New Products, New Tastes, New Pleasures

For Thanksgiving ... Kennebunkport Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale. It's said to be lightly spiced with pumpkin pie spices. I got our neighbor, John, to give it a test spin as he is British and surely as such, a connoiseur of good brews. He said it was very good.

Pilgrim Joe's Pumpkin Ice Cream -- It's a pale gold, sweet, but no overriding taste of pumpkin or spices. Would set off a pumpkin pie delicately, with richness. Incidentally, Richie uses a graham cracker crust for his pumpkin pies and next one he makes, he's going to dust the empty pie shell with pie spices which should add a nice zing!

Other Uses for Guacamole -- the French have (finally) discovered Mexican food and it turns out that they like guacamole. But, typically French, they do more with it -- a "tartine" is French for "open-faced sandwich," something the Danes do very, very well. Possibly not with a Mexican standard like guac. Toast a good slice of bread, slather with guacamole and dot with river shrimp. Used as a base for salmon tartare. Layered in crab salads or carefully, using a spoon, make quenelles as a garnish for gazpacho.

Litehouse Freeze-Dried Red Jalapenos - I keep the container near the stove and routinely toss in about a tablespoon to homemade or canned chili, garlic spaghetti sauce, or bean with bacon canned soup.

I discovered by accident that Himalayan pink salt crystals have a very sweet salt taste with just a hint of pepper behind that. Very good on my mother's recipe potato soup (along with a knob of butter.)

Trader Giotti's Mushroom Ravioli with Mushroom Truffle sauce are really good! The sauce is, of course, not overly truffled, probably because a single pound of truffles cost upwards of $2,200. You'll find them next to the $88 pistachio oil...