A tin of Colman's in the pantry

You may already have one of those classic yellow tins of Colman’s Mustard, with it’s medal of honor logo, in your spice area. If you do, here’s my suggestion. Empty it, attach magnets and stick it on your fridge as a pen or coupon holder. It will look so trendy, if you can refer to a product that’s been around since 1814 trendy.

This idea is good if you can’t recall how long the tin has been on the shelf. Get a new one and release the flavor. Did you realize the company is famous for a tartar sauce recipe, or that it makes a keen vegetable curry? It’s a given for a honey mustard glaze.

I’ve been dusting mustard powder on popcorn and mixing it into vinaigrette. There is so much flavor in this historic little condiment. Make it your secret ingredient, or proudly tell everyone what you’re doing with Colman’s. Here’s a tip right from www.ColmansUSA.com

Hot Crab Dip

Ingredients
1 pound lump crab meat (substitute imitation lump crab)
2 half cup mayonnaise
16 ounces cream cheese
1 fourth teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons Colman’s Original Prepared Mustard
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 fourth cup dry white wine
Salt to taste
Heat all ingredients (except crab meat) to form a sauce. Set aside. Reheat sauce when ready to serve and add crab meat. Serve immediately with crackers or fresh-cut vegetables.

What’s sexy?

Ladies, if I suggested you pack some Clean, Lean and Sexy in your bag, would you guess I’m talking about air-popped popcorn with “sea salt and no artificial anything?” A 100 calorie bag of this stuff offers you antioxidants without the chemicals lining a microwave bag of popcorn. I’ve long been a fan of popcorn as an unprocessed whole grain and my mother would serve it up dry as an evening snack. I’m so happy I learned to enjoy the naked goodness of popcorn, though I don’t mind indulging it other tempting forms. This is how our ancesters must have popped it. It’s a 100-calorie, satisfying treat.

Clean, Lean and Sexy also offers dense whole food energy bars in flavors like Coconut Cashew and Honey Almond for a natural pick-you-up. 

Better Sweets

Surf Sweets has used organic fruit juice to make me like something I didn’t think I liked. Of course, many Americans are already hooked on gummy bears and jelly beans, but I always found them to taste so artificial. A look at the chemicals involved explains that. My family played around with Surf Sweets’ new Organic Watermelon Rings and Peach Rings, Organic Fruity Bears (Cherry, Grapefruit, Grape, Lemon, Strawberry, Orange) and Organic Spring Mix Jelly Bean (Tropical Punch, Lemon Aid, Mixed Berry, Pineapple, Tangerine, Watermelon). They’re free of artificial colors and flavors, corn syrup and GMOs. They actually taste “real.” By playing, we mean we got shot glasses and tried our rum version of what I’ve been hearing people talk about, “vodka soaked gummy bears.” Perhaps this is not what the makers intended, but my mom enjoyed a watermelon ring garnish in her glass. To me, it tasted like the Fourth of July. Learn more about the candies at www.surfsweets.com.  


A new kind of sweet

Act now for more limited edition innovations from Thomas’ English Muffins and Bagels, offering Cinnamon vanilla English Muffins and Maple French Toast Bagles that smell so good right through the bag.  Each one is perfect for a Canadian bacon sandwich. I suppose that makes an intercontinental breakfast. I like mine toasted. What a luxury.

The muffins are the only brand new flavor Thomas’ will introduce in 2014 . The bagels are a favorite that came back for a while, as will Apple Pie. So they’ve done all the work for you, as these babies are ready to go. As for those of you who like to play in the kitchen, use them as a base for something you create yourself. I’m seeing embellishments of cheese, egg, fruit and so on.

ddoiron@panews.com