Planning an Excellent BBQ: Dips & Spreads

BBQ season is here and in full swing! Love and respect your grill. Treat yourself to the gourmet experience. Allow French Lunch to turn your next barbecue party into a hit. The following list is filled with products that we know you’ll enjoy and won’t be able to get enough of. This is the first article in a four-part series on BBQ condiments.

Not a fan of BBQ? No worries. The products we mention here and throughout our BBQ articles work with many cooked meats and savoury dishes. Pizza, hot dogs, shepherd’s pie, kebabs, wings, burgers, and more!

            Bread Dipper. French Lunch has 3 different types of bread dippers for you to choose from: herbed balsamic, roasted garlic and parmesan, and sundried tomato and basil. The name bread dipper is a generic term given to any condiment you can dip grain-based foods into… like bread! Think of it as gourmet pizza dip. All 3 bread dippers contain extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oils. Dip your freshly-prepared grilled burger buns into them and take a bite! We recommend the sundried tomato and basil one. 150 ml each. Products of Canada.

           Salsa. We carry 4 types of salsa: natural, corn, fire-roasted poblano peppers & lime, and tequila blanco & chipotle. We all know what good old salsa is. It’s not just a dance, it’s a thick sauce made with tomatoes, chili peppers, spices, vegetables like onions, and herbs. Salsas go great with Mexican foods: tortillas, nachos, burritos, tacos, and so on. You can even eat them with fruits, like mangoes! 410 ml or 500 ml. Products of Canada.

            Oven-Roasted Tomato & Basil Bruschetta. The condiment bruschetta is an absolutely delicious tomato sauce adapted from the classic Italian starter bruschetta, a grilled garlic bread often topped with tomatoes, onions, basil, beans, meats, and cheese. The oven-roasted tomatoes in this bruschetta make plain bread pop with flavour. Give your BBQ gourmet flair by serving your guests grilled bruschetta bread with bruschetta sauce as an appetizer. They’re sure to be impressed. 240 g. Product of Canada.

             French Onion & Goat Cheese Dip. So good you can eat it plain. Most of the sauce’s flavour comes from the French onion base, but the goat cheese adds a creamy touch to temper the whole deal. Dip breads, pizza, and chips into it. Add it to burgers and sandwiches. Use it in the place of mustard on hot dogs. Eat it with salad. Heck, dip grilled meats into it! This dip works with virtually every food. 230 g. Product of Canada.

            Artichoke & Parmesan Dip. The bitter flavour of artichokes disappears with a blend of parmesan in this dip. This unique dip is ideal for grilled breads, vegetables (cooked or uncooked) like broccoli, chips, quiche, and even certain meat dishes like buffalo wings. The artichoke is a very Mediterranean gourmet vegetable! 230 g. Product of Canada.

            Whipped Dips. All three of our whipped dips go perfectly with finger foods. Add a dollop of each to pieces of bread, roasted vegetables, mini pizzas, mini sausage rolls and more. Goat Cheese and Red Peppers with Whipped Cream Cheese dip gives grilled foods gourmet pizzaz. Goat cheese is a staple of Mediterranean gourmet after all.

Sundried Tomato & Bacon with Whipped Cream Cheese pairs well with grilled vegetables like zucchini, alongside sliders, prosciutto breads, and bagels… in fact, all three of these dips go great with toasted bagels!

Finally, we have Maple Bacon Whipped Mustard. Sandwiches and hotdogs are among many of the best foods to pair this dip with! Don’t be afraid to try non-Western foods with these dips either. You might discover an amazing new taste!

Thanks for reading! Come back next Wednesday for our next BBQ condiments article on classic sauces like tapenade, as well as BBQ marinades, creams & more.

As always,

We look forward to feeding you!

French Lunch

Gift Ideas for Dad, French Lunch Style!

Father’s Day is June 18 in Canada and the U.S.

On June 17, French Lunch is having a special discount day for Father’s Day shoppers — 10% off all packaged items in store!

What types of products populate our pantry? Let’s have a look at some of our top Father’s Day picks that won’t just impress Dad, but will also impress future BBQ party guests.

Caramelized Onion Confit. Confit is a French culinary term that refers to any preserved food. A confit is cooked in a liquid, like a gravy, to ensure that bacteria doesn’t grow in it when it is preserved. Confit has a long shelf-life, so you can leave it in a cool place or fridge for weeks upon weeks before it goes bad. This delicious onion confit goes great with pretty much any meat- or cheese-laden dish. Eat it as pizza dip or drizzle it on steak. Or eat it by itself!

Tequila Blanco & Chipotle Salsa. This salsa is flavoured with white tequila and chipotle pepper sauce. It’s rather spicy, so watch out! It’ll burn your tongue with flavour, that’s for sure. Dads who live and breathe spice will adore this.

French Onion & Goat Cheese Dip. As the product name implies, this dip is simple and straightforward: French onions and goat cheese are turned into a fine dip for you and Dad to enjoy with pretty much anything savoury. Pair these with our Torres Truffle Chips for the perfect, flavourful snack during long trips.

Maple Bacon and Whipped Mustard Dip. Behold, the most North American blend of them all: maple and bacon! Maple syrup and bacon glaze join forces to create an amazing new taste in a portable container. This dip is perfect for camping trips, cottage trips, hikes & more. If Dad is active and loves the idea of the two twinning, you know he’ll love this. Here’s an idea: add it to steak for even more bacon-y goodness! You can never have too much bacon.

Onion and Red Wine Confit. For Dads who love wine. Before you gift him this, ask him to taste a bit and see if he can detect the subtle red wine undertones. If he can, you know this gift is appropriate! But even Dads without the power of Wine Detection™ will enjoy this confit. It’s a rather traditional French dip that pairs well with steaks, roasts, and any other meat-based dish. And red wine, of course.

White Truffle Oil. A gourmet selection, this made-in-Italy white truffle oil is a finishing oil for savoury foods — everything from pasta and pizza to French fries. “Truffle” refers to the edible fungus known as truffle. White truffle oil is high quality extra virgin oil infused with Italian white truffles, which are the most expensive and most sought-after due to their delicate flavouring. Love mashed potatoes? Drizzle some truffle oil on the dish! Put it on pizza, eggs, beef, mushrooms, fish… even popcorn! It’s an extremely versatile oil and tastes earthy and unique to anyone who’s never had it before.

Thank you for reading, and we hope you have an amazing Father’s Day with the Dads in your life. We hope you come to French Lunch on June 17 to take advantage of our 10% off promo. Buy your dad an exotic, but affordable gourmet treat this year!

We look forward to feeding you,

French Lunch