Trying Out The Range Of Granolas from Jemima's Deli
Published On Saturday 6 Nov 2021 by Sticky Beak
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Despite my best efforts, I didn’t manage to visit all the traders I’d been in contact with prior to the Fine Food North Show, which left me feeling a bit glum as you can imagine. The Man Bird and I know the passion and hard work that goes into any venture, so when someone contacts us to say that they’d love us to try their produce we always strive to get involved. Unfortunately, Jemima’s Deli was one of the stands we didn’t get to but (bless you, Ruth and Annette) they got in contact to arrange delivery to the Nest, direct. How kind is that?
Wrapped up snuggly in a sturdy cardboard box was a quartet of full-size Granolas to try – I felt as if all my Christmases had come at once! Not one to resist any kind of temptation when it comes knocking, I sped into the kitchen to retrieve a bowl, spoon and some Greek Yoghurt and in a jiffy I was set to try the first sample: Delicious Grain Granola.
The Delicious Grain granola retails at £5 for 250g which doesn’t sound much but, trust me, a little of it goes a long, long way. I measured out 25g to just see what that actually looks like, and was surprised by how much there was in the bowl; I would probably have a bit more, say 35-40g, after a workout, but for a snack/meal/supper 25g was perfect. This morsel is gorgeously dense in the mouth, with a lovely chew time that satisfies; taste-wise this is rich too, another factor that contributes to not needing much of it per portion. Jemima’s Delicious Grain Granola is sweet (but not cloyingly so) thanks to Honey’s natural sugars, but there is also a hint of salty tang at the edge of the palate which provides a good balance in the mouth. Oats and Barley are the grain representatives, providing filling fibre to support the smaller amounts found in nuts – Almonds, Pecans and Walnuts in this case. Healthy fats and oils (as well as key minerals) are found in the nuts, as well as in the Pumpkin seeds that add a splash of deep green in the mix. Juicy sultanas add more chew and fruity sweetness to this Granola, which proved to be delicious by nature as well as in name.
Compared to the Delicious Grain mix, the Tahini Grain Granola (£5 for 250g) was very, very sweet due to containing soft brown sugar, Maple syrup and Date Molasses, and it was also a lot finer and bittier in texture. Olive oil’s savoury fruitiness tempered some of the sweetness as well as giving a bit of moistness to the Granola. Although there was only one type of nut in this mix, Pecan, it seemed as if there were more thanks to the small-but-mighty Sesame seeds’ nutty notes. Desiccated Coconut added a fragrant element to this morsel, as did Vanilla extract which made it nice and mellow in the taste stakes. Vegans can indulge in this variety of Jemima’s Deli’s Granola.
Two of the offerings from Jemima’s Deli are certified Gluten free as well as also being suitable for vegans: Cinnamon and Buckwheat Granola, and Perfect Granola which retail at £5 for 250g and £6.50 for 250g respectively.
I decided to try the Cinnamon and Buckwheat Granola next, as I do love me that particular warming spice – and it is Autumn after all, so when better to indulge? This was the moistest of the varieties so far and turned out to be the one with the finest texture, which isn’t a bad thing, depending on your own personal preference and what you’re partnering it with. This granola wasn’t as sweet as some of the other ones, due to Maple Syrup being further down the ingredient list and also, I think, because of Cinnamons inclusion: it isn’t a particularly sweet spice, being used in savoury, as well as sweet, recipes. As with the Tahini grain variety, there was just a single nut in evidence, the Pecan, which provided a fab blast of texture along with the abundant Coconut flakes. You have to like Coconut, really, to enjoy this particular granola from Jemima’s Deli; the flakes are the second biggest component on the ingredient list, and there’s also Coconut oil here too.
By pure chance (rather than by design) it seemed as if the best had been saved until last: the 2021, 3 star Great Taste Award-winning minx that is the Perfect Granola. This is a proper chunky monkey in terms of appearance which translates to being very satisfying to eat.Sweetness is provided by Maple syrup, which also binds the finer textured ground Almonds to the other ingredients - Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts, and Coconut flakes. Actually, if you include Salt (which is last on the list, by the way), there are only 8 ingredients in this granola! I absolutely adored the flavour of this morsel and it also looked very appealing; factor in that it’s loaded with stuff that is good for you and it’s easy to see why Jemima’s Deli named it ‘Perfect’.
All four Granola’s had strong, clean flavours thanks to top-quality ingredients being used in their making, and I loved the fact that there aren’t any artificial preservatives in Jemima’s products. This is the perfect example of definitely getting what you pay for. Clearly marked on the front of the packet is the date the granola was made and the date that it’s best before; compared to mass produced stuff it has a short shelf-life but, trust me, it won’t be in your cupboard long enough to reach it!! Personally, I would like to see the nutritional values and recommended serving size information on the packets too.
For more information on Jemima’s Deli and to order any of the Granolas for yourself, simply visit the website, www.jemimasdeli.com
Huge thanks to Ruth and Annette for sending me the samples to try, I loved every single mouthful.
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