Random Things Through My Letterbox: Lincolnshire Foods ~ King's Garden Gourmet Kitchen

One of the best things about living in Lincolnshire is the food. Lincolnshire has been voted the UK's Foodie Capital and it's not just all about sausages!

From cheese, to award-winning pork products, Lincolnshire has it all. The local council do a great job in promoting the county's food producers too, producing a magazine and dedicated websites Love Food Lincs and Select Lincolnshire.

Members of Love Food Lincs are awarded the Select Lincolnshire badge, and if you see that logo on any
products, or in a local cafe or restaurant you can be sure that you are going to get some great quality food.

Last week, I received a box of samples from King's Garden Gourmet Kitchen, based in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

King's Garden produce a versatile range of dressings and marinades. The range can be used for dipping, glazing, stir frying, roasting ..... the possibilities are endless. The products can be traced right back to the seed (all the main ingredients are sourced within 10 miles, from local farmers). King's Garden have a strong relationship with the farm shops and delis/cafes that sell their range - they are not just a business, they really are foodies who care.

Each product is hand made and hand bottled without a preservative or additive in sight, they even hand zest the oranges!

Their products are vibrant, versatile and free from colourings, flavourings and preservatives. Products have a 12 month shelf life and is best stored in an ambient temperature.
Not only do these taste fabulous, but they are healthier and safer too. High in omega 3, 6 & 9, vitamin E, and containing half the saturated fat of other oils, plus it can be used up to 220 degrees C, so really safe to cook with.

Just a few ideas of how to use the products:

salad dressing
stir frying
glazing
dipping
cooking sauce
marinade

There are eight different flavours to try; Original, Caraway, Chilli, Garlic, Lemon, Orange & Ginger, Raspberry & Mint, Balsamic. The Orange & Ginger flavour was the winner of a Great Taste Award in 2013.

New to King's Garden this is a range of nut free and dairy free Pesto sauces; Original, Garlic and Chilli.

Over the past few days, I've been trying out these really lovely products, and they really are so versatile. I especially enjoyed the Balsamic as a salad dressing and used the Lemon as a glaze for my chicken souvlaki - they are delicious. Subtle, not overpowering at all, and add an extra zing to the dishes.

The Balsamic is a 10 year old oak aged Modena vinegar with no added caramel (unlike the majority of Balsamic dressings). This keeps the product the original dark colour and gives an amazing taste. The Balsamic has been entered into the Great Taste Awards 2014 - good luck!

The Lemon is very summery and fresh and bursts lemon flavour. It's really well balanced with a gentle flavour.

I was really impressed by the Pesto too, it's so fresh and colourful looking, and unlike some bottled Pesto it's thick and not in the least watery. I made a really simple dish with the Garlic Pesto. I roasted some veggies, then put some of the Pesto underneath the skin of chicken leg pieces, popped them on top of the vegetables and roasted them all together - and for a little extra flavour I drizzled some of the garlic marinade over the chicken as it cooked. It was just delicious.

All of the Pestos are nut free, cheese free and rennet free, making them suitable for vegetarians and anyone who has a nut or dairy allergy. I don't think there is another Pesto that is free from both. The Garlic Pesto is not overpowering at all, and again this one has been entered into the 2014 Great Taste Award - it really deserves to win!

I'm so looking forward to trying out the rest of my samples. If my first experiments are anything to go by, I'm in for a real treat.

A few ideas that I have up my sleeve for the products are: