Formosa Plastics prunes tanker fleet
Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Marine Corporation is back in the secondhand market. It has just sold a 10-year-old ballast water system fitted tanker, the 49,500 dwt FPMC 24, for around $14m. A second ship has also been sold for scrap, a slightly smaller chemical tanker, named Formosa 8, built 25 years ago.
Fifty-one ship strong FMPC had stayed quiet for a couple of years, apparently satisfied with its sales efforts in 2019 and 2018. It then pruned its fleet, shredding 18 ships last year.
FPMC is the shipping arm of conglomerate Formosa Plastics Group, a diverse company featuring one of the world’s largest chemical companies in terms of sales under its wings.
Data compiled by VesselsValue lists 17 handysize chemical tankers, one panamax-sized tanker, two aframaxes, nine VLCCs and two LPG carriers in its tanker arm, while its bulker fleet counts 19 ships, of which 10 are capes.
PINOT PRUNE JAM for CHEESE and CHARCUTERIE BOARDS [recipe] — The Delicious Life
PINOT PRUNE JAM for CHEESE and CHARCUTERIE BOARDS [recipe]
Say hello to your new cheese board obsession, Pinot Prune Jam.
We’re all familiar with that squat little jar of fig jam that appears in some format on almost every cheeseboard, and while there’s nothing wrong with fig jam, there is SO MUCH RIGHT with Pinot Prune Jam, a subtly sweet fruit spread based on sun-ripened prunes and infused with red wine. The jam is super easy to make with only a few ingredients: California-grown prunes, California Pinot Noir wine, and if you prefer something sweeter, a little extra sugar or honey.
I’m obsessed with Pinot Prune Jam and have added it as a staple in the Cheese Board Pantry, but also use the jam beyond just a cheese board. Dolloped onto almost-burnt toast with a little almond butter? Yes. Swirled into a grain porridge bowl? Ok. Straight out of the jar with a spoon? Yeah, that was me.
Recipe for Pinot Prune Jam first, Resource and Shopping List follow!
PINOT PRUNE JAM [recipe] makes about 2 cups Ingredients 12 ounces California-grown prunes
1+1 cups of California Pinot Noir
up to ½ cup sugar or honey
½ teaspoon Kosher salt Directions Place prunes, 1 cup of wine, sweetener if you’re using it (start with about 2 tablespoons, prunes are sweet!), and salt in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until prunes begin to break down. If liquid gets low, add more wine about ¼ cup at a time. Using your stirring spoon, gently crush prunes against bottom and side of pot. The simmering process takes about 25 minutes. Taste Pinot Prune Jam and adjust with additional sweetener and/or salt. Use a fork to further smash the prunes until you get to a jam consistency you like. It should have some texture. Do not blend or process the mixture; it will turn into a fruit butter, which isn’t bad, but that’s a different recipe. Keep Pinot Prune Jam in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week, if you can hold yourself back for that long. (This is not a “canned” or preserved jam so it should be refrigerated!)
NOTES and RESOURCES
Prunes: Prunes are dried plums, made specifically from prune plums. In the California, prunes are descendants of the Petit d’Agen prune plum imported from France. If you’re eating prunes in the Unites States, they’re almost certainly from California, which grows 99% of the prunes in the US and 40% of the prunes in the world. According to the California Prunes site, “prune plums ripen fully on the tree — pit and all — without fermenting.” You can find prunes in every grocery store near the fresh produce department, or in the snack aisle. Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir is the grape that makes a light-bodied red wine. Because the wine in the Pinot Prune Jam simmers down and the flavors get concentrated, definitely use a Pinot Noir that you would drink. I currently have northern California-based Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Pinot Noir I my sights. You can also use other red wines, stick with something fruity and light- to medium-bodied. Merlot is a good alternative.
Recipe developed in partnership with CA Prunes! Check out the their website and follow @CAPrunes on instagram for more information on prunes!
The Strength of Symbolism: Lamb Shanks with Apricots and Prunes
Passover is often referred to as Hag HaMatzot (the feast of unleavened bread) and matzo, the bread of affliction, is definitely the star of this holiday. The prohibition against eating chametz has us cleaning our homes and ridding our kitchens of anything and everything that contains grain, from alcohol to vinegar, from cereal to cakes, crackers and cookies.
But the name of the holiday is Hag HaPesach (the feast of the Paschal Lamb). On the night that the ancient Hebrews fled Egypt, they were commanded to sacrifice a lamb, to roast and to eat it as a family. They were commanded to smear the blood of the lamb on their door posts, so that the Angel of Death would pass over the homes of the Israelites. Called Zeroah in Hebrew, some commentaries say that the lamb shank represents the outstretched arm of G-d that led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and through the desert to the Promised Land. The lamb shank is a striking symbol and stark reminder of the drama of the Exodus from Egypt.
Rachel’s family hails from Larache, an important harbor town in northwestern Morocco. Her Spanish Moroccan grandfather Moshe Bensabat was the only Rabbi in the town. He performed all the wedding ceremonies and he was the mohel at all the Brit Milahs. When things got too hectic, they would bring in a Rabbi from the nearby cities of Tetouan and Tangir. Then Rachel’s Uncle Salomon (her mother’s brother) became a Rabbi and they both served the community until they made Aliyah to Israel in the early 1950’s. In Israel, Rabbi Salomon served as the secretary to the second Sephardic Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, the revered Rav Yitzchak Nissim (son of former Knesset Member Moshe Nissim). In a reprise of his father’s role in Larache, Rabbi Salomon served as the sole clergy for the community of Barcelona. After 30 years there as a beloved Rabbi, he retired to Israel in the 1980’s where he later passed away.
Every Pesach, Rachel’s grandfather would shecht (slaughter) lamb and the lamb shanks would be on the Seder Plate to represent the Paschal Lamb sacrifice. Every Pesach, Rachel still follows the recipe passed down by her grandmother Simcha to her mother Rica and she makes the most delicious Marinated Glazed Lamb Shanks with dried fruit. The sautéed onions, celery and carrots add depth, the dried apricots add a tangy brightness and the prunes add a deep honey caramel which contrast with the robust flavor of the lamb. The lamb shanks are extra fabulous served over mashed or roasted potatoes.
We wish you a beautiful, meaningful happy and kosher Passover.
And we hope you try these extra special, delightfully rich and tasty lamb shanks.
Lamb Shanks with Dried Fruits
Symbolic of the Paschal sacrifice, lamb features on many Seder menus.
Marinating the lamb shanks with garlic and spices and cooking with dried fruits in a long slow simmer ensures a mouthwatering dish.
Ingredients:
4-6 lamb shanks
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large carrots, sliced into thick rounds
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon herb de Provence
6 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 cup red wine
In a large bowl combine all the marinade ingredients and rub on lamb shanks. Let marinate for one hour in a heavy pot or Dutch oven, warm olive oil and sauté the sliced onion until they start to soften. Add the vegetables and dried fruits, place lamb and all the marinade juices in the pot Add 2 cups of water, cover and place in oven for two hours at 350 degrees.
The lamb should be falling off the bone. If not, leave it for another 15-30 minutes in the oven.
Serves 8-10
Rachel Sheff and Sharon Gomperts have been friends since high school. They love cooking and sharing recipes. They have collaborated on Sephardic Educational Center projects and community cooking classes. Follow them on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food.