Yes! I said, “Award-winning!” Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce brought home the Silver Medal in the category of Sweet-Mild Mustards in the World-Wide Mustard Competition for 2022, and we couldn’t be prouder. It is a blind tasting, so the judges have only unlabeled  jars in front of them. They don’t know if they are sampling the product of a large international company or that of a small artisan producer. They bring together chefs, food writers, other food professionals, and mustard aficionados to carefully evaluate the competition. As you can imagine, it is a daunting task but one that the judges take very seriously. Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce is a non-traditional sauce, inspired by Vietnamese food, that has an exceptional balance of heat and sweet roasted garlic flavor. It is a mustard-based pepper sauce that harmonizes well with burgers, and sandwiches, and as a gourmet finishing sauce. 

Saigon Street Sauce may be award-winning for its delicious flavor, but if there was a category for versatility, this sauce would win for that too. Whether putting a fancy meal on the table for company or grilling for your upcoming Memorial Day cookout, Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce is the only sauce you’ll need. This sweet and mildly spicy mustard-based sauce works beautifully as a finishing sauce for bratwurst, for example.

This sauce is so versatile that it also makes a terrific dressing in our slaw recipe. Our Saigon Slaw is always a hit and is the perfect dish to take to any Memorial Day potlucks you may be invited to this year.

Finally, don’t forget about pulled pork and ribs! Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce will take these to the next level. Try these memorable recipes this Memorial Day: Bellisari's Saigon Ginger Beer Pulled Pork or, slather our delicious award-winning Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce all over some baby back ribs as a delicious finishing touch!

And if you’re looking for the perfect beverage to pair with any of our Saigon Street Sauce recipes, we recommend a dry stout. All Bellisari’s Gourmet Sauces and Spreads have either a beer or wine pairing suggestion on every jar. Happy Memorial Day from all of us at Bellisari’s!

Before your grad has decorated their cap and collected their degree, it's time to start planning an epic gathering to celebrate all their hard work. These days, graduates and their families often host parties celebrating several graduates together at one party instead of multiple parties. That doesn’t mean that there still aren’t a lot of parties to attend, it just means there are not quite as many. What it means for the hosts is that many guests make the circuit to several of those parties and don’t tend to eat as much when they do come to yours. Keep that in mind when planning the menu. 

Hiring a food truck to come to supply the food for a party has been a trend for the last few years, but while it makes a party easy to host, using caterers and/or food trucks can cost a bundle. If you’re hoping not to spend a year’s worth of college or grad school tuition, there are many more affordable ways to throw a fantastic graduation party without feeling like you have to break the bank! These 5 tips will help you host a memorable yet affordable celebration for the grads in your life – whether it’s a party for one grad or several:

1. When planning the menu, choose recipes that can be made well in advance and in big batches. Bellisari’s has plenty of tasty gourmet recipes that would be perfect on this special and fun day! For an easy grab-and-go food, try Phyllo Shells with Mascarpone cheese and our Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread or our Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Deviled Eggs recipe. For bigger dishes, try our Cold Caprese Pasta Salad, or for chips and dip, try our Calabrian Lasagna Dip recipe!
2. Candy buffets have been popular for the last few years and are still an attractive and colorful way to serve something sweet. This year, change it up a bit by setting up a cookie buffet! Top it off with a decorative sign that says “He/She’s One Smart Cookie!” and you not only have an inexpensive dessert option, but you also have a cute decoration for the dessert table too. Many cookie recipes freeze really well without losing any quality upon thawing, meaning you could make multiple batches in advance, freeze them, and pull them out the morning of the party. By the time guests begin arriving, the cookies will be ready to devour! (Now who’s the smart cookie? 😉)
3. Save on renting a venue by hosting the event at one of the grad’s homes. I know planning an outside party can be nerve racking if the weather is iffy, but if taking the party indoors in case of rain isn’t an option as a back-up plan, you may want to rent party tents so guests can stay dry and still enjoy the soiree. A hot, sunny day can be just as bad as a rainy day if you don’t have places where guests can cool off in the shade. One or more party tents may be a necessary expense. You can usually rent tables and chairs from the same place you rent the party tents, and depending on how many guests you plan to invite, table and chair rentals are just one expense you’ll have to budget for.
4. When it comes to beverages, it can be a little tricky. If you’re celebrating high school graduates, you will need lots of non-alcoholic drinks, but pop can be pretty expensive. If you’re trying to economize, have pitchers of lemonade, iced tea, or any other cold drinks you can serve to minors. Not only will you not have to worry that any underage drinking is going on, but you’ll save a bundle if you forgo the beer and wine for adults too. If it’s a college graduation party, you could serve alcohol and still save money by serving a signature drink like pitchers of margaritas, sangria, or any other drink that can be made in large batches.
5. My last tip is simple. Have some games or activities that folks can play or do while at the party. Corn hole and giant Jenga are a couple of popular games to play outside. Depending on the space you have available, maybe you can set up a badminton net or a croquet court. More than likely if you don’t own these games, one of your neighbors does. Borrow their games, but be sure to invite them to the party!

People often make the mistake of thinking they have to spend a lot to have a great party, and that’s just not true. With some planning and a little creativity, you can throw your grad or grads a fabulous party they’ll never forget. Congratulations to all of the graduates this year from all of us at Bellisari’s!

Food for Thought:

Bellisari’s Partners Favorite Mother’s Day Memory

As a Women-Owned business, Bellisari’s loves to let our foodies and customers get to know the women behind the brand. As with many friendships, you get to know each other by telling stories. Telling stories about our childhoods and the memories we have helps people get to know us and about the kind of upbringing we have had. Of the women who own and operate Bellisari’s, not all of us are mothers, but, of course, we all had mothers. So I asked the question: What is your favorite childhood memory of Mother’s Day?   

I’ll start by telling mine. Growing up in an Italian family our lives are always surrounded by food…and typically too much food. Mother’s Day is no exception. My favorite recipes that I continue to request from my mom are either her meatballs, gnocchi, or cheesy potatoes.  On Mother’s Day, her go-to is Cheesy Potatoes.  

In addition to being a good cook, my mom has an amazing green thumb. Her request on Mother’s  Day is for all her children and grandchildren to help her in her yard.  It makes for a fun tradition! 

My business partner, Michelle, remembers childhood Mother’s Days fondly, and not surprisingly, there’s food connected to the memory. Michelle’s mom is a fabulous cook and like me, many of her best memories center around special foods. Michelle says, “Mother’s Day for us always started with breakfast. Since we had to be at church early, as children we would always be awakened by the smell of mom’s famous coffee cake baking in the oven. We would gather around the kitchen table to eat the rare treats of bacon and eggs with the delicious coffee cake.

Now that we are older, we try to make sure the moms in our family don’t have to do much on that day, so we prepare the meals they would like and let them put up their feet and enjoy the day, and of course, there is always coffee cake.”

Food for Thought:

All About Artichokes

       At first glance, artichokes might seem intimidating; especially if you’ve never worked with them before. Actually, they are super easy to handle and easier to prepare than you might think. 

       Artichokes are a round green vegetables made up of lots of leaves tightly packed together. This rather odd-looking vegetable is really an immature flower bud of a thistle plant. 

       The most popular type of artichoke is called a Globe artichoke, they’re big, round, and are sometimes shaped like a tulip.  They’re a rather beautiful vegetable especially once you cut into them as is called for in our Grilled Barista Artichoke recipe. These make a beautiful and delicious part of any meal!

       Some people say the flavor of an artichoke falls somewhere between asparagus and celery but to me an artichoke tastes…well…like an artichoke! As you can imagine, it has a really fresh, clean taste.

       While most people have had artichoke hearts if they’ve ever had artichokes at all, one cool fact is that you can eat almost the entire artichoke. The stem is edible, the heart is edible (which you will see once you cut into it) and the base of the leaves is edible as well. 

       Just above the heart is a weird fuzzy-looking section called the choke. This is easily scooped out with a spoon and discarded because if you have ever accidentally eaten any of the chokes, you will know how it gained its name. It will literally get stuck in your throat and choke you, so be sure not to eat it. It is not edible!

       Artichokes have great health benefits. They’re high in fiber, rich in antioxidants, and offer plenty of Vitamin C.  Plus, like most vegetables, they are high in nutrients and low in calories.

       You can often find artichokes at the grocery year all year round but Spring and Fall are when they are in season. This is when they will have the best flavor, the highest nutrient density, and hopefully the best cost.

       When buying artichokes, you want to look for artichokes that are nice and green and a little bit heavy for their size. You want them to feel plump, not hollow. This way you know they are fresh and not dried out. Look for leaves to be nice and tight on top.  A really fresh artichoke will actually squeak when you squeeze it! As for the stem, the fresher the cut the better, you don’t want the stems to be dry and shriveled up. Sometimes artichokes have some brown streaks on the leaves. This is caused by frost and shouldn’t hurt the quality of the vegetable; in fact, some would say this makes the artichoke sweeter.

       You can store your artichokes right in the produce bag. Make sure all the air is pushed out of the bag, wrap them up, and put them in the veggie drawer. They will last a few days this way, but I usually try to buy them close to the date that I plan to use them, so I don’t have to store them for too long.

How To Eat An Artichoke

• Artichokes may be served hot or cold.
• Pull off outer leaves, one at a time.
• Dip the base of the petal into sauce if desired and pull through teeth to remove the soft, pulpy portion of the leaf. Discard what remains.
• The heart and stem of the artichoke are entirely edible (and SO delicious!).

       Like apples and many other fruits and vegetables, artichokes have an enzyme in them that causes them to oxidize quickly, which basically means that once you cut into them and the oxygen hits the surface, they will begin to turn brown. To avoid this, be sure to use a stainless steel knife and pot. Keep a lemon on hand! Once you cut into the artichoke rub with the lemon to help slow down the oxidation as well.

       I hope you are now feeling eager to give whole artichokes a try! If, however, this seems like more than you care to dive into, remember you can also buy artichoke hearts canned, jarred, and frozen. They are all delicious and are always great in salads, egg dishes, soups, grains, and even pastas!  Try our Artichoke Chicken Bacon Bites, our Balsamic Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip, or our Calabrian Pepper Tuscan Cream Cheese Spread which is fabulous on French bread or crackers. (I love to use leftovers on my morning bagel!)

       If you’re an artichoke lover like I am, you are definitely going to want to try out these recipes. They’re so easy, yet so delicious; you’ll be hooked! Happy experimenting from all of us at Bellisari’s.

Food for Thought

The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift

If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about what to give the mothers in your life for Mother’s Day. It’s really only a few weeks away now. Everyone knows actions speak louder than words, so this Mother's Day, show Mom how much you love her with the perfect present. Of course, finding the so-called "perfect present" comes with a lot of pressure, right? Especially when shopping for all the most important women in your life. This year, Bellisari’s has you covered.

This year, pick something truly creative, practical or fun to pair with the flowers you're getting her. We have tons of unique items on our website. 

Our gift items are perfect whether you like to cook or not. With the “gourmet convenience” of Bellisari’s spreads and sauces, you don’t have to be a skilled cook to produce a delicious dish. Whether you serve them on their own or as part of a recipe, the results will be worthy of a true foodie!

While taste is important, food that is plated and presented well is more attractive to guests and can set the tone for an entire evening. Presentation and plating can draw attention to the specific ingredients in a dish, whether for aesthetic or practical reasons. Check out the gorgeous cutting boards we have on the website. For example, what mom wouldn’t love a new board for charcuterie! Our Live Edge Charcuterie Board is sure to catch the eyes of your guests. The rustic look of the wood adorned with "Family, Friends, Food" makes a beautiful combination. Your delicious charcuterie spread won't be the only talk of the evening. And, of course, our Blistered Jalapeno and Fig Spread is a charcuterie board’s best friend. 

Take a look at all of our gift items. https://bellisaris.com/collections/gifts. Whether you’re looking for Mother’s Day or the perfect host/hostess gift, Bellisari’s has options for any occasion.

No matter what your budget (or what kind of mother-daughter or mother-son relationship you have with the mom figure in your life), there are all kinds of gifts you can give her. No matter what you choose for her, just remember to pair it with a thoughtful Mother's Day card that has a sweet message! 

Happy Mother’s Day shopping from all of us at Bellisari’s!