Krakatoa Hot Chips now available in Texas stores

There’s a new brand of hot chips for spice lovers. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Amplify Snack Brands, the Austin-based company that brought you SkinnyPop Popcorn, Pirates Booty Puffs, and Paqui Tortilla Chips, recently announced the launch of Krakatoa Hot Chips, a new line of spicy kettle-cooked potato chips. Made by spice lovers for spice lovers, Krakatoa Hot Chips are explosively spicy chips made with real peppers sourced from all over the globe. (Krakatoa Hot Chips, 2020)

Named after Mount Krakatoa, a volcano infamous for its explosivity, Krakatoa Hot Chips’ spice intensity goes far beyond the generic “mild, medium, and hot” measurements of heat. Instead, each flavor’s level of spiciness is measured in quantifiable Scoville Heat Units (SHU), ranging from 5,840 to 38,700 heat units per chip.

Krakatoa Hot Chips is a product under the Amplify Snack Brands family of brands. Amplify Snack Brands is dedicated to sharing a simple, tastier idea of what a good snack should be. Other brands from Amplify Snack Brands include SkinnyPop, Paqui, Oatmega, Pirate’s Booty and more.

For true heat fanatics, each flavor’s spice level has been carefully crafted to hit at different moments, vary in duration, and, most importantly, range in epic heat. Each flavor incorporates different chili peppers, from mild jalapeños to the fearsome ghost pepper, which results in distinct heat-intensive experiences across each chip flavor. From a slow burn with a delayed build to a quick yet searing roar of heat, spice lovers can test their bounds as they indulge in the true joy of blazing spice. Krakatoa Hot Chips are available in five different flavors, including:

Sour King – Zesty lime with serrano pepper (5,840 SHUs)
Hot Hot Honey Pot – Spicy honey with scorpion chili (6,360 SHUs)
Mustard’s Revenge – Hot Dijon mustard with cayenne pepper (9,490 SHUs)
Kung Pow! – Thai chili with Szechuan pepper (14,500 SHUs)
Black Magic – Creole heat with ghost pepper (38,700 SHUs)

Krakatoa Hot Chips are currently available regionally in Texas and surrounding states, including in select Kroger and Walmart locations.Can’t wait to turn up the heat? Use the store locator to find a hot spot near you.

Krakatoa Hot Chips is an all-new line of chile-infused kettle-cooked potato chips created by spice lovers for spice lovers. Made with real peppers sourced from all over the globe, Krakatoa Hot Chips are never made with artificially enhanced spices and are certified gluten-free and Non-GMO Project verified. Krakatoa Hot Chips are available in five inventive flavors that expand beyond the generic “mild, medium, and hot” paradigm. Each flavor is measured by the intensity of the heat (in Scoville Heat Units), the location of where the spice hits, and the duration of how long it will last.

“Every flavor of Krakatoa not only uses a combination of awesome, tongue-tingling peppers, but we also measure the exact heat intensity in Scoville Heat Units of every bite. Nobody else is doing that! We’re proud to celebrate spice lovers and excited to spread the fire.” – Jeff Day, creator of Krakatoa Hot Chips.

Therapy dog helps frontline workers via FaceTime

Ricochet the therapy dog. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

* Contains update – originally published April 16, 2020 *

In times of crisis, therapy dogs are usually called upon to provide comfort and healing. But now, due to social distancing and quarantine, animal assisted therapy programs have been suspended. Surfing therapy dog Ricochet is offering FREE canine therapy to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic through FaceTime and virtual canine therapy. Doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers can take a few minutes to lower their stress and anxiety with Ricochet. To schedule a FaceTime call, email Ricochet’s guardian Judy Fridono or if time is limited, visit Ricochet and her therapy dog crew online. (Pawsitive Teams, 2020)

Ricochet is a certified therapy dog with Pawsitive Teams and they have joined forces to provide Virtual Canine Therapy. This partnership directly addresses the mental health crisis affecting essential workers. Ricochet is one of ten certified, goal-oriented therapy dogs that participate in Canine Inspired Community Reintegration (CICR) program, a collaboration with Naval Medical Center San Diego. The dogs have more than eight years of experience providing human-animal intervention, under the guidance of an experienced recreational therapist, for active duty service members recovering from PTSD, moral injury, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Eye contact is one of the anxiety-reducing techniques used. Gazing into a dog’s eyes stimulates the release of oxytocin—a hormone associated with positive, happy feelings. After receiving long gazes from a dog, a person’s level of oxytocin increases, thus reducing stress and anxiety.

To assess the scientific validity of the effects of eye contact between a human and a dog, Ricochet, Fridono and an army veteran with PTSD participated in a study at Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center with research scientist Dr. Brian Hare. Researchers have already determined that looking at photos of nature for 30 to 60 seconds reduces stress. Similarly, hundreds of individuals who have participated in the virtual canine therapy program have reported they felt a calm, connected state of being. Cultivating these moments allows for deep experiences of connection regardless of whether physical contact is made. All you need are a human and a dog with open eyes . . . and open hearts.

It is critical to recognize that the Covid-19 pandemic is a source of great physical, psychological and emotional distress for front line workers as well as individuals and communities around the world. There will likely be doctors, nurses and others who will need treatment for anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD and more resulting from this crisis. Then there is the rest of the world that is feeling the panic of losing jobs, being ordered to stay home, the unfathomable reality of not being there when a loved one passes, and the like.

Addendum:

There is a lot we can do to support each other during these times as well. Even if you can’t meet up in person, whether due to Covid-19 or for another reason, you can still use face time to check up on your friends and family, especially those in frontline positions. Even if you just call them up and chat, with a few of the best canned cocktails you can find on hand, it can help. But there’s something wonderful about therapy dogs being used, no matter what the circumstance.

The proactive steps of Ricochet and Pawsitive Teams offering virtual canine therapy with eye gazing will support healthcare workers, essential workers, and the world at large now, as well as into the future. The best part is it can be done on any computer or mobile device connected to the internet and it only takes a couple of minutes. Stressed individuals can take a quick break from the chaos and find themselves less anxious after engaging in the program.

“At a time when dogs could be truly valuable resources, we’re thinking outside the box in an effort to offer some form of canine therapy to the millions of people around the world who need it.” Judy Fridono.

Television adaptation: ‘I Know This Much Is True’ by Wally Lamb

Wally Lamb is an American author of several novels including “I’ll Take You There,” “She’s Come Undone” and “I Know This Much Is True;” the last two were both selected for Oprah’s Book Club. He was the director of the Writing Center at Norwich Free Academy in Norwich and has taught Creative Writing in the English Department at the University of Connecticut. “I Know This Much Is True” is the bestselling novel about identical brothers Dominick Birdsey and Thomas Birdsey, who suffers from schizophrenia. Dominick struggles to take care of his twin brother while discovering the truth about his own family. It has been adapted into a limited television series that will air on HBO and premieres on Sunday May 10. Mark Ruffalo stars in the double role of Dominick and Thomas.

According to Amazon, in “I Know This Much Is True,” Dominick Birdsey, is a forty-year-old housepainter living in Three Rivers, Connecticut. He finds his subdued life suddenly disturbed when his identical twin brother Thomas, a paranoid schizophrenic, commits a shocking act of self-mutilation. Dominick is forced to care for his brother as well as confront dark secrets and pain he has buried deep within himself—a journey of the soul that takes him beyond his blue-collar New England town to Sicily’s Mount Etna, the birthplace of his grandfather and namesake. Coming to terms with his life and lineage, Dominick struggles to find forgiveness and finally rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his troubled twin.

Book review: ‘No Truth Left to Tell’ by Michael McAuliffe

notruthlefttotellcover — ‘No Truth Left to Tell’ is the exciting debut novel by attorney Michael McAuliffe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Michael McAuliffe has practiced law for over 30 years, including as a federal prosecutor, a trial attorney for the civil rights division of the Department of Justice and an elected state attorney in Florida. In his debut novel, “No Truth Left to Tell,” federal civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush travels to small town Lynwood Louisiana to investigate an incident of four flaming crosses by the Ku Klux Klan meant to terrorize the southern town and start a new race war. He joins forces with Lee Mercer, a seasoned local FBI special agent and their partnership is tested as they clash over how far to go to catch the racists before the violence escalates.

“No Truth Left to Tell” begins with a Prologue set in Lynwood, Louisiana in July 1920 where a young black girl, Nettie Wynn, witnesses the horror of a lynching. In present day Lynwood, 1994, the quiet little town is about to be shattered by the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. They want to start a new race war and proceed to carry out a series of cross burnings at the local NAACP office, the courthouse, a home in the black neighborhood of Mooretown, a synagogue and an Islamic center. An elderly Nettie Wynn is the unfortunate victim in Mooretown and as a lifelong resident, these hate crimes bring back dreadful memories of her youth and unfortunately she suffers a heart attack. Her granddaughter Nicole DuBose, a successful journalist in New York City, returns to Lynwood to take care of her grandmother. Federal prosecutor Adrien Rush and Lee Mercer, a local FBI agent lead the investigation into the cross burnings without much luck until a local detective, Jimmy Batiste, arrests the Klan’s new grand dragon Frank Daniels and coerces a confession out of him. Frank is convicted but years later the truth surfaces about how Batiste got the confession and now the town is faced with an ethical dilemma: seeking justice for victims of hate crimes versus who truly deserves a “fair” trial.

Some of the best legal thrillers revolve around ethical dilemmas that make an easy conviction hard to obtain. Such is the case with “No Truth Left to Tell,” Michael McAuliffe’s excellent debut novel about a civil rights case in the Deep South. The courtroom drama is interesting and written without any complicated legal terms so it is easy to follow. Being himself a climber, the author uses plenty of climbing metaphors throughout: “A climber who’s given an extra bottle of oxygen in the death zone on Everest gratefully makes use of it” and regular metaphors as well “The Klansman’s strained breaths dissipated through the car’s interior like the smoky remains of a cheap cigar” both of which make the story really come alive. Foreshadowing is rarely used in modern novels but here it successfully builds the climax “Gill and Mercer both laughed, oblivious to the land mine that awaited.” The characters are relatable and well developed, especially Adrien Rush. This is a fascinating page-turner recommended for John Grisham fans. Hopefully this will turn into a series of novels featuring federal civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush; he is an intriguing character and readers deserve more of his stories.

“It can’t be some truth you’re selling; it has to be the only truth with nothing left to tell.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Twin Liquors enhances safety guidelines

twinliquorssocialdistance — Twin Liquors has installed social distancing markers in an effort to keep customers safe. Photo: Twin Liquors, used with permission.

Twin Liquors, committed to its team members and community, has been working on enhanced guidelines to ensure the safety of all customers and staff members. Over the last three weeks, Twin Liquors has expanded to over 40 stores to offer delivery and in-store pick-up in addition to implementing extra safety precautions and preparedness in every store across Texas. All Twin Liquors locations will remain open Monday through Saturday with modified hours from 11a.m. to 8p.m. (Twin Liquors, 2020)

Other safety measures include Plexiglas “sneeze-guards” for protection between the cash register and counter; safety signage, social distancing markers and reduced hours and the use of gloves and protective gear. The staff is also actively disinfecting the store on a regular basis.

The Texas-based family-owned liquor store has also expanded the online process. Originally providing delivery and online ordering for 12 locations, Twin Liquors is now offering e-commerce with delivery and in-store pick-up to 40+ stores varying by city, county and store location. Twin Liquors is currently serving most areas in Austin, Austin Metro, San Marcos and San Antonio; select areas of Houston; and select areas of Dallas (through Twin Liquors’ Sigel’s brand). This week, Twin Liquors also launched e-commerce to Georgetown, Killeen, New Braunfels, Temple, Victoria and Waco.

To shop with Twin Liquors, please visit the link here. To shop Sigel’s in Dallas, please use the link here. Customers are able to shop through the website or the Twin Liquors app, available to download on iOS and Android app stores. For a step-by-step video on how the ordering process can be done, please visit the links provided here – Twin Liquors and Sigel’s.

“Twin Liquors is committed to our team members and our communities. We are working diligently during this challenging time to balance the needs of the community and our staff while navigating through this uncertainty together. With that, we are continually updating safety procedures and are expanding e-commerce capabilities daily.” – David Jabour, president of Twin Liquors.

Pluckers Cocktails available for pickup or delivery

pluckerslogo — Gallons of select Pluckers Cocktails are now available for curbside pickup or contactless delivery. Photo: Pluckers, used with permission.

Pluckers recently launched their gallons of select Pluckers Cocktails and they are now available for curbside pickup or contactless delivery. All orders must be accompanied by a food purchase and must be placed online or through the Pluckers app which is available for free download on iTunes and Google Play. There is a $30 minimum on all delivery orders. As always, Pluckers Club Specials are not available for delivery or take-out. (Pluckers, 2020)

Pluckers will be offering select bottles of beer, White Claw and Truly, in addition to the following:

Pluckers Lemonade ($40): A gallon of Pluckers Lemonade mix and a 375ml bottle of Tito’s.
Psychedelic Frog ($40): A gallon of Pluckers Batman mix, 3 50ml bottles of Tito’s, 2 50ml bottles of Bacardi Rum, and 2 50ml bottles of gin.
House Margarita ($45): A gallon of Pluckers Margarita Mix and a 375ml bottle of tequila.
Patron Margarita ($55): A gallon of Pluckers Margarita Mix and a 375ml bottle of Patron Silver tequila.

Owners Mark Greenberg, Dave Paul and Sean Greenberg opened their first Pluckers restaurant in Austin in 1995. Over the past 24 years, Pluckers Wing Bar has opened 25 locations, expanding to Baton Rouge, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen, San Marcos and San Antonio. Pluckers is known for their signature wings and is consistently recognized as the best sports bar and chicken wing restaurant. They offer guests a fun, laid-back atmosphere where friends, family, and co-workers can enjoy a great meal and watch sports. Pluckers has been named in USA Today’s “Top Ten Wing Restaurants” and ESPN’s “Top 5 Sports Bar in North America,” along with being named one of “Austin’s Best Places to Work 2017” by the Austin Business Journal and Dallas Observer’s “Best Sports Bar.”

Pluckers Wing Bar
14881 IH-35 North
Selma, TX 78154

Pluckers Wing Bar
15651 I-10 W
San Antonio, TX 78249

Pearl announces April online programming

typewriterrodeo — April online events at Pearl include Typewriter Rodeo Poems for National Poetry Month. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

Prompted by COVID-19,Pearl has launched several online program offerings for the month of April. April programming includes a celebration for National Poetry Month, online story time brought by the Twig Book Shop and a new Interfaith Project with messages of hope and resilience from some of San Antonio’s spiritual leaders. (Pearl, 2020)

The April line-up is as follows:
Miss Anastasia Storytime
Miss Anastasia brings her popular story time adventures online. Join Miss A on her Instagram page every Friday at 10:30a.m. to catch her fun and spirited readings of popular children’s books, brought to you by the Twig Book Shop at Pearl. This event is free and open to all ages.

Every Friday in April (10, 17, 24) | 10:30a.m. | Online on Instagram

Typewriter Rodeo Poems for National Poetry Month
In honor of National Poetry Month, Pearl has commissioned Typewriter Rodeo to create four custom poems to share on Pearl’s social media channels every Tuesday in April. The poems touch on themes of resilience, innovation and the importance of staying emotionally connected yet physically distant—all of which are important now more than ever. This program is in partnership with the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture. This event is free and open to all ages.

Every Tuesday in April (14, 21, 28) | Online on Facebook and Instagram

2020 Interfaith Project
While this time of year usually brings many opportunities for gathering, we must now find ways to stay connected amidst physical separation. Given all the uncertainty, we can turn to each other and members of our San Antonio interfaith community for words of comfort and faith. Throughout the month of April, Pearl will share messages of hope and resilience on its social media channels from some of San Antonio’s spiritual leaders in honor of Easter and Passover. Dates include 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 on Facebook.

Partners for this program include:

Reverend Michael Newman – President, Texas District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Rev. Michael Newman is the president of the Texas District LCMS. He has served as the MMF for Area C since July of 2008. Before serving the Texas District he served in pastoral ministry since 1987 in congregations in Texas, Illinois, and Minnesota. He has been blessed to be involved in the leadership, development and growth of a mission congregation and has served congregations both large and small. His ministry journey has included participation in multi-ethnic ministry, international mission trips, the planting of new ministries, radio and television ministry.

Rabbi Levi Teldon – Assistant Rabbi, Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning. Rabbi Levi Teldon was born and raised in a loving Chabad family on Long Island. At 14 years old he was shipped off to study at Yeshivas on two continents and Detroit and wisely chose to become a rabbi at the age of 23. A true born-again Texan, he teaches and co-directs programming at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning in S. Antonio with his wife Rochel, and is the co-founder of Young & Jewish San Antonio

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller – Archbishop of San Antonio. Born in Mexico, Gustavo García-Siller was named Archbishop of San Antonio by Pope Benedict XVI on October 14, 2010. Previously, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Chicago Archdiocese on January 24, 2003 by Pope John Paul II, where he served as Cardinal Francis George’s liaison to the Hispanic community. On a national level, Archbishop García-Siller currently serves on a number of committees for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): The Cultural Diversity Committee on Hispanic Affairs, African American Affairs, Committee on Hispanics and the Liturgy, the Committee on Migration, and the Committee on Consecrated Life and he served as Chair of Region 7 of the USCCB.

Dr. Carey Latimore – Associate Minister, Mount Zion First Baptist Church. Dr. Carey Latimore is an associate professor of history at Trinity University who has a passion and love for God’s word. An ordained minister, Carey is excited about connecting his faith to his scholarly interests and community concerns. Among his many projects, he has worked with Urban Ministries (UMI) on their Vacation Bible School curriculum and wrote their Building a City on a Hill adult student book.

“Now more than ever we want to acknowledge the powerful human connections that make up our community. Because we cannot physically gather, we want to use our social media channels to bring a little bit of the energy and human connectedness we all experience at Pearl into everyone’s home during this time as well as a message of hope and staying emotionally connected with each other.” – Pearl’s CMO Elizabeth Fauerso

Culinaria helps hospitality industry

Culinaria is helping out the hospitality industry with several programs. Photo: Culinaria, used with permission.

The hospitality industry is one of the major industries in San Antonio and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an industry struggling more with each passing day. With many furloughed and inevitable restaurant closures, the situation will most likely get worse before it gets better. Culinaria, with its mission to promote San Antonio as a culinary destination for food and wine, is stepping in to help. The other component of its mission is to offer support to the industry it serves in times of financial hardship. In the past, fundraising was structured through events to benefit a specific individual or family, but now, at this time an event is not an option, and the need to assist others is of growing importance. (Culinaria, 2020)

Culinaria has initiated three tiers of assistance to address short and long-term needs for individuals and restaurants/bars in the San Antonio area.

HospitALLity House focuses on short-term needs by ensuring those in the hospitality industry receive a hot meal. Service is provided Monday through Saturday at Alamo BBQ from 4p.m. to 7p.m. and several other restaurants have stepped in to help with meals at their locations. Food donations and monetary contributions from generous businesses and individuals have helped keep this program going. It has already fed more than 12,000 in its first two weeks of operation.

Culinaria Family Meal Kits are networked through chefs for distribution to furloughed workers. Hospitality businesses who have employees in need can email Culinaria to be included in the kit distribution.

For long-term needs, an Emergency Relief Fund has been established and will issue funds to hospitality workers in need of financial assistance. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to donate to the Emergency Relief Fund through PayPal or Venmo online. An application process is available online and the current need is greater than the resources available, so Culinaria will continue its outreach to raise enough funds to assist more individuals and to later provide relief for restaurants and bars to reopen.

Culinaria’s social media channels will be posting the locations and times where hospitality industry workers can get the hot meals.

In addition, Culinaria is offering the Restaurant Weeks To-Go, to promote restaurants that have remained opened for to-go, curbside and delivery services. A complete listing of those restaurants, menus (when available) as well as restaurant websites and phone numbers is available online.

Some of the key support includes contributions from Chef Jason Dady, Silver Eagle, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Sysco, Alamo BBQ, Bakery Lorraine, Chef John Brand and Hotel Emma, Gaucho Gourmet, Cheesecake Factory, Panifico Bake Shop, Hush San Antonio, San Pellegrino and Texana Brands

“This is definitely an unprecedented time for us all and our hope is to support furloughed industry workers that have helped put this city on the map as a culinary destination.”- Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge, President/CEO of Culinaria.

La Cantera Resort & Spa chefs share Easter recipes

www.joshhuskin.com — Chef Robert Carr, executive chef at La Cantera Resort & Spa. Photo: La Cantera Resort & Spa, used with permission.

La Cantera Resort & Spa temporarily closed Resort operations on Friday, March 20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Resort continues to monitor information and guidance from a host of sources. With Easter coming up, Chefs Carr, Hinojosa, Silva and Proa at SweetFire Kitchen, Grille 254 and Primero Cantina, La Cantera Resort & Spa, share recipes for Family Easter Feast at Home. (La Cantera Resort & Spa, 2020)

Chef Robert Carr, executive chef, La Cantera Resort & Spa, started his journey to culinary excellence at the age of 13. Inspired by cooking lessons from his grandmother, Chef Carr learned the art of perfectionist, made-from-scratch cooking as a young apprentice under the tutelage of an English chef at the Wichita Country Club in Kansas. Below he shares a recipe that is a family favorite that he will make for his family this Easter.

Warm Butter Mochi

Mochiko Flour	4	cups
Baking Powder	3	t
Granulated Sugar	3	cups
Butter, melted & cooled	1/2	cup
Whole eggs	4	each
Coconut milk	12	oz
Evaporated milk	12	oz
Vanilla extract	2	t

o Combine all dry ingredients together

o Combine all wet ingredients together

o Mix dry mixture into the wet mixture

o Mix until homogeneous. Mix thoroughly

o Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until cake is golden and just browned

o Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and berries

Gabriela Hinojosa, Chef de Cuisine, SweetFire Kitchen, La Cantera Resort & Spa, grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, spending summers on her grandmother’s farm where she helped pick fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs used for family meals. That experience helped shape her love of cooking, which she pursued at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and then through an internship under the tutelage of master chef Peter Timmins at The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Below Gabriela shares one of her Grandma’s recipes, a popular dessert at most Mexican Family Easter Feasts.

Capirotada (Mexican bread pudding)

7 Bolillo bread slices

1/2 lb. Butter

1/2 cup Raisins

1 ½ cups Milk

1 ½ 5 cup Piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar cone)

2 Cloves

1 Cinnamon stick

½ cup Panela cheese

½ cup Peanuts

½ cup Coconut flakes

Preheat oven 350F
In a pot place milk, piloncillo, cinnamon stick and cloves to make a caramel
While making caramel
Slice bolillo and start toasting with butter until golden brown
Start assembling bread on a deep oven pot- slices of bread- some caramel peanuts, cheese, raisins, and coconut flakes – another layer of bread and repeat process until all ingredients are used

Make sure you use enough garnish on top, then cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy.

Giovanni Silva, Chef de Cuisine, Grille 254, La Cantera Resort & Spa, grew up working at his parents’ restaurant in Mexico. He went to culinary schools in Colorado and California and finished formal training at Colegio Gastgronomico de Guadalajara in Mexico. Silva then embarked on his cooking career on the ocean, working first as a chef on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and later as chef de cuisine for an Italian specialty restaurant on a Holland America ship. Below, Chef Gio shares one of his Mother’s favorite vegetarian dishes.

Potato cakes with cabbage and carrot salad

Ingredients Potato pancakes:

4 Idaho potatoes

1 egg

1 cup flour divided in two

¼ cup Canola oil

Pinch of Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in water until tender, about 45 minutes
Once soft and cooled, peel and mash; then season with salt and pepper
Add the egg and half of the flour until it forms a moldable paste
Heat half of the oil in a sauté pan at medium heat
Form little discs of potato paste and dust them with the rest of the flour
Pan fry in the heated oil until golden brown

Ingredients for salad:

¼ head of green cabbage sliced thinly

1 carrot sliced thinly

½ yellow onion sliced thinly

2 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp mustard

Pinch of Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for one hour.

Abraham Proa, Chef de Cuisine, Primero Cantina, La Cantera Resort & Spa, spent time under the mentorship of famed Chef Andrew Weismann at both Signature at La Cantera Resort and Spa and at the former Il Sogno at The Pearl before taking on his current role heading Primero Cantina. The Mexico native said he did not see becoming a chef as a career until the restaurant boom of the 2000s, when he recognized the opportunity. He moved to Las Vegas and worked at the French restaurant at The Cosmopolitan when it was named the Best Restaurant in Las Vegas. Below Proa shares one of his family’s favorite Easter recipes.

Migas Casserole

8 Large eggs

¼ cup Milk or half-and-half

1 tsp Kosher salt

½ tsp Black pepper

⅓ cup Canola oil

4 Corn tortillas cut in trips or triangles

½ Medium yellow onion, diced

4 Jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced

1 cup Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

1½ cup Salsa, for topping

¼ cup Cilantro, for garnish

In a bowl, whisk eggs with milk. Stir in the salt and pepper.
In a large iron skillet, beat up oil on medium high, and place tortilla strips into the skillet, cooking for about 3 minutes, turning once. Remove the tortilla strips with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain the oil from the skillet leaving 2 tablespoons in the skillet.
Add the onions and jalapeno to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the egg mixture and tortilla strips to the skillet and let the eggs sit for about one minute or until set on the bottom and then gently stir. Sprinkle cheese on top of eggs and continue to cook until melted.
Top eggs with salsa and cilantro. Serve with flour tortillas and refried beans.

Garrison Brothers Distillery launches fundraiser

bootflask — Garrison Brothers Distillery launched Operation Crush COVID-19. Photo: Garrison Brothers Distillery, used with permission.

Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, has launched Operation Crush COVID-19, a fundraising campaign to help American communities recover and rebuild. The campaign, launched in partnership with Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, the distillery’s 501(c)3 public charity, aims to raise more than $2 million dollars for veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon, which is currently serving in communities across the country, leading efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Good Bourbon for a Good Cause will also be naming a secondary beneficiary that is helping with the immediate needs of hospitality industry professionals and their families. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Until recently, Garrison Brothers had planned to release Laguna Madre, a special project over 10 years in the making, later this summer through traditional liquor retail channels. Laguna Madre is the oldest bourbon Garrison Brothers has made to date; an eight-year-old, top-shelf release named after the beautiful blue waters along Texas’ Gulf Coast. The ultra-premium bourbon was aged in new white American oak barrels for four years and aged secondarily for four more years in Limousin oak from France, which is prized for its vanilla content. Limousin oak wood imparts spirits with distinct flavors of vanilla, sweet candy, cacao and thick, white chocolate that an experienced bourbon drinker will never forget.

The original plan was to release just over 2,000 bottles to the distillery’s original supporters, then to close friends, then to bars and restaurants who have always championed the brand. But in light of COVID-19, Laguna Madre will now be available only to donors who contribute $1,000 or more to Good Bourbon for a Good Cause in partnership with Team Rubicon, a global disaster response organization composed primarily of military veterans and first responders who are deploying teams to areas heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The first 2,004 people to contribute $1,000 or more will receive a bottle of Laguna Madre. Everyone is invited and encouraged to donate whatever they can. “If you donate $100, you will forever have our respect and you can choose to take home any clothing item from our gift shop for free,” adds Rob Cordes, marketing director at Garrison Brothers Distillery. “If you donate $500, we’ll reserve one bottle of Boot Flask (375ml) and one bottle of Honey Dew (750ml) for you.”

There will be 4,008 bottles of Boot Flask, 4,008 bottles of Honey Dew and 2,004 bottles of Laguna Madre available.

“At Team Rubicon, we know we’re only as strong as our volunteers, partners and donors, as we fight this invisible war on COVID-19, we must all work together. During this unprecedented time, we are entirely grateful to have Garrison Brothers Distillery and its customers by our side, supporting our efforts in response to this deadly virus. This generous donation will help us continue to prepare, respond and aid community recovery efforts across the country.” – Jake Wood, co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon.

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Month: April 2020