Sunday, October 25, 2009

My First Ever Review and Giveaway!



First things first; I am STOKED to be reviewing this product and honored that they would trust me to do so. Second; If I hated this product, I would still review it and be completely honest about it. Third; I LOVE this entire line and am willing to prove that by giving three readers the chance to win a bottle of syrup. Now that that is all out of the way, I give you... Sonoma Syrup Co.

Sonoma Syrup Co. is a California based company (duh!) and creates handcrafted, artisan simple syrups as well as vanilla and almond extracts. I had the pleasure of meeting the owners at the Winter Fancy Food Show, in San Diego, January 2008. They were a company I was specifically seeking out, at that particular show. I wanted their line on the shelves of my up and coming (now sunk) gourmet food shop. I had read about them, done my research and it was time to taste! As expected, everything was delicious! Their packaging is simple and gorgeous to boot. As far as I am concerned, you can not go wrong with this product line.

Let me get to the flavors and uses... as for simple syrups, their classic syrup is as good as it gets. They add a bit of vanilla and it really kicks it up a notch (just ask Mary Malouf of Salt Lake Magazine... she stopped by my shop, picked up a bottle and fell in love)! They have a pomegranate simple syrup that makes my mouth water as I sit and type. Delicious! Used in cocktails, iced tea and sparkling water, it truly brings out a flavor you can not imagine... it's intended to replace "grenadine" and makes for a much better Shirley Temple than any old cherry flavoring I've ever tasted. Keeping in the fruit line, they make a lemon, a lime and a tangerine as well. All terrific and all unique! They have a new release and I am here to tell you that it blows the others out of the water! It is their new, Acai Black Currant. It has less sugar, more juice and is amazing! These syrups go beyond "mixers" and "sweeteners", they are so tasty drizzled over fresh fruit or yogurt, they enhance your baking and are soooooo good served alongside cheesecake! Next in line we have the cinnamon syrup. I have posted about this syrup before (I used it in a cinnamon butter cream). It's killer! I have used it in frosting, in tea and in... are you ready? Cider! Can you say mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? It makes fresh pressed cider so fallishly perfect! They make a vanilla hazelnut that is so good in a cup of coffee, a vanilla bean, a white ginger and a lavender that absolutely make your tea and all of these can be used in your baking to your hearts content! I am giddy over these syrups! Can you tell? I am not done yet...

Extracts. Yes, yes... they are exquisite! The vanilla extract is great, the almond extract is the best I have ever used but there is another: vanilla bean extract "crush". It is all of the wonder of their original extract with the addition of split and scraped vanilla beans! All of the seeds! It's divine! You have not baked until you have baked with this extract.

Last but certainly not least, they make breakfast syrups! Two to be exact: Strawberry Vanilla and Pomegranate Maple. Pour these on french toast, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, you get the idea... make your family (and yourself) happy!

I have only positive, loving things to say about this company and all of their products. They are generous people who go out of their way to make sure their customers are happy and I enjoyed working with them. I was on 'Good Things Utah' in February and wanted to highlight their "crush" during my spot (I made creme brulee')... they were delighted and made sure I was stocked with extra cases in time for the hungry customers. They have also informed me that, since the closing of my shop, people have contacted them directly, to make sure they can get the things I am no longer selling (I might add that customers have expressed a sadness at the loss of my shop to the nice people at Sonoma Syrup.... that makes my heart smile... thanks). Check out their site, let me know if you have any questions and I am still selling a few items so, if you are interested, contact me! http://www.sonomasyrup.com/

The giveaway:

I have 3 bottles to give. The new Acai Black Currant, Vanilla Bean infused simple syrup and Pomegranate simple syrup are the flavors. If you want one, all you have to do is comment and let me know what you would do with your bottle. What will you bake, create or add these syrups to? What flavor sounds best? Just let me know and I will choose the 3 most tempting, yummy comments next Monday (November 2) and send your bottle to you! Have fun!

9 comments:

  1. They all sound good. I want to try them all! I am a huge vanilla bean fan, so I would go with that one. I might make a pound cake and poke holes in it and let the syrup go to work. Or maybe I would use it in pancakes or waffles...with apple cider apples on top? The choices are endless. The Pom. one would be good drizzled over my homemade yogurt. Maybe I would make a parfait with it-yogurt, homemade granola, and the syrup with realy Pom seeds to top it off. Or in a salad...ok I will stop now.

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  2. They sound lovely... wish they were available in the UK though I think we have something similar by Monin (?) Note to self: buy gingerbread syrup from Costa Coffee when it's all over the place at Christmas because it seems to disappear afterwards!

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  3. Oh No. I cant choose!
    The Black Currant sounds amazing, and I thinkit would be amazing whipped into a mousse with chocolate. The vanilla bean though would be the most versatile - I can see it in icings, oooh, or mixed into whipped cream to top a thick chocolate cake....

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  4. Oh my gosh, I am all over that pomegranate syrup!! I'm imagining chocolate mousse-pomegranate crepes with that syrup drizzled over the tops...and I think I just drooled on myself. ;-)

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  5. I have got a real hankering to make mole sauce lately, and I think the Acai Black Currant would make an interesting addition to say the least. Would probably serve it over roast chicken and rice. As far as more traditional usage goes, any of these would be spectacular in a milkshake with vanilla ice cream :) :) :)

    This is a really cool giveaway. So glad you're doing it. Good luck to everyone who enters!

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  6. Wow, what a great give-a-way! I love Sonoma Extracts and Syrups, you are so right about how wonderful they are.

    If I have to choose just one it would be the Acai Black Currant. It would find it's way into a autumnal waffle with some perfect pears and a sprinkle of candied pecans on top. Oh, I wish you had your store so I could pop in and pick up a bottle of all three flavors!

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  7. Wow is right! You make these syrups and extracts sound amazing! I love all of the ideas - poured over a pound cake or over ice cream, or swirled into vanilla or chocolate ice cream, folded into whipped cream or drizzled over waffles or baked apples. Mmmm.

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  8. I've been a bit addicted to baked french toast lately. I think the Acai Black Currant syrup would take my baked french toast to a whole new level! Or maybe a fabulous sauce for a bread pudding. What really is the difference between baked french toast and bread pudding?

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  9. These sound like so much fun! I think I would try some of the recipes on the Sonoma Syrup web site, or if I win the Vanilla Bean infused Simple Syrup I would add it to my coffee in the AM!

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