I really love it when a company has philanthropic roots. I love working with companies dedicated to making a difference. That is why I was really excited to be selected to work with Tavern Direct on their promotion of their products. Founded in 2007, Tavern Direct was born specifically to raise funds for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) through sales of Tavern on the Green branded products.
Tavern Direct offers all-natural, exclusive gourmet products of high quality that allow us to taste and enjoy the gourmet flavors of New York City’s famous restaurant, Tavern on the Green. Currently, you can purchase gourmet marinades, balsamic vinegar, dipping oils, and BBQ Sauces from the site. As the brand continues to expand, they hope to add additional products such as spreads, salad dressings, jams & jellies and toppings. With each purchase from Tavern Direct, they will donate a set amount from $.50 to $15 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s®.
To help get the word out about their mission to empower kids to be free from abuse and exploitation, I was sent 2 products to try and play with; the Central Park Signature Dipping Oil and the Citrus on the Green Balsamic Vinegar.
My husband and I love dipping oils with our French Bread so we were thrilled to try out the Central Park Signature Dipping Oil. This is made with garlic, red peppers and basil integrated with Italian balsamic vinegar plus it is a Gluten Free product. So I whipped up some pasta for dinner the other night, added some of the balsamic dipping oil into the finished pasta and also added some in a bowl on the side. While an overly traditional way to enjoy this, I have to say the flavor was fabulous. I loved the kick of red pepper and garlic. It is not super spicy hot, but just the right amount of spice to make you happy! This combination would make a fabulous topping on a crustini or as a marinade for fish or chicken. You can see from the bottle that we really enjoyed this!
The second bottle we got was the Citrus on the Green Balsamic Vinegar. This is a combination of orange, tangerine and lime added to rich barrel-aged balsamic vinegar. It is also a Gluten Free product. Oh my goodness! Even from the description, you know this is going to be good and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. I have used this “vinegar” in my salads to bring out the flavors, which is delightful. But because it is a small bottle and I want to savor it, I was looking for a fabulous way to celebrate the wonderful fruit flavor of this vinegar. So my hubby and I decided that it would taste awesome on a dessert.
At first, we thought about adding it as a topping on ice cream or on some Peach Cobbler, but then we decided to make a fruit flavored cake and incorporate some of this citrus vinegar into the dessert. What we came up with was a fabulous Pineapple Upside Down Cake that we made in a cast iron skillet. We added a little of the vinegar into the topping so it cooked right into the cake. We then drizzled a tiny bit onto the cake as it was served. The vinegar has a nice flavor but the citrus really blends in and mellowed it out. The Final taste was Amazing! When it combined with with sweet sugar pineapple, it was awesome! It just blended right into the entire flavor of the cake. So Delicious! I think that this vinegar would also be fabulous on top of any type of fish and in a marinade too. It has a beautiful complex taste that compliments so many foods.
Both my husband and I really enjoyed these marinades and dipping oils. I am definitely coming back for more of the Citrus Vinegar and I have my eye on their BBQ Sauce too. We love to BBQ and this sauce sounds divine! I am pleased to know that my purchase will help support a mission geared to protecting and saving children. This is worth my hard earned dollars.
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. Affiliate Links may be included in this publication.
