Del Saucisson product reviews

I have been lucky enough to live in France where dry sausage was a daily treat for my husband and I. We would happily buy one a day (many a different flavour) and complete as a snack before dinner. It was a common thing that when you sat down at a bar for a beer a plain dry sausage was brought to the table to snack on (free of charge). So my standards are high.

Coming home to NZ this was one thing that we would have loved to have found but never found anything anywhere near to the French dry sausage. We have now found something. Del Saucisson has put both my husband and I back in France. Thank you. We were pleased to also introduce our 3 year old to this sausage with an amazing response.

Although this did not have the same taste as what we were use to it came very close. We understand that cattle in NZ would be feed differently than in France which would alter the taste and also would not be dried in the traditional way in wooden huts on the snowy mountain tops. For those that have never tried dry sausage before it has a bit of a salami taste however chewy and without the fat would not get the same taste.

We appreciated the effort that has been put into making this dry sausage in NZ and are keen to find out more about the company and the products they supply. We will be happy to treat ourselves to this again (only way to eat it is plain) however it may not be as often with the price and now that we have to share with our children as well.

I originally requested this for sandwiches but once it arrived I realised that expectation was a little silly. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. It came in 2 rolls and the wrapper was extremely difficult to get off. Once opened we decided to have a little piece each and the taste is amazing you can really taste the garlic and the cracked black pepper. So much better than I had ever dreamt. For such a little piece it definitly packed a wallop and I loved how chewy it was, it felt like bubble gum.

The wrapper said once opened to store in an airtight container, it also suggested in a cool dry area and so we left in the fridge. That night made crackers with cheese, tomato and the salami. Only needed a little piece and it was devine. A great snack while watching a movie.

Another KiwiReviewer had put a post up of One Pot Pasta and that looked so good I had to steal the idea. So tonight spaghetti, spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic and the salami in the one pot and 15 minutes later it was ready. Covered in cheese and a yummy looking dinner was waiting for us. As great as it was I should of diced the salami up much smaller than what I did. I was concerned it was going to loose its flavour in the pot with all that water, thought it would drain it of its taste but I shouldn't of been. It kept the flavour and tasted just as good, if not a little strong, but again that was my fault. The rest of it was bland but still nice and then you ate the salami and your mouth exploded it was just too strong for the rest of the meal.

Other salami that I have tried tastes no where near as good. When you look at the little portion you need for this to make something flavoursome it really is good value for money much better than anything I have ever tasted before.

After tasting this salami, I wonder why I don't buy more of it and also why I would bother buying cheap versions. I cut a chunk off the end of the salami and bit into it. I enjoyed the flavour and the texture. It really felt like I had something decent to chew on. It is what I would consider a very mild salami.

I think that because the taste is very mild, I think that it would be best eaten as it is rather than mixing it with anything as the flavour could easily be lost. The serving suggestion at the back is to have it with red wine. That was an easy test - good salami and good wine. My husband and I enjoyed the combination.

The points marked on the front of the pack to say that it is preservative free, gluten free and has no artificial colours is important to me. That would make me more likely to consider a product. The ingredients are very simple and if you had the knowledge and skill to do it yourself, you would know exactly what to put in the mix. This is with the exception of starter culture. A quick Google search helped me understand what it was. It seems it is important to lower the PH of the the meat and make a hostile environment for bacteria. So basically this salami is actual food and doesn't contain unnecessary rubbish.

I note that the pack is designed for two servings. I think that considering the price, it would be a special treat for a meal. Another alternative would be to cut it into smaller pieces and make it last for family snacks. It is designed to last seven days after opening according to the packet. I really don't think that would be an issue as it tastes so good - the more likely issue would be making it last that long for everyone to enjoy.

The fact that the salami doesn't need to be refrigerated is a bonus and makes it a possibility for children's lunches. It could be cut up into little rounds or cubes as a nice snack. My children loved it and kept wanting more - another special food that my kids like. I am not sure if I should be happy or sad!! It would also be great for family picnics or outdoor adventures.