We’ve got some suggestions for your Labor Day meals and beverages.
Sous vide meals from Cuisine Solutions
You can entertain your Labor Day guests effortlessly with a sous vide meal prepared by Alexandria, Virginia-based Cuisine Solutions. Sous vide is a cooking method where the food and seasoning are combined in a vacuum-sealed bag and then cooked in a circulating water bath. Cuisine Solutions will ship you vegetarian entrees; proteins, from seafood to lamb; sauces; side dishes; and even solutions for breakfast. We tried the Together Again BBQ Bundle, and received chicken breasts that had been lightly grilled and sous vide-cooked to a perfect 160 degrees, and short ribs that had been seared and then cooked at 180 degrees for hours, until they were falling-off-the-bone tender. Both were accompanied by an Asian-style barbecue sauce of hoisin, soy and black bean garlic, and all of this came with a huge helping of cavatappi, with a creamy sauce made with six cheeses.
Entree prices start at $19.99. The Together Again BBQ Bundle is $109 for four to six servings of short ribs, eight servings of grilled chicken breast, eight to 12 servings of Asian-style barbecue sauce and 12-15 servings of cavatappi and cheese. Available at mycuisinesolutions.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Pancake mix and syrup from Barlow’s Foods
This mix from Tiffani Neal of Barlow’s Foods, based in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood, makes it possible for you to have hot pancakes on the table in just 10 minutes. Neal perfected her recipe by trying it out with friends and family, and named her company after her maternal grandfather, Arthur “Barlow” Harris. The directions suggest adding milk, an egg and melted butter, but the package also has suggestions for producing vegan pancakes, as well as adapting the mix to make waffles. Made according to the package directions, the pancakes are light and fluffy, while still tasting rich, thanks to the addition of the melted butter. When you’re ready to upgrade your syrup choices, Neal makes peach cobbler syrup, a luscious combination of peaches and spice that tastes exactly like our favorite peach cobbler. Part of the price for online purchases goes to Feed Our Vets, in honor of her grandfather’s service in the U.S. Army.
$10 per 16-ounce package of pancake mix. $9 per 8-ounce bottle of peach cobbler syrup. Pancake mix and syrup are available at the Ponce City and Dunwoody farmers markets. Pancake mix is available at Buford Highway Farmers Market, Candler Park Market, Floral Park Market, Hodgepodge Coffee House, Provisions on Main and at barlowsfoods.com.
Credit: Daniel Rivera
Credit: Daniel Rivera
Mixers from Perfectly Cordial
Rhonda Cammon of Nashville-based Perfectly Cordial makes it easy to create fun drinks for your Labor Day guests. Since 2019, she’s been dreaming up combinations of fruit, herbs and spices to flavor her line of simple syrups, each created to work as the base for a cocktail or mocktail, or just to sweeten a glass of iced tea. We sampled hibiscus and honeycomb, a combination as tart as it is sweet. And, we can just imagine the fun she had finding a way to highlight the pear with the floral and lightly spicy flavors in her pear and rose cordial, with its hint of pink peppercorn. The combinations also work perfectly for flavoring a glass of sparkling water, and you can check her website for suggestions on the best liquors to mix with each. The available flavors are seasonal, changing as inspiration strikes. Put out a tray of several of them, and let your guests mix and match to create the mocktail or cocktail that suits their mood.
$15.99-$16.99 per 8-ounce bottle. Available at perfectlycordial.com.
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