Gluten Free Pasta: Tinkiyada Organic Brown Rice Penne Pasta - Product Review #97

Gluten Free Pasta: Tinkiyada Brown Rice Penne

PRODUCT NAME:                        Organic Brown Rice Penne

BRAND:                                       Tinkyada

COST:                                          $4.49

SIZE:                                            12oz

COST PER OZ:                             $0.37/oz                              

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

ORGANIC:                                    NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

VEGAN:                                        Unknown

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:              YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:             Canada

SHELF LIFE:                                3 Years                 

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.      
     

REVIEW:
Tinkyada out of Canada is a company that is dedicated to making good tasting rice pasta.  They specialize which means that all of their machines are dedicated to process only rice and no other grain or cereal.  Not only is this pasta gluten free, but it is also corn free, egg free, dairy free, casein free, meat free, soy free, nut free and peanut free.  It’s the perfect allergy friendly pasta. 

Cooking this pasta is just as easy as cooking any other pasta.  All you need to do is it on medium-high for 16-17 minutes.  The cooking time seems a little high compared to other pastas, but it was surprisingly accurate.  The package claims that this pasta is not mushy, is al dente, and has good consistent texture.  All of these statements are accurate.  As long as you follow the directions, you will have consistent pasta every time. 

The taste and texture of the pasta was perfect.  This pasta is made of brown rice and you can tell right away.  Usually, pasta is really bland and really doesn’t taste like much, but this one had tons of flavor.  This pasta had the distinct, slightly sweet, brown rice flavor.  The texture was spot on too.  We were afraid that we overcooked the pasta with such a long cook time, but it held up perfectly.  It was firm, yet chewy and held its form.  The package was right; it was al dente, not mushy and had good consistent texture. 

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Overall, we loved this pasta.  It was everything you can ask for in a pasta; great flavor, good consistency and good texture.  With 200 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and just 25mg of sodium per serving, this is a fairly healthy pasta too.  The only downside is that it is a little pricy at $4.49 for a 12oz package.   

Taste: This is a great tasting pasta with good texture.  It is definitely one of the best we’ve ever had.   

Labeling: There is a lot of writing on this packaging.  While it can get confusing at times, it is all there for informational purposes. 

Packaging: Vacuum sealed plastic packaging. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 5             

Taste:                     5

Value:                    3             

OVERALL:              4.3

Reviewed on 3/24/11 by Calvin C   

Gluten Free Pasta: Rustichella D'Abruzzo Organic Corn Fusilli - Product Review #50

Gluten Free Pasta: Rustichella D'Abruzzo Corn Fusilli

PRODUCT NAME:                   Organic 100% Corn Fusilli

BRAND:                                  Rustichella D’Abruzzo

COST:                                    $7.00

SIZE:                                       8.8oz

COST PER OZ:                        $0.79/oz

CERTIFIED GLUETEN FREE:    NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       Istituto Mediterraneo Di Certificazione

VEGAN:                                   UNKNOWN

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:         UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Italy

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
If you look at some of our previous reviews, you will some of our reviews of Rustichella D’Abruzzo pasta. We really enjoy their pasta, so we seek out their different varieties of gluten free pastas to enjoy. A few months back, we actually had this pasta, but just never got a chance to write a review on it. If you know this brand, you might know that it is a little difficult to find, but we managed to find it at a grocery store in Napa, CA. At $7.00 a box, it is a little pricy, but what you get is a high quality pasta.

The Italians do things a little differently too in the gluten free world. Although I am not sure if this company has made the transition to the new regulations (all companies must comply by January 1, 2010), European countries have much stricter regulations on what can have the gluten free label on its package. Namely, all items marked gluten free must contain no more than 20ppm of gluten. That’s the levels that many gluten free certification agency test to.

This organic corn fusilli is one of the best we’ve tried. The box has specific directions on how to prepare this pasta and after following it, it makes a lot of sense. The box calls for you to boil the pasta for about 5-7 minutes. Here in the studio, we are cooking on hot plates that don’t get as hot as a traditional stove, so I cooked it for about 10 minutes to get it al dente. One thing that jumped out at me, was that it says “Do not rinse.” I am not sure what the reasoning behind that is, but my best guess would be to ensure that the pasta does not fall apart when rinsing.

In the form of flavor, there isn’t much to say about it as it is just pasta, but one thing to note is that you can really taste the flavor of the corn in the pasta. It adds a hint of sweetness to the flavor of the pasta. Combine this pasta with your favorite gluten free pasta sauce, and you have the perfect gluten free meal.

Taste: Great tasting pasta with good texture that we have come to expect from Rustichella D’Abruzzo. They really know their pasta.

Labeling: The labeling is very simple yet attractive. Combined with a few Italian words I cannot read, this pasta is the real thing…Italian pasta.

Packaging: The Packaging on this is a 2 part package. The dry noodles are placed in a sealed air-tight bag that is stuffed into a recyclable paperboard box (see photo for reference).

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company's other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product...

RATING:
Texture:          5
Taste:              5
Value:             2
OVERALL:       4


Reviewed 011211 by CC

Gluten Free Cookies: Mariposa Cinnamon Toast Biscotti - Product Review #49

Gluten Free Cookies: Mariposa Cinnamon Toast Biscotti

PRODUCT NAME:                    Cinnamon Toast Biscotti

BRAND:                                   Mariposa

COST:                                     $7.50

SIZE:                                        6.3oz

COST PER OZ:                         $1.19/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                Partial

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                    NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Oakland, CA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
For those of you looking for something to enjoy with your morning cup of coffee or tea, Mariposa has the perfect answer for you with their delicious Gluten Free Biscotti. Biscotti are Italian cookies, usually almond, that are baked twice. They start off as a long loaf that is baked and after they are baked through, are cut into strips, separated, and baked again. The end product is a dry, but very crunchy cookie that is unique to biscotti. It is the perfect complement to a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Mariposa did a great job with the cookie. They offer it in three varieties which are cinnamon toast, ginger spice and, of course, the classic almond biscotti. We opted for the Cinnamon Toast variety and it was delicious. The cookie has the distinct biscotti texture, but with a twist. It might be their special gluten-free flour mix, but this cookie is a little big lighter than the traditional biscotti’s and that makes it just that more enjoyable. It’s hard to explain, but the easiest way to describe it is you won’t have to fight with it too much to break a piece of it off. Bit into it and you will be greeted with an explosion of texture and taste. The cinnamon in this biscotti adds just the perfect amount of sweetness to complete the cookie.

This gluten free biscotti might actually be better than the regular version. If the almond and ginger spice varieties are anything like the cinnamon toast ones we tried, I’m sure they are delicious too. For those of you with nut allergies, sorry but you might want to stay away. There is a disclaimer on the box saying that it is “NOT SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH NUT ALLERGIES”. For those of you who have sensitive teeth, you might want to be careful with these because as with most biscotti, they are a little hard on your pearly whites.

Taste: Great flavor especially with the addition of the cinnamon. Texture that resembles biscotti, but just a little lighter, which I believe makes it more enjoyable as you won’t have to fight with it when you chew.

Labeling: Mariposa does a great job with their labeling. It is very simple and elegant. They do a good job of highlighting important information, such as being gluten free, wheat free, and dairy free (note although it is dairy free, it still contains eggs so it does not qualify as vegan). I also liked that it is labeled as not suitable for people with nut allergies as I know people who have those allergies sometimes have severe allergies.

Packaging: Very attractive packaging with a sealed plastic package within a paper box package. The package looks great, but does not provide you with any way to reseal it.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:          5
Taste:              5
Value:             3
OVERALL:       4.3


Reviewed 011111 by CC

Gluten Free Pizza: Mariposa 10" Pizza - Product Review #38

Gluten Free Pizza: Mariposa 10" Pizza

PRODUCT NAME:                        10” Topped Pizza

BRAND:                                       Mariposa

COST:                                         $10.75

SIZE:                                           10oz

COST PER OZ:                             $1.07/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:           NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:            N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A       

VEGAN:                                         NO

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:               YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              Oakland, CA

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Pizza…who doesn’t like pizza?  Only problem most of the pizza out there are made with wheat flour.  Enter…Mariposa with their 10” Topped Pizza, which is a frozen cheese pizza that just happens to be gluten free.  Celiacs and the gluten intolerant can now rejoice, finally a gluten free pizza that actually tastes like a pizza! 

A little background about Mariposa…they are a company based in Oakland, California that specializes in gluten free baked goods.  Mariposa has been producing delicious handmade gluten free baked goods that are just as good, if not better than their glutinous equivalents since 2004.  They bake everything at their dedicated gluten-free facility in Oakland, California.  You won’t have to worry about cross contamination with these baked goods.  So what is their secret to making such delicious baked goods?  It’s their special gluten free flours, which are combinations of organic brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour.

This gluten free pizza was great.  We baked the pizza up with some sausage and garlic as toppings and it was DELICIOUS!  It was very easy to make.  Dice up your favorite toppings sprinkle them on top and bake it in the oven until the cheese is melted.  What you end up with is a delicious cheesy pizza with a cripy crust.  The texture of the dough is perfect.  If we didn’t know any better, we wouldn’t have known it was gluten-free.   You can tell this is a high quality pizza crust.

This pizza was great.  Produced by a local company producing handmade high quality food is definitely a plus.  Some might think the price is a little high, but you’re paying for quality.  Just compare it to a frozen pizza you would get at your local grocery store.  You’d probably pay about $8 for one of the gluten filled frozen pizzas…I don’t’ think it’s too much to ask to pay a few more bucks to get a high quality gluten free product.

Taste: This pizza is great.  There was no weird aftertaste like some of the other gluten free bread products we have tried in the past and it had great texture.  We baked it just long enough to get a nice crispy outer crust and it was perfect.  The dough had the perfect consistency; not too chewy but not too flaky.  With our added toppings, it made for a delicious lunch.

Labeling:  There wasn’t much in the form of labeling, just a simple sticker on the front with the company logo, the name of the product, and the ingredients.  This was one of the inspirations for the weekend blog about missing nutrition facts.  This pizza does not have nutrition facts on the packaging and I believe mariposa is exempt from it because they qualify for the Small Business Exemption. 

Packaging: The packaging is very simple as well.  No double packaging here, just a Ziploc bag and a round piece of cardboard to keep the pizza from deforming. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                5             

Taste:                    5

Value:                   2

OVERALL:             4

Reviewed 12/10/10 by CC

Gluten Free Cookies: Ca' Momi Brutti Ma Buoni - Product Review #30

Gluten Free Cookies: Ca' Momi Brutti Ma Buoni

PRODUCT NAME:                      Brutti Ma Buoni (Ugly But Good)

BRAND:                                     Ca’ Momi

COST:                                       $9.85

SIZE:                                         15 pieces

COST PER PIECE:                     $0.65

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:        NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         N/A

ORGANIC:                                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:         NO

VEGAN:                                     NO

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:            NO

LOCATION OF FACILITY:          California

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
On a recent trip up to Napa, TD found a bakery called Ca’ Momi that had delicious gluten free cookies called Brutti Ma Buoni. If you were wondering, that means “ugly but good” in Italian. The name is the perfect description for these delicious cookies. I apologize that the photo above is just a photo of the packaging, but we ate all of them before we got a chance to photograph them. The cookies look like they were scooped up and balled then put in the oven to bake, but judging by its name, I don’t think a fancy looking cookie is the purpose of this cookie. It’s the taste! These things are delicious!

They are made of all organic egg whites, sugar, and hazelnuts. I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of hazelnuts and when I saw that on the list of ingredients, I already knew I would like these cookies. Bite into them and they are very crispy and sweet and you can definitely taste the distinct nutty flavor of the hazelnuts. It was hard to eat just one. I will say that although I’m pretty sure just about anyone would love these cookies, but people with sensitive teeth should probably stay away. These cookies take a bit of effort to bit into because they are so crunchy. They crumbs also find their way to lodge themselves in between your teeth.

The only real downside I can see for these cookies is that currently, you can only get them at their store in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, CA. You might think that the price is a little high, but it is actually very reasonable for what you are actually getting, which is a gourmet handmade cookie that is delicious, not to mention GLUTEN FREE. Hopefully in the future they will sell them online for everyone to enjoy.

Taste: Sweet, crunchy, and delicious, are the three words that come to mind when I think about these gluten free Brutti Ma Buoni cookies from Ca’ Momi. It makes a great dessert by itself, but I actually think it would be great crumbled in some vanilla ice cream. No matter how you end up having them, I’m sure you will enjoy them.

Labeling: A 2.5”x1” label with the name of the cookie, the company logo and the ingredients is all is all that is on this packaging. No nutrition facts or anything to hold you back. Knowing that they taste so good, I’m actually a little scared to see the nutrition facts.

Packaging: The packaging is simple bakery fresh packaging. Just a cellophane bag tied at the top with a ribbon. These are made fresh from scratch so I don’t think they will keep too long, but I doubt that will be a big problem because I can almost guarantee that these will be go quickly.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                4             

Taste:                    5

Value:                   4

OVERALL:             4.5

Reviewed by CC 12/3/10

Gluten Free Pasta: De Boles Gluten Free Multi Grain Penne - Product Review #16

Gluten Free Pasta: De Boles Multi Grain Penne

PRODUCT NAME:                         Gluten Free Multi Grain Penne

BRAND:                                        De Boles

COST:                                           $2.99

SIZE:                                             8oz

COST PER OZ:                              $0.37/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              N/A

VEGAN:                                         Unknown

WHEAT FREE FACILITY:                Unknown

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               Melville, NY

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

Texture wise, this pasta was good.  Not too mushy and not too chewy.  It was served with corn salad, which went very well with the pasta.  The company has been around for a very long time and also produces other varieties of pasta including whole wheat flour pastas.  This leads me to believe that the pasta is not produced in a wheat free facility.  Case in point, their recall of one lot of Gluten Free Tubettini corn pasta labeled for Kids, which may contain undeclared whole wheat alphabet pasta.  If you are severely allergic to gluten, I would be very careful.      

Taste: We boiled the pasta in the same water we boiled our eggs in, which had a lot of salt in it, which may have been the reason the pasta was so tasty, but the pasta really did taste good. 

Labeling:  The packaging has very simple labeling with cooking directions and a few recipes on the back.  

Packaging: The packaging itself is actually pretty good.  It is made from paperboard that is made of 100% recycled paper fiber. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product..

RATING:

Texture:                 4                             

Taste:                     4

Value:                    3

OVERALL:              3.6

Reviewed 10/01/10 by CC