Port Arthur
welcomes a new stand-alone Rao’s Bakery to Port Arthur. This spacious spot
shows why the area has been sweet on Rao’s since 1941. Colorful cakes, fragrant
coffees and cookies to go are all pretties ready to tempt. This shop crossed
the line from the Nederland site to 3340 FM 365 in Port Arthur. More than a
bakery, it’s a gathering place. Meet a friend now. They have plenty of pumpkin
spice offerings. I checked.
“Brunch Season:
A Year of Delicious Mornings from The Buttermilk Kitchen” – I’d have begun with No-Waste Asparagus
Grits if this were spring. But it’s Pumpkin Spice Watch season, so I’m flipping
to fall in this book. What’s on the seasonal menu? Let’s start with: Pumpkin Scones,
Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Puree, Pumpkin Bread French Toast with Homemade
Whipped Cream, Roasted Pumpkin, Balsamic Mushroom and Crispy Sage Scramble and Ali’s
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze. Chef Suzanne Vizethann ran into some
bland brunches and changed things up. She headed to Maine and spreads tables
with this kind of fare all year long. A perfectionist who learned to tone
things down, she considers these recipes, by season, as simple, when you get
down to the freshness of it all. Take her advice and invest in kosher salt. She
prefers Diamond Crystal.
Teriyaki on the
Prairie - When I think of
pioneers going west, panning for gold and building little houses on the
prairie, I don’t imagine them craving a bite of teriyaki jerky.
I was curious why
this flavor is popular in the jerky community. It seems a sweet and savory
umami blend pairs well with the natural flavors of beef. Good deal. Once a
labor-intensive method to create a strip of leathery nutrition to fuel you as
you raised a barn or rounded up the herd, jerky is now a gas station favorite.
Old Trapper makes
it easy to fulfill your jerky needs that come in many varieties. Today I’m
sharing the ease and pleasure of their Double Eagle Coins of Teriyaki Beef
Jerky. They are thin rounds that would fit on your breakfast biscuit. Juicy and
fulfilling, they taste satisfying and won’t hurt your teeth. This is about the
most convenient jerky I’ve come upon. It’s salty-sweet, slow smoked and lean.
This snack is a treat on hikes and road trips. The jerky community thanks you,
Old Trapper.
Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie ready
for sweets and snacks and umami. Share with her via panews@panews.com
