Written By: Gloria Tsang, RD
Title: Founding Registered Dietitian
Alumni: University of British Columbia
Last Updated on:
Bring “Fancy” to Your Home Kitchen
Think only TV chefs and top restaurants can get their hands on the gourmet ingredients needed to create fancy meals? Think again. I spotted some great new “fancy” foods to try at home at the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show and Food Fete in New York City.
Top Fancy Foods to Try at Home
King Oyster Mushrooms
The king oyster is a meaty mushroom from Korea. It’s called a king oyster partly because its shape is similar to the shellfish. It’s very versatile – I’ve tried sauteing sliced king oyster mushroom like chicken and the texture stands up very well, but it can also be braised, broiled or grilled. It can be added to meat dishes or used as a meat substitute for a fancy vegetarian dish.
The king oyster is a meaty mushroom from Korea. It’s called a king oyster partly because its shape is similar to the shellfish. It’s very versatile – I’ve tried sauteing sliced king oyster mushroom like chicken and the texture stands up very well, but it can also be braised, broiled or grilled. It can be added to meat dishes or used as a meat substitute for a fancy vegetarian dish.Icelandic Yogurt
- If you like creamy Greek yogurt, you’ll love the traditional Icelandic yogurt (called “skyr”) from Siggi’s Yogurt. Like Greek yogurt, it’s extra-creamy, but unlike the Greek version, skyr is made of skim milk, so the plain flavor has only 100 calories and 0 grams of fat per 6-ounce serving. Don’t worry about added thickeners, as there aren’t any. So how does it get so creamy? They use a traditional process of skimming out all the water. This creates the added bonus of two to three times as much protein as regular yogurt.
If you like creamy Greek yogurt, you’ll love the traditional Icelandic yogurt (called “skyr”) from Artisanal Salad
- Fresh Express is known for simple bagged spring mix salads, but they have upped the fancy factor with their new Artisanal Salads. My favorite one is their Wild Rocket Zest, with arugula and baby greens. Throw a couple of slivered almonds or dried cranberries on top of one of these mixes and you’ll have a salad to rival those expensive fancy salads you can get at top restaurants.
Fresh Express is known for simple bagged spring mix salads, but they have upped the fancy factor with their new Kopi Luwak
- If you saw the Jack Nicholson movie Bucket List, you probably remember his description of this Indonesian drink. It’s a special coffee made from coffee berries that have been through the digestive system of a small mammal called a civet. It’s still the most expensive coffee in the world, but prices are dropping, and you can now buy them from Wak Noer to brew at home.
If you saw the Jack Nicholson movie Bucket List, you probably remember his description of this Indonesian drink. It’s a special coffee made from coffee berries that have been through the digestive system of a small mammal called a civet. It’s still the most expensive coffee in the world, but prices are dropping, and you can now buy them from Wak Noer to brew at home.The Bottom Line
You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to enjoy fine foods at home. Keep an eye out for these fancy finds on your next trip to the grocery store and bring gourmet dining into your own kitchen.
Disclaimer: This article is an independent editorial review. No product endorsement is intended in this article.
Alumni: University of British Columbia – Gloria Tsang is the author of 6 books and the founder of HealthCastle.com, the largest online nutrition network run by registered dietitians. Her work has appeared in major national publications, and she is a regularly featured nutrition expert for media outlets across the country. The Huffington Post named her one of its Top 20 Nutrition Experts on Twitter. Gloria’s articles have appeared on various media such as Reuters, NBC & ABC affiliates, The Chicago Sun-Times, Reader’s Digest Canada, iVillage and USA Today.
