$25,000 college fund up for grabs in Jif contest
Trick-or-treaters will have shed their Halloween costumes on Friday, but there still will be a few ghosts hanging out around the house. Dealing with that postHalloween carb minefield is like walking through a house of mirrors at the fair. You know there is a path that will lead you out the door, but it seems everywhere you turn there is a Butterfinger or Milky Way blocking your way. Today at OrlandoSentinel.com/thedish, check out our test-kitchen tips for handling the morning after the great sugar rush. Before you suit up for Thursday night, let’s dish:
Cooking for dollars. Jif has launched the 12th Annual Jif Most Creative Sandwich Contest for young chefs. Through Nov. 8, kids from across the country will have the chance of earning a $25,000 college fund. Each original sandwich recipe must contain at least two tablespoons of Jif Peanut Butter, Jif Hazelnut Spread, Jif Almond and Cashew Butters or Jif Whips Peanut Butter Spreads. Recipes must be submitted online at Jif.com. Ten semifinalists will be chosen in November and will participate in a nationwide online vote beginning in January. The five finalists will attend an event in New York City, where the grand-prize winner will be announced.
Good read. Winter Park native Aliya LeeKong’s “Exotic Table” (Adams Media, $35), hits bookstores in November. LeeKong, a first generation American with an Indo-Pakistani and Tanzanian heritage, breaks modern American cooking out of the box. With more than 100 original recipes, the dishes are infused with creative, bold flavors.
With the ease of introducing two friends to one another, LeeKong brings exotic ingredients to the table. Think aleppo chili flakes from northern Syria; berbere, a key spice mix in Ethiopian cooking; and garam masala, a blend of spices used predominantly in Indian cooking. Many ingredients, such as pomegranate molasses and sambal oelek, can be found in mainstream supermarkets, ethnic stores and gourmet shops, but LeeKong also shares sourcing tips and recipes to make homemade versions as well.
From start to finish, “Exotic Table” challenges cooks to break the rules, think big and have fun in the kitchen.
Road trips. Head east or west and you are likely to run into food festival celebrating Florida shellfish.
The 6th annual Stone Crab Jam is 3:30-11 p.m. Friday in Crystal River on the Gulf Coast. The food and music festival features stone crab claws, local cuisine and entertainment. (stonecrabjam.com)
Sebastian Clambake Lagoon Festival is Nov. 8-10 on the Atlantic Coast. The event celebrates Florida farm-raised clams with educational exhibits and plenty of Florida seafood. (sebastianclambake.org)
What’s in season. In the produce department, look for Florida avocados, carambola, cucumber, grapefruit, guava, mushrooms, oranges, peanuts, squash, sweet corn, tangerines and tomatoes.
At the seafood counter, fish for alligator, blue crab, clams, flounder, grouper, mullet, oysters, snapper, shrimp, spiny lobster, stone crab, swordfish, tilapia and tilefish.