Most kitchens have a jar of garlic powder in the back of the cabinet that has been there longer than anyone would admit. There is probably also a half-used bunch of cilantro slowly collapsing in the refrigerator and a knob of ginger that seemed like a good idea three weeks ago.
That is a big part of why frozen herbs are becoming less of a specialty product and more of a genuinely useful kitchen staple.
Dorot Gardens® takes garlic and herbs harvested at peak freshness, crushes them and flash-freezes them into individual pre-portioned cubes. Instead of peeling garlic, chopping parsley or trying to figure out what to do with the rest of a bunch of basil, cooks simply pop out however many cubes they need and return the tray to the freezer.
It is an extremely simple idea, but one that solves several everyday cooking annoyances at once.
Fresh Flavor Without the Chopping Board
The Dorot Gardens lineup includes Garlic, Basil, Parsley, Ginger, Cilantro, Dill, Turmeric and Sautéed Glazed Onions, which covers a surprisingly large percentage of what ends up being chopped, minced or grated during everyday cooking.
And the Sautéed Glazed Onions may be one of the more interesting shortcuts of the bunch. Having cooked onions ready in the freezer eliminates one of those small but surprisingly time-consuming first steps in everything from burgers and sandwiches to eggs, sauces and weeknight dinners.
Why Flash-Freezing Matters
The distinction here is that these are not dried herbs being reconstituted. Dorot Gardens harvests its garlic and herbs at peak freshness, crushes them immediately and flash-freezes them into portioned cubes.
The process is designed to preserve fresh flavor and nutrients while giving the ingredients a much longer usable life. It also addresses one of the frustrating realities of buying fresh herbs: they are often sold in quantities considerably larger than a recipe requires.
A recipe may call for a tablespoon of cilantro, but the grocery store sells an entire bunch. Fresh basil can look beautiful on Monday and considerably less convincing by Friday. With frozen portions, cooks use what they need and leave the rest frozen for another meal.
That can mean less food waste as well as less prep work.
Pop. Drop. Done.
Dorot Gardens has reduced the concept to three words: “Pop. Drop. Done.®”
That is essentially how the products work. Pop a cube from the tray, drop it into the recipe and keep cooking. There is no peeling, chopping or measuring, and no garlic-covered knife and cutting board waiting in the sink afterward.
The company is carrying that idea into its “Make A Note To Grab Dorot” social media campaign, demonstrating ways the cubes can be incorporated into everyday cooking.
“Our mission is simple, to make cooking delicious meals easy, convenient, and stress-free,” said Michele Abo, General Manager for Dorot Gardens. “Dorot Gardens gives home cooks a simple way to enjoy the fresh flavor of garlic and herbs any time of year, without the prep work. It’s all about helping people spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying great food and great company.”
A Smart Shortcut for Weeknight Cooking
The appeal becomes especially obvious on busy nights. There is a considerable difference between deciding to make something that requires minced garlic, grated ginger and chopped herbs and simply reaching into the freezer for three cubes.
It also makes spontaneous cooking easier. A cook does not necessarily have to plan ahead and buy fresh dill because salmon suddenly sounds good for dinner or discover halfway through making curry that the ginger in the refrigerator has seen better days.
Celebrity chef George Duran has developed recipes using Dorot Gardens products, including Healthy Sloppy Joes and Smokey Tomato and Garlic Dip, along with additional recipes for easy entertaining, tailgating and family meals.
More recipes can be found at Dorot Gardens Recipes.
The Freezer Aisle Is Changing
Frozen food used to carry an automatic assumption that convenience meant compromising freshness. Flash-frozen herbs are helping change that perception by giving home cooks another way to keep frequently used ingredients on hand without constantly replacing wilted herbs and aging garlic.
For home cooks, the more useful question may simply be whether an ingredient makes it easier to cook real food. A freezer stocked with garlic, ginger, cilantro and basil that can be used one portion at a time certainly has an argument in its favor.
Dorot Gardens products are available in the frozen vegetable aisle at retailers including Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods Market, Wegmans and Harris Teeter. Other Kayco brands, including Mighty Sesame Co.® and Absolutely! Gluten Free®, are also available at retailers including Publix.
Dorot Gardens can be followed on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at @dorotgardens.
About Kayco
Kayco is a manufacturer and supplier of kosher foods and, through its Beyond Division, natural and specialty food products developed around convenience and changing consumer lifestyles. Headquartered in Bayonne, New Jersey, its portfolio includes Dorot Gardens®, Craize®, Wonder Juice™, Mighty Sesame Co.® and Absolutely! Gluten Free®, among other brands.
For more information about Dorot Gardens and its frozen garlic and herb products, visit Dorot Gardens. Additional information about Kayco and its portfolio of brands is available at Kayco.com.