Going Crackers

I can’t recall the last time I personally purchased crackers, yet I always seem to have them in abundance. People bring them and leave them and I try to ration them into my lunches, so I don't eat too many at once. As a kid I was not keen on saltines but considered Captain’s Wafer’s a fancy treat. Now my sister goes crackers when she visits and hits H-E-B. Their lines came in jalapeno, rosemary, beet and more. Can’t “beet” that. So then I begin to wonder why we say “going crackers” crazy or wacky. Turns out we can thank the Brits for this naval expression referring to firecrackers in one’s head. Or it could mean becoming extremely annoyed or angry, as if someone ate all your crackers.

 

Prime Shrimp makes is easy. Say you’re in the Cajun Capital of Texas (Port Arthur) and you’re dreaming of Louisiana Boil or New Orleans Style BBQ shrimp for supper. You pull out some Prime Shrimp boxes of those varieties and in 10 minutes you could be sopping up the juices from your plate. But plan ahead Cajun food lovers. You’ll want to make a pot of rice, acquire a loaf of French Bread, eye some corn or make a salad to go with your feast. Prime Shrimp is a box of frozen stuff that gets rave reviews online. I agree. Cook in the bag with no thaw and no mess and you get two servings sure to impress. These compact boxes fit in your freezer so you’ll always have something special in the house. The “about us” section at www.primeshrimp.com shows a young fella at work. In 1943 the founder was 16 and dreamed up a shrimp peeling machine for his dad’s packing plant in Houma, Louisiana.

 

     Wild Mackerel - Maybe I wasn't supposed to eat all the olive oil, but it was so good on the fresh cucumbers and cherry tomatoes I brought to augment my can of wild caught fish. Omega-3s make a great lunch date when you are otherwise alone. Insert joke here about eating boring cans of smelly fish. But wait, this was neither boring or smelly in any way. Safe Catch Skinless Boneless Wild Mackerel is from the North Atlantic and joins the line's better-for-you fish products. It's clean protein touted for kids, pregnant women and lunch-box divas like me. This was a delicious quick  noon meal or it could have been inspiration for a more fancy dinner. No rules here, except the Safe Catch high standards you can read about at www.safecatch.com My can was refreshing and my body felt good absorbing the nutrients and olive oil in the tin. It also prompted me to ask why we say Holy Mackerel and it is apparently a reference to Catholics eating fish on Fridays.

 

     Bonus Kitchen Thing - Lock Socket is a charger lock that screws into an outlet so your USB charger cube is always ready for your iphone. If charger-lock.com could make your life easier, you can install this in minutes. Lock Socket

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie going crackers in search of fun foodie research. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

Port Arthur stops make bucket list book

 

Texas pride is miles wide and ‘bout to get wider, thanks to a new book. Some of what Port Arthur is famous for gets into “100 Things to Do in Beaumont, Texas, Before You Die.” There’s a bucket on the cover. If you’ve already bucket listed everything in these pages, you get a gold Lone Star. But maybe you ought to pick up your copy at Museum of the Gulf Coast gift shop, just to be sure. The museum is listed, after all. Get some for your friends and family who aren’t lucky enough to have our zip codes anymore.

 

Lauren Monitz is the local author who must have had fun compiling this list. She’s traveled and written all over the place. Not from here, but she sure took to it like a duck to water at Cattail Marsh.

Here are some of my favorite section titles, where you can read up on some of the best our area has to offer:

 

* Find Your Favorite Local Legend at the Museum of the Gulf Coast

* Learn to Bird (including Sabine Woods)

* Cast a Line and Reel In the Catch of Your Life Fishing (including Sabine Lake, Walter Umphrey State Park and Keith Lake)

* Spend the Night on a Floating Campsite at Sea Rim State Park

* Race on a Sailboat at the Port Arthur Yacht Club - No Experience Necessary

* Follow the Faith Trail (including Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and Shrine, Queen of Peace and Buu Mon Buddhist Temple and gardens)

* Sip Locally Made Spirits at Clifford Distilling, LLC

* Hit a Bullseye Throwing Axes (Avenue Axe in Port Neches) 

* Shop the Boutiques on Boston Avenue 

* Hold, Feed and Wade with Alligators at Gator Country

* Get Retro at Mike's Old Fashioned Soda Fountain

* Eat the Best Burger of Your Life at Daddio's Burger (Port Arthur has one, too!)

* Indulge in the Oldest Bakery in Southeast Texas at Rao's Bakery (Nederland has one, too!)

* Sip Your Way Around Southeast Texas on a Craft Beer Crawl (including Buckstin Brewing  Company in Nederland and Neches Brewing Co. in Port Neches)

* Take the Car Ferry to Galveston

 

There’s lots more to cover in this book. Stocking stuffer tip: If your family has big stockings, these Reedy Press books are the perfect thing to stuff inside for holiday exploration.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who knows there’s always something fun, delicious or adventurous going on in Southeast Texas. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Taco Salad or Frito Pie?

 

As fall is in the air, we start craving. Aromas of funnel cake waft through the air at festivals and corn pudding is sounding good. My sister’s visit back home to Texas got her thinking of Frito Pie. My first was at my grade-school carnival and I was impressed to get that cheese- and onion-topped chili served in a slit-open chip bag. It is a “Texas thing.”

          Taco Salad is just as appealing and even better when enjoyed outside. This one requires a platter so you have room for guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

          What’s your favorite of the two? I’ll bet there are plenty of memories associated with each. But, don’t worry. You don’t actually have to choose just one. Memories may not have calories, but they sure induce cravings.        

When You “Heart” Curry – My sister’s circle eats curry like we do gumbo…. All the time. So she never wants to have it when we’re together.

                  Mike’s Organic Curry Love comes in a packet of Red Thai Curry Sauce with a serving suggestion image of a bowl of sauce with a dollop of rice, mushrooms, fresh herbs and a lime peeking out. I made some for a friend who raved about it. Galangal is the new word I learned from playing with the Massaman Curry Paste version. While ginger is spicy but sweet, this root is peppery and earthy with hints of mustard. Shallots, lemongrass and dried red chili make this small-batch blend from Thailand an armchair travel experience. www.mikesorganicfoods.com

                   Activated You – A neighbor’s child recently walked over with an elderberry plant for me and then bam, I try Activated You Immune Complete. Zink, elderberry and Vitamin C in Peach Berry flavor gets pumped into your mouth for a daily immune support complex. It seems like every season is one to get a little health boost. This is a flavorful little “extra.” If vacations, celebrations and other aspects of “the good life” lead to indulgences and feeling “icky,” I’m still enjoying benefits of Morning Complete, a powder mixing up the best green superfoods blend I’ve ever indulged. Using flavored tea as the liquid is my trick. Essential Skin Food has French Maritime Pine Bark Extract. Advanced Restorative Probiotic capsules offer “30 Unique Strains” and help get one back on track. Remember to use regularly and keep up good habits. Then the occasional Taco Salad or Frito Pie will work with you. Happy fall, y’all. It's coming. I know it is. www.activatedyou.com

                        Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie inspired by bold flavors. Share your stories at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Vintage wine cookbook seems sketchy now

 

If you’re looking to be a board member, the Wine Institute Wine Advisory Board seems ripe. I found an undated, but obviously old,  little paper giveaway book titled “Wine Cookery… The Easy Way*.” The asterisk goes to *Using California Wines and The Convenience Foods.”

The cover includes a drawing of  a wine bottle, instant mix, cans of tomatoes and pears and yes, a TV dinner. It’s an artwork of a TV dinner with chicken and what I’m guessing is potatoes and a pat of butter. I did think these kind of cool in the ‘70s. Times have changed and I got a little ticked with some of the recipes. They seem so different from what is considered “gourmet” today. Here’s some ideas from the book:

  The very first recipe is Sherried Geen Pea Soup that includes a can of can of soup and a can of clams. A party cheese spread starts with containers of already made cheddar spread, grated orange rind, California dry Vermouth and small curd cottage cheese. Yum? Maybe. But the Anchovy Wine Cheese Spread with cream cheese, Sherry and green olives. I’d try it but I anticipate I wouldn’t like it. How about Chicken Livers Saute with sherry or Beet and Apple Salad? I’m not keeping the booklet.

                 

Oatsome – I know people who get excited about oatmeal. I’m one of them now. The thrill of overnight oats challenges me. What liquid can I use? How can I top it? When’s breakfast? Oatsome has done this for me. Gluten-Free & Organic Overnight Oats with Chia, Flax & Hemp are some kind of fun. You can make something with the kids that has berries on top and looks like some kind of art sold for big bucks from gourmet markets. You’re a rolled oats type? Oatsome has your fiber here with a more traditional take. www.betterbodyfoods.com will get you thinking about nut butters, cinnamon and – dare I say it – pumpkin spice.

 

Dip + Spread = YES – It was bad math that lead to great snacking. I’m heavy on the spices so I didn’t even notice when I emptied a packet of Spicy Mexican Chorizo inspired seasoning from Sauce Goddess. Typically dip mix goes into sour cream or even cream cheese but I scanned and chose the avocado option for “health reasons.” I then noticed the dip/spread mix was designed to make 2-3 batches. No worries, I’d read that mixing it into hummus was also an option so I creamed up a can of garbanzo beans and let that twirl right into the toasted cumin and bright oregano flavors. It was both bean dip and guacamole, in a way.  The family loved this with veggies and pita triangles as dip. www.saucegoddess.com lets that creative flavor flow into garlic and Moroccan packets, too. You’re gonna have fun with this goddess.

TRUE PRIMAL – Backstory: When hear the name of this company, maybe your mind goes to tearing freshly-hunted meat with your teeth by the fire. Or free-range gluten-free chicken soup. “Primal” means first, fundamental and deliciously intentional to this brand. The line includes Southwest-Style Chicken Soup with a nutritional label that is a joy to read. It’s an on-the-go pouch of pleasure that took me back to a desert retreat. Going to www.trueprimal.com can convince you to “embrace exercise, fresh air, sufficient sleep and stress reduction with nutrition to achieve optimal health.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie willing to dive into culinary history. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

On the go, eating well and lookin' good

 

TOMSHOO – Hooking a cup onto your belt loop is how I imagine the Texas Renaissance Festival is best enjoyed. Tomshoo’s titanium water cup is from another era and genre, so instead, imagine you are hiking with futuristic knights. Fold up back the handles of this lightweight baby and rule the trail. Titanium is fun to say, lightweight and durable and imparts no taste or odor to food or drink. On a more serous note, a 1-pound camp stove at www.tomshoo.com fits stylishly into your backpack or could truly upgrade your post-hurricane experience right here at home. Your fuel is little twigs. We need this. All the sleek parts cleverly stack into a mesh bag and you’re on the move again. Hats off to the camping community for designing these options. See for yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYSRV49L

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYSRV49L

 Yonanas and You - I'm guessing fewer than half of you reading this realize that running frozen bananas through a blending machine churns out something close to ice cream as we know it. Yonanas is the thing you need. Glide a ‘nanna down the tube and it comes out smooth and cool, like ice cream. But what you get is much more healthy. And you can create your own blends topped with nuts, seeds, chocolate, berries and other fruits. If you see Yonanas in action, it is likely you will immediately yearn for one and have no rest until you are enjoying a dish of cool yum. Berries make your blend pink like you’re in a Barbie movie. The booklet has a recipe involving multiple fruits and textures, graham crackers, cones, coconut and... just keep going. Does something with white wine and strawberries have any appeal? Blend away. But know this: the secret is a 7-10 minute fruit thaw before going Yonanas treatment. www.yonanas.com

 Bliss in a bar - You know that church song inviting us to taste and see the goodness of the Lord? I imagine this when enjoying a Taste & Bliss Coconut Cashew Nut Bar. It tastes indulgent but NouveauSweet trademarked syrup keeps it at 230 calories of crunchy "mmmmm" that makes you feel as though you are on a tropical vacation.  www.tasteandbliss.com

 Shades by Shan – This founder juggles a full life and looks great doing it. Colors named for edibles, give a natural feel to the Berry Nude eyeshadow palette with Honey Peach, Tangerine, Agave and Brown Sugar. The MamaBerries Nonprofit Foundation supports single moms. It’s all connected to the makeup….

But First, Lips in Jess is a lovely mauvy family matte liquid lipstick with matching lipliner. A  plus, with all this excessive heat, it won’t melt in your purse. Shan wants to empower you. How can you help? www.sbscosmetics.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie looking for adventures in every bite. Let her know what’s exciting you. darraghcastillo@icloud.com