Eating Out in Norfolk: Jessy’s Taco Bistro

By Deb Markham Correspondent   –   The Virginian-Pilot

Some of the offerings at Jessy's Taco Bistro.

Some of the offerings at Jessy’s Taco Bistro.

My boyfriend’s parents treated us to a mid-week celebration at Jessy’s Taco Bistro.

They had just returned from a cruise and I just broke the news I had landed a full-time job after freelancing for several months.

We were seated promptly and offered any open seat in the main dining room. We noted about three other families surrounding us. Not bad, we agreed, for a Wednesday in a small Ghent restaurant.

We started with queso — white cheese dip with jalapeño — and chips, $6; something to munch as we decided on another starter and drinks. The chips were thick and very lightly salted, if at all.

James and his father settled on a mojito, $7, and large margarita, $11, on the rocks. His mother and I went the non-alcoholic, low calorie and boring route with water.

After some discussion, we decided we were in the mood for more chips. This time, we ordered the guacamole sampler, $12. You can choose from four types of guacamole: jalapeño, chipotle, queso and regular. We ordered jalapeño, chipotle and regular. The guac tasted fresh and the jalapeño had a small kick, a happy medium for a table of pepper lightweights.

For the main dish, James and his father both ordered the carne asada, $20. It’s a plate of grilled arrachera steak and chorizo link, with side of pico, avocado, elote, fried cactus, Vidalia onion and fire-roasted jalapeño. If that doesn’t sound like enough, the dish also comes with a choice of an additional side, ranging from esquite (corn kernels topped with queso fresco) to chori-bean (chorizo and refried beans).

James and his father opted for two other choices, fries and rice and beans. When their plates arrived, we were all impressed with the sheer amount of food. And both men extolled the steak’s melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

His mother and I went the boring route again. I ordered a sopes, $3.50, a corn tortilla stuffed with refried beans, Mexican slaw, queso fresco, avocado and a stuffing of your choice. My choice ended up being the arrachera steak, which I found tender, well-seasoned and filling enough. (I confess I didn’t feel much like eating, so it’s probably not filling enough for someone looking for a real meal.)

The sopes are listed on the menu under antojitos (cravings), which also include tacos and tostadas. Unlike me, you can order three plus a side for $11.99 or two and one side for $9.99. The stuffing includes arrachera steak, chicken tinga (white chicken breast sautéed in chipotle, onion and tomato sauce), Al pastor (adobo marinated pork, sautéed with grilled onions and pineapple bits), choripollo (grilled chicken sautéed in chorizo and topped with queso dip), a veggie medley or the week’s special.

For my side, I chose something brand new to me, elotes. It’s corn on the cob with mayo, shredded queso fresco and a little aioli. The corn was juicy and the mayo and cheese, which were warm, were a sweeter, creamier topping than just butter.

James’ mother went with the vegetable quesadilla, $10. A tortilla filled with queso Oaxaca (a semi-hard cheese), squash, mushrooms and epazote, a Mexican herb. As a vegetarian, she finds it difficult to find pleasing dishes outside of salads. This was a true main dish — a large tortilla with a savory filling and a side of beans and rice.

We ordered one caramel and one chocolate-topped slice of pastel de tres leches cake from the case sitting across from the bar.

The cake was moist. The whipped cream icing was thick, creamy and sweet.

Byrne Electrical Specialists hosts open house at Pickle Docks facility

by Meghan Nelson   –   The Daily News

LAKEVIEW — Byrne Electrical Specialists held an open house Saturday to showcase their new Lakeview location, named the Pickle Docks in honor of its history.

Kay and Karl Thompson of Mecosta came out to support their daughter who works for the company and to see the transformation of the old pickle processing plant.

“We actually worked here when it was the pickle docks,” Kay said.

In 1907, the Michigan Pickle Company owned the land. In the 1930s, the Michigan Pickle Company’s Lakeview facility was America’s largest independent pickle producer, according to information presented at Byrne’s open house.

In 1966, Heinz Company purchased the pickle operations. That’s when the Thompsons and several other Lakeview residents at the open house worked at the pickle docks. Chris Maddox, plant manager, said there are even some employees who now work for Byrne who previously worked at the old pickle docks.

“It was storage facility for pickles. They had tons of vats they would use to store them in,” Kay said.

According to Maddox, the plant was shut down in the 1970s and the brownfield site was vacant until Byrne Electrical Specialists and The Right Place stumbled across the site while looking at expansion possibilities.

“It was an empty spot on a beautiful location,” Byrne Director of Operations John Willcox said. “There wasn’t really another option than putting manufacturing here, so we thought it was perfect fit.”

At Saturday’s open house, part of the walk-through included history of the pickling companies who had plants on the property. Byrne even offered pickles from the original pickle dock barrels, which are now used at Grandpa Harrison’s Pickles in Edmore.

Part of preserving the memory of the pickle docks is a result of how important community is to Byrne. The open house was part of integrating the company into the Lakeview community.

“(The open house) is an open invitation to make sure everyone knows who we are and we’re a part of the community,” said Director of Information Technology Nick Sims.

The importance of community played a role in the move to Lakeview as well.

“When we moved to Rockford in 1979, there were a lot of employees who were commuting to downtown Grand Rapids from Rockford, and we decided to head up closer to them,” Managing Director Dan Byrne said.

The perks of moving to Lakeview parallel the move to Rockford. Several Lakeview-area residents had been commuting to the Rockford plant to go to work, but now they are able to commute just down the road.

“There used to be a few wire harness manufacturers in this area,” said Director of Marketing and Sales Matt Wieringa. “When Frigidaire went to Mexico, those people all came to Byrne looking for electrical type jobs. One of the reasons we chose this was because people now have a five-minute commute to work, and we have an instant work force ready to go.”

According to Byrne, the Pickle Docks has been operating for around six weeks and has 38 employees. He hopes to grow the workforce to around 50 by the end of the year. He also hopes to build community and culture in and with the Lakeview area.

Pickled Garlic

PICKLED GARLIC

by Holly Hughes – My Web Times

Holly Hughes Pickled garlic is a farm-fresh option for preserving a milder version of this pungent root herb that serves as a tangy yet sweet garnish on salads, topping a pasta or a suprising morsel of crunch as a standalone appetizer on a relish tray.

Holly Hughes
Pickled garlic is a farm-fresh option for preserving a milder version of this pungent root herb that serves as a tangy yet sweet garnish on salads, topping a pasta or a surprising morsel of crunch as a standalone appetizer on a relish tray.

Garlic varies in shape and form. For pickled garlic, I choose large-cloved garlic that has five to eight cloves per head of garlic. For pickled garlic, you will want to peel off the papery lining, and many people prefer to trim the base as well. These new tube peelers are an amazing invention. Simply break the head of garlic apart and put the cloves into the tube and roll back and forth on the countertop. Viola! You’ve saved yourself hours of tedious peeling and some very pungent handshakes in days to follow your pickling garlic excursion.

BRINE RECIPE:

After exploring several options, I’ve decided on following a method on epicurious.com which offers an easy to remember ratio when creating a base for pickling just about any fruit or vegetable. Equal parts water and vinegar, and a quarter the salt to sugar.

Keep in mind you should give up your mental nastigrams that you’ve written to radishes and garlic when you’ve tried them fresh and raw. The pickling process actually mellows out the flavor and some added sugar to this brine gives some sweet relief at first bite to the daring people pleaser hesitant to take a nibble at your dinner party.

And if you’re not attached to bright, clear jars glistening on your canning shelves, apple cider vinegar as a substitute for white vinegar adds an even mellower flavor to your pickled garlic.

BRINE RECIPE:

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar cane

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Common herbs to add to brine: peppercorns, coriander, celery seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds

PREPARATION:

Add vinegar, sugar, salt and chosen herbs to 2 cups of water and boil in a medium pot over high heat, stirring occasionally.

For pickled garlic, instead of packing the bulbs in the jar and covering with a simmered mixture, we added the whole, peeled cloves to the boiling mixture and reduced heat for another minute to three minutes on the stove.

Pack your garlic in your jars, leaving a half inch room at top of jar. Cover in your brine and close jar tightly. Let cool on your counter and then pop in the fridge and use up within the month.

Alternative: seal jars in hot water bath for 35 minutes for longer storage on the canning room shelf.

ENJOY! By adding to pasta dishes, garnishing fall casseroles and munching straight out of the jar!

GARDEN MAIDEN: Purely promoting pickling

  • Holly Hughes, newsroom@mywebtimes.com, 815-433-2000
  • The Times
Holly Hughes If you are a fan of kimchee, you will love radish relish, a finely chopped version of pickling radihes that inlcudes adding ginger, cloves, onions, pepper corn, garlic, cumin and coriander for a delicious slaw garnich or eating right out of the jar.

Holly Hughes
If you are a fan of kimchee, you will love radish relish, a finely chopped version of pickling radishes that includes adding ginger, cloves, onions, pepper corn, garlic, cumin and coriander for a delicious slaw garnish or eating right out of the jar.

And so here we are.

Late October, nary a stocking cap or bulky winter scarf within reach. Long underwear still stuffed deep in the fall clothes trunk, and summer tanks circulating through the fresh laundry daily. Only the month and number tells us fall is here.

Indian Summer truly is upon us, with gorgeous hues of golden amber, bright golden yellows and vivid shades of reds and maroons escorting the deciduous trees into their winter stance of bare twigs bracing for the first snow.

You might notice it in your own body. A healthy glow, a yearning to shine a bit brighter and get a few more evening walks in without a jacket or dice up a few more fresh veggies for light garden salads as dinner to accompany wine on the porch as you watch the sunset.

Our bodies know it is time to shift season. The mind reluctantly welcomes cool weather while the heart consoles facing the cold by wandering aimlessly to thoughts of cold winter nights in front of a warm fireplace nestled tightly in warm blankets coddling hot toddies and the like.

Along with the romantic wish list, I am busy creating a practical list of preventative health to escort the aches and pains and discomfort of the seasonal shift into accepting the inevitable grasp of Old Man Winter.

And while my body doesn’t crave it as much in the warm, comforting months of summer, eating pickled foods high in alkalinity ranks high on my list of preparing my body for winter in Illinois.

In our country, dill pickles are the most recognizable pickled food that is far from a staple in our diet. While living in Asia, I learned daily pickled rinds of just about any vegetable you can grow, shredded into an almost sweet but mostly tart slaw, is a standard side dish — called kimchee — often served in portions double or triple the main dish of meat, to balance digestive health on a daily basis.

In practice, pickling actually is quite simple. It is the quicker, more convenient way of fermenting food. Whenever I read about fermenting foods, I imagine the old days when there was no refrigeration. Pioneers cut up there root crops, packed them tight into the few crocks their families could afford and filled them with water and salt to store food for the winter months.

I certainly would not have wanted to be the one doing the testing to find out how many weeks it took for the spoiled effect of nasty bacteria to turn into the safe, healthy bacteria we now call probiotics. So many thanks to our forefathers, who let us know that it takes three to four weeks on the countertop at room temperature in a sealed container and a bit of monitoring the release of noxious gases to make your own fermented pickles on the countertop. Yes, I will try this in the coming weeks. No, I am not excited about trying them.

Instead, I resort to vinegar and sugar — a brine that works just as well and much more rapidly in regards to an end result.

However, anyone can do cucumber pickles. In our kitchen, we are pickling radishes, pears and some decadent garlic cloves as thick as your thumb.

Why pickle your veggies? Pickling food shifts make up a bit and is one way to preserve the highest nutritional profile while adding an alkaline base that literally balances the pH in your body. Some say cancer cannot grow in an alkaline environment, so I make a point of eating anything with a vinegar base at least once a week and drinking lemon in my water daily — another simple way to create an alkaline environment in your body.

Beyond practical health, pickled anything in interesting shapes and sizes adds vivid colors and zesty flavors to your holiday appetizer trays. And if you’re like my son, snacking on an entire jar of bread and butter pickles is not unheard of.

As for me, I am imagining quite the versatile array of garnishes on a Bloody Mary bar to celebrate the art of all things pickled. Bright orange peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, strands of long stringbeans, asparagus spears, daikon hearts and now, pickled radishes and garlic cloves.

Whatever you choose to pickle, there is a certain rhythm that works and it is well worth exploring trusted recipe resources to get the lowdown on the what and why. What we’ve discovered in our research kitchen is that it does not pay to seal jars in long cooking baths if we know they will be devoured within a few weeks.

If you have a favorite recipe that the family loves, do not bother with the last step of the pickling process, which basically seals the jar for long-term preservation on a canning room shelf. Instead, you can go for quick methods of adding a hot brine over your packed veggies into a hot jar and simply sealing them up for a refrigerator version that will last a few weeks.

Since I know I’ll be swamped with harvest and fall field preparation for the next month, this recipe is for long-term storage and I’ll give you details for the garlic, since I’ve had several requests since my last article to share the exact recipe. I could do it in a sentence but for the sake of formality, I will break it down.

Here’s a great recipe for pickled garlic.

Review: ‘The Pickle Recipe’ Is a Sweet and Sour Caper

THE PICKLE RECIPE   –   Directed by Michael Manasseri

Review by By

Lynn Cohen as the formula-guarding Rose in “The Pickle Recipe.” Credit Adopt Films

Lynn Cohen as the formula-guarding Rose in “The Pickle Recipe.” Credit Adopt Films

The pickles in “The Pickle Recipe” apparently have quite a kick. The movie, though, is pretty flavorless.

Joey (Jon Dore) is a struggling M.C. working the bar mitzvah circuit who has a sudden need for money after a fire destroys his equipment. So he conspires with an uncle, Morty (David Paymer), to capitalize on Joey’s grandmother’s legendary pickle recipe. His biggest obstacle is persuading her to give him the recipe, which she guards so closely that she won’t let anyone else in the kitchen of her popular Detroit deli during her pickle-making sessions.

Hilarity is supposed to ensue, but the script, by Sheldon Cohn and Gary Wolfson, is tepid stuff, and Michael Manasseri, the director, doesn’t find a way to enliven it. The highlights of the film are two actresses on opposite ends of the age spectrum: Lynn Cohen as Rose, that recipe-guarding grandma, and Taylor Groothuis, who plays Joey’s bat-mitzvah-aged daughter. The child’s impending ceremony is contributing to Joey’s need for money, but, unfortunately, Ms. Groothuis isn’t around much. And Ms. Cohen, a reliable actress with fine comic instincts, is saddled with labored gags that include outing a fake rabbi (Eric Edelstein) by getting a glimpse of his penis.

It’s all harmless enough, and as movies about pickles go, it’s probably a Top 10 contender. Just don’t expect to be laughing out loud much.

NEIL GENZLINGER

“The Pickle Recipe” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned) for rude humor.

The Pickle Recipe

  • Director Michael Manasseri
  • Writers Sheldon Cohn, Gary Wolfson
  • Stars Jon Dore, Lynn Cohen, Miriam Lee,David Paymer, Eric Edelstein
  • Rating PG-13
  • Running Time 1h 37m
  • Genre Comedy

    Movie data powered by IMDb.com
    Last updated: Nov 7, 2016

What is a Gherkin? Is It Different from a Pickled Cucumber?

NDTV Food

gherkin

Thanks to its odd appearance and elusive history, the Mexican sour gherkin is always confused with a cucumber or pickled cucumber. To confuse matters even further, it is also referred to as “cucamelon” or “mouse melon”. And did you know: A commercial London skyscraper is also nicknamed gherkin due to its resemblance to the fruit?

But we need to say it upfront: The Mexican sour gherkin is NOT a cucumber. Yes, they both belong to the same gourd family “Cucurbitaceae” and the gherkin is often called a “miniature cucumber” but they are from different cultivar groups. Only one species i.e. Cucumis Sativus is considered a cucumber, but the Mexican sour gherkin which is 1-3 inches in size belongs to Melothria, another genus entirely. So it is not an actual cucumber, but an honorary one.

Now, a “pickle” is basically any vegetable that has undergone the process of pickling (using vinegar, water and salt). It can be made from a large variety of foods such as cauliflower, mango, chilli, prawns – you name it. But it gets confusing because in America, Canada and Australia, the term ‘pickle’ is usually used to refer to pickled cucumbers. So, gherkins are pickles but pickles are not gherkins (just pickled cucumbers). It takes four or five hours to pickle a cucumber, but to pickle a gherkin – it could take up to 30 days. Some varieties of gherkins can be stored at room temperature in dark cupboards or pantries for up to two years, while others should be refrigerated as soon as the pickling process is finished. Since gherkins have high water content, the texture changes after being soaked in a brine solution because the solution replaces the water. The brine solution is often infused with different spices and herbs such as rosemary, tarragon, mustard seeds and even sugar to make it garlicky, spicy, sweet or tangy.

Note: Gherkins are best at a tender age, as the matured ones become bitter and spiny. They are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, but contain high amounts of sodium. Gherkins are also high on potassium, vitamin A and K.

gherkins-in-jar

The gherkin is in fact smaller and crunchier than pickle. Simply put, a pickled gherkin is crispier than a pickled cucumber. That’s perhaps why salads are being built around gherkin and it’s recently been popping up in food blogs, in cocktail recipes

by gardener-mixologist Amy Stewart, and making the rounds on Instagram. It tastes even better than it looks and is easy to grow. In the US, Canada and Australia, gherkins and pickles are usually eaten as a side dish or accompaniment with sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers for added flavour. You can also just sauté them briefly with oil and garlic and serve as a vegetable. They can also be enjoyed as desserts, if the gherkins are soaked in sugar syrup.

Pro Tip: When you’re buying pickled gherkins, they should be bright green and the vinegar should be clear. If you’re buying fresh gherkins, look for small, firm, unblemished ones.

Jalapeno spaghetti squash recipe

by Mona Alaudh   –   Fox 2 Detroit

– The changing weather makes you just want to cozy up with hearty, warm foods. Stick-to-you-rib dishes don’t have to add to one’s waistline, though.

Autumn means delicious root vegetables, squashes and other fall produce. Registered Dietitian Mona Alaudhi from Better Health Stores joins us in the FOX 2 Cooking School to show us how we can cook with some of these good fall veggies. You can get her recipe for jalapeno spaghetti squash below.

To find a Better Health Store near you, visit www.thebetterhealthstore.com.

SAVORY JALAPENO SPAGHETTI SQUASH
Ingredients

  • 1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 1/4 pounds
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 2 Tablespoon diced jalapeño in water
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a sauté pan,  add the coconut oil and onions. Cook 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add , spaghetti squash, thyme, jalapeno, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine.
  4. Top with pumpkin seeds.
  5. Serve warm.

FALL VEGETABLE SALAD
Ingredients:

  • 1 butternut squash peeled and diced into small cubes;
  • 3 parsnips, sliced;
  • 1 large beet, peeled and diced into small cubes
  • 1 large red onion, sliced;
  • 1 large red pepper, sliced;
  • 1 clove garlic, minced;
  • 10 cups baby spinach leaves;
  • 1 cup chickpeas, cooked
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below);

Vinaigrette:

  •    1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  •    1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  •    1/2 teaspoon salt
  •    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  •    3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 F.
  2. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processer.
  3. In a large bowl, toss   the vegetables with 2 tablespoon s of dressing.
  4. Bake vegetables in a baking sheet for 35-40 min or until tender.
  5. In a large bowl, toss cooked vegetables, chickpeas, spinach and dressing together.
  6. Serve warm or cold.

Drinking pickle juice may actually be very good for you

It does a whole lot more than just perk up a salad dressing.

by Sarah Young   –   Independent

little-pickle

Even for the most seasoned pickle fan, glugging a glass of briny pickle juice may sound like a step too far – but you might want to think twice before you go to toss it away.

It turns out the juice is actually pretty good for you and does a whole lot more than just add flavor to your favorite snack.

Despite its sharp taste it is an incredible source of health busting benefits.

 So what’s the big dill? Here we reveal ways that prove pickle juice might actually be really good for you.

It relieves muscle cramps

After an intense workout what do you reach for? A bottle of water? An energy drink? Next time why not try a nice chilled glass of pickle juice.

According to science, the briny beverage helps to ease muscle aches and pains thanks to its high concentration of sodium and vinegar.

A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that dehydrated men experienced faster relief from muscle cramps after drinking pickle juice than those who opted for water; what’s more it only took a third of a cup to take effect.

It hydrates you quicker and for longer 

Drinking water is great and all but what if there was something to help your body recover more quickly? Enter, pickle juice.

Because it contains sodium and potassium the juice is the ultimate rapid hydrator; they’re both electrolytes that your body loses when you sweat so opting for a drink that contains both will help to restore your electrolyte levels to normal at a much faster rate.

It boosts your immune system 

According to the study Dietary antioxidants: Immunity and host defence, antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E offer a protective role against infections caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Luckily, pickle juice contains a decent amount of both these vitamins meaning it will help to boost your immune system function.

It can help you lose weight 

Vinegar is the main ingredient in pickle juice and according to a study from Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, consuming this one ingredient every day can promote healthy weight loss. After just 12 weeks, study participants who had consumed a small amount of vinegar daily had lost more weight and fat than those who hadn’t consumed any.

It helps to regular your blood sugar levels

Unregulated blood sugar can lead to serious health complications including blindness, heart damage and kidney damage but research has found pickle juice could be the missing link. Research published in theJournal of Diabetes Research showed that drinking a small serving of vinegar, the main ingredient in pickle juice, before a meal helped to regulate a person’s blood sugar levels, especially those with type 2 diabetes.