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grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 08:56 PMI think this is a very odd product.I bought a jar of Mezzetta Kalamata Olive Sandwich Spread. Sounds delicious, right? I really like the brand and thought I'd use it in sandwiches. Oooog! It's sweet. It has raisins in it! Is there something I don't know about mediterranean food that puts together kalamatas with raisins?
Kalamata (Greek: Καλαμάτα Kalamáta, formerly Καλάμαι Kalámai) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. The capital and chief port of the Messenia regional unit, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf.
NYC_SKP (61,179 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 08:59 PM1. Leave it to any commercial food packer to screw up something good.I'll bet it also has High Fructose Corn Syrup. You know, for flavoring. Sorry for your loss, I do that all the time, grab something yummy sounding and read the label after it's too late or learn that it just sucks.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:48 PM7. ingredientskalamata olives raisins olive oil fresh onions red wine vinegar water sea salt xanthan gum sounds good except for the raisins!
kentauros (25,332 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 09:03 PM2. I've never heard of that.When I looked it up, I saw recipe-hits for sautéed spinach as well as used in empanadas. I could ask some Arab-American friends if they've ever heard of the combination
Galileo126 (585 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 09:49 PM3. Whoa...I love the Mezzetta line of products, but kalamata AND raisins? OK, I'll give Mezzetta a pass on that one, and just steer clear. <ugh> You might want to express your displeasure at their 'consumer feedback' site. "Listen, I LOVE what you do, but this one is a loser..." Meanwhile, I'm gonna have a couple of Mezzetta peperoncini, and a beer. Or maybe their bleu cheese-stuffed olives?
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:46 PM6. oh, I love the pepperonciniespecially in a salami and provolone sandwich on an Italian roll.
Peperoncini (or pepperoncini) are a variety of the species Capsicum annuum. While called peperoncini in American English, peppers of this particular kind, in Italy, are called peperone (plural peperoni) like other sweet varieties of peppers, while the term peperoncini (singular peperoncino) is used for hotter varieties of chili peppers. The Greek varieties are sweeter and less bitter than the Italian varieties grown in Tuscany. Peperoncini are mild with a slight heat and a hint of bitterness, and are commonly pickled and sold packaged in jars.
Kali (39,154 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 09:51 PM4. There is a lot of raisin use in some Mediterranean/Middle-eastern foodbut olives and raisins as a spread? ewww
Galileo126 (585 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:01 PM5. Maybe they were trying for a new spin on tapenade?Then again, my Italian Gramma used to put raisins in her meatloaf. I'm perplexed....
Tapenade (French pronunciation: ​[tapənad], Occitan: tapenada [tapeˈnadɔ]) is a Provençal dish consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Its name comes from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas (pronounced [taˈpenɔs]). It is a popular food in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d'œuvre, spread on bread. Sometimes it is also used to stuff poultry for a main course.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 11:01 PM9. okay, it might work with crackers and preserved lemons......or something like that. Maybe with Armenian cracker bread and some kind of aoft cheese and dried apricots. Salted nuts on the side.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:53 PM8. this recipe looks good.....but it still doesn't diminish the shock of the sandwich spread. http://www.marthastewart.com/316767/chicken-with-olives-raisins-and-spinach?czone=food/dinner-tonight-center/dinner-tonight-main-courses¢er=276948&gallery=275660&slide=283578?xsc=soc_gplus_chickenwitholivesraisinsandspinach
azurnoir (35,215 posts) Thu Sep 11, 2014, 01:14 AM10. I like Mezzetta products but that does sound sort of weirdI have some of their Castelvetrano olives and they are so good
Warpy (78,522 posts) Thu Sep 11, 2014, 02:39 AM11. There is.You just found it unexpected. When you're over the shock, take another taste and think of it with pastrami or other typical Italian deli meats. It's odd, but sweet and savory can be made for each other, like lamb and mint sauce, duck with orange sauce, chicken with honey glaze, ham with brown sugar. It can work. You just need to taste it a little more critically and with an open mind.
msanthrope (26,246 posts) Thu Sep 11, 2014, 07:27 AM12. It's very Sicilian. Raisins, olives, pine nuts, capers--the different combos of thoseingredients are the basis of many Sicilian dishes.
Imagine that. Furrin' food tastin' all, well, furrin'.Why don't it taste like Miracle Whip?Don't seem Murkin ta me.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:48 PM7. ingredientskalamata olivesraisinsolive oilfresh onionsred wine vinegarwatersea saltxanthan gumsounds good except for the raisins!
Their idiotic food snobby over inedible vomitous dreck truly knows no bounds.
Judy scarfs up dried apricots, but gets the heaves over raisins? The stuff doesn't sound all that shocking, just a mediterranean take on sweet/salty. Why are you such a provincial rube, Judy?
msanthrope (26,246 posts) Thu Sep 11, 2014, 07:27 AM12. It's very Sicilian Italianate. Raisins, olives, pine nuts, capers--the different combos of thoseingredients are the basis of many Sicilian Italianate dishes.
They certainly eat strange, high dollar foods off of our hard earned nickels and dimes.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 08:56 PMI think this is a very odd product.I bought a jar of Mezzetta Kalamata Olive Sandwich Spread. Sounds delicious, right? I really like the brand and thought I'd use it in sandwiches.
grasswire (41,436 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:48 PM7. ingredientsxanthan gum sounds good
