Fresh Pineapple

Fresh Pineapple is in season!  I know you can get them all the time but they are particularly good beginning now and under $2 each if you shop around.  I bought this one at Walmart for $1.78.   Sometimes I spirialze them and occassionaly I like large chucks eaten by itself.  I could tell by looking at it that it would be good with a firm looking skin and dark, hydrated and healthy looking crown. This is the second one I bought in a week.  It was ready to eat immediately and seems to be at it's peek!  They are in season beginning now through July!  

The Shallot

I have loved cooking with Shallots since I was first introduced to them but I don't know when that was.  If you go to the "search section" of my blog, it's on the right side, you can type in Shallots and every recipe that includes them in will come up.  I sneak them in here and there for depth and to create subtle complexities in simple to make recipes.

They are incredibly versatile and can be minced, cut in quarters or cut into slices. They can be sauteed and caramelized, roasted, or served crispy as a garnish. They are found in the produce section of the grocery store, normally sold loose near and around the garlic.  At some stores they are packaged and you have to buy 3 or 4.  They aren't cheap, about $4 a pound, but a little goes a long way.  I particularly like when I can buy them loose because I buy exactly the size and quantity I need.

What I find interesting is that in SE Louisiana they love to refer to Scallions as Shallots.  I think it was Emeril, not really being from here and also a Chef by formal education, who set the record straight for viewers.  When he said Shallots, he meant it.

Recently, I had a discussion with someone who said, Shallots Scallions, they are all the same.  They absolutely are not.  Photographed is a Shallot, cut open.  It is a bulb, has a paper exterior like an onion, has layers like an onion and is best cooked.  It tastes only like a Shallot.  If you haven't tried them in the past, I use them in my Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe.  They can be caramelized and added to the top of a pizza, sliced sirloin steak or a spinach salad.  The uses are endless.  I would have to say that after Salt and Pepper, it is the most important ingredient in my kitchen when it comes to flavor.  This New Year, go buy shallots and you will engage in a love affair that never ends!!

Farm Fresh Eggs

It was my lucky day!!  I went to Simplee Gourmet in hunt of a new pastry cloth.  At the door was a young man, a member of 4-H, selling the eggs his chickens laid.  A dozen eggs for $3.50 which is a great price....and just look at these!  They are most the beautiful eggs I have ever seen.

The following morning, I scrambled a few and they were incredible.  I will have to let you know the hours you might find him there so you can buy some for your own kitchen.

The second day I fried one!  So delicious!!

I didn't partake, but Covey Farms had a farmers market of vegetables set up for purchase.   Meanwhile, a chef was behind the line cooking something that smelled delicious.  If you haven't visited Simplee Gourmet lately, (Hwy 21 - Covington, LA) you are missing out.  Their inventory of kitchen gadgets, cookware, serving platters, cutlery, dishes, glassware and more, has grown!  I can get lost in a place like that.

Cutting a Mango

Mangos are tricky to cut.  Without this gadget, there is more waste than is necessary.  The pit is an odd shape and you have to know how it lays inside the fruit to know how to cut the fruit.  Using this handy gadget eliminates the mystery.




Set the Mango on one of the its ends.  Push down.  You will be left with 2 halves and what appears to be solid fruit but is actually the pit.  Discard the pit.




Using a sharp knife, score each half, making cuts spaced 1/2" apart, first in the lengthwise direction, then perpendicular to those cuts.  The skin has a concave shape.  Place your fingers on the outside of the skin and push upward to make a convex shape.  Run the knife along the inside of the skin releasing the cubes of fruit. Hopefully these pictures will help you.

Nature's Own Bread

As soon as I got out on my own and began buying my own food I immediately steered away from white bread.  At that time, I purchased Roman Meal.  I moved to a city and it wasn't available so I switched to Nature's Own.  For the most part, I am a very loyal customer to brands until they change the recipe.  Then I am gone faster than you can say "pecan".  After eating the Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread for years, they changed the recipe.  I gave it time, hoping a batch was mixed wrong.  I bought if for about another month at 3 or 4 different stores.  I even ran into the guy filling the shelves and asked about it.  He admitted, it wasn't the first time he had heard this from a loyal customer.  The problem was the new version of the bread was gummy.  I moved to their Nature's Own Wheat Bread.  That's all we have eaten for about the past 6-7 years (or when ever it was that they changed their recipe).

If you buy this brand then you have seen their new bread called Nature's Own Honey 7 Grain and it is extremely good!  If you haven't tried it, it is awesome!  Toasted, it is as close to the bread I make in my bread maker.  I debated on buying this exclusively from now on and found myself drawn to it last time I was at the store so it may be our new bread.  I think good quality bread is very important to a household because it's such a large part of our daily food.  I love it toasted with turkey and tomato.  If you think about it, try it out and tell me what your opinion.  The comments section is open!

BBQ Shrimp Seasoning

I just bought a case as I could no longer find this particular seasoning.  If you live locally it's $4 a pack.  If I have to mail it to you, it's $5 a pack.  Just send me a message goodchardonnay@gmail.com.  Thanks.

Pineapple is in Season!

This week I bought a beautiful pineapple on sale, $1.99, but in general I see them for around $3.  If you want to stretch your budget, let your nose follow the seasonal fruits!  I have this handy dandy gadget that cores and cuts a spiral all at the same time.  The gadget cost around $20 and is available at Bed Bath & Beyond.  



It's now September 2011 and this gadget broke a few months ago.  I went to Simplee Gourmet on Hwy 21, Covington, LA and bought a stainless steel version.  This one should last a lifetime.  We eat a lot of pineapple because we make smoothies quite often.





 

Once the spiral is on the gadget, you remove the handle and slide all of the fruit off as 1 continuous spiral.  If you want chunks, keep the sprial on the gadget and cut downward from top to bottom making large stacks of chunks until the entire pineapple is cut.  Add berries for a nice colorful fruit bowl!