Delicious All Purpose Seasoning Spices Up the Lives of Local Charity Recipents

Betsy and I have a mania for sauces and spices that make ordinary meals - cooked at home - taste better. Often, it is the packaging descriptions that sell us on trying something new that may be appearing on the local grocery store shelves.

I don’t want to tell you how often we have been disappointed by what we have bought, when we find that it has not even come close to living up to its labeling hype. This happens to us more often than not. Not only is it a disappointment, but a waste of money. Often five to seven dollars is tossed out the window (by us) along with the product and its deceptive packaging.

Recently, we came across a local New Jersey all purpose seasoning called Aunt Jayne’s Brand (http://www.auntjaynesseasoning.com)

. Oddly enough, its corporate headquarters is in the “suburbs” of the already small town of Marlboro, in Monmouth County (NJ). Yes, Aunt Jayne’s calls the almost mythical town of Wickatunk, New Jersey its home. Most people living in Marlboro don’t even know of its existence, even though there is a Wickatunk post office, nearby.

The packaging for Aunt Jayne’s Brand All Purpose Seasoning has a very “cool” retro-1960’s look and its slogan promises to “Stimulate Your Taste buds.” I am happy to report that it does just that. In fact, this stuff is nothing short of excellent. Without being too overpowering Aunt Jayne’s delivers a lightly salted, moderately peppery, SPICY kick in the pants flavor. It’s definitely the antidote for bland foods.

Oh…and did I also mention that Aunt Jayne’s is sweet? Not sweet in taste, but SWEET in what the company President G.A. Huntington, a highly respected food broker, is doing with the part of the profits on every sale. DONATING THEM TO CHARITY.

It turns out that the “Jayne” in Aunt Jayne’s Brand is a member of the Huntington family and is developmentally disabled. She attends the sheltered workshop programs of the ARC of Monmouth County (NJ) in Long Branch, where Aunt Jayne’s Brand is being stored and shipped from.

The product was developed specifically as a fundraiser for this wonderful organization and also serves as one of the shipping and handling projects that ARC has been tasked with to help its clients learn to be productive workers in society.

Betsy and I have always enjoyed cooking, but have never been that good at determining what seasonings or spices a dish needs. Aunt Jayne’s Brand All Purpose Seasoning basically replaces salt. It is used in our salad toppings; our homemade soups; added to our salsa, and most importantly we use it to season all kinds of meats, poultry, fish and veggies before grilling.

With Aunt Jayne’s we don't worry about amount or combinations of spices or seasonings to use. You really can’t overdo it if you season it to taste. It enhances any dish we make. We even use it on leftovers from a restaurant! This stuff is a must have in any kitchen.

While Aunt Jaynes is not readily available in supermarkets yet – but you can order it on the company website at http://www.auntjaynesseasoning.com/spices, where a 6 oz. bottle sells for $7.99, a fair price for a product that taste good and does good at the same time.