Use-By Dates, Sell-By Dates, Food Safety and Quality

There is a lot of confusion among consumers regarding the various dates found on food packages in Ohio.  Although many states do not require it, Ohio's food safety law requires that eggs, shellfish, babyfood, and packaged, perishable food be labeled with a date if it has a shelf life less than 30 days.  Also, many food manufacturers put dates on their packaging because they think consumers will find it helpful.  There is no question that a lot of food is wasted because of the confusion over what these dates mean relative to the food safety and quality. One estimate by a food safety expert with NSF, Interational (a public health and safety organization based in Michigan) is that about $161 billion of food is wasted annually due to people throwing out food when it reaches the "sell-by" date.

This interesting graphic and a related article appeared in the Columbus, Ohio, newspaper "The Dispatch" on March 10, 2015. These guidelines are for refrigerated, perishable foods (fresh, uncooked) with a "Sell By" date or no date. (Products with a "use-by" date should be consumed by that date for safety.)




The article states that canned food will last indefinitely due to the heating and canning process creating a sterile environment within the can.   This absence of any air or bacteria would provide a safe product for many years although there may be some slight changes in the quality or appearance. Another fact stated in the article is that, for sell-by-dated foods, usually about a third of the product's shelf life still remains after that date.  One caveat to keep in mind; however, is that if there were any period of time during which the product had been improperly handled, such as wrong temperature, then the food quality or safety could be much less than expected based on the date.

Here is the link to the article http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/food/2015/03/11/serve-or-pitch.html

Beautiful Snowfall

February has been a very cold and windy month this year.  Plenty of days in a row of single digit lows and highs barely above 20 degrees F.  We got a little bit spoiled during December and January when we had a few warmer than usual days, plenty of sunshine, and hardly any snow.

Yesterday made up for that lack of snow, as we had at least 8 inches of snow in Homer!  I hope you and the kids got outside to enjoy something fun!  It wasn't even very cold, just about freezing all day. That is so much warmer than it has been, but it will still be very cold this week and next according to the forecast.

So enjoy the snow that is still on the ground!  How it makes the neighborhood a lot quieter.  The snow blanket deadens the sounds of traffic and the usual din of the community.

Here are a few pictures from around the store yesterday.

The Homer Post Office at SR 661 & Homer Road

This much snow fell by late morning.

Standing under the Store Canopy

The snow continued all day and early evening.

Snowmobiles are the way to go in this weather!

These kitties frolicked in the snow between naps. 

4-Wheelers are great on the farm and in the snow!

Kitties first big snow!

It's for Everyone's Safety

I need to let off a little steam.  Please bear with me.

Why do some people "cop an attitude" (take offense) when I ask them to please move along when they have no business parking in the store parking lot? Of all people, locals (and previous locals) should know better.  The intersection has poor visibility to drivers under the best of conditions, not to mention the lot is small but sufficient for the tiny store's customer traffic. There is a parking spot for two vehicles, maybe three.

Often people pull off the busy road into the tiny store parking lot or onto the berm of the road to text, eat a snack, make phone calls, mess with their GPS, take a rest, or wait to "meet someone,"  When this occurs during the morning, noon, or evening "rush hours," it is the most problematic because that is when most traffic is passing through the intersection and when most customers might need to park in the lot.  I do not want customers to try to park on the outskirts of the parking lot, because it is not safe.

Multiple "Customers Only Parking" signs are posted around the parking lot, and that means only for customers while they are shopping.  Despite this, loitering vehicles usually take the prime parking spaces, right in front of the signs!   This is a tiny carryout, and shopping only takes a minute or two. I want my customers to have a place to park and not have to jockey for position with loitering vehicles.

These improper parking incidents occur frequently enough that it is necessary to monitor the lot and ask people to leave when they do not belong there.    Most people understand the issue and move on without any commotion,

 I usually approach the driver with a smile and politely ask if they need help, because sometimes they do.  Sometimes they are just lost and in need of directions since there are no road signs indicating the direction of travel or location of nearby towns. However, when the answer is "No, thanks, I'm just waiting for someone" or "I didn't want to text and drive", I think to myself, "why do you have to do this here on this private property."   Why not pull into that guy's driveway over there--same thing! Why not drive around the corner and park on the street!

Another concern is risk and liability for insurance purposes.  That is why often I will take a picture of loitering vehicles, especially if they refuse to leave or are presenting a hazard to the line of sight at the intersection. If they are the cause of an accident, it would be good to have their identity for followup and responsibility since they had no reason to visit the business establishment.

Vehicles using the store's parking lot to "meet someone" or "wait for someone" is the excuse that bothers me the most for several reasons.  First, they will be there longer than it takes to shop, and second,  because not only will ONE vehicle be parked, idling, usually backed in as if they intend to stay awhile, and with their headlights shining into my neighbor's living room, but ANOTHER vehicle will be joining them, taking up another parking space (or worse, parked on the road berm). Usually the plan is to exchange children, and usually these are over-sized Sport Utility Vehicles.  So then two large vehicles, both sets of adults, and numerous children also are hovering around the vehicles when it is time to make the exchange.  Usually there is much standing around chatting, many hugs and kisses, and general congestion in the tiny parking lot.

When vehicles park in the lot with the intent of "meeting someone" or to exchange children, depending on the time of day and road conditions, I will allow it but ask them to please not do it again (in other words, do not make a habit of using this parking lot for the children exchange).  When it is not a practical time or place for this, I will usually ask them to leave and suggest other nearby places to park and meet such as across the street at the post office or down the street at the various parking lots associated with schools, libraries, township government, etc.

The root cause of the problem may just be that the store is in "the middle of nowhere" and so it is a convenient "oasis" for pulling off the road for any reason that presents itself.  It is halfway between several more populated college towns, and it is true there are no other stores within 5 to 10 miles in each direction.  Or perhaps old habits die hard.  Maybe ten or fifteen years ago before the store was there, locals might have used the parking lot as if they owned it.

Please be considerate of this small business owner and the customers who want to park safely and the drivers who want to be able to see the oncoming traffic, and the neighbors who do not want headlights aimed at their windows for ten minutes at a time.  If you need to exchange children in Homer, why not meet at the Homer Elementary School parking lot or the library or the post office.

Thank you for listening.  I really do not enjoy asking people to leave the parking lot, and I especially do not enjoy when the driver wants to dispute with me or refuses to leave.   Sometimes these incidents create ill will, and this is "bad for business."  I am truly sorry that we cannot always have a positive outcome.  I prefer a "win-win" situation, and usually that is how it evolves.  The times that it turns out badly, unfortunately, are the ones people remember the most.  For this I am truly sad.

Are You Ready for Valentine's Day?

How wonderful that Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year!  Lovers, admirers, and friends everywhere will have the weekend to celebrate their romances, friendships, and fondness for each other!  For most people, weekends bring more leisure time, relaxation, and family time.  I hope you will enjoy some time with the ones who matter most in your lives.

There are so many simple pleasures that make celebrating Valentine's Day so much fun.  Some people have traditions of baking heart-shaped sugar cookies that can be decorated as simply or intricately as you want.  For those of us who partake in this tradition, I think we can agree that the real fun is the process of mixing all the ingredients, cutting out the cookies, and having fun decorating, baking, and enjoying the aroma as they bake!  This is almost as much fun as eating the cookies or giving the cookies as gifts.

I remember the pleasures of shopping for that sparkling heart-shaped trinket that I would wear on Valentine's Day to brighten my spirit as I went about my daily life that day and weekend...working, going out to lunch with coworkers or family, and then celebrating Valentine's Day with my soul mate.  It was always fun to receive a gift for Valentine's Day and to give a gift in return.  My favorite gift (giving or receiving) was always that box of chocolates!  Although I was certainly in awe of the beauty of a rose and the lasting beauty of carnations, flowers did not seem to me as practical as chocolates or something shiny that could be remembered a little bit longer and more fondly!  There is a season in life for stuffed animals....another season for that romantic dinner (chateubriand, asparagus, cheesecake for dessert, and some wonderful red wine) preferably several stories up with a window seat, and a foggy view of the lake!  If you are not already engaged or married, what a nice date to propose to your loved one!

Whatever you do to celebrate Valentine's Day, or even if you do not celebrate at all, I hope you will enjoy Saturday, February 14, 2015.  Stop by Homer Village Market to say hello.  We will be open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. in case you need anything.  We have cold champagne, many varieties of beer, wine, and spirits; chocolate covered pretzels, dark chocolate, lots of ice cream, plenty of gourmet appetizers, and lots of ingredients to make a delicious meal!

Graeter's Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Today, waiting for the milk man is full of much more anticipation than usual.  That's because there will be some Graeter's ice cream pints on the delivery truck today!  We have reordered Black Raspberry Chip, their most popular flavor!

Graeter's is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been making gourmet ice cream using the "French Pot" process since the early 1920's.   According to Graeter's website, it is the only ice cream manufacturer in the world using French Pot freezers to produce its ice cream.   These batches are each only two gallons, which is also the smallest batch in the industry.  If you have not yet tried their ice cream, it is most delicious!  It is quite a bit more expensive than other brands of ice cream, but each pint is hand packed with high quality ice cream made in small batches.  You will notice the difference in taste and also the heft of the pint container!


Having spent about ten years in Cincinnati beginning in the mid 1970's, I have enjoyed eating Graeter's ice cream made locally. When I relocated to Columbus, it was several years before a Graeter's franchise location appeared on the scene.  I was thrilled!  Still nothing beats the fond memories of sitting at the little round marble tables at the Graeter's ice cream and candy shop in the Clifton neighborhood of Cincinnati and enjoying a couple of scoops of double-chocolate chip ice cream in a hand-made waffle cone.


I hope you will stop by the Homer Village Market and pick up a pint of Graeter's ice cream!  Other flavors we sometimes stock include the Mocha Chocolate Chip, Chocolate-Chocolate Chip (formerly known as double-chocolate chip), and Coconut Chocolate Chip.  These "chips" are more like chunks of rich, dark chocolate.   If you visit Graeter's website, you can view the video of their French Pot process of making ice cream and you will see how the chocolate chips are introduced to the recipe!

Deer Hunting Season

Licking County, Ohio, is a favorite destination for deer hunters from all over the country. The deer population is large, and the rural landscape provides a great habitat.

Area farmers are still in process of harvesting crops, so the deer still have plenty of cover. This can be frustrating for hunters in their tree stands in the fence row along the edge of the fields. Sometimes it may seem as though more deer are crossing the highways than are seen in the fields and woods!

Serious hunters will set up their stands early and begin watching for patterns of the herds of deer. Some will even put a "trail camera" or "deer cam" near their tree stand to see when the deer are most active.

Here is a picture of the buck harvested in November 2013 on our farm by our friend Dave, an experienced, licensed deer hunter we permit to hunt there.

Dave monitored he activity of the herds earlier in the season.  To maintain a good population of deer for hunting, Dave will not target any female (doe) deer or young males (bucks).

The trail cameras this year have captured photos of some large bucks as well as young families of deer, some even still nursing.  We will post some photos of the herds as well as the harvest later in the season.

Happy Hunting!  We welcome hunters to stop by the Homer Village Market when they emerge from the woods!

Recipes for Alligator Meat

Hunting season for wild alligator in Louisiana kicks off in October annually.  Here in Ohio, deer hunting season for bow-hunters begins around the same time.  It seems that Ohio's bow hunters have a taste for exotic meats.  Although Homer Village Market tries to keep wild-caught Louisiana alligator in stock twelve months of the year, we get the most requests for alligator when Ohio's hunting season begins each fall.

Many customers requesting alligator meat already have their favorite recipes, but just as many customers are wanting to try alligator for the first time and request recipes.  One can find many recipes for alligator on the many cooking websites such as cooks.com, foodnetwork, and epicurious.  Also recipes can be found on the state websites for Louisiana and Florida where alligator hunting and alligator farming are significant industries within their local economies.

Below are some recipes that cover the most common techniques for cooking alligator.  If you are already familiar with cooking techniques in your own kitchen or backyard grill, you will be able to adapt your favorite recipes to use alligator meat.  You can make:

•  a Cajun casserole using tomatoes, garlic, rice, and peppery spices,
• an oriental-style stir-fry such as "General Tso" style dish over rice
• lightly pan-fry and serve as a "po-boy" sandwich with usual sandwich toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, cheese, pickles, mayo
• a family-style fondue pot meal
• deep fry or pan fry using either a buttermilk and seasoned flour batter or an egg and seasoned flour batter and serve with a sweet/tangy red sauce or a ranch dipping sauce
• grill marinated gator and veggie kabobs and serve with baked potatoes or rice pilaf
• grill hand-cut gator "steaks" using a dry rub after marinating in citrus or vinegar-based sauce
• make a jambalaya or gumbo using a combination of vegetables, seafood, sausage, poultry, and rice
• cut in half-inch cubes, toss in a seasoned flour and cornmeal mix after basting in milk or buttermilk, deep fry, and serve over baked potatoes with a side of ranch-style sauce

The important thing to remember, no matter which cooking technique you use, is that alligator is considered "seafood" and it cooks quickly.  Just a few minutes on each side on the grill or fry pan, or deep fry a few minutes until golden brown.  If making a gumbo or casserole, be sure to add the alligator meat after the rest of the ingredients have been cooked to tender.  If alligator is overcooked, it will become chewy and tough.

Here are a few recipes collected from the internet over the past several years:

Grilled Cajun Style Gator Tail

4-6 pounds Alligator Tail
Enough milk to cover alligator meat

Seasoning Ingredients:
1/4 cup paprika
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons oregano, crushed
2 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper(more if you like spicier)

Seasoning Directions:
Combine paprika, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. When ready to cook, cut gator tail meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Roll each cube in a tablespoon of the mixture.

Grilling Directions:
Cook over high heat on your barbeque grill for 4-5 minutes, flipping once. Alligator tail should be white and firm to the touch. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing onto the meat.

 

 

ALLIGATOR FINGERS "Quick and easy way to fix up gator bites for your friends - exotic, but taste like chicken! "
2 pounds alligator meat, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons vinegar
salt and pepper to taste oil for frying
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons black pepper
OPTIONAL DIPPING SAUCE
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Place alligator meat in a medium bowl, and mix with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate about 10 minutes.
Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch, and heat over a medium-high flame.

Add to a large resealable bag the flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Squeeze off excess liquid from meat, and add one handful of meat to the resealable bag. Shake to coat. Remove meat, shake off excess flour, and set on a plate. Repeat with remaining meat.
When oil is hot, place meat pieces into oil, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels, and serve hot.
To prepare dipping sauce, mix together in a small bowl the mayonnaise, horseradish, brown mustard, and red wine vinegar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some recipes from Food Network's website:

 

JAMBALAYA

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 8 ounces tomato puree
• 1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced in puree
• 1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced
• 1 pound andouille or other hot, smoked sausage
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 4 cups green peppers, diced
• 4 cups yellow onions, diced
• Cooked Rice
• 1 pound chicken, boned and cubed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup scallions, diced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute the garlic, chiles, and bay leaves in the oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, add all the tomato products and simmer, stirring for about 45 minutes. Slice and roast the sausage for about 20 minutes. Drain the fat off.

Add to the tomatoes, chicken stock, sausage, green peppers, and onions and simmer another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, add salt and pepper. The jambalaya is finished when it has thickened and turned brick color, without any more oil coming to the surface. At this point, cook a big pot of rice to mix with the sauce (equal amounts of rice to the sauce) and add any meats you want to the jambalaya sauce (chicken pieces, shrimp, alligator, veal etc.) Poach the meat in the sauce to cook it. Add scallions at the last minute for color.

To make vegetarian jambalaya, smoke the tomatoes first, in a home smoker, or place them in the oven with a pie plate of smoking chips for a 1/2-hour. This gives the sauce the same flavor as adding sausage. Then use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and add any vegetables of your choice at the end.

 

GEN TSO’S ALLIGATOR WITH SNAP PEAS AND KUMQUATS (4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

• Peanut oil, to cook
• 1 pound cleaned alligator meat, 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 8 kumquats, 1/8 inch slices (may sub with 2 zested and sectioned oranges or tangerines)
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup naturally brewed soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups snap peas, blanched
• Salt and freshly ground black peppe,r to taste

Directions

In a large saute pan on high heat, coat well with oil and add alligator. Season and quickly brown meat, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside on paper towels. Wipe out pan and coat lightly with oil. Saute the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes. Add the kumquats and stir. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, soy and sugar until dissloved. Deglaze with mixture and reduce by 50 percent. Add back the alligator and snap peas, check for seasoning.

• SPICY PEANUT RICE
• Peanut oil, for cooking
• 1 cup whole roasted peanuts, unsalted
• 5 Thai bird chiles, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 4 cups cooked Chinese rice (or other long grain)
• 1 tablespoon naturally brewed soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black peppe, to taste

In a small wok or sautee pan, coat lightly with oil and saute the peanuts, chiles and onions for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions start to take on color. Add the rice and stir until hot. Add soy sauce and check for seasoning.

PLATING On a large round plate, place a small mound of rice in the middles and top with alligator. Ladle a little sauce on top. Enjoy.

WINE: Very chilly beer like Foster's or Corona

 

GATOR TATERS (PAULA DEAN 4 servings)

Ingredients

Baked Grilled potatoes:

• 4 potatoes
• Oil
• 1/2 pound butter

Sauce for Potatoes:

• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper

FRIED GATOR:

• 2 pounds gator tail cut into chunks
• Buttermilk
• Flour
• Salt and pepper
• 16 ounces vegetable oil
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
• Sliced green onions, to garnish

Directions

Wash and coat potatoes with a little bit of oil. Pierce each potato with a fork, wrap in tin foil, place directly on hot coals, and cook for approximately 45 minutes. Use tongs to turn potatoes often.

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients to make the potato sauce, and mix well.

In a large bowl, toss the gator chunks into the buttermilk, and dredge with flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Using a large skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees F. Fry gator chunks until golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Split potatoes and top with butter and potato sauce. Top potatoes with 2 pieces of fried gator chunks on top and sprinkle with cheese and green onions.

Alligator Balls Recipe

1 lb Chopped alligator meat
1 Egg
1 tb Finely chopped onions
1 tb Finely chopped celery
1 tb Finely chopped parsley
 2 tb Finely chopped shallots
2 ts Lemon pepper
 1/2 ts Salt
 1/4 c Bread crumbs
1 c Cooking oil
 Flour to dredge
Combine all ingredients, form 1 inch diameter balls, allow to set one hour. Dredge in flour and fry till brown. Serve hot.


HERE'S A RECIPE FROM FLORIDA

GRILLED GATOR KABOBS

Ingredients 1/2 cup Florida orange juice concentrate 1/4 cup Florida orange juice 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 pound Florida alligator meat, cut into cubes 1-inch cubes assorted Florida vegetables or fruit, cubed

Preparation For the marinade, combine orange concentrate, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and spices in a medium glass bowl. Reserve half for basting. Add alligator cubes; stir to coat well. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for increased flavor. Soak wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent them from burning. Thread marinated alligator cubes onto skewers, alternating with vegetable or fruit cubes. Heat the grill to high heat and grill kabobs for 6-8 minutes; turning once. Brush with extra marinade for the first 5 minutes. Discard any leftover marinade. Yield 4 servings