Chicken finger beads for Mardi Gras?

Do you need a set of beads to promote your love of chicken fingers?

If they're throwing Mardi Gras beads, I'm catching them. Big, red beads with a Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers "medallion" came my way at Saturday's Majestic Krewe of Aurora ball. I also raised my hands for beads with masks, commemorative beads, beads not unlike pink crystals an all manner of shiny, blinky things.

This year's ball was as awesome as ever, with the festival's Color Me Carnaval theme. I finally got to hear DeAndre Nico sing. He performed the National Anthem before at the beginning of festivities. Costumes, friends and beads made for an exciting evening at the Robert A. "Bob" Bowers Civic Center. 

You should have seen the size of the king cakes.

When you're out on Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas grounds this weekend, have some Cajun flavors for me!

Bread pudding in the morning

What's not to love about a serving of bread pudding for breakfast? Pairing it with eggs is not a stretch. There are lots of eggy and bread-based morning casseroles that don't involve rum sauce, so try a basic bread pudding this season with a hint of syrup.

In fact, we here in the Cajun part of Texas claim bread pudding, but there's a lot to a less sweeter version that puts me in mind of a Mexican breakfast. So that's how I ended up with a bit of bread pudding, egg and spicy red salsa on my plate. You know what? It sounds good for dinner, too.

Taste of the Triangle

So this Fat Tuesday, consider ringing out the season with the 36th annual Taste of the Triangle at the Beaumont Civic Center. The Sabine Area Restaurant Association benefits from ticket sales and you won't leave there hungry. This is a very cool area event and Mid-County restaurants are often the stars of the show. 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie having so much fun during the Mardi Gras season that she can't wait for Lent to begin. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Hearts and the Year of the Pig

                              
 Vers

                             If you’re of the mind that a Valentine’s Day celebration – held on Feb. 14 or thereabouts – absolutely must include red wine and chocolate, I’m with you.

                             We’d be good friends. Let’s do this.

                             Everything in moderation, right?

                             But just saying, I’d be happy with a good Judice’s burger with and chips. Or a fudge malt from Dairy Queen. Gumbo is always good.

                             But Valentines, like relationships is about compromise. Pizza would be my sweetheart’s pick.            

                             Also just saying, I hope that if that’s the way the night goes, he knows about the obligatory wine and chocolate thing. 

Tet m                Tet made me head to Port Arthur’s Vietnamese markets to stock up on spices. I was there a day before the dragon dancers and focused on fresh vegetables including eggplant and mini bok choy.

                             I looked up how to make egg drop soup the right way. It turns out the translation is “flower” so you don’t really drop in that egg and swirl it in the soup pot. You crack it into a bowl first and then swirl and pour it in to the bigger pot. A bit of cornstarch makes it thick and a tad of turmeric gives it the golden color.

                             The Tet season also inspired me to cook a pot of rice flavored with all the fish powder I had in the pantry. After all, the new year is a time to make way for the “new.”

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie with a heart for exploring new flavors. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Remember Tang?

 

Super Bowl is a veg-out; details later.

                  Something happened to make me think of ‘70s era breakfast, and I’ll get to that soon, too. Keep posted here for updates.

                            Here’s a memory of favorite breakfast foods when I was a child, in the ‘60s and ‘70s. While I’m sure my mom served healthy breakfasts to me before school, I mostly recall the rather special occasions I got the flashy, colorful and sugary foods that were marketed to kids. Pop-Tarts were a treat. Cereal was rare but I loved Captain Crunch, in peanut butter version. I even had his coloring book and staying in lines of his uniform. Malto-O-Meal had a soothing texture.

                             Tang was everywhere, even in space. I wasn’t actually in the kitchen a lot, but I remember mixing up Tang when it wasn’t my job to mix up instant tea for the evening meal. I still have the tea pot we’d pour from, like it was “real” tea, I suppose.

                             Sunday breakfasts were the real thing with grandma’s perfect biscuits and boudain. If there was cream gravy, I got to make it. I still have the little pitcher we’d pour from.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Athur area foodie who may not get sports, but appreciates the bonding around them. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Ready for Mardi Gras? Taste of Gumbo?

                            

Are your beads out? Mine are. Doors are decorated for Mardi Gras, set for Feb. 28-March 3 in downtown Port Arthur this year. DeAndre Nico will be a part of all of this and people are excited.

                             That gets us all excited about the flavors of Mardi Gras and what could be new out there to taste. I’ll be making gumbo in anticipation. Get your tickets!

                             Who said gumbo?

                             But wait. Rotary Taste of Gumbo, Etc. comes before that on Feb. 16 at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center. This tradition skipped a year because of Harvey, but they’re back for good flavor and a good cause. Again, get your tickets!

                            But now, for yogurt

                             Now that I’ve got you all excited over the spice, take a moment to consider the humble yogurt.

                             It’s cold, it’s comforting, it’s plain. Except when it is most definitely not plain. For all you folks who think you must have ice cream, please remember that thick, rich, Greek yogurt can get fruity and nutty and covered in chocolate to satisfy your cravings.

                             Some people still don’t believe me.

                             Pity.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie happy to eat yogurt daily and plan ahead for gumbo and more gumbo. And more gumbo. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Cupcakes coming up roses

   

  Rosemary and other blooms topped Chic Chef Carly Andrews' cupcakes at The Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center cocktail party. Bruce Branick and Judge Jeff Branick invited supporters to the center this past Thursday for music and mingling all in support of the good works this group offers. Grace Liu Anderson provided violin music while guests caught up on seafarer news and Chef Carly Andrews Oubre's spead included a purple hit: spicy glazed chicken meatballs with crispy red cabbage. Quite a presentation. Warm Bloody Mary gazpacho in a cup topped with a fried oyster was also a conversation starter. For information on seafarer projects, contact aosusa@sbcglobal.net

                  Dine out

                             Rodair Roadhouse, Reel Cajun and Neches River Wheelhouse were, I’m guessing, among top spots Mid-County residents took their holiday visitors for our area’s flavor. I’m guessing Tia Juanita’s will be another favorite. I’ve had an eye on their construction.

                             Other spots I’ve had a taste of recently include Koi Japanese Sushi Bar & Lounge with friendly service, bold flavor and matcha ice cream; Bruno’s Italian Kitchen with an upscale atmosphere; Amacate Tortilla Bar for an affordable Sunday brunch in a festive atmosphere; and Crown Pizza, your only cozy-in-a boxcar offering in the area. These are down the road in Beaumont. Got to say, all of Southeast Texas is known for creative dining.

                              Coffee Connection

                                If holiday travel puts you in Texas City, look for Coffee Connection, with the tagline “Touching Lives One Cup at a Time.”  I stopped in ever-so-briefly and enjoyed a welcome from patrons and servers who were a mix of genres and ages all chatting together. Christian projects and discussion were part of the atmosphere along with a heavenly aroma from Geva Premium Coffee, roasted in Houston. If their tagline doesn’t move you, try a message from their web site: Coffee: Because you can’t win friends with salad.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie ready for Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas, which will hit Port Arthur Feb. 28-March 3. Contact her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

January is soup (or gumbo?) month

                            

What could be more satisfying than a hot bowl of soup on a cold January evening?

                             I actually have an answer to that: gumbo. Of course in some regions where gumbo comes out of a can, those two phrases may be akin. Around here we call soup a hot meal and gumbo a festive occasion. It’s hardly ever a one-person affair.

                             I can also go on about chili. It’s another great meal-in-a-bowl option.

                             January is deemed soup month and for some folk that means a can of chicken noodle. For others its about beef stock, bone broth, boiling down carcasses and combining leftovers from the fridge. While I still consider “soup” to be a more plain option than my gumbo and chili affairs, I sure do appreciate that soup made one day is often still there the next, and usually better, as the flavors steep. It’s the cooking day that keeps on giving.

                             Since the calendar always “reminds” me that it’s soup month, I foraged in my pantry to move potential soup ingredients to the forefront, and I’ve put a can of fish powder, bullion cubes and dried mushroom strips to the forefront. Looks like we’re going Asian. Egg drop maybe?

                             May I suggest some other options that will warm you up and give you more space in the pantry?

                             * Lentels – If you have some colorful yellow, green and tan lentils displayed in a glass jar so that it looks like you cook that way a lot, go ahead and cook like that this week.

                             * Cans of corn and/or beans – They’re there for “emergencies.” A quick soup can be one. If using canned beans, try mashing up some along the inside rim of your cooking pot with the back of your spoon to make a creamy texture.

                             * If you’ve ever used a can of tomato sauce as a soup base, it’s not a stretch to try using up a bunch of collected ketchup packets instead.

                             * Stuff you didn’t like much to begin with. Did you ever whip up, say, a vegetable side dish, not enjoy it and yet freeze the rest of  it? Try it again in the soup. Run it through the blender first if you have to. The other ingredients should overwhelm what you didn’t care for.

                             * Like pho at your favorite Vietnamese restaurant? Port Arthur markets sell the seasoning in blocks, so you can recreate this at home.

                             * Menudo:  When I was younger I wouldn’t touch the stuff. I’ve had some great homemade stuff with my husband’s family and I’ve enjoyed it in from a can. It’s also considered a hangover remedy. Ironically, his people in the Valley may liken canned menudo to my dismay over canned gumbo.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who is ready to have a bowl of any variety of gumbo in any calendar month. Talk soup to nuts with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Golden seasoning fizzles (and suds)

 

The T

                             The golden seasoning   I'd already made seasonal labels and gift bags for Bacon Chipotle pretzels and toasted them with olive oil. A little more olive oil is always good, so I added more golden liquid from a little dish I’d set out. After they cooled, I decided to taste them. That’s something I rarely do because I could end up eating it all. Well, that pretzel was not good at all. Tasted like soap. The second one was still not good. Worse. I deduced that the golden liquid was lemon dish soap I’d set out. The olive oil was still in the bottle.

                             The silver lining here is that when I start concentrating on dietary resolutions, I can just imagine that dish soap taste and steer clear of the snacks.

            Watermelon Radish: At a December birthday party, my friend served a dish of watermelon radish. Ever heard of that? No one had. We all loved the bright pink center with green edges and the crisp, earthy taste. What crunch, and healthy, too. That's until I started spreading baked brie on every bite. These radishes are the size of billiard balls.

                                                                                                                                        

                  Another season(ing)

                             Here’s  how the golden seasoning incident happened. *See above.

                             A recent Free Friday Download from Kroger connected me to a bottle of McCormick Grill Mates in Bacon Chipotle flavor. So now I’m set for a sea salt-based blend of smoky-sweet to spice up baked sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and eggs. A baked butternut squash was the first item to receive the treatment. It became the main part of the meal accompanied by baked jalapeno and onion with the same sprinkle. It was so good I ate more than I should have.

                             Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who is sometimes a little too adventurous in the kitchen. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com