A Ballpark Favorite Comes Home

In normal times people would be sitting at their favorite ballparks, having their beers and a bag of salted peanuts. However , the only time you can get peanuts now is at home. Has the lock down affected this american classic? Yes and no.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this summer time favorite in today's New York Times Food section. Roasted peanuts have been popular at games for the last 125 years. Yet with most of the venues closed, the nuts have been languishing in storage or orders from peanut farmers have been cancelled. Roasted peanuts are an expensive deal. Unlike pretzels and hot dogs, other ballpark standards, they have to be bred to be the perfect size for the roasting process. The plants are expensive to grow and delicate to harvest. Of course the shell has to be perfect as well which adds to its' appetizing looks. How did peanuts become connected to baseball? It all started in the 1890's when British born Harry Stevens moved to Ohio and fell in love with the game. He designed and sold its' first scorecards with the slogan "You can't tell the players without a scorecard." Enter a peanut company, Cavagnaros traded bags of peanuts for advertising  space.on the cards One hundred years later the Aramark company which produces nine million bags (!) of peanuts a season.  When Jack Norwith wrote "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" in 1908 , the marriage of baseball and peanuts were well wed.

Roasting peanuts have a special flavor as fans will tell you . They are the divas of the field, with delicate shells that are prone to cracking. Picking them requires care according to peanut farmer Dan Ward, of Clarkton, North Carolina. They also have to be planted in loamy soil. There was also calculating how many to plant for the 2021 baseball season. Yet what about all those companies that bought those roasters . It turned out there was a rise in sales in March. Roasted peanuts started to sell out at Wal-Mart and other retailers. It could be that people wanted to try roasting them themselves or create the Instagram cute squirrel "restaurants" where tiny picnic tables and tiny bowls of  raw shelled nuts are left out for squirrels to feast on. In May, there was another boost. shelled Virginias, so named because they're grown in the state had a fifteen per cent boost in sales. The reason was that all those cans bought in March were now gone. sales have been steady. Even steadier were peanut butter sales. It went into a lot of sandwiches but even more sobering more was bought up by  FEMA and Feeding America to fill out food boxes for the needy.Yet the Virginia peanuts are not being dumped into the grinders, only the runner beans. It would be cost ineffective to grind up the best nuts according to Tom Nolan the vice president  for sales and marketing at Hampton Farms, the North Carolina peanut company.

You can't go to the ballgames these days but you can still have  roasted peanuts. They're delicious no matter what. Have a bag and celebrate all those future season with them.

Diablo Verde A New Take On Cilantro

Cilantro is one of the key elements and flavors in Mexican and southwest cuisine. Now there's a new sauce that highlights its' flavor ratcheted up with some heat Diablo Verde, This amazing sauce has an amazing story.

It all started with Luke Johannson , the middle son of 3 Son Foods has spent five years of his young life fundraising for the International Rhino Foundation. He used his birthday money, always asking friends and family to donate to this  very worthy cause. He wanted to raise more funds so he sold his mom's creamy cilantro sauce to teachers, friends and neighbors. It was a huge hit. It gained in popularity as the family sold it to local stores and at farmer's markets. It won several awards. Luke and his older brother Ayden, and their younger brother George handle everything , from marketing to packaging. Here's the mind blowing part. Ayden s just seventeen while Luke is fifteen. George is twelve! These young men have the where with all and passion to  make 2 Sons Foods the powerhouse in the salsa industry. The salsa comes in three strengths - mild, medium and hot. It's their mother's recipe of cilantro, lime juice and buttermilk,

I love the creaminess of the sauce - along with the reason it was started. Being an animal rights advocate , the Johannson brothers' passion to save rhinos struck a chord with me. Diablo Verde was a fun dip with tortilla dip, but I also used it in a burrito filling.

It started with tomatoes, and peppers chopped.

I used three tomatoes and five small sweet peppers.

I wanted to get Morningstar Farm chicken strips but couldn't find them at my local 

Shop Rite. I found these instead.It's Don Lee plant based burgers and I cubed it. It looked like pancetta or guanciale.

Everything was sauteed in Bertoli olive oil and had a liberal sprinkle of onion powder. I then added two heaping tablespoons of Diablo Verde and cooked on a medium flame.

I then dampened tortillas and microwaved for forty seconds . The filling was put in them,

Definitely add Diablo Verde to any burrito or taco filling. It works well with chicken but I can see slathering this on burgers for a zesty bite. It would also be good added to chicken or turkey chili. It can be found in HEB grocery stores throughout the Austen Texas area or at their website.

Diablo Verde  should be on your summer radar.It's an excellent for tortilla chips but great in cooking and on grilled meats and veggies. Try it today not only for yourself but to save rhinos too.

Add Fire To Your Barbecue

It's summer and it's barbecue time. By now many have gone to their grills, enjoying everything form grilled steak to chicken to veggies. Yet it's still the same flavors that need to be livened up. add some spice and fire to your barbecue for some tasty and exciting eating.

One of the most interesting spice blends is the berbere, a common ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine. I've just discovered it as it's one of the main seasonings in Ethiopian lentil stew.It can be found on Amazon but you can make it in your kitchen. It's a mix of paprika, dried New Mexico chilies,cayenne pepper, and dried ginger. fenugreek, cumin coriander and cinnamon are also added along with nutmeg, allspice , cloves and garlic and onion powders. Just gently whisk together. Use it as a rub for rib eye or flank steaks. Add it to hamburgers for some sweet, spicy zing. You can also use the spice as a rib for chicken legs and wings for a different kind of grill and it also works well with veggies such as eggplant. Jamaican cuisine is also tongue tingling . Add a jerk rub to any of your barbecue. Jerk is usually a mix of  powdered garlic and onion along with cumin, allspice, nutmeg, smoked paprika and cinnamon. Brown sugar is always for sweetness to cool down the fire a bit. Sometimes parsley and thyme are also thrown into the mix. Jerk can be used on any meat, mostly with chicken but you can also use it on fish such a snapper.

If you want' a different kind of spice mix is the North African harissa. This is a Tunisian hot chili paste which starts off with tomato paste as its' base. A blackened red pepper that's been skinned and seeded is added as are  toasted and ground coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds.Sauteed red onions  garlic  and chilies are mixed and then blended together to form A smooth , ketchup like paste. a squirt of lemon juice is added. Harissa can be used on chicken as a marinade. Just add some olive oil and let the pieces marinate for two to four hours or overnight.  You can also use it on summer grilled veggies too.It's a great way of using zucchini and eggplant from the garden.It's also good on grilled bell peppers, adding zing and fire.Of course there is the Buffalo hot wing sauce which can be used on other meats too. Start with Frank's red hot pepper sauce and  butter cooked with white vinegar and Worcester sauce.Cayenne pepper is added for bite and fire along with garlic powder and a pinch of sea salt. The sauce is then cooled and can be used as a marinade for wings and drums.  Reserve some for dipping later. Keep in mind that hot wing sauce can be used on steak too.

Add some fire to your grilling. A spicy rub or sauce is just the thing for giving meats and veggies much needed zest. Try them for a different spin on barbecuing.

Dining Out Or In For Father's Day

Two big events are happening this weekend. Restaurants are opening and it's Father's Day. Now here's the question. Should you celebrate at Dad's favorite restaurant or have something at home? Can the family head out or is better to have a backyard bash?

There should be reservations already in place if you are planning on taking the man of the day out. There are some eateries who will take last minute reservations along with a handful who don't even need reservations. Eating out again is a big deal - and fun. After all it's a chance to dress up , comb the hair and put on sandals other than flipflops. Then there's sitting down and actually ordering a meal. Being waited on is another nice perk along with being served food that you haven't cooked yourself or comes in a container in a paper bag.There's also the thrill of ordering anything you like, from steak to shrimp as opposed to being stuck with what's being cooked in the air fryer or crockpot. Another plus of eating out? Desserts!!! Dad can choose anything from a whipped cream embellished slice of chocolate cake or a fancy mint leaf crowned sorbet in a fancy glass. Instead of a Keurig cup, he and you can have cappuccino or espresso. It's just a nice time out even though you may be dining out in the parking lot.

However it can be more comforting to celebrate Dad in the backyard. It's safer that's for sure if only a close few are invited - or just those living in the house. You can still have the fancy restaurant food , either with take out or making it yourself. An easy but lush lunch or dinner is grilled steak with a coin of herbed butter on it. Herbed butter is a easy make. It's taking plain butter (dairy or plant based) mixed with lemon juice, finely chopped parsley and a variety of other herbs such as oregano, basil, or rosemary. The butter can also be used on toasted Italian or French bread too. Another fun dad dish is a beer burger. This is combining a quarter cup of his favorite beer with chopped beef, Worcester sauce , garlic and onion. Serve with sliced tomatoes and lettuce along with a slice of Swiss cheese. Instead of the usual , gloppy macaroni salads, try grilled veggies as a side. Grill corn and asparagus along with eggplant. You can also use the herbed butter on these or on that other fatherly favorite grilled baked potatoes. End the meal with chocolate stout cupcakes with buttercream icing or double chocolate s'more's using chocolate graham crackers and eighty to ninety percent dark chocolate instead of plain graham crackers and milk chocolate bar.

Father's Day is a time of celebrating. That's the important aspect, whether you dine in or out. Make sure the fathers in your life have a good meal and a good time.

A Spoonful Of Strawberry

This is strawberry season and although we can't pick them like we used to, we can still make yummy and comforting desserts with them. Add to the classic dessert spoon cake and you have a wonderful dessert.

Jerrelle Guy, creator of the blog Chocolate For Basil gave this delicious recipe in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. She takes spoon bread, a classic Southern dish and pairs it with the fruit of the moment, strawberries. The name comes from spooning it up, especially the crusty edges and the soft, squishy middle. Anyone can make it , including beginner bakers. It's a quick batter pushed into a buttered dish and then covered with muddled strawberries. You could use any fresh fruit from now, subbing in blueberries or peaches for a different spin. The liquid from the muddled fruit keeps the cake steaming as it bakes. Ms. Guy also recommends a dusting of ginger or cardamon for a warmer, spicy taste or  add ribboned basil and a drizzled balsamic vinegar. The strawberries are muddled with brown sugar for an earthy flavor, Of course it's also good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, perfect after a dinner of barbecued chicken or steak,

Again this is an easy bake and novice bakers will appreciate that. Muddle the strawberries first. This is done either with your hands or the back of the fork. Brown sugar is stirred in for sweetening and then the mixture is set aside.It is a buttery dish with one stick melted with brown sugar , milk and salt. Flour and baking powder are whisked in  and then spread into a buttered baking dish. It doesn't matter whether it's a round or square one.Make sure the batter is  smooth and spread into the corners. The muddled strawberries and their juices are then spooned over it. Place in a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes or  until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Remove from the oven  and allow to cool for three to five minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve with vanilla ice cream but if you want to gild the lily, then freshly whipped cream. A sprinkle of more brown sugar wouldn't go amiss here. It would add some crunch.

This is strawberry season. Use them to make this delicious and comforting spoon cake. It's a perfect dessert for a summery night.

After The Cleanse

There is a lot of hype regarding cleanses. People swear by them. They live by them. Yet most times they're just quackery. If you want that healthy body, then eat healthy. I know I have to do this.

For me the gallbladder cleanse was the biggest hoax on the Internet. I followed My Cultured Palate's remedy for eliminating gallstones to the letter. It simply did not work even after I drank the vile liquid that is Epsom salts  twice. This was at six and eight PM and I thought this is going well. At ten I had to drink the mix of half a cup of extra virgin olive oil and half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice.I drank that with no worries. After all I use the vinaigrette in my salads all the time and had to resist the urge to salt and pepper it. At about eleven PM all hell broke loose.  A mechanical sounding swoosh indicated a quick run to the bathroom. This went on for five hours, until four in the morning. I was sure there would be tons of gallstones. Nothing. Each time. There was one  - only the size of a pinhead about eight hours later . That was it. Some black things came out of me and I'm figuring it was poo that was lodged in there for a while. As for a regular flush , it was good. Yet I still have gallstones. I still have a dull ache and burping after I eat.

I have now resorted to this gallbladder cleanse tonic from Complete Natural Products. since I don't want my gallbladder removed.It should come in a few days and I'm relying on it to eliminate them. The tonic is made from such ingredients that promote gallbladder health. There is organic artichokes along with Chanca Piedra - stone breaker from the Amazon. There's also milk thistle , lemon and apple cider along with turmeric, all ingredients I've used in the past. Honey, lime and peppermint are some of the other important components in in along with Valerian and red cabbage. There also have to be some dietary changes on my part.  Processed foods are way off the table. That means no frozen pizzas which are full of chemicals and preservatives and processed baked goods. Good bye Tuxedos, those tasty Oreo lookalikes from Acme. Those became my best friend during the lock down. Also off the table are the Tate chocolate chip cookies. Luckily I can recreate these using all natural ingredients and the most important whole wheat flour.  Cold cuts are gone or will be a rare occasion treat. Bacon, shrimp and even avocados are now taboo. The last is rich in fat and not good. I don't know what I'll do as a replacement for guacamole. Maybe salsa.

Eating healthy is the best way to cleanse the body. These flushes simply and truly do not work. I don't recommend ever doing them. Ever.

Restaurant Memories Past

Restaurant critics and even authors have the best jobs - and the best memories. Although these reminiscences don't have to be from their careers. Many have great ones from their childhood that have stayed with them for decades. It just makes us go back and enjoy our own memories.

This was the lead article in today's New York Times Food section. For a few select parts of the country there are eateries open however for most of us, eating at any place still a dream. Yet everyone has memories- mostly very good about restaurants. The critics reminisced about places around the world. One of the sweetest takes place in Paris. Reviewer Ruth Reichl was in Paris with her son and husband, both not showing the same joy she had. The eatery was L'Ami Louis, a famed Parisian spot since 1924. Upon arrival her son was treated to a large dish of pomme frites, French fries, and freshly squeezed orange juice. He and another boy,possibly the child of French actress Carole Bouquet were enlisted to play games along with sharing a giant chocolate cake, His mother swooned over escargots with a garlicky sauce. There is Bill Buford's memory of a night out alone in the gastronome's capital, Lyons. It was a night out for several of the townspeople where they dined on plat principal, a meat dish, featuring chicken, fish and sweetbreads along with first fresh cheese from the nearby alps. The desserts were phenomenal from apple tart to baba rhum to fondant au chocolat.

Adam Platt, brother of actor Oliver Platt, and famed critic, wrote lovingly of meals at Taiching, a small city in Taiwan where his parents were studying Mandarin. They enjoyed Mongolian barbecue on this island of exiles who didn't agree with Maoism. It was the first time he ate scallions and tried sprigs of coriander.It was a heady mix of aromas and tastes, reminiscent of the barbecue joints of the American south. Of course, everyone has great memories of seafood restaurants. Author Carmen Maria Machado writes about  enjoying a bowl of steamed mussels and oysters during her college years in Georgetown along with a recent meal at a Red Lobster. Another Sloane Crosley wrote about everyone's favorite tiramisu and sending it to a woman she thought was Amy Poehler at the famed Soho eatery Morandi. It was a humorous and luckily salvaged  situation. Her friend knew the Amy look alike's dining partner and they sent over the dessert as a nice gesture of recognition. Aleander  Chee writes not of eating but of serving a famed star in the Eighties. Then there is writer Samantha Irby's reminiscence about eating at the Cheesecake Factory on its' opening day.It's chaos, but the place does have rock star status on the American scene along with its' famed warmed bread/

Restaurants evoke all sorts of memories and those are important right now. They make all us happy , even though they're someone else's. It what makes it fun to reminisce.