B'more Organic Skyr Smoothies

Recently, we were approached by a new local company called  B’more Organic about their skyr-style smoothie which just hit the market. Skyr originated in Scandinavia and is a yogurt product made from strained skimmed milk.  It's high in protein, fat-free, and contains probiotics for healthy digestion. Those sensitive to dairy may find skyr more friendly to their tummies as it is lower in lactose than other dairy products. The Minx and I have tasted skyr-style kefir products before and were put off by the slightly lumpy texture and chalky taste. The people at B'more Organic assured us that their Icelandic-style skyr is rich and silky, so we thought we'd give it a try.

With 32 grams of protein per serving, zero fat, no added sugar, and naturally  occurring nutrients, these skyr beverages are intended to serve as a satisfying meal replacement rather than just a snack. Indeed, after imbibing an entire 16 ounce container (which is two servings), I felt quite full and was able to go about my day without any sense of lethargy.

Andrew Buerger, CEO of B'more Organic, came up with the inspiration for his product while on a hiking trip in Iceland. "I discovered the amazing flavor and healthy energy provided by  skyr, It was the first dairy product that did not aggravate my lactose intolerance and the protein content is incredible. I couldn’t wait to share this protein-rich treat with other active Americans!”

The smoothies come in five flavors: Vanilla, Café Latte, Banana, Mango Banana, and Strawberry Banana. I tried the strawberry first and was pleased with its bright, fruity flavor. The drinks are touted as having no added sugar, but they do include stevia extract. While not obvious in the fruity flavors, it can be tasted in the vanilla. As for the texture, it is pleasantly smooth, but I did get a hint of chalky after taste. Still, it was not enough to turn me off from drinking more.

Founded in Baltimore, B’more Organic is a certified B Corporation, dedicated to sustainable business practices. Their smoothies are USDA Certified Organic and GMO-free, using grass-fed organic milk  from small farms in Lancaster, PA. And if drinking a healthy, organic product isn't enough to make you feel good about yourself, ten percent of sales goes to Jodi’s Climb for Hope, a charity that raises money to fund research on breast cancer and Multiple Sclerosis.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Sour Cherry Tart

My brother purchased two pies, one cherry and one apple, to serve as dessert on the 4th of July. While the cherry pie was tasty, it had an edge of artificiality, despite coming from a local bakery. The glaze was just too gloppy and red, as if the filling had originated in a can. I was pretty sure I could do a better job baking a cherry pie myself.

Just days later, kismet revealed quarts of gorgeous sour cherries at the farmers' market. I snapped one up and immediately began searching for pie recipes online. Smitten Kitchen's crumb-topped pie appealed, because it didn't require a top crust. (While I normally don't mind admitting to using store-bought crusts, I thought a home-made cherry pie deserved a home-made crust. I just didn't want to make two of them. Or, heaven forbid, a lattice.)  In another stroke of luck, I received an e-mail from Saveur magazine, touting their new brown butter blackberry tart recipe. The crust recipe seemed easy and didn't require any rolling out, so I resolved to use it. I ignored the fact that the shell was intended to be used for an unbaked pie.

While the crust recipe seemed pretty simple to begin with, I simplified it even further. The original recipe called for butter, water, oil, and sugar to be placed in a heatproof bowl and baked for 20 minutes until the butter began to brown. Why not put them in a saucepan and cook for fewer minutes?

I made the rest of the pie (filling and crumb topping) pretty much according to the original recipe. Because the crust was intended for use with a non-baked (pre-cooked), custard-type filling, the texture is pretty different from that of a regular pie crust. No matter, the combination of brown butter flavored crust + lightly sweet cherries was pretty swell. And the crust held up well enough for me to take the tart out of the tart pan without it falling apart.

Mmm...cherry pie. It was lovely, and much better than the gloppy bakery pie.

Sour Cherry Tart (adapted from Saveur and Smitten Kitchen)

For the crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup flour

For the almond crumble:
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the sour cherry filling:
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 pounds fresh sour cherries, pitted, or 2 pounds frozen sour cherries, partially thawed

Make the crust: Heat oven to 400°. Stir butter, water, oil, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter begins to brown, 5-8 minutes. Stir in flour until dough comes together. Press dough into bottom and up sides of 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes until browned; let cool.

Make the crumble: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until everything is coated with the butter.

Make the cherry filling: In a large bowl, mix the cherries with the sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt.

To assemble the pie:  Reduce oven heat to 350°F. Pour the cherries into the pie shell. Sprinkle the crumble over the cherries. Place the pie plate on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and thick. Remove to a rack to cool to room temperature before serving.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Mason-Dixon Master Chef Tournament 2015 Updates

If you haven't yet made it to any of the battles, do go! It's so much fun!
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The field of 16 top area chefs has been narrowed to the top 10 as the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament prepares to complete Round 1 of competition next week.

After just three weeks of competition and six matches, the field of chefs competing in The Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament (www.MDMasterChef.com) is starting to dwindle, while the money raised for Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (the Tournament’s charity partner, who receives 10% of the proceeds) continues to rise.

Remaining chefs include:

Christopher Vocci, Alexandra’s at Turf Valley
Wilbur Cox, Jr., Bistro Rx
Cole Whaley, Café Rue
Lanydrek Christ Pandzou, Colony South Hotel
Rick Koplau, Duke’s Grocery
Sean Praglowski, Luckie’s Tavern
Jirat Suphrom-In, My Thai
Melissa Fordham, Personal Chef Services
Bill Kelley, Renditions Golf
Jeff Keeney, Tark’s Grill

With Battle Backyard BBQ, Battle Breakfast and Battle Chocolate over, the remaining chefs are looking forward to Battle Comfort Food next week to finish off Round 1. The Tournament was dark this week in observance of Independence Day, but will resume on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 with the following match ups:

Monday, July 13
Melissa Fordham
Personal Chef Services/Blue Bistro & Catering/Gourmet Again
vs
Wilbur Cox, Jr.
Bistro Rx

Tuesday, July 14
Sean Praglowski
Luckie's Tavern
vs
Cole D. Whaley
The Cafe Rue

Competition will continue with Round 2 beginning July 20 and 21.

Tournament Details
Tickets for all dates of this summer-long single-elimination chef competition are available for purchase at: http://www.MDMasterChef.com. Tickets for most matches are $25 for general admission and $45 for judging experience (including all taxes). In addition, the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament donates 10% of the net proceeds of each ticket sold directly to their charity partner Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (http://www.mealsonwheelsmd.org).

Remaining Competition Dates (6:00pm – 9:00pm); Doors open at 5:30pm:

July 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28

August 10, 11, 16

Event Timeline:
5:30 p.m. – Happy Hour with Complementary passed Hors d’oeurves and Wine Tasting by Boordy Vineyards, plus Drink and Food Specials

6:30 p.m. – Cold Prep Begins for the Competition

7:00 p.m. – Chef Competition

8:00 p.m. – Judging Begins, Complementary Dessert and Coffee Served



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Shuck It, Shake It, Smoke It @Wit on the Water

If you've never been to Wit & Wisdom in the warmer months, they have a terrific 85-seat patio overlooking the Harbor. Chef Zack Mills and lead bartender Aaron Joseph have combined their considerable forces in creating a special Wit on the Water menu featuring the three things we enjoy most in the summer: shellfish; barbecue; and cocktails. "Shuck it, smoke it, shake it," as the menu is titled.

We were there recently and tried a number of things. We'll start with the shellfish, which included:
--Blue Crab Cocktails, Flying Dog orange ale vinaigrette, avocado
--Scallop Ceviche, citrus & horseradish vinaigrette
--Steamed & Chilled Half Maine Lobster, yuzu creme fraiche
--Court Bouillon Poached Shrimp, Old Bay Cocktail Sauce

Foreground: crab salad; Right: ceviche; scattered elsewhere: lobster and shrimp

From the "smoke it" portion of the menu, we tried:
--Oak Wood Smoke Catoctin Mountain Pulled Pork, House-made Barbecue sauce, corn bread
--Smoked War Shore Oysters, Herb & Old Bay butter
--Grilled Half Maine Lobster, drawn butter

We also tried several cocktails, including:
--Orchid Punch: Clyde May's whiskey, white orchid tea, apple-citrus syrup, lime
--Charm Peace: roasted tomato-infused Stoli Elite with basil-infused Dolin Blanc dry Vermouth
--Hon Punch: reposado tequila, lime juice, lavender mint tea, and kumquat sacrum
--Country Ride: roasted sweet corn-infused Blanco Tequila, lemon juice, and agave syrup with Old Bay rim and cilantro garnish
--Honeydew and Cantaloupe "boozy pops,"

Hon Punch, Orchid Punch

Country Ride

Charm Peace

Boozy Pops

The grilled items were our favorites. Somehow lobster is more lobster-y when it's grilled, and the grilled oysters topped with a slick of Old Bay-flavored butter were delish. In fact, we demurred at the idea of oysters to begin with, as we had dozens of them at home. But I'm glad we tasted the War Shores. Now I know how to treat oysters on the half shell next time we have some. The pulled pork, in a lightly sweet, very tomatoey sauce, was excellent, but my favorite part of that dish was the lightly lemony cornbread. Citrus was an unexpected touch that made it unique.

The seafood was all impeccably fresh and perfectly prepared. The scallop ceviche was tender and tasted like more, and the poached shrimp was some of the best I've eaten. As for the cocktails, they were full of innovative ideas, like corn-infused tequila. My favorite was the Charm Peace, which was like a Caprese salad in a glass...all it needed was a little ball of mozzarella....

It didn't hurt that we had the most gorgeous early summer day to enjoy the patio, that, coupled with good company and fine food made for an enjoyable evening outdoors. The only regrettable thing was not being there on the weekend and missing whole pig roasted on the new la caja china roaster. Next time....



Posted on Minxeats.com.