by Crush

If you’ve ever found yourself halfway through a recipe only to discover the garlic has sprouted, the ginger has gone soft, or there’s nothing but a sad, lonely chilli rattling around the bottom of the fridge – this one’s for you.

Cape Herb & Spice, South Africa’s leading herb and spice innovators, have just launched something that’s about to become a permanent fixture on your kitchen counter. Introducing the Cape Herb & Spice Liquid Seasonings range: real garlic, ginger, and chilli, captured and bottled so that authentic, fresh flavour is always within arm’s reach. No chopping. No peeling. No waste. Just a squeeze, and you’re cooking.

We sat down with Shelley Barnard, Sales and Marketing Executive at Cape Herb & Spice, to find out what went into creating this clever range – and why, once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it.

What inspired the development of the Liquid Seasonings range, and what gap did you see in the way people cook at home?

We are always on the lookout for product ideas that support our customers’ efforts to produce delicious meals with minimal effort and stress. We were inspired by a similar product overseas and matched it to a capability in our group. We also loved that it uses minimal ingredients, giving authentic, clean flavour. We find that the consumer is under increasing time pressure with a million things demanding their attention, so saving the time it takes to buy and prepare these ingredients is a no-brainer.

Tell us a bit more about the range itself.

The Cape Herb & Spice Liquid Seasonings range is currently available in three variants – Garlic, Ginger, and Chilli – and can be found nationwide at Pick ‘n Pay and Food Lovers stores. The range is vegan, Halaal and kosher, made using only simple, recognisable ingredients with no synthetic flavourants, and can be stored in your pantry or on your kitchen counter – no fridge required.

How do the liquid versions differ from traditional fresh ingredients in terms of flavour delivery and usage?

The essence of the real, fresh garlic, ginger and chilli is captured in a vinegar base. They are ingredients for building flavour in dishes, replacing the fresh. Unlike fresh, you would add them after the initial ingredients, like onion, are already cooking in the pan. They are also great included in sauces, butter blends and dressings.  As a rough measure, I would say one tablespoon is the equivalent of one medium clove of garlic, one knob of ginger or one medium chilli – but it also varies based on the usage, so best to adjust to taste.

Are they an ingredient or a sauce, and how would you describe their role in the kitchen to someone using them for the first time?

These liquid seasonings are definitely more of an ingredient than a sauce. Imagine your fresh garlic, ginger or chilli sitting at room temperature in the cupboard with a long shelf life and ready to use at any moment.

In what ways do these make cooking more convenient for home cooks compared to using fresh ingredients?

We all know the mental load of planning a dish, sourcing all the ingredients and getting going only to find sprouting garlic or mouldy ginger and chilli in the fridge. This is one less thing to think about. Apart from this, it also removes the mission of peeling and chopping, and no more smelly or burning fingers.

What are some creative or unexpected ways you envision people using these beyond the obvious?

I have become famous for my garlic bread using the garlic liquid seasoning. Recently, this has extended to potato bakes. They have also become my secret ingredient for stews, pasta sauces and stir-fries. The chilli and garlic are great to use on pizza to elevate the flavour.

Are there going to be more flavours in the pipeline?

We would love to do some herbs, but these are a bit more challenging in terms of preserving their delicate flavours – so watch this space!

Where to buy the Cape Herb & Spice Liquid Seasonings range

The Cape Herb & Spice Liquid Seasonings range is available now at Pick ‘n Pay and Food Lovers stores nationwide. Look out for the Garlic, Ginger and Chilli variants and give your everyday cooking an effortless upgrade – because great flavour should never depend on what’s left in the fridge.

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