Matt & Steve’s The Extreme Bean

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t belong in the kitchen. That being said, I can make a mean cocktail like no other. So when I was challenged to create appetizers using Matt & Steve’s The Extreme Bean, I was a little hesitant at first. Then I learned that Matt Larochelle and Steve McVicker, co-founders of The Extreme Bean, met during their bartending days and both wanted to better garnishes the classic Caesar cocktail, besides the traditional plain celery stick. Men after my own heart… I was sold. Since Derek and I were hosting NYE, we thought it would be the perfect time to put our extreme bean skills to the test. The challenge, we only had one hour to prep all our drinks and dishes.

Of course, I was in charge of the Caesars, a little Clamato juice, a shot or two of vodka, splash of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of hot sauce, rimmed with Matt & Steve’s Caesar Rim and finish off with The Extreme Bean Hot & Spicy and a cherry tomato. Now, of course, you can add a lime wedge, which I quite enjoy, but my friends do not. The spicy pickled bean, is longer, sweeter and crunchier than your traditional green bean, which gives the Caesar its own unique twist that’s got some bite, but not overly spicy. I even had to put the jar of Extreme Bean Hot & Spicy out cause my friends couldn’t get enough. I think it was the favourite flavour?

Derek was in charge of the appetizers, he did all the cutting and peeling, I just arranged them onto the plates to make them look “pretty”. First up, The Extreme Bean Skewers. Derek chopped up The Extreme Bean Sweet & Savoury in 3 mini pieces, sliced up some salami into thick strips, chopped up some mozzarella cheese and I slid them onto the skewers. Couldn’t be easier.

Next up, The Extreme Bean Veggie Shooters. These are perfect for parties, as it contains everything your guests need to enjoy delicious veggies and dip without the mess. Since the dip is right in the shot glass, along with the veggies, it’s quick to grab and take on the go. No more waiting for people to scoop up the dip and pick out their veggies, also say goodbye to “double dipping”. Derek simply cut up some carrots, celery, peppers and The Extreme Bean Garlic & Dill and placed into mini shot glasses filled with ranch dip. Another hit at the party, everyone was saying this would be perfect for Superbowl parties. Since the bean has the same yummy flavour as your typical dill pickle, but with the nutrition of green bean, it’s an excellent alternative and a healthy option to serve your guest.

We created 2 different recipes and a cocktail in under 60 minutes, now that’s my kind of hosting. If you love pickles as much as we do, you need to try Matt & Steve’s The Extreme Bean. The brand offers a variety of pickled beans, along with stuffed olives, that are lower in calories, an excellent source of calcium and they taste great. You get the great texture and crunch of a bean with the taste of a pickle.