Sounds Good

Sabine House lighthouse in coast-to-coast cookbook
The American Lighthouse Cookbook will include the Sabine Pass Lighthouse as part of a book capturing the history and lore of 47 different lighthouses.
Co-authors Becky Sue Epstein, a veteran food and wine writer, and Ed Jackson, a seasoned chef have compiled the book, which notes the unusual “rocket ship” base of the Sabine Pass lighthouse designed so the structure could sit on wetlands. Recipes from Sabine Pass Lighthouse’s Big Dinner at the Lighthouse include: Grilled oysters in the shell, smothered okra, crab bake, alligator gumbo and pralines. Look for it in September.

Mustard madness
French’s Mustard invites families to take a summer trip to the National Mustard Museum in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin for National Mustard Day. Celebrations will be on Aug. 1. French’s has released some fun facts on the condiment:
• More than 700 million pounds of mustard are consumed worldwide each year
• Mustard is the second most-used spice in the United States, exceeded only by peppercorn.
• All parts of the plant are edible, including seeds, leaves and flowers.
• Prepared mustard dates back thousands of years to the early Romans, who used to grind mustard seeds and mix them with wine into a paste very similar to modern mustard.
• Pope John XXII was so fond of mustard that he created a new Vatican position — grand moutardier du pape (mustard-maker to the pope) — and promptly filled the post with his nephew.
• German lore advises a bride to sew mustard seeds into the hem of her wedding dress to assure her dominance of the household.
• In Denmark and India, it’s thought that spreading mustard seeds around the exterior of the home will keep out evil spirits.
• The ancient Chinese considered mustard an aphrodisiac.
• In one year at New York’s Yankee Stadium more than 1,600 gallons plus 2,000,000 individual packets of mustard are consumed.

Tea heaven
My family is heavy into movie theme nights and after catching a film with Indian characters, I woke up the next morning still craving spicy food. I scrambled an egg with corriander and spinach and went online to see how to make chai tea, which was fun and easy. I wouldn’t have guessed there’s pepper in there. I’m still happy to have someone else blend my chai spices.
When Cody on the copy desk called Oregon Chai tea heaven in a bag, I thought he may be exaggerating, but he was not. Hot or on ice, the powdered latte packets are a pick-me up of honey, black tea and spices that I want to keep in my desk drawer as long as no one snatches them up when I’m out on assignment. The company makes a decaf powder and a boxed concentrate you add to milk. What a pleasurable way to get your dairy servings. Here’s a recipe the company suggests:
Chai Lemonade Spritzer
4 ounces of The Original Latte Concentrate
4 ounces of Lemonade
2 ounces of Sparkling water
Combine the above ingredients. Stir and serve over ice with a lemon twist or fruit skewer.

School bagz
New lunch boxes, book bags and crayons are THE best part of going back to school. Years after my last report card, I still look forward to cruising the school aisle. You’ll have to go online to www.bazurabags.com or to my closet to catch the latest from the company that puts women in the Philippines to work making the coolest bags from non biodegradable juice containers that would otherwise clutter landfills. I love that the bigger in the shape of shopping bags stay open so you can pack picnic supplies, tote groceries, etc. Zippers don’t snag. New, colorful styles include a roomy lunch box, a zipper shoulder bag and a book bag that seems so durable. Get the look and do some good this school year.

Breath boosters
Binaca was the hip/cool breath freshener of my day, so I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s now marketed as “not your Mom’s Binaca drops.” This new generation of very yummy mint and cinnamon tiny aerosol sprays and FastBlast pumps are designed to appeal to the fashionable club crowd with their teeny purses. No matter. Garlic lovers of all ages should love the flavor and convenience.
The Nano Silver doesn’t sound like something to put in our mouth, but the anti-bacterial toothbrush might become your new favorite. MouthWatchers’ dual-action bristles are soft and thin on the outside, like dental floss, and harder on the inside. They also reduce bacteria by 99.9 percent within six hours. It’s the best hand-held toothbrush I’ve ever used.
ddoiron@panews.com