Oats on the go, regional pies, quick comfort and mayo in everything

 

 

A food writer once proclaimed “Tell me where your grandmother came from and I can tell you how many kinds of pie you serve for Thanksgiving. In the Midwest, two pies is the norm: pumpkin and mince. In the East, add cranberry pie. Sothern favorites are sweet potato and pecan. In colonial times it was thought “penurious and incorrect to offer company fewer than three kinds of pie” is the tale, recounted in “Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience.” Melanie Kirkpatrick’s book discusses how it was – and wasn’t  - from 1621 to 2021.  I plan a dedication to the giving thanks focus of this holiday, and I’d like some of each of these pies, please. I confess, I had not heard of cranberry pie and I’d love to try some.

 

Oats on the go

With anticipation of sampling many pies this season, I aim to dine healthfully whenever possible. Let me share a mid-day fueling tip. If I make an instant oatmeal serving in a metal to-go container, it is warm-ish enough to enjoy with nuts and cranberries, or perhaps cinnamon and honey. It’s a satisfying substitute for the coffee cake my mother’s friends may have enjoyed in the ‘70s.

 

One-Hour Comfort

            Rough day? Have a Prosperity Sandwich. Panang Curry with Shrimp could spice you up quickly. There’s even time for pillowy scrambled eggs in Xihongshi Chao Jidan. America’s Test Kitchen books thoroughly explain how you create photo-worthy meals and include “Why This Recipe Works” that tell us why we’re about to be rewarded for our efforts. Words like “crunchewy,” nostalgic and hearty and offerings such as cheeseburger mac and green gumbo make up worlds of flavor in “One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings.” We are alike the world over – judging from the chapter called Carbs – and comfort is a global crave. I didn’t note pumpkin in this book but sweet potato stew with peanuts makes me feel orange and warm all over. There are comfort desserts, too. 

 

For all my pescatarian friends

“Veggies & Fish” Inspired New Recipes for Plant-Forward Pescatarian Cooking” is from Bart Van Olphen, author of “The Tinned Fish Cookbook.” Photographs and graphic art will inspire readers to crave even single radishes. Wait until single ingredients come together in Pasta Al Forno with Kale & Mushrooms. If the phrase “plant-forward” intimidated you, gather ingredients for Gin & Tonic Salmon, which goes with Cucumber & Fennel Salad. Navy beans, lentils and potatoes are some bases for all things that come from the waters.

A reason I’d never have thought to pair raw beets with boquerones and Manchego is that I’d never heard of the second ingredient. Marinated raw anchovy filets are the NO. 1 tapas dish in Spain, it says. I have experienced the salty cheese. Maybe those rhyming about green eggs and ham would try this book’s Spinach Pancakes with Cream Cheese, Avocado & Smoked Salmon. I would. A textured cover makes the book a pleasure to hold and read.

 

 

Ketchup Mayo?

                                    Go ahead and scoff. A little mayo may go a long way, but it can go a long way hidden into your chocolate cupcakes or be the star of your roasted chicken. “The Mayonnaise Cookbook: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes Starring the World’s Best Condiment.” Erin Isaac is sincere, but I think hot sauce is the world’s best condiment. But go ahead, have fun with your mayo. Around Southeast Texas, mayo obviously goes in Cajun remoulade and stuffed eggs, but Issac is ready to surprise you. I’d eat anything on any page of this book. Here’s a simple one: Ketchup Mayo. Mix a quarter cup of mayo with the same amount of ketchup. Add a dash of garlic powder and another dash of Worcestershire sauce. You’ve got something different for your fries or hot dogs. I’d be even more inclined to try this next one:

 

Wasabi Mayo goes with fish and so much more:

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Juice of one half lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would love to try your cranberry pie and mayo/chocolate cakes. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

 

Sure you are an artist. Style your dinner. Global Grub What if you got a bouquet of onions, squash, olives, carrots, etc., and you could eat it? My husband and I accomplished another baking trick we didn’t know we had the skills to pull off. We made a Global Grub focaccia, adorned with veggies. Despite included tongs and suggestions for floral arrangements, birds and even a portrait that resembled our hometown girl Janis Joplin, we fashioned our add-on veggies another way. We went with onion and fava bean mandalas. www.globalgrub.com will get kits to your door so you can try your hand at tamales, sushi and more. It’s family fun for sure and kind of just what the world needs right now. Your Story. Well Told. When I heard that Well Told Design could “coordinate” your spot on the map - when the map is a wine glass, water bottle, coaster, flask, etc. – I had to go see. On the web you can design your coffee mug or what have you to reflect your fave college town, vacation spot or home town. Even little old us? My Port Arthur Mason Jar is clear with a white etched grid showing Gilham Circle and a shoreline. So cool. And I did feel the intended consumer pride. While the site illustrates this as a beverage glass, I put spices in there so I can see it on the pantry shelf every day. Go to www.welltolddesign.com and design something for the whole family, because everybody is somewhere. #WadFreeHappyDance If there’s gonna be tears over housework, it will be over the washing, drying, changing and folding bedsheets. It’s a challenge to achieve alone and triggers disagreements when a spouse is involved. That’s my house, anyway. Cindy Bray must know about this. She brings us Wad-Free for Bed Sheets, a plastic square with tabs so you hook up the corners before washing and drying. Now those sheets won’t get twisted. They dry faster. You save time, money, energy and sanity. I know I’m not alone. www.wadfree.com lets you help keep you and those you love from wadding up. Sea Bear Chowder “Warm the Body & Soothe the Soul” is on the SeaBear Smokehouse Smoked Salmon Chowder label. Down here, a message like that comes with gumbo. In the Pacific Northwest, a creamy seafood chowder hits the spot. It’s not more difficult than boiling water and stirring the contents of this package into milk to get a satisfying and memorable meal. You can hear the waters crashing into the shoreline as you enjoy this soul-southing bowl of flavor. www.seabear.com MYX Light Maybe the only thing you think you have in common with singer Nicki Minaj is that you both like wine. Great news for you. Her line of myx Moscato and sangrias has expanded to single-serve pink cans of light rose and turquoise cans of light chardonnay. They’re stylish to hold and bubbly refreshing to imbibe. These early harvest wines could make your holidays lighter. That desire is probably another thing we all have in common. Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie willing to try unusual flavors so you don’t have to. Share your experiences with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

Better get a big stocking. There’s lots of stuffing options out there

Happy Holidays. Here’s the beginning of a gift guide. Remember, some of these can be for yourself. Let the games begin!

·        Tabletopics - Who is the funniest person you know? What is the best gift you have ever received? Which team do you root for? Enjoy a quote on one side and flip for stimulating questions. Even people you’ve known a long time will have some new stories stemming from these conversation starters. The clear box full of orange cards looks sleek on your table. www.tabletopics.com

·        Pando - This draw-the-card game has questions about how well you the players. Ask those assembled “What kind of dressing do I get on my salad?” “Did I ride in a limo to prom?” “Am I a good gift giver?” “Who would I consider my mentor?” Fun, trivial and deep-thinking questions are sure to make a great gathering memorable.  Now isn’t that better than the same old thing? www.playpando.com

 

·        Prato Botanico – Prickly pear for your eyes? Foodies listen up. Aloe vera, lemon, olive, orange, rosemary, sage, wheat and even tobacco are ingredients in this luxurious line from Italy that comes with wooden lids. You’ll want to enjoy your dabs a long time and enjoy the look of the bottles as well as the feel of your skin. I’m loving samples from this line with sustainable organics from the Southern Italian region of Salento. It soaks in and does the job. Hyaluronic action is included. Read about the Botanical Meadow experience at www.pratobotanico.com

·        NEFT - NEFT is called ultra premium vodka is packaged in a tin and aluminum barrel that looks just right in our Texas oil industry. The black barrel keeps your vodka colder, longer and it’s all about reducing carbon footprints. Another thing is, NEFT is designed to be consumed neat, with spring water filtered through slate and granite for 50 years beneath the Rhaetian Alps on the border of Austria and Switzerland. So it’s oxygen-rich. Honestly, that is super-cool info but you don’t need a bit of it to enjoy NEFT. I was happy to share it with you and very happy to sip some NEFT. I got a palate of caramel, citrus peel, wet stone, almond, anise and more go into that barrel. www.neftvodkaus.com

 

·        Fab Slabs - Cutting board? Sounds like work in the kitchen. Wooden snack board? Count me in. Put a 100 percent Australian antibacterial board to use in your kitchen with Fab Slabs USA’s beautiful pieces. When I opened the box, the wood smelled so good I kept it in my bedroom a few days just for the aroma. Now it is in practical use. Look on www.fabslabsusa.com to see how they are made, tests to show their durability and how to care for your board. Need to impress several people? Order an engraving. Camphor laurel is tough and the oils prevent bacteria. As a person who has spent several months sorting through my late mother’s extremely aged and battered kitchen gadgets, it is wonderful to have a Fab Slab in the house now. I cut onions and peppers daily, but I do have ideas of presenting one of those tempting charcuterie spreads on a Fab Slab.

 

·        Trailheads – You’ve got to look cool on your run even while you’re keeping warm. Try a running beanie that lets your ponytail come through a couple of ways. www.trailways.com has warm styles that cover your ears and that’s what drew me to it. I’ll be birding in warm style even though my hair is shorter. Foodies with longer locks can be styling as they run to the coffee shop. Efficient fashions for sporty men are also here.

 

·        Sport. Fitness. Wellness. CaniBrands promotes with these three words and the phrase “Feel Amazing.”  CBD is non-intoxicating and people of all ages are finding it effective for a variety of issues including stress, energy and sleep. Oils to focus and energize include caffeine and vitamins. That’s the boost and another is called mend. Fresh is for anxiety and Sleep… well, you know. There’s also a spray version. This line appears to be very trustworthy and leaders in sports science are endorsing it. Another “Darragh” likes this brand. Olympic swimmer Dara Torres endorses this brand as a sleep aid. These are working. See what others are saying at www.canibrandsglobal.com

·        Get personal – I’ve carried the same brass D keychain for years and now Bonds&Wonders has a delicate little glittery D for my neck. It’s an eye catcher and a conversation starter. May, the creator, has gathered raw gemstones, gold-filled necklaces, etc. to create custom necklaces to honor the wearer or recipient. How about stones to represent all the women in your family? Or wear names and messages. Take your time deciding at www.bondsandwonders.com

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves giving as much as receiving. Remember, a simple note or phone call during the holidays is its own gift. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Challah challenge When my husband woke up, he didn’t know what challah was. By lunch he’d braided his own loaf in a couple’s baking project. We ate the whole, beautiful loaf, which is quite an accomplishment from a pair who fusses every time we attempt to fold sheets. I’m a non-baker and he’s a non-kitchen dweller. Imagine, Pereg made it desirable to knead their “Best for Challah Flour” into “magic challah.” The pillowy dough can be fashioned into chocolate babka, cinnamon buns, dinner rolls or laminated with butter for croissants. One thing at a time here, Pereg. I’m new at this, but hey, the loafs were perfect, so I can keep going. I love this company’s spice blends which include the perfect cinnamon, sesame seeds I’ve been sprinkling into peanut butter for snacks and, zahtar (the spice mix I discovered after Hurricane Harvey flooding. Everything But the Bagel with the best quality garlic, poppy seeds, onion, black and white and natural sesame seeds and comes in a shaker that you may decide to keep in your bag because you wouldn’t want a meal without it. Go to www.pereg-gourmet.com fresh spices that you’ll want to use on avocado, tomatoes, eggs and everything including the bagel.

Air fryer fun Zavor your food? Zavor Crunch Air Fryer oven sits on your countertop and has two shelves that have been a fried okra and chickepea producer for me. I’m new to the process and it produces my favorite food texture: Crunch. Zavor as a Facebook community so you can interact with users who are also using this brand of appliances to can tomatoes and make quick meals. This air fryer allows a cook to remove shelves and insert a rotisserie basket for a little whole chicken. www.zavoramerica.com connects you to this New Jersey company. Ten reasons to love your toaster oven Maybe you got a toaster oven, or an air fryer with a toaster oven function, for the holidays. Allow it to help you and not become a space-taker on the counter. America’s Test Kitchens have been toasting for you and released the book “Toaster Oven Perfection: A Smarter Way to Cook on a Smaller Scale. Pictures are beautiful, the ideas and flavors are so “now” and you get some sound logic on why it all works. I love that a Top 10 list is also like a table of contents to prove the point. Like this: 1. It cooks food with minimal mess, creating Lime and Chipotle and Ginger and Five-Spice meals. 2. It fries food without the fryer: Spicy Kimchi Oven-Fried Chicken Sandwiches 3. It puts dinner on the table faster: Roasted Boneless Short Rib 4. It makes a full dinner with one sheet: Spice-crusted Sirloin Steak with Asparagus and Lemon-Shallot Butter 5. It cooks bubbly casseroles with less fuss: No-Boil Baked Ziti 6. It takes breakfast beyond toast: One-Pan Breakfast 7. It’s your Satellite Oven: Roasted Broccoli with Olivs, Garlic, Oregano and Lemon 8. It helps you reduce waste: Thick-Cut Oven Fries 9. It’s perfect for entertaining: Baked Crostini with Onion Jam and Brie 10 It ensures every cookie is freshly baked: Make-Ahead Sugar Cookies (How about Coconut-Lime Sugar Cookies?) Pumpkin Spice Update Root beer? That’s a fall seasonal to me. But Hank’s Gourmet Beverages knows it’s a hip brand. Hence, seasonal sensations from this Philadelphia-based third-generation family business offers Pumpkin Spice Soda. I may like the Caramel Apple version even better. Wishniak Black Cherry Soda is in their base line. These are sweet with real sugar and very old school. They want you to notice their attractive seasonal packaging, but they’re obviously still focused on keeping what’s inside the bottle on target. Learn more at wwwhanksbeverages.net. Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie falling for the season. Let her know some of your holiday favorites at darraghcastillio@icloud.com.