Chex fix for a Chex mix

Chex Fix – The food rescuer strikes again. A friend had purchased way too much cereal for holiday Chex Mix. She was making regular and gluten free versions. Months later she asked if I wanted the rest of her myriad boxes of product. I’ve got an air fryer, I was in. I grabbed a scoop full to toast in the air fryer dry, as I didn’t have time for the buttery real thing, as in a big batch toasted in the oven. I realized I had spray oil and jar of spice mix handy, and made an improvised mix that was good to the last crunch. Let’s call this another variation of Texas Trash, Nuts and Bolts, Chex Mix, Puppy Chow and Reindeer Mix. Sweet or savory, we can’t wait for some to show up on a party table near us.

Amuny’s Liquor and Deli – Let me take a moment to again talk up one of my favorite flavors of Port Arthur, Texas. An Amuny’s Original poorboy is a simple pleasure of complex flavor and unique to our area. If you get a sandwich tray, you can share this pleasure with dozens of your closest friends. I still run into locals who didn’t know there’s a thriving sandwich shop in this Gulfway Drive store. But most of us simply nod our heads knowingly at the very mention of an Amuny’s poorboy.

 Take a Shelfy – Come over here and look at these photos of rotting vegetables. Then imagine your future fridge with Shelfy, a plug-in that improves your shelf life, reduces waste and food cost and even odors in your fridge. Charge it up, plug it in and rinse off the filter when you need to. Soon Southeast Texas refrigerators will be full of figs picked from grandma’s tree; zucchini from neighbors and watermelon. Savor every serving with this sleek device that simply charges and does the job of scientifically keeping gross stuff from making your food go bad. I’m enjoying the use of one at home because food waste is much more than a pet peeve for me. Is Shelfy a diet aid? Well, the notion of juicy grapes, fragrant garden herbs and crunchy apples is making me shop down the green aisles. See some videos and you’ll want one, too. www.vitesy.com has other unique products and they all look like they’ll make your life more simple. 

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie trying to snack sensibly. Share with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Mardi Gras all weekend

                      Port Arthur is observing the big “25” of Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas and the festival will be Feb. 23-26 in downtown Port Arthur with Budweiser Clydesdales, laser shows, parades, a Jumbo Gumbo Cookoff and all the fun you can have. Ready for that?

                      I got to attend the Majestic Krewe of Aurora ball this year and it was a knock-out as usual. Amazing costumes and throws excited attendees who danced the night away.

                      And here’s my foodie observation. It seems like a lot, and I mean a lot, of tables featured trays of Amuny’s sandwiches. I say, those bites are one of my favorite things about Port Arthur and I love to see them so closely associated with one of my favorite seasons, Mardi Gras.

              Homesick for Texas?

                      If you’ve come back “home” for Mardi Gras because you’re “homesick,” there’s a candle for you. It smells like you never left, and I’m late to this trend.

                      When I fired up this beautiful small-batch soy, my friend said, “That’s the candle I’ve been hearing about. It smells like Texas!”

                      Come again? Makers of the “Homesick” line offer this promotional copy: “ Head back to Texas with this fragrance reminiscent of dark leather, fresh pine, and thick lemon slices. A floral note of cyclamen and a touch of sage help balance the big bold scents of the Lone Star State.”

                             Have you ever before associated cyclamen with Texas? Have you ever heard of cyclamen at all? Don’t worry. I’m not aware that bluebonnets have much of an aroma. This stuff is fresh and subtle, so not all of Texas is bold and loud. It’s not bragging if it’s true.

                             Now, have you considered what our neighbors in Louisiana smell like? They’re going with magnolia, honeysuckle, jasmine and sweet potato. I haven’t smelled the “Homesick” version of Louisiana, but I think they’ve picked a good “southern bouquet.”  There are state-associated limited edition “Homesick” chocolates as well.

              darraghcastillo@icloud.com

What's your story on maque choux? And two get Amuny's

Amuny’s bounty and shedding light on Maque Choux

I went to a meeting where there was going to be Amuny’s sandiwiches, one of my favorite things about Port Arthur. I knew they would be there because I was bringing them to the meeting.

My husband could not attend because he was going to a program elsewhere and had voiced regret he would not be eating those sandwiches.

As I sat down to my plate at my event, he sent me a text, reading “Guess what I’m eating?”

He then sent a photo of a big platter of Amuny’s sandwiches that he was enjoying across town.

Maque choux query for readers

I was concentrating on just-right pistolettes at The Neches River Wheelhouse when Charlene Fortenberry introduced herself and we started talking about maque choux.

I ‘m a big fan of this corn blend and I don’t know why it’s not a part of my life much more often. Fortenberry, who has ties to the old Farm Royale restaurant, suggested I put this topic out to readers as a “curiosity that some of your Cajun-bred readers may be able to shed light on.”

Heres’ what she says: “I grew up eating my mom's maque choux, as I'm sure you did, too. I saw it on the Wheelhouse menu; first time I had ever seen it at a restaurant around here. My two friends had never heard of it (they're not French, bless their hearts, haha) but one of them ordered it and so did I. It was delicious of course, but it had cream in it. Well cream makes everything better, but I had never had it like that before. After discussing it with family and friends, the consensus was that no one else had tasted it like that. So, is that a regional thing or was the chef being creative? This isn't an earth shattering topic, but maybe you can make it into something interesting. Still loving your column, Charlene.  

I’m already interested. So here’s my story. When I went to ask my mom about my beloved creamy corn dish, she said she recalled maque choux in Louisiana as being not creamy, but what I was eating was creamed corn in the “northern” style of my grandfather. Somewhere along the way I was eating what Louisiana relatives combined: creamy corn, seasoning, onions and peppers. I love it, whatever it is called.

Now, readers, please let Ms. Fortenberry and I know your experiences with maque choux, by writing darraghcastillo@icloud.com.

We’ll be waiting to hear from you!