New Year Kitchen Confession #3: PC Product Testing No More

The Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie Spread, Praline Pecan Caramel Cheesecake Lollipops, Nanaimo Bar Baking Mix, Gingerbread Cookie Mix and Gluten-Free Golden Cake Mix

Another heart-wrenching confession. Sigh… I am no longer going to be doing my product reviews of President’s Choice products. Yup, that hurts to write. You know I love PC, their products, their people, their stores… I consider my Loblaw PR gal-pal Margaret a dear friend! But during the holidays there were so many products that required time, effort and additional ingredients, I realized that it was just too much.

Very soon we are going to be going through a “huge financial transformation” (I am trying to use positive terminology) and I have to try and come up with ways to make some money. I just can not do all that work for free anymore. I know people think, “But you get free food!” It is true, I do. But I take product testing very seriously and work my ass off to do it well. Tons of time and effort go into each post. Time and effort that could go into help paying for our groceries.

President’s Choice has been incredibly understanding about my situation and have been since we started working together. They sent me products while I was in Toronto so my family and I could taste test food together. My mom found it very exciting and being such a foodie, took is very seriously.

I have never revealed this before to anyone, including Loblaws, but I decided I wanted their food at my Mom’s memorial. We had it catered by Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens. I just did not trust anyone else and I wanted them to take care of everyone with their food and they did a marvellous job.

Now this is not to say this is forever! In fact, Margaret still wants to send me products (what a sweetheart) so I think I will continue doing my mystery box reveals which are always a ton of fun to do. You just never know what is going to happen. I do not want this to be the end of my relationship with President’s Choice at all but I must confess, we will be going through a transition phase.

Honourable Mentions

Four President’s Choice products made it to my top products list of 2013 but there are some products I just have to mention. One is their Avocado Mayo Sandwich Spread. I never have good luck getting good avocados but I love the flavour. As a result, I have been using this mayo not only as a spread but on top of my Mexican dishes too where I would normally add guacamole! I know, sounds weird but it is delicious. Deadly but delicious. It is also a great dipper for grilled cheese sandwiches. I love it.

Their Black Label Truffle Flavour Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena was a big contender for my top products of 2013 list but I just could not do it. Why? It does not taste like truffles! All I can taste is the balsamic vinegar. Instead of being disappointed, I use it all the time to drizzle onto roasted portobellos mushrooms, add it to pasta sauces for additional zip… No truffle flavour but as a balsamic glaze? Delicious!

I have said it before and I will say it again, we love these Caramel Greek Yogurt Smoothie Bars! Despite the cold weather, we picked more up at Christmas and shivered as we ate them, frozen but in foodie heaven. Quite a few times I have talked people into buying them when I was at the store. I really love them and they are a great way to get a treat with probiotics that is not over +100 calories.

My dearest President’s Choice, I adore you. I want to thank you for everything you have done for me. I did my best but now I am burned out and need to be a responsible adult. Which sucks and I am not particularly good at. I can hide in denial of our situation no longer. Thanks for all the food, fun and friendship.