Fact or Myth

     

     Recently the website Hellawella issued a food safety guide to address some common misconceptions regarding food preparation and storage.  See if you can correctly determine whether each statement is fact or myth. 

FACT OR MYTH:

1.  After cooking, you should refrigerate foods promptly to avoid bacterial contamination.

2. It's OK to thaw frozen foods at room temperature.

3. When the power goes out, you should discard all refrigerated and frozen food immediately.

4. You don't always need to adhere to "use by" dates on food packaging.

5.  Leftovers can be eaten up to a week after the food is cooked.


Answers provided in tomorrow's VinnyPost.

A Tasteful Tradition

     To the casual observer Carversville, PA is just a dot on the map in Solebury township, Bucks County.  First named Aquetong by the Native Americans who lived there, the cluster of homes and businesses constructed on land granted by William Penn became known as Milton, a contraction of Mill Town due to the predominance of mills in the area.  It wasn't until sometime later that it took on its present title, borrowed from the last name of an early postmaster.  The historic Town Square includes an inn, a dentist's office and a general store that includes the post office.  And since 1838 just down the road is the Carversville Christian Church.



     Last Saturday I participated in a long standing tradition among that fellowship of believers.  It was their 143rd annual Pork Oyster Supper.  It was an amazing process to observe.  The congregation had it down to a science.  At a table upstairs I ponied up my money and was given a numbered card.  From there I went to sit briefly in the sanctuary waiting for my number to be called.  It was only a few minutes and I was ushered along with others to a long table in a large room downstairs.  Promptly those of us at our table were supplied with coleslaw, applesauce and rolls as our order was taken by a church member.  We could chose from all oysters (3 huge breaded ones), all pork (moist chopped pork loin) or a combination of the two.  In just a few minutes our orders were delivered accompanied by sides of stewed tomatoes, creamed corn and a huge helping of mashed potatoes.  We also had beverage options that included iced tea, water, coffee and milk.



     The meal was nothing short of amazing!  The oysters were lightly breaded, allowing the briny goodness of the bivalve to shine through.  The pork was fork tender, the mashed potatoes were the real deal as were the stewed tomatoes and creamed corn.  The conversation around the table was as good as the meal.  We quickly became friends in between savoring the food set before us.  It was about as good as it gets...good food, genuine conviviality and a warm and inviting hospitality all combined to create a tasteful tradition that will continue for years to come.



     But what impressed me the most was the dedication of the congregation and their cheerful service to their church.  It was an inter-generational event in which young and old were participating to build up the Body of Christ in Carversville and beyond.  From the parking lot attendants, to the ticket taker, to the take out table workers, and all the servers and kitchen help all had a smile and a friendly word.  And when it came to dessert...well, let's just say that it was delivered by the cutie pies:



Faces at the Festival

     Here are some candid photos that I took at the recent Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival:

 

 

 

 



 







Executive Order

     While enjoying a variety of crab dishes was the main event at the annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival, there was so much more to experience.  At the Sound Community Bank Gateway Plaza hour long cooking demonstrations were center stage on both Saturday and Sunday.



     As I perused the list of presenters I noticed a number of local chefs from the Olyimpic Peninsula and Seattle.  But I was surprised to discover a neighbor on the list.  John Moeller from Lancaster, PA was there to lead one of the classes and to discuss his 13 year tenure as a chef at the White House.  I made sure to attend and had a front row seat!



     His stories were nothing short of fascinating!  With great warmth and detail he recounted his service to 3 Presidents and their families and friends from 1992 through 2005.    From very formal state dinners to outdoor picnics, in Washington (the other one on the east coast) to Camp David, John served such luminaries as Nelson Mandela,Tony Blair, Julia Child and Vladimir Putin.  And he mentioned an interesting fact about the grocery bill at the White House.  Each month the President is given the list of expenses and is required to pay for all the food consumed.  And another interesting note...There are no supermarket delivery trucks pulling up to the kitchen door at the White House.  The culinary staff with Secret Service agents drive an unmarked van to area suppliers to procure the necessary ingredients for the weekly menu.  John also spoke of his exerience of the tragic events of 911 and how on that day his staff had been preparing for the annual congressional picnic on the south lawn.  All that had to be abruptly abandoned in light of the terrorist attacks.  And then later that day he described how the entire White Staff had to evacuate the building, fearing that they also were a target.

     John kindly autographed for me his book "Dining at the White House" and as he did he noticed the Herr's logo on my denim shirt.  "Oh, I know that," he said to me.  "It's the potato chips."  Out on the other end of the continent he would be the only one who would.

So Many Choices!

     

In addition to the amazing Crab Feed put on at the 13th Annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival there were 14 restaurants and organizations offering variations on a theme of seafood.  It was quite a challenge for me to sample one of everything and I must confess that I was not able to taste each of the combined 52 items listed on the menu handed out at the door.  After all, I was only there for two and a half days!  That's 5 meals, not counting breakfasts, which weren't served.  But I did enjoy 10 different items.  Among them, here are my favorites:

Crab Tostadas- Two toasty tostadas were covered with a delightful combination of diced tomato, onion, Dungeness crab meat and shrimp Ceviche.  The unadulterated flavor of the crab was able to shine through, and all for only $9!

Caesar Crab Salad-It was a massive salad of Romaine lettuce, kissed with garlic dressing and topped with Parmesan cheese, croutons and , yes, you guessed it...crab meat!  Another way to simply serve the best tasting crab in the world.



Crab Cocktail-A small plastic cup became the vehicle for crab meat and cole slaw to meet and drizzled with cocktail sauce, a bit too much cocktail sauce, to be exact.  The tang had a tendency to at times overwhelm the delicate main ingredient.



Crab Poutine-A riff on the French Canadian specialty, a small paper boat cradled fries that were topped with brown (advertised as seafood) gravy and topped with cheese curds and a few specks of crab.  What remnants of crab were present nearly drowned in the sodden gravy that was advertised as seafood based but in reality was very far from it, about as far as Port Angeles is from Montreal, the home of the poutine.  It was mais non! at $14.



Crabcake Sandwich-Sadly there was nothing special about this $7 sandwich being mass produced from pressed pre-made crabcakes.  It took more than some mayo to enhance the flavor that had long since jumped ship.

I did also enjoy some oysters on the half shell.  Both the Kumamoto and the Shigoku had distinctive flavors and at $12 for a half dozen, were reasonably priced.  Likewise the fried oysters were lightly breaded and not cloying or heavy.  



     The best of show was naturally the Crab Feed with an entire Dungeness crab crowding the plate and leaving little room for a delicious sweet ear of corn and a serving of coleslaw.  It was on special Friday only for $24.  That's $5 off!  And the absolute worst?   I have to say that the Northwest Clam Chowder was bereft of any truly authentic flavors of the bold and lively Northwest Pacific Coast.  Sadly it reminded me of something New England style, a cream based chowder that had been cooked too long and not stirred enough.



Cancer magister

     Sounds like some sinister disease, doesn't it?  But it is really only the scientific name of the Dungeness crab, named after the town of Dungeness, WA where it was first commercially harvested back in the 1880s.  Food Republic has pronounced it as "the undisputed king of the West Coast, found in the chilly Pacific Ocean waters."  And Seafood Watch gives the crab a sustainable seafood rating of "best choice."



     The Dungeness Crab has a broad, oval body covered by a chitinous, wide,  long, hard shell that it must moult to grow.  The average weight of the crab is approximately 2 pounds, but only a quarter of that is the delicately flavored and slightly sweet meat.  Besides being good to eat, they are also good for you.  One crab is about 140 calories with 120 of those calories coming from protein, 14 from fat and 6 from carbohydrates.  That translates into 28 grams of protein, making it an excellent source of that vital nutrient.  Each crab contains only 10% sodium and 17% cholesterol and a mere 1% fat content.  They are also rich in zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium and iron.

     The season for harvesting crabs varies by state and region and in most places a Shellfish/Seaweed license is required.  Daily harvest limits also differ.  The common method of preparing Dungeness crabs is to drop them them live into a large pot of salted water and boil for 15-20 minutes, using a quarter cup of salt for each quart of water used.  After boiling the crabs are chilled in cool water at which time the carapace is removed and the internal organs and gills are removed prior to eating.  But there is another alternative, "cleaner" method called "half backing" that some prefer to employ.  That is to take the live crab and cut it in half, removing the guts and gills by hosing or picking prior to cooking, thus leaving only the crab meat in what remains of the shell.  Half backed crabs cook quicker and cleaner so we are told and can also be steamed rather than boiled.

     Either way it is a feast for the seafood lover!



An Olympic Event

     It took a long time getting there, but the trip was worth it.  By planes, trains and automobiles I made my way to the 13th Annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival held in Port Angeles, WA on the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula.



     The star of the show was as you might expect, the Dungeness crab which is harvested locally by the thousands for this event.  The crab feed, always a popular draw, featured a whole crab cleaned and cooked and served with an ear of corn and cole slaw.  

 

     It is so widely acclaimed that the ferry from Victoria, BC, Canada was sold out with 750 hungry neighbors to the north making the 90 minute transit through customs each day just to enjoy the meal.  

     Variations on the crab theme seemed almost endless.  The list goes on and on with the likes of crab shooters, crab Caesar salad, crab poutine, crab cakes, crab quiche, crab mac and cheese, crab cocktail, crab enchiladas, crab tostadas and of course, crab chowder and bisque.

 

     But while the hefty 2 pound west coast delicacy was the star of the show, other seafood also played a supporting role.  Salmon, halibut, shrimp, prawns, tuna, clams and oysters both on the half shell and fried were available as well.  And on the menu for land lubbers were brats and even cheesesteaks!

     The festival was more than just eating, as good as it was.  There were exhibits about the ecology of the area housed in the Fiero Marine Life Center and cooking demonstrations by acclaimed chefs.  You could also try your luck at catching a live crab at the Grab-Crab-Crab Derby and a Marine Debris Art Show.  Sunday morning an inspiring men's chorus led the singing at a Crab Revival service.  And there was also a section set aside for the vendors who would gladly sell you their wares which included a coppersmith showcasing a aquatically themed $12,000 weather vane.



     I did my very best to sample one of everything and will report on my consumption in succeeding VinnyPosts.