March ChefButler

So, I started subscribing to something called ChefButler. Every month, ChefButler assembles all the ingredients (except for meat, produce, and very basic pantry staples) needed to create a full meal for four people - a main dish, an appetizer or side, and a dessert. The theme changes each time, inspired by cuisine from around the world. Apparently, this sort of thing has been available in the States for a while, but this is one of the first available in Canada. Anyway, this month's theme was Pakistani food: Beef Qeema, Vegetable Biryani, and Coconut Ladoo.

Before I get into the box itself, I want to make a note of their great customer service. I realized (after I'd been sent a notice that my box was about to be shipped!) that I'd somehow messed up my address when I'd first signed up, using some sort of weird combination of my last and current address. I called ChefButler up, and the lady who talked to me was friendly and competent, assuring me that I'd called just in time to have it changed. And sure enough, I received a new shipping notice almost immediately, and my box arrived with no problems. As another side note, they also provide a tracking number, which is awesome for people like me who obsessively refresh the UPS tracking page every hour.

Now, on to the box itself:

First look.

I smelled spices the moment I opened the box, and for days, until I actually got around to cooking the meal, our apartment smelled like a Middle-Eastern marketplace. Everything is packed into a nice, solid silver box - great for re-use, as long as you don't mind the lingering scent of spices. I may send a package in it soon, actually.

Second look.

Everything in the envelope.

The envelope included an introduction, the recipes, and a shopping list for everything perishable required to make the meal. It felt very well thought-out, from the convenience of the shopping list, to the recipes being printed on cards, in a perfect size for a large recipe box (I may have to actually get one someday).

The edible contents: spices, coconut, apricots, condensed milk, and basmati rice.

Everything (except, obviously the can of sweetened condensed milk) was packaged individually in sealed plastic envelopes. Each was also labeled with the contents of the quantity included. ChefButler sends their spices freshly-ground for the best and most vibrant flavour, which explains the power of the aroma. I was a little afraid that the smell would have gotten into the coconut, but everything turned out fine.

The spices for the Beef Qeema main.

The spices for the Vegetable Biryani.

This was my first time cooking with either tumeric and un-ground cinnamon bark. I found that I loved the spicy sweetness of the cinnamon bark, which seems more intense than just ground cinnamon, and I'm considering trying to find some for the next time I make rice pudding. Maybe cinnamon sticks would work?

Vegetable Biryani, Beef Qeema, and naan bread.

I only remembered to take a picture of the finished product because my partner reminded me. Unfortunately, I hadn't staged it to look pretty, so this is the best I could do. The biryani is actually very attractive in real life. The qeema, not so much, but it tastes (and smells) incredible.

My partner and I both hate cooked peas, so I replaced them with zucchini (slices in the biryani, wedges in the qeema). Additionally, since the spices are packaged individually, I could choose to add only a little of the chili powder, thus sparing my partner's delicate palate from too much spiciness. The food was very reminiscent of Indian cuisine, which I must admit is the only variation of Middle-eastern/South Asian food I've tried before now. I love that the box gave me the opportunity to cook, well, outside the box, introducing me to recipes I might ordinarily be unlikely to try.

Everything needed for Coconut Ladoo.

The ladoo (ladoos? I kept pluralizing it to ladoos) were delicious! The cardamom isn't a spice I very seldom find in Western desserts - they were, again, something I would never have made on my own, but now I think I'll be adding them to my go-to recipe files. Unlike most desserts, which we tend to eat large servings of, it took only one small ball to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth. My partner's mother and sister, who were visiting a few days later, both liked them, too!

Aren't they beautiful?

I'm very pleased with my first ChefButler experience, and will be continuing the subscription. Being an impatient person, I wish I could find some sort of clue about what themes are coming (they usually provide only tiny hints via their Twitter), but I must admit that the surprise is part of the fun. I'm looking forward to the next month!

The ChefButler site can be found here. At this time, they deliver only to Canada, for C$35 (including shipping anywhere in Canada!) per month.