Product Review and Giveaway: Daelia's Beer Flats

Remember the good people at Daelia's that gave me those incredibly delicious Biscuits for Cheese to review and giveaway?  Well, they added some new products to their lineup last month and they sent me some to review.  Furthermore, one of you lucky readers get another chance to win some free yummies, too!

This product is called Beer Flats and they come in two flavors: Porter and Pilsner.  These are artisanal flatbread crackers that are made with whole grains, craft beer, and butter.  They are suggested to be served with cheese, cured meats, and/or dips alongside a good craft beer.  I kept things simple time and served my Beer Flats with pre-made Sabra Classic Hummus (another favorite product of mine...hmmm...think they'll send me some to review, too?) and a block of Maple Cheddar Cheese.

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Let's start with aesthetics.  I like the packaging.  The window makes it easy to see what the product looks like inside before you buy it and the tray keeps the crackers all tidy and helps to prevent breakage (ugh, hate broken crackers!).  The porter is the darker colored cracker while the pilsner is the light one.  Both look quite robust and I love the flecks of bubbly texture and salt.

After tasting Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese which I feel is much more "frou frou" and filled with many different complementing flavors I have to be honest and say that these fell a little flat for me (Oof, forgive the pun!).  

The Pilsner was especially light in flavor on its own with just a hint of sweetness and a bit of buttery flavor.  Very much like a large, plain pita chip and needing a pairing with quite a bit more oomph than what I had offered.  I personally enjoyed the Porter much better.  It had a wonderful rye flavor (did I mention I'm a sucker for rye?) though both Emily and Scott felt the flavor was too pungent (they are non-rye lovers...boo!...no wait...yah!  More for me!).  I would love to serve the Porter in the future with this Hot Reuben Dip that's still on my "to make" list.  I think the flavors would work perfectly together and would be a great twist from the standard Rye bread pairing.  My mouth waters just thinking about this...

So there you have it.  My honest opinion on the latest offering from Daelia's.  If I were you, I'd consider picking up the Porter Beer Flats from your local specialty store or Amazon and making the Hot Reuben Dip for poker night or the big game or something.  Or, you could just enter to win some free Beer Flats here because Daelia's and I love you...

How to Enter

To enter to win a set of four (4) packages of Daelia's Beer Flats (two of each flavor: Porter and Pilsner; Approximate retail value of $32):

MANDATORY: Tell me which flavor of Daelia's Beer Flat you look forward to trying the most and what you'd serve it with.

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

1. Follow them on twitter @BeerFlats. 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!).
2. Follow me on Twitter @ChrissesKitchen.  Come back to let me know you've followed me in an additional comment to score an extra entry.  If you're already following me, let me know too so my loyal readers get credit!
3. Tweet the following about the giveaway: “RT @ChrissesKitchen @BeerFlats: #Win Daelia's Beer Flats #giveaway: http://tinyurl.com/d4o4rgp #beerflats”.  Come back and let me know you've shared in an additional comment.

Last but not least, Daelia's Beer Flats 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 Beer Flats.  Follow Christine's Kitchen Chronicles.

Deadline: Friday, August 17, 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, August 18, 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.

WINNER of the Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese Giveaway

Before I jump straight into announcing the winner I just wanted to say thanks to Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway.  May it be the first of many sponsored opportunities on this blog!  Also, HUGE thank you to my readers who follow along and enter.  We do this all for YOU!

Time to announce the WINNER!  Drum roll please....

Today's winner is...

Lucky commenter #15!  And that commenter is Renata!

Renata now gets to try that delicious sounding combination!  Please email me at christineskitchenchronicles@gmail.com with your name and address by 12:00PM (noon) on Monday, 7/16/12 so we can get you your yummy biscuits right away!  If I don't hear back from you by the deadline stated, I'll be forced to draw another name.

Congratulations, Renata!

For everyone else, stay tuned because Daelia's also sent me some of their latest products to review and giveaway!  Hint: Who likes BEER?

Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil

Remember that goat cheese ball that the girls were raving about at my spa party last week?  They claimed it was the perfect accompaniment to all flavors of Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese that we sampled and I promised to share the recipe with you all.

It has a tangy flavor from the goat cheese and a little bit of sharp nuttiness from the parmesan.   The ball sits in a pretty bright green pool of basil oil for presentation.  If I had a good crusty bread I'd dip it in there but otherwise you could simplify and do without missing it too much.

By the way, have you entered to win your own Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese yet?  The giveaway ends on Friday, 7/13 so don't miss your chance!

One Year Ago: 7 Layer Taco Pie with Cornmeal Crust
Two Years Ago: Sauceless Garden Lasagna

Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with Basil Oil

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Ingredients:

For the Goat Cheese:

• ½ oz. Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 oz. semi-firm plain goat cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ¼ tsp. coarse salt, plus more to taste

For the Basil Oil:

• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Place the parmesan in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until finely ground.  Add the panko to the bowl and pulse a few more times so the cheese and crumbs have an even, fine texture.  Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.  Transfer to a shallow plate or bowl.  Wipe out the bowl of the food processor.
2. Place the goat cheese in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the salt over the minced garlic and smash the mixture together with a fork or the side of a chef’s knife until it forms a paste.  Add the garlic paste to the bowl with the goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir the mixture together until smooth and well blended.  Form the goat cheese mixture into a round ball.  Roll the ball in the Parmesan-panko mixture until well coated.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3. To make the basil oil, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add the basil leaves to the pot and boil for 30 seconds.  Drain and rinse immediately with cold water.  Blot the basil leaves with a towel to remove all of the excess water.  Add the basil leaves and the garlic to the bowl of the food processor.  Pulse until finely minced.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  With the food processor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.  Continue processing until the mixture is well blended and the oil takes on a green hue.  Strain the oil mixture through a fine mesh sieve onto a serving plate.  Place the ball of goat cheese in the center of the basil oil.  Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired.  Serve with any flavor Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese (recommended!) or baguette slices.

Source: Annie's Eats

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.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

We're still getting over the sugar rush of Halloween and the turkeys haven't even gone out for slaughter yet for Thanksgiving but by golly it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 

I am amazed year after year how the Christmas season seems to extend itself to be earlier and earlier.  I think I saw Christmas goods for sale at the beginning of OCTOBER and some radio stations have already switched over to 24/7 Christmas music.  Don't get me wrong.  I *love* Christmas music and all things Christmas but I also love paying each holiday its due respect, first.

Anyway, it may not exactly be Christmas time yet but I bet you ARE starting to think about mailing out your holiday cards soon, right?  Well you're in luck because this year, Shutterfly is offering bloggers 50 FREE photocards from their 2010 Holiday Card Collection!  It doesn't matter what kind of blog you have, you just need to have one (or sign up for one now using a site such as blogger or my old original blogspace, livejournal).  It's free to sign up for a blog and free to get beautiful photocards so you get to show off how fantastic you look :).

It's not clear yet to me what type of cards you get (folded or flat) but either way Edit: Duh, read the fine print!  There's always fine print!  This one says "Bloggers are eligible to receive 50 holiday cards. Free cards are for 5×7 folded or flat stationery cards. Offer ends December 31, 2010. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply". 

I like to send out photocards to our friends and family when we have a major life change. In the past this has been getting married and buying our first house together. This year, I want our card to feature our new family addition. No, not a baby...we're not there yet...unless you count FUR babies :). That's right, our cutie beagle Toby is going to be gracing our Christmas cards with us this year and all thanks to this promotion.  I've had great success using Shutterfly to share photos online but I also really like their wall calendars and photo books.  I've used their photobooks for everything from graduation guestbooks to wedding albums for our parents.  They're so versatile and very easy to create your own storybooks.  Since I'm a sucker for art (and have TONS of pictures I still need to print!), I might even try their canvas wall art sometime, too.


Now back to the cards.  They have some pretty photocard designs and the possibilities are endless!


I think I like this one best!  Very sophistacated and pretty.

This one is bold and modern.

And I like the use of traditional colors and fun heading text in this one.

So there's a few ideas to get you started.  Time to get your own because bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly, follow the arrow! -->  http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Now to find the perfect picture and design for ours...

Enjoy and shout out to Jes at Bleu Dress for blogging about this so that I could share it with you!

Disclosure: I am being compensated with 50 free photocards from Shutterfly by participating in this program.