From the desk of “Just ask Allyn” . No. How about Pueblo News? No. Tales from the ‘Hood? I think not. Well………
Say, did you folks know that there is a Mercado (fruits and vegetables) nearly every day here in the Pueblo? Not Friday for some reason. Located on the main road median under the trees, bottom of the hill, far side of the hill. Pretty standard fare, but usually good quality–just check before you buy. I buy my eggs there — so far they have always been fresh. (Y’all know how to test eggs for freshness, yes?) And they come in an exciting variety of browns and tans.
But here’s some real news– each Wednesday and Friday, in a white insulated truck, there is a purveyor of meats. He arrives about 11:00 and is still here at 6:00. I find the ground beef and pork both very good, and the real bargain is chicken legs (muslo and piernas) at $45 pesos a kilo. They are whoppers! Only 2 per kilo. Whole chickens (they are medium size), chicken breasts (they are also whoppers, I cannot eat a whole one myself). They have some prepared meats, such as arrachera, as well. All the meats, except arrachera, are frozen like a rock. (No flies, yea!) And cheeses.
Still not eating enough vegetables? Add calories for a delicious treat! Celery, carrot sticks, cucumber, zuke, try the white cucumber and the jicama, be creative.
VEGETABLE DIP
1 C sour cream
½ C mayonnaise
1 large onion caramelized ( yes, it takes a long time)
1 tsp dill
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and black pepper to taste (start with a pinch, then adjust the salt)
3 drops Worcestershire sauce (Important ingredient!)
1/4 t celery salt (I use a fat pinch of celery seed)
Mix together and refrigerate. Let it marinate for a few hours. Happy crunching!
Allyn
Allyn, please – how do you test eggs for freshness? Thx in advance for your response…
Valued reader asks ” How can I test eggs for freshness?” Unfortunately, there is no way to check visually. But you can test this way– in a bowl or saucepan, cover the eggs completely with water. If the eggs lay on their sides at the bottom, they are quite fresh. A little older, maybe a week or so, and the eggs will stand upright in the water, but stay submerged, as if they had a little air in the end (they do), Old enough, and they will actually float. Old ones also lose their flavor. Keep in mind, even pretty old eggs are still fine to use in recipes where the egg is a binder or filler.
Thanks for asking something I can answer! Allyn