Our series 'Inside the Hamper' has introduced you to various growers, producers, and creatives that contribute to our curated gourmet hampers. And, next up, we are excited to share with you Bagdad Foods, a local business owned by Greg and Jude Barnes. Initially, Greg owned and managed Bagdad Cafe in Horsham, and it was here -in the early 2000s- that the original dressing came into being. "I would go into Greg's cafe after work and help out; it was during one of these times that I noticed the kraft dressing he was serving on the salads was very ordinary," says Jude. "So, I thought I would make my own, this became the Bagdad Original Dressing, and people kept asking for the recipe," she explains.
When asking Jude how she came up with the recipe, she recounted mixing varying ingredients until she was satisfied with the taste. "The funny thing was, I would just throw in different things, but then I could never remember what or how much I had used, and I would have to go through the entire process again and work out how much of each ingredient I would need to put it," she exclaims. However, after trialling the product in-store and countless customers exclaiming how delicious the salad dressing was, Jude decided that instead of giving the recipe away, she would begin to sell it. From here, the pair started making and selling the dressing commercially and supplying up to 50 stores with their delicious product. After selling Bagdad Cafe in 2004, they got serious about selling the dressing and creating more products, which means you can now order a Honey Mustard and Poppy Seed Dressing along with the Original.
But why is Bagdad dressing so delicious? Jude explained it is because there is nothing artificial within their recipe. "We use all-natural ingredients, and there are no flavour enhancers in there," she says. "It is also popular because it is not just your stock standard summer condiment; it can be used all year round on basically anything, just not ice cream; Greg tried that once and it was pretty awful," she laughs.
As any foodie will know, a good dressing becomes the difference between a boring salad and a kitchen masterpiece. However, when you add a splash of Bagdad Food's Original Dressing, you will enhance the flavour of almost anything! We're talking roast veggies, simple salad's and even as a marinade for all meat, poultry and fish. The original dressing is a delightful mix of flavours, with an initial burst of sweetness, followed by a refreshing tang of vinegar and just a slight hint of garlic. It is currently being made in Greg and Jude's registered kitchen on their property in Hamilton, Victoria.
If you're looking for the perfect kitchen staple, you can't go past a dressing from Bagdad Foods.
We guarantee you will never have a boring salad again!
The Hamilton Hamper stocks Bagdad foods as individual items and we love to include it in our hamper collection. Currently as part of the Family Front Runner Hamper.
TIP: We love Bagdad Foods Original Dressing on a char-grilled vegetable salad, click here for the recipe.
