From Foul to Fine

     Cuisine at home magazine has a helpful section they call Tips & Timesavers.  In it readers write in about things they have used to make life easier.  In the September/October issue Sana Gay Holmes-Richards of Brooklyn, NY shares her solution to a smelly kitchen.

     Here's what she wrote:

Eliminating lingering odors like a scorched roasting pan or smell fried fish from my house used to be difficult, but I've found a solution.  Using a pie plate, I add an assortment of fragrant spices, such as star anise, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, allspice berries, and coriander seeds, and cut up an orange to the dish and place it in a warm oven.  In little to no time the aroma of sweet spices and citrus fills my home.

Wow!  So easy!  Why didn't I think of that?

A Summer Slaw

     Recently I found an interesting recipe for a different kind of slaw.  The traditional main ingredient for coleslaw is green cabbage, and lots of it.  But in the October issue of Cuisine at home magazine The star of the show is little cabbages.  Yes, you heard that correctly, Brussels sprouts.

     Here it is for your consideration:

Brussels Sprouts Slaw

with maple-bacon vinaigrette

     You'll look forward to eating your greens with this fresh, Brussels sprouts slaw.  And bacon only makes it better. 

Ingredients

8 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/2 cup chopped, toasted and skinned hazelnuts

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

salt & black pepper to taste

COOK bacon until crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve 3 Tbsp drippings.

SHRED sprouts in a food processor fitted with thin slicing blade; transfer to a large bowl.  Add scallions, hazelnuts, and bacon.

WHISK together drippings, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, and garlic for the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper.

TOSS slaw with vinaigrette.

Makes 8 servings (about 8 cups)

Total time: 30 minutes

The meal that wasn't

     The final stop on my day long road trip down the Oregon coast on Route 101 was scheduled to be at the Luna Sea Fish House in Yachats.  Even with my GPS loaded with the address I had difficulty finding the place.  I passed it twice.  Suffice it to say that it  did not command an imposing presence in town.  It was in a tiny strip of three or four businesses along the main drag.  

     Once I did finally find it the next challenge was to find parking, which I eventually did.  Supposedly the fish is all very fresh. But I wasn't able to determine that for myself since the line in front of the cooler case totally obscured my view.  The place was already packed full of patrons.  But that didn't require much effort since there were only about 4 or 5 tables.


     I would have waited but looking around I was dismayed that the place had a half made bed look about it.  And it looked dusty in the corners, too.


     So, reluctantly, I headed back to my car and headed back to Portland, a two hour drive.  But it was through some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen.  So it wasn't a total loss.

Road Trip, part 3

     

     It was a pleasant drive in and out of the low hanging clouds along Oregon Route 101.  it hugs the coastline with many magnificent photo ops along the way.  It was about mid-afternoon when I arrived in Newport.  The historic commercial fishing port is nestled between the Coast Mountains, Pacific Ocean and the Yaquina Bay.  With a rapidly growing population the working waterfront area is home to shops, art galleries, chowder houses and restaurants.  Among them is Ocean Bleu @ Gino's.

     The scenic indoor/outdoor venue features wild seafood from their own boat and also sells their own in-house smoked fish.  I took in the ambiance as I looked over the menu for an appetizer before dinner.  The shrimp cocktail looked like just the thing for me to sample some of their bounty and so I ordered it with a tall glass of their signature strawberry lemonade.

     It wasn't long before my server had the lemonade to my table outside by the parking lot.  Soon the luscious, succulent shrimp appeared and I thoroughly enjoyed them.  But what left a bad taste in my mouth was the price listed on my bill.  Although I had specifically ordered the shrimp I was billed for prawns, a somewhat larger relative of the shrimp, at nearly twice the price!  After finishing my teaser meal I patiently waited in line at the cash register next to the cooler case of seafood and mentioned to the young woman behind the counter that I was charged for more than I ordered.  Expecting resistance I was relieved when she smiled and replied that she could fix that on the bill.


     For the first time on my Road Trip I was pleased with the outcome!

City by the Bay

     Bay City is a picturesque little town along the Oregon coast.  It is just about a mile and a half square with a population of around twelve hundred people with an elevation of merely 17 feet above sea level.


     I arrived there, turning off Route 101, at noon and pulled in to the parking lot of what appeared to be a fish processing plant.  Sure enough, the large sign on the side of the corrugated metal building confirmed the fact.  There in bold lettering was the name of the enterprise, Pacific Oyster.

     But at one corner of the building was a glass enclosed vestibule with a hand painted outline of two fish.  That was the entrance to their retail store/restaurant, The Fish Peddler.  I watched as locals made their way in to wait in line to order from the lunch menu and followed.  There were lots of freshly caught delicacies of the sea available in the cooler cases and a cheerful, if not attentive, staff waiting on customers. 

      I was shown a small table by the window and handed a menu to peruse.  What caught my eye was a delightful sounding combination of crab and shrimp topped with melted cheese.  So I ordered it and anticipated the taste of two of my favorite sea foods.

     Unfortunately, what I received was a disappointing duo of tiny tasteless shrimp and canned crab meat buried under a glop of melted cheddar cheese.  The flavor of the cheese was so strong that it completely overwhelmed any possibility of tasting the delicate flavors of the crab and shrimp, if they indeed had any.  But the fries were good...


     Once again disappointed I headed south along scenic Oregon Route 101 for an hour and a half to the next stop, Newport.

Day Trip

     Jane & Michael Stern have crisscrossed America sampling regional favorites and quirky fare.  They enjoy what they do and are good at it.  In addition to appearing weekly on NPR's The Splendid Table they are perhaps best known for their Roadfood books.  That's why I was excited to come across one of Michael's webposts on Oregon Coast Seafood Markets just prior to my attendance at The Bite of Oregon event.  I enthusiastically printed it out and reviewed it carefully.  It would make a perfect day trip for me.  It was a 135 mile, 3 hour ride along Oregon's scenic Route 101 with stops along the way.  

Here is what he had to say about the experience:

     "If you like fish that is dramatically fresh, served at nautical food bars with do-it-yourself service and dispose-your-own cardboard plates, there is no road trip more rewarding than a drive along Oregon's Route 101.  Here you will find dual-purpose establishments that sell fresh seafood and offer extremely casual meals, frequently at a picnic-table setting...take note of the tuna, which is as different from ordinary canned supermarket tuna as Dover sole is from a fish stick."

  I was walking in the door of the downtown Portland car agency just as they opened their doors for the day and was soon on my way to follow Michael's Oregon seafood adventure.  I drove due west to the coast on Route 26 to my first stop at the Ecola Seafoods Restaurant & Market in the seaside town of Cannon Beach.   The scenery was breathtaking with a fog draped Haystack Rock in the distance.  At first I was put off a bit by the name of the market, but soon learned that it was named after a nearby state park and not a dreaded disease.

     The place was bright a cheerful looking when I arrived at 10am.  Their cooler cases were stocked with all manner of fresh looking fish and crustaceans.  

     And the white board listed a number of mouth watering lunch specials.  I enjoyed a conversation with the owner and asked if I was perhaps too early for a taste of their chowder.  She responded that I was indeed just in time to sample their freshly made clam chowder.  I was soon walking back to my place at an indoor picnic table with plastic tray in hand carrying a cardboard cup of chowder and plastic spoon accompanied by one of those cellophane packets of mini-oyster crackers.

     I have to admit that the chowder was extremely mediocre, tasting like something pre-mixed and sold by a wholesaler to retail outlets.  I could tell that the potatoes were machine diced and the clams were minced so small as to be almost invisible.  I was hoping for real cream and butter but sadly tasted neither.

     I left feeling somewhat discouraged but was looking forward to my next stop at the Fish Peddler in Bay City, a mere 47 miles down the road.

More than a Buzzword

     By the time I arrived in Portland I was getting pretty hungry.  It was only 3pm on the Pacific coast but my stomach was telling me it was dinner time.  The contract with the rental car agency didn't begin until the following morning so I took off on foot to find a place to eat.


     Walking downhill toward the river it wasn't long before I came across Southpark Seafood, an indoor/outdoor restaurant.  A quick scan of the menu revealed that it was just the kind of place I was looking for.  Oysters on the half shell, fish, clam chowder and Dungeness crabs.....what's not to like?  And beside, it was located on Salmon Street.  A coincidence?  I think not!

     I began with the most unique riff on clam chowder that I have ever tasted.  It wasn't New England style, nor was it Manhattan.  Tiny whole clams sharing space with pillows of gnocchi in a richly flavored, creamy broth, it was the perfect way to begin a memorable meal.


     Then on to the main event, a whole Dungeness crab served with cornbread.  Those Northwestern Pacific crabs are nothing like the Maryland blues that I know so well. One crab is a meal!  I worked methodically at devouring it.  First the legs and then each half of the body, carefully removing the sweet meat from each crevice and cavity.  Pure bliss!  And to borrow their advertising it was, as they claim, "...creative and delicious."

     The inverted carapace served as the container for the drawn butter.  Yes, very creative, but with a larger purpose.  Southpark Seafood maintains a strict sustainability policy in everything they serve and do.  To them sustainable is more than just a buzzword.  In partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch they monitor and catalogue all the fish they serve, taking only from the sea what it is able to replenish.


     But it's more than just selling fish.  They compost all their food waste, recycle all their cooking oil, and recycle all their cardboard, cans, glass and paper.  Even their straws are made from corn and their bar picks are wood.  The menus, comment cards and letterhead are made from post consumer materials.

     The food is good, and their practices are good for our world!


     

Big & Blue

     One of the Chef's Table Sponsors was the Oregon Blueberry Commission.  And not only did they help to underwrite the 3 day "Plates for the People" culinary extravaganza, they had a representative strolling around the grounds extolling the virtues of the power packed little fruit.

     In the free recipe handout was this statement:

Oregon blueberries are delicious, healthy, simple and convenient. Adding a handful of blueberries to your day will energize and help achieve daily nutritional requirements.  They are low in fat and full of nutrients like Vitamin C.

     Here's one of the recipes:

Blueberry Ketchup

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp pickled ginger (gari) or minced fresh ginger

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine blueberries, onion, vinegar, sugar, ginger and salt.  Bring to a simmer; cook about 15-20 minutes, stirring.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove to blender or food processor, whirl until smooth.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Culinary Competition

     Not only was the food at the Bite of Oregon exceptional, so was the entertainment during the 3 day event held at Waterfront Park in Portland.   In addition to some very talented (and loud) local musicians like the Nu-Wavers and School of Rock Portland, one stage was dedicated to a Friday and Saturday competition among top local chefs for the title of Iron Chef Oregon.

     Each chef had identical pantries and 30 minutes to prepare and plate an entree using secret ingredients unveiled at the start of the competition.  They had to race the clock and each other as the audience, commentators and judges looked on.  It was quite a sight to behold.

Gee, sometimes it takes me more than a half hour just to come up with a suitable recipe when I already know the ingredients...

Big Winners

     This year Bite of Oregon celebrated its 33rd anniversary.  The theme for the event was "Plates for the People," an initiative to offer more than 40 specially crafted plates from all the participating restaurants for $5 or less.  That included a special Oregon Bounty Chef's Table section where local area chefs, as well as representatives from Pro Chefs Oregon and the American Culinary Federation provided gourmet samples for the same price.

     Braised beef with polenta, rockfish street tacos, Yukon potato salad and candied bacon burger sliders were all available for sale, along with blueberry cobbler, and cherry beignets. The cuisine was eclectic with German Brats, Mexican tacos, Cajun alligator on a stick and French crepes, too.  And there were food trucks on the scene to tempt the palate with dumplings, pasta, sliders and tacos.

     Then to wash it all down there were 16 different beer options from local brewers, as well as 5 different kinds of hard cider, 17 wineries offering samples and 8 distilleries providing communion cup samples of their craft.

     But the big winners of the event were all those who support and compete in the Portland area's Special Olympics.  Special Olympics Oregon provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children, youth and adults with intellectual disabilities.  The proceeds from Bite of Oregon allows continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship.

Observations

     They say first impressions are lasting.  I noticed that things were different in Oregon as soon as I stepped off the plane in Portland.  People were taking their time, no one seemed in a hurry, and there was mellow music being played through the corridors of the airport.  That continued to be the case as I interacted with the folks there.  They have a very evident laid back, non-conformist and independent lifestyle.

     It's been that way ever since Oregon Country was established as an autonomous entity by traders, explorers and settlers way back in 1843.  Statehood came 16 years later when Oregon was admitted into the Union as the 33rd state.  And as of the last census there were just over 4 million people living there.  That equates to not quite 40 people per square mile!

     
     The landscape is as diverse and rugged as the people.  The Pacific coastline is windswept and heading eastward there is the volcano-studded Cascade mountain range and high desert nearing the border with Idaho.  But along the Willamette Valley in the western third of the state the climate is not as harsh with dry & cloudless summers and cool, cloudy and rainy winters will little, if any, snow.  And that's where 70% of all Oregonians call home.

   That's where I called home for 5 days as I set out on another culinary adventure at the Bite of Oregon.

Heading West

     There are 3 of our United States that border the Pacific Ocean.  I have been to two of them.  So this week I will complete the triad on a culinary adventure as I attend the 3 day festival "Bite of Oregon."

     So stay tuned for a full report when I return!

A Char-ming Recipe

     As promised, here is a recipe that features shishito peppers, from the pages of the August/September issue of Fine Cooking magazine:

Charred Shishito Peppers with Sesame Salt

    
      These peppers are seasoned with gomasio, a Japanese condiment of toasted sesame seeds and salt.  Its nutty crunch is the perfect complement to the smokey-sweet peppers.  Sprinkle extra gomasio on salad or popcorn.

2 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

coarse sea salt

2 tsp grapeseed or canola oil

8 oz. shishito peppers

1 Tbsp Asian sesame oil; more to taste

     In a mortar and pestle, pound the sesame seeds and granulated garlic with 1/2 Tbsp of salt until coarsely crushed.  Alternately, pulse in a small food processor.  Set aside.

     In a 12 inch cast-iron or other heavy-duty skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the peppers and cook, undisturbed, until they begin to char in places, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

     Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with the sesame oil, sprinkle with about 2 tsp of the sesame salt, and serve.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course

Recipe provided by Diana Andrews

Little Lion Heads

     Food scientists know them as Capsicum annuum.  But to the summer shopper they can be found in farmers' markets and well stocked grocery stores by the more familiar name, Shishito Pepper.  The Japanese named the pepper shishi, or lion because the puckered tip looks like the head of a lion.

     It's likely that Portuguese explorers brought the sweet and occasionally hot chilies to Japan from Central and South America several centuries ago.  "They're about 3 inches long and narrow with firm glossy skin,"  writes Layla Schlack in the August/September issue of Fine Cooking.  She further describes them this way, "They have vertical wrinkles and are a bit twisty--that's how you distinguish them from similar but spicier Padron peppers."


     Small and sweet with just the mildest bit of heat, these Japanese peppers are the perfect snack or appetizer.  In season currently, you might find them on menus in upscale restaurants, but they're just as easy to prepare at home.  Shishito peppers can be eaten raw, seeds and all, but they're usually grilled, roasted, or sauteed, blistering the outer layer, enhancing their sweet heat.  They're classically served with other Japanese ingredients, such as sesame seeds and soy sauce.


Monday: A shishito pepper recipe to try.

A Sole-ful Inspiration

     Undoubtedly, Twinkies are one of the most famous snack foods in the country.  A moist little sponge cake filled with creamy vanilla filling has a cult following that spans the globe.


     It was during the Great Depression that Jimmy Dewar, a manager for the Continental Baking Company in Chicago pondered a way to extend the use of their strawberry short Cake finger baking pans beyond the brief strawberry season.  He was on a business trip to St. Louis when he looked up and saw a billboard advertising Twinkle Toe Shoes.  At the same time he came up with the idea to inject those little cakes with a banana creme filling.  He named them Twinkies, after the shoes in the advertisement and went on to eat 3 of them each and every day for the rest of his life.  He lived  to be 88 years old.  The original banana cream filling was replaced by the current vanilla flavor in the 1940s when during the Second World War bananas were rationed.

     Twinkies earned national fame and prominence as they became the sponsor of the children's program, The Howdy Doody Show.  Along with other characters such as Phineas T. Bluster and Dilly Dally there was a cowhand aptly named Twinkie the Kid.  Twinkies achieved later notoriety when on the popular comedy All in the Family Archie insisted that Edith pack Twinkies in his lunch pail every day.


     

Champagne of the South

     Something I never experienced north of the Mason-Dixon line is a staple of seemingly every home in the South. It is sweet tea.  Served in restaurants and kitchens everywhere in Dixie it became a rejuvenating treat for me during my culinary research at the North Carolina State BBQ Championships.


     I'm told it is best drunk from a tall, wide-mouth glass with clear fresh ice cubes or heaps of crushed ice, so say Jane & Michael Stern in their book The Lexicon of Real American Food.  It can be upgraded to elegant by squeezing a little lemon in it or by adding a sprig of mint.  Sweet tea accompanies every meal in the South.

     One important rule for making sweet tea, according to Louis Van Dyke of the Blue Willow Inn of Social Circle, Georgia, is to use regular supermarket tea, not fancy gourmet tea, and to make it sweeter than you think it should be.  The motto of the Blue Willow Inn is to serve the tea "strong and just a little too sweet."  Here's their recipe:

Blue Willow Inn Sweet Tea

1 gallon water

4-5 family size tea bags (each one is enough for a quart of tea)

3 cups sugar, at least

Lemon slices to garnish (optional)

Sprig of mint (optional)

Bring the water to a boil in a 1 1/2 gallon saucepan.  Turn off the heat and add the tea bags.  Cover and steep 12-15 minutes.  For stronger tea, let it steep longer, up to 20 minutes.  Add the sugar, stirring vigorously until dissolved.  Allow tea to cool and pour over ice.  Garnish with lemon and mint, if using.

16 cups, enough for 4-6 diners

2 for the price of 1

     As I perused the fresh produce for sale last Saturday at the Lansdale Farmers' Market I noticed something I hadn't seen before.  It was something called a Honeyloupe.  High in natural sugar content it is the hybrid of the honeydew and the cantaloupe, as its name suggests.

     The rind was smooth with a creamy ivory color with just the slightest hue of pale green.  The vendor had one that he had cut open and was slicing samples.  I gladly accepted a sliver and took note that the flesh was salmon orange and when I tasted it I discovered that it was succulent with a floral sweet flavor.  It was the perfect combination of 2 fruits, both low in calories and both bursting with flavor and nutrition.  Those two are also good sources of beta-carotene and Vitamin A.


     Originally developed at the University of California by Frank Zink around 1970, the honeyloupe was bread to be resistant to the muskmelon disease.  In some regions of the country it is also called galia or passport melon.


     The honeyloupe can be eaten raw, sliced into salads or pureed it makes a refreshing beverage, chilled summer soup, or used in sauces and sorbets.  It marries well with feta cheese, basil, arugula, mint, pistachios, balsamic vinegar, yogurt, cured pork and citrus fruits.

Sweeter Than Candy

     Writing for the website SkinnyMom.com Amanda Palmer titled her May 8, 2015 article, "5 healthy-sounding foods that have more sugar than candy."  She begins her essay this way:

One of the worst feelings to have is finding out your hardcore efforts to eat well are sabotaged by sneaky sugar content...Well-known candy bars like Snickers and Reese's contain between 18 and 20 grams of sugar per bar...you will actively avoid those, knowing they contain too much sugar for what you're trying to accomplish.  But you need to be cautious about some of your go-to "health" foods, too.

     

Here are her words of caution about certain foods that we normally think of as good for us.

1. Energy Bars
          Don't be fooled by these.  Your favorite energy bar might not be designed for a small boost in the middle of the afternoon, but more so for a run of endurance for an athlete about to work out or take a long run.  These bars can contain between 13 and 25 grams of sugar.  Check your label!

2. Granola Bars
          These go-to snacks seem to be the best solution for untimely hunger pangs or mid-day snacks.  However, the process of mass-produced granola bars includes a generous glazing of sugar to sweeten, preserve and glue the ingredients together.

3. Muffin Mix
          With all good intentions, you pick up a bag or box of muffin mix, maybe packed with fiber, flax seed oil or whole grain.  But if you look at the nutrition label, all is well and good until you see the sugar content.  Betty Crocker's Fiber One muffin mix has 13 grams of sugar per muffin!  That's more than half of your daily limit.

4. Instant Oatmeal
         Again, this is one of those quick fixes that ends up doing more harm than good.  The fruity flavors seem to be the worst culprits.  They contain approximately 10 grams of sugar per packet.

5. Fat-free Yogurt
          Anything that is "fat-free" needs to be examined for sugar content.  Many companies will replace the sweet taste from the fat content with artificial sweeteners and more sugar.