The specialty of holiday breakfasts

 

Christmas mornings have offered me quiet alone time for the past several seasons. I’ve come to count on my ideal breakfast of aromatic coffee with an egg and a side “slab” of my friend’s bread. Every year she starts to baking for myriad family and friend sets and each year I secretly hope I’m still on the list. Sometimes it comes in stages with fudge, a back-door trop off of haystacks and bars and at some point, the banana nut bread. I save this to experience for alone time on Christmas morning. The bread must be cut into thin slices, so you “get more” on your fancy little holiday plate. Though I use about a stick of butter in a year, I must have some on hand. The holiday bread must be grilled in butter.

This year Brenda shared some eggnog and there was a tad left in the bottle. She knew I save bottles for flower deliveries and crafts. I told her I’d also drain that dab of nog into a bowl and whip it into an egg breakfast. Unusual, but she endorsed the idea. Now I’m sharing with you, it was a good one.

Gumbo Season - The Pompano set out some slap-your-Mama gumbo at the Mid-County chambers' mix-and-mingle. A Christmas Eve gumbo is my family's tradition and we're not alone here in Cajun Country.  While women are often in charge of the kitchen, I started thinking about how many men in the room would aspire to a gumbo as good as the one I was having. Many a Southeast Texas gentleman boast of their gumbo accomplishments, with good reason. I called The Pompano manager the next day and he affirmed it was Chef Shannon Thomas who created the chicken and sausage masterpiece I'd enjoyed. Let me also mention, people spoke ahead of serving on how good the potato salad would be. Right again and I guessed the big ol' bowl they set out must have weighed 50 pounds. There's a reason The Pompano is a local tradition. 

 

 It’s also Amuny’s  sandwich platter season. I made a delivery and the business owners offered me some of their spread. I took just one, because I was directly headed to a holiday luncheon. Fortunately, the second stop also had an Amuny’s spread. Win-win.

 

Red Pantz sounds like a Santa thing. Stretch your imagination beyond that to a woman naming her company after the time her luggage got lost, and all she could wear to an important conference was her red yoga pants. Some how that Petra of her calm practice and she wants to bring it to you. Off all the tea flavors offered, I tried Boost Warming Tea to fuel and ignite. Organic ginger, rosemary, lemon peel and basil are soothing in a travel mug on your way to work. It could help in digestion and help you find your pants. I mean find your peace. www.redpantz.com/my247

 

To ring in the new year, consider Gel-Shotz for something already easy made easier. When your gelatin mix is already flavored like Margarita, Blue Hawaiian and Mai Tai, you are flavor forward. Add hot water and your own spirits and pour your shots in the provided cups. My taster was pleased. Remember to gel responsibly. www.gelshotz.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie wishing you happy holidays. All of them. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Amuny's sandwich: It's that big a deal.

 

While we here in Port Arthur can pick up a lunch or party tray any time we get an Amuny’s Liquor deli craving, what’s a former resident to do? Ask their mom, in my case.

My daughter called because she and a friend were discussing the original relish-adorned sandwich on soft bread and asked if I could pick one up so we could share it Thanksgiving morning. What? With all that other food? She convinced me.

While the owner favors the smoked turkey with jalapeno cheese (another turkey option for the holidays?) my family doesn’t mess around with anything but the original with ham, salami, Provolone and relish.

In the same phone call, my daughter then proceeds to mention she assisted with a Heimlich maneuver, helping a co-worker in need. Wow, amazing, I said. “That’s some story. And you lead with the sandwich?”

Just saying, that is how important Amuny’s is in our family.

 

Cork Genius – I didn’t think I needed any help opening a bottle of wine. I when I trained at Bennigan’s, I intimidated by the corkscrew and secretly wished no one would order any. But the anti-wine snobs at Cork Genius (wait, they are anti snobbery, certainly not anti wine) have put together an array of impressive tools.  There’s an efficient foil cutter to an instant aerator you pop into your open bottle. Just pour and it introduces oxygen and evaporates excess sulfates as the wine runs through and into your glass. Let me mention the vacuum wine sealer that pumps oxygen from the bottle to keep “leftover” wine fresh for days past what a stopper or cork could do. But here is the thing. The Cork Genius Wine Opener is the star of the show. Clamp it on top, push the “needle” through the cork, pump and “pop,” the cork comes out. The air pressure is a “science thing” and maybe a bit of a show at your next gathering. Cork Genius is designed for a standard bottle and it worked as promised. I’m extremely impressed with all of these tools.

 

Yum Punch – Hibiscus red beverages are festive to see and imbibe. Erin’s Elderberries makes sachets of Yum Punch, “a tasty fruit punch style dry herb mix” that hit the spot for parties. The fruit bits swell in  the bag and it’s strongest if made overnight. If you don’t do wassail, this can be your holiday simmer. I recently praised Erin’s Linzer cookie kit and jelly. Erin, just one bit of advice. You’ve got an adorable little gardener logo. Just make your name a little bigger on the label. Your line is naturally wholesome and good. You need to be showing off that name!

Old Trapper - What’s up in Forest Grove, Oregon? Old Trapper has gotten all gussied up with a new gusseted bag. Why? Those Teriyaki Deli Style Beef Sticks are the same natural smoked flavor that puts you in the mind of hikes with beautiful vistas. It’s for the retailers, www.oldtrapper.com reports. Better display and all. It may not matter to many loyal snackers, but there is some competition in getting the “last bag” of what you’re used to before making a path toward the future of Old Trapper. I like their web presences as much as their product.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who is always bragging about Amuny’s. And her daughter, Jasmine. Share your brags with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com