Pro vs punter
A critic and an olive reader test a make-at-home meal box featuring a taste of Burgundy
Our pro says
“After an extremely simple online ordering process, the Home-X ‘A Taste of Burgundy’ four-course meal comes in a big, elegant box in which everything you need is beautifully laid out. We open the bottle of 2019 Beaujolais Villages Cuvée Six, from the southern Burgundy region, to let it breathe a little while we prepare the meal.
“The meal preparation is relatively straightforward. The instructions are printed in a beautiful booklet
– you’ll probably want to pop it on your 2022 vision board afterwards – and my only complaint is that it’s a little hard to judge the ‘cook until warm’ instruction, especially when it comes to the potato side dish (I found that 20-25 minutes was enough for that, though).
“The food is everything you’d want on a cold winter evening: warm, rich and very elegant. The jambon persillé starter, a classic dish of the region, includes a persillade (parsley) sauce on the side, and pickled veg that gently cut through the richness of the ham.
“The main, boeuf bourguignon, is simply gorgeous. The beef is encased like a haggis, a lovely nod to the restaurant group’s Scottish origins, and the dish is finished with a rich wine and mushroom sauce that feels like a hug in your mouth.
“Two great sides accompany the main. My current favourite vegetable, jerusalem artichokes, come with garlic and a pistou (French version of pesto) sauce, and there’s also creamy, moreish pommes boulangère.
“Dessert comes in two parts. First, a blackcurrant charlotte russe – it’s like an inside-out Swiss roll, with the vanilla cream cutting through the cassis jelly playfully.
“We were given a heads up before the arrival that the second dessert part would be amended, as the expected French Langres Petit cheese had fallen victim to the import drama happening at the UK borders, but the incredibly rich-yet-smooth, 14-month-aged cheddar replacement from Scotland provides a reminder that there’s excellent produce in the UK, and teams like Home-X by Nico will continue to help us experience them from the comfort of our own homes.
“It’s a gorgeous way to spend an evening exploring regional food, with a great bottle of wine to go with it.”
Ease of ordering: 10/10 Food: 8/10 Prep: 8/10 Total: 26/30
Following the successful local launch of Home by Nico during the !rst lockdown, Scottish chef Nico Simeone has launched Home-X by Nico nationwide
– an at-home meal kit based on the experience of the renowned Six by Nico concept, which has locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Liverpool, Manchester and London. Each month, the Home-X team creates a new menu based on the culinary delights of di"erent regions from around the world. The kits contain a four-course meal re#ecting the chosen region, plus a carefully selected bottle of wine, all for £60 including delivery. Find out more about the current menu at home-x.com.
Our punter says
“Bleak times in winter call for comfort food, and the ‘A Taste of Burgundy’ menu promises heaps of it. I enjoy it with my support bubble in her east London kitchen.
“Ordering is easy and the ingredients arrive in good shape, bar the blackcurrant charlotte russe – its fancy crème diplomat headgear slid around a little en route. God knows how that happened – everything should have been as safe as a toddler in a European car seat, given the care Nico took over the (substantial) packaging. Better safe than sorry when it comes to dinner, though, and it is mostly recyclable. We are tired and therefore pleased that the meal comes together easily, with a glance at the instructions and some acceptable guesswork on timings.
“The ham hough terrine has some secret gherkins buried in it (winner) and the accompaniments of pickled veg and a vibrant green goop are piquant and give a nice contrast to the ham. While it’s all very pleasant, I would have saved room for the main, given the choice.
“Somewhat more elegant than my mum’s noughties version (a gargantuan stew made with cheap cuts and designed to feed teenagers), the boeuf bourguignon is hearty as anything and totally delicious. The sides are heavy hitters that aren’t outshone by the meat, and another green goop (for the artichokes, a different herb this time) adds a welcome flash of colour. The gravy comes in restaurant, not home-cooking, portions, raising an eyebrow from bubble, but it’s definitely sufficient, and is dotted with lardons, mushrooms and shallots – all manner of good things. It’s a solid main, and just what winter calls for: a great, big, sexy hug of a dish.
“On we go. The dessert is nice enough – creamy and tangy after the rich, earthy main. We struggle to liberate it from its container, so it’s further compromised at our end, but we don’t mind. Rounding things off, the cheese is tangy, the crackers robust and, well, you can’t go wrong with chutney.
“Overall, the meal is tasty, good value, and they’ve read the room well with the menu. Importantly, in early 2021, it feels like an event, and one we’d gladly repeat.”
Ease of ordering: 10/10 Food: 7/10
Prep: 9/10
Total: 26/30