Sunday, December 14, 2008

Spiceman’s F.M. 1410 in Dallas has mushrooms and holiday gift ideas

By Pegasus News wire

DALLAS — Yo! It's me DJ Spicy T, broadcasting (seeds) here at the F.M. 1410 on Fitzhugh Avenue, next to Jimmy's Grocery @ Bryan & Fitzhugh. I just cooked up some things on my new hot plate and toaster oven. Me and my Chefs, Cole and Eric at the sto' will keep you coming back fo' mo' if you'll just stop in and see what's cookin' from time to time. We'll show ya how we roll with it.

We are in the winter holiday mode inside and out...buttoned up and battoned down scurrying around in cross town traffic.

My local farmers are frost bit from picking popsicled greens and watermelon radishes. They're still rookies but have done a great job this first year and are already anticipating and preparing springs plantings. I have tons of various seeds under my tree for them. I have some seeds for your garden pantry as well if you desire...gold beets, Asian mustards, basils in spades, bloomsdale spinach, leeks and, basils, borage, etc...very inexpensive.

From Louisiana, we have Meyer lemons and Satsumas with a few cases of kumquats, heading up from Plaquemines Parish south of New Orleans.

From the Pacific Northwest, we have some excellent selections from the wilds of Oregon white and black truffles retailing at about $20/ounce, plus wild huckleberries, and wild mushrooms:

Black Trumpet Mushrooms; gold chanterelles; white chanterelles, large and meaty; hedge Hogs; fried chicken of the woods -- not chicken of the woods, not hen o' woods but Fried Chicken of the woods; yellowfoot chanterelles -- my boom boom double shroom recipe (truffles into butter/olive oil and yellow foots); candy caps, similar to yellowfoot without the foot...nice for salad or to fold into sauce (demi, alfredo or marsala).

Our cultivated Chinese mushrooms include: abalone mushrooms; king oyster 'shrooms; shimejii, aka crab mushroom or beech mushroom (white or brown).

Domestic/organic: hen o' woods, aka maitake; baby shiitake.

Our Greens selections include: Peruvian, precocious gene, dwarf head lettuces - Lollo Rosso, Tango, aka Lollo Biondo, Red and Green Romaine, Red Oak, Cocarde Bronze Oak and Green Oak. These lettuces are between baby and regular, full-sized heads. They are full of crunch and flavor -- something that baby letttuces lack for full on salad plating as opposed to garnish greens.

Micro Greens or exotic sprouts; arugula; assorted dwarf Peruvian lettuces (it costs $1.00 just to pet them) ... Lollo Rossa, Red and Green Oak, Bronze "Cocarde" Oak leaf, Red and Green Romaine, Tango.

Fresh herbs in spades -- with a $20 purchase or more, you'll get a couple of complimentary ounces. We carry a full line of fresh herbs year round: chives, tarragon, chervil, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, marjoram, mint, etc.

Inbound from Baja, Mexico and San Diego, arriving Wednesday, December 17: baby beets, French beans, baby carrots, senoritas, tequila y mucho mucho mas (feliz navidad motta?).

Costa Rican fresh hearts of palm/Hawaiian in the works.

Winter Squashes: Red Curry and Gold Nugget are among my favorite for their creamy, soup/sauce/pie friendly texture. The Mosque de Provence is another one I like to bake and eat myself. I plan to have some in the store this week.

Winter Greens: various kales, endive/escarole, mustard and turnip greens are expected to arrive from Central Texas on Tuesday; call ahead.

New Products:

Texas Olive Ranch. Yesterday morning, partners Jim Henry and Karen Lee surprised me with a fresh pressing of Manzanilla Olives that were harvested in Arizona last week and trucked to their press in Carrizo Springs, Texas. Come try the freshest olive oil in town. A 16-oz bottle retails for $24, with limited availability.

I still have plenty of last year's Arbequina unfiltered EVOO.

They also bottle a very nice Italian Balsamic vinegar, 16-ounce bottle at $12 retail.

Royal Pepper Company. Just prior to the new olive oil arrival was David Biggs, who delivered some Cambodian Kampot pepper corns in 2-ounce grinders for $5; in a 4.5-ounce fluted bottle with attractive red, glass stopper -- a spicy stocking stuffer for pepper lovers at $15; or a 10-ounce wide-mouth plastic jar at $25. As well as Cambodian date palm sugar, excellent taste and nice packaging. You are invited to come sample these and other products we have on hand at the FM 1410 at any time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Sundays by appointment only.

Nice Gifts for food lovers:

Crescent City Cooking, limited availability, my sister Susan's fine cookbook, $35.

Posters from Ten Speed Press, on sale for $12 each: mushrooms, grapes, garlic, herbs and more.

Kafir Lime Tree, female, i.e. will bear fruit, 5-gallon 4' tall, $150.00.

DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL...There's more in store than I'm allowed to reveal...now's a really bad time to tune out.

That's my spin on the season's din din... peace-out and spice spice babies !

Source: Spiceman's F.M. 1410

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