ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 4, 1996 TAG: 9612040014
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Du Jour
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES
If you thought the dog went crazy before, wait until the mail carrier arrives bearing duck leg confit, lobster tail and claw, cranberry-stuffed chicken, rack of lamb in garlic sauce or grilled salmon in bernaise sauce. Those are some of the fully prepared meals available through the mail from Fairfax, Vt.-based Cuisine Sous-Vide.
According to information from the company, two respected Vermont chefs prepare and then use a souse-vide (meaning under-vacuum) process to package the meals, which are flash frozen and shipped via two-day Federal Express or UPS to supposedly arrive at the recipient's door with all their original flavor, texture, color and juice locked in. All the receiver need do is rewarm the pouch in gently simmering water for five to seven minutes, arrange the food on a plate and enjoy.
I can neither vouch for nor dispute these claims, since the meal I ordered was, at press time, presumably still in the mail. But the idea definitely has potential as a perfect food gift.
A standard-sized Holiday Gift Assortment, including two each of lobster bisque, French onion soup, cheese ravioli, vegetable stew, cranberry-stuffed chicken with side dishes, pork tenderloin in red wine sauce with side dishes and a six-inch cheesecake costs about $85 plus shipping. Call (802) 849-2070.
In the Pacific Northwest, Native Americans have for centuries relied on the soft, porous texture of wood to cook foods naturally without drying, while imparting the wood's scent and flavor. Here, in Virginia, for nearly 70 years, the Ruritan Club of Wakefield has cooked shad on wood planks as part of an increasingly important political social event.
On a recent day I did a little plank cooking myself, and I didn't have to go outside to do it. Seattle, Wash.-based Chinook Planks, which in 1994 began making planks for indoor oven use, promised the method would be easy and yield healthful, flavorful, attractive food.
The alder-wood cooking plank I tested, with its smooth finish, simple lines and decoration, was almost too pretty to use. It required seasoning with oil before use and heating for sterilization. But that was easily done by preheating the plank along with the oven to 350,F.
A Chinook chef spokesman had said that virtually anything from meat to vegetables could be baked on the plank. I opted for garlic-herb roasted new potatoes and shallots, which even uncooked looked beautiful nestled in the plank's cooking hollow. Before long, my kitchen was filled with a warm, woodsy scent but no smoke. The potatoes roasted up tender in about an hour, although additional salt was needed. I suspect the plank absorbed some of their original savor.
At the table, my presentation on the plank, which doubles as an impressive serving platter, brought praise from the diners, who no doubt imagined a much more complicated production than actually had been involved. Clean-up required rinsing the plank under warm running water and giving it a quick scrub with a soft brush. Even used, it remained pretty enough to display on a counter top.
Also available in cedar and retailing for about $45, the plank probably would make many foodies happy - as would most of Chinook's plank-related offerings, including cookbooks, caddies, spatulas, coasters, aprons, cookbook holders and recipe boxes. Call (800) 765-4408.
The Within Reach Recipe Organizer might cause a few organizationally challenged foodies to smile. The custom-sized loose-leaf binder holds up to 100 magazine pages and newspaper clippings in wipe-clean pockets and sells for $19.95 plus $5 shipping and handling. Additional pockets also are available. For a brochure or to order, write Within Reach Recipe Organizer, P.O. Box 70701, Oakland, Calif. 94612.
The Spife, a combination spoon and knife that facilitates scooping and spreading, is a clever stainless steel, dishwasher-safe gadget for the foodie who has everything. Prices range from about $6.50 for a small single Spife to about $15 for a set of three. Look for them at local retail outlets or call (510) 652-4738.
If a foodie on your list would like a special tree ornament, St. Helena, Calif.-based On the Vine offers a wide assortment, including an angel with grapes, pizza on a board, wine bottles in a rack, an "I Love Dessert" ice cream sundae and other neat stuff, including holiday cards. Prices are in the $10 to mid-teens range. Call (707) 963-2209 or FAX (707) 963-1165.
Finally, imagine that brand new jumbo box of crayons that most of us coveted when we were kids. Now imagine those vivid colors filled with chocolate. Someone at M&Ms did and came out with 24 colors, including white, gold, purples, blues, maroons, creams and black to combine as desired to create perfect customized holiday - or shower, or birthday, or Super Bowl or whatever - packages and presents. Colorworks candies sell for about $6 per pound at Candy Headquarters, Valley View Mall, Roanoke. Call 362-5902.
DuJour runs occasionally in the Extra section. If you have an interesting food item or event, tell us about it. Write to DuJour, c/o Features Dept., The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Salmon and potatoes cooked on an alder plank fromby CNBChinook Planks of Seattle. color.