Texas peaches are my jam

                             I have the fondest Texas Hill Country memories of Fischer and Wieser flavors. When raspberry-chipotle blends came out, I had to educate people on how to pronounce the pepper and convince them that sweet and hot is a valid taste sensation. Look how far we’ve come.

                             Now in their 50s, they’re spending a season on peaches, boasting a line of  12 peach-based products and also the Gillespie County peach season, mid-May through mid-August and the bounty from about 600 acres of trees.

                             Jalapeno Peach Preserves are now my jam. But Amaretto Peach Pecan Preserves should not get jealous. I just have to leave Old-Fashioned Peach Preserves on the shelf a while. I’m telling that jar to be patient. I’ll come back to it! Das Peach Hous Peach Salsa, for fish tacos, grilled chicken or tortilla dipping became a side for my tamale dinner and my husband emptied the jar behind my back.

                             I’m sticking the Harvest Peach & Hatch Pepper Sauce behind something in the fridge, to hide it. A culinary thrill seeker would immediately see amazing possibilities for breakfast and beyond with these knockout favors. But the old standbys are kept at the ready for a reason.

                             I attended Tiger Landry and Christy Brown’s art opening at The Music Studio at the art deco “Kyle Building” in Beaumont and hey! I spotted Fischer and Wieser flavors spread over a block of cream cheese with crackers. Classic and popular. See, I’m not the only one who lights up when she sees this brand.

                 

  Everything’s gone gourmet

   Who thought of putting pretzels and white chocolate into the peanut butter? And the toffee? It’s nearly too much. No, it’s just right. bNutty is so sure you’ll like flavors such as Crazy Cocoa and Raspberry White Chocolate that you’ll for sure want a logo coffee mug or apple slicer from their web site. One taste of something like Blissful Blueberries will make you wonder how you could have overlooked the humble peanut’s butter for so long. These flavors and crunches are memorable. This gourmet is real. Your artfully sliced apples will be so happy to be paired with these sensations.

                            

                             Mikey’s

                             Grain-Free English Muffins have just eight ingredients and fit into four diet situations, presenting a breakfast/snack canvas for those who can’t eat grain, gluten, dairy or soy. I enjoyed an “original” slowly and felt it was moist and had a soft, eggy texture. The simple ingredients list: Water, eggs, almond flour, coconut flour, apple cider vinegar, egg whites, baking soda and sea salt.

                 

                             Mikey just didn’t want to mislead customers into thinking a gluten-free label meant you were getting a better-for-you product. He nixes artificial stuff to make grain-free, Paleo, soy-free, milk and lactose-free, gluten-free products that he wants you to love. There’s a great big Mikey’s line and they sent me a crate full to taste for you, readers. Pockets come filled varieties such as “Cauliflower & Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Style Pockets.” Note the wording, as this is a plant-based cheddar cheese in a toasted crust. It was the top pick of those who tasted it with me. “Buffalo Style Chicken Pockets” and “Cheese Pizza Pockets” were also on the table. I did especially enjoy the gran-free crust. These were satisfying choices. Cassava flour tortillas would be a new venture for us here in Southeast Texas. If  the nutritional substitute gets you eating more like you’re craving, please, go for it!

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie always ready for a new adventure. Share yours with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

             

Create with kids for the holidays

               

              Holidays have hit Port Arthur

                      Foodies are festive this season, making the round and finding what’s trending at fabulous spreads. Remember bread bowls full of spinach dip? That’s still good. Boudain dip? I’ll still take some.

                      It’s also fun to return to time-honored events where you expect certain bites to always be there, and they are. Port Arthur Historical Society hosts holiday fellowship at Pompeiian Villa with silver service, mixed nuts, tiny sandwiches and fancy fare. It’s lovely to mingle with people who support Port Arthur’s history now, and also imagine how many holiday guests this home has hosted in decades past.

              Pumpkin Update: Pairs well with peanuts

                      Some would say the humble peanut needs nothing more than to be stirred with its oils and scooped out of its  jar. Then there’s that “vintage” commercial where an innocent bump gets peanut butter mixed into chocolate. So, let’s play.

                      PBfit, billed as peanut butter without the love handles, now comes in pumpkin spice. Peanut flour, coconut sugar, spices and salt mix into smoothies and pancakes. Mix it with water to make a fruit or pretzel dip. Your imagination is the limit here. Thank you, versatile peanuts.

                      On the more indulgent side, bNUTTY rich gourmet peanut butter ready for that swirl and scoop from the jar, but with suprises: the 100 percent creamy pumpkin & holiday spice jar is a standout, blueberries and milk chocolate is a totally different twist, cinnamon sugar cookie is a “why didn’t I think of that” and peppermint brownie with white chocolate is just right for the holidays. They’ve got more where that came from. But it’s the totally toffee with milk chocolate and almonds that is just a nut beyond. I’ve met some peanut butter nuts before. They need to bNutty.

              Baking season:

                      Remember dirt cups made with chocolate wafer cookies? Years ago we served them in flower pots with plastic flowers and it sure looked like a patio plant. Today’s kids get an environmentally conscious update by creating Earth Day Dirt Cups with unsweetened cocoa powder, serving in glass jars and “planting” a sprig of fresh mint. “The Ultimate Kids Baking Book” takes young folks through the seasons, birthdays and milestones with presentations that “cook up” fun learning projects. Splashy photos bring Grasshopper Torte and Maple Spiced Pumpkin Pie into focus. Tiffany Dahle makes us believe in sugar… in a good way. Reindeer Munch is a great one for Christmas. Make sure you save some for yourself. Santa’s guys get plenty of  goodies along their route.

                      Chai Spiced Monkey Bread does sound approachable, but newbies could shy away from Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pinwheel Rolls and Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Rolls could intimidate. Trust Rebecca Lindamood and her book “Ready, Set, Dough! Beginner Breads for All Occasions.” You can do it, and won’t everyone be thanking you for it? Bread making is not a lost art for the everyday cook when you have a photo-friendly guide like this one. Don’t worry. They don’t all call out for rich and creamy butter. Others are topped with icing, cheese and seeds.

                      Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who is not technically counting calories this season. Share you ideas at darraghcastillo@icloud.com