Dive head first into cooking with our Gourmand Kit! In this box, you’ll find the necessities to bring a little more oomph to your cooking. Each Culinarie Kit includes ingredients from artisan producers across the United States. Box contents may vary by season. Enjoy!
The Ingredients
Please note: your box will not contain all of the items below, it will contain at least seven of the following ingredients. Ingredients change seasonally and based on availability from producers, but we leave out-of-season ingredients on this list for past Culinarie cooks to reference!
California Dark or Fig Balsamic Vinegar
Sparrow Lane Artisan Vinegars is based in California, distilling the most delicious acidic concoctions. Balsamic vinegar is a staple in many dishes, but Sparrow Lane brings the classics to new heights with this Dark Balsamic or Fig Balsamic Vinegar.
Balsamic Vinegar Tips
- The dark balsamic is rich and indulgent, perfect for marinades and reductions
- The California golden balsamic is sweet and subtle, ideal for dressings or adding a hint of acid to soups and stews
Balsamic Vinegar Recipe Ideas
Vinaigrettes Made Simple [Culinarie Kit]
Balsamic Vanilla Breakfast Salmon & Eggs [Culinarie Kit]
Spinach Salad [Sparrow Lane]
Pear Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette [Sparrow Lane]
Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms [Sparrow Lane]
Sparrow Lane Culinarie Spotlight
We love Sparrow Lane so much here at Culinarie Kit, that we decided to ask Chef Jesse a few questions. Read our interview with Sparrow Lane’s head honcho Jesse Layman!
Sparrow Lane Culinarie Spotlight
We love Sparrow Lane so much here at Culinarie Kit, that we decided to ask Chef Jesse a few questions. Read our interview with Sparrow Lane’s head honcho Jesse Layman!
Black Truffle Mustard
Mustard isn’t just for sandwiches when you’re learning the culinary ropes. It’s a fantastic emulsifier for dressings and sauces, it adds a much-needed zest to potato salads and coleslaw, and… well, okay, it’s really good on sandwiches, too. This Black Truffle Mustard takes it a step further, infusing the umami-riffic notes of black truffle into the classic condiment.
Black Truffle Mustard Tips
- Use in any recipe that calls for mustard to add a richer, more exotic note to the dish.
- Black truffle is a strong flavor that can easily overpower other ingredients. If you’re planning a recipe with delicate flavors, cut the mustard (ha!) with regular old dijon.
Black Truffle Mustard Recipe Ideas
Mustard Glazed Carrots [Juls Kitchen]
Roasted Broccolini with Creamy Mustard Sauce [Tess Masters]
Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mustard Sauce [The Veg Life]
Mustard and Chive Potato Salad [Aggie’s Kitchen]
Infinity Brussel Sprout Slaw [Culinarie Kit]
Bolivian Rose Sea Salt or French Sel Gris Sea Salt
Pink salt has been making waves in the mainstream culinary scene for about a decade now, so it makes sense that specific varieties would be of interest to chefs! Bolivian Rose Sea Salt is harvested in the Andes Mountains and distributed exclusively by SaltWorks. It’s pretty rare–and delicious! Sel Gris is the famous grey salt renowned by French chefs and gourmands across the globe. Sel gris is often referred to as the “saltiest salt,” and has a flavor complexity that you won’t get from basic kosher salt.
Bolivian Rose Sea Salt Tips
- These pale pink crystals are packed with flavor, so feel free to toss them directly into a salt mill for table use.
- Use the crystals whole to garnish caramels, cookies or other sweets.
- Use a squeeze of grapefruit, then dry the salt on the lowest setting of your oven. Grind coarsely and use as a garnish to cocktails!
- Use a tablespoon of whole salt crystals to salt boiling pasta water. Stir and dissolve before adding pasta!
Sel Gris Sea Salt Tips
- Sel gris can be used as a table salt when you really want to experience the depth of flavor it offers, but make sure to warn dinner guests to go easy on the shaker — this salt can be saltier than most folks are used to!
- Use alongside plain kosher salt in brines for eggplant or chicken to add a little something extra.
- This salt is aces in pasta dishes. Aromatics sautéed in a little butter, starchy pasta water, and sel gris can make a fantastic base sauce that whips up in minutes.
Shallot Infused Olive Oil
This Shallot Infused Olive Oil will become your new best friend in the kitchen. Make sure to take a whiff before cooking with it — this stuff is intoxicating. Shallot oil is common in French and Vietnamese cooking, but it works in just about any culinary style, adding a savory aromatic component to dishes.
Shallot Infused Olive Oil Tips
- The flavor is more subdued than the scent, so this oil really shines as a finishing ingredient — try it on top of hummus, or mixed with your favorite balsamic as a bread dip.
- Add a couple drops to a batch of rice for a subtle scent and flavor.
- If you’re using this shallot oil to pan fry, make sure to keep the heat to medium — olive oil has a lower smoke point than vegetable or canola oil.
Shallot Infused Olive Oil Recipes
Infused olive oils make a delicious addition to any recipe calling for regular olive oil. Try using your Rosemary Savory or White Truffle Infused Olive Oil in these tasty dishes:
Mediterranean Olive Oil Pasta [The Mediterranean Dish]
Baked Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips [Culinarie Kit]
Epic Baba Ganoush [Cookie and Kate]
Baked Tilapia in Garlic and Olive Oil [The Olive Crush]
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
You may be used to the basic red-capped lemon pepper shaker, also known as the world’s most boring seasoning. Green Point Trading Company’s Lemon Pepper Seasoning is worlds above that! Building on the classic tart-and-spicy flavor combo famous for lazy chicken seasoning, this lemon pepper seasoning has layers and oomph. Green Point Trading Company was founded in 2011 by a culinary couple and is based out of Brooklyn, NY. All of their spice and seasoning blends are preservative and additive free!
Lemon Pepper Seasoning Tips
- As the name suggests, it’s great on poultry, but we prefer to use it on roasted cauliflower.
- Mix with flour for a new take on fried chicken, fish, pickles, or cheese curds
- Shake a little onto warm buttered bread for tasty comfort food
Boquet Garni or Umami Dust Seasoning Blend
Allspice Culinarium is a boutique spice shop based in Iowa. This Bouquet Garni blend contains all the essential herbs and aromatics to create a flavorful stock, sauce, or soup. The recipe for this seasoning blend comes straight from French tradition! The Umami Dust is a savory blend of veggies and aromatics designed to provide the elusive “fifth taste.” Umami is the savory and earthy counterpart to the other four tastes: sweet, bitter, sour, and salty.
Boquet Garni Tips
- Simmer a couple tablespoons of Boquet Garni along with your vegetable refuse to create a rich, delicious veggie stock.
- Create a satchel with cheesecloth and twine and simmer in any soup or sauce to add layers of flavor. Remove before cooking, like a bay leaf. If you don’t have cheesecloth, a coffee filter will work, too!
Umami Dust Tips
- Use a pinch when seasoning proteins like tofu, or when building your own spice rub.
- Add a dash to homemade vegetable stock during the boiling process to create more depth of flavor in your soups and stews.
- Use in vegetarian gravies to get that “meaty” flavor you might otherwise miss.
Bourbon Smoked Chili Powder
It should come as no surprise that Bourbon Barrel Foods is one of our favorite regional artisans. Their Kentucky-based operation makes some of the most flavorful chef’s ingredients on the market. This chili powder is no exception, packing a healthy dose of heat with a ton of rich, smoky flavor.
Bourbon Smoked Chili Powder Tips
- Add it to chili, of course. But you knew that. It’s practically begging you to be put in chili.
- Recipe calls for black pepper? Halve the amount and add a touch of this chili powder. It will create a powerful flavor on the palate while still allowing the flavor of the black pepper to shine.
- This chili powder loves chocolate. It’s like they were meant for each other. Use a pinch in any recipe that calls for chocolate: mole sauce, cookies, hot cocoa. You won’t regret it.
Culinarie Exclusive
Infinity Seasoning Blend
Smelly’s Brunch seasoning blends are created by Culinarie’s own Executive Chef Ellie (aka “Smelly”). The Infinity Seasoning Blend is modeled after a classic “everything” bagel with a smoky, gourmet touch. The spices, seeds, and aromatics in this blend add complexity to its base of cherrywood smoked sea salt.
Infinity Seasoning Blend Tips
- A pinch of Infinity will liven up boring mayonnaise-based salads like coleslaw, tuna or chicken salad
- Add to a grain dish like couscous or a rice pilaf with a touch of olive oil for a fluffy and interesting side dish (like SoLADeli’s infused olive oil included in this kit)
- Work 1 tbsp Infinity into 1/4 cup softened butter for a luxurious and complex compound butter
Infinity Seasoning Blend Recipes
Breadless Infinity Tuna Melt [Culinarie Kit]
Infinity Brussels Sprout Slaw [Culinarie Kit]
3 Flavored Deviled Egg Recipes [Culinarie Kit]
Lox & Cream Cheese Wontons with Hollandaise Sauce [Culinarie Kit]
One more thing…
Don’t toss that cloth that your ingredients came wrapped in! It’s flour sack towel and every kitchen needs one…or twenty. They’re huge, they’re absorbent, and they’ve been used in professional and home kitchens for ages because they’re so versatile. You can use this towel to clean, or use it to cover dough while it rests. You can even use it as a substitute for cheesecloth in a pinch–it’s great for wringing moisture out of vegetables. Best of all, they’re durable and can be washed by hand or in a machine.
All Culinarie Kit packaging is 100% recycled or reused from our vendor shipments! Please continue the trend and reuse or recycle your Culinarie Kit box to help save the planet.
Loving your Gourmand Kit? Did you cook up something special? Let us know on our Facebook page, tag us @culinariekit on Instagram, or join our Culinarie Cooks Facebook group to share your creations.