How a Cream Cheese Ring Delivers the Taste of Travel with One Bite!
Castello’s Taste Hawaii, Taste Thailand and Taste Mexico brings Dream Destinations to your Doorstep for less than $10.
With 57% of Canadians forgoing international travel this year to rising costs, travel expert Jennifer Weatherhead shares three destinations you can bring to your doorstep without flight delays or long line-ups!
The secret: food! Our sense of taste is the number one way to be transported to tropical destinations so Jennifer created three recipes that will whisk you away to Hawaii, Mexico and Thailand with just one bite.
Hawaii: One of the most popular destinations on everyone’s dream vacation list is Hawaii. Jennifer tapped into the fresh fruit, scents and sunrises of the Hawaiian islands with her smoothie bowl, featuring Taste Hawaii - a pineapple and almond cream cheese by Castello that’s creamy and fruity with a hint of nuts. Serve with some fresh juice surrounded by bright hibiscus flowers and enjoy while you watch the sun rise from the comfort of your own home.
Hawaiian Sunrise:
Ingredients:
Castello Taste Hawaii Cream cheese
Coconut Milk
Granola
Tropical fruits
Directions: Blend half a ring of Taste Hawaii with some coconut milk to create a creamy texture. Add some granola to a bowl, top with your favourite tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, papaya, dragon fruits, passion fruit) and spoon the cream cheese mixture on top. Garnish with toasted coconut, toasted chopped almonds and more fruit.
Mexico: If margaritas and mariachi in the moonlight appeals, Jennifer recommends recreating that experience in your backyard with her specialty hot queso dip. She blends Taste Mexico, a sweet and spicy pepper cream cheese by Castello, with lime juice and more peppers and bakes it until bubbly. Serve with authentic mini tacos and a Taste Mexico crema for the perfect getaway vibes.
Fiery Fiesta Queso Dip:
Ingredients:
Castello Taste Mexico Cream Cheese
2-3 Limes
1-2 Jalapeno peppers
Chipotle pepper
Directions: Whip one ring of Castello Taste Mexico Cream Cheese in a bowl until completely mixed and smooth. Squeeze in the juice from 2-3 limes (depending on how much you like lime!) For extra heat, you can add in a chopped jalapeno pepper or two, but you can keep it simple with the sweet and spicy mix in the cream cheese. Spoon into a baking dish and top with a chipotle pepper (for an extra kick), and bake for 15-20 mins at 300F, just until bubbly. Serve with crunchy veggies and tortilla chips.
Use the same cream cheese to make an easy crema for tacos and corn–just whip the cream cheese with some extra lime juice, and a little sour cream if you need to thin it out more, and drizzle over just about anything!
Thailand: When you’re at your desk and need an escape, forego the usual sandwich and try Jennifer’s Thai twist on avocado twist. The secret ingredient is the all-new Taste Thailand by Castello, a chili and ginger cream cheese spread on a toasted baguette and topped with avocado, chilis, cilantro and even a fried egg. The smooth cream cheese offers a sweet coconut and hint of pickled ginger that transports you to Thailand and the beautiful beaches of Phuket.
Spicy Thai Avocado Toast:
Ingredients:
Castello Taste Thailand
Toast
Olive oil
Fried Egg
Thai Red Chillies
Chilli crunch
Cilantro
Pickled Ginger
Directions: Toast your favourite bread for avocado toast (Jennifer recommends a baguette toasted in a pan with a bit of olive oil.) Spread some Castello Taste Thailand Cream Cheese over the toast. Make it as thick as you’d like! Top with avocado, a fried egg, and amp up the flavours with Thai red chillies, chilli crunch, cilantro and some pickled ginger