What to do with carrot greens

                             Someone gave me just-pulled carrots and insisted I inhale their fragrance. It was actually a delicate culinary perfume that made me think of how fresh babies smell. Must be those babies found in the cabbage patch? The growers suggested I keep orange parts submerged in water and that made a beautiful display. The lush, feathery green tops were so attractive that I asked if they’d found a way to eat them. Sprinkle it as a garnish on salad, they suggested. I hit the computer and found some ideas.

                            Pesto won, but the chimichurri looked appealing, too. For my pesto I processed the green tops with toasted walnuts, olive oil and a bit of mayonnaise, just because I had some. I added garlic powder and topped it with red pepper flakes. I know cheese is a main pesto ingredient, but I skipped it and made a thick dip for fresh veggies, including the orange part of the carrot. (Thanks, Jim and Dodie Labove!)

                  Southeast Texas rice is nice

                   Carolina Gold is grown Anahuac.  Texas Highways magazine featured this “nearly extinct” variety’s comeback via Harvest Grain Mills.

                  Shop for it at harvestgrainmills.com.

                  To aerate or not to aerate?

                             Maybe you like your wine from France and your aerators from the U.S.of A. VinOair is for you. Maybe you have red wine taste on a beer budget. VinOair is for you, too. Not a wine snob by any means, I do favor selections from the bottom shelf of the local grocery store. Once you invest in an aerator you can take your pour up a notch. Enter this clear plastic VinOair Wine Aerator a slender, portable that will also oxodize red or white vino for maximum flavor. Makers say the dual air chamber pulls twice the vacuum as other aerators and a soft, rubber stopper creates an airtight seal. I’m on board with this $19 baby that is no gadget: it’s legit equipment. My husband typically uncorks and he is impressed by lack of drips. You wouldn’t want to waste a drop of your improved wine. If you begin with a higher quality vintage, you’d probably be even more impressed. Visit www.corkpops.com for details.

                   

                            Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie socially distancing and still enjoying great company and flavors. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com