A Taste of France from Crossroads Select's New Year's Collection: Beef Bourguignon Review

Hello everyone!

I'm kicking off the new year with a delicious meal from Crossroads Select's New Year's Collection, and I'm excited to share my thoughts on this chilled ready-to-eat dish - Beef à la Française with beef and mushrooms from Russian brand 'Crossroads Select' (manufacturer - OOO 'Yumi').

The price is a steal at 449 rubles (on sale for 269 roubles), and I picked it up at the 'Crossroads' store.

The packaging is a plastic recyclable tray, covered with a sealed film, which is great for the environment.

The label has all the necessary information for consumers, including ingredients and nutritional value.

Here's the ingredients list:

Beef (diaphragm beef*, salt), mushroom duxelles (béchamel sauce (water, milk, cream, wheat flour paste (sweet and unsalted butter, high-grade wheat flour), sour cream (cream, milk acidifier), salt), sautéed mushrooms (mushrooms, sunflower oil, salt, dry mushroom broth (salt, maltodextrin, flavor enhancers and aromas, sugar, plant fat, flavorings, cornstarch, mushrooms, citric acid, onion, sugar beet color III, yeast extract), black pepper), sautéed onion (onion, sunflower oil), dry mushroom broth, filling [mozzarella cheese (milk, salt, lactic acid bacteria, microbial enzyme preparation), Gouda cheese (milk, lactic acid bacteria, microbial enzyme, salt), mayonnaise (sunflower oil, water, sugar, salt, egg yolk, acidity regulators: vinegar and lactic acid, potassium sorbate, stabilizers: xanthan and guar gum, flavoring, colorant), egg yolk, egg white, salt], sunflower oil.

Nutritional value per serving:

- 41.4g of protein,

- 33.1g of fat,

- 9.9g of carbohydrates.

Shelf life:

7 days

Reheating instructions:

- remove the airtight seal,

- heat in a microwave oven at 800W for 2 minutes.

Weight - 190g (503 calories).

The dish has an appetizing and eye-catching appearance, with a generous portion of beef and mushrooms.

The main component is braised beef, which is a cut from the beef diaphragm.

This is a medium-sized, rounded piece located at the bottom.

At the bottom, you'll find a thin, rusty crust on top of the beef.

This is what the beef looks like from the bottom.

On top of the beef is a generous 'filling' made up of two juicy layers:

- the lower one is a mushroom duxelles in a creamy sauce,

- the upper one is a mozzarella and Gouda cheese topping.

The combination of flavors and textures in this dish is really impressive.

The beef is definitely the star of the show, with its rich, meaty flavor and tender texture.

The creamy cheese notes and subtle mushroom flavors complement each other nicely, adding to the overall flavor profile.

The mayonnaise and bechamel sauce with sour cream tie everything together, adding extra juiciness to the meat and maintaining the dish's consistency.

Overall, this dish is a real winner, with its impressive flavor profile, tender texture, and generous portion size.

But what really sealed the deal for me was the customer support. I had a minor issue with the product, and the team responded quickly and helpfully, providing a hassle-free experience.

I'd say that's a big part of why I'd recommend this product to anyone looking for a hassle-free experience.