Livin' Flamin' Hot

 

 Did you know the orange dust that stays on your fingers from a Cheetos encounter is officially called “cheetle?” My favorite crunchy snack is “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (with an Amuny’s poorboy). We like it spicy in Southeast Texas. Though I do know some people who might have to go to the hospital after a couple of these Cheetos.

My sister and I watched “Flamin’ Hot,” the movie on the Frito Lay janitor who “disrupted” the food industry by getting through to the top guy. His idea incorporated the hot flavors of his Mexican heritage into the snacks that are now considered iconic.

 

Eva Longoria, another Corpus Christi talent, directed this movie about Richard Montanez. It’s a comedy-drama that did have me tear up a little. And not from cheetle.

I’ve used these Cheetos as croutons and there’s a recipe for crunching them into ginger cookies.

So sister Debbie loves the cheddar jalapeno Cheetos so much, she hadn’t tried to Flamin’ Hot. She sent me a photo from her drive back home. She hit the road with both flavors.

 

Mabel’s Labels – Kids today...  Boy, when I was a kid, Stucky's never had a little license plate with "Darragh" on it. Kids today can go to Mabel's Labels and order up stickers and bands and tags to personalize water bottles and all kinds of cool stuff. I'm jealous. This was the only part of "back-to-school" that seemed way fun and I was kind of left out. You can put just about any message on things now. I'm focusing on their return-address stamp that folds up and doesn't need a separate stamp pad. It's cool times six and you just need to look it up at 

www.mabelslabels.com  What a fun way to teach a kid etiquette!  They do fundraisers, too. 

 

Art of Kava -  South Pacific Islanders have used kava root in  social, medicinal and ceremonial ways. It seems like modern Americans have been enjoying the drink in a powder for relaxation, better sleep and calming of the mind. Traditional prep calls for squeezing and draining bags but I tried the blender method for my first earthy-flavored trial. Vanuatu Kelai and MeloMelo are premium single cultivar kava root. The more I read on www.artofkava.com, the more I just want to refer readers to reviews. People like it and what it does. I’m finding the knowledge interesting and the flavor very earthy. Kava is a new thing for some and beyond trending for others. I always enjoy sharing culinary adventures.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie with a flaming hot appetite for new things. Share you experiences with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com