As I talked about last week, I am always thinking of new items to serve on my still growing collection of over 100 different eggplates. In preparation for the same neighborhood garden party and wine tasting that a friend and I prepared and served the previously shown, with recipe, Guacamole Cups for, we decided to continue our creative cooking spree and come up with yet another recipe and eggplate service idea. We had seen the delightfully colorful, and perfectly sized, fresh mini-peppers in the local grocery store and decided to use those as the base for a new creation. Again, produce such as these mini-peppers is a common sight at local farmer’s markets and stores because our coast house is located in and adjacent to some of the most productive cool weather farmland in the entire world, the Central Coast of California, including the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Monterey. The options for fresh and local cooking are almost always numerous although the ongoing drought, now in its 16th year, threatens all of this seasonal bounty. These types of neighborhood wine tasting/picnic/potluck parties are a regular feature of summertime life in our small coastal town of Morro Bay. It is very common for guests at these extremely casual events to eat while standing, chatting with friends and neighbors, and circulating about the yard, so therefore foods that are self-contained, easy to carry and eat while standing are ideal. Foods of this type and shape are frequently a perfect fit for an eggplate, continuously expanding the possibilities for this unique type of service ware.
Stuffed Mini-Peppers on Brockway Eggplate
In this particular case, I chose to use a clear glass eggplate manufactured by the Brockway Glass Company. The clear glass allows the multicolored peppers to be highlight of the presentation while still being attractive in its own subtle manner. Brockway was originally founded in 1907 as the Brockway Machine Bottle Company and was later renamed. The company was located in Brockway, Pennsylvania, located in the northwest-central area of the state. Brockway was absorbed, over the objections of the Federal Trade Commission, by Owens-Illinois, a major manufacturer of glass and glassware of many different types, that is also a Fortune 500 company. Brockway most likely made my eggplate sometime between 1960-1964 based on design production schedule records.
Many of the direct to consumer glassware items, as opposed to more industrial glassware, produced by Brockway were originally given away as “free gifts” inside boxes of Duz laundry detergent, manufactured by Proctor and Gamble and sold as a “heavy-duty” option for heavily soiled clothing. Duz changed from a soap base to a detergent base in 1960 (the difference is strictly chemical and not relevant here, but you can read about it elsewhere) and the was discontinued completely in 1979. Give-away glassware and china of this type was popular and common in the 1940s-1970s and many prominent and collectible names, including Fiestaware, were originally introduced to the public in this, and similar manners.
It Was A Popular Appetizer!
The Stuffed Mini-Peppers are quick and easy to make! You will need:
15 Multi-colored mini-peppers, halved with the seeds removed
8 oz. goat cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil to moisten
3 Tbsp. Fage Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 minced clove garlic
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
Combine all ingredients by hand or in a food processor. Stuff the peppers by hand. Bake in a regular oven, on a cookie sheet or similar oven-proof utensil, at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until slightly brown. Carefully transfer to egg plate for presentation on table. DO NOT EVER PLACE AN EGG PLATE IN THE OVEN!
Enjoyed your egg plates.