Judice family a part of Port Arthur tradition

 

Since 1927 the Judice family has called this area home. Their hearts have been full of Louisiana tradition and Texas innovation. Word spread quickly when Judice’s 1927 in Nederland recently announced their closing. Al Judice IV announced that a chapter is closing.

I reminisced about the Cajun Ambassador A.J. Judice that I knew from crawfish races, all the boudain we shared and the deli hamburgers I’ve enjoyed while parked along the seawall. I loved watching from all over the world pass by while enjoying a juicy local burger.

Then I thought about the Nederland restaurant and all those family photos on the wall sharing those family memories. Where they will go next?

 I pulled out my copy of “Cajun Cookin’ with Maw Maw Judice” and got all emotional flipping through the pages. Lariza Judice, who came here in 1927 with the family that opened Judice Grocery on Seventh Street. Boudain, seafood and Cajun staples made them famous. Her son A.J. became a Cajun Ambassador celebrity.

Lariza, or Maw Maw, wrote a book that sounded like her. Take the following as an example:

“Cajuns catch or trap anything that doesn’t eat them first.”

             This little binder book has some treasures.

Flip open to pages 44-45 and I’d take any one of the offerings that look easy to make and easy to enjoy: Sweet Potato Fluff, Cornbread Salad, Okra and Mushrooms, Maque Choux and Bacon Coleslaw.

I can imagine her family asking her to make that “good corn dish” with cans of creamed corn, flour and egg. She included it in the book and it’s called Good Corn Dish. Her extra note: “Especially good with fried chicken.”

Do these sound good?

·       Cow Bayou Cream of Crab Soup

·       Cajun Venison with Currant Jelly

·       No Fail Divinity

·       Frito Squash (the chips are a topping)

·       Blackeye Pea Casserole with rice and cream of mushroom soup

·       Acadian Couche Couche

 

Maw Maw Took Some Shortcuts

No Worry Jambalaya is made in a rice cooker and Kitchen Bouquet is in the gravy.

 

Something Old

Lots of life advice, remedies and tips are featured as “odds and ends.” Here’s one:

Leftover coffee makes a great addition to many foods: ice cream, chocolate sauce, spice or chocolate cake, icings or any chocolate dessert.

Something New

Do you know about benne pralines? I can’t say that I did. Benne is an African word for sesame seeds and can be substituted for pecans. I may have gobbled some up without realizing it.

From Lariza

Near the end of this collection is a note.

“Do things in moderation. Don’t overdo anything. Don’t over work, over eat or get over tired.”

Sounds good to me, Maw Maw.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie embracing her Cajun heritage. Share your foodie adventures via panews@panews.com

Jason's lets the pickles speak for themselves.

 

Why should you get to Jason’s Deli in June? Let the pickles speak for themselves.

The Dillicious Meal Deal is going on in June and elevates the moment pickles are having. The national deli that began right here in Southeast Texas has this ready for fans: pickle pasta and a pickle wrap. I got myself to the Port Arthur restaurant to try those out, so, more on those later.

Now, about Jason’s Deli in general:

I love sharing with people that this big chain started right here. That’s the Gateway Shopping Center in Beaumont, to be exact. I wonder what the most popular item was that opening day of Nov. 30, 1976.

Joe Totorice Jr. opened the first restaurant that seated 60 and offered 12 menu items. Now there are hundreds of locations. Recently I was at an airport and inhaled a familiar aroma. I looked up to see a Jason’s and it smelled like home

In the early ‘80s, Jason’s was a hot spot for my high school classmates and we loved a big old baked potato. We called them loaded spuds and they were enormous. It was a lot food and their toppings made it seem gourmet. When they opened a bigger restaurant in Beaumont’s West End and we felt fancy.

 My mom treated us to many a meal after Saturday evening Masses and I’m sure I got the salad bar every time. I considered myself an expert at layering and loading all those tempting toppings. Can’t beat those little toasts and muffins as lagniappe.

I have established that I love Jason’s and I’m not alone.

 

So, here’s some of what’s new, with details straight from the company:

 

“Jason’s Deli continues to roll through its spring lineup with menu items that extend into early summer, alongside its signature Garden-Fresh Salad Bar experience.

            The salad bar remains a defining part of the guest experience, featuring more than 50 ingredients that support a wide range of builds, from protein-forward combinations to lighter seasonal mixes with fruit, feta and vinaigrettes. Seasonal additions continue to keep the format fresh for returning guests and first-time visitors alike.

            The current lineup also includes Caprese and Chicken Caprese on herb focaccia, plus the Dill Pickle Club Wrap and Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, both made fresh in-house daily and available through June 30. These items reflect the brand’s continued focus on bright, tangy and herb-driven flavors across the menu.”

Also on an act-now basis:

Cheesy Chicken Truffle Pasta features grilled chicken, fresh spinach, and mushrooms tossed in a creamy truffle cheese sauce, all served over penne pasta and topped with Asiago cheese. My thought is if the word “cheesy” is part of the title, they better deliver. Jason’s does.

I tried these new things “with relish” and remain a happy Jason’s customer. New is good and I still love the classics.

            Let it be known, that if you come across one of those people who say they never eat anything green, treat them to the great expanse of a Jason’s salad bar and see if they accept the challenge.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie down for a Jason’s salad bar any time. Share your foodie adventures via panews@panews.com

When life gives you mint & getting your onions in a jam

  

            On Christmas day I finally saw a neighbor a few streets away outside and I hastened to greet him merrily and make my big ask. Could I get a few mint cuttings from his vast, aromatic spread. He welcomed me to do so and come again. After all, the mint was planted to keep some cats out of the bed, and the cats just moved to sleep by the cars, so the mint was abundant.

One day I noticed a “free mint” sign tucked into the greenery of a raised bed in my neighborhood. That made me smile. How thoughtful of the owners!

I’d always wondered if any neighborhood cameras might pick up my visits. I was always prepared to shout out “I was invited to pick the mint” to any cycylists/dog walkers passing by, while waving the complimentary herbage in hand. Turns out a another neighbor had kindly  made the owner “aware” of my foraging. So the lady of the house made the sign. Again, how thoughtful!

I made sure the mint planters knew how very many people they had made happy by saying “yes” on Christmas day. I’ve made fragrant bouquets to give to lots of people, even strangers. So many say that mint is a memory of their grandma or they used to have mint around when they were a kid.

The mint is a memory maker!

What do do with mint? These days everyone makes a joke about a mojito garden, with garnish growing handy. That’s not my go-to. I’ve soaked some leaves in water to make a water or tea fusion and many have told me theirs looks lovely floating in a cool pitcher of lemonade.

Pro tip: Mint can be easy to grow and loves water. It is very invasive, so put it in a pot. Good luck with the cats.

 

Onion Jam
     I could eat onions at every meal. The deterrent? It's not the breath thing. Family has been forewarned when I’ve had a fresh, crunchy bite. 

It's peeling the onions. It's tedious. When I found a recipe for making onion jam in the slow cooker that had you tossing in about six yellow onions with the skins on, I made haste to try it. These babies came out tender and aromatic. They popped out of their skins and were easy to remove. I couldn't wait for them to cool so I got the hot potato effect with hot onions. 

The recipe called for apple cider vinegar and brown sugar. I thought I had brown sugar but got distracted while looking in the pantry. I decided to use a