Friday Cheer! The Baren Pear and The Italian Pear Gimlet

Fridays are always a high point of the week, right?  It means you wrap up work for the week and have two days to yourself.  Maybe you even have something fun scheduled for the weekend!  I've been looking forward to this Friday all week long...but I've been looking forward to Saturday even more.  Because Saturday is Cinco de Mayo AND the Kentucky Derby!  Which poses the question: tequila/margaritas or bourbon/mint juleps?  A dangerous riddle...and I know my limits. I can't handle both those liquors mixing in my stomach.  So I'll have margaritas with my feast of Mexican food and save mint juleps (or perhaps Martha Stewart's blackberry mint julep) for next week.

In honor of the double "holiday", I have two Friday Cheer recipes today.

The Baren Pear
from Barenjager Honey Liqueur
A delicious cocktail with a smooth and sweet taste. A word of warning, though; it didn't have the distinctive liquor taste, meaning it is dangerously drinkable.
 

Finally, the end of my pear vodka!

1 part Barenjager Honey Liquor
1 part pear vodka
3/4 part triple sec
1/2 part lemon juice
10 small mint leaves
1/2 part simple syrup (recipe below)
ice

Their instructions:  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 45 seconds; you want to bruise the mint leaves to release their flavor.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with mint leaves and a citrus peel spiral.

I know it's odd, but we don't have real ice cubes in my apartment. Instead we have the plastic water-filled reusable ice cubes that don't seem conducive to shaking.  So I have to get creative sometimes.
My instructions: Put lemon juice and mint leaves in the bottom of a sturdy glass.  Gently bruise the mint leaves to release their oils, using a wooden spoon or a muddler. (Over-crushing the mint releases bitter flavors like chlorophyll into your drink, so stay gentle but firm!)  Add the remaining ingredients and ice (or faux ice cubes), stir, and enjoy!

Muddling mint and lemon in a glass

The Baren Pear, minus some plastic ice cubes

To make simple syrup:
Combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved. Turn off heat. Store your simple syrup in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.  Each time I want to use it, I check to make sure the syrup is still clear (not cloudy or discolored), indicating bacteria or other undesireables aren't growing in it.
If you want to make a flavored simple syrup, simply put an herb (rosemary, mint) or other flavoring (cranberries, fresh ginger slices, pink peppercorns, cardamom, etc) into the saucepan after the sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat to low and hold there for about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool with the flavoring agent in the syrup.  Before storing, remove the flavoring agent with tongs or by pouring through a mesh strainer.



The Italian Pear Gimlet
Inspired by Martini's Modern Italian Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio
This drink was actually an error on my part. I'd seen the descriptions for two different cocktails on Martini's menu...and when I attempted to mix them at home, I mixed up an ingredient. It worked, though I would like to try the original version next time.

Pretend there's some grapefruit juice in there too

1 part pear vodka
1/2 part Aperol liquor
1 part grapefruit juice
1/4 part lime juice
seltzer water or club soda to taste


Combine pear vodka, Aperol, and lime juice in either a shaker or glass and mix well.  Pour into a glass filled with ice and add seltzer water or club soda to taste.
*The original recipe from Martini's used grapefruit-flavored vodka instead of pear vodka, which I haven't tried but imagine it would be very tasty.

Wait for it...

Plastic ice cubes!

Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the dual holiday! I know I will!

List Love: New(ish) Things

I may or may not shop a bit too much. Here are some of my more recent purchases that I absolutely love:

1)  Cuisinart Immersion Blender in Tangerine
It was on clearance, and I'd wanted one for awhile.  Since it was still wintry soup making season, I went for it.  It's first task was to make the most luscious gravy (a la Nigella Lawson) from caramelized onions, sherry, and reduced beef broth.  While it has pureed some soups, it's used a few times each week for a smoothie in the morning.  My favorite use, though, was to make a pumpkin milkshake--vanilla ice cream, milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and graham cracker crumbs!  Bonus: it's way easier to clean than my clunky blender.

2)  A Lovely Assortment of Bowls from Anthropologie
While I love the boho chic style of Anthropologie, I've never bought any of their clothes (not a style I can pull off and a bit out of my price range).  I have, however, purchased plenty of cookwares. And a macaron cookbook, since I'm determined to master the art of Parisian macaron making!  Using them or even just looking at them on the shelf makes me feel so creative and elegant, which, I realize is an odd juxtaposition. But they do.

3)  Sephora Collection Be You Lip Stain
Orange is one of my favorite colors, so you can guess how excited I was by Sephora's collaboration with Panetone that named tangerine to be the color of the year.  This lip stain goes on like a gloss, but the pH matching pigments in it create the perfect coral color for your individual lips.  Normally, these self-adjusting cosmetics fail miserably...but this one is perfect, at least for me. It's bolder than I would typically wear, but it is such a lovely coral, I can't resist breaking it out this season.

4) Bandha Criss-Cross Sandals from Patagonia
I'm a Patagonia addict...now expanding into their shoe collection.  I took a major risk and wore them for the first time on my trip to Puerto Rico.  They were amazing! I wore them each day and my feet never hurt once. They have support in the sole from a metal shank, so walking around all day was painless (unlike my stylish and comfortable super thin soled sandals that leave my feet and calves screaming).  I already want them in blue...

5)  Annie Chung's Gochujang Sauce 
The new "it" condiment, if foodie sites and magazines are to believed.  After tasting it, I have to agree.  Mixed with ketchup, it's a delightful change from my curry-ketchup combo for sweet potato oven fries.  Added to ground beef (with plenty of other spices), it made delicious burgers. It's savory and slightly spicy, but different from either soy sauce, sambal oelek (Thai chili paste), or sriarcha.

6)  The Sweet Life in Paris by David Leibovitz
I know I'm behind the times, but I read this book for the first time and loved it. Like laugh out loud and make Eric read that sentence loved it.  It's a quick read, but witty and insightful and fun. Plus you get a recipe with each chapter! You know I'll be trying some of those very soon.

7)  Chia Seeds from Nativas Naturals
Another newly popular food item, chia seeds look like a flattened poppy seed.  But they're packed with nutrients, like iron, minerals, and omega 3's.  I add them to smoothies (I like the mild crunch they add in), oatmeal, or muffins and quick breads. I am obsessed with this chia pudding recipe from the blog Running to the Kitchen; the chia seeds swell after absorbing liquid overnight, so that it's like a healthy tapioca pudding. It's made my breakfast rotation at least once a week!  I'm looking forward to trying another recipe for that blog for chia-strawberry power muffins.

8)  Oiselle's Simplicity Tank and Patagonia's Nouli Tank
With my newly discovered passion for spinning classes, I realized I need to wear moisture-wicking clothing if I didn't want to soak through my usual cotton workout t-shirt.  These two tanks are my favorite to wear to spin class--they're incredibly comfortable (and longer than usual sweat-wicking tees!), flattering, sweat-wicking, and make me feel like a rockstar. Since I've been adhering to my cotton tee and soccer or running shorts ensemble for years, wearing a more fitted top made with performance material feels strange...but I admit I'm becoming a fan. I wouldn't be surprised if those white cotton tee's made their way to the back of the dresser drawer.

Patagonia Nouli Tank

Oiselle Simplicity Tank

9)  Saucony Triumph
Sticking with the exercise theme, these are my new shoes.  There's nothing like new shoes to reignite my desire to workout.  The sole is updated from the previous Triumph (incarnation number ?) and feels a bit different, but it's still the shoe for me.

10)  Ben and Jerry's Greek Frozen Yogurt
Uh, genius! Why didn't we do this before?  It's two things I adore--Greek yogurt and ice cream!  I've only tried the strawberry shortcake flavor (strawberry Greek fro-yo with shortcake pieces and strawberry chunks) so far, but don't worry, I'll be sure to check out all the other flavors in no time.

Friday Cheer! Blueberry Lager

Hooray for Friday!  Hooray for sunshine!  Boo to weekend temperatures that dip way too low for spring!

The Friday Cheer selection for this week is Rivertown Brewing Company's seasonal Blueberry Lager.  I'd been eyeballing this six pack for the last few weeks, alternating between curiosity about the taste and fear that it would be a total flop for me.  Curiosity won out, as you can see.  But I still had my doubts.  I've had a few blueberry ales or lagers before (Buffalo Bill's and Wild Dog), none of which impressed me.  To me, they lacked a distinctive blueberry flavor (though is it really going to taste good if there is a pronounced blueberry flavor in my beer?) as well as any other outstanding features.  I've also been split on Rivertown's brews--some are excellent (Helles Lager, Oatmeal Stout, Winter Ale) and some have been miserable flops (Hefeweizen, Pumpkin Ale) on my palate.

Love the packaging - a bluebird and blue berries!

The description on the six pack is brief:

A light, crisp, clean lager beer with fresh blueberry aroma and flavor. A local favorite! 5.3% ABV

The brew looked enticing, with the classic pale gold color of a lager and a mild fruity aroma. Upon tasting, I was pleasantly surprised at the balance between crisp lager with a subtle blueberry flavor.  It was delicious! Not sweet, not full of artificial blueberry flavor, and not overwhelmingly blueberry either.  Way to go, Rivertown Brewing!  Blueberry Lager is going to be part of my summer beer rotation, along with 21st Amendment Brewery's Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer.  And I'm thinking of trying out a blueberry cake of some sort with it...

Happy Friday!

Puerto Rico

I recently traveled to Puerto Rico with Eric to attend his brother's wedding. The trip was beyond amazing. Walking along soft white beaches and brilliantly turquoise waters a block from our hotel. Delicious food and drink everywhere I went (though I sadly didn't stick with my vacation requirement of a daily dose of ice cream).  A beautiful old city with cobblestone streets and lovely buildings in an array of tropical colors.  Meeting wonderful family from Guatemala. Lazing by the pool. The best wedding reception ever, filled with more dancing than I imagined possible in a single night.  Best of all was sharing it with Eric. Thank you endlessly. And congratulations and best wishes to his brother and his wife!

I definitely want to go back.

A Poofy Breakfast

I'm not much of a morning person.  I try to be...but I still haven't figured out how to do that.  So you could see why breakfast is the highlight of the morning.  Weekday breakfasts are quick affairs, thrown together in the morning from a rotating list of options. Yogurt with fruit and nuts (and now some homemade granola!).  A muffin or bread I made with some kefir.  Oatmeal with either PB and dried fruit or milk/coconut milk and a fruit sauce.  Occasionally cereal and milk.  Don't get me wrong. I love my weekday breakfasts.  They're delicious and, most of the time, nutritious.  But going off a short list every week makes me crave something different on the weekends, when I have more time to put into breakfast.

Eggs are the favorite choice of Eric.  He makes killer omelettes and scrambled eggs.  Sometimes we indulge in Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rolls.  I sneak raisins into one roll for me, but leave the rest unsullied by such things for him.  Waffles occasionally make an appearance too, though I keep the fruit limited to toppings on my plate.  For weekend breakfasts, these are perfect, especially when enjoyed at an actual dining room table with a place mat.  Holy cow, we're talking crazy-luxurious here!

A few weekends ago, I took a walk on the wild side and made an Alton Brown recipe I've had bookmarked for years--the Dutch Baby pancake.  I'd never even tried it at The Original Pancake House because the menu notes it has a 20-30 minute wait, and every time I've been there, I've already waited 30 minutes to sit down and order.  So I was curious and I was nervous and I was excited.  The perfect storm of culinary exploration, right?

The good news:  making a Dutch Baby pancake is actually really easy.

The better news:  there are several flavor combinations you can fit in this recipe. I made a bacon + vanilla one here, but I'm going to try a nectarine + raspberry one in the very near future.

The best news:  a Dutch Baby pancake is delicious!  And huge!!!

Dutch Baby Pancake
From Alton Brown

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter (separate into 2 tbsp. and 1 tbsp. amounts), each melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. granulated sugar (vanilla sugar, if you have it)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
lemon wedges

Directions:
--Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit

--Place 2 tbsp. of melted butter into a 10-inch cast iron skillet.  Put the skillet into the oven and wait about 10 minutes before assembling the remaining ingredients. You want to get the skillet incredibly hot.

--Put the remaining tablespoon of melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, milk, and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 30 seconds to form a batter.

--Remove skillet from oven (careful, it's hot!) and carefully pour the batter into the skillet.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are puffed and brown.  The whole pancake will puff up inside the oven, but instantly start deflating when you remove it.  Don't worry, it still tastes fantastic.

--Cut into wedges and serve with additional sugar and lemon juice sprinkled on top.

Notes:
--Above all, remember the skillet is hot!  I like to set a pot holder over the skillet's handle after I've removed it from the oven, just to remind myself not to touch.

--Vanilla sugar is super easy to make. Pour granulated sugar into an air-tight container or jar and add a vanilla bean.  I used a vanilla bean I had scraped the seeds out of for a recipe, and it still flavored the sugar quite thoroughly.  Seal the container and give it a shake every few days.  After a week or so, the sugar should have enough vanilla flavor to use.

--My first pancake included bits of bacon I had cooked in a separate skillet and cooled.  After pouring the batter into the hot skillet, I crumbled the bacon on top and put it back into the oven to cook.  I enjoyed the salty-smoky and vanilla sugar contrast, but I'm guessing I'll enjoy the fruit version even more.  Get creative and remember this can be sweet or savory!

Bacon is good for you!!!

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!!

Brilliant? Luxurious? Or Just Crazy?

Four words for you. They'll blow your mind. You'll wonder why you hadn't thought of or heard of it before.
Bacon. Chocolate. Chip. Cookies.

Genius or insanity? Either way, it's tasty with a kick from cayenne!

That's right. When I read those four words together, I was floored.  My thought process went a little something like this:  Seriously, someone had to put bacon in chocolate chip cookies? Get over the bacon craze, people! Wait, wasn't that chocolate bar with bacon in it (Vosges Mo's Bacon Bar in dark chocolate) pretty darn tasty? It'd be kinda fun to try making these... It'd be even more fun to watch people's reactions when I offered them a bacon chocolate chip cookie... I know at least 4 people at work who'd flip out. Okay, let's do this...!


So I did.  I'll warn you that these cookies are a bit different because they replace some of the butter with a hefty dose of bacon fat.  Also, even with my cookie monster-like tendencies and ability to eat several cookies at once (should I be proud of that? hmmm...), I couldn't consume more than one of these cookies in a day. They're rich, they're satisfying, they're more than a little over the top.  And they might not be for everyone, but I guarantee you'll find some eager tasters should you decide to dispose of your stash.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Damaris Lewis, Cooking Channel

Ingredients:
10 ounces bacon (preferably applewood smoked)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of cayenne pepper (about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. depending on your tastes)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chips or chopped into chunks)

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large skillet until golden and crispy.  Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and cool.  Save the bacon fat in the skillet!  Place a paper towel inside a mesh strainer and pour the bacon fat through to remove any bits of bacon.  Set the strained bacon fat in the refrigerator to partially harden; you want it to achieve similar consistency to the room temperature butter.

Bacon is good for you!

Once the bacon is cool enough to touch, crumble or chop the bacon into approximately 1/2-inch pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cayenne pepper.

Dry Goods, mixed nicely and waiting to play with the Wet Goods

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, chilled bacon fat, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla together.  Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture and beat until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate and bacon, being careful not to overmix.

Batter plus bacon

Then there was chocolate

Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the lined cookie sheets, leaving 3 inches between drops.  Bake until set, 8-12 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ready for the oven

Fresh out of the oven

Notes:
--Because the amount of fat you acquire from 10 ounces of bacon may vary, look to add about 1/2 cup of fat.  If you do not have enough bacon fat for 1/2 cup, use additional unsalted butter to cover the difference.

--If you have extra bacon fat, save it!  Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container (I am particularly fond of a small glass jar formerly housing mustard) and use a little dollop of the fat in a wide variety of dishes.  So far, I've employed my extra bacon fat to saute brussel sprouts, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes.

--Words of hard earned wisdom:  add the smallest possible amount of cayenne pepper at first.  Taste the dough and add more if you want.  Though I didn't think it was possible, there is such a thing as too much cayenne pepper.

--Personally, I enjoy the bacon in smaller pieces so I don't have a hunk of bacon to eat in between bites of cookie.  But this is an individual preference, so bacon as you see fit!

You decide-- Crazy or Brilliant?