Skyr (skEEr) is Here, Plus a Couple Short Order Posts of Last Week
August 30th, 2009 § 1 Comment
Happy Sunday everyone! Gobble up this brunch buffet while it’s hot:
Skyred Straight: Skyr isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re a lover of thick Greek yogurt like Fage, chances are you’ll appreciate it. Last weekend when shopping at Whole Foods Market in Coral Gables, I spotted skyr for the first time in the U.S., flagged with a yellow and green ‘New Product’ label. Skyr is apparently going national now, the next yogurt fad to come to a grocery near you and it ain’t cheap relative to other options in the dairy section. It rang a bell, as I had recently caught Andrew Zimmern sampling the real deal on the Iceland episode of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel – not from the Icelandic supermarket, but from a family’s home where they whip up fresh, dairy cow milk batches daily. It’s traditional to add honey and top off with a ladle of cream, to liven up plain skyr from the dense, smooth paste to something slighty sweet and decadent. Skyr doesn’t melt on your tongue because its fat content is zero, so it takes some getting used to if you don’t have Nordic blood cursing through your veins. But while this brand, New York-based Siggi’s, hasn’t quite figured out the best flavor profiles to offer (Orange & Ginger sounded good but had an aftertaste like licking a bar of soap,) blueberry and plain (jazzed up with some toasted walnuts, raisins and honey) are worth a try. Props on the pretty packaging, too.
The Great Bagel Debate: Last week on Short Order, I tackled the bagel water wars on occasion of The Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. opening up shop in Delray. How important is the water in the bagel-making process? It’s just one of the questions I posed to food science writer Harold McGee. See how he responds here.
Chocolate Soup and Other Treasures: Chef Elida Villaroel spins a delicate yet powerful web at Charlotte’s Bistro. Go to the Gables to get caught, and read the story here.
Tempted by the Fruit of the Dragon
July 19th, 2009 § 1 Comment
Alien attraction
Shopping at Fresh Market in Coconut Grove yesterday afternoon I saw this fuschia, ostrich egg-sized freak show in the produce section and had to get my hands on one. For about the price-per-pound of an heirloom tomato you can take a Dragon Fruit home, too. Mine cost $6 and change, and it was worth every penny — although I don’t think I can afford to make a habit of it!
Dragon Fruit comes in a few varieties and is the fruit of cactus plants of the genus Hylocereus, native to Central and South America, and cultivated in southeast Asia. Its succulent flesh is very easy to break down; the crisp, white core peels away easily from a somewhat rubbery encasing. I’d like to think of the Dragon Fruit as a distant cousin of the kiwi, with very similar seeds and a sweet-tart taste, although they don’t actually appear to be related. Enjoy it by itself, or as an eye-catching, tasty addition to a tropical fruit salad.
Fresh Market’s getting them locally from Caribbean Gold Inc., grown in Homestead.
New Booty Ahoy
May 21st, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Arrrrrr. Get yourself a piece.
They’re invading international waters and your neighborhood supermarket.
Who: Robert’s American Gourmet
What: New Pirate’s Booty Sea Salt & Vinegar
Where: Whole Food’s Market
When: Rolling out onto shelves this week
Why: It’s not just because the flack emailed me… It’s mutiny! This new Booty flavor steers salt and vinegar to uncharted waters. Made with all-natural ingredients, the ivory white nubs of puffed rice and corn have an addictive airy crunch and are a surprisingly mellow canvas for the salty tang. Also available new in slightly less captivating Bermuda Onion.
Will Cost You: $2.69 for 4 ounce bag with 4 servings at 130 calories and 5 grams of fat (no trans or sat) each
