Powerless? Let's get creative.

A friend posted a query. Do you say the lights went out? Or the power went out? 

We're a lights-out family and summer storms seem to find my grid. 

Also, I'm likely to switch on a light to find a candle, because the lights went out. Never works.

Today I'm sure young families feel a pinch when "power" is out, because that also means phones and tablets. How are people to amuse themselves? 

I love to sit outside but if it's still raining, you're out of luck. It's just dark and..... bedtime.

But I sure don't mind a meal of cracking open my pantry go-to, smoked oysters, for a little "lights out" celebration. Candles made my little meal romantic. Good thing I had the following "seedy stuff" to add to my spread: 

Seedy Stuff - I just took a week to fully enjoy and empty a little bag of pumpkin seeds that were so nourishing I felt my skin glow every time a munched a few. Crazy? Maybe. Crazy good. Wholesale Nuts and Dried Fruit ships you farm-fresh walnuts, almonds and seeds. I also was nuts for their almonds and dried figs. These Calimyrna figs, grown in California, are each like a little artwork from plate to mouth. They remind me of dining in Bible times and went great with a little candlelight spread.

June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month and company founder Matthew Baron combined his own health journey  with a passion for clean snacks and sustainable packaging to promote some brain-boosting benefits: 

🧠 Walnuts — High in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that support memory and brain function
🌰 Almonds — Rich in vitamin E, which may help protect brain cells
🌻 Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds — Packed with magnesium, zinc, and iron, essential for cognitive health

wholesalenutsanddriedfruit.com

Mushroom Homage - Do you think your friends would notice if your hummus was mushroom based and not a garbanzo concoction? Does chicken liver and porcini mousse call out to you? Have you ever thought of highlighting mushrooms in a sweet potato salad or granola? 

     Here's what Chad Hyatt thinks is a good snack for gathering shrooms: Mushroom Leathers. In "The Mushroom Hunter's Kitchen: A Culinary Homage to Wild and Cultivated Mushrooms," this seeker is telling a backstory in a beautiful and educational way. It's a beautiful book and fills you in on pickling, salting and other ways to enjoy your bounty. The Messy Drawer is the chapter of mushroom misfit recipes, where you'll find a treasure called Chili-Miso Glaze. There are 119 more in this guide that you should hunt down. 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie up for creativity in the kitchen. Share your ideas with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Find your spirit with friends, song and shrimp dip

 

An unexpected weeknight connection brought me such joy. Spirituality, friendship, fellowship and a peek at a turtle pond was part of the deal.

A friend of a friend invited me to the home of a neighbor I don’t know. Traveling Eucharist was the blessed occasion. People of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church brought a chalice and accoutrement to a home and celebrated with prayer. The host family made all feel welcome and I saw people I knew from around the county. They do it all the time! What a special way to unite and share good company.

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Sounds – Pop by Museum of the Gulf Coast’s gift shop for “Hymns: Timeless Classics.” Opera singer Carol Wyatt was recently inducted into the museum’s music hall of fame. Hear her amazing voice uplifting listeners to “How Great Thou Art” and “It is So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” It will be well with your soul. Here is just a small part of her background on the MOGC site:

 

In the seventies and eighties, she was one of the most sought-after mezzo-sopranos in Germany and other European countries. Carol Wyatt had extensive guest contracts with the Hamburg State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Opera Houses Cologne and Düsseldorf-Duisburg, she was a guest at the Munich State Opera, in Stuttgart, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Hannover… For more than twenty years she was a principal soloist with the Deutsch Oper Berlin. 

 

Thanks for Shrimp, Jesus! – Let’s round this spiritual theme out with a peek from “The Fruit of the Spirit,” a 2001 cookbook I found on my mom’s shelves. I found a range of shrimp recipes in this book from Eastgate United Pentecostal Church in Vidor. Each one called for 2 cans of shrimp.

From there variations included:

* A pint of Kraft mayo, green onions and cream cheese

* Cream Cheese, mayo, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce

* 1 can golden mushroom soup, cream cheese green onions

Times have changed, but I’d still eat these at a church party.

Bless us one and all.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie wishing blessings. Share your foodie fun at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Fun finds for entertaining pop up at estate, porch sales

 

I head straight to kitchens at estate sales. Tiny forks, colorful glass curios and sentimental travel souvenirs catch my eye. So when I got to a friend’s porch sale, I was tickled at the care one of her helpers took to transform dishes and glassware into a fun table setting to tempt shoppers. Mixing and matching is fun and you can’t beat the prices and fun finds at sales.

Now for goodies to put in those plates and glasses:

Dar Baklava has passed the yummy test by me and three fellows with the proper background of rating these types of treats. They use 1/3 of the sugar and 1/6 of the syrup used in traditional baklava and it is still crispy, flaky and layered yum. It kind of tastes like gold and food of the gods. You wouldn’t know it was healthy and the site breaks down how you’re gonna love it like it’s an architectural rendering. There’s a nest and some layers and stuff like:

Pistachio Baklava – Snacklava, Walnut Baklava - Snacklava, to kid-friendly Mini Cookie Rings and a Nutlava Gift Box. Check out: www.darbaklava.com.

 

Ceremonial-Grade Score –  It won’t do to just tell you Bella Matcha Lavender Matcha Lemonade is good, refreshing and fancy as all get out served in a stemmed glass. Let me tell you what the makers say: Lavender Matcha Lemonade is more than a drink. It's a moment to pause, refresh, and reconnect. Made with organic Japanese ceremonial-grade matcha grown in Kagoshima, Japan, zesty lemon, and calming lavender, every sip is crafted to inspire clarity and balance.

Ceremonial grade is my go-to here. I feel royal. The clean profile has no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. You get filtered water, organic cane sugar, organic lemonade, and natural flavors. I just told you about one single thing in the line. For more, go to www.bellamatcha.com

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie soaking in summer flavors. Fizzy water with lime, anyone? darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Rind and Reads: Area restaurants trending in magazines

A longtime area favorite and a relative newbie are talk of the towns this week. The Schooner is in a coastal roundup Texas Highways good eats and Texas Monthly has listed Redbird BBQ high up in its always-anticipated barbecue list. Texas reads are noted below.

 

First, here’s a watermelon memo. I had the best watermelon of my life recently and couldn’t let it go. I remembered that you can get more eats from the rind and saved enough to try watermelon pickles. I impressed myself with the ease and success of this preparation. Basically, you cook up some vinegar, sugar and spices and pour them over the rinds. Okay, peeling the rinds was tough, but still worth the culinary thrill seeking of it all.

Now for the Texas reads:

 

Redbird BBQ in Port Neches has made the Texas Monthly has made the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas list and locals are pretty excited. Dubbed some of the best barbecue in Texas, Amir Jalali is giving the good stuff. The No. 4 ranking notes mention tender, glazed pork ribs for sweetness and glossy slices of wobbly brisket pleasantly salty and smoky. Here's a quote: The smoked koobideh sausage might be the most unusual link in this region known for its beef sausages. The Persian-inspired beef-and-onion mixture is flavored with saffron, mint, and turmeric. To bring it back home to southeast Texas, Jalali also adds some green onion before casing and smoking the sausage. Jalali’s father, Hamid Jalali, an Iranian immigrant, bakes pita to wrap each sausage in; the whole thing is topped with fresh Shirazi salad and a whipped sauce of yogurt and feta. It is truly singular in the Texas barbecue landscape.”

Raves of sides such as Caesar slaw, rolls with honey butter, beans and rice and roasted-garlic potato salad follow. Cheesy scalloped potatoes already have a spot in TM sides Hall of Fame.

"Reel Deals" - The June Texas Highways mentions some area hot spots we love in a roundup of 20 timeless coastal eateries. The Schooner in Nederland is noted for crabs. "Hardcore coastal road-road trippers will want to start at this easternmost seafood house owned by the Megas family since the 1950s for a plate of its legendary barbecue crab," the mention begins. Singaree Restaurant & Marina of Crystal Beach is called out for platters of Cajun seafood and the view of tugs, barges and fishing fleet. Take the Plunge is the header for a round up of good vibes at seafood stalwarts along the gulf. I wish I'd had this assignment. 

Texas Stats Baby - 6 Singing Mockingbirds, 5 Yellow Cactus Flowers, 3 Busy Oil Pumps and 2 Lowing Longhorns. Every Texas family wants their little star to learn the Lone Star State’s wonders. It’s adorable and on target. “Count on Texas: Baby’s First Book About the Lone Star State” is a thick, touchable read by Nicole LaRue from Gibbs Smith. Too soon to think stocking stuffers?

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie ready for summer flavors. Share your ideas at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Get in the Garden

Lemon Verbena’s sent can change your mood, Roman Emperor Tiberius ate cucumbers daily and pampas grass was a code in the swinging ‘70s. “Plants with Superpowers” informed me of this just while Southeast Texans are ready to play in the dirt. “The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation” has mad tips on making more plant babies. It’s kind of a free hobby that makes other people happy.

David Domoney authored the Superpower book and Lindsay Sisti is making the babies. These are gateway plant books with great photography and ideas. Here are a few more spring pleasures:

“The 10-Minute Gardener” – Sweet Basil! This woman thinks like me, but has more developed skills. Calikim of YouTube’s CaliKim Gardens & Home has a fun, photo-heavy read on “How to Have a Veggie Garden and a life – 85 Time-Saving Tactics to Be More Efficient and Grow More Food in Less Time. It’s all about routine and blitzes. Got a kettle on? Check your houseplants in that boiling time. Tie up a bamboo trellis in 8 minutes. Plan Fertilizer Fridays and dash-and-snip herbs for all your meals in a quick run. I like the idea of a bin of water for quick container soaks. You can do this and CaliKim can show you how.

“Daffodils” – Dallas, Sir Winston Churchill, River Queen, Sailboat and Trigonometry. The tie, they are daffodils, which I always thought were a far-away kind of flower. They link to narcissus, which I know and love. I used to pretend those stems and scapes were green onions in my mud pies. Naomi Slade’s words and Georgianna Lane’s photos make you fall in love with varieties for home and garden. Look at those precise hues, loose clusters, whorls and flared corona. It no wonder these are Europe’s Easter flowers. Spring is here and I’m ready to bulb.

American Horticultural Society –  Of course these people make it look easy. Maybe it is when you read their Essential Guides, such as the one on perennial gardening. Natives, everybody has ‘em. No matter your zone, this guide gives techniques and know-how for planning, planting and tending low-maintenance plantings. They’ll even help you keep the voles away. But we have deer, so your 6-to 8-foot fence should be opaque. They may still try to jump one they can see over. Read this and garden with passion, like with purple passionflower maypop. Here’s another guide:

“Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening” – What to do with those big net produce bags? They make a colorful sling for upright gardening. Tall guys for your vertical layers include okra, peas on a trellis and corn while shorties include garlic, mustard greens and onion. Try a living mulch, such as clover, under pole beans. Am I a pro? I’m smarter after reading this American Horticultural Society guide with great photography. It covers design, increased pollination, yields and more.

"The Water-Smart Garden"  - Rocks look great in a garden. This book has pages of advice on efficient water capture and use. My favorite page is 129, explains that classic terracotta pots are porous and allow water to evaporate through pot sides. Succulents don't mind, but you'd need more watering in other situations. Glazed or plastic pots work well to minimize water use, but corten steel or galvanized steel planters could cook roots. Wood and half whiskey barrels do the job, but maybe don't last as long as other planters. Try double potting. Keep plants in nursery containers and place them in a large pot. Noelle Johnson @az.plant.lady shares these techniques. 

Mapping Memories - Who would have thought a tea towel would be something to pass down to another generation. Family travels are the tie that binds. Remember Little Beach in Maui, walking the Big Easy or the carousel on the Jersey Shore? Gooseberry Designs has mapped out your memories on tea towels, totes, etc. of your favorite things. It’s a vintage look you’ll love. The Texas design notes mockingbirds and bluebonnets are a big deal for us. An Austin map features bats and a reminder to keep it weird. At www.gooseberrydesigns.com  you’re bound to keep it joyous.” There’s got to be a city that makes you smile.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie playing in the dirt and growing herbs. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Pour Neches is a happening spot

 

Pour Neches is all that! The new Port Neches hot spot on the Neches River is packing them in because in addition to food and a view, it’s a fun place to meet friends and family. There’s pickleball, too. I went on a Saturday afternoon and people were assembled for all occasions. A manager mentioned boiled seafood is all the rage right now, but my eye caught a Korean Rice bowl and some tacos and that was what had to happen. It was delicious. Cheers to Pour Neches.

Air Fryer Love – Can’t live without your air fryer? I love the ease and speed and crispy texture these babies give. Chances are you aren’t even using your machine to capacity. Chicken, pizza, doughnuts and fried rice are some weeknight wins. How about peaches and veggie bites for the health conscience? Get with Cathy Yoder for a cookbook that will broaden your fry. “Air Fryer Recipes: 150+ Yummy Air Fryer Recipes” that will work around the clock from breakfast to snacks to dessert. Crispy Chickpeas Snack calls for a 15-ounce can of rinsed, well-drained garbanzo beans, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon and paprika. Cinnamon is a spicy twist I would not have thought of. Apple chips, beef jerkey, just seasoned zucchini and sauce for some pizza flavor and croutons are all in this book. Cake mix cookies, even easier than they were before. Yoder has eight kids and a site called Fabulously Frugal.

Carpe the Afternoon – What are you doing at 3 p.m.? And, how are you feeling at 3 p.m.? Take a break with soft baked oat cookies with chocolate and almonds designed to balance your energy for the rest of the day. And they’re called… 3 pm Afternoon Bites. Plant-based, the cranberry flaxseed version also has 5 grams of protein with postbiotics. You can read up on that last thing. Both varieties have a good flavor and texture with green tea extract, fiber and low saturated fat. Seize yours at www.3pmbreak.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie looking out for new flavors and trends. Share your experiences at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Pack a bag and phone a friend

 

Sometimes we just don’t see enough of our friends, even when they live a few blocks over. One of mine texted she had some goodies that she was wiling to share and we made a patio date. When I saw her big monogramed bag, I knew she was going to pull out some choice morsels. They included Greek olive oil, some homemade salsa and a boudain and bean dip that must be tasted to be believed. All that and a bag of chips. I pulled together a garden bouquet and started an estate sale pewter platter of veggies and the contents of that bag became a fiesta. Pack your bag and phone a friend!

Display Me – Here’s an idea for your kitchen. Display Buddie arrived and I was ready to hang a “difficult thing.” It’s like those wires you put behind plates to hang on the wall, but there’s a cord to make it highly adjustable so you can display grandma’s baskets and 3-D items. For just a moment, I was intimidated, and wished I had extra arms. But the fixer-upper in me said challenge on. I harnessed a large abalone shell I acquired at one of Michelle Bruno’s estate sales and tackled that baby in less than 20 seconds. The Buddie has a lock button to help you adjust that cord and my shell looks “popping” on that wall. www.displaybuddie.com has customer show-offs. Somebody got a skateboard up there. Pardon me while I look for more décor to hang.

 

Foodie Luxury – Foodies who enjoy wine and cheese from the boudoir, get this atmosphere note: Ēla Lane has some king-sized perfection including Signature Sateen Hemstitched Sheet Set in Quiet Gray and Classic Percale Embroidered Sheet Set in White. The No. 1 wow factor is the fit. I’ve not had to tug the corners once. But let’s get to softness and feel. The stitching is a beautiful extra that reminds me of smocking my mom lovingly added to my childhood clothes. What a lovely memory to lull me to sleep. Their mission is to “Create the softest, finest linen without compromising the health of our planet.” The crisp percale reminds me of being tucked into a puff pastry sheet. That’s just where my mind goes.

                               These organic sheets are made with 100% long-staple organic cotton. Ela is a Greek word that means “come.” The word lane means “path.” The people of Ela Lane say their path  includes respecting the makers, honoring the earth and those who choose the bedding ethically-crafted in Portugal. Ela Lane is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, with 1% of its sales supporting environmental initiatives and helping communities in need. Affiliated with Awin.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who prefers to do many things just a bit differently. Share your tips at darraghcastillo@icloud.com