Colorado Spice Tomato, Powder , 36-Ounce Jar

Firstly, this product is pure tomato powder with no additives. That was important to me when making my decision to try this. Secondly, the price is excellent compared to other tomato powders. Thirdly, the convenience of having tomato sauce, paste, or just a flavor boost in any number of dishes cannot be overstated!As the title suggests, my famous tomato bisque now has a secret! I normally use real tomatoes, finely shredded carrots, onions, garlic, and herbs right from my garden for my delicious bisque (along with chicken stock, spices, and heavy cream from the store). Everyone has always raved about my bisque (I clean, chop, and roast my tomatoes alongside onions and garlic until soft and then add that all into my big pot. I then add in chicken stock and spices. I then use a hand mixer to blend it all until very smooth (this can also be accomplished by putting it into a blender, but I find the process too messy for my liking whereas I only need to hold a paper plate in my left hand to catch any flying hot soup while my right hand swirls the hand mixer throughout the soup - you could also use an immersion blender, I just don't happen to have one). I then simmer it for a good 30 mins-1hr before I clip a strainer onto the side of another pot and strain the bisque into the new pot (clean as you go, folks!). This makes it so smooth and creamy (again, a blender might do a good job of this so that you could skip this step). Then I add in the cream in the last 10 minutes, adjusting any spices.So, what's the magic step I **NOW** do? Right before I add the cream, I pour a ladle-ful of the hot soup into a bowl and add 2-3 tablespoonfuls of tomato powder. I then use a small whisk to blend it all in (if you just sprinkle it until the soup, it might settle on the bottom in a clump, and you don't want that). It brings an intensity of tomato flavor that takes my bisque over the top! (serve with homemade or store-bought croutons, a dollop of sour cream on the side, and a grilled cheese sandwich. Shhhhh, keep this tomato powder trick under your hat for your own creations!

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This Tomato Powder is a must for many sauces, soups, stews, and an outright requirement for chili. It adds a depth and richness to anything it is used in and has a nice thickening quality as well. The quality of CSC spices is amazing, the value is excellent, and it keeps well. When I purchased my first 32 ounce container from CSC I thought to myself that I would die with it 1/2 full, but no way - I find all kinds of unexpected ways to use it. I ordered a second container of a different variety and opened it before first was completely empty and compared the aroma of my four year old container and there was no difference. It was kept in a cool, dark pantry in it's original container and it did not lose any of its flavor. I have tried and highly recommend Colorado Spice Company's Ancho Chili Pepper, Smoked Paprika, and the Tomato Powder. I'm sure they are all amazing, but those are the only products I have tried thus far.

This is a nice tomato powder. I like that it does not have additives in it, such as silicon dioxide. The flavor is good, but not as good as the organic powder I used to get. The company I used to buy from hasn't re-stocked in a while, so I tried this. It is nice to use as flavoring in foods, sauces, dressings, soups, etc. It mixes better in hot liquids. There is a good amount in the container and it seems to be a good value for the price.

I've used a couple of containers of this so far and have ordered multiple replacements for the shelf as backups. It's not a product that really goes bad over time unless it gets wet or you leave it out in the bright sunlight. A little goes a long way and you won't go through a container of this stuff very quickly.I've used this product as a stand-alone for making paste and sauce and it works very well. You can't tell this stuff from the canned product other than maybe it tastes even a bit fresher. And because it's a powder, it saves a lot of space in the pantry.My biggest use for it however, is as a food additive. I add this to Italian sauces, soups, stews, and gravies to bump the flavor quickly. It adds a heartiness that just can't be duplicated, and the color is a bonus. Add a bit of this stuff to chili and the tomato really comes through without overpowering the rest of the flavors and brings a fresh red color to help excite the eyes as well as the taste buds. I will also sprinkle this on top of home made pizza to bump the flavor of the tomato sauce, but without adding any sloppiness. Mixed with your other preferred spices, it's also a nice base for a rub that can be used on oiled down meats before roasting. When making a sundried tomato bread, a sprinkle of this on top of the bread darkens those spots up nicely for color and adds a bit of roasted tomato flavor and texture to the crust of the bread.One thing that should be noted is that tomato power tends to thicken what it's put in. I expected some of that simply because it's dehydrated and would naturally absorb moisture. But it goes beyond that and has a thickening power similar (but not as strong) to flour. It's not a big deal, but something to be aware of.From a health standpoint, this should be added to any pantry. Red fruits have known anti-cancer properties and this is super concentrated. Adding a scoop of this to your food is just good common sense. Every little bit counts.6/30/13 Edit updateI still think this is a great product. I've picked it up a few times, but have also noticed that the good reviews seem to be going to their head... or at least to their calculators, as the price has been going up on the Subscribe and Save. Basically up about 10% in the past two months.I have also ordered the Harmony House version and find that while the product is a bit lighter in color, there is every bit as much flavor and it is basically the same product. It's a smaller container, but the price is 25% less per ounce. It's not a make/break difference, but given the choice between equal products, I have no problem with retaining more of my cash and having a smaller container in my spice pantry.

I got this for my girlfriend. She loves to make mixes and give them away for Xmas and the like. Locally for her, this was a VERY expensive product. I found this and was told it was a superior product, and that the quantity and price were perfect. I received a whole bunch of Yankee dimes (kisses for ya northerners) because it was so good. will get more when needed! Does add a lot to the taco mix, I had to try it and see!