Reader shares tips and (seed) buttering up Culinary Thrill Seekers

Sharing foodie ideas, perhaps over a meal, is the good life to me. I always invite Culinary Thrill Seeking readers to share and this week we get two quickies from “ J h.” I love it when something may sound way out there at first and then you think of those salty/sweet ratios and realize, hey I want to try this. Here they are:

 

·          Balsamic and vanilla ice cream is a must. You have to try it.

·          Another fav is cayenne on peanut butter.

 

J h, I’m into both of those ideas. I’ve heard of the first in gourmet circles and the second makes sense as in Asian peanut sauce with spice, so why not try it on a cracker. Thank you! Readers, let me know if you try it. 

 Next Topic: Tahini

 Usually, a bowl of creamy hummus dusted with red paprika is my trusted presentation. Recently a waiter placed a dish of the chickpea spread in front of me with a small well in the center. Green olive oil and some whole garbanzos filled indentation and made a spectacular centerpiece with puffed pita. In future, I will always plan to reserve a few peas to pop on top of my hummus.

Or, on top of my chickpea dip, which is what I call it I simply empty the contents of a can of chickpeas into the blender with seasonings. I know, that is not authentic hummus, as explained by my Lebanese friend, so I call that a dip.

Once Again Nut Butter offers a Creamy Sesame Tahini with Lemon made with seeds sourced from Mexico, Peru, Africa and Nicaragua. Yep, this is the nuance my chickpea dip was missing. Now I can serve authentic hummus with pride.

               Hummus is so easy when using a blender because you can double the amount and have some leftover for lunches. It’s easy to pack and fills you up. Remember to pack veggie dippers such as carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper and celery.

               In a pinch, or on purpose, you can use peanut butter in your hummus, but I think we’re getting back into the “good-but-not-authentic” category. I’m adding cocoa powder and sweetener to make a chocolate hummus for fruit and graham crackers. Remember to recycle your empty jar for culinary experimentations and attractive pantry storage.

 

On a date! - This one is for their great-grandma. She was diabetic and loved sweets and dates, so brothers Noah, Aaron, & Jonah, founded Bahamii for clean eating. Their American-Iranian culture already worked with a sweet date background and they designed these bars in flavors such as chocolate almond, honey and cinnamon and coconut vanilla. Sooo good. The Farsi word 'Baham' means 'together, like on a date, (main ingredient) and the two "i"s on the end are like two people in a date. Athletes, kids and snackers will want to go on this date. Bahamii Date & Almond Bars | Low-Glyemic Date Bars

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie waiting to hear your reader tips. Help others eat like you! Share at darraghcastillo@icloud.com