Q. Where can I buy Gourmet Garden?

A. Gourmet Garden is stocked by leading food retailers in the U.S.A, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom & Europe. Look for it in the fresh produce section! See our store locator for more info.

Q. How do you use it?

A. Use Gourmet Garden herbs and spices the same way you would use fresh herbs and spices, added at any stage of the cooking process. When following a recipe, replace the named herb or spice by just squeezing Gourmet Garden instead! There is no picking, chopping, or washing! There is a guide on the back of the tube on how much to use, but we encourage you to just squeeze to your own liking! For best results the following tips may be of some help;

If frying (e.g. stir-fry): Add Gourmet Garden near the end of the cooking process to maintain the true flavour of fresh herbs and spices.

Blending: Gourmet Garden is ideal in dips and salad dressings. Just mix with your favourite ingredients, such as cream cheese mixed with Gourmet Garden Chives.

Ready meal enhancement: Personalise that ready meal with a final squeeze of Gourmet Garden to give your meals an extra lift (e.g. Give your ready-made pasta sauce a lift with Gourmet Garden Basil!).

On your plate: Use Gourmet Garden as a condiment by squeezing it straight onto your plate. Try squeezing Gourmet Garden Hot or Mild Chilli straight onto your chicken, steak or sausages for a fresher chilli flavour! Perfect for BBQ’s.

Check out our range of Gourmet Recipes for more delicious meal ideas.

Q. How much should I use?

A. Use how much you like! Just squeeze! Flavours are a very individual choice so go ahead and try experimenting to see what suits you. There is also a guide on the back of the tube comparing usage amounts to fresh herbs and spices.

Q. Once open does it affect the best before date?

A. No, as long as the cap is replaced back onto the tube when stored, the best before date will be as stated on the cap.

Q. How long can I keep it out of the fridge?

A. We would recommend that Gourmet Garden be returned as soon as practicable to refrigerated temperatures. Leaving the product out of the fridge for longer than half an hour is not advisable as with any other chilled product.

Q. Does the flavour “go off” over time?

A. Not if the storage and usage instructions are followed. If the product is exposed to excessive warmth and light then natural oxidation will take place and the fresh taste of the product will deteriorate. This is the same as all fresh and chilled products.

Q. What are the other ingredients?

A. Gourmet Garden blends are a combination of ingredients that once used together provide a unique environment for the fresh cut herb or spice. The ingredients used prevent oxidation and deterioration of the natural herb/spice.

Q. How does it stay fresh tasting?

A. A secret recipe using a balance of ingredients has been created to suspend the natural flavour and texture of the selected herb or spice. The herbs and spices are harvested at a time that maximizes their flavours. This crop is immediately washed and chopped and then blended to preserve that “fresh chopped taste” for you to discover when you open the tube in your home.

Q. Once open how long can I keep it in the fridge?

A. Once opened Gourmet Garden products should be stored in the fridge and used until the end of the best before date. The best before date is located on the cap.

Q. What are the best applications for each product?

A. Have a look at our Gourmet Recipe section of this web site for a collection of delicious recipes, which provide reflection of the type of cooking and usage that best demonstrates each product’s strength. This is a starting point for you. Most people love creating their own recipes and simple meal ideas with Gourmet Garden!

Q. Can they be mixed together?

A. Gourmet Garden herbs and spices work exceptionally well together and allow you to create some of the classic flavours of the world: Basil and Garlic (Italian), Garlic, Chilli, Lemongrass, Ginger and Coriander (Thai), Garlic and Hot or Mild Chilli (Portuguese / Mexican). You can also create your own unique combinations by experimenting with your favourite varieties.

Q. Is it a substitute for dried and fresh products?

A. Gourmet Garden can be substituted in any recipe where fresh or dried herb or spice is part of the cooking/flavouring process. Gourmet Garden provides the taste of fresh herbs and spices with all the convenience of dried herbs and spices!

Q. Can I use it straight from the freezer?

A. Yes, all our products can be used directly from the freezer. Gourmet Garden is a blend of the finest herbs and spices and selected natural ingredients. This process virtually eliminates all water and so the blend remains squeezable at normal freezer temperatures (-18 degrees Celsius, or 0 degrees Fahrenheit) so you can use it directly from the freezer. You may notice a change in the ease with which they squeeze, however if this occurs it only takes a minute for this to improve and for you to be able to squeeze the product easily.

Q. What varieties are available in the range?

A. In North America (USA and Canada) Gourmet Garden is available in 10 different tube varieties;
Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Italian Seasoning, Lemon Grass, Chili Pepper, Parsley and Oregano.
Tubes are sized at 115gm /4oz.

In Australia and New Zealand there are 14 herbs and spices available in tubes:
Basil, Coriander, Chives, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Hot Chilli, Italian Herbs, Lemon Grass, Mild Chilli, Parsley, Rosemary, Mint and Oregano.
Tubes are sized at 110gm - 120gm.
Australia also has 6-sachet packs available in Flavours of Thailand & Italy, Herbs & Spices and Garden Herbs variety packs and Basil, Hot Chilli, Coriander, Garlic and Ginger multipacks.

In the UK & Europe Gourmet Garden is available in 9 different tube varieties;
Basil, Coriander, Garlic, Hot Chilli, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Italian Herbs, Chives and Parsley. Tubes are sized at 110gm- 120gm.

Q. Should I reduce the salt added to a recipe?

A. The salts and sugars that form part of Gourmet Garden herbs and spices act as seasoning agents in the recipe. It is advised that you should reduce any additional seasoning you may normally use, and then add seasoning to your taste.

Q. Can Gourmet Garden Ginger be used in sweet and savoury recipes?

A. Yes, the Ginger used in Gourmet Garden is selected from the world’s acknowledged prime source of quality ginger: Buderim in Queensland, Australia. The raw product has a delicious balance of intense flavour combined with a natural sweetness. This ginger is ideal for both sweet and savoury applications.

Q. Can I put it back in the freezer once open?

A. Yes, you may return the tube to the freezer between every use until finished. The Best Before Date is on the cap and it can be extended for another 3 months if stored and used directly from the freezer.

Q. What temperature is refrigerated?

A. 10 degrees C / 50 degrees F or less, is suitable for storing Gourmet Garden, so normal household refrigerators are perfect.

Q. If I've left it open in the kitchen, does it go off?

A. As refrigeration is essential to preserving the “fresh chopped taste” of Gourmet Garden, we do not recommend that it is left open in the kitchen. The warmth and atmosphere in a kitchen promotes oxidation of the product and this will begin to alter the flavours of the herbs and spices

Q. Can I use Gourmet Garden if I have Diabetes?

A. Yes you can. The amount should be based on our recommend serving size and your recommended dietary intake of total sugars. Our serving size is located on the back of our packaging.

Q. Is it GM free? Is it MSG Free?

A. Yes. Gourmet Garden is free from genetically modified foods and is also MSG free.

Q. Is Gourmet Garden Gluten Free?

A. Gourmet Garden products have been tested for gluten and the analytical results show that there is no detectable gluten within the products. As the glucose syrup used in a few Gourmet Garden products is derived from wheat there may be trace amounts of gluten, that are not detected by analytical tests.

Q. Why is it made in Australia?

A. Gourmet Garden is an Australian discovery that uses the best growing conditions found to bring you the highest quality herbs and spices. The growing environment that has been created ensures quality herbs and spices are grown and harvested specifically for Gourmet Garden. Most of our herbs and spices are grown in the fertile conditions of Central QLD, Australia.