I am out of my favorite summer time drink, sweet tea. I am addicted to the Southern form of iced tea. Sugar does not dissolve in cold water, in the south they boil the water and sugar together to form a syrup, then let the tea bags seep. This is then added to a pitcher, leaving it strong enough to not be watered down by ice cubes.
How to:
Add water to a saucepan (amount doesn't matter, it will get fixed later), add 1 1/2 cups sugar. Boil. When it has boiled, turn the stove down as low as possible and add eight tea bags, stir, sometimes I add a cinnamon stick. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Pour the tea into a 1 gallon jug, leave the bags in the saucepan. Pour cold water over the tea bags in the pan and add this liquid to the jug. Keep repeating until the 1 gallon jug is full. (Squeezing the tea bags can lead to a bitter brew. Because you will be adding ice cubes to your glass you want it strong.)
But, pity, I am out. SO I GUESS I WILL JUST HAVE TO TRY the black cherry vodka I just bought.
Well...all right, 3 ounces of cola to 1 1/2 ounces of black cherry vodka is a pretty good summer time drink too.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
When is a maraschino cherry not a maraschino cherry?
When it is a “blob of artificially colored cellulose, …the product we know today, in all its zombielike glory, ” according to David Wondrich.
He wrote “Imbibe!” in 2007. This book started out as an update of a 1928 Asbury edition of “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant’s Companion” originally written by Jerry Thomas in 1862 and long out of print. After five years of research (I envision the movie “The Thin Man when I imagine the path the research took him on), David wrote a history book, with a few recipes to try out in it.
What started out as an update of the 1928 book led David to search for the exact ingredients and equipment to recreate the recipes. He discovered that a cherry is not a cherry and ice is not ice.
The Luxardo Company, now, makes the only true maraschino cherry for your drinking pleasure. In the 1890s, a maraschino cherry was a sour cherry macerated in maraschino liqueur.
Ice came in a solid block in the late 1800s. In preparing cold drinks, “great discrimination should be observed in the use of ice.” Shaved ice should be used when the spirits form the principle ingredient and no water is used in the drink. If eggs, milk, wine, vermouth, seltzer, or mineral water is used in a drink, use small lumps of ice. These lumps must always be removed before serving the drink to the customer.
I haven’t even mentioned the problems David ran into with sugar. Non, non, I repeat, of the current sugar on the market is the equivalent of 19th century sugar. White, raw sugar is too dark, but it is the closest to the taste. What the author recommends is a Demerara or a turbinado pulverized in food processor.
He wrote “Imbibe!” in 2007. This book started out as an update of a 1928 Asbury edition of “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant’s Companion” originally written by Jerry Thomas in 1862 and long out of print. After five years of research (I envision the movie “The Thin Man when I imagine the path the research took him on), David wrote a history book, with a few recipes to try out in it.
What started out as an update of the 1928 book led David to search for the exact ingredients and equipment to recreate the recipes. He discovered that a cherry is not a cherry and ice is not ice.
The Luxardo Company, now, makes the only true maraschino cherry for your drinking pleasure. In the 1890s, a maraschino cherry was a sour cherry macerated in maraschino liqueur.
Ice came in a solid block in the late 1800s. In preparing cold drinks, “great discrimination should be observed in the use of ice.” Shaved ice should be used when the spirits form the principle ingredient and no water is used in the drink. If eggs, milk, wine, vermouth, seltzer, or mineral water is used in a drink, use small lumps of ice. These lumps must always be removed before serving the drink to the customer.
I haven’t even mentioned the problems David ran into with sugar. Non, non, I repeat, of the current sugar on the market is the equivalent of 19th century sugar. White, raw sugar is too dark, but it is the closest to the taste. What the author recommends is a Demerara or a turbinado pulverized in food processor.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
My old friend is a Russian. When I turned twenty-one and ordered my first drink, I asked for something sweet. I got a White Russian. Not willing to venture too far from home, I ordered a White Russian for years, sometimes a Black. I knew what to expect when I would ask for a Russian. I later learned to ask for vodka and orange juice when I felt the Russian was too heavy. Turning even braver, I would ask for cranberry and vodka. Later, I got brave and ordered Long Island Iced Tea because I saw it in a movie. And I have now learned that there isn't even a hint of tea in it. Who knew?
I was not one to keep a bar at home because the company I usually kept meant that nothing, no matter what type of liquor it was, would be there when I returned home from work. Fortunately, my kids did not inherit their father's taste for cognac or cheap beer (he mourned the passing of Rainier beer and Bohemian-but the cases were a nice size box for me to use for storage and I had lots), or my father's taste for gallon Gallo, or his father's for beer---any beer; many of the people that hung around or passed through my house made light work of anything that alcohol on the label. Some people spoil it for others.
So, I am now enjoying a solitary existence and I am slowing building a small inventory for my bar. Keeping some alcohol around, once a week I make something out of the bartender's book. My sister is amused by this and sends me recipes and videos of her hero Rachael Maddox showing off her expertise with filling the martini glass on her political commentary show.
To make a White Russian, you need vodka, coffee liqueur (Kahlua), and a little bit of cream. Take an old-fashioned glass, fill it up with ice, pour about two ounces of vodka directly in the glass, one ounce of your Kahlua right on top of that, and now float the cream on top. That's how you make a White Russian. You can also make a Black Russian the exact same way, just don't use any cream.
The Russian in my 1969 book is made with 1 jigger of vodka, 1 jigger of dry gin, 1 jigger of creme de cacao, stirred well together with ice, strained into a glass. And I do have the correct ingredients in my little, growing bar for a Russian.
Hello old friend.
(Kahlua is on the list for next month. And my sister wants me to try a Communist, guess it is not quite the same as a Russian.)
I was not one to keep a bar at home because the company I usually kept meant that nothing, no matter what type of liquor it was, would be there when I returned home from work. Fortunately, my kids did not inherit their father's taste for cognac or cheap beer (he mourned the passing of Rainier beer and Bohemian-but the cases were a nice size box for me to use for storage and I had lots), or my father's taste for gallon Gallo, or his father's for beer---any beer; many of the people that hung around or passed through my house made light work of anything that alcohol on the label. Some people spoil it for others.
So, I am now enjoying a solitary existence and I am slowing building a small inventory for my bar. Keeping some alcohol around, once a week I make something out of the bartender's book. My sister is amused by this and sends me recipes and videos of her hero Rachael Maddox showing off her expertise with filling the martini glass on her political commentary show.
To make a White Russian, you need vodka, coffee liqueur (Kahlua), and a little bit of cream. Take an old-fashioned glass, fill it up with ice, pour about two ounces of vodka directly in the glass, one ounce of your Kahlua right on top of that, and now float the cream on top. That's how you make a White Russian. You can also make a Black Russian the exact same way, just don't use any cream.
The Russian in my 1969 book is made with 1 jigger of vodka, 1 jigger of dry gin, 1 jigger of creme de cacao, stirred well together with ice, strained into a glass. And I do have the correct ingredients in my little, growing bar for a Russian.
Hello old friend.
(Kahlua is on the list for next month. And my sister wants me to try a Communist, guess it is not quite the same as a Russian.)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Moonshine!!
My sister Amanda has been amused by my new hobby. She has been sending me recipes and picking up library books. One neat book that she found was "Moonshine" by Matthew B. Rowley. It was light, an easy read, full of stories. I recommend it. If you want to learn how to make a still, there is a how to in the book!
My Apologies to the Irish
Well, Saint Patrick's Day has come...and gone. Holidays are a time to eat wonderful ethnic foods you usually can not get at other times of the year. Saint Patrick's Day is no exception. Irish Soda Bread is--- well, what can one say. They say the American version is sweeter and more cake-like with raisins than the true Irish soda bread. I will have to visit Ireland one day to check it out. I toasted the day with my soda bread and my Famous Grouse on the rocks. Thus my apologies to the Irish. The article in "Cooking Light, March, 2010" says that Saint Patrick taught the Irish to distill wine, they then moved on to grains. Prohibition cut exports and the industry declined, but there is now a revival under way. Irish whiskey is light and smooth, according to the ad. A middle ground between intense bourbon and peaty Scotch. Bushmills Black Bush is to have a slightly sweet, caramel flavor (you will also taste floral notes and vanilla), so I will soon pick up an Irish whiskey and see what the difference is between that and Famous Grouse. Who comes up with these ads? Jameson 18 Year Limited Reserve is lightly smoky with a hint of leather, this outstanding whiskey has a complex buttery flavor with hints of citrus and spice. As for my love affair with Old Grouse, I can drink it straight now, but I prefer it on the rocks, so my thirty days to drink Scotch worked really well. How many old broads can throw down a shot of Scotch straight? Well, I can think of one, and my whimpy Old Grouch-Famous Grouse wouldn't hold a candle to the single malts.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Barbary Coast--Whizz-Doodle with Cocoa???
Stop. Is this is one of those tricks such as calling a drink Long Island Iced Tea when it doesn’t have tea in it? (However, it does taste very similar.) My high school graduation was in 1969, so karma led me to a book from that year to help me with my quest. (I should have been experimenting with alcohol in my early years.) I am leafing through “The Bartender’s Guide”, 29th edition printed, September, 1969 (original published June, 1940). So many drinks to choose from. First, I was torn between a gin drink or a whisky drink, Scotch whisky of course. I am becoming quite a fan of Famous Grouse. I do suppose I should make a transatlantic crossing and at least try what Jack Daniels has to offer. And I did enjoy the Tanqueray gin that I sampled. It was not what I expected. Botanicals! Dry gin! Lovely.
As I search, there is a drink that has both whisky and gin and crème de cocoa in it. Cocoa? That got my attention. What gal doesn’t appreciate cocoa? Crème de Cocoa is a liqueur. A liqueur is a sweetened spirit with various flavors, oils, and extracts. I was had at the mention of cocoa, but sweetened? Hey, I am a two sugars in my coffee gal, this is an amazing discovery. It gets even better, crème de cocoa is a rich, chocolate-flavored liqueur, made from cacao and vanilla beans. It has two colors: white & brown.www.drinkrecipesbar.com/drinks-glossary.html
Vanilla beans!!! My favorite gin, my favorite whisky, cocoa, and vanilla, does it get any better?
Leafing through the guide, I discovered that the drink Barbary Coast and Whizz-Doodle are the same drink:
¼ dry gin
¼ crème de cacao
¼ Scotch whisky
¼ cream
shake well with ice, strain into glass
note: DeKuyper has labels for crème de cacao and crème de cocoa. They are the same thing, a lively on-line discussion thinks it is a marketing strategy because of the revival of classic cocktails. Some sources say there is a difference between the light and the dark, others say there is only a color difference.
Well, this was an interesting cocktail, I wasn't too excited about it. I think I love the purity of the individuals by themselves.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Pousse
Amaretto Tea
Drink Type: Cocktail - A
Ingredients:
6 oz. Tea (Hot)
2 oz. Amaretto
Instructions:
Pour hot tea into a pousse-café glass, using a spoon in the glass to prevent cracking. Add Amaretto, but do not stir. Top with whipped cream.
“Pour into a what?” I asked myself. Glassware is almost as important as the alcohol in the consumption of alcohol, as I have come to realize. One site for glassware says that the pousse-cafe glass is not manufactured anymore. A pousse-café glass looks like an over-sized pony glass, but with a flare to the top. It’s stemmed, and holds about six ounces. It is said to make an art out of the science of drinks.
Pousse-café glasses are used for creating a layered drink. Different liquids have different densities. Heavy liqueurs are used for the bottom layer of the cocktail, and progressively lighter liquids are added to build the layers. “The art comes in actually building the layers. After pouring in the first layer, insert the bowl of the spoon into the glass as far as it will go without being in the liquid, with the rounded side of the spoon facing up. Adjust the tip of the spoon so that it’s very near, or even touching the side of the glass. Very gently pour the next layer over the bowl of the spoon, so that it floats on top of the previous layer. The trick is to pour in a steady but very slow stream to prevent the layers from mixing.” http://cocktails.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_art_of_layering_drinks#ixzz0dm3tmGbb
I recently picked up a glass to use for Irish coffee that should work well. It looks similar to the description of a pousse-café glass. (http://www.cocktailtimes.com/glassware/)
The Amaretto Tea doesn’t lend its self to layering, I discovered this while trying the spoon trick. Also, I threw two cherries in to see what would happen ( they sunk--warm cherries work well in a hot pie not in a hot tea). Otherwise…thumbs up.
Drink Type: Cocktail - A
Ingredients:
6 oz. Tea (Hot)
2 oz. Amaretto
Instructions:
Pour hot tea into a pousse-café glass, using a spoon in the glass to prevent cracking. Add Amaretto, but do not stir. Top with whipped cream.
“Pour into a what?” I asked myself. Glassware is almost as important as the alcohol in the consumption of alcohol, as I have come to realize. One site for glassware says that the pousse-cafe glass is not manufactured anymore. A pousse-café glass looks like an over-sized pony glass, but with a flare to the top. It’s stemmed, and holds about six ounces. It is said to make an art out of the science of drinks.
Pousse-café glasses are used for creating a layered drink. Different liquids have different densities. Heavy liqueurs are used for the bottom layer of the cocktail, and progressively lighter liquids are added to build the layers. “The art comes in actually building the layers. After pouring in the first layer, insert the bowl of the spoon into the glass as far as it will go without being in the liquid, with the rounded side of the spoon facing up. Adjust the tip of the spoon so that it’s very near, or even touching the side of the glass. Very gently pour the next layer over the bowl of the spoon, so that it floats on top of the previous layer. The trick is to pour in a steady but very slow stream to prevent the layers from mixing.” http://cocktails.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_art_of_layering_drinks#ixzz0dm3tmGbb
I recently picked up a glass to use for Irish coffee that should work well. It looks similar to the description of a pousse-café glass. (http://www.cocktailtimes.com/glassware/)
The Amaretto Tea doesn’t lend its self to layering, I discovered this while trying the spoon trick. Also, I threw two cherries in to see what would happen ( they sunk--warm cherries work well in a hot pie not in a hot tea). Otherwise…thumbs up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)