I was recently at a wine tasting and had the pleasure of sitting next to Alison McQuade of McQuade’s Chutney. One of the food pairings just happened to be her Fig & Ginger Chutney. I am not sure I remember the wines from that evening, but I do remember the Fig & Ginger Chutney.
I can honestly say I am not well versed in the world of chutney. Alison set out to make that right.
What is chutney?
Chutney is a spicy condiment, similar to a relish or pickle. It usually contains fruit or vegetables mixed with fresh spices and is preserved with vinegar or citrus and sugar.
Where does it originate from?
It orginated in India but through the travels of the British Empire, it was shipped throughout the world. In the 17th Century, it became a must-have luxury product.
How does Scottish Chutney differ from Indian Chutney?
As chutney was introduced to Great Britain by travellers and soldiers who had served overseas, more local brands and flavours began to develop. McQuade’s Chutney are a blend of traditional know-how, with old family recipes and modern Californian produce. I’ve worked to create a range of stunning flavour combinations, to complement all kinds of dining experiences from fine wines and cheese platters, to barbeque and picnics.
How is it made?
Chutneys are traditionally made by boiling fruits and vegetables with spices, vinegar and sugar and were a way to preserve summer produce for the winter or wet season. At McQuade’s I still use those old methods, but through a process of taste testing, refined spice mixtures and fruit combinations that are new and fresh we cook our chutneys as lightly as possible to highlight the individual fruit flavours and to make for a fresh, chunky texture.
What are the best pairings?
I love chutney with good cheese and many of our suppliers are specialist cheese stores, but the reason we have become so popular with local gourmets is because we have chutneys that will liven up almost any dining experience. Our Banana chutney is wonderful with Indian food, the Mandarin & Apricot will add some sparkle to your barbecue food with its sweet citrus notes, the intensity of Habanero chutney will make any brunch dish memorable. Our Apple and Ale makes for a great pairing on a grilled cheese sandwich.
What should I avoid?
So far I have not found many dishes or wines that can’t be paired with one or other of our chutneys, Fig and Ginger chutney with shiraz, spiced apple with cider, melon and peach with champagne.
How can I get recipes using your products?
On my website, I feature recipes that complement my chutneys and if you come along to one of our tastings, I can advise you of what to pair McQuade’s chutneys with (or you could read my sisters blog where she has lots of lovely chutney friendly recipes- http://youllhavehadyourtea.blogspot.com/
Should I refrigerate your products?
We advise that our products should be refrigerated (printed on the label) after opening. They can keep in the fridge for more than 12 months if they last that long.
What is the difference between a chutney and a relish?
Essentially there are many similarities, chutneys are based on Asian recipes with defined spice mixtures and are usually preserved using vinegar. Generally, chutneys have a chunky spreadable consistency much like a preserve, whereas relishes are hardly cooked and use less sugar.
Where can I sample your products?
McQuade’s Chutney are available at a host of restaurants and cafes throughout the city, where they appear on some wonderful menus. We also conduct tastings at many of the local food festivals and at some of our vendors. Watch our website for details of upcoming tastings.
We currently distribute through: Cowgirl Creamery, Fallettis, Cheese Plus, Rainbow Grocery, Bi-Rite, Whole Foods, SOMA, Say Cheese, Silverlake Cheesestore, Rosebowl Florist, John Walker, Little Vine and more.
On the menu at: Cowgirl Creamery’s Sidekick, Mission Cheese, Cheese Plus, Farm:Table, Sugar Cafe and Swig, The Hidden Vine (about to reopen downtown), and The Barrel Room.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
