Product Review and Giveaway: Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese

Well it has certainly been awhile since I've had a giveaway, huh?  The last one I did was an autographed copy of Pioneer Woman Cooks and that was paid for out of my own pocket because I love my readers.

Imagine my excitement when I received my first sponsored giveaway offer!  It sure does make me feel like a more special blog in this big worldwide web.  Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese found me through FoodBuzz and offered to send me a sample pack (six packages total - two of each flavor, 15 biscuits per pack) of their gourmet biscuits in exchange for a review of their products.  But it gets even better, they also offered to mail one of my lucky readers the same box of deliciousness!  The cherry on top is that they are locally based Cincinnati company - my beloved hometown!  Of course I had to say yes!

About the Product

They say that you eat with your eyes and these Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese are certainly a visual treat with their large chunks of fruit and nuts in every bite!  Totally amazing and not sure I can go back to plain old crackers again.  Photo Credit: Emily H.

Here's a bit more about their company, in their own words:

Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese were created to enhance the cheese eating experience, whether the cheese is made locally or imported from around the world. Launched in 2009 at the American Cheese Society Conference in Austin, Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese is still a new company. We currently offer three biscuits – Almond Raisin, Hazelnut Fig, and Pumpkin Seed Rye. All biscuits are twice baked and made in small batches to guarantee the perfect texture.  They also contain carefully selected fruits, seeds, and nuts, and pair well with a variety of specialty cheeses. Our biscuits are all natural, high in fiber, low in sodium and crunchy – the perfect addition to any cheese plate.

Our biscuits are available in Whole Foods nationwide and various independent cheese shops. They can also be purchased online at www.igourmet.com.

 

Putting the Product to the Test 

I served my Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese at a spa and chick flick girls night.  My girlfriends and I had a blast and you really can't go wrong getting pampered with a mani while you have biscuits, cheese, and let's not forget the wine in hand!  

Based on suggestions from Daelia's, I provided 4 different cheeses: Baby Brie, Sharp Cheddar, Blue Cheese, and Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil (stay tuned for the recipe!) to pair with the biscuits.  I had originally wanted to do all different types of cheese balls (including Blue Cheese and Caramelized Balsamic Onions as well as Cheddar with Pecans and Bourbon) but decided to keep it mostly classic for this tasting...perhaps next time!  It's a good thing I kept the Goat Cheese ball in the mix though because it quickly became the favorite, almost stealing the show!

Gotta know the recommended pairings!  Photo Credit: Emily H.

Mmmm say "cheese" (and wine!...served in hot pink glasses!)!  Photo Credit: Emily H.

The now famous Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil AKA Goat Cheese Ball.  Seriously, come back soon to get the recipe because you'll be kicking yourself otherwise!  Paired well with...well, everything!  Photo Credit: Emily H.

So What'd We Think?

The crowd favorite seemed to be the Almond Raisin biscuits (by a hair!) and while those were pretty darn delicious, I actually found myself having a slight preference for the Hazelnut Fig.  Of course, all three were pretty darn delicious!  Here's what my girls and I had to say:

"I loved the sweetness and chewy texture of the fruit contrasting with the crunch of the nuts, seeds, and biscuit itself.  Eaten alone (and it's definitely worthy of that!) it's much like a biscotti.  When you pair it with cheese a symphony of flavors and textures come together in your mouth making it very very happy.  I mean really, if you think about it, these biscuits are quite genius.  Fruits and nuts are already typical cheeseboard accompaniments and Daelia's has taken the liberty to combine them into a single sturdy biscuit DESIGNED to complement all kinds of cheese!  These aren't going to break from the weight of the cheese or knife like a regular cracker sometimes does (I hate that!).   My favorite was the Hazelnut Fig paired with Blue Cheese (I LOVE a pungent blue!).  Almond Raisin was a close second and I did appreciate how versatile that particular biscuit flavor was (by the way, was I the only one that detected a slight hint of cracked pepper in it??).  Speaking of versatility...and shameless plug...but that Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese Ball worked on everything, too!!  Last but not least, Pumpkin Seed with Rye had a more subtle flavor than the others and no sweetness...which I missed after tasting the other two but you really can't go wrong with any of the three flavors.  Overall I recommend Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese and am not sure I can go back to regular crackers after tasting these!" -Christine

"The biscuits were a great twist on boring crackers. I love cheese and crackers, but the cracker is usually just a way to deliver the cheese to my mouth. These biscuits changed things. The biscuits pair perfectly with the cheeses suggested - especially the Almond Raisin with Christine's goat cheese ball (Christine you should post that recipe too)!"  -Vanessa

"My favorite was the Almond Raisin with the cheddar. The Salty cheese and sweets cracker is a good contrast.  I think they were complimentary to the cheese but not overwhelming. The cheese is definitely still the main star of the show when they are paired together." -Tinlee

"I guess my favorite was the Almond Raisin -- It was delicious with all of the cheeses ;).  For me, I just like the cheeses in general -- the delivery device is more or less irrelevant. Lol. Overall, however, I don't think I'd ever buy these -- we discussed that they were reminiscent of biscotti, and quite frankly, I just like biscotti better." -Anonymous

"I thought the biscuits paired beautifully with the cheese.  Each biscuit had a very distinct flavor and you could definitely taste the ingredients.  My favorite was the Hazelnut Fig. The biscuits reminded me very much of thinly sliced biscotti. They are definitely a classier upgrade to traditional crackers :)" -Jackie

Is your mouth watering yet?  Because it should be.  Now, time to learn how to WIN some biscuits of your own!  (That is why you're here after all, right?)

How to Enter

To enter to win a set of six (6) packages of Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese (two of each flavor: Almond Raisin, Hazelnut Fig, and Pumpkin Seed with Rye; Retail Value approximately $36):

MANDATORY: Follow them on twitter @DaeliasBiscuits and leave a comment here on my blog letting me know that you did.

You can receive UP TO THREE ADDITIONAL ENTRIES to win by doing any or all of the following:

1. Follow me on Twitter @ChrissesKitchen.  Come back to let me know you've followed me in an additional comment to score an extra entry.  (The additional comment part is really important!).  If you're already following me, let me know too so my loyal readers get credit!
2. Tweet the following about the giveaway: “RT @ChrissesKitchen @DaeliasBiscuits: #Win Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese #giveaway: http://tinyurl.com/72yyyvj #biscuitsforcheese #noms”.  Come back and let me know you've shared in an additional comment.
3. Tell me which Daelia's Biscuit you look forward to trying the most and what type of cheese you'd pair it with.  Leave me an additional comment for another entry.

Last but not least, Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese and I would love if you'd follow us on Facebook too but we can't give you a credit for entry for that because it's now against their terms and conditions.  So, you'd follow us out of the kindness of your heart ;).  Follow Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese.  Follow Christine's Kitchen Chronicles (I just passed over 100 fans - THANK YOU!).

Deadline: Friday, July 13, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.

Eligibility and Winner: Sorry, this contest is only open to those in the Contiguous 48 United States and Canada.  The winner will be chosen at random using random.org and announced in a blog post by 12:00PM (noon) EST on Saturday, July 14, 2012.  To claim the prize, the winner must email me at christineskitchenchronicles@gmail.com.  If the winner does not respond within 48 hours of being announced, another winner will be selected.

Thanks for reading (and tell all your friends)!
Christine

Disclosure - This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Christine @ Christine's Kitchen Chronicles. The owner(s) of this blog was compensated with free products to provide an opinion on the products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.