The West Palm Beach co-op model is copied in Delray Beach

On Saturday, residents in South Palm Beach County will get their own food co-op – a helping hand to get fresh fruits and vegetables and other staples at a deep discount. The Rise and Shine Food Co-Op in Delray Beach is a project run by a grant to the Boys & Girls Club, Palm Beach County, from the Quantum Foundation.

Twice monthly, residents who sign up receive three bags of fresh produce, bread, and household staples for $30.

There is no restriction on who is eligible. 

Read all about it in my story in the Broward New Times. 

What: Rise and Shine Food Co-Op Kick-off

Where: Naoma Donnelly Boys and Girls Club, 1451 S.W. Seventh St., Delray Beach

When: 8 a.m. Saturday, March 6

Cost: $30 a month to participate, plus a one-time $10 administrative fee

Details: Must order in advance by noon Friday, March 5; hereafter, on the Thursday before delivery, which is the first and third Saturdays of every month.

For more information or to place order: Call 561-279-0251.

 I like ones that deliver and have useful conversations that make me want to try unusual things or new techniques. The Chow Home Cooking board is one of the more engaging ones I read.

This week, they discussed one of my favorite recipes: Salsa Couscous Chicken – now known as Million-Dollar-Chicken, since it won the big-buck prize for Ellie Matthews in the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1998 in Dallas. (Click the title to get the recipe and more about it.) I’ve made this countless times and use its components otherwise – for slow-cooked pork ribs or beef shortribs. Boy howdy, my mouth is watering just thinking about this. It’s all due to the new words for taste: Flavor profile. This one is sweet, savory and simply unctuous. Surprising low-cal, too.

To get in on it, go to Chow, then sign up for the Chow Home Cooking Newsletter Digest sent to your email. Contact them by emailing newsletters@chow.online.com

Once a week, they drop the digest with a few graphs and teases with links in your mailbox, and lead you to recipes and discussions that in turn lead to a bunch of variations you hadn’t thought of. Sometimes, they tangent off, but it’s all home cooking.

Delicious Good Friday reading!

Le Creuset Silicone Spat-Spoons

 I’ve got a mess of these silicone spatulas for all the baking and sauteeing I do. They withstand up to 800 degree-heat and they scrape every last teeny bit of batter out of a baking bowl. They flip stubborn cornbread rounds out of a pan, beat batter, and prop open oven doors for meringues.

Round handle makes the difference

But this particular one is my favorite – it’s from Le Creuset – the makers of my favorite pot, the orange Le Creuset Dutch Oven (got it when I got married).

The reason this spatula stands out is its round handle – as opposed to the flat stick found on most others. It’s comfortable in my hand and turns easily to fold egg whites or nuts into a batter.  Balance one over a couple of upended collins glasses and it serves as a noodle drying rack. The spoonish shape of the head works well, too, for things like separating an egg (lean it against the side of the bowl and break the egg onto it; the yolk remaind behind – though a pasta fork works well for that, too.

The heads come off so you can stick ‘em in the dishwasher, then just wash the wood handle in soapy water, and dry it. (Dishwashers are mean on wood – so if you put yours in the DW, quit that!) The wood is quality, too – it’s made in the USA.

Where to get them

These are on sale (through Monday only), for $5.99 at Sur La Table’s web site, or go to the one near me in Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens, and get them in person.

(Web site disclosure: I was not paid in any way to write about these, or Sur La Table. I use them in my own kitchen – and I shop at Sur La Table because I like them, too.)

Toucan can opener

Maybe I was in a fun mood, or they just hit me right, but I was laughing out loud at the kicky designs of the Animalhouse line of kitchen tools I found at Pier 1.

Monkey vegetable peeler

Octopi dish scrubbers

Priced from $5.99 to $19.99, they’re both fun and functional. Not all will be available at all stores; I found some of those shown here in Delray Beach at the Pier 1 on U.S. 1, where the gals there were super friendly as well. (Disclosure info for FCC: I paid for them.) Others come from their catalog online. They’re also available at Amazon.com.

Shopping for bridal shower?

Bee glass brush

Take a look – and if you’re shopping for shower gifts, or a cook’s birthday, a basket of these, or even one or two with some ingredients (pack them into a colander) would be a fun gift.

Ibis garlic press

Designs include several animals and tools, including a toucan can opener, ibis garlic press, veghog veggie brush, monkey peeler, flying fish whisk, shark bottle opener, alligator and hippo head clips, ladybug cutting board, woodpecker scissors, piranha pizza wheel, mouse cheese grater, whale ice cream spade, and beaver flat whisk.

They almost make kitchen chores bearable.

Piranha pizza wheel, mouse cheese grater

I like a good potato chip as well as the next muncher, I guess.

So when I was on a trip to St. Pete for, sadly, a funeral for a too-young friend, I stopped at a sandwich shop downtown and picked up a bag of Madhouse Munchies chips to go with our pretty-good sandwiches.

Two chips, then the trash

I ate two of the Sea Salted variety, then tossed them. They were rancid. Then, I went back and pulled the bag out of the trash, to determine if they were past their freshness date.

The fresh date was a month away. After reading their fresh ingredient list, as well as the company owner’s email address printed on the bag, I decided to let the company know of my experience.

I’m not a leech

 I know that if a company isn’t aware its product is broken, it can’t fix it. So I write to companies when I have a legitimate gripe, or to let an owner know of a problem that may affect others.

My intent with my email to Madhouse Munchies was to let them know about their product in South Florida – maybe they were using a bad storage facility or trucking system that would affect freshness somehow.  I even included the batch coding and every other piece of info I could find.

Personal response

Instead of what I had expected – a form letter apologizing and asking for my address to send me a coupon for a free bag – this company sent me a personal email letting me know they were concerned that the bag had not been sealed – they were very thankful I had included the batch number, the location of purchase, and so on.

Then, fresh chips

They did ask for my address so they could have me try these chips at their freshest – direct from the factory. They were indeed fresh, and delicious. Not too greasy or salty.

I tried several varieties – the Sea Salt is my favorite and lives up to its name – Simple Natural Goodness. Crispy, not too salty, but salty enough – just right. I still prefer the Kettle brand of BBQ chips - but Madhouse’s Mesquite BBQ variety runs a close second.

All natural

The ingredients are all natural – no trans fats, no rotten stuff. The chip world in general is getting away from all that, but if you’re shopping, definitely take time to read the ingredient list on chip bags.

Look for Madhouse Munchies at select sandwich shops, delis, and Whole Foods Markets. Or, buy them online at Amazon.

Monday night is the Taste of Compassion dine-around at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace; tickets are only $75.

It’s the annual benefit for West Palm Beach’s Quantum House in West Palm Beach. The house is used as an inn for families who have loved ones, usually children, being treated in local hospitals. While on the campus of St. Mary’s Hospital, Quantum House provides a home away from home for families, often from out-of-state, who must stay near a  hospital for an extended period of time.

Support from within the house

Quanum House living room

Having had three co-workers who used houses like this when they had to stay in out-of-town cities with their kids in hospitals, I know how important these places really are.  

People who use the house pay what they can for meals and lodging. Being in the same situation creates a bond between the families who are there for one another during often stressful times.

Restaurants and country club chefs involved

Ken Wade

The American Culinary Federation of Palm Beach County got their chefs involved in this charity years ago – and chefs from private clubs, restaurants and food suppliers rally to the cause each year. Ken Wade, of Paddy Mac’s Irish Pub in Palm Beach Gardens, heads up the chef lineup each year, and puts on a big golf tournament to support it as well.

Who’s going to be there?

Participating members include area hotels and clubs: Del Aire Country Club, Devonshire at PGA, Mariner Sands Country Club, Sailfish Point Country Club, the Bear’s Club, The Breakers, Gulf Stream Country Club, and the Sailfish Club of Florida.

Restaurants who have donated their time and foods include: McCormick and Schmick’s (opening soon in CityPlace), Secrets Piano Bar and Grill in North Palm Beach, Cafe Copenhagen in Jupiter, Gratify (coming soon to downtown West Palm Beach), Cabo Flats (coming soon to Downtown at the Gardens), Paddy Mac’s Irish Pub in Palm Beach Gardens, Talay Thai in Palm Beach Gardens, The Bistro in Jupiter, Cafe L’Europe in Palm Beach, Panara Bread in CityPlace.

Food suppliers and kitchens are: Independent Seafoods, Mrs. D’s Custom Foods, Hoffman’s Chocolates, Sysco Southeast, and Serendipity Ice Cream.

Lincoln Culinary’s future chefs

Students at West Palm Beach’s Lincoln Culinary (formerly Florida Culinary Institute) will again provide desserts and help the chefs serve and bus during the event.

Me, too!

I’ll be there, too, as Honorary Chairman of the event. I love that the chefs donate so freely to events like these and am pleased to be a part of it.

Come on out and expect a great event – there’s food and wine galore.

A taste of the Taste!

Click here for a video and story about Frikadella, from Cafe Copenhagen’s chef Christian Cotton. He’s one of the chefs and shows us how to make this 200-year-old Danish favorite.

Taste of Compassion

• When: Monday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m.
• Where: Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace, 700 Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach
• Cost: $75
• For tickets: www.quantumhouse.org

Chicken and waffles at ZED451

Good Friday’s Deal: Sunday brunch at Zed451 in Boca

Details: Sunday brunch for $24, ($12 for kids 6-12; 5 and under, free) numerous choices to sample including crab cake Benedicts, individual frittata and bacon, Buffalo chicken and waffles, linguica sausages, panetone French toast with berries – and much more.

Don’t Miss This: Chicken and waffles. Maple syrup cools the heat of the Buffalo chicken breast fillet atop crisp Belgian waffles. A great combination of sweet-hot-spicy.

Chef Bobby Laggan turns out some of the most interesting side dishes at ZED451 in Boca’s Mizner Park. This is one stunning restaurant, too, with dark woods, sweeping walls, soothing lighting and comfortable private rooms.

The concept is serve-yourself sides and salads, then the meats/fishes/chicken is brought the table on skewers in an American version of a rodizio. Though I typically eschew open salad bars and buffet-like stations, I must say ZED’s Harvest Table offerings are impeccable and the combinations unique. The “cattle call” trough-like set-up at most buffets is absent  in the modern, sleek design that is neither intimidating nor cold. Stools in front of the chef’s station are my choice, or in clement weather, the outside patio.

Dinners are pricey, but this brunch is a deal. Good Friday to you!

ZED451

• 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton (Mizner Park)
• 561-393-3451; www.zed451.com
• Sunday Brunch hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Cost: $24, ages 12-adult; $12, ages 6-11; free for those 5 and under.