A Pre-Vacation Libation

With less than a week til I’m in Key West, I have some work to do – packing. It’s hard to pack for a beach vacation when the temperatures outside conjure up images of tundra rather than tiki bars, so I blended up a tropical cocktail to get myself in the spirit. After all, it’s easier to decide which outfits look best over a bikini when you’re sipping a cold concoction of rum and exotic fruit!

To make an authentic tropical drink, I used frozen naranjilla pulp. Naranjilla is a fruit native to Ecuador that is easily grown from seed in South Florida. The frozen pulp can be found in Latino markets and some grocery stores that have a significant Latino/Caribbean customer base. The pulp is olive green and tastes like a citrusy pineapple with a hint of strawberry. Your cocktail will look like split pea soup, but who cares???


Naranjilla and Coconut Cocktail

14 oz. frozen naranjilla pulp*
32 oz. chilled coconut water
8 oz. dark rum

Thaw the naranjilla pulp for 10-15 minutes, or until you are able to chop it into chunks.

Chop the frozen naranjilla into one-inch chunks and place the chunks in a blender, along with the coconut water and the rum.  Blend, then divide evenly among four chilled cocktail glasses.

* If you cannot locate naranjilla pulp, substitute 8 oz. pineapple juice, ½ cup pineapple chunks, 6 oz. orange juice, and ¼ c. sliced strawberries.

Campaign Cocktails for Debate Drinking

Ladies and gentlemen, Election Season 2012 is underway, and the first Presidential Debate is airing on Wednesday, October 3. Whether you’re a committed party member or just a committed partier, the Presidential Debates can provide loads of information—and, often unintentionally, loads of laughter.

Whether you’re genuinely interested in what the candidates have to say or if you’re just in it to play a few drinking games (remember “Palin Bingo?”), here are three cocktails that everybody can agree on: For the Lefty, the ALObama Slammer; for the Righty, the Mitt-tini; and for the Swing Voter, the Singapore Mudsling.


The ALObama Slammer

The traditional Alabama Slammer is made with Amaretto, Southern Comfort, and Orange Juice. In this version, we substitute Peach Lambic beer for the peach-flavored Southern Comfort, because we know our President likes his beer. This recipe serves two, because when it comes to good beer, it’s always nice to share your wealth.

2 shots amaretto
Orange juice
1 750 mL bottle Lindeman’s Peach Lambic

Divide the amaretto between two pint glasses. Add a splash of orange juice to each, and fill each glass with the Peach Lambic beer.



The Mitt-tini

Sometimes a candidate has to abandon ideals to appeal to his/her base, so this martini features a few things that your typical Mormon would frown upon, but on top is a float of Goldschlager, which contains flakes of gold. This recipe serves one—if someone else wants a sip, just say, “You didn’t build that!”

1 oz. vodka
½ t. cocoa powder
2 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. goldschlager

Combine the vodka, cocoa powder, and Kahlua in a shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Pouring slowly and carefully over the back of a spoon, “float” the goldschlager atop the mixed drink so that you can see the gold flakes.


The Singapore Mudsling

This drink is for the person who can’t take the back-and-forth blame game or the mudslinging. Sometimes, all the lying and the finger-pointing and the half-truths will drive you to drink! This cross between a Singapore Sling and a Mudslide will do the trick. It serves two, and I must warn you that it’s deceptive strength may sneak up on you, so make sure you don’t drink too many and sleep through Election Day!

1 oz. dry gin
2 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut coffee creamer (SoDelicious is my favorite brand)
2 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. brandy from brandy-soaked cherries
4 brandy-soaked cherries
1 t. cocoa powder
Squeeze lime juice
Handful ice cubes
Lime wedges, to garnish
Sprinkle cocoa powder, to garnish

Blend all ingredients except the lime wedges in a blender—the drink will foam a bit, so pour immediately. Serve in margarita glasses, garnished with a lime wedge and a sprinkle of cocoa powder atop the foam.

Wastin' Away Again in "Fres-quila-ville!"

No, I am not hammered.  I just happened to add my fun new drink's name to a popular Jimmy Buffett song. 

I created a new drink last night.  No major story behind it except a random thought that popped into my head that went a little something like this:  "Tequila is good.  Grapefruit soda is good.  Odds are in my favor that if I combine them, they'd taste good together."  Like a mad scientist, I gathered my beakers (ok, cocktail glasses), pipettes (straws), and lab goggles (sunglasses) and tested my hypothesis.  (Side note:  How many of these drinks do I have to "test" before my hypothesis is accepted as a valid theory, and how many do I have to drink before my theory is considered a fact?)

Fresca is the most popular grapefruit soda on the market (hence the drink's name), but you can also use some of the amazing new organic, no-sugar-added sparkling beverages, such as Izze's. 

This drink is tasty, but I've gotta be responsible and mention that it goes down smooth and it's easy to drink fast.  If you try these and get tanked and act stupid, don't say I didn't warn you.

Fres-quila

1 shot clear tequila
splash maraschino cherry juice
6 oz. grapefruit soda
maraschino cherries, to garnish

Pour the tequila and maraschino cherry juice in a stemless martini glass or tumbler.  Pour in the soda and stir until blended.  Garnish with maraschino cherries skewered on a cocktail pick.

Tamarind + Margaritas = TamaRitas!

What would you do if you had about a pound of tamarind pods in your fridge? Probably not a question you're likely to hear if, like me, you live in New England, but this is a question I had to ask myself. When I created my Spiced Beef with Tamarind recipe, I wanted to use real tamarind rather than concentrated paste from a jar, so I bought a one-pound box. I only needed about 4 pods for the recipe, so I had a lot of tamarind on my hands. Quick - what could I possibly create that would use up the rest of the tamarind?

Not knowing how long homemade tamarind paste can be stored, I was reluctant to use my fruits simply for for that purpose, but I drew a blank on other recipes I could create. What could I do with my tamarind that would be consumed immediately and not linger in my fridge?

Oh, yeah - drinks! Drinks don't last long in the Bacon, Butter & Booze household. I did make tamarind paste (click here for instructions), which I watered down and used as a base for a my favorite summertime drink - margaritas, or in this case, Tama-Ritas! I added a little New England touch to the tamaritas using just a splash of blueberry syrup, which not only gave it a more complex flavor, but sweetened up what would otherwise be a pretty sour drink. These drinks may not be the most aesthetically pleasing cocktail out there, but boy, do they taste great!

　
Tama-Ritas

4 T. freshly made tamarind paste
1.5 c. cold water
2-3 oz. tequila (depends how strong you like your 'ritas)
splash triple sec
splash blueberry syrup (Stonewall Kitchen makes a good one)

kosher salt to rim glasses

Combine all ingredients except the salt in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, then strain into 2 margarita glasses rimmed with salt.

The Royal Wedding

Aw, come on - it would be morally reprehensible for me to let the Royal Wedding go by without giving you a cocktail recipe using Crown Royal.  Marrying whiskey with muddled strawberries and champagne, the undisputed royalty of all wedding beverages, this is the only Royal Wedding I want to hear about today.  I wonder if a couple of these would inspire Queen Elizabeth to do the Electric Slide?


The Royal Wedding

1-2 very ripe strawberries, sliced
1 oz. Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
3 oz. chilled champagne

Pour the whiskey over the strawberry slices in a tumbler.  Muddle until the strawberries are crushed.  Pour champagne over, give it a stir, and drink up! 

From bluebutterflydesign on Etsy.com

Make Room for Mexican!

Even since I purchased my Spanish and Mexican cookbooks, I've had culinary tunnel vision.  But when I wind up cooking dinners like the one I made, I can't bring myself to think it's a bad thing!  Using a few simple, fresh ingredients, you can whip up a delicious Mexican feast in next to no time.  Most of the ingredients are easy to find, but you may have to search to find chayotes, which are a squash variety native to central America.  If you cannot locate chayote, substitute yellow summer squash.  Serve with seasoned rice.

Baked Snapper
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t. dried oregano
2 whole snapper, cleaned*

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, garlic, and oregano. Now, make shallow incisions in the bodies of the fish on each side.  Place the fish in a baking dish large enough to accomodate both fish without them touching, then pour the lime juice blend into the fish's cavities and rub into the incisions, as shown in the photo.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve with Veracruz salsa.   

* You can also use fillets of firm whitefish, such as cod or tilapia, if you don't want to use whole fish.  If the fillets are less than 1 inch thick, reduce cooking time to 20 minutes. 

Veracruz Salsa
generous splash olive oil
2 fresh serrano chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 shallots, sliced into thin strips
4 tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. picked jalapenos
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives
generous grind fresh black pepper
salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chiles, garlic, bay leaves, and shallots, and cook until the shallot has softened, stirring intermittently.  Next, add the tomatoes, jalapenos, and cinnamon.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are no longer firm.  Now, add the olives and salt and pepper, and cook just until the olives are heated through.  Serve over baked fish.  This is also delicious added to rice.  　

Chayote Salad
2 chayotes, peeled and halved
2 tomatoes, diced
1 shallot, sliced into thin strips
3 T. olive oil
3 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. dijon mustard
1 t. anise seeds
salt and finely ground black pepper to taste

Boil the chayotes for 5-10 minutes, until the flesh has softened up a bit.  Let cool, then dice.  Combine the diced chayote and all remaining ingredients in a large glass bowl.  Serve cold.  　

Stinging Margaritas　
1/2 cup tequila
1 cup Simply Limeade
splash Triple Sec
1 serrano chile, halved
kosher salt mixed with a dusting of cayenne, to rim glasses

Combine all ingredients except salt in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes.  Shake for 30 seconds, then pour into margarita glasses rimmed with the spiced salt.  Recipe serves two. 

Bring on the Bagpipes, We're Drinkin' Some Scotch!

To quote Ron Burgandy:  "I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch scotch."

Last night, I attended a Dewars' Discovery event here in Boston. Dewars holds these events every year, and this is the first I've been able to attend - they fill up pretty quickly. A combination between a tasting and a class, the event itself was similar to The Wine Bottega's "Wine 101" lesson in that we were given samples of scotch, as well as samples of the flavor/aroma profiles to look for in a blended scotch - honey, citrus, floral, vanilla, and smoke. Then, using the varieties of single-malt scotches in front of us, we were asked to create our own blend, which I did, and I loved, even if I didn't follow directions. We also learned about the four scotch-producing regions of Scotland and the traits of their whiskys.


Here are several things I learned:

Speyside is where most of Scotland's distilleries are located, and its scotches are citrusy.


Lowlands scotches are lighter in texture, with a sweeter flavor.


Highlands scotches are floral, due to the presence of Heather.


Islay (shown on the map as "island") scotches are smoky, complex, and the absolute best thing to claim Scottish ancestry besides me. OK, most of that sentence is based on opinion rather than fact - but if you're looking for a smoky scotch that tends to bite the back of your throat, go for an Islay single-malt, such as one from Ardbeg or Laphroaig.


Being that this was not only an informative event but a promotional one, the Brand Ambassador obviously extolled the virtues of blended scotch. I have no problem with blended scotch, I've consumed many a bottle of Johnnie Black or Dewars' White. But I'm a single-malt girl, I like that thick smoke flavor you'll taste in the Islay scotches. However, in many cocktails, the complexity of a single-malt will be lost, so this is where blended scotch gets to shine. I've posted recipes for scotch-based cocktails that would work well with a blended scotch (Godfathers, and my original, the Consigliere); Dewars' also presented us with some nice options, such as one that appeared to be a scotch-based mojito, and scotch with ginger beer and lime.


When we got to create our own blends, we were asked to try to create a balanced blend. I didn't want to. I added the entire contents of my smoky Islay scotch to my glass, then I added the entire contents of the floral scotch , followed by half the citrusy scotch , half the vanilla scotch , and just a few drops of the honey scotch. We were explicitly told not to use the entire contents of the smoky scotch, but I've been explicitly told not to do a lot of things in my life. Just sayin'.


My blend would definitely not be approved by the Master Blenders at the Dewars distillery, but I certainly enjoyed it. After all, blending scotch is like making a tomato sauce, which is like creating art - there's no right or wrong answer because taste is subjective. Whether you prefer blends or single malts, smoky or sweet, mixed in a cocktail or served straight with a single ice cube, the important thing is that you enjoy it responsibly, and you enjoy it with friends.


Slàinte!

Sunday Dinner, Sunday Drinks

As I'm writing this post, I'm watching the snow coming down outside my window.  My roommate's pup is curled up on the chair next to me, and I'm drinking a ginormous cup of hot coffee.  All perfect things to do when it's cold outside.  Other perfect things to do when it's cold outside?  Start a slow-cooked, stick-to-your-bones Sunday dinner, watch football, and enjoy a smooth, spicy cocktail!

Yesterday, I started the day with an Irish coffee made with cinnamon and vanilla infused whiskey.  This spice blend made the whiskey taste completely appropriate for the season, and I think it would be great served on the rocks, but it will also lend itself to plenty of delicious wintry cocktails, which I will explore at a later time.  For now, I'll give you the recipe for the whiskey, and recommend throwing a splash of it in your coffee. 

Last night's dinner consisted of a Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast, and Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage.  A meal like this is best enjoyed when it's chilly outside.  I seasoned both the roast and the polenta with sage, fennel, garlic, and black pepper.  This spice combination compliments heavier foods extrremelly well, as the fennel and sage cut some of the richness to create a perfet balance of flavors.  The flavorful pork and the creamy polenta pair well with a cocktail made with scotch and Cardamaro, a spicy, bitter Italian liqueur similar to Amaro, but distilled from cardoons and artichokes.  Similar to a Godfather (my favorite drink) in that this is made from smoky scotch and an Italian liqueur, I appropriately named this new drink "The Consigliere."  Toast to Tom Hagen if you try one. 

Cinnamon and Vanilla Infused Whiskey

1 pint bottle Irish Whiskey (I prefer Jameson)
2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
1 vanilla bean, split down the middle

Start by removing about 1 shot from the bottle (a/k/a, do a shot).  Next, add the cinnamon pieces and vanilla bean to the bottle.  Close tightly, and shake for about 30 seconds.  Let sit for at least 24 hours, shaking occasionally. 

It is ready to go after 24 hours.  If you keep the vanilla and cinnamon in the bottle, it will continue to develop flavor.  If you like the seasoning to be subtle, remove them from the bottle (you  may have to strain it and re-bottle). 


Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast

1.5 pound pork loin roast
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. minced sage
2 t. rushed fennel seeds
generous amount of cracked black pepper
splash olive oil
4-6 slices center-cut bacon

Combine all the ingredients except the bacon in a large bowl.  Allow the pork roast to marinate for about 2 hours, turning it occasionally and rubbing the spices in with your hands. 

Preheat the oven to 500.  After the pork has marinated, lay the strips of bacon side-by-side on a small plate.  Place the pork roast in the center of the bacon strips.  Now, carefully pick up the plate and the roast, and invert it, placing the pork roast in a shallow baking dish so that the bacon-side is facing up (as shown). 

Use string or roast ties (they look like rubber bands but are oven-safe and heatproof), secure the bacon to the pork.  Now, place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes at 500. 

Once this is done, reduce the heat to 275.  Do not open the oven door.  Cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (if you are using a meat thermometer, you want the center to register at about 155 degrees)

When the pork is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.  Remove the string or ties, and carve into slices with a sharp knife.  Serve alone, or make a gravy out of the pan drippings (I like mine plain). 


Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage

2.5 cups water
2 t. cracked fennel
1/2 cup instant polenta (I prefer Pastene brand)
3 T. chopped sage
2 T. butter
2 oz. mountain gorgonzola (also called "gorgonzola piccante")
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water and cracked fennel.  Bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add the polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring.  The polenta will start to thicken up; at this point, add the sage, butter, gorgonzola, salt and pepper (you may want to go easy on the salt; gorgonzola tends to be salty).  Continue to stir - do not stop stirring, or the polenta will become lumpy and stick to the pan. 

Once the polenta is thickened, pour it into a shallow baking dish.  Spread it with a spatula so that it is about 1/2" thick.  Let the polenta "set" for a few minutes, and serve in slices along with the pork roast. 


The Consigliere

1.5 oz. smoky Scotch (I like Islay single-malts, such as Ardbeg)
1.5 oz. Cardamaro
1 oz. Limoncello

Combine in a tumbler over 2 ice cubes.  Stir, sip, and stay off the road. 


The Wartime Consigliere

This version adds Grappa, a fiery, potent liqueur made in Italy from the remnants of wine grapes. 

Follow the recipe above, using only 1/2 oz. limoncello.  Add 1/2 oz. grappa.

Sunday Funday!

After spending the last several Sundays being too lazy to do much of anything, I finally had some motivation this week to whip together some great food and drinks!  Yesterday was the perfect Sunday Funday – it was raining cats and dogs, so I did not feel bad about sitting on my duff in my pajamas, eating, day drinking, and watching football and hockey all day.

Before I get to the recipes, I have to share my belief as to what constitutes a great Sunday Funday.  The presence of good friends (or at least cool roommates) is key, and you must be wearing cozy, comfy clothing.  If you’ve gone out the night before and you’re not feeling so chipper in the morning hours, that’s OK; Sunday Funday is all about starting off with a little “hair of the dog” and continuing from there.  Good breakfast food and drinks, some munchies, some substantial food, good company, and a few good games are just what the doctor ordered! 

I kicked off my Sunday Funday with the perfect brunch cocktail – the “Bourbellini.”  I am not much of a bourbon drinker, I’m a scotch girl.  However, I’m a firm believer that scotch should not be poured before noon.  Enter Bourbon.  Bourbon is sweeter; it is not smoky like scotch, and therefore, it is perfect for my two brunch recipes, The Bourbellini, and Bacon & Bourbon French Toast.  

I created Bacon & Bourbon French Toast because I love the taste of bacon combined with maple syrup, and I wanted to showcase that flavor combination in a recipe.  I also love French Toast, so I decided to stay true to my title and make French Toast containing bacon, butter, and booze.  Rich, satisfying, and unique, this may have to be my go-to weekend breakfast from now on. 

For my snack dish, I managed to replicate Estragon’s Garbanzos Fritos, or fried chickpeas.  Crunchy and flavorful, serve them in a bowl and eat them like popcorn.  They’re a lot more satisfying!  And for the main dish, I cooked up my Halftime Steak, named as such because it takes no longer than an average halftime break to prepare and cook. 

There are only a few weeks of football left, so I suggest you shop for these ingredients on Saturday, gather the troops, and treat yourselves to these recipes on your next Sunday Funday! 

Bourbellini

1 oz. bourbon

1-2 oz. peach nectar

champagne or sparkling wine

Pour the bourbon and peach nectar into a champagne flute or wine glass (or a pint glass, depending on your style).  Fill the rest of the glass with champagne/sparkling wine, stir gently.  (makes 1)

WARNING:  This is a prime example of a danger drink, so do me a favor and don’t drive if you’re drinking these babies...

Bacon & Bourbon French Toast

4 slices center-cut bacon

4 large eggs

2 oz. bourbon

8 slices spongy bread (plain white is fine, as long as it’s fresh)

butter

Powdered sugar

Maple syrup

In a frying pan with a large cooking surface (big enough to hold at least 2 slices of bread), cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp.  Turn off heat, remove the bacon from pan and set aside on paper towels; do not drain the bacon fat from the pan, but remove any charred bits.

Once the bacon has cooled enough to touch, crumble it into very small pieces (you may have to use a knife and chop it a little if it’s not crispy enough to crumble using your hands).   Place the crumbled bacon in a shallow dish large enough to lay one slice of the bread completely flat.  Add the eggs and the bourbon to this dish, and beat the egg, bacon and bourbon mixture with a fork or whisk until the eggs’ yolk and white are completely blended. 

Place the pan containing the bacon drippings over medium heat, and add a pat of butter.  In the meantime, lay one of the slices of bread in the egg mixture until it is completely coated on one side; flip it over and repeat so that both sides of the bread are completely covered with the egg mixture.  Now, add the coated bread to the pan with the bacon drippings, and fry for a minute or two on each side, or until the bread begins to turn golden brown.  Repeat with the remaining slices (you’ll probably have to work in batches), removing with a spatula and adding a little extra butter to the pan between batches (if necessary). 

Serve in stacks of 2-4 slices, dusted with a bit of powdered sugar.  Offer maple syrup, extra butter, and Bourbellinis! 









Garbanzos Fritos

1 can chickpeas, drained
splash olive oil
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Dry the chickpeas completely, using paper towels.  This is a very important step; if they are not completely dry, they will not fry correctly. 

Heat a frying pan with deep sides over high heat, and add a generous splash of olive oil to completely coat the bottom of the pan.    Add the chickpeas to the pan and cook, shaking occasionally, until you can hear the chickpeas "pop."  If you have a splatter guard, you may want to use it.  This should take about 8 minutes.  You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan. 

Drain the fried chickpeas on a paper towel, then add to a bowl and toss with all remaining ingredients until chickpeas are completely coated.  Serve warm.


Halftime Steak

2 steaks, about 1 inch thick (I use sirloin or filet mignon)
1 clove garlic, halved
kosher salt
coarsely ground black pepper
butter, softened
several paper-thin slices of garlic (think Goodfellas!)

Before kickoff, place your steaks out so that they've reached room temperature by halftime.

As soon as the 2nd quarter ends, heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan, preferably cast-iron, over high heat.  In the meantime, rub the steaks with the garlic clove halves, and then season each side of the steaks with a pinch of kosher salt and a generous coating of black pepper.

Once the steaks are seasoned, check to see if your pan is ready.  If you fling a few drops of water on the surface, they should bead up and dance across the pan rather than staying put and sizzling. 

Once the pan is ready, throw a few pinches of kosher salt into the pan, then add the steaks.  Sear for 1-3 minutes per side, using tongs to turn them over.  (Note:  This timing will result in a rare steak.  If you want yours medium or well, it takes longer.  Not sure how much longer; I eat my steak rare!)

Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside to rest for approx. 5 minutes.  This is very important that you do not touch the steaks while they rest; this step distributes the juices. 

When the steaks are ready to serve, sprinkle a few paper-thin slices of garlic on each one, and top with a pad of butter.  Once the butter has melted, they're ready to eat!  Good accompaniments are baked potatoes or seasoned boiled rice (I prefer rice with a dab of Aji Sauce, a recipe I am still trying to perfect and will post once I'm satisfied).

New Cocktail Recipe - The Velvet Rope

Oops, I did it again…I have been extremely busy this week with trainings at the MSPCA animal shelter and preparing baked goods for their Halloween bake sale, which has turned out to be a more ambitious undertaking than I had imagined.  I’m making some treats for humans – Roasted Garlic Focaccia, Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti, and Chestnut Raisin Cookies – but most of my goodies are for the pups.  Last night, I made enough dough to make at least 300 “Canine Crumpets.”  Each time I’ve glanced at my to-do list, I’ve asked myself, “Sweetie, what were you thinking?!?”  I’ve realized that I’m no Martha Stewart – I’m more like her Black Sheep kid sister who says semi-questionable things at the dinner table and makes the drinks a little too strong.  But to all the rescue dogs who will be sampling my Canine Crumpets, I’m a domestic goddess, and their opinions are the only ones that truly matter this weekend.

Because I’ve been busy baking, I haven’t posted in a few days.  I don’t want to leave my readers hanging, so I’ll give you a great cocktail recipe that I created this summer.  Named "The Velvet Rope" because of its color, this vodka-based cocktail was inspired by the cover of Vogue’s July issue (right) featuring French actress Marion Cotillard.  The rich color of her dress, the hint of lace peeking out at her neckline, the dark lipstick – sweet, strong, and mysterious, with a spicy edge – just like the following drink.

The Velvet Rope

1 ½ oz. premium vodka, such as Ketel One

3 oz. organic 100% black cherry juice

½ t. bitter dark chocolate syrup*

1 thin slice habanero pepper

Combine in a shaker with ice, serve in a stemless martini glass, and wait for the hint of pepper to fire up your lips! 

VARIATION:  For a unique and artistic presentation, garnish by skewering one whole habanero pepper between two cherries. 

*  To make bitter dark chocolate syrup, combine 1 T. boiling water with 1 T. premium cocoa powder in a small bowl.  Whisk until the cocoa powder is completely blended and no lumps remain.  Let cool.

Tales from the Tasting, Tuscan Martinis

Last night, The Wine Bottega on Hanover Street hosted a tasting featuring wines from France’s Loire Valley imported by Louis/Dressner, along with special guest Joe Dressner, one of the company’s partners and “kind of a big deal” in the wine world. 

What does that mean to me?  Squat!  After all, I still buy the $7 glass jugs of Carlo Rossi Chianti (I tell myself it’s just for my Chianti Tomato Sauce, but I always down a glass or two while I’m prepping and stirring).  But, the reason I began writing this blog was to record my culinary adventures and share any lessons I learn along the way, so I figured I should attend this event.  I’m very glad I did.

We tasted about 9 different wines, beginning with the whites and moving on to the reds.  Each was completely different from the previous, but if you asked me to describe those differences, I would sit there with the classic Deer In Headlights look on my face before replying, “why don’t you taste them yourself?  Then you’ll understand.”  That was the moment that I knew I had to ask Bottega’s proprietors if they had some sort of “Wine for Dummies” session that I could attend.  They do, and kindly, it is called “Wine 101,” not “The Moron’s Guide To Wine” or something along those lines! 

I am very excited to attend Wine 101– I love drinking wine, I can definitely taste the subtle differences between blends, but asking me to describe a specific wine or how one region’s blend differs from another would be like asking me to write a love song in another language – I know what I’m feeling, I know what I want to say, but if I don’t have the words to convey those thoughts to an audience so that they can relate and sing along, what’s the point? 

I have a feeling that no matter what I learn about wine, I’ll probably always stick to my Italian reds, such as Chianti, but variety is the spice of life.  My goal as a student is to learn to spot the differences in Italian regional varieties, and I’d like to soak up as much knowledge as I can about wines hailing from Italy’s Abruzzo region, which is the homeland of my Italian ancestors! 

Speaking of Italy, along with the world’s best wine, food, and people, it also produces Limoncello, a sweet and quite potent lemon-flavored liqueur.  In Italy, it is consumed as an after-dinner drink, served in cordial glasses and sipped slowly, but in the States it is more likely to be used as an ingredient in cocktails, as I have done in my original cocktail, the Tuscan Martini. 

Tuscan Martini 

6-8 pitted green olives (3-4 per glass, depending on size)

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 lemon slices

2 oz. limoncello

2 oz. dry vermouth

4 oz. gin (rosemary-infused gin is perfect for this recipe!)

serves 2

Prepare the garnishes for two martini glasses:

Thread 3-4 olives on a sprig of fresh rosemary, as shown in the photo.  

Using a sharp knife, remove the zest from the lemon slices, keeping it in one strip.  Twist it, add it to the glass.  Cut away the white pith from the lemon slice, use as a garnish on the rim of the glass. 

In a large shaker filled halfway with ice, combine the limoncello, vermouth, gin, and leaves from the remaining rosemary.  Shake well for approximately 20 seconds, then pour into the prepared martini glasses.  Serve immediately, and sip slowly – these babies are strong! 

VARIATION:  To make your Tuscan martini dirty, add a splash of the olive juice to the glass. 

Eating vs. Refueling, Putting Food On Your Family, Salad and Cocktail Recipes

Time certainly flies when you’re having fun!  I spent this weekend in Portsmouth, NH visiting my mom, and – as always – we spent a majority of the time shopping for food, cooking food, and eating food, with a quick trip to the gym, a visit to the flower gardens at Strawberry Banke, and a few movies and I Love Lucy reruns thrown into the mix.  Compare sprawling out on my mom’s couch in my pajamas, eating a bowl of homemade cream of mushroom soup, and drinking a glass of wine at 3:00 in the afternoon to today’s eating experience – shoving a few Fig Newtons in my mouth between sips of mediocre pre-ground coffee and pesky phone calls, taking in small spoonfuls of Au Bon Pain soup and keeping my fingers crossed that nobody speaks to me while I’m on my lunch break, and hoping I have time to microwave a package of Top Ramen to snack on this afternoon.  There’s eating, and there’s refueling via introducing edible substances to one’s digestive tract.  I much prefer eating.

Remember when George W. remarked, "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family?"  Although eloquence escaped him, he didn't reference putting food on the table or in the refrigerator.  There is a connection between food and family, and the thought that food and family are separate entities is completely foreign to me.  The way I was raised, where there’s food, there’s family, and where there’s family, there’s food.  I know that this isn’t necessarily common anymore, especially among non-Italian families.  I have to wonder if eating together as a family makes a difference in how one approaches food.  Did sharing meals with my mom throughout my childhood cause me to view food as a social tool and not a function of survival?  I don’t dare to explain it; I just sit back and feel thankful that something necessary for my survival happens to be my life’s greatest joy.

So what did my mom and I eat this weekend? Cream of mushroom soup made with homemade chicken stock, bacon-topped stuffed peppers, real mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, pancakes, breakfast sausage, fruit salad, maple nut ice cream, fried green tomatoes, egg salad sandwich rolls, beef tenderloin tips, sautéed broccoli rabe, creamy polenta, mixed green salads, and a fun new whiskey drink – the Gaelic Bellini.

Here are the recipes for two of the above-referenced dishes:

Individual Mixed Green Salads

2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
1 cup chopped dandelion greens
1 t. finely minced red onion
1 T. grated parmigiano-reggiano
Splash olive oil
Splash wine vinegar *
A few drops chile oil, or a pinch of crushed red chile flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss until well-mixed.

*  Red and white wine vinegar are generally interchangeable. To spruce them up, try adding combinations of herbs and spices. Some of my favorites are: rosemary and de Arbol chiles in red wine vinegar; lavender, crushed fennel seeds, and basil in white wine vinegar; tarragon, crushed green or black peppercorns, and a splash of dry vermouth in white wine vinegar. To make these, simply add 1-2 T. of your selected seasonings to a 12oz. bottle of wine vinegar, shake well every day for about a week, at which time they are ready for use.  I like to combine them in pretty, decorative bottles that would make Martha Stewart proud!



Gaelic Bellini

1 oz. Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson)
3 oz. peach nectar
3 oz. ginger ale

Combine in a highball glass, stir, and serve.

I'm Gonna Make You A Cocktail You Can't Refuse...

Finally home after a day that seemed to exist for no other reason than to prove the validity of Murphy's Law.  I should cook something fabulous to bring the cosmos back into equilibrium and balance out the yuckiness, but it's currently 90-some degrees out and humid, and the kitchen is a mess.  Order in?  Yeah right - it's August 31, which is moving day in Boston.  Because standard apartment leases expire today, many people are scrambling to get out of their old apartments and into their new ones; therefore, Boston's already-congested streets are blocked with moving vans, garbage trucks, and delivery drivers dropping off pizzas and lo mein to city dwellers who haven't yet filled their fridges.  Delivery would take far too long - Top Ramen and a salad for dinner seems like the best bet! 

I'm not cooking tonight, but I'm not going to leave you hanging, either.  So, instead of fancy food, I'm serving up something smooth, strong, and soothing.  Tonight, I'm going to make you a cocktail you can't refuse!

Godfather
2oz. smoky scotch
1oz. amaretto

Serve in a tumbler over ice, and sip slowly!

Busy Weekend! Pina Claddagh, Recipe Basics

Whew!  I am exhausted, but not too exhausted to post.  I made some delicious food this weekend - Black Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Orange Sauce, Roasted Garlic Focaccia, Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta, Ranch Pizza, and a wonderful cocktail called a "Pina Claddagh" (as you may have noticed, I love putting a Celtic spin on recipes that originated far from Ireland and the U.K.!).  Below are the recipes for the Pina Claddagh and for the building blocks of my recipes - Roasted Garlic, Roasted Red Peppers, and Black Pasta.  I will post the full dinner recipes tomorrow.  Yes, this is a cop-out because I'm too tired to write, but think about it this way - before you take the cool class with the cool professor, you've gotta sit through the required intro class before you get your hands dirty with the fun stuff!

Before I get to the recipes, I would like to share my experience with the ranch pizza, which came dangerously close to being an epic fail and frustrated me to the point where I almost burst into tears - after all, my roommate's sister, her husband, and their children were over for dinner, and I would have been humiliated if I'd served a pizza that was simultaneously undercooked and burnt while saying, "By the way, I'm writing a food/recipe blog!"  Had I not been able to salvage the pizza, I would have felt like my credibility had just been flushed down the crapper, but I managed to rescue the pizza and it turned out OK.  I felt like one of the Top Chef contestants who just barely escapes being voted off the show!  Anyway, now that I've done a test run on the Ranch Pizza I can tweak the recipe so it turns out the way I intended, and once that happens I'll share the recipe.  P.S.- it contains bacon! 

As promised, here is the cocktail recipe and the three basic building blocks of the recipes that worked: 

Pina Claddagh
I must warn you - the Pina Claddagh is what I call a "Danger Drink," meaning that you may not be completely able to taste the alcohol in your drink.  Helpful hint - it's there!

1 17.6oz can Goya Toasted Coconut Water*
1 cup fresh cubed pineapple
3oz. Irish whiskey
splash maraschino cherry juice
several ice cubes
maraschino cherries, to garnish

In a blender, puree the coconut water and pineapple.  Pour the puree through a fine sieve, then pour the strained liquid into a cocktail shaker with the whiskey, cherry juice and ice cubes; shake for 20 seconds.  Pour into two stemless martini glasses and add a maraschino cherry to each.  Enjoy responsibly. 

Variation - To make into a frozen drink, divide the can of coconut water.  Make half into ice cubes; reserve the other half.  Puree the coconut ice cubes, remaining coconut water, and remaining ingredients except cherries in blender.  Pour into two glasses and garnish with cherries. 

*  You can use plain coconut water, but the toasted has a sweeter flavor.  Find in the Hispanic/Latino section of most major supermarkets. 

Roasted Garlic:
1 head garlic
1-2t. olive oil
1t. white wine

Preheat the oven to 350.  Peel away the garlic's papery skin so all that remains is the skin sticking to the individual cloves.  Once this is done, trim off the top of the head so that the tips of the cloves are exposed (as seen in the picture).  Place on a sheet of aluminum foil. 

Next, pour the olive oil and white wine on the exposed cloves.  Bring up the ends of the tinfoil to make a little package - it should be shaped like a Hershey's Kiss.  Place this in the oven and bake for about an hour.  Once it is cool to touch, you can easily remove the individual cloves from their skin and use them for recipes.  Any cloves that you do not use for recipes can be stored in a jar covered in olive oil.  If you choose to store them, add a pinch of salt and make sure that the cloves are completely immersed in the oil and none are exposed - exposure to air could cause them to spoil and become unsafe for consumption. 





Roasted Red Peppers
red peppers, cored and sliced lengthwise at natural rib

Preheat the broiler on high.  Arrange the peppers on a baking sheet covered in foil (this makes clean-up much easier).  Pop these under the broiler for 5-10 minutes, or until the peppers' skins have turned black and charred. 

Remove the baking sheet from the oven.  Using tongs, a fork, or some other kind of tool so you don't burn yourself, place the roasted peppers in a bowl.  Cover the bowl and let the peppers cool. 

Once peppers have cooled, you can remove their skins.  Gently peel off the charred skin and discard skin.  The peppers are now ready to use for recipes, and, like the roasted garlic, any unused peppers can be stored in a jar covered in olive oil.







Black Pasta
2c. flour
2 eggs
2t. squid ink
1t. salt
1T. olive oil

In all honesty, the hardest part of this recipe is tracking down a retailer who sells squid ink!  Once you do that, the rest is a piece of cake.  Simply follow the same steps I listed in my tagliatelle recipe, adding the squid ink at the same time as the eggs, olive oil, and salt.  The squid ink will make the pasta dough a little stickier, so be sure to dust with extra flour.  Here are some photos from the process:

It's Cocktail Hour!

When I think of London, I think of rain, Kate Moss, and Austin Powers.  I don't think of margaritas.  However, London's dreary climate does not mean that certain ingredients popular in British cooking don't lend themselves nicely to a frozen drink served up in a margarita glass!  Don't forget that because the Brits colonized India, many native Indian ingredients became popular in Britain, including ginger, which is featured in this recipe.

Try your hand at making these mock margaritas with Britain's beloved booze, gin. 

London Margaritas
2 c. frozen honeydew cubes
1 c. ginger beer *
1 c. gin (I prefer Plymouth or Beefeater)
1/4 c. Midori
1/4t. finely ground black pepper
kosher salt
powdered ginger
lemon juice


Combine all ingredients except salt and powdered ginger in a blender.  Combine a few teaspoons of salt and a small shake of powdered ginger on a plate, use this mixture to rim margarita glasses (to rim a glass, moisten the edge of the glass with a tiny bit of lemon juice and dip the edge of the glass in the salt/ginger mixture).  Pour mixture from blender into glasses and garnish each with a quick grind of fine black pepper.  This recipe should approximately fill 4 standard-sized margarita glasses.

* Ginger BEER is very different from Ginger ALE.  You can find Ginger Beer in better supermarkets and gourmet food stores.  Maine Root Handcrafted Sodas makes a good one.

For liability's sake, I should tell you to drink responsibly.