A Free From Panini Full of Taste from Freedom Deli
The arrival of gluten-free pre-packaged paninis from Freedom Deli signals the start of a new era in free from freedom.
Grabbing a quick snack in a deli or cafe can be a real chore if you follow a gluten-free diet.
Many of the ready-packaged offerings available leave a lot to be desired, with lack lustre fillings on a cardboard bed of 'bread' - and if you are lucky enough to find fresh, the worry of cross-contamination can be enough to stop your appetite in it's tracks.
So when we discovered Freedom Deli had won the ready meals category at the Free From Food Awards we had to try some for ourselves...
With a selection of fillings for their gluten-free panini, consumers can now enjoy a tuna melt, pepperoni & cheese or cheese & ham panini at home, at work or eventually in your local cafe.
Freedom Deli is currently in negotiation with several multiple retailers and its long term aim is to see the range of products available at major coffee outlets, and within train and air travel across the UK.
The panini is cooked with the wrapper on, thus eliminating the risk of cross-contamination, making Freedom Deli the perfect choice for busy outlets.
We cooked our paninis in a regular oven, which increased the cooking time a little and in order to ensure the bread crisped up we removed the outer film and popped them into a 'clean' sandwich maker for a few minutes.
The result was a fresh, warm panini, full of ham and melting cheese, tasting like any other panini we had ever tried!
We didn't feel we were eating a 'special' diet, nor would we feel a nuisance for needing something altered on the menu to cater for our gluten-free ways if we could order these paninis when we were out for lunch.
Finally we can feel like one of the crowd and simply enjoy our lunch - without fuss but with full on flavour...
Along with the paninis we also taste tested the Freedom Deli Beef Lasagne, Cheese & Spinach Rolls and their Apple Strudel.
The beef lasagne boast layers of nutty pasta and a surprisingly creamy cheese sauce. Unfortunately we found that the lasagne did not keep any semblance of shape once cooked and the layers collapsed into a heap when served. Presentation aside, it tasted divine and we would still recommend this product on taste alone.
The Cheese & Spinach rolls comprise of a Lancashire cheese and leaf spinach filling covered with a buttery pastry. Melt-in-the-mouth and fresh from the oven, serve with a crispy green salad for a light evening meal. Or allow to cool and add them to your lunch box for a tasty midday snack. Truly scrummy!
Freedom Deli have got the mix down to an art for their Apple Strudel. Although the pasty was broken on arrival, and the cooked product didn't hold its shape, the taste was spot on and served with a dollop of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, what more could you want - and all gluten-free.
If you don't have the time to make all your meals from scratch and ready meals are a necessity for your weekly routine, or even as the occasional 'day-off' from working out your gluten-free diet plan, then Freedom Deli have a growing range to choose from.
It is easy to see how Freedom Deli achieved their well-deserved win in the Ready Meals Category of the Free From Food Awards 2013.
For more information, to see the whole range and shop online visit www.freedomdeli.co.uk