Artisana Nut Butters for Virtual Potluck: Shrimp Stir Fry and French Toast

Dana's Mystery Ingredients

My sister, Dana, recently challenged me to a "Chopped" style cooking experiment where she would bring home a range of mystery ingredients and I would have to prepare a meal using all of them.  I added my own wrinkle by also making this little culinary challenge into a post for Virtual Potluck.  Artisana Raw Organic Nut Butters had previously gifted each of the VP bloggers with some various butters and asked us to use them in some recipes.  Not knowing what Dana would come up with, I thought it may make my day even tougher to incorporate a couple nut butters into my dish as well!  

Shrimp Stir-Fry with Artisana Cashew Butter

I decided to split the ingredients into two dishes.  Obviously the highlight of Dana's mystery ingredients were the large, head-on Louisiana shrimp.  I know I had to do something fun with those.  Along with the shrimp were portobello mushrooms, water chestnuts, blackberries, eggs, and a loaf of bread.  I also added the Artisana cashew butter and the pecan butter for good measure. My first dish went a little Asian in nature.  I decided to stir-fry the shrimp with the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and cashew butter.  I also added a little onion and carrot along with some sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce.   The resulting dish had plenty of flavor!  The cashew butter added a nuttiness to the dish and worked well with the flavors of the oil and vinegar to make an interesting sauce.  Peanut sauces are fairly common in Thai cuisine, so I figured that the cashews ought to work in the stir-fry, and they did.

French Toast with Blackberry-Pecan Cane Syrup

I still had blackberries, bread, and eggs in addition to the Artisana pecan butter so it seemed like a dessert was in order.  I decided to go for a French Toast with Blackberry-Pecan Cane Syrup.  I sliced up the bread and dredged it in some beaten eggs spiced up with a little cinnamon.  The strips of egg covered bread were then grilled on a pan to give them a golden brown crust on the outside.  I also took some pureed blackberries, pecan butter, and cane syrup and whisked them all together to make sauce which I then drizzled over the French toast.  After adding a couple fresh blackberries as a garnish, this breakfast-turned dessert was ready to be devoured!

GIVEAWAY!

Artisana Organic Foods makes quite a few different organic raw nut butters.  They are manufactured in a gluten free and peanut free facility.  They are pure, with no sugar added, and are extremely healthy to cook into recipes or just eat them with some fruit on the go.  If you'd like to receive your own bottle of one of their nut butters and some sample squeeze packs, leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite nut!  I'll pick one winner and get Artisana to send you a little something special.

Abeeya's Bakery Bite and Booze Radio Show Birthday Cake

Today on the Bite and Booze Radio Show I'll be joined by Donna Butler from Abeeya's Bakery in Zachary.  Donna was kind enough not only to be a guest a the show, but also to bring in a custom Bite and Booze Radio Show Birthday/Anniversary Cake!  

Jay Ducote, Donna Butler, and Natalie Ducote in the Talk 107.3 FM Studio

Make sure to listed to the show every Saturday at 5 PM on Talk 107.3 FM.  You can also find it as a podcast on iTunes or streaming through this very website.  Donna talks about how she started her bakery, how she puts love into her sweets, and how she's become very involved in the community.  Her story is one that you truly won't want to miss.

Abeeya's Bakery's My Louisiana State Cake

Finally, this a cake that everyone needs to try.  The "Louisiana State Cake" from Abeeya's is one of the single best cakes I've ever eaten.  The double chocolate cake is filled with a pecan praline mixture between each layer.  The chocolate shell on the outside provides a layer of texture that stands out.  The cake itself was rich and moist.  As you can see, the stepped design is unique and the magnolia flower truly makes it a Louisiana cake.  I know Zachary may no be right next door for everybody, but if you have a special event coming up or want to celebrate the Louisiana bicentennial, you ought to request one of these cakes from Donna.  Just walk in and say "I want that!"  She'll know what you mean.

The Truck, the Brewer, and the Blogger! Pop Up Beer Dinner

A lot of people have been asking me when I'll cook something that they can eat and telling me that they're jealous of dishes that I post all the time.  Well, here's your chance to actually be a part of something that I have going on.  I'm teaming up with Chef Aaron Brown from Taco de Paco, Christina Stephens and her amazing cupcaking skills, and my good friends at the Tin Roof Brewing Company to do a pop-up restaurant beer dinner at the brewery!  Come check it out.  You won't be sorry!

What: Pop Up Beer Dinner with Chef Aaron Brown from Taco de Paco and Jay Ducote from Bite and Booze

Where: Tin Roof Brewing Company - 1624 Wyoming St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

When: Thursday, May 3rd, 7 PM

Who: YOU!  Must be 21+.  Guest space is limited to the first 40 who sign up.

How much? $60 includes a six course meal.  Beer is free.  That also covers all fees, gratutities, etc.

Why?  Because we can.  And you should too.  And beer dinners are awesome.  And we love supporting our local food trucks, craft brewers, and culinary personalities!

Dress: Casual.  This event is at a brewery.  If it is hot outside, then it may be a little warm inside.  Don't expect white table clothes or candles.  Do expect great food and outstanding local beer.

Want to register?  Go to our Eventbrite page and sign up!  http://truckbrewerblogger.eventbrite.com/

Bunnahabhain 12: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by The Cove

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Scotch Whisky

This 12 year old single malt Islay Scotch had a sweet, fruity, and a lightly peaty and smokey nose.  Hints of figs, apple, and perhaps similarities to brandy.  On first taste it seemed consistent with the nose.  "Tasty" and "Good" were words used to describe the Scotch, which by all means were strong compliments from Raise a Glass experts Eric and James.  Sweetness matched the fruit aromas, and molasses coated the tongue with a slight bite.  However, it failed to linger.  The Scotch finished dry and quickly (insert that's what she said reference).

Bunnahabhain 12 Year
79.5
Average Score


Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a new blog post series on Bite and Booze and sponsored by The Cove.  Check out The Cove in Baton Rouge, LA to browse their selection of over 200 whiskeys (including bourbons) and 325+ Scotches.  Whisk(e)y Wednesday is created and rated by the hosts of Raise a Glass.  Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own propriatary scoring system.  Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale.  Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100.  A 50 should be considered average while anything below 10 is horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Tin Roof Releases the Blonde Ale in Cans, Announces First Seasonal

This is exciting.  I love when things really start to come together in Baton Rouge, and in Louisiana in general.  I've been saying in passing for a while that Tin Roof needs to start coming out with some seasonals in order to establish themselves as a legit craft brewery. But I've also been defending them, knowing that it takes time in order to establish three solid brands and get the brewing capacity needed to be experimental and try some seasonal beers.  Well, it looks like the time has come.

The Tin Roof Watermelon Wheat will be an American wheat beer brewed with Louisiana watermelon and is set to release in just a few weeks.  The Watermelon Wheat will be available on draft only for a few months, and fortunately that will be during the heat of the summer.  I'm sure that this refreshing beer will be enjoyed on quite a few patios around town!  According to Tom Daigrepont, Tin Roof’s brewmaster, the recipe for the new brew has been in development for several months.  “We’ve worked really hard perfecting this beer,” said Daigrepont.  “We had to experiment with several different yeast strains until we found one that melded just right with the watermelon.”  The brewery credits their commitment to the use of local ingredients as their inspiration for the unique brew.  I've personally had a watermelon beer before in San Francisco, so I'm excited to try our own local version!

The other big news, which is equally as exciting to me, is that the Tin Roof Blonde will be available in 12oz aluminum cans starting tomorrow, Tuesday, April 24th, in Baton Rouge.  Other local markets, including New Orleans and the Northshore, will begin seeing Tin Roof Blonde cans in early May.  This will add their second selection in cans, joining the Perfect Tin Amber Ale.  The pretty awesome purple and gold cans should catch some eyes on the store shelves as well as be ideal beverages for a Louisiana summer filled with outdoor activities.  I know what I'm bringing on a canoe trip or on the sail boat!

I'm still waiting for some darker options out of Tin Roof.  I certainly understand that they are trying to appeal to the average Louisiana beer drinkers, so the fact that this news is coming out about a Watermelon Wheat and a Blonde Ale is not surprising.  However, neither are straying very far from a mild and approachable session beer.  Not to worry though.  After tasting their prototypes for the Coffee Porter (Louisiana roasted coffee, I'm sure!), I imagine it will just be a matter of time before we start seeing some dark malts or crazy hops!

Tin Roof Brewing Company was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and began operations in November 2010.  Brewery tours and tastings are held every Friday from 5:00-7:00.  For more information, follow Tin Roof on Twitter, find them on Facebook, or visit www.tinroofbeer.com.