(SPOT.ph) Even as we’re going out more these days, keeping your fridge and pantry stocked is a must—and we’re sure you’ve got your go-to essentials, but sometimes what’s familiar and reliable just won’t cut it. To which we say it’s worth exploring the realm of not-so-common grocery finds and expanding your (food) horizons, right from your kitchen! If you’re into one-of-a-kind eats with diverse and eccentric flavor profiles and/or that use high-quality ingredients—and come in snazzy-looking packaging to boot—it’s well worth hitting up COOP Fresh as they recently came out with a line of products from their own COOP house brand. Spanning stellar snacks, drool-worthy desserts, easy-to-cook frozen meats, and more, there’s definitely a lot to lust after—and we’ve rounded up our top picks in this list. Plus points for the fact that you can get them physically at their BGC outpost, or online!
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We’re drooling over these one-of-a-kind finds you can get from the house brand of COOP Fresh:
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Chips
Some days you just need the savory goodness of fried chicken—sans the gut-busting feeling of fullness that follows from having it as a meal. Enter COOP’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken Chips (P250/85 grams), a gluten-free snack featuring potatoes fried in coconut oil and flavored a la your favorite Southern-style fried treat.
Burnt Caramel Gelato
You can’t beat a cool and creamy scoop to lift your spirits on a hot day—and if you like your frozen desserts on the indulgent side, COOP’s Burnt Caramel Gelato (P398/pack of four 100-gram cups) is one to try. The sultry flavors of burnt sugar and dairy make sweet love in every spoonful, making for a truly memorable meal-ender or beat-the-heat snack.
Dirty Horchata Day Cocktail
You know what they say—it’s always happy hour somewhere, for which reason COOP’s got a line of “day cocktails” you can guzzle down whenever you’re feeling festive or need a bit more pep in your step. In the Dirty Horchata Day Cocktail (P245), a base of rice milk serves as a creamy, nutty undertone to a devilish mix of dark rum and coffee liquor.
Double Chocolate Walnut Cookie
Got the 3 p.m. hankerings for chocolate? Consider sating the craving on a crisp-chewy note with COOP’s Double Chocolate Walnut Cookie (P100). As you sink your teeth into its chocolate dough base, you’re met with an interior of dark chocolate chips and walnuts that come together into a decadent, nutty whole.
Bottarga Maya Maya Roe in Olive Oil
Jarred savory provisions are well worth keeping in your fridge for and we’re fans of COOP’s Bottarga Maya Maya Roe in Olive Oil (P320/220 grams). Taking after Italian bottarga, it features the roe sac of maya-maya that’s dried, salted, then breathed flavor and moisture with a mix of olive oil, corn oil, vinegar, garlic, and sea salt. The possibilities are endless on this one; have it plain or over rice, mix it with pasta as a quick sauce, or spoon some over your go-to crusty bread or crackers.
Carrot Chips Ranch
How’s this for a one-of-a-kind snack? COOP peddles the Carrot Chips Ranch (P245/50 grams), made with real carrots that’s dried—giving you “chips” that are part-crisp, part-leathery, and naturally earthy and sweet! For this relatively wholesome treat it’s flavored a la ranch dressing, with ingredients that include cashews for nuttiness; apple cider vinegar and calamansi for tang; onions, garlic, dill, and parsley for zest; and nutritional yeast for a “cheesy” (but cheese-free!) bite.
Burnt Toffee Pecan Crack
The Burnt Toffee Pecan Crack (P285/120-gram tub) stays true to the “crack” part of its name—not just in that it’s dang addictive, but also in that it comes as shards of burnt toffee with a crisp, crackly consistency. Every piece comes topped with milk chocolate, pecan bits, and sea salt that respectively contribute creaminess, nuttiness, and a most welcome savoriness contrast.
All Natural Gochujang Pork Samgyupsal
Consider bringing the KBBQ fun to your own kitchen by keeping a pack or two of COOP’s All Natural Gochujang Pork Samgyupsal (P375) in your freezer. Here, fresh cuts of the pork samgyupsal cut (free of antibiotics and growth hormones!) are given a feisty Korean-style marinade of garlic, onion, ginger, and gochujang for heat; simply grill or sauté in a pan and serve it over rice or wrap it in lettuce!
COOP Cheesecake
Cheesecake never goes out of style as far as desserts go, and we say consider picking up a slice or two of the COOP Cheesecake (P195). This is patterned after the New York style of the dessert that’s famed for its dense and creamy character—and though these slices are sold unadorned, its simple yet stellar flavor shines when taken plain; you can also treat it as a neutral canvas that can be topped with your favorite fruits.
Korean Thousand Island
Classic thousand island dressing is great and all, but if you’re up for a dressing with more fieriness and spunk, definitely don’t miss the COOP Korean Thousand Island dressing (P295). Infused with the red chili paste known as gochujang, you get a subtly sweet, subtly tangy, subtly spicy profile as you drizzle it over your go-to salad combo.
COOP Fresh is at Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City. For delivery orders, visit COOP Fresh’s website. You can also check out their Facebook page.
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