Evelyn's Blog - Taste of Gourmet

Art After Hours on Thursday....

WOW.....All sorts of things happening in Indianola this week!  You've just got to come out to ONE or ALL of the events!
 
It starts on Thursday, June 4th with Art After Hours from 5 to 7 pm in downtown Indianola!
At TheCrown: Se have Susan Sheridan from Greenwood coming that night, with her Muddy Mushroom Pottery!  Great looking shapes and beautiful glazes!  Alan Jones will be playing his guitar and making everyone want to dance!  I'll be focusing on Spinach Dip and Bar-B-Que/Grilling ideas!  Food is also an Art Form...especially at The Crown!

At Abraham's:  Helen and Michael will have Laurie Fisher's paintings.  Laurie lives in Oxford now and shows in a gallery there. It's exciting to have her work here in her hometown too! 

At the B.B. King Museum:  David "Honeyboy" Edwards, one of the Delta's oldest Bluesmen, will be at the Museum for an interview with Dr. Alfonso Sanders in an interview musical setting.

At Gin Mill Gallery:  Music by local bluesman, Jerry Fair

At Silver Exchange:  Ann has a great selection of handmade jewelry

Enjoy music, visiting with artists, nibbling on good food, after-hours shopping, wandering the stores and visiting with friends during Art After Hours!

Friday, June 5th is the B.B. King Homecoming Festival at Fletcher Park.  B.B. will be performing with a great lineup of music before he takes the stage!  Park opens at 5:00 pm.
We'll have live music on the street in downtown Indianola from 1:00 with Danny Abraham and Alfonso Sanders in front of Abraham's from 4 to 6 pm.

Saturday, June 6th is Art at B.B. King's in conjunction with the Indianola Open Air Market at the B.B. King Museum from 9 am to 12 pm!  Over 15 artists will be exhibiting including:
Joe Mac Hudspeth - renowned wildlife artist
Charles Chapin - lots of paintings of B.B. King plus still life from Greenwood
James Blumengerg - Indianola artist with prints of his painting of downtown
Craig Fraiser - wild flower photographer - local boy now living in Ark.
Anna Woods - Black and White Delta photos
Barry McWilliams - local artist
Jack Catlette - photographer from Inverness.. Bayou photos and local sites|
Mary Jo Ayres from Leland - delta blues artist
Vanessa Marble - from Indianola with her jewelry...and many more!

Indianola's Junior Auxiliary will be doing face painting for the children.  The Market will have fresh produce, baked goods, lemon pies, BlueBerry muffins, crafts, jams and preserves, local plants...so much to choose from!  And enjoy Coffee at Lucille's, the Museum Gift Shop!  The Market happens every Saturday from 9 to 12...but DO NOT MISS this Saturday...June 6th for Art at B.B. King's!
 
We'll be looking for you in Indianola...and don't forget to come by for lunch at The Crown!

Little ones who love the Pate.....

Lots of sweet young people come to The Crown and have their favorite things they always eat!  Audrey loves the "Ebie Plate" with a pickle added or a bowl of Broccoli Soup.  Jay loves the Gumbo!  Bunches of kids from IA order the Chicken Allison with the Bayou Beer Bread!   We love having young people enjoy The Crown!

Little Harley was in today for lunch - it's a regular thing for Harley and her mom - she's only five but HER favorite thing is my Pate!  I love seeing her dash in - straight to the Pate table and make a sandwich with two wafers and the Pate in the middle!   A child after my own heart!  Harley will be back for her Birthday in July - I've promised a candle in the Pate....why not?  It will make us both happy!

Looking for a different dip that's yummy?

At our Main Street Member Party on Tuesday night, I made an Artichoke Dip using our Sassy Seasoning...so many compliments on it...I decided I needed to share it with ya'll!  And it is simple too!

The Crown's Artichoke Dip
    1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
    8 oz. softened cream cheese
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    Sassy Seasoning to taste.
Put first 3 ingredients into a bowl and mix well.  Use a mixer if you choose, but a good spoon works well!  Add 1/8 teaspoon of Taste of Gourmet's Sassy Seasoning and mix well.  Tasting is very important because the Sassy is powerful...peppery powerful!  So you get a lot of "bang" from a little Sassy!  The Dip keeps well refrigerated for two weeks.
Note:  You can even make a main dish using the Dip.  Simple spread a little Dip over a boneless chicken breast for each person - you don't need a huge amount - just smoothed over and covered.  Then cover the dish and bake at 350 degreese for about 30 to 45 minutes.  The chicken juices mix with the "dip" and the sauce is heavenly served over rice! 

Isn't that easy???  All of our recipes are simple to do and versatile - a dip one day.....a main dish ingredient the next!  Of course you can order our Sassy on the website or come to The Crown...we have it all here in the Gift Shop!

Have you tried our Catfish Cake Salad?

It is SO good!  The hot Catfish Cake sitting on a cold bed of Romaine with cantalope and apples and our yummy Vidalia Dressing!   And I'm seeing our local guests ordering it over and over....is it going to be the new Favorite Salad? 

I know it is the NEW Favorite main dish!  Jimmy Woods from Indianola (according to Nancy) goes delirious when he starts eating his Cakes with the Suddenly Peach Salsa drizzled over the top!  The Cakes are so light and filled with chunks of catfish and green onion and bell pepper....so flavorful!  I had some for lunch today....and I'm cooking more for supper!  (By the way..we do keep them in the freezer at the Crown!

Want Bread Sticks for dipping?

Do your kids (or you) just LOVE those Bread Sticks at pizza places that you dip into the pizza sauce?  You can make your own "sticks" by following Laurie Phillips' simple instructions - and the sticks will be healthier too!  That's an Added Bonus with Taste of Gourmet mixes!

Laurie mixes up one of our Tomato Basil Bread mixes with club soda (or beer!)  Then pours the dough into a baking pan - 10 x 15 inch or so!  She spreads out the dough to make more "sticks!"  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  The thinner dough will cook faster of course. 

Sprinkle the top of the baked bread with grated Mozarella and broil. Cool a little then cut the cooked bread into "sticks" and give each person a little bowl of pizza sauce for dipping.  Be ready to mop up drips and spills, but I sure think the smiles would be worth the mess! 

One of my favorite snacks is a piece of cold Tomato Basil Bread, topped with cheese (I LOVE Swiss cheese on it) then broiled until it's melted and browning!  Almost a meal in itself!  Try the Calzone variation in the recipes too!  Don't just think about it - Try it! 

Laurie tries out ideas constantly on her children and they love her cooking - That's why she's such a great Consultant!  She uses our products all the time and shares her recipe ideas at Tastings!  Thanks for the Bread Sticks recipe Laurie!

Your favorite bread????

I'd say that TODAY at The Crown....the favorite was our Tomato Basil Bread....hot out of the oven...it's so aromatic and delicious....steam rising from the slices on the bread boards!  Ready to smear with some soft butter!  Are you hungry??

Lots of our guests, especially the young people wait for the Bayou Beer Bread to come out of the kitchen...the plain one they say is their favorite.  (My favorite is whichever one I am eating at that very moment!  They are ALL so good - even cold!)

We've had lots of young people in the Crown this past week.  It's graduation time and we've had numerous luncheons honoring graduates from all over the Delta!  In fact, the entire Senior Class from Indianola Academy ate with us one day last week....they LOVE that Chicken Allison and the Bayou Beer Bread!  Lots of our young people eat with us often and I KNOW they need LOTS of Bayou Bread!

On Friday, Gentry High School's graduating Mississippi Scholars were our guests for lunch - 44 young people were honored for completing a strong academic curriculum!  It was so good to see them!  One of the girls asked, "Is it okay for me to eat Bayou Beer Bread?  I don't drink beer!"  Gloria assured her that the beer was cooked out of the bread and she was safe!  Wasn't it great that she cared?  I think I'll start just calling it Bayou Bread....I sure don't want to worry anyone!  

Ya'll come to The Crown for some hot bread......we'll keep it coming hot out of the kitchen...just for you!

Recipes from Art After Hours..

Food is an Art Form - at least we think so at The Crown.  I love creating new recipes for everyone to taste when they visit during our Art After Hours events.  My RazzMaTazz Torta was fun to "invent" but even more fun to eat!  Lots of people enjoyed it...even if it did look a little "strange" on the serving plate.  You know...mixing blueberries (in the Razz) with cream cheese....it comes out looking sort of lavender!  But I do promise you it is yummy  spread on a cracker!  

 

So enjoy these recipes and be sure to put June 4th on your calendar - our next Art After Hours!  Join us in Indianola from 5 to 7 p.m. with live music...lots of food and sweet tea...great shopping...fun visiting with neighbors....AND it's the start of the B.B. King Homecoming Weekend of Fun in Indianola!  Alan Jones playing at The Crown and our featured artist is potter....Susan Sheridan from Greenwood with her Muddy Mushroom Pottery!  Y'all come to Indianola!

 

RazzMaTazz Layered Torta

8 oz cream cheese mixed with 3 Tbsp. RazzMaTazz

Layer mixture in a plastic lined bowl with sliced pepperoni or diced, cooked smoked sausage, green onions, grated cheese, and teaspoons of RazzMaTazz.  Refrigerate.  Reverse onto serving plate, garnish top with more Razz and finely chopped sausage!  Serve with crackers

 

Chipotle Sauce  - Ways to enjoy using it!     

Marinade for pork roast – rub and refrigerate for 2 days

Add to BBQ sauce for extra flavor

Rub under skin of chicken to grill

Mix with mayonnaise for finishing/dipping sauce for grilled fish, burgers, or grilled meats.

Add to our Suddenly Salsa for a "smoky" kick of flavor

                                               

Chipotle Cheese Ball - I love this and it just gets better as it "sits!"
         16 oz. cream cheese
           8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
           2 tablespoons of Chipotle Sauce
           3 or 4 green onion finely chopped
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.  Pack into a mold or form into a ball.  Refrigerate two to three weeks.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa - Serve this like a salad too...    

          1 package Suddenly Salsa
          1 can petite diced tomatoes (28 oz)
          1 can black beans (rinsed( (14 oz)
          1 can whole corn (14 oz)

Mix everything together, stirring gently.

Refrigerate until ready to serve with corn chips or as a salad over chopped lettuce or in a “tortilla cup.”

Refrigerate for two to three weeks.

Peach Salsa Served at The Crown with  our Catfish Cakes

½ cup prepared Suddenly Salsa

½ cup Peach Jam or Preserves

Mix together and serve with corn chips or grilled meats.

Black Bean Chili Dip - Ree Horne just told me how much she loved this cold dip!
         1 box Black Bean Chili
         1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)

          3 cups water
          8 oz. grated Monterey Jack
Follow directions on box, add cheese to melt.  Serve cold (or hot) with corn chips!

Fun in Indianola - Thursday Night!

Art After Hours!

May 7th - 5 PM to 7 PM - Downtown Indianola!

Featured Artists
At The Crown:

Charles Chapin ~ Greenwood, MS
All sizes and prices, including small BB King paintings for $25 and up! Plus paintings of flowers and still life - colorful and beautiful!

Live Music

Alan Jones - Inverness, MS  - On guitar!

Come to Indianola for an evening of art, friends and fun!
Mark your calenders for the FIRST Thursday of every month! 

Visit these businesses on Thursday Evening May 7th :  Abrahams, Gin Mill Gallery (also with live music) Silver Exchange, The Crown and The B.B. King Museum

Food is also an ART FORM 

The Crown's Food Theme Thursday night.....

"Feel The Heat Comin' On!"

Get ready for summer pool parties and cook outs with Taste of Gourmet's simple cooking ideas!

Sample some of our

BEST SELLING SUMMER ITEMS

AND BUY at a 10% Discount on Thursday night!

Suddenly Salsa    -   Lime & Cilantro Dressing   -   Chipotle Sauce   -   RazzMaTazz

You can enjoy tasting then pick up recipes for all the dishes you've just tried!
Ya'll Come to Indianola - You'll have FUN!

Pack Your Pantry NOW......

It's the perfect time to restock your kitchen cupboard with great food from Taste of Gourmet!
10% Discount on ALL our products is valid through May 15th!
Code is BVHUM
PLUS
Orders totaling $40.00 in products (after discount) will also qualify for a Customer Half-Price Item. 
You can choose one of three Half-Price items!   
Soup Collection (normally $54.95) for only $27.50 
Taste of the South (normally $39.95) for only $19.98 
Super Sauces (normally $32.95) for only $16.50 

Order on-line at www.tasteofgourmet.com or call your Consultant or call the Home Office (800-833-7731)to order.  We'd love to talk to you about our yummy food!
It's time to make your meals healthy, easy and economical!  Taste of Gourmet is your delicious solution!