EXTRAORDINARY INGREDIENTS for Crappy Cooks
By Lynda Wheatley
Some of us can bake like Martha Stewart, cook like Alice Waters, and tuck in like Jamie Oliver. As for the rest of us? We’d be thrilled simply to make a family meal somewhere between forgettable and food poisoning. For those who like to cook but want to do better, as well as for those who can’t but strive to pretend we can, there are an array of ingredients out there ready to elevate your game. In the name of ease and immediate culinary-skill enhancement, we’d like to share a few of our no-brainer favorites — tried, tested, and ready to improve.
Alden’s Mill House
Yes, Miracle Blend — that custom allpurpose blend of kosher salt, oregano, marjoram, black pepper, garlic, and other spices that launched European-trained, American-based Chef Eugene Moglovkin from restaurant kitchens to his own culinary empire — is the flagship and, arguably, most famous product at Alden’s Mill House. But if you’re ordering it (and by all means, do; Miracle Blend quickly improves most any savory dish), nab a jar of its lesser-known but equally flexible cousin, Alden’s Mill House’s Bloody Mary Mix. Intended for spicing up your morning-after tomato juice “cleanse” (or maybe that’s just us?), this zingy, zesty mix goes heavy on the ground celery seed and Worcestershire sauce (solids), with a nice punch of horseradish powder, vinegar, anchovies, and a wee bit of sugar to boot. Such round-housing of tastebud triggers is outstanding on any morning, whether yours involves a recovery drink or — our other favorite pairing — a plate of deviled eggs. 5 ounces for $5.49 at aldenmillhouse.com, where you can also find a list of local stores that carry Alden’s Mill House products.
Chef’s Finishing Essence
There are those who exact a military school-style approach to preparing steak, pounding it with a steel mallet, poking channels into connective tissues, manipulating its potential by way of covert ritual — a mystery rub or marinade, perhaps a secret smear of post-grilling butter. And then there are those who believe anything but salt, pepper, and four minutes per side is abomination. Trust us, Leelanau Lavender’s Chef ’s Finishing Essence is for both of you. Somehow, the aroma and flavor of lavender flowers cut from Leelanau County farms and combined Celtic sea salt, organic Madagascar black pepper, garlic, and lemon are neither a jarring perfume or sissified gilding of any meat lily; they are an otherworldly foil that alone can elevate both humble and prime cuts of steak — and, we can attest, eggs, pastas, salads, and butter or oil-dipped bread — to their highest potential. $11 at www.leelanaulavender.co, where you can also find a list of local stores that carry it.
14 • august 16, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly
Sriracha Finishing Salt
Our hips don’t lie: We’ve long been fans of Natural Northern Foods’ spreads. (When paired with a bag of pita chips, peppered crackers, or plated veggies, the Creamy Garlic Artichoke and Hickory Smoked Salmon and Caper Pate are dependably easy and outstanding party fare.) But it wasn’t until a recent summer farmers market stroll that we happened upon another winner in the NNF cannon: Sriracha Finishing Salt, a simple yet punchy topper that we’ve found works as wonderfully on hamburgers and chicken stir-fries as it does on sauteed kale and air-fryer sweet potatoes … the latter of which, unfortunately, taste extra amazing when dipped in the Creamy Garlic Artichoke. $5.95 at naturalnorthernfoods. com, where you can also find a list of local stores that carry Northern Natural Foods products.
