Pilaf Kit which is excellent with it, so I added that to my order and looked forward to dinner in the coming days.
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The Jambalaya contains "shrimp, blue crab, fish, chicken, sausage, fresh roma tomatoes, veggies, & the kitchen sink". Directions say "Heat & Serve". The dishes you can get from Blue Moon come either fresh or frozen. My jambalaya was frozen, so step one was to defrost. You want to put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours, or for something quicker, pop it in some hot water until it loosens, then plop the whole frozen dish in a saucepan on medium to "melt" and warm. Wishbone suggested adding just a little broth to thin it slightly, so I added a splash of some homemade chicken broth from the fridge.
Jambalaya + a splash of chicken broth thawing and heating up
While the jambalaya warmed up, I got started on the Rice Pilaf Kit which contains "rice, chicken base, dried veggies, spices, garlic & salt". The directions read: "Put in pot and add 3 cups of water or stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquids are absorbed". I grabbed the same homemade broth that I added to the jambalaya, poured 3 cups in a saucepan, added the Rice Pilaf Kit, and set it to medium-high. Since it didn't specify either way, I popped the lid on about halfway through and stirred occasionally throughout.
I knew we were in for a treat when the aromas started to fill my kitchen...
I knew we were in for a treat when the aromas started to fill my kitchen...
Rice Pilaf Kit starting to absorb the chicken broth - look at those yummy veggies!
I continued stirring the jambalaya until it was completely thawed and starting to simmer. I gave the pilaf a stir every few minutes until 20 had elapsed and found it needed just a few more for the liquid to be totally absorbed.
Just a little more time...
Once everything looked ready, I put two heaping scoops of the rice pilaf into each bowl and topped it with a couple of ladles of Jambalaya...YUM.
Rice Pilaf
Rice Pilaf + Jambalaya
Both the rice and the jambalaya had a great hint of spice, not to much, but not too little. The light flavor and smooth texture of the crab was prevalent, with a delicious bite of shrimp, chicken, or sausage every once in a while. The flavor and meatiness of the sausage added a lot to the dish - I seriously looked forward to those bites!
I could eat that!
Two piece of good news...together, the jambalaya and rice pilaf kit were $20, but for two people it has easily given us 5 meals, so it is really affordable. It's also just as good reheated over the next day or two! Plus, can you tell how easy this was to whip up? What a great thing to have on hand for those busy nights, for entertaining on the fly, or to take to new parents or a sick family member.
Having just had a baby myself, we were lucky to have been brought several meals from Blue Moon during my maternity leave, and I can vouch whole-heartedly for the deliciousness of the tomato pie, veggie quiche, and italian wedding soup. Personally, the Fire Sauce is my go-to hot sauce! Also a must-try is the signature seasoning: YEP Shake!...Is it good on ________? "Yep!"
Blue Moon products have become a staple in Spartanburg...check out their storefront and take home some of these great products today! And if you want more Spartanburg Restaurant Reviews, look no further!
P.S. Have you seen the "Handcrafted in Hub City" boxes that feature products from Blue Moon, Dottie's Toffee, Little River Roasting Company, and Those Pickle Ladies? They make fabulous gifts (I gave 3 for Christmas), and you can pick them up at the Blue Moon store!
Having just had a baby myself, we were lucky to have been brought several meals from Blue Moon during my maternity leave, and I can vouch whole-heartedly for the deliciousness of the tomato pie, veggie quiche, and italian wedding soup. Personally, the Fire Sauce is my go-to hot sauce! Also a must-try is the signature seasoning: YEP Shake!...Is it good on ________? "Yep!"
Blue Moon products have become a staple in Spartanburg...check out their storefront and take home some of these great products today! And if you want more Spartanburg Restaurant Reviews, look no further!
P.S. Have you seen the "Handcrafted in Hub City" boxes that feature products from Blue Moon, Dottie's Toffee, Little River Roasting Company, and Those Pickle Ladies? They make fabulous gifts (I gave 3 for Christmas), and you can pick them up at the Blue Moon store!
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