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I love San Diego's farmers markets. Yesterday, I drove about 10 miles up the I-15 to meet my friend Gayle at the Scripps Ranch Farmers Market. And, one of my favorite vendors, Majestic Garlic,
was there. I've been enjoying their products for about a year. They
make a vegan garlic paste in a variety of flavors and I've been working
my way through them as I discover new ways to use it. This time, I
replenished my "original" stock (just the garlic) and picked up the
cayenne and the cumin. (In the past I've enjoyed the jalapeno and the
sun-dried tomato/jalapeno.)
The
original is obviously the most versatile and makes a tasty substitute
for mayo on a sandwich and is great for layering flavors in a sauce for
fish or chicken or even spread on a bagel. (I know, Nana, heresy!) The
other flavors are equally wonderful for these but can also be used
mixed in pasta, as a veggie dip or added to soup. In fact, the company's website has a host of ideas and some recipes.
Yesterday,
Vinnie Abden--the owner--was encouraging me to melt a teaspoon or so of
the cayenne flavor in a skillet (it does contain both flaxseed and
canola oil) and then scramble eggs in it. That's what I did this
morning with the addition of diced red onion that I sauteed in it
first. The spread gave this lovely heat and garlic flavor but wasn't
over the top. Vinnie also had me try the cumin, insisting that it
tasted like hummus. I'd just had a sample of the cayenne didn't get it,
although Gayle did. But I took some home and sure enough, on a neutral
palate, the cumin tastes remarkably like hummus. So, try it on pita or
as a dip with raw veggies.
If you're in Southern California, you can find these spreads at a variety of markets as far north as Santa Monica. But, you can also order from them online.
Caron Golden hosts the food blog San Diego Foodstuff and is co-host of The Gourmet Club on signonradio.com. It airs on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon Pacific and can be podcast any time.
