Can you believe it's already May…and that Mother's Day is just around the corner? At Well Seasoned, we are a one stop shop for all of your Mother's Day gift and entertaining needs. We have a wide selection of kitchen products, gourmet food, and other unique culinary offerings. From custom gourmet gift baskets to cooking classes in our teaching kitchen we are the perfect gift giving solution in the Fraser Valley. Looking to create and experience rather than give a gift to your mom this year?
Take 'N' Bake, Gourmet to Go Treats
If you'd like to enjoy brunch with the entire family at home (or drop off treats to the excellent women in your life to enjoy over a Zoom call and some tea), let us help! We have a fantastic selection of take 'n' bake items in our freezer that are perfect to supplement your brunch menu. Including our amazing double cream scones. All you have to do is slice and bake. Serve fresh, warm scones right out of the oven...could you make mom any happier?
We also have a selection of slice and bake cookies that are perfect for dessert! Plan ahead for Mother's Day and pre-order these online, or visit us in store and check out or freezer selection today!
We have a great variety of Gift Basket solutions for every budget that will suit anyone on your list! Simply choose your budget range and your theme, and we'll do the rest - all we need is 48 hours notice!
Pick from themes such as:
.. and many more! Can't find a theme that your Mother will love? We also offer custom themes! We have a little something for everyone, and can even ship Canada wide.
Missed the deadline for Sunday? No problem - Mom will appreciate these treats anytime!
Check out our great selection of Gift Baskets here
And if you're just not sure…..we also offer gift certificates for purchase in store and online.
At Well Seasoned we are all about giving the gift of good taste, stop in and allow our staff to help you pick your mom out the perfect gift!
We're running a series of recipes in August that make a super useful, super practical way to cook and make summertime weeknight meals a snap. Pack these pouches for the cottage, take them on a picnic or just plan your weeknight dinners ahead of time.
"As a kid, I used to LOVE the potatoes my mom would make in a foil pouch on the BBQ. They got crispy on the bottom, they were soft, buttery, oniony and perfect. She made them that way so she didn’t have to “heat up the house” by turning on the oven. So smart! And you are probably going to use the BBQ for part of your meal, why not use it for everything - even dessert! - Angie"
By all accounts, we have a beautiful, hot August ahead of us and in an effort to avoid “heating up the house” with the oven, these recipes are meant to inspire you to think outside the box. There are so many great things you can cook on your grill, wrapped in a simple foil pouch, that make meal prep a breeze, clean up a cinch and it makes your food totally portable – perfect for transport to riverside picnics, potlucks or weekends at the cottage.
Too much work? :) Order your Well Seasoned Picnic Packs and Gourmet to Go Restaurant Style Salads 48 hours before you head up to the cabin or pack up your weekend picnic basket, and you'll have a meal in minutes to share in the fresh air!
The biggest trick with this cooking method is not cooking everything you are going to serve in the same pouch. As tempting as it sounds, the cooking times for meat, potatoes and veggies are different – it you put them all in one pouch, the veg will usually be over way cooked by the time the meat is properly cooked. Take a few extra minutes, package them separately and you will be rewarded with hassle free, super delicious dinners you can enjoy al fresco all summer long.
You can pack all of these well in advance, some can even be frozen for even easier weeknight meals. And, don’t forget the condiments and fresh garnish, they make all the difference. Small reusable containers or mason jars are perfect to transport those, use your imagination and have some fun with it.
We'll be posting a new pair of recipes each week! Check back over the next month to stay inspired! We'd love to see your creations - be sure to tag us on Facebook or Instagram!
The links below will come live throughout the week. Bookmark this page for the full series.
Week 1, August 3: Curried New Potatoes and Caprese Chicken
Week 2, August 10: Foil Pouch Shrimp “Boil” and Mexican Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans
Week 3, August 17: Fresh Stone Fruit Crumble in Foil Pouches and Cajun Sausage, Potato & Green Bean Pouches
Week 4, August 24: Quick Zucchini Parm and Spicy Asian Salmon
Dried Beans
Cooking dried beans takes more time than opening a can, but you'll be rewarded with superior flavour & texture. Here’s how;
Step 1. Arrange dried beans on a sheet pan or clean kitchen towel & sort through them to pick out any stones or debris.
Step 2. Rinse the beans well in cold, running water.
Step 3: Soaking beans before cooking helps to remove some of those indigestible sugars that cause flatulence. Put beans into a large bowl & cover with 2-3” of water. Set aside for 8 hours or overnight; drain well. OR for a quick soak: Put beans into a large pot, cover with 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil & boil briskly for 3 minutes. Cover & set aside off of the heat for 1 hour; drain well.
Step 4: Put beans into a large pot & cover with 2” of liquid. (Don't add salt at this point, it slows the beans' softening.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer, until beans are tender when mashed or pierced with a fork. Cooking times vary with the variety, age and size of beans; generally you're looking at about 1 to 2 hours. Enjoy!
Prepping the ribs for the BBQ:
Start with the membrane removal. When you buy ribs there is a meat side and a bone side. On the bone side there is a membrane covering the entire rack of ribs. The quality of the ribs you prepare can be greatly enhanced if you remove this membrane. It is simple to do. Lay the meat side down. With your finger start to loosen the membrane at the middle bone of the rack. Using a paper towel to grab the membrane- pull upwards and the membrane will come off the rack of ribs. Discard the membrane.
After the membrane has been removed wash the ribs to remove any bone particles and pat dry. Generously season your ribs with your favorite dry rub. Let the rib sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so the rub can start to draw moisture from the meat and stick to the ribs. If you move the ribs too soon, all of the rub will fall off.
Prepare your grill for indirect cooking, medium heat. Place the ribs on the OFF or cool side and add smoke chips such as apple, cherry or hickory to the HOT side. Close the lid and smoke the ribs for about 45 minutes to one hour for the first step.
This step will give the meat a lot of flavor and set the rub on the meat. Prepare a sheet of foil with some honey drizzled on it - the same width as the rack of ribs. Curl up the corners of the foil and some brown sugar & a glug of apple juice to moisten the sugar. Take a rack of ribs from the grill and place meat-side down on the sugar and honey mixture. Loosely wrap the foil and return to the grill again, on the indirect side for another 45 minutes to one hour. This step will make the meat soft and tender.
Open the foil pouches, being very careful of the steam and hot liquids inside, remove the ribs and place back on the indirect side of the grill. Brush the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and close the lid. Allow the sauce to set up like a glaze, flip over & glaze the other side. This glazing step should only take 15 to 25 minutes. Remove the racks from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut between the bones for each portion and serve.
If you're looking for something for Dad, Grandpa or any other father figure in your life, we want to help. Buying something for Father's Day can be tough (or boring - do they really want another TIE?!) At Well Seasoned, we have come up with a few different gift ideas to help you on the quest to find the perfect gift for Dad!
Does your dad love cooking on the grill? If the answer is yes, we have got some fantastic options for you! You can order a gift baskets designed by us (Check out our Grill Master basket!) or here is a list of some of our favourite local BBQ staples that will make a great gift for Dad:
Visit us in store M-Sa 9-5 PM or Sunday (if you like to shop last minute!) 10-4. You can also give us a call at 604-530-1518 to order a basket for pick-up or local delivery now, or place an order online with us!
Well Seasoned offers the finest selection of gourmet mixology products that you can pick-up in store. From our favourite caesar mix - Walter's of course, to unique, hard to find accompaniments, you're sure to find something new for dad. From rimmers and infusers, to specialty olives and garnishes, help dad up his mixing game. It's the gift that keeps on giving.
We've whipped up a special Father's Day Special Gift Basked called the ULTIMATE CAESAR: featuring Walters Caesar mixes, Bloody Mary Seasonings, Caesar Rimmers, Horseradish, and Pickled Garnishes and more. We recommend a gift value of $75, but call us with your budget and we'll work with you! Give us a call in store now at 604-530-1518 or order yours for pick-up or local delivery today!
Does your dad love to get his hands dirty in the kitchen? It's time to go outside and celebrate (always being mindful of social distancing)! Our kitchen is once again open and classes are back in session this July! Sign you and your Dad up for one of our forthcoming classes for live-cooked meal and class in one. Purchase a class voucher, and allow him to book the class of his choice or call us today at 604-530-1518 to book a class for you both (Surprise Dad! Dinner and a show is on me tonight!!)
