four gourmet ingredients to order during quarantine

With the restrictions on travel and shopping, ordering groceries makes life during quarantine simpler. Having more time at home makes trying out new recipes with gourmet foods a more popular pastime.

In this spirit, here are four ideas for gourmet groceries to order so you can craft new and exciting dishes.

1) Michelin-level Meat

Have you ever really been able to make a restaurant-style steak? Why not try to make a perfectly cooked piece of beef with beautiful natural flavor? This is possible when you order quality meat that tastes delicious enough without seasoning.

Even though barbecues are not happening anytime soon, you can still enjoy tasty meat from ribs to rump. High-quality grass-fed meat can now be delivered to your door.

If you are looking for an American source for Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork, this review of the Snake River Farms will get you started in the right direction.

2) Dinner Dates

When Paul Popenoe voyaged to Arabia in 1912, he brought back hundreds of date palms to cultivate in California. He was responding to over fifty years of America's demand for dates. Dates were a staple before Milton Hershey created the first chocolate bar in 1900.

Why not try to revive the old-American fascination by creating sweet desserts like date pudding or jam? You can store and package the fruit easily. You can also enjoy this snack on its own, paired on a cheese board or with an afternoon coffee.

The Coachella region, near Palm Springs, is one of the primary sources for American-grown dates, and their farms carry a wide variety of tasty kinds you can order to try in your next dessert or dinner.

3) Seaweed Feed

The sea is full of edible vegetables that mostly get passed over. When prepared well, you have exciting and delicious ingredients to use. While most commonly associated with Japanese cuisines, seaweed is also a popular food in Ireland.

The varieties of seaweed include:

• Nori (known for being used in sushi rolls)
• Kombu
• Wakame
• Red dulse

You can prepare each as part of a soup or main course meal, or simply as an alternative sea-inspired snack.

Seaweed is most commonly grown on the east coast, with Maine seaweed being a popular choice for high-quality and responsibly-sourced sea vegetables.

4) Order to Grow

There is nothing quite like using ingredients grown in your home or garden. With the extra time spent at home, and the seasonable weather, ordering kits to grow your own gourmet ingredients is a great way to level up your cooking.

Start with simple herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, and mint. The more adventurous gardeners can move on to small vegetables, mushroom spores, or even edible flowers. There is really no limit on what seeds or packs you can order; you only have to pick what will work in your house.

Depending on what you want to grow, there are online ordering services for what you want, including 'grow-your-own' packs that include everything you will need all in one package.

Get Started

With the easy access to ingredients online, and the extra free time at home, it is an ideal time to start experimenting with gourmet cooking. Nothing is beyond your reach with the right ingredients and enough time to practice.

To receive the best ingredients, it is important always to first check the packaging process, especially when it comes to fresh products like meats. Packages that either fail to keep food fresh or are made of non-degradable material makes for a poor order.

With all this in mind, start ordering and get cooking!