Condiment 2009

Outstanding Condiment 2009: Au Printemps Gourmet/Brickstone Fine Foods Caramelized Onion and Blood Orange Confit

Every company has a signature product on which it prides itself. For Canadian company Au Printemps Gourmet/Brickstone Fine Foods, which produces more than 400 different products, its signature and best-selling item, Caramelized Onion Confit, just got better. And it is California-grown blood oranges that brought it to new heights.

Introduced in January 2009, Caramelized Onion and Blood Orange Confit took home the sofi Gold for Outstanding Condiment, beating out others in the category with its pungent citrus flavor that mingles with hearty raisins, warm spices and onions. “With blood oranges becoming trendier in North America over recent years, we knew they’d be a great twist on our signature product,” says Serena Hillaert, account manager.

According to Hillaert, the idea behind the confit was to blend the blood orange’s pungent flavor with the caramelized onions to bring sweetness levels high enough to counterbalance the vinegar’s sharp taste. “This gives us a nice product without having to use any texture modifying agents—exactly like something you’d be able to achieve at home,” she says.

The company suggests using Caramelized Onion and Blood Orange Confit as a condiment, glaze or for finishing a recipe. It works exceptionally well on baked brie for a holiday appetizer or hors d’oeuvre or on roast pork or baked ham. Suggested retail price: $9.50/9.9-ounce. printempsgourmet.com.–N. Denis