Breaker I-9, Hot Beignets!

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image courtesy of www.rachelleb.com

      
             As Christians around the world prepare for the season of Lent, popular culture places heightened focus on Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, which refers to the practice of eating richer or fatty foods before beginning ritual fasting for the next forty days (excluding Sundays.)  Media coverage of Fat Tuesday in the United States focuses on celebrations, parades and social events taking place in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana  during its world famous Carnival.  Almost one quarter of the Big Easy's four million annual tourists will converge on the southern city's streets to take part in the revelry during this time.

                Ten years ago, a fortuitous business trip sent me for a two week stay on NOLA's famous Bourbon Street.  I fell in love with the graceful city and his French and Spanish history.  In the hours after work, I explored graveyards on tiptoe, shivered through midnight ghost tours, marveled at the old plantations, swayed the night away listening to jazz and zydeco musicians, shopped in offbeat boutiques and tasted amazing cuisine.  New Orleans was in life exactly what Hollywood had portrayed in the movies I had seen.

                Of course, there are always downsides to travel.  The city was dirty, crowded and crime-ridden.  One of my biggest let downs though came from an unlikely place: a visit to the internationally acclaimed Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street, in the French Quarter.  The 24-hour French market and coffee stand has been serving its chicory coffee  and beignets fried in cotton seed oil since 1862 -- and both are superb. 

                My problem with Cafe Du Monde's fare was simple.  The cafe didn't make beignets the way my grandmother did.  I remember waiting anxiously for her to scoop the crispy, golden deep-fried dough dabs out of her Fry Daddy and sprinkle the treats with a lacy dusting of powdered sugar.  I wasn't the only one who thought they were tasty either.  I was usually standing in line with several coal truck drivers who stopped at my aunt's Buchanan County, Virginia grocery store when she would make a CB announcement that Memow was in the store kitchen, cooking for the day.  I was sure my aunt needed to invest in a neon Hot Doughnuts Now sign like the ones I had seen at Krispy Kreme.

                Years later, Memow shared her simple recipe with me so I could continue to make her tasty treats.  She passed away in 1995, and I didn't taste another beignet until my visit to Cafe Du Monde.  Maybe this year I'll make an attempt at whipping them up myself.  My husband must be eagerly anticipating the event.  Yesterday he brought home a fire extinguisher and told me he had programmed the fire department's phone number into our home and cell phones.  In honor of Memow, I decided to share her recipe in hopes you will enjoy a beignet brunch this February 21^st as well.

Memow's Easy Beignets

1 package crescent Rolls                                                                                                    1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Oil for frying 

Heat oil in a deep fryer to about 360 degrees.

Separate each crescent roll triangle from roll. Cut each large triangle into 2 smaller equal-sized triangles, making 16 triangles total. 
 

Drop into oil and fry for 2.5-3 minutes until evenly browned.  Remove from fryer and drain on paper towels. Sift a generous amount of sugar over each beignet and serve warm.

Unmentionables Heat Up Winter Days and Nights

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SmartWool Thong

          

    
   During winter months new snow blankets the ground and gives a fresh white cover to our surroundings and temperatures plunge.  As the mercury drops below freezing, we take many precautions to care for our homes, vehicles and even pets.  Don't forget to take time to check your unmentionables drawer and make sure to winterize it too.

            Because a larger percentage of men than women have jobs and physical pursuits that place them in the great outdoors for longer periods of time, it is understandable they have a larger selection of retail outdoor apparel.  But outdoor outfitters and manufacturers see the potential of the female consumer in this marketplace too.  Over the last ten years, we have seen an appearance of pink hunting gear on retailers' shelves.  Now a new trend is core layering foundation garments.

            Boxers, briefs, panties and bras are the items worn closest to the body.  It is necessary for these garments to perform as well as all the other heat preserving layers wearers pile on top of them.   So, what  should one know when lingerie shopping for individuals spending time exposed to the elements?

            First, decide what type of activity you will be doing while wearing these items.  If the answer is less strenuous activity that will not require you to sweat or get wet,  regular cotton undies and thermal underwear are great choices.  Most stores carry these items in a variety of sizes for adults and children during this season.  Carters markets one piece infant versions and Max Grey has designed a toddler separates currently available at Dollar Tree Stores.  Cotton does excel at providing extra layers of warmth, but fails in the water resistance test.  It acts like a sponge when wet and takes a long time to dry.

            If you plan on performing tasks which require more physical exertion, a good choice is a synthetic fiber blend found in pricier performance underwear.  Synthetic fibers wick moisture from the body and dry quickly.  Under Armor, Silvertec and Polarmax are just a few of the companies now making underwear that puts dad's old Fruit of the Looms to shame.  ExOfficio, Wickers, and Patagonia also market women's products in a few styles and colors.  The primary drawback to this product is the nature of synthetic fibers.  Man-made fiber tends to hold bacteria, so after a few wears a garment will emit  the perpetual funk of body odor even after laundering in detergents like Tide plus Febreze Freshness Sport, which is specifically designed to clean synthetic fabrics.

            Of course, when it comes to beating the cold, you just can't beat good old mother nature.  Foundation garments made from natural fibers like silk and wool are the best choices.  They effectively wick moisture,  are antibacterial, warm the body efficiently and feel luxurious against the skin.  WinterSilks markets 100% silk garments for men, women and children.  Icebreaker  and Ibex Outdoor Clothing weigh in with high quality 100% wool and some wool/synthetic blends.  They also claim that softer skin is an added benefit for wearers because the wool  releases its lanolin as it rubs against the body. 

            While performance unmentionables have not rocketed into the marketing stratosphere of Victoria's Secret, don't mistake their popularity.  At about the same price as items from the sexy lingerie chain, performance undies are making a play for part of the Valentine's Day retail market.   SmartWool is expecting some February 14 shoppers.  The company is now advertising its Microweight Thong in two colors: a sweet lavender and racy black.