 Any salad is a hit when you add Marcy’s dressings and extra-large, extra-crunchy croutons. Photo by Kelly Cline.
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BETH COLLINS is an editor at THE NIBBLE.
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April 2006
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Marcy’s Salad Dressings & Croutons
Five Delicious Reasons To Hit The Bottle
We’ve always wondered what the big fuss is about bottled salad dressings. In theory, they’re quick, easy ways to jazz up your salad with just a couple of shakes and the twist of a cap. But in reality, we’ve always found them disappointing. The oil-based ones are almost always overpowered with salt, the fruit-based ones are usually far too syrupy sweet for our tastes, and the cream-based ones tend to remind us more of mayonnaise than salad dressing.
In fact, we have so little confidence in bottled dressings that we’d all but sworn them off, preferring instead to stick to our own easy-to-make recipes. Until Marcy’s, that is. This line of five salad dressings and croutons has renewed our faith in the category. We would even say that it has inspired us to try other bottled salad dressings, but we’re so hooked on Marcy’s, we can’t imagine why we’d want to!
Hailing from Canada, Marcy’s Salad Dressings & Croutons is the brainchild of Marcy Mihalcheon, an entrepreneur and food-lover who set out to create a high-quality product with a strong flavor profile. One taste will tell you she succeeded. Each of the dressings has a distinct, flavor-forward character. We tried the whole line together and declared each of the five our favorite at least once. It’s not that we’re fickle; they’re just that good. Here’s the rundown:
- Balsamic & Dijon Vinaigrette: Wonderful balsamic flavor with just the right amount of dijon tanginess.
- Caesar Dressing: Full of intense garlic, pepper and caper flavors, with hints of lemon and anchovies. There is no parmesan, which we appreciated. Too often, bottled Caesars are overloaded with cheese and the other flavors get masked; we like the option of adding as much (or as little) as we want.
- Maple Syrup Vinaigrette: A perfect balance of rich maple syrup and balsamic, with a bit of lemon; this dressing makes us want to eat a salad every day for the rest of our lives.
- Plum & Herb Vinaigrette: A pickled-plum-vinegar base with fresh herbs throughout; offers a a delightful sour-tanginess.
- Shallot Vinaigrette: Both sweet and tangy, with an onion-y character that manages to be pronounced but not at all overpowering.
The croutons satisfy, too. Substantial in both size and flavor, they are made with Calabrese bread, seasoned with sea salt and a blend of spices, and baked to a delightful crunchiness. They happen to be kosher-certified, although the salad dressings are not.
When we nibbled them out of the bag, we found them a bit salty, but when we tried them in a salad (which is, of course, how they were meant to be enjoyed), we thought they were perfect. And there are five new flavors in the pipeline: 9-Grain Bread with Rosemary; Calabrese Bread with Tomato-Basil; Calabrese Bread with Onion-Herb; Sourdough Bread with Garlic; and Whole-Wheat Pita with Lemon-Pepper. Each should be available this June; needless to say, we can’t wait to try them.
In addition to its commitment to quality, Marcy’s also strives to make its products healthful. Unlike so many bottled dressings, Marcy’s dressings contain no added sugar, water, gums or fillers. They also have no trans fat and are all either low in or free of saturated fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates. In fact, the Balsamic & Dijon, Caesar, Maple Syrup, and Shallot dressings each sport Canada’s Health Check logo, proof that they have been reviewed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and meet specific nutrient criteria based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
Finally, we urge you to visit the company’s website (www.Marcys.tv) for the many recipes using the dressings. Light years beyond the typical marinate-chicken-breasts-in-the-dressing-and-throw-on-the-grill serving suggestions on the back of most bottled salad dressings, the site offers nearly 30 recipes for truly inspired dishes. If we ever tire of drizzling the dressings over greens (doubtful), we intend to try the Sweet & Sour Yam Brûlée and the Phyllo “Cigarellos.”
MARCY’S SALAD DRESSINGS & CROUTONS
Balsamic & Dijon Vinaigrette, Caesar Dressing, Maple Syrup Vinaigrette, Plum & Herb Vinaigrette, Shallot Vinaigrette; Croutons
Croutons are certified Kosher by
Kashruth Council of Canada
- Salad Dressings
12-Ounce Bottle
$4.99 each
- Croutons
125-gram bag
$2.99 each
Available at
KosherGourmetMart.com
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| Marcy’s Salad Dressings & Croutons have forced us to reconsider our stance on bottled dressings and store-bought croutons! |
Visit Marcys.tv for information on retail outlets near you.
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