That’s where seafood plays a key role in her diet. “I love the flavor and healthy aspects of seafood,” she said. “And seafood is so versatile. You can pair it with a number of other things, like veggies.” Seafood doesn’t need to be served naked or left with a bland or fishy taste, Tracy said. A little flavoring adds a great deal to the meal. “It makes a really big difference to add the right herbs and seasoning,” she said. “We have a herb garden in our back yard, or we go to Hy-Vee or a local farmers’ market. The right herbs can make it a real game changer.” When it comes to herbs, Tracy holds her definite favorites. “Cilantro is my favorite because of its smell and taste. I also like basil,” she said. “You can pair it with a fresh set of greens.” Adding Some Zip The Huffs’ children, Nathan and Abby, sample the spread in their kitchen and give the meal a “thumbs up.” They enjoy not only clams and mussels but also other types of seafood. But the seafood wasn’t the only star of this evening’s gastric gathering. The Huffs decided to put a little zip into things with a combination of spicy and cool opening courses. Since we last gathered, the Huffs welcomed a new addition to their family — another smoker. And they were putting this little baby to good use. The Huffs have used the smoker for everything from meats and veggies to soups, stews and carrot cake. This time, they smoked six ears of corn on the cob, in the husk. But doesn’t that dry out or burn the corn or even start the husks on fire? Au contraire, Steve said. “It’s not what you expect. It actually keeps the moisture in the corn,” he said. He soon proved his point, hauling out the husk-covered beauties. He later emerged in the kitchen with a long, freshly smoked ear of corn — but no butter for this baby. Instead, he encouraged me to take pinches of a nearby spice and rub it on the corn. “You should start with just a small part of the ear,” he advised. “If it’s too much for you, then you can move quickly to a plain square of corn. And you may want a glass of water nearby.” Good advice on both counts, After finding some kick in the first bite, I resorted to both the plain corn and something to drink. After savoring — or surviving — this culinary surprise, I found myself wanting more. I slathered the spice on the corn, as if not getting enough. I didn’t stop, instead working my way through the entire ear without coming up for air. It was a fiery little number but very satisfying. Tracy took over from there. She turned the remaining ears on the end, cutting strips of corn off the cob. They were destined for another opening course, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. “We’re using it for salad,” she announced. I had spent enough time in the Huffs’ kitchen to know their idea of salad goes far beyond a lettuce wedge. For them, salad can range from fruit and carrot wedges to a bed of greens adorned by fresh toppings. “We’re going to create a bowl filled with corn, red onion and peppers,” she said. “We also have the poblano peppers that we smoked, but we didn’t put the seeds into the mix for this batch because we wanted to keep it milder.” Steve noted a couple of practical advantages of this salad. “People really like cole slaw and potato salad, but those are mayonnaise based and spoil quickly,” he said. “This salad is much vHUFFS continued on page 27 Call or Stop By For All Your Heating and Cooling Needs! 2018 Broadway, Yankton 605-665-4348 M-F 8am-5pm Saturday 8am-Noon We Stock Filters Chris Rederick, Service Technician HERVOICEvJULY/AUGUST 2019v19