While I enjoy sausage, I don’t cook it at home very often. So when our meat department revamped our FreshDirect sausage line, the sausage was so good that I wanted to find an easy way to rotate a new meal into my routine.

Personally, my favorite recipes can be cooked in one pan or pot. This sausage bake is no exception. I borrowed my dad’s recipe as a base and then added my own twists from there, which I encourage others to do with any easy recipe. Substitute in what you like, remove what you don’t! (More…)

When winter is dragging on and your go-to mug of hot chocolate starts looking a bit ho-hum, it’s time to start adding creativity to your cup (and we’re not just talking marshmallows or whipped cream).

Cocoa goes well with a variety of flavors, so it’s fun to experiment. Armed with a wide array of add-ins and toppings, you can make a new flavor combination for every day of the week.

Here are ten fun ideas to get you rolling:

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Having just launched the new FreshDirect Sandwich Shop, Chef Tina Bourbeau chats with us about eating her way through Philadelphia’s legendary sandwich shops, developing the FreshDirect line and what it takes to go from a good sandwich to a great sandwich. (More…)

Peanut butter + Jelly. Both ingredients are great alone, but they’re a little more special when they’re together.

In honor of the Valentine’s Day holiday, we asked the food experts around FreshDirect to share a few of their favorite combinations. What’s great on its own, but amazing when it’s paired?

Let’s start with a few of my own perfect pairs… (More…)

I am a purist when it comes to guacamole, no fancy add-ins here. To make up for my lack of adventure in my guacamole recipe, I have a few non-traditional recipes to make easy game-day snacks to help feed those hungry fans.

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There is nothing quite like a Sunday afternoon watching football and snacking on homemade dips. (Sure, sometimes I switch out football for reality TV, but one thing remains: the yummy food!)

When you’re “tailgating” at home and keeping a lot of hungry fans happy, I find it’s best to keep things simple.

Set up some dips: salsa, spicy guacamole, queso dip. If you’re feeling adventurous, it doesn’t have to be from a jar; I’ve started making the fastest salsa known to man when I have the extra ingredients. (More…)

Calamondin! Gesundheit! No, no! Calamondin, a cross between a kumquat and a sour mandarin, is just one of the many specialty citrus products that FreshDirect offers. Many of our customers know that we sell carrots and apples and cucumbers—but many may not know about our extensive specialty produce selection. And right now, it’s citrus season!

In addition to calamondin, which is often used for its high acid content in cooking, we sell kumquats, etrog, pink lemons and finger limes! Kumquats? Etrog? FINGER LIMES? Yes—these are all real items and proudly featured at the top of the citrus category!

With a sweet peel and tart flesh, the kumquat is the inverse of a mini-orange. What’s more, you can pop these little gems like candy for easy eating!

Etrog, a lemon-like fruit originating from Israel, is still an important component of the Jewish holiday Sukkot. It has a thick rind and very little flesh. Because of its hardy skin, those familiar with the fruit use the rind to make jams and candies.

Finger limes… What?! Originating in Australia and very new to the produce scene, finger limes are making a splash in cocktails, seafood dishes and salads. The tiny pearls are grown by the Shanley Family in Morro Bay, California. I recommend using finger limes to adorn your fish tacos, using them whenever you would use a lemon or lime as a garnish, and sprinkling them in your favorite citrus-friendly cocktail.

FreshDirect offers many perks to its customer—quality products, great prices and convenience—but we also offer off-the-beaten paths products that are just waiting for your trial. I encourage you to step out of your foodie box and give one of these delicious, specialty citrus varieties a try. Join me in my New Year’s resolution: make 2013 taste better!

Have you tried any of our specialty citrus? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

To help ring in 2013 with a splash, I decided to try some new bubbly cocktails that were low on prep time but big on flavor. These three sparklers are delicious, exciting, and a unique way to countdown to the New Year.  (More…)

LONG ISLAND CITY, New York (Dec. 21, 2012) – FreshDirect, announces its contribution to help over 30 families affected by Hurricane Sandy by donating family meal packages through the Williams’ Point of Hope Foundation and Autism Speaks holiday event hosted tomorrow by Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams and his wife Amy.  In the aftermath of the storm, FreshDirect has made donations to many New York City and Philadelphia non-profit organizations, distributing fresh and healthy foods to families in need, while continuing to serve communities that the company supports year round.

Through City Harvest and the Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway, Queens in New York and Philabundance and Project H.O.M.E. in Philadelphia, FreshDirect donated more than 376,000 pounds of fresh food and more than 2,000 holiday turkey meals in the days and weeks following the hurricane, which was distributed to local food bank systems and shelters. (More…)

When I was small, I got to have two Christmas dinners; one was classic American, with ham and all the traditional sides, and one was an Italian version.

On Christmas Eve, my nonna would spend all day cooking, and by the time she was done, we would be treated to multiple courses. We’d start with pasta topped with fish sauce and freshly grated parmesan, and lead into a course with calamari and fried shrimp, another with breaded steak and chicken cutlets with green bean salad, squid salad, and pan-fried peas, and then finish off with one of my all-time favorite foods: artichokes stuffed with sharp provolone cheese. We’d finish the meal with milky, extra-sweet coffee (even the kids), cracked nuts, and panettone with butter or homemade frittole. To me, there is no greater meal.

By the time I was in grade school, I realized that not every family celebrated the same way, and that our tradition was truly special. That’s why I’m always fascinated by other people’s food traditions; after all, the food makes the holiday. I asked around the office and the answers were as diverse as I imagined. (More…)