Paper cooking and a popping family

What’s poppin’ in Nederland
Pop Family has taken its successful Beaumont Business to Nederland and the grand opening featured the No. 1 customer pick at both stores: caramel sea salt.

Nancy Lamson said everybody loves that, but she’s noticed her Mid-County shoppers have a flair for the spicy. Crawfish, gumbo and bloody mary are favorites here. But please, don’t forget the sweet flavors. Get some of everything.

Cook in paper

Grilling seafood, chicken or vegetables on parchment is a way to cut down on high-fat oils, some Canadians tell us. PaperChef (www.paperchef) makes bags, sheets and cups that make cooking and cleanup easy. Pre-folded parchment bags steam and “dramatize” flavor, the Toronto-based company reports. I spread some paper onto a baking sheet and crisped up tomatoes and vegetables. I loved how the one sheet lasted through a couple of baking projects. My friend is already a parchment fan and simply won’t bake her Portobello mushroom pizzas without it.

PaperChef shares this recipe:

Colorado Trout

Ingredients:

4 medium whole trout, cleaned, boned. Head and tail attached.

1 handful bunch of fresh dill (do not chop)

1 handful bunch of thyme, on stems

1 handful bunch of chives, do not chop

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking twine

1 lemon, sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, reserve fronds for garnish

Drizzles of olive oil

4 PaperChef© parchment cooking bags

Fennel fronds (for decoration)

Preparation Instructions:

With the trout prepared and deboned, open the trout and place all fresh herbs divided equally among the whole trout. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Score multiple slices through the skin on the top to allow the lemon and fennel to infuse into the center. Tie with twine similar to a butcher's running knot (this insures that the trout stays tightly closed so the herbs infuse into the fish.

Place lemon slices and thinly sliced fennel on the bottom and top of the fish, then drizzle lightly with olive oil for taste.

Using a long handled fish spatula, place each trout into the Paper Chef© parchment bag. Fold the ends and crimp to seal with wooden skewers to keep the folds securely closed.

Follow instructions below to “grill/steam” the pouches. Allow approximately 20 minutes to grill/steam the fish. Serve with parchment steamed grilled vegetables and garnish with fennel fronds.

“Grown-up” potatoes

Still into tots? Go beyond ketchup with what’s billed as a ‘grown-up” taste to a classic. Alexia Crispy Seasoned Potato Puffs is out from Alexia Foods, a line of premium, all-natural frozen potatoes, breads, and side dishes. I baked up a batch seasoned with roasted garlic, cracked black pepper, sour cream and chives. Makers suggest this be served with a gourmet sandwich and perhaps a dip, but I had it with roasted garden vegetables. I enjoyed mine by following baking directions. My mom would have left them in a tad for her desired crispy perfection. I loved the flavor. Makers say puffs are” available at retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.89 and go from the freezer to the table in approximately 20 minutes.”

Little Bottles

There’s a reason the bottles are so tiny. Science has allowed T.A.S.T.E. Technology to make the Butterfly Kiss and Rose ‘N’ Blum experience the same in a sample form so you know what to purchase and store in the future. Can’t have the wine cellar space go to waste with bottls you don’t just love.

Total Anaerobic Sample Transfer Environment is a patented process that allows winemakers to taste small and large batches at the same time to assure they are indistinguishable.  I loved flavors such as the following:

Butterfly Kiss, including pink and white Pino Grigio.

Moscato: This sweet stuff is what my husband goes for. It’s a lighter summer pick.

Chardonay: Hits the spot with chilled fruit.

Rose ‘N’ Blum

Pinot Grigio: A big flavor in a tiny bottle.

I will also note to crafty ladies that once emptied, I filled the adorable bottles with colored water and bunched them into a showy “chandelier” that’s hanging in the garden.

Ddoiron@panews.com