Hibiscus is the new pomegranate

 

 

  

            A pomegranate concoction became the signature cocktail of a role-playing party I enjoyed. The rich red represented life-giving elixir. This fruit, dubbed “pom” in foodie shorthand, has been enjoying its time in the sun. I concede, it is glorious. But now, I am shifting to a new hot topic, hibiscus. This flamboyant flower has brightened patios and Hawaiian shirts for years. Not it is showing up in teas and cocktails and I’m on board.

My first experience with hibiscus tea had me roaming the streets of downtown Austin during South by Southwest film festival, with celebrities all about. I brewed a bag from a hospitality stand and headed out on a cool morning. My cup steeped into a warm, red blossom of flavor and I’ve associated the flavor with both calming sensations and invigorating adventure.

I consider it a treat, but I currently have a supply in a big glass jar. It’s delicious décor. Heavenly Tea Leaves means business, as you can see with packaging that can yield from 50 to 200 servings of loose or bagged teas. There’s commitment to flavor and low carbon footprints, etc. They want you to watch the tea’s personalities unfold. Hibiscus, Organic Jasmine Green and Organic Lemon Ginger all personalities in my kitchen now. Another hook is that when you meet the makers at www.heavenlytealeaves.com, they’ve posted info on their  “current” favorite teas. I also reserve the right to change. But hibiscus has had me for decades.

on their individual pages.) When you pour water over our tea leaves, you’ll immediately sense the Crackling with Flavor - A Culinary Thrill Seeking reader and I appreciated the irony of someone working in the heart health industry asking about where to get some good cracklings. Like the meat on one side and the fat on the other. I sent this fan to Ancelet's Cajun Market and Big Doobie's food truck straight away. Bliss Box is rather new in town and I had an amazing sample from someone else’s bag. Hey, I say everything in moderation. It's a basic Cajun food group around here and sometimes you've gotta have it. 

“Mobb Cookbook & Diet” – Part scrapbook, part cookbook and some cautionary tale, this book offers tips to “Savor and Slim the Italian Way.” Teflon Don’s Original Salad Dressings, Nona’s Mouthwatering Minestrone Soup” and “Gnocchi Tuscan Style” are in here. I had no idea Colorado had such a history with some famous and infamous Italians. Frankie “Spice” Morelli is not joking about his family history. But now MOBB stands for Mercy and Optimism Beyond Borders. This group is about second chances and supporters offer testimony.            Dr. Sandra Frank, nutrition luminary, is along for the ride in this oversized book with great photos and some newspaper clippings and family photos of the Morelli family tree. It’s packaged in a cardboard box, like a pizza. Frankie says use fresh ingredients and don’t use nonstick pans for most cooking. Know that like the Cajuns down here, Italians make a roux. Pick up a copy to see why The Holy House Salad is “good enough to make the Pope smile.”

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie sippin’ pretty and awaiting spring blooms. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Watch your tail at Cajun Fest

                            

Knights of Columbus, 3491 of Groves, is a group you’re sure to catch at Cajun Heritage Festival in Port Arthur. They show up with the food. This time I enjoyed a flavorful bowl of jambalaya while the music played.

                             Southeast Texas Arts Council hosted the fete at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center and I chatted with several Louisiana folk who came to pass a good time Saturday. Most people were there for the music, but we also focused on the food.

                             Jerry Latiolais of the Knights of Columbus said the group has been with Cajun Fest from the beginning and proceeds from their boudain balls and other fare supports community projects such as donations to the Fetters Center and ultra sound machines for the Hope Center. Those knights can cook, cher.

                             I made a new buddy this year, Pincher. He was a big conversational fella, in a crawfish suit. He handed out big red buttons so attendees could say they got “pinched” at the festival. Who couldn’t love Pincher? I asked if he had a quote for me.

                             “Watch your tail. And stop running over my house with your lawnmower,” Pincher said, waving a claw for emphasis.

                             Gloria Roy of Cajun Sounds Internet Radio can be credited for creating awareness and excitement of this festival. She’s always busy.

                             I also met Jan Shavers, who proudly calls herself  “the mother.” Her son is Joshua Rodrigues, also know as Big Doobie of Big Doobie’s Boudain & Cracklins. In addition to big, juicy cracklins made on site, their menu included “link on da bun.” Mom admits, the cracklins are “addictive.” Hope I don’t have to wait a whole year for my next bag full.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie whose Cajun roots come from her grandma, who hailed from Breaux Bridge, La. Reach her at darraghdoiron@icloud.com

Cajun flavors fan festival fun

 Wayne Toups can pack a house in Port Arthur and he proved it again at Cajun Heritage Fest this past weekend at the Carl A. Parker Center.

                             Big Doobie’s Boudin & Cracklins was another hit. Big batches of these hot, fatty, salty little pillows of Cajun heaven came out all day. People carried little brown paper bags of them around and crunched as they chatted, listened to music and decided when they’d hit the dance floor again.

                             Big Doobie’s isn’t a store, yet, but they’re on face book touting traditional Cajun meats made fresh per order. Big Doobie, Sis and June Bug were busy filling orders all day at the festival. Call Joshua Rodrigues at 409-548-3075 for more information.

                             The Knights of Peter Claver Council 3491 set up with selections including catfish and shrimp courtbouillon, my dinner choice. Boudain and crawfish vendors cooked all day and the aromas were as enjoyable as the music.

                             Meaux’s  Gumbo food truck made food lovers smile with their creations such as Cajun Dog and Split Decision. I’m not going to spill the red beans on what some of those dishes are. Enjoy for yourself.

                             Louisiana visitors to the Elite Redfish Series event, part of Cajun Heritage Festival, said Meaux’s gumbo looked, smelled and tasted authentic. The cook said he’s very aware about keeping his chicken at just the right temperature so that it doesn’t “break down.” If you find this yellow food truck in action, say hi and place your order.

                           

                 

                            “Fermentation Revolution”

                             How ironic that I accidentally spilled my mother’s glass of Easter wine on the cookbook I was so excited to show here, “Fermentation Revolution: 70 Easy, Healthy Recipes for Sauerkraut, Kombucha, Kimchi and More.”

                             Photos of Sebastien Bureau and David Cote, authors, look like these guys had an extreme amount of fun concocting these blends such as Ginger Bug, for making your own ginger beer; Fermented Garlic Scape and Brazil Nut Bruschetta Tapenade, 
pen            a Sunday cocktail called Your Sister on a Skateboard; and Lactofermented Fiddleheads.

                             The spill thing is funny, because colorful ink blots that look like the kind of good, fun, messy cooking these authors enjoy, are part of the book’s design. The real-life blotch blended right in. You’ve got to get a little loose to create flavors this explosive.

                             They literally had me at  Lactofermented Grape Leaves because I was keeping an eye on the vines growing on my patio that I gathered in the urban wild. I wanted to eat them with something, but what? These author’s note that ideally, one should use “grape leaves that were picked from a garden or plucked surreptitiously from the back alley lane of your neighbor… who isn’t using them anyway.”

                             So you can brine these leaves to use in sorghum and honey rolls, recipe included, and pair them with a glass of wine and…. Here they suggest a lax dress code, but add that you can wear your bathing suit if it makes you more comfortable. I willing to prepare and taste all these recipes, but it sure would be more fun to eat it with these two guys. Here’s more of their pairing suggestions:

                             * Fermented Banana Bread – To eat with warm thoughts of  your grandmother.

                             * Bajan Hot Pepper Sauce -  Use on any food that’s short on personality and, while eating it, try your best to add the fact that you’ve added a bit too much.

                             * Mustard – Use without skimping on anything that goes nicely with the color yellow.

                             darraghcastillo@icloud.com