First, let’s get past the name: Applegate Farms’ organic
Fire Roasted Red Pepper Chicken & Turkey Sausage. Phew. Now
to the taste: Most tasters enjoyed the layers of flavor in these
links, though one complained about blandness. The fully cooked
sausages just need to be reheated; they tasted good on their
own, but also would work as part of a larger recipe. A 12-ounce
package of four links is $5 in the refrigerator case at specialty
grocers or online at www.applegatefarms.com.
Dine in style in back yard
Is it about time to splurge on shrimp and champagne? They are
easy to uncork and thaw, yet lend an air of elegance to the good
old back yard.
A few suggestions from the Fine Dining Web site (www.finedinings.com)
for appetizers: Cucumber slices with salmon mousse, dates stuffed
with Gorgonzola, Dungeness crab dip, salmon mousse on baked potato
chips. Try the chilled sugar snap pea soup served with Parmesan
crisp. Be sure to click on the camera for a peek at these sexy
nibbles.
From there, journey into soups, salads, sides, sorbets, entrees
and desserts. You’ll find the classics, like prime rib and
veal scaloppine, and the less obvious: trout in puff pastry and
ballotine of chicken.
Let your oven do the work and roast prime rib or Cornish game
hens while you wiggle your toes in the grass.
A special section shows you how to make tomato roses and other
garnishes. Presentation is a large measure of good taste, after
all.
Treats on the go
The new 100 Calorie Packs from Nabisco are a real treat and
packaged smartly for people on the go. Each package offers a
100-calorie amount of Nabisco snacks such as Oreo Thin Crisps,
Kraft Cheese Nips and mixed berry fruit snacks. The packs contain
no trans fats. Cookie versions are tasty, although we did miss
the cream filling that regular Oreos have. A box of six packages
is $2.69.
This little piggy went to market
The Pig Tail Food Flipper’s (pictured below) needlelike,
sturdy stainless-steel point deftly picks up even thick steaks
without gouging the meat. And though it is sharp, it helps that
its point is nestled in the middle of a curlicue (but you still
need to be careful). The Pig Tail has a wooden handle, so hand-washing
is recommended. Two (12- and 19-inch) flippers are packaged in
a fancy wooden box that would be a nice gift; it’s $30 at
Sur La Table stores or online at surlatable.com; the company
(pigtailff.com or 1-866-398-6617), also sells the box, as well
as individual flippers for $10 and $20, respectively.
Do you know Jack?
If your name is Jack, Jasper or John and you were born in 1904
or earlier, Jack Daniel’s wants to hear from you. If you
fit the bill, the distillery will send you a replica of the “World’s
Best Whiskey” gold medal it won at the 1904 World’s
Fair. Send proof of age, name, photo (optional) and your address
to: Calling All Jacks, 209 Seventh Ave. North, Nashville, TN
37219.
Is it safe to eat fish?
The first fish consumption guides written by physicians and
health professionals have been made available. “Fish Consumption
to Promote Good Health and Minimize Contaminants: A Quick Reference
Guide for Clinicians” and “Healthy Fish, Healthy Families” urge
women of childbearing age and children to avoid fish like mackerel
and swordfish that are highest in mercury and PCBs. Both guides
are available at www.mercuryaction.org/fish.
