This past weekend was the second annual Mandy’s celebration aka backyard mandarin tree harvest party.
What is a harvest party you ask? Think of it as fun, and fruitful, manual labor. Our friends, and friends of friends, help pick the overflowing bounty of mandarins, then juice ‘em and jar ‘em to take home the freshest of fresh-squeezed. Lexi, our beloved host and mother of Ms Mandy, goes above and beyond with fun merch (think custom hats, totes, stickers, popsicles, and marmalade jars). When I tell you there is no other joy like a Mandy’s party, I mean it.
My contribution was breakfast sandwiches — toasted buttermilk english muffins, a generous dollop of garlic dijon aioli, caramelized onions, *fluffy egg squares, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese. On the side we had some chili jam for dipping and dunking.
*when feeding a large crowd (in this case, ~45 people), my tip for batch prepping eggs is using the baked sheet-tray method. Whisk your eggs (I used an immersion blender), add a splash of milk (1/4 cup for every 12 eggs), and a generous pinch of salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place on the oven rack before pouring in the egg mixture to avoid spillage. Bake at 350 for 12-15 min until cooked through.
So, the first kitchen “empty” is this nearly-neon-orange mandarin juice. A bit selfish of me to share because it’s one of a kind, BUT it’s still citrus season, so this is your reminder to juice at home — there ain’t nothin’ else like it.
Please don’t run away when I tell you this, but soy free vegannaise is the best replacement for homemade mayo in a pinch. I said in a pinch ok!!! You have to doctor it up a bit, but the consistency is excellent and there aren’t any weird gross additives in there. Even though I was raised on Hellman’s, there’s something about a shelf-stable egg product that icks me out. You can find at any Whole Foods in the refrigerated section. I like to immersion blend in some raw or roasted garlic, lemon, and dijon OR a handful of herbs and garlic for a green goddess. The options are endless, really.
Jarred tuna in olive oil. Nothing new here, just genuinely an excellent product. High quality and a bit more affordable than the Ortiz brand. I’ll devote a future post to solely my love of jarred products, because you can really make an excellent lunch out of just a handful of affordable jarred goods with a little zhuzhing and love. I like to make a big batch of tuna salad to keep in the fridge. It’s such a quick, easy, and delish protein-packed snack. No tuna h8 here please.
Beurre de Baratte Demi-sel. Always doing market-research for you guys. It’s honest work really. I can’t always find this one in the specialty shops, but when I see it, I SNAG IT. Highly recommend. Go salted for sure
Chopped Calabrian Chilis. It’s alarming how quickly I run through these because a little goes a loooong way. Pastas sauces, chicken marinades, mixed with the vegannaise for a spicy mayo, it’s the ingredient I grab first when I need to add spice into any recipe. I buy at Whole Foods.
Garlic confit. Fancy name, easiest recipe ever. Anyone can make this. Go to any grocery store and buy peeled garlic cloves (they usually come in a bag or little deli cup). Get a glass oven-safe dish and pour the entire bag in said bowl. Then pour neutral oil (grapeseed or sunflower oil) over the garlic until the cloves are submerged. Bake at 250F for 2 hours. That’s it. The garlic takes on a sweet complex caramelized flavor that elevates any dish. Store in the fridge, it lasts forever, but I go through this once a month.
Not a product, but a recipe I’ve been making on repeat is this asian-ish slaw. It’s such an easy way to get in colorful veggie fiber, plus it’s the perfect mix of salty, tangy, slightly spicy, crunchy and refreshing. I add a dollop to my meals or eat it by the forkful as a standing-fridge-snack (SFS).
ingredients
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to bread & butter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.