Astros still trending

 

Go Astros – Some Texas things we all seem to like are H-E-B, Astros and ice cream. If you haven’t heard, the store is presenting a limited edition Creamy Creations in honor of the 2022 World Series champs. It’s got Orbit and the ball park on the label and inside you get a triple play of peanut butter ice cream with peanut brittle pieces and a caramel swirl. I tried some in H-Town.

Cajun Heritage Festival – If you like crawfish (I know you do) and good music, join us at Cajun Heritage Festival on Saturday, April 1, and the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center. The Southeast Texas Arts Council is bringing it back to Port Arthur and there are several opportunities to visit area restaurants and attractions. Call your Cajun cousins from Louisiana and have them join us. Get the scoop at www.cajunheritagefest.com

Pound of Ground – The No. 1 reason I cook ground meat just about once a year is the mess. It’s frozen and messy. Okay Pound of Ground Crumbles (insert registered trademark sign here)  is what the phrase “game changer” is about. Tacos, spaghetti or chili is now on your weeknight menu without much planning ahead or defrosting. Change your mind mid-day? #PoundofGround is right there for you in your freezer. I mixed some with a can of tomatoes and cream of mushroom soup to go back to a ‘70s childhood comfort food. It’s 100 percent natural beef that cooks in less than 10 minutes. www.poundofground.com 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie always down to try something new. If you have a scoop, share it with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Hot plates; what's trending

  

What’s trending? Mushrooms are everywhere.

Could mushrooms be the new pumpkin spice? We’ve already discussed many variations here, even in capsule form. When 2023 culinary trend lists came out, they were at the top.

Readers, let us know how you have enjoyed mushrooms and some of the others on this list:

·        Canned seafood

·        Asian-Inspired barbecue

·        Sous Vide

·        Food as Medicine

·        Avocado and avocado oil

Sous vide is French for “under vacuum” and also goes by LTLT as in low-temperature, long-time cooking. Food is immersed in a water bath or glass jar. Sounds like trouble to me. But I’d try it.

 

Hot plate _

A server gave the traditional “hot plate” warner to my husband at a Mexican restaurant last week. She meant it. When I have a hot plate, it usually means I’m waiting at an Asian restaurant and have begun to make designs in my chili oils. Try it some time. Just fan out your drippings with the tip of your chopstick. Edible art.

 

Naturally – Éclat Natural Skincare comes in little brown bottles that just make you feel you are doing the right thing. The word means brilliant display or effect, so that’s another tipoff the goods are smooth going. Drop a little Vitamin C Serum into your bag for quick pick-me-ups. Argan oil rejuvenates hair and skin, so this two-in-one saves space in the makeup bag. Everything in the line could be considered “treat yourself” quality, but go ahead and buy it from your “self-care” needs budget.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who likes it hot. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Hear me out on the MoonPie Omelet

 

Give these chocolatey rounds their credit. They’re historic. In an effort to not eat the whole thing, I thought I’d crumble a MoonPie into eggs and create a sweet omelet for two. Gross? Certainly not. Unconventional? Yes, but imagine melty marshmallow, graham and chocolate as a dessert crepe and I was in business. I’d do it again, but MoonPie doesn’t come into my life that often. Why the moon? In 1917 a Kentucky coal miner asked a traveling salesman for a snack as big at the moon. There you go.

Next I mention Nutella, which I found on a snack bar in little pouch and explained the sweet gooey goodness to a man I’d just met. I shared how you can spread it on toast for a fancy treat.

“Oh,” he said, “It’s like peanut butter’s sexy cousin.”

Yep, I said. It pretty much is.

Now about omelets*  in general…

We used to have them pretty regular on Friday nights. Especially during Lent. There are so many variations and they’re so easy. Plus, they are one amazing thing my husband does really well and I love that he serves them to me. He mentioned that we’d had one recently and somebody shot back:

“What? Are you rich?”

Such is the price of eggs these days.

The Easter bunny has long been associated with chocolate eggs. He can bring me fresh eggs this time around.

Whenever you get some, here are my favorite add ins on omelet night:

·          Avocado

·          Cheese

·          Caramelized onions

·          Olives

·          Tomatoes

·          Yogurt

·          Real bacon bits

·          Salsa on the side

·          Bell pepper on the side

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie with egg on her face. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Texas' other oil business

 The Lone Star State’s other oil business

 

 

Who loves Texas products? Texans, and just about everybody else, too. I got to meet someone from the family of Sola Stella (Lone Star) Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Our beautiful flag is on the label of this premium select first cold press. Texas Hill Country Olive Oil of Dripping Springs produces and bottles this blend described as buttery an delicate with a slight peppery finish. Poetry, huh? Olive oil makes everything better in a state that’s already pretty cool. Of course it’s great with herbs as a dipping sauce. Happy dipping from Dripping Springs. 

Wickles – When you see the pickle and pepper dancing on the Wickles lable, it clues you in that you’ll be dancing with them soon. I’ve been doling out these hot, sweet, crunchy babies a few at a time to the husband and hiding the jar. “Are there more?” he keeps asking. For your “more” from Dadeville, Alabama, hit www.wickles.com

Blending In – When was the last time you got excited about stabilized rice bran? This is Texas and even we don’t grow it into  Chocolate Delight Powder Mix. Zurvita does and I like it. I’m by no means a smoothie queen, but you can’t beat a quickie breakfast. A scoop of this is easy to blend with banana, water or milk and you’re ready to sip it in your car. You get:

• 20 grams of whey protein isolate concentrate, and pea protein blend
• Over 24 vitamins, minerals, and stabilized rice bran
• Prebiotics
• 5 billion CFU probiotics
• Digestive enzymes

While www.zurvita.com will explain the science, I’ll be quick as a shake or blend and tell you it is has a pleasant mouthfeel and I feel satisfied until lunch. It’s also good for after workouts. So I’m told.

Hot Dogs. Discuss. – Lots of “All-American” weenies do not merit reading the ingredient label if you want to enjoy them. Some folks in Denver decided to do it their way, with ethically-raised animals and turn out apple and gouda bratwurst. Smoked pork and bacon with jalapeno cheddar is my fave style. There’s smoked pork and elk as well. Who does this? Charcutnuvo is their term for charcuterie and “new” in French. But I’m not cutting these up to spread on a board and share with others. This is what really goes on a skewer into the fire or into a high-quality bun. This is the sausage we were meant to enjoy. www.charcutnuvo.com

Not done with pumpkin – Can’t confine your pumpkin spice craving to Fall? Hearthy Foods offers gluten-free pumpkin spice muffin mix with the not-so-secret ingredients of “superfoods.” It’s on the label. I’m wary of muffin making but these did pop out of the pan easily I especially loved the crispy edges. A vegan substitute on the package is to use ground flax or chia seeds for eggs and adding a teaspoon of espresso powder to enhance a chocolate flavor. I baked mine to make sure there were crispy edges, my fave part. www.hearthyfoods.com 

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves the taste of Texas and pretty much everywhere else. Play with your food and tell her about it at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Vegans, crawfish lovers and kitchen cleaners

I admire both the discipline and creativity of the vegan lifestyle. This Culinary Thrill Seeker is not ready to convert, because I admire the crawfish lifestyle as well. This week’s column has tips for all y’all who do either of that, from the most clean and stylish kitchen you can have.

 

But can you find another vegan? If you had eggplant, lentils and pomegranate, would you think of combining them into one dish? How about a Caribbean twist on okra with sweet potato, coconut milk, cilantro and Scotch Bonnet? I’d try that, a chickpea salad sandwich and Taco Tuesday with jackfruit. Vegans take a lot of heat, especially in meat-loving Texas. The dishes in “Vegan Cooking For Two” have 200+ mouth-watering ideas, including fig streusel and other desserts. So say you are bold and for your health or what have you find a black-eyed pea salad with peaches and pecans to your liking, the situation could be, can you find the second vegan to dine with? Hey, just call me. I’ll help you. America’s Test Kitchen has produced another winner with “make it a meal” and “level up” notes and explanations on why these combos will work for you.

Butter Boards

Decadent butter boards had their moment, which was maybe a whole week. I never got to try one. I knew it would be too dangerous to make my own. And yet, I have a pretty good idea for the Port Arthur area Cajuns who love their crawfish. Here’s an idea for your crusty loaf of French bread:

• Mince up crawfish tails, Cajun seasoning, maybe some fresh green herbs and onions with a bit of lemon juice and work them into softened butter – or cream cheese. Spread it on French bread and stand back.

 

Luxury Towels and Clean Cups

I’d never considered I could up my kitchen towel game. I mean they are there for what they need to do. But what is that? Drying, cleaning and maybe covering dough? Towels do the work. My friend hosts family parties with a dishtowel on her shoulder. They’re fashion accessories as well as potholders for her. When Thyme & Sage informed me, I got it. The Cleaner, The Cook and The Multitasker come in sets and I’m loving the elderberry. The most-textured cleaning towel has thirsty loops for counter maintenance. The Cook has a finer weave for jobs such as lining bread baskets, wringing out vegetables and putting between the pot and lid while cooking rice. Wait, do you do that? Does anyone in Southeast Texas or nearby Louisiana cook rice that? Please let me know if you do, because that was a product suggestion.  Anyways, the multitasker has two sides, but you’ll be one-sided pleased with all the colors and designs at www.timeandsage.com 

Kuppy  is so genius you’d wish you’d thought of it. The simple perforated silicone piece sits on your counter waiting for a hand-washed water bottle or wine glass to top it. Bam, you have a sleek drying rack. Keep it up and you’ll be a pro at regularly washing those hydration bottles so the gunk doesn’t build up at the bottom. Summer is coming and Texans need to drink up. Kuppy is your friend: www.getkuppy.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who has her crawfish days, her vegetarian days and her salad days. #culinarythrillseeking, darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Try something a little different

 

Giving things up and/or making positive changes is a Lenten thing. Maybe eat a little less and donate a little more. Try simple foods or try new things. Kale should be big. And maybe rice and beans. And oatmeal. But if you’re going to indulge, here are some healthier picks to get headed in the right director.

 

The Marsh in Marshmallow – Maybe you never thought about how marshmallows are made. Hearthy Foods makes some sweet square babies from grass-fed gelatin. What a huge difference this makes. You can snack on the French Vanilla variety that is also gluten and soy free and halal. Pink Himalayan salt makes the rest of the amazing difference. Hearthy Foods Inc., www.hearthyfoods.com is bringing a line of good stuff to consumers.

 

Crunchy Loops – You’ve probably never had baked red lentils the way Harvest Snaps does ‘em. Crunchy Loops are satisfying little circles of flavor that top my childhood fave of another crispy round which shall remain nameless. These are both “fun” and delish and I’m a little less guilty about enjoying the gluten-free plant protein snacks in Kick’N BBQ and Sour Cream & Onion. They impressed some health nuts I know. I was glad to share and glad there was plenty left over. Get your own from www.harvestsnaps.com 

 

It's still chocolate – Would you pick up a sweet dark chocolate bar with the words “not a low calorie food” on the label? Consider it if you are an adventurous diabetic craving sugar-free yum made with fermented mushroom extract. I enjoyed my second bite even more than the first one and my husband enjoyed more than the one block I offered him. Maca, lucuma, vanilla, monk fruit and cinnamon make Macalat bloom into “gentle caramel-like sweetness.” So it is sugar free, but not calorie free, because you simply can’t have it all. But have this treat from www.macalat.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would love to hear from readers. #culinarythrillseeking darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Serenity Now! Gather for game night, but no double dipping

 

The show about nothing turned into a fun trivia game night when a friend brought over a “Seinfeld trivia game. I was on team Festivus and game answers included catch phrases from marble rye to airing of grievances. We thought about serving a big salad and pretzels that make you thirsty, but ended up with hummus and cheeses for a good old time. Our friend’s hummus recipe included turmeric for a lovely golden hue. Grab your friends and remind yourself of how much fun an old-fashioned game night can be. No double dipping!

 

Tea from what? – Olive leaf tea sounds exotic. The concept is ancient and I didn’t think I’d get the chance to try it. Steep Echo of Santa Barbara is a family olive oil and tea business with videos that make you imagine the very olive they’ve harvested into the nets they hold went into you salad for dinner. I enjoyed tea of such fragrance I thought about putting some bags in my linen drawer. Curated boxes in blue and gold paper look as luxurious as the teas they hold. Offerings include Repose with passionflower, rose petal, chamomile and linden, for “stolen moments.” Other combinations are Tend with mango and Ascent with monk fruit and vanilla. All feature olive leaves. Cut 1886 is the family’s “oil bizness,” www.steepecho.com  

 

Here’s the beef – I love how sandwiches become regional favorites. I just learned Chicago Italian Beef is a thing and Buona, a local pick, is so famous now that they can ship you a package to make some at home. A thick French roll soaks up the gravy from thin-sliced beef. An “optional” that is a must for me is gobs of Hot and Spicy Giardiniera olive salad. Does this put you in mind of a NOLA muffuletta? Not quite. Seems like the Italians of Chicago went a different way. The olive salad is the link. If you want to try how they do it up north, go to www.buona.com 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would never double dip. #culinarythrillseeking darraghcastillo@icloud.com