condiments and beverage

I visited my parents house and was surprised to see a few items that i am used to seeing at work. and there was even raw sunflower butter in the fridge. http://www.rejuvenative.com/catalog_sb.htm i hadn't tried it before so i had a taste. I think it was a little bitter. sunflower seeds can get that way, especially if they are over-sprouted. I'm finding out that sunflower seeds aren't my favorite thing, and i think I'll used them in moderation from now on, rather than making them the base of things like crackers. (just tonight I've been dreaming up an oatmeal cracker with flax and almond. like Scottish oatcakes)
anyway, i don't think I'll be buying a jar of the sunflower butter. My dad said he usually has it with jam or something to sweeten it up.
I'd definitely like to try their hazelnut or Brazil nut butter.

I also tried Inka (a coffee substitute made from roasted and ground barely and rye.) now this isn't raw, but it is very naturala nd simple and i thought i'd give it a try since we sell it at my work and it is good to be knowledgeable about the products on peddles. www.inkacoffee.com
you just take a spoonful of the brown grounds and top off the cup with boiling water. as i stirred it, i was reminded of crispy bacon! there was a definite roasty smell. the taste was similar, very roasted. it wasn't a "full bodied taste though. it wasn't quite like coffee, but if for some reason a person had to quit drinking coffee, they might wants to switch to this. adding milk turned it a grayish brown. :?
but it went fine with breakfast.

The last taste test was something i scored free from work. A raw milk horseradish cheese spread made by Brunkow of Wisconsin. http://www.pcmli.com/cw_bk.htm.




it is uncolored, so it's white and the look of it is alike a tub of the Laughing Cow cheese. But it is very spreadable, almost like very thick mayonnaise when the cheese gets warmed up a tad. the first taste is a little surprising because of the horseradish taste, but it is very tasty and creamy. i'm sure it'll be great as a dip for vegetables to add a punch of flavor. because it is a raw product, the cheese must be aged for at least three months. at least i am fairly sure that's the time frame. I suppose that is long enough to be sure that the "good bacteria" in the cheese has conquered any bad nasties that shouldn't be in there.