This and That | March 2013

St. Patrick's Day...in food and drink.
If I can make something specifically for a holiday, like Irish soda bread for St. Pat's or pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, I'm going to go overboard.  And I'm going to love it.  Soda bread has been a St. Pat's tradition, as have car bomb shots, for several years.  The potatoes baked with dill and corned beef are a newer tradition, making an appearance last year and this year with approval from the boys.

whole wheat soda bread with raisins

Guinness sausages and onions cooked in stout

baked potatoes cooked with dill and corned beef
(well, actually pastrami...but close enough)

Great Lakes Brewing Company's
Conway's Irish Ale
A favorite tradition for St. Pat's

car bomb shots

my mini-beaker shot class was too light to sink to the bottom

so it floated on top of the thick Guinness foam

This cranberry dressing and these salad greens

My new found love of brussels sprouts led me to try a raw brussels sprouts salad...which wasn't quite my favorite.  But the dressing! Easy to make (just use your blender!), a beautiful color, and that perfect mix of tangy-sweet flavor. Even though I omitted the basil in the original recipe, I was quite happy with my dressing. I may have dipped apple slices meant for my salad into the dressing during assembly and loved it.

cranberry, honey, mustard dressing

make a batch in your blender and

store it in the fridge for a week or two

I'm not much of a salad person (yet).  But I've found myself eating a salad with these greens three times this week. They have a little more flavor and texture than your average iceberg or romaine lettuce, but they don't overwhelm with flavor.  When paired with the cranberry dressing and apple slices, it's so dang tasty.

A Penzy's Spices near my apartment?!?!

This means bad, bad things for my already overwhelmed spice shelf...  but good things for me! 

That sweet curry is destined for a curried carrot cupcake recipe.  The rest is just for fun...and because I can't resist.

A dinner party

Even though I was the one calling it a dinner "party" (it was just dinner), I was so excited to plan and make dinner for Eric's band.  It seemed like I wowed them, which felt pretty great.

Wedding things are moving along

My dress - check! 

(though no pictures until the big day, so I don't ruin the surprise for Eric.  He's been told my dress is multicolored, spangled and sparkly, with feathers, polka dots, and lots of ruffles!)

Save the Dates sent - check!

Linens, plates, chairs ordered for venue - check! 

(done while sipping mimosas and bloody mary's, thanks to Buckeye Vodka and Prime Time Party Rental!)

Bridesmaid's dresses - in process, but I'm going to give it a check!

My parents are even taking dancing lessons! How sweet!

Slowly moving my things in to Eric's house and organizing them in a way that works for both of us - in the process!  It's so much crazier than you'd expect! When did I accumulate so. much. stuff.?

Up next:
Photographer
Food tasting for reception venue
Meeting with the priest/church coordinator
Florist
Cake tastings!!! (I may be more than a bit excited about this one. I'm definitely going to employ Shannon's advice, asking for another taste because I just can't decide...)

Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Cream Liqueur and Martini

I promised you all things pumpkin, and so I shall deliver.

Meet Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Creme Liqueur.  As you can surmise from the name alone, Fulton's Harvest is a creme liqueur similar in texture to Bailey's Irish Creme, except its flavors are uniquely autumnal. Its creamy texture yields a distinctive pumpkin flavor and more subtle tastes of spice, molasses, and vanilla.  Exactly like a pumpkin pie, but in a more drinkable form...with a hint of booze at 12.5% ABV/25 proof.  Best of all is the wonderfully low price you'll pay for Fulton's Harvest - around $10 per bottle.

Just like Bailey's, this liqueur is delicious served over ice and sipped slowly.  Or added to your coffee for a pumpkin-spice-mildly boozy kick.  And don't even get me started with how amazing it is in hot chocolate!

You can also use Fulton's Harvest in any cream based cocktail you can imagine. Like a pumpkin variant of a white Russian.  Or a pumpkin pie martini...

Pumpkin Pie Martini

from Amy Tobin (get the original recipe here)

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part vanilla vodka (alternatively, use 1 part plain vodka + 1/2 - 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

1 part Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur

1/2 part creme de cacao

For an optional garnish:  crushed graham crackers, whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice

Preparation:

If garnishing, dip the rim of a martini glass in vodka, then the graham cracker crumbs. Set aside.

Combine the vodka, Fulton's Harvest, and creme de cacao in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake well, then strain the mixture into a martini glass.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.


Cheers to pumpkins!!!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Friends, I've been holding out on you.  I've been enjoying pumpkin-laden baked goods and homemade pumpkin spice lattes for weeks now.  For failing to share my information, will you please forgive me?  Please?  I'll make it up to you, with recipes for everything, starting with pumpkin spice lattes.  All you have to make is a pumpkin spice mixture you store in the refrigerator, then you add warmed pumpkin spice mixture to your coffee each morning.

As a word of warning, the pumpkin spice mixture is far too easy to eat by the spoonful. You may also find yourself tipping the container of pumpkin spice mixture directly into your mouth.  I won't judge. I've already done it. Repeatedly.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

From A Farmgirl's Dabbles (get the original recipe here)

Makes enough pumpkin spice mixture for 7-8 homemade lattes

Ingredients for the pumpkin spice mixture:

1  15 oz. can of pumpkin puree

2 cups milk (preferably whole milk)

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated, it's incomparable)

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. allspice

Ingredients for the pumpkin spice latte:

Approx. 1/2 cup of pumpkin spice mixture

Approx. 1 cup of strong, freshly brewed coffee

Whipped cream, cinnamon, dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Preparation for the pumpkin spice mixture:

Combine all the mixture ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds, until well mixed.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To prepare the pumpkin spice latte:

Brew approximately 1 cup of strong coffee. 

Stir or shake your refrigerated container of pumpkin spice mixture to redistribute the ingredients; they tend to separate.  Pour approximately 1/2 cup of pumpkin spice mixture (you can use more or less, depending on your preference) into a large mug.  Microwave for 20-40 seconds on high to warm the mixture. 

Add the freshly brewed coffee to the pumpkin spice mixture, stir, and enjoy!  If you're feeling fancy, add the whipped cream, cinnamon, and dark chocolate shavings.  

Note: the pumpkin spice mixture will settle out of the coffee, so give it a stir before every sip.

Warmed pumpkin spice mixture...

...with coffee added

Homemade pumpkin spice lattes have made these increasingly chilly and dark mornings far more bearable.  Plus I feel as if this homemade version is healthier than the highly caloric (but oh so delicious) Starbucks version.

Plenty more pumpkin recipes to come!

What is your favorite pumpkin dish?

Sangria and A Box

Eric sometimes accuses me of being snooty about food and drink.  I bring up the fact that I'm perfectly happy drinking PBR (his favorite beer) and chowing down on the amazing chicken wings from the hole-in-the-wall bar he frequents on Monday nights.  But I also enjoy trying new flavors and different combinations and appreciating local or hand-crafted treats like Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.  It's a curious dichotomy, but most of the time it works.

But I can't completely deny that I can be snooty about food and drink at times.  A perfect example:  I thought wine from a box could never be good.  I was channeling the likes of Franzia and the crazy drinking of Franzia that people did in college. Slap the sack? Box races? Yikes. Thankfully I never participated in any Franzia-related drinking (phew!).  So until this summer, I'd never tried wine from a box.  I avoided it like the plague, certain it had to be even worse than the worst bottle of wine I'd ever tasted (and that would be a particularly revolting German bubbly purchased from Trader Joe's for less than $6 for New Years...oof...lesson learned).

This summer, though, an article in Women's Health magazine made me think twice, informing me the boxed wines of today are actually really good wines.  They're no longer cheap wines made even cheaper (ahem, Franzia).  Many are produced by well-respected quality vineyards.  And there are even pros to buying boxed wine over bottled wine!  First, it's usually a better monetary value.  This box of Big House Red cost about $22 and holds the equivalent of three bottles.  Second, the wine is inside a plastic bag that collapses as you drink, preventing air from accessing the remaining wine.  This would prevent oxidation that can spoil an open bottle of wine in just a few days! Brilliant, I say! If I can't finish a bottle of wine in four days, I refuse to open the bottle. It just goes bad too darn quickly, and I hate wasting vino.

So, long story short, I tried one of the boxed wines mentioned in the article.  I went for Big House Red, a blend of 14 different grapes that created bold, rich, jammy fruit flavors equally perfect for grilled foods or dark chocolate. And if you're afraid that 14 types of grapes is too much and surely it tastes muddled, I promise you it's not. It's absolutely lovely--well-balanced and full-bodied.  Big House has masterful skill at blending because it highlights the best aspects of each type of grape.

In a glass, Big House Red is delicious.

In sangria, Big House Red is even more delicious.

And the best thing?  Three weeks after opening Big House Red to make sangria, I had a glass of wine and it was absolutely amazing, as great as the first glass.

Give quality boxed wines a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised. I was!

Red Wine Sangria
From Made in Spain by Jose Andres
Makes 1 pitcher

Ingredients:
1 bottle red wine
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange liquor
1/4 cup unflavored vodka
splash of ruby port
2 oranges, thinly sliced into rounds
2 Granny Smith apples, cubed
1 strip of lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
splash of soda water

Preparation:
Wash your oranges, apples, and lemon, then cut accordingly.

Combine all ingredients except for the orange juice and soda water in a large pitcher.  Stir and refrigerate for at least 4 hours..though overnight or 12-24 hours is best.

Before serving, add the orange juice and soda water. Give it a brief stir and serve.

Notes:
--I prefer dry wines, so I've only ever used those when making sangria (or anything, really).  And I prefer Spanish wines because I am the most familiar with them.  My favorite? Tempranillo, which is full of rich dark berry flavor and a hint of spice.  You can find a lot of wines made with tempranillo grapes (either 100% or a blend) that are very reasonably priced from $8 to $15.  I am especially partial to Tarima (it has a huge flower on the label), which is about $11.

--I didn't happen to have any brandy on hand, so I swapped in something I did have.  I used a 1/2 cup of Grand Marnier, a blend of cognac and orange liquor, to meet my brandy and orange liquor needs.

--I've made this sangria with and without ruby port, depending on whether it's in the house.  It's nice if you have it, but it's not a make it or break it ingredient. There's plenty of flavor without it!

--I used my favorite vodka, Buckeye Vodka, produced in Dayton, Ohio.  Please try to avoid the hangover-inducing vodkas you might have known in your college days (I'm looking at you, Kamchatka. You know what you did.).

--To get a strip of lemon zest, use your vegetable peeler and then use a knife to scrape the white pith off.  If you don't have a vegetable peeler, cut a section of the peel off of the citrus and scrape/cut the white pith off.  I typically use a 2-4 inch strip of zest.

--A friend of mine asks for the sangria-soaked fruit when the pitcher is done. Give it try...maybe you'll look forward to finishing the pitcher too.

By the Book: Fizzy Lifting Drink

In the kitchen, trying new things can open up entirely new realms of possibility. New foods, new flavors, new techniques, new combinations. I'm looking at you, food trucks fusing Mexican and Asian foods together.

There's a downside to trying new things, though. We don't like to talk about it. But sometimes...sometimes new things aren't as awesome as you expected.  That doesn't mean you won't try it again.  Maybe you made a mistake in preparation. Maybe you just weren't ready.  I speak from personal experience here.  It wasn't until I wanted to eat vegetables that I actually enjoyed eating them and craved them. So trust me on this.

I tried this recipe with high expectations. I'm calling it a flop, with the caveat that I likely went overboard with the vinegar... I will try it again with a more cautious dose of vinegar.

So...this wasn't exactly my favorite drink.  I gave it a solid try, but had to pour it down the sink, bemoaning the loss of perfectly good ginger ale and vodka (I clearly have priorities).  It wasn't my favorite, but that doesn't mean it might not be yours.

Fizzy Lifting Drink
From The Sugar Cube: 50 Deliciously Twisted Treats from the Sweetest Little Food Cart on the Planet by Kir Jensen
Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1 cup ginger ale
1/2 - 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 - 2 tbsp. Japanese plum drinking vinegar (aka Ume plum vinegar)
Ice
2 oz. vodka (optional)

Preparation:
Pour ginger ale into a tall glass half-filled with ice. Add grated ginger and plum vinegar and vodka, if using. Stir with a spoon and drink up!

Notes:
--I went all out with 2 tbsp. of plum vinegar. I'd strongly suggest you start out at 1 tbsp...and add more in if so desired. The vinegar has a very salty and bitter flavor that threw me. Not even my favorite ginger ale could make it better.
--When it comes to ginger ale, I don't think you can beat Reed's Extra Ginger Brew. Their raspberry ginger brew is terrific too.

Check out the fizz!

Lavender and Honey Lemonade

I probably should've told you about this sooner.  You see, summer is wrapping up and we're all eager to move onto fall things, like cozy sweaters, steaming hot drinks, spice cakes, and every possible permutation of food + pumpkin you could imagine (my favorite? pumpkin ice cream).

But I want summer to stay awhile, and it's not just for the extra hours of daylight and the feel of sunshine on my skin (though those are quite excellent reasons on their own).  It's for this lemonade.  Everything about it just...well...glows summer.  Yes, I said it. It glows.  See below for proof.

It also refreshes and rejuvenates, which is very much needed in the summer. It's elegant enough to serve at a fancy garden party, should you happen to do those sorts of things.  Yet it's relaxed enough for a family dinner or a night sitting on the patio, wrapped in a blanket.

This might be one of those things I make mid-winter, when I'm longing for summer and forgotten what it's like to be warm.

Please forgive me for not sharing this with you sooner, but I hope you find it worth the wait.

Lavender and Honey Lemonade
from Joy the Baker (get the original recipe here )
Makes enough for 1 large pitcher

You'll make a lavender-honey simple syrup you can store in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, just mix the syrup with lemon juice and water for a fantastic drink.

Lavender-honey syrup

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup honey

3 heaping tbsp. dried culinary lavender

2 cups fresh lemon juice

4 cups (or more) water, to taste

Preparation:

Make the syrup:

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups water and the sugar.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in the honey and lavender.  Cover the saucepan and let steep for 15-20 minutes.  Pour the syrup through a mesh strainer, pressing the lavender trapped in the strainer to release as much liquid as possible.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Make the lemonade:

In a large pitcher, combine all of the syrup and lemon juice.  Add water to taste.  If you're adding ice cubes, remember to add less water so the ice melting does not dilute your lemonade.  Stir well, chill, and enjoy.

Lavender lemonade

Matcha Lemon Chiller

Poised on the highest shelf in my kitchen are two plastic bins of tea. All types of tea - black, green, hibiscus, rooibos, herbal, yerba mate...  It's an appreciation for tea gone terribly astray.  But every weekday morning without fail (I often fail on the weekends, simply because I'm not groggily following my morning routine), I make a travel mug of tea to take to work.  Usually it's green tea, so I can reap all those marvelous nutritional benefits...antioxidants!...helps burn fat!...helps curb hunger!

This summer, though, I've been trying something different for at least a few days a week. It's still tea. Matcha tea, to be specific. Matcha is ground green tea leaves that you drink or use in baking.  Inspired by a recipe from another blog, I made a matcha - honey - lemon concoction that chilled in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, it was the perfect way to keep cool in the morning. And I bet this drink is wonderful when sipped on the patio in the afternoon.

Matcha Lemon Chiller
Adapted from Inspired Edibles (get the original recipe here)
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. matcha powder
1.5 cups water, just before boiling if you can
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp. honey or agave nectar

Lots of lovely lemon zest

Preparation:
Bring the water to just before a boil. While it is heating, put your matcha powder into a heat-safe container. (I use a glass mason jar). When your water is ready, pour it onto your matcha powder. Add honey or agave nectar and lemon zest. Stir well...though I never seem to stir enough to get the matcha to dissolve, so do what you can.  Add lemon juice. Store in the refrigerator overnight in an airtight container. Give it a brief stir before enjoying the next morning.

Note: the original recipe called for steeping mint leaves in the hot water.  I tried it, but realized I preferred the chiller without the mint. I also tried using only lime juice and zest, which was too harshly tart for my taste.  Feel free to add your own strokes of genius. And add more matcha powder if that's your thing.

It's not another green smoothie!
It's a matcha lemon chiller...and it's green too.

Now that I'm drinking matcha, I'm looking forward to testing the matcha-melon milkshake from the first Baked cookbook and matcha with milk.

Agua Frescas & More For Everyone!

Summer, in my little apartment, is a grueling affair.  It gets hot...and stays hot. It also traps humidity - just look at my hair for proof.  My roommate and I agree that our apartment trains us to endure the Midwest's heat and humidity, as we sweat while cooking, sitting on the couch, or even showering.  The best pose to assume in our roasty little place is sprawled on the floor between two fans.  

You can see we need serious refreshment.

This summer, we trotted out agua frescas, a traditional and delightfully refreshing drink from Latin America.  They're super simple, they keep in the fridge for a week or two (so it's blessedly cool!), and, best of all, they do not require turning on the oven or stove. 

Honeydew - Basil Agua Fresca

From The Kitchen.com (get the original recipe here )

Ingredients:

1 honeydew melon

2 cups cold water

4 tsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. basil simple syrup (recipe below) - 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, handful of washed basil leaves

Preparation:

Make basil simple syrup.  Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar is entirely dissolved.  Turn off heat and add the washed basil leaves. Cover for 10-15 minutes.  Pour through a strainer to remove basil leaves. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.

Wash, peel, and cube the melon.  Working in batches, puree the melon with water in a blender.  Strain the puree through a mesh sieve into a pitcher. You'll need to use a spoon or rubber spatula to squeeze as much juice as possible from the solids.

Add the lime juice to the pitcher (I added the juice of a whole lime because I like it tart) and stir to combine. You can store the pitcher in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, though I'd suggest keeping it covered and hopefully airtight.

To serve, pour the chilled agua fresca into a glass and add basil simple syrup to taste. Stir to combine and be refreshed.

Notes:
*Try frozen melon cubes instead of ice cubes to keep your drink cold.

For more ideas, check out the recipes for three inventive combinations for agua frescas at Matt Bites.  I am longing to try the strawberry-thyme combination!  Perhaps with some liquor for an evening cocktail, sipped outside as the sun goes down.  Sounds amazing, right?

Also check out the other recipe from TheKitchn.com link to the original recipe, because there's also a recipe for watermelon-lime agua fresca.

And it's not an agua fresca, but it's close - another recipe from TheKitchn.com for Watermelon - Strawberry Cooler.  I made the juice portion, but didn't add chia seeds until I poured an individual glass of the drink.  The chia seeds are entirely optional, but I enjoy their mildly gelatinous texture after they've absorbed some liquid (fun fact: chia seeds can absorb up to 9 times their weight in liquid!). They're like miniature tapioca pearls.  A pitcher of this refreshing drink has been my summer savior against the rising heat.

Cool, refreshing, hydrating, and oh-so-easy
to make!

Watermelon-Strawberry Cooler
Adapted from TheKitchn.com

Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon, peeled and roughly chopped
1 pound strawberries, washed and hulled (if fresh) or thawed (if frozen)
Juice of 1 small lime (or 1/2 a large lime)
Water
Chia seeds (optional)

Preparation:
Working in batches, puree the watermelon, strawberries, and lime juice, adding as little water as needed to blend.  Strain the puree through a mesh strainer into a pitcher.  Use a rubber spatula to squeeze the juice out of any solids remaining in the mesh strainer.  Discard the solids.

Store the strained puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.  If desired, add 1/2 - 1 tsp. of chia seeds to each glass when serving. Stir the chia seeds in and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so the chia seeds absorb liquid and gel.

Notes:
*The original recipe added mint leaves in to the puree. I didn't have any on hand, but I imagine they'd be a delicious addition.

The chia seeds were only just added. After 10 minutes
or so, they'll start to absorb enough liquid to begin
gelling.

Friday Cheer! Tropical Gin Sunrise (a la We Are Not Martha)

After a poorly made martini in college, I never thought I'd love to drink gin. College was not the glory days of my cocktail making skills.  There's a memorable concoction of Coke and cherry brandy (kirschwasser) - memorable strictly for how absolutely terrible it smelled and tasted.  Oof. 

Because of my repeated failure to make a drinkable cocktail throughout college, my cocktail crafting skills lay dormant for years. Six years, in fact. Though I did learn to make a mean Dark and Stormy in that time, I just didn't have any interest in cocktails.

Then I started reading food blogs. And was inspired to try my hand at making cocktails once again.  My first foray into the field was Sassy Radish's Rosemary-Gin Fizz.  I tackled two fears in one fell swoop - my distaste of gin and my inability to make a mixed drink.  I came away successful. Cocktail crafted, drink (or three) consumed. Repeatedly. I may have finished my roommates bottle of gin.  Oops. Thankfully she was glad I polished it off.  

In an effort to try new drinks involving gin, I made We Are Not Martha's Tropical Gin Sunrise.

Tropical Gin Sunrise

From We Are Not Martha (link to their recipe here)

I have Tanqueray on hand because its herbal notes work
so wonderfully for my favorite gin cocktail (more on that later).
You can substitute your favorite gin, though
I'd be wary of too strong of a flavor. Stick with herbal
or floral notes if possible.
Or swap in some rum or tequila. How's that for an idea?

Ingredients for 2 Drinks:

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup gin

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

4 tbsp. Framboise (raspberry) Lambic

Preparation:

Mix pineapple juice, gin, and lemon juice together.

Into a glass, put 2 tbsp. lambic, then pour half of the gin-and-juice (ha!) mixture over it. Enjoy!

I was too excited and mixed the lambic with the other
ingredients.  Alas, I missed the sunrise portion of the drink
but I still enjoyed its sweet, tart, and potent kick.

The drink is on the sweet side because of the pineapple juice and lambic, so I wasn't as big of a fan of it as my roommate was. She loved it, especially with some extra lambic in there.  I enjoyed the extra lambic sans cocktail. Oops. 

Happy Friday!

Friday Cheer! Two For One

I've got a two for one deal for you today. Two drink recipes in one post. Because one recipe was not delicious, and the other one was delectable.  It just wouldn't be morally right to offer a sub-par drink to you.  Thankfully, I have a doubly wonderful second drink recipe to set my morality back on track...and just in time for Easter!

Recipe 1:  Lychee Mojito
(To continue with honesty, I must admit this is the one I did not like, though it was really only the lychee floating around like miniature brains in my drink.  Omit the lychee and it's a marvelous mojito, which I'll drink any day.)

Ingredients:
--Seltzer water or club soda
--2 oz. white rum
--2 tbsp. lime juice, fresh squeezed
--generous handful of fresh mint (at least 10 leaves), washed
--1 1/2 tsp. sugar (preferrably turbinado, but granulated sugar works too)
--2 lychees and about 1 tbsp. of their juice or syrup

Seltzer water, white rum, lime, mint, and lychees in syrup

Directions:
--Remove mint leaves from their stems and put in the bottom of your glass.
--Add the sugar to the mint. Use a wooden spoon (or the handle of a butter knife or an actual muddler) to grind the sugar into the mint leaves. Your goal is to smash the mint leaves as much as possible so they release their oils. You don't need to work it to a paste...just bruise the leaves quite a bit.
--Pour white rum and lime juice into the glass.
--Place 2 lychees and their juice or syrup into the glass. Stir ingredients.
--Add seltzer water or club soda to taste. I usually add about 4-6 oz.

Notes:
--Though the sugar helps abrade the mint leaves, you can replace the sugar with agave nectar or simple syrup.  Either liquid sweetener will dissolve more readily into the drink. Just make sure you thoroughly bruise the mint with your utensil so you release all those tasty oils.
--I'm not a huge fan of sipping a clump of mint in with my drink, so I often add the seltzer water, wait a few seconds, and most of the mint will float to the top of the drink.  Then I can scoop most of the mint out and enjoy my drink.  Stir the drink to release any mint trapped at the bottom, under the lychees.
--As I said earlier, if you omit the lychees and their syrup, you've got a rather tasty mojito on your hands.
--Ginger ale makes a lovely switch from seltzer or club soda.

Lychee Mojito, before (left) and after (right) the addition of seltzer water

Recipe 2:  Vodka-Citrus Cocktail

Refreshing and perfect for relaxing on the porch on a warm evening.  Definitely a personal favorite.  Adapted from the We Are Not Martha blog.

Ingredients:

--2 oz. vodka
--2 oz. grapefruit juice
--2 oz. blood orange juice (Use orange juice or a mix of pomengranate and orange juice instead)
--1 oz. lime juice

Oxo's mini measuring cup (4tbsp. or 2 oz. capacity) is the perfect tool for making cocktails.
Or for watering seedlings I'm attempting to start in my apartment...

Directions:

--Combine all the ingredients in a glass. Give it a stir. Drink.

Blood orange and grapefruit juice make a beautiful drink!

Notes:

--Blood oranges are out of season now and impossible to find. I had a container of juice from the last of my blood orange hoard.  Since a regular orange wouldn't replicate the taste of a blood orange, I'd recommend adding orange juice plus something else (pomengranate or cranberry are my best nominations).

--Add some seltzer water or club soda for a little fizz, if you're craving it, though this drink doesn't need it to succeed.

Happy Easter Weekend!!

Friday Cheer! The Doppelrock and Plum Biercake

Maybe it is just me, but this week has felt excessively long. In Ohio, the weather switched from end-of-winter rain and grey skies to what constitutes a heat wave for March:  70-80 degrees, sunny, blue skies, and even humid!  To me, it's gorgeous. It's perfection. It begs me to go outside and play!  Or drink a margarita on the porch, but I can consider that part of my definition of playing. So it may not come as a surprise that I've been eagerly anticipating the weekend, when I can relax and enjoy the sunshine.  I strongly suspect my anticipation added to the slow crawl of this week... I'm equally sure that my eagerness for time in sunshine magically made today arrive overcast and rainy. Drats. Sorry, everyone in Ohio. My bad.

Looking out the window, though, I can't help but remain optimistic the sun will return shortly. The grass is brilliantly green and the trees are budding or displaying a full complement of delicate white flowers. And--this may just be me again--I think I can see a hint of warmth and light in the cracks between the grey storm clouds.

Great Lakes Brewing Company's The Doppelrock may be the perfect beer for today, when it's not yet summer but I know it's just hiding around the corner.  I even tried a recipe that fits that category too -- Plum Biercake (made with The Doppelrock).  It's a spice cake topped with plums that mentally call summer out of it's hiding place.

The beer:
Great Lakes Brewing Company is another incredible Ohio brewery, based out of Cleveland.  Fun fact:  they were the first microbrewery in the state of Ohio, opening in 1988.  They produce a variety of brews, from amber lager (Elliot Ness) to pale ale (Burning River) to white ale (Holy Moses) to their fiercely coveted seasonal Christmas ale (shockingly, it's called Christmas Ale).  I love the historical or clever names they assign to each brew!  Many of the historical names tie in to Ohio history, so that I like them even more.  I can't think of a single beer style from Great Lakes Brewing Co. that I haven't enjoyed, and many of their brews are among my favorites, such as Holy Moses white ale, Conway's Irish Ale, Christmas Ale, and Elliot Ness amber lager.  Even Eric's cat, the Fonz, enjoys Great Lakes Brewing Co.; she actually licks the lip of the Edmund Fitzgerald porter bottle!  She doesn't do that with any other beer, and, trust me, we've tested plenty of beers around her!

The Doppelrock is a seasonal offering from Great Lakes Brewing Co., whose name pays homage to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located in Cleveland. It's a doppelbock beer, with a dark amber color with a creamy and highly flavorful mouth feel, with notes of burnt caramel, toffee, and dark fruits.  Doppelbocks--literally "double bocks" in German--are higher alcohol versions of German bock beers (bocks are strong German lagers).  The Great Lakes Brewing Co. Doppelrock has 8.7% alcohol by volume, so it's a stronger than your average brew but there is not a strong taste of alcohol from it.  Doppelbocks also have a full-bodied flavor and enough maltiness to be considered a meal in a glass (like stouts).  While I would say this version had a rich and complex flavor, I wouldn't consider it a meal replacement.  Then again, I like to eat, so there are very few beers that actually sit heavily enough in my stomach to make me feel full.

Rock and Roll and Dopplebock

The gorgeous deep amber color of The Doppelrock promises a rich flavor...and it did not disappoint. The toasty warm richness of the malted barley was the most prominent flavor, followed by a caramel/toffee flavor and a very slight coffee or chocolate taste.  Personally, I didn't notice any dark fruit notes, but I've never claimed to have the best palate.  In terms of drinkability, The Doppelrock was very smooth and balanced (neither too sweet nor too hoppy) with medium body, so it had some heft but wasn't heavy in the stomach. Overall, an excellent choice for this time of year when you're transitioning away from heavy winter beers and into lighter spring and summer ales.  It's got body and flavor and an awesome name. What more could you ask for?

My purchase of The Doppelrock was designed to hit two birds with one stone.  First, I would finally try this seasonal beer I'd fallen in love with last year.  Second, I could use it in a fantastic Plum Biercake recipe from  The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker.  You know I'm a sucker for a well-written description and her words for the plum biercake evoked images of wintery gingerbread and summery roasted plums.   As it was baking, a spicy and malty smell emanated from my oven and made me even more eager to taste the biercake.  I waited barely 15 minutes before I sliced into the cake and topped it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Ohhhh, perfection!  A tender and moist spice cake, sweet and soft plum slices, and melting cream.

Plum Biercake made with The Doppelrock

Plum Biercake
From The Boozy Baker (by Lucy Baker)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 tbsp. molasses
1 cup doppelbock beer
4 small plums, washed and pitted and cut into wedges

Preparation:
1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degress Farenheit.  Butter a 9-inch round (or square) cake pan. Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

2)  In a medium bowl, mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

3)  In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about two minutes.  Beat in the egg and molasses.

4)  Add a third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until just combined.  Add half of the beer and, again, stir until just combined.  Repeat this process, so that you add in this order:  a third of the flour mixture, the rest of the beer, and the last third of the flour mixture.  After the last flour mixture addition, stir until the batter is smooth and just combined; do not overmix.

5)  Pour batter into the prepared pan.  Arrange the plum slices on the top of the cake.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Store up to three days in an airtight container.*

Notes:
--You can substitute other malty beers here if you can't find a doppelbock.  Try a stout or porter.

--I love the darkest molasses I can find at the store.  To me, the darker the molasses, the better.  But any molasses should work here.

--I used a total of 6 plums on my cake (minus a few slices that were tested for taste purposes), and I had a hard time finding room for all of them. But I enjoyed having plenty of plum in each slice.  So feel free to add or subtract plus to meet your desires.  You could also try this recipe with other stone fruits, like peaches or nectarines.

*--I found this cake did not store well for me at room temperature, because the moist plums on top of the cake became mushy with time.  I was also worried the moisture and sugar in the plums would promote faster-than-usual mold growth.  Next time, I'll either serve this cake immediately or try keeping it in the refrigerator (probably in an airtight container).

--I recommend eating this cake when warm, whether from the oven or a brief stint in the microwave.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt would be a welcome addition too.

Roasting plums works the usual magic - a crunchy,
tart, underripe plum transforms into a tender, sweet slice of perfection

Plum Biercake with vanilla ice cream and plum slices

Happy Friday!

Friday Cheer! ~ Christian Morlein's Friend of an Irishman Stout

It's almost St. Patrick's Day.  That means I'm baking like a madwoman and accumulating Irish beers like, well, a madwoman. While my heritage is almost completely German, and we have our own holiday centered round drinking--Oktoberfest!--I love partaking in St. Pat's fun.  Not the going to an Irish pub and get smushed in the mass of rowdy, mostly annoying people part.  That's not fun.  I'd rather relax at the house with some friends, sharing several beers, lots of food, and maybe some Irish car bomb shots.  For me, the fun of St. Pat's rests in wearing green and producing Irish-inspired treats, like soda bread or stout cupcakes. Oh, and drinking some of those Irish beers I've acquired.

This year, I've discovered two new brews to try in addition to the classic Guinness stout.  One is from a Cincinnati based brewery, Christian Moerlein.  Their seasonal edition Friend of An Irishman Brewer's Stout is an Irish Dry Stout, meaning it falls into the same category as Guinness and Murphy's.  Irish Dry Stouts have a lighter body to be more drinkable, low carbonation, and a strong roasted malt flavor.  I'm a big fan of Christian Moerlein beers, not only because they are a local brewery but because I haven't tried a single beer from them that I have not liked. Seeing the Friend of An Irishman Stout in the store, I read the label:

You've made a discovery - a handcrafted stout dedicated to the friendship of mid-1800's Cincinnati immigrants from Ireland and Germany - Friend of an Irishman. The Irish and Germans overcame cultural differences, banded together, and forged a lasting alliance. Moerlein Friend of an Irishman Brewer's Stout has a mild coffee-like aroma and a brownish-black appearance. Oats enhance a complex yet smooth flavor with a subtle sweetness. Raise a pint to friendship! Slainte!

A bit overdone, but I couldn't resist the description. Coffee aroma, oats, smooth flavor, not too sweet....yes, please!

Deep, dark and infinitely drinkable

As you can see, the description is entirely accurate in that this beer is a deeply dark brown.  It has a surprisingly light mouth feel for such a dark beer, so that it drinks like an ale rather than a rich and heavy stout. Meaning you could have a few of these stouts without feeling like there is a stone in your stomach.  The flavor is certainly smooth and well-balanced (not sweet, not bitter), with a very minor coffee flavor. Personally, I'd enjoy this equally with a steak or with a chocolate dessert.  And I'd choose Christian Moerlein's Friend of An Irishman Brewer's Stout over Guinness any day.

I stumbled upon the second St. Pat's brew while in a liquor store with a wonderful beer selection. The design of the six pack case lured me in, along with the tongue-in-cheek name:  Arcadia Ales Loch Down Scotch Ale. I haven't tried it yet, but after this weekend, you can bet you'll receive a report.

 

Nessie, is that you?

To celebrate St. Pat's,  I also expect we'll take at least one Irish carbomb shot at some point.  Note: a shot glass heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the beer is essential for the success of this shot. I may or may not have learned that the hard way.  Irish whiskey may also make an appearance, at least in Eric's glass. My palate just isn't sophisticated enough (phew!).

The baking portion of my madwoman St. Pat's preparation/celebration consists of Irish soda bread and stout cupcakes with Irish cream frosting.  Every year, I follow a different recipe for soda bread.  The candidate this year was from Melissa Clark's Cook This Now, which is a fantastic book that I come to love more with each recipe I make. (I must guiltily admit upon first glance, I was afraid I didn't really want to make most of the dishes; the flavor combinations just didn't appeal to me.  Then I made the cardamom apple and fig crumble...and took a second look...and found a few recipes that appealed.  After testing the parsnip and leek soup with pumpernickel croutons, I now have at least 20 post-it notes flagging recipes of interest.  And that's only in the first half of the year!  So, needless to say, I'm a fan and am going to get her previous book, In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, very soon.)  Melissa Clark's soda bread recipe uses whole wheat flour, raisins, and caraway seeds to provide a balanced sweet-and-savory flavor and a slightly more hearty taste.  It came together quickly and easily and smelled amazing as it cooked in the oven.  I exerted more than my usual self-control to wait 10 minutes for the bread to cool enough to eat without scorching my mouth.  And I ate some for breakfast.  

I most certainly did not have any self-control while I made the Guinness stout chocolate cupcakes.  I may have tested the batter more frequently than is acceptable. I may also have worn some of that batter on my shirt.  Somehow, chocolate cake batter just leaps out of the bowl and decorates my shirt. I have no idea how or why. It's a mystery (like Nessie!).  For such an incredibly delicious recipe, these cupcakes come together very quickly and easily.  I prefer them without frosting, but because I had the Bailey's Irish cream out for a carbomb shot later that night, I whipped up some buttercream frosting with Bailey's in it.  

Irresistible chocolate-stout batter. Note it's escape attempt on the right...

Fresh out of the oven, sans icing

With Bailey's Irish cream frosting

Have a wonderful Friday full of cheer!  And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Friday Cheer ~ Pamplemousse!

It's been one of those weeks. You know what I'm talking about. Exhausting on all fronts (mentally, emotionally, physically).  You're dragging both at work and at home. Things seem too routine, but you don't have the energy to change it up. You plug away at your to-do list only because you know things will be Alice in Wonderland crazy if you don't cross at least some of those things off.

But it's Friday. The week is over, and there are two days to bust out of this funk.  I'm desperately hoping there is sunshine.  And this drink.  Meet The Pamplemousse.

Oh, hello, my friend. You're looking exceptionally lovely today.

Pamplemousse is the French word for grapefruit and is insanely fun to say. Try it: PAHHHHM-puhl-lay-moossssssse!  I've been known to say it for the heck of it. Pamplemousse!

This drink is a cinch to prepare, so it will be ready to ease you into the weekend the minute you're ready.

Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, 

Trader Joe's Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, 

Aperol Apertif

The Pamplemousse
From Orangette, via The Walrus and the Carpenter restaurant

Ingredients:
2 oz. grapefruit juice
2 oz. dry white wine
0.5 oz Aperol liquor

Preparation:
Combine all three ingredients in a glass. Stir gently to mix. Enjoy!

Notes:
--Aperol is an Italian apertif with a brilliant pinkish-orange hue and a bitter taste.  It's become more popular is liquor stores as of late, but if you cannot find it, try another Italian apertif, Campari.  Be warned, though--Campari has twice the alcohol content of Aperol and is a darker color, so your resulting drink may be less electric salmon.

--I found my first glass to have a bit too much grapefruit juice; I just couldn't taste the wine or the Aperol.  So for my second (and my third. Don't judge.) glasses, I reduced the grapefruit juice to 1-1.5 oz. and added just a wee bit more Aperol.  Play around to find what tastes best to you. It's your cheer, after all.


Here's to a wonderful weekend!