Golden Milk - On the Turmeric Trend for 2017

Turmeric is a spice derived from a rhizome root and is similar in appearance to fresh ginger. It is cultivated in tropical climates, most often southern Asia. Curcumin is the compound in turmeric that gives its bright yellow colour and health benefits.

Turmeric is a highly effective anti-inflammatory and helps with joint pain and arthritis. It aids in digestion and heartburn and is a powerful antioxidant. However, you can have too much of a good thing. Too much turmeric can cause stomach upset. It can also strengthen the effects of blood thinning drugs including aspirin, stomach acid drugs and diabetes medications. Seek medical advice if you are on these drugs before using large quantities of turmeric on a regular basis.

Turmeric is widely used in cooking and gives Indian curry its yellow color. It is also used in mustard and to color butter and cheese.

Golden Milk

1 c. unsweetened non-dairy milk such as coconut milk beverage or almond milk 250 mL

1 c. water 250 mL

1 cinnamon stick

1-inch piece turmeric, unpeeled, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric 2.5 cm/2 mL

1/2-inch piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced 1.2 cm

1 tbsp. honey 15 mL

1 tbsp. virgin coconut oil 15 mL

1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns 1 mL

ground cinnamon for garnish

Whisk coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, coconut oil, peppercorns and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until aromatic, about 10 minutes. Strain and pour into mugs. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Golden milk can be made 5 days ahead. Store in an airtight container and chill. Warm before serving.

Spring is Rhubarb Time

I grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. Rhubarb in the spring was a staple but we never had any on our farm. I pined for rhubarb pie and did not learn how to make one until years later. This is another version that I thought I would try. 

The crust is a butter crust rather than a lard crust. It has a meringue. A nice variation from the standard.

Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Eggs should be at room temperature when making meringue. It usually takes about 30 minutes for eggs from the refrigerator to warm up to room temperature. Older eggs give better volume than fresh eggs. Be sure the bowl and utensils are fat-free because the tiniest bit of fat will ruin the meringue. Add the sugar when the egg whites have reached the soft peak stage. The peaks will fall over gently when they have reached the soft peak stage. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks are formed.

Put the meringue on a piping hot pie and cover the top completely and touching the crust all around to prevent it from shrinking. The heat will partially cook the bottom of the meringue and prevent shrinking and weeping. Cut a with a knife dipped in cold water.

1 recipe of Buttery Pastry

4-5 c. rhubarb, raw 1-1.25 L

1 tsp. orange zest 5 mL

2 eggs, separated

2/3 c. + 1/4 c. sugar 150 mL + 60 mL

2 tbsp. all purpose flour 30 mL

2 tbsp. butter, melted 30 mL

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1 mL

Roll out pastry and line a deep pie plate. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Chop the rhubarb it into roughly 1cm slices. If the stalks are very wide and chunky then cut in half lengthways, also. Scatter on a baking sheet and bake until tender. Remove from baking and drain, reserving the liquid.

Separate eggs, putting the whites aside for the meringue. Beat egg yolks in a medium sized bowl with a fork. Add 2/3 cup sugar, flour and the melted butter. Continue to beat until blended. Then add the eggs and 1/3 cup of the rhubarb liquid to make a smooth and runny paste. Add rhubarb and mix to blend. Pour into pastry shell. Bake until set, about 30-40 minutes.

Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks, add cream of tartar, 1/4 cup of remaining sugar and continue to beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Spoon this over the hot cooked rhubarb pie, making sure it is completely covered and there is no gap where rhubarb can bubble through the meringue. Use the spoon to bring some of the meringue into peaks. Put back in the oven for about 15 minutes until the peaks are toasted.

Cool for 10 minutes and serve. 

Buttery Pastry

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 310 mL

1/2 tsp. sugar 2 mL

1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 mL

1/2 c. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 125 mL, 12 mm

1/2 c. ice water 125 mL

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter. Pulse until the texture of very coarse meal. Add ice water slowly until dough comes together in clumps. Form into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Makes 1 single crust.

Rhubarb Eton Mess

4 c. rhubarb 1 L

2 tsp. maple sugar 10 mL

2 c. whipping cream 500 mL

1 packet individual meringue nests

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 inch (12 mm) pieces. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Roast until the rhubarb is tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Whip the cream in a large bowl until thick but still soft. Roughly crumble in 4 meringue nests.

Take out about half a cupful of the rhubarb, and fold the meringue cream and rest of the fruit mixture together.

Arrange in 4 dessert bowls and top each with remaining rhubarb. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Iced Tea

8 c. rhubarb, chopped into small pieces 2 L

1 c. sugar 250 mL

1 Earl Grey teabag

Roast chopped rhubarb in a 350 F (180 C) oven until tender. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Strain the juice from the fruit in a colander. Use the fruit for a pie or crisp. 

Boil 2 cups (500 mL) of rhubarb juice with 1 cup (250 mL) sugar. Cool. 

Put teabag in a pot and add 3 cups of boiling water. Steep for 5-7 minutes or until it is a strong tea. Remove teabag. Chill tea.

Mix tea with an equal amount of rhubarb syrup and pour over a glass full of ice. Serve.

A Plug for Coconut Water

A couple of weeks ago I received an email offering me a case of CoCoZia coconut water to try. I haven't been offered anything in such a long time. Even though I was not fond of coconut water I thought, "What the heck?" I said yes.

They emailed me an Amazon gift certificate. I ordered online and in a week or so they arrived. Immediately I was offered a case of their chocolate coconut water. Hmmm. That sounds interesting so again I agreed. I have no idea how I the first order was processed because on my second order Amazon.com would not deliver to Canada. Weird. They probably thought Saskatchewan was a city in Alaska or something on my first order.

I wonder if the chocolate coconut order had been delivered if I would continue to receive offers of all their flavours? Coffee, mango, pineapple? Too bad my luck ran out.

Anyhoo, I tried this coconut water. I was fully prepared to not like it but I was pleasantly surprised. I mean it still tastes like coconut water but I thought it was okay. I am not a fan of sweet drinks and this has no sugar. Usually I drink water or milk. I will enjoy my case of coconut water guilt-free. It is only 70 calories in 330 mL. 330 mL is a large serving for me. I would only drink half that at a time.

I have now fulfilled my agreement to post about CoCoZia on my blog. If you like, you can give it a try.

Peach Melba Cordial

I have been following the British Larder for a few years and love all their recipes. Madalene and Ross have a restaurant in Suffolk, England and how I wish I could eat there. All the meals are made with fresh, in season ingredients. They are beautifully presented and the flavours sound amazing.

Their website is full of wonderful simple yet complex recipes. I think this is the first one I have made at home. Raspberries and peaches were in my refrigerator when this recipe came into my email.

I keep all my vanilla pods after scraping out the seeds. There is still a lot of flavour and they are rather expensive. I used 2 or 3 scraped vanilla pods for this and the flavour was perfect.


Peach Melba Cordial from The British Larder

•  2 cups very ripe peaches, stoned and roughly chopped
• 3 cups  sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon citric acid

Place all the ingredients, apart from the citric acid, in a medium saucepan over a low heat and leave the pan uncovered. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then just leave the pan over the low heat for 20 minutes – the fruits are steeping during this time and the mixture does not need to boil. Don’t be tempted to increase the heat as this will change the flavour.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the citric acid and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Pass the liquid through a piece of muslin cloth into a bowl or jug (use the steeped fruits left in the muslin as a compote served over yoghurt for breakfast). Pour the cordial into sterilised bottles and seal. Keep refrigerated until needed. The unopened bottles of cordial will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 1 week. Alternatively, freeze the cordial in portions (in freezer bags), then defrost and use as required.
Makes 1 - 2 quarts

Peach Melba Spritzer
For each serving, fill glass with ice, pour about half way with cordial and top up with soda water. For a sweeter drink, use carbonated lemonade. Decorate with fresh raspberries and peach slices. Serve

Peach Melba Collins
For each serving, fill glass half full with ice, pour equal portions cordial and gin, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Then add a few crushed frozen raspberries and a slice of fresh peach. Top the glass up with soda water, stir and serve.

Peach Melba Martini
Place martini glass in refrigerator to chill. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 part gin or vodka, 2 parts Martini Dry and 2 parts cordial. Shake vigorously. Strain into chilled glass and serve immediately. 

After almost a month in the refrigerator this has been fermenting and has become fizzy. I wonder if there is any alcohol content now?

Chai, Moroccan Mint Tea and Small Bites

Cream Tea, High Tea and Afternoon Tea describe formal tea. Cream Tea is served in Devon and Cornwall, England and there is an ongoing feud whether you put the clotted cream or the strawberry jam on the scone first. High Tea means that tea is taken in the dining room and therefore served on high tables.  Tea enjoyed in the garden is called Afternoon Tea and is on low tables.

All these details aside, the common thread is that dainty sandwiches and sweets are served with tea. In this modern era we would be as likely to serve green tea, herbal tea, chai or Moroccan mint tea. Sandwiches are now mini pitas or crostini and dainties might be fruit skewers or mini phyllo tarts.

Medjool Dates stuffed with chevre or feta is drop dead delicious. Garnish with orange zest and it is ready to go. These little pitas are made by quartering the mini pita bread and stuffing with a curried egg salad. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Mixed Nut Phyllo Tarts

This is much less work than making your own pastry and lighter than purchased unbaked pastry shells. Use any mix of unsalted nuts you have on hand. When working with phyllo pastry, I brush some melted butter on the countertop so the first sheet doesn’t move around.

1 c. maple syrup 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. melted butter, cooled 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. coarsely chopped mixed unsalted nuts 

1 pkg. phyllo dough, thawed

1/2 c. melted butter 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract, mixing well. Stir in nuts. Set aside.

Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on your countertop and brush with melted butter. Set another sheet over the first and brush with melted butter. Repeat until you have 5 sheets of phyllo layered. Cut into 3 inch squares.

Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Press phyllo squares carefully into the pan. Fill with maple nut filling.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to12 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and shells are golden. Cool in the pan for a minute or two then remove and cool on rack. Makes about 48 tarts. 

Chai

3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked open with the back of a spoon

6 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/4 in. slice of fresh ginger 

5 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp. loose black tea leaves 

4 c. water

1/2 c. half and half cream 

1 to 2 tbsp. light brown sugar, cane sugar or honey, according to taste 

Place spices and herbs in a medium size saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.

Add tea leaves and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium for 5 minutes. Add cream and sugar. Stir for about a minute, over low heat, until steaming. Strain and pour into a teapot or cups. This can be made ahead and reheated. It will keep several days in the refrigerator. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Moroccan Mint Tea  

1 tbsp. loose Chinese gunpowder green tea 

5 c. boiling water 

3 to 4 tbsp. sugar, or to taste 

1 large bunch fresh mint

Put tea in teapot and pour in 1 c. boiling water, then swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot.

Add remaining 4 cups boiling water to tea and let steep 2 minutes. Stir in sugar to taste and mint sprigs and steep 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve in small heatproof glasses.

Bean Scene Coffee Works

The Food and Wine Writers'
Workshop in Kelowna, BC gave us a lot of fodder for our blogs! This coffee shop is an amazing example of people who care about their customers, their city and the earth. They won the  Award for the Most Environmentally Innovative Business in 2012.

They accomplished this with an entirely new way to deal with the smoke produced while roasting beans without using electricity. It was a creation of John's through repurposing an old fuel tank. Brilliant. And the sludge remaining fertilizes their flower beds.

John Anderson and Deb Synnot are the masterminds of this business. John handles the coffee and Deb, the bakery. Everything is from scratch with the best quality ingredients.












Each drink is made by hand, one at a time. All of their equipment is calibrated to world barista championship standards. All baristas are required to compete in house to win a chance to attend international barista championships.































John's tips on buying and storing coffee are simple. Buy only what you will use in 8 - 10 days. Grind fresh for every cup or pot of coffee. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. That's it!

If your finished coffee does not taste good the three main reasons may be the grind, under dosing (ie not enough grounds) or your equipment. Heat extracts flavour better than cold but leave your hot coffee to sit for a minute and let it cool so you can taste the flavours.

There is so much more to learn. The blends, the matching with foods and the roasting give us so much more knowledge to enjoy and serve great coffee.

Customer service is front and centre.

Roasting beans

One very interested member of our group. She had the only seat in the place.

Rice pudding breakfast

Beautiful artisan cappucino

Cooking Class Monday - Yogurt

It is a new year and a great time for a new project. Welcome Cooking Class Mondays! Yeah! Each Monday I will share a cooking or kitchen technique. Often it will be simple and sometimes it will be more detailed. Are you prepared for this journey with me? I hope so. Here we go!

And if there are any bloggers out there that would like to join in, let me know. You don't have to commit every week but if you are in the mood and want to join in that would be awesome.  It would be fun to have a Virtual Cooking School.  Or if you would like to guest post, please let me know.  I would be honoured to have you participate.

I have been making yogurt since I discovered it as a university student. Homemade yogurt has a wonderful tang that is not found in the commercial varieties. It is much less expensive, has no stabilizers, preservatives or sugar, has a live bacteria culture and there is no waste of packaging.

Purchased yogurt is often made with a gelatin base. Probiotic yogurt is made with a live bacteria culture and has proven health benefits. (Canadian Research and Development Centre for Probiotics). Making yogurt at home with a live culture is really easy. There are all sorts of yogurt makers on the market but I have a very simple method that requires no special equipment.

I make a litre of yogurt at a time. Heat the milk to 110F, pour into a container, add the culture and stir. Wrap with a towel to keep cozy and let it incubate for 5 or more hours and then chill. Be sure to leave your yogurt mixture alone and not move it about. It will not set up properly if disturbed. Do not chill until the yogurt has completely thickened. Then chill, cover tightly and it will keep one week or longer.

Modern pasteurization no longer necessitates scalding the milk. Scalding deactivates enzymes in milk that prevent the culture from flourishing. If you are using raw milk it is essential to scald it.

If you do not have a thermometer, 110F is lukewarm just slightly warmer than body temperature. Use your little finger to test the milk and it should feel pleasantly warm.

The yogurt culture can be obtained from a purchased plain yogurt that has active culture as an ingredient or you can purchase a dried culture from a health food store.

Your first batch of homemade yogurt may not be as thick as you are used to but subsequent batches made using your own yogurt as a starter culture will be thicker. Yogurt will not continue to thicken after it is refrigerated. Fresh milk is essential. Also, if you are using yogurt rather than dried culture as a starter, it should also be fresh. Packets of dried culture should be stored in the refrigerator.

Plain Yogurt

4 c. milk, low fat or whole                        

2 tbsp. yogurt culture or 1 pkg of dried purchased starter                        

If using raw milk, scald. Do this by gently heating until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. This is just to the brink of boiling. This is 180F. Pour into your container. Cool to 110F.

Stir 2 tbsp. (60 mL) of plain yogurt or one packet of dried culture into the warm milk. Wrap in a towel and keep in a warm place for 4 – 5 hours. When the yogurt has thickened, refrigerate.

With that first batch of yogurt that is thinner you can make a lassi. This is an Indian beverage that can be flavoured with mango or other fruits.

Greek Yogurt, Labneh and Yogurt Cheese

Greek yogurt is simply a strained yogurt. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator. The liquid collected is the whey and is also nutrient rich and can be frozen in ice cube trays. This strained yogurt can be used to make dips like tzatziki or feta dip. It is thick enough that you can substitute it for sour cream. Labneh is a thicker Lebanese style yogurt that is like the newly popular Greek yogurt or can be as thick as a soft cheese.

If you want an even thicker product, hang the yogurt in cheesecloth for 2 days and you will have something similar to a cream cheese.

Sweet Lassi

2 c. plain yogurt                        

2 tbsp. honey                                    

4-5 ice cubes

1/4 c. fruit                                    

Pinch cardamom or cinnamon, optional

Place all in a food processor and purée. Pour into chilled glass and serve. This will not be as thick as a smoothie. You can use whey ice cubes for added nutrition.

Strawberry Banana Fruit Smoothie

3 c. frozen strawberries                        

1 frozen banana

3/4 c. yogurt                                                

3/4 c. milk                                                

1 tbsp. honey, optional                         

Puree in blender until it resembles ice cream.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

Feta Dip

2 c. strained yogurt                        

1 c. feta, crumbled                        

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried mint                        

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours before using. This is nice with lamb meatballs and fresh vegetable crudités.

Yogurt Ranch Dressing                       

 1/3 c. nonfat Greek style yogurt                        

 1/3 c. low fat buttermilk                                    

 3 tbsp. mayonnaise                                               

 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice                                    

 1 tsp. Dijon mustard                                   

 1/2 tsp. onion powder                                    

 1/4 tsp. garlic powder                                    

 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives or green onions            

 Salt

In a medium bowl, combine the strained or Greek-style yogurt and the rest of the ingredients. Add salt, to taste.   (Source Food Network)

Ideas with yogurt

·      Mix with preserves or fresh fruit and top with granola for a healthy breakfast or snack

·      Use the labneh or yogurt cheese and spread on a plate. Drizzle with a good quality olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and spices. Use dried thyme, black pepper, toasted sesame seeds, lemon zest, sea salt, dried oregano, paprika or anything that you like.

·      Mix herbs and garlic into the strained yogurt to use as a vegetable dip.

·      Use instead of sour cream or mayonnaise with baked potatoes, pasta, coleslaw or soup.

·      Whey can be used instead of water when baking, added to soups, stews, smoothies, water your plants, feed to your animals, or compost it. Freeze in an ice cube tray and add to smoothies.

Ponche Caliente Updated

I know I wrote about this hot Mexican Christmas punch back when I was in Tennessee. I was served this lovely warm punch by a woman who grew up with the tradition of enjoying it every Christmas.

I thought it would be nice to serve tonight, Christmas Eve, on a very cold prairie winter night. It is very warming.

The problem is that all the tropical fruits are not available in Canada and particularly in my small city on the prairies. So I adapt. We all enjoyed it and it was also nice spiked with a bit of rum.

Ponche Caliente
1/2 pineapple, cut into 1" pieces
1 green apple, diced
1 orange sliced and then each slice quartered
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
5 cups unrefined apple juice or cider
1 cup piloncillo
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 long cinnamon sticks, broken
4 whole cloves
4 whole allspice
8 cups water

Combine all in a pot and simmer for about an hour or until mellow. Serve in glasses with the fruits and a spoon so the fruits can also be eaten.

Finding a new red house wine

The liquor store has discontinued my favourite house red and now I am searching for something new. I am partial to South American and Italian wines and tried these three.

The Finca Los Primos malbec from Argentina was just okay. It tasted young and had lots of tannins. Espritu de Argentina on the other hand was wonderfully mellow and nice sipping. It stood up well with food, as well. Finca was 14.5% alcohol while Espiritu was 13%. I much prefer the Espiritu.

Ogio Primitivo 2010 was also very nice. Primitivos are among my favourite and bring back fond memories of my travels to Puglia, Italy.

It was a good day! Two nice wines under $12 and perfect for every day wine.

Hot Apple Cider

I had a request at the Market yesterday for a spice mixture for Hot Apple Cider.  Why did I not think of this?  It would have been a hit at the Market!  Next year.

I came up with these little bouquet garni.  Simmer with 8 - 10 cups of apple cider or unrefined apple juice.  Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar or maple syrup and serve.

Hot Apple Cider Bouquet Garni

Cut a double thickness of fine cheesecloth into 3 - 4 inch squares.  Use pinking shears if you have them for a nice finish.  Fill each with the following mixture -

1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried orange zest

I broke the cinnamon stick in half and tied one half outside the bag for decoration.  I broke the other half into little pieces and put them inside the bag.  A trick to dry orange zest is to use the microwave oven.  I used finely grated orange zest and microwaved for about 50 seconds.  Do check it often because it can burn easily.

Rhubarb Bitters

As you read this, you should know that I started this concoction three months ago - when rhubarb was in season.  I had a lot of fun with this quirky fruit this year.  I had the luxury of a seemingly endless supply.  That gave me the chance to experiment with a few new things without sacrificing my old time favourites.

Rhubarb in Autumn

This is a real stretch for me but my research shows that this is an uber ingredient with the nouveau drink makers.  Use this like you would use any other bitters, such as angostura bitters. 

After steeping, in the refrigerator, for 3 months I strained it and discarded the solids.  I was left with a very aromatic and slightly cloudy concoction.  It smelled deeply of citrus.  I love orange flavours with bourbon and it worked very well in the Manhattan.

 

Rhubarb bitters 

 peel from 2 oranges cut into thin strips with as little of the white pith as possible
 peel of  1/2 grapefruit cut into thin strips with as little white pith as possible
 1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
 1 juniper berry, 3 inches tamarind pod with seeds, and 3 coriander seeds (or substitute 4 or 5 cloves for the juniper, tamarind and coriander)
 1 to 1 1/2 cups vodka or Everclear

Mix the ingredients in a large jar and screw on a lid to seal it. Shake it every 3 to 4 days for 12 weeks. Strain out the solids and enjoy!


Manhattan
2 oz high quality bourbon
1/2 oz red vermouth
1/2 tsp rhubarb bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a baby stalk of rhubarb. 

Champagne cocktail
Place a sugar cube in a Champagne flute. Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of bitters (or to taste) over the sugar cube. Fill the glass with Prosecco or other sparkling wine.

Eh...What's Up Doc?

Bugs Bunny is always gnawing on a carrot!  He must have known something way back in 1940 when he was born in Brooklyn, New York.  I had no idea that his accent was actually definable!  He has what is called a 'flatbush' accent which is equally Brooklyn and the Bronx.  He is a true New Yorker.


I bought 20 lbs of carrots yesterday!  They are last year's crop but still in excellent condition and very sweet.  And the best part - only $6.  The farmer's market is still a little sparse.  The season is just beginning.  Yesterday I blogged about new peas and spring onions. Today it is about juicing carrots.

Juice is a great way to use these.  It will be both healthy and tasty and I like carrot juice.  It is so sweet and nice.  I wonder if Bugs was created today if he would be sipping on a tall cool carrot juice?

Carrot Juice

1 lb carrots

juice of one lemon

Process carrots according to the directions of your juicer.  Add lemon juice and refrigerate.  Will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

the River Volga

Deana from lostpastremembered came across this recipe and immediately thought of all my experiments with rhubarb.  She kindly forwarded it to me!  And I had to try it.  This drink is somewhat of a sangria in flavour.  The rhubarb does not have a pronounced flavour in this drink so I think any firm fruit could be used.  Deana is considering using cherries.  I think they would be wonderful.  But then, it couldn't be called the River Volga, could it!

The rhubarb shrub is not nearly as sweet as the rhubarb simple syrup.  I think it might be nice and refreshing in a tall glass of ice topped with sparkling water for a summer cooler.

This is my first nasturtium of the season!  I didn't have an orange to make a garnish so I picked this little flower.

Also, click on the link to Terroir and read the menu at Hearth, the dining room.  For such a shi shi place, the prices do not seem out of line.  But check out their wine list!  It is amazing!  

River Volga                   Recipe adapted from Terroir Tribeca, New York

Makes 1 drink
• 3 ounces  fruity red wine
• 11⁄2 ounces ruby port
• 1 ounce rhubarb shrub (recipe follows)
• 1 orange twist
Fill a medium wineglass with ice. Add the wine, port and
shrub and stir to combine. Garnish with the orange twist
and serve.



Rhubarb Shrub                   Recipe adapted from Terroir Tribeca, New York

Makes 1 cup

• 2 pounds fresh rhubarb
• 1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
1. Wash and dry the rhubarb, discarding any tough end
pieces, and chop it into 2-inch pieces. Place the chopped
rhubarb in a nonreactive container and add the vinegar.
Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place for five days,
shaking the container each day. By the fifth day, the
vinegar should be cloudy and pink.
2. Strain the vinegar through a sieve and discard the rhubarb.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar over
medium heat and  warm to just below boiling. Remove
from the heat and stir until the sugar is completely
dissolved. Refrigerate, covered, for up to a month.

Rhubarb Creamtini

I love the combination of cream with rhubarb and thought it be worth a try in a rhubarb cocktail.  The simple sugar provides both the sweetness of sugar and the tartness of rhubarb.

Rhubarb Creamtini

1 oz. vodka
1 oz. cream
1 oz. rhubarb simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into a martini glass.  Garnish with an edible flower such as a pansy.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

My neighbour, Verdella, arrived with an armful of rhubarb yesterday.  My mind starts working immediately.  I wanted to make this rhubarb syrup to use with sparkling water or in martinis and cocktails.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

2 cups of chopped red rhubarb stalks
2 cups of water
1 cup of sugar

Bring the water and rhubarb to a boil and turn off the heat.  Allow this to steep overnight.  Strain and reserve the juice.  Add the sugar and bring to a boil.  Chill.  Dilute with sparkling water to serve.  It would also be good with a nice sparkling wine.

Sunny Sunday Sangria

I know, it was probably only a week ago that I was crying in my soup about snow!  But it has been so hot lately that I decided to use one of those cheap bottles of red wine in my cellar and make sangria.

I love sangria and this recipe from Flavours magazine is my favourite.  Just a note, it is potent!!!  Mix with lots of soda water.

I really don't know what they mean by cutting the peel into a long spiral.  I just took each slice of fruit and removed the peel in a long spiral.  I also removed all the white pith.

Spanish Sangria

1 1/2 bottles dry red wine
1 large lemon, thinly sliced with the peel cut into a long spiral
1 large orange, thinly sliced with the peel cut into a long spiral
1/2 lime, thinly sliced with the peel cut into a long spiral
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup orange liqueur
1/4 cup gin
green seedless grapes
2 cups club soda
ice cubes
apple, orange and lemon wheels, for garnish

Combine all ingredients, except soda and ice, in a large glass pitcher.  Stir well, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Fill each glass with ice cubes.  Add liquor mixture to each glass to the halfway mark.  Top with club soda.  Garnish with an orange, apple and lemon wheel.

Get Ready for Cinco de Mayo with Dulce de Leche

I like having a well stocked larder.  I cannot buy dulce de leche in my little town so I thought I would make it and keep it to use when the urge strikes me.  And being the Type A person that I am, I made a double batch.  Why heat your oven again when dulce de leche keeps so well in the refrigerator?  With the 2 cans of milk, I baked it for 2 hours.

Dulce de Leche or Confiture de Lait

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop (Ten Speed Press)

Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).

Pour one can (400 gr/14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt. 

Cook in a bain-marie.  Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate.

Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary).

Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool. Don't worry if it looks all lumpy.  Just give it a whirl in the food processor and it is smooth and creamy.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Warm gently in a warm water bath or microwave oven before using.

Dulce de Leche Liquor

2 cups dulce de leche
1 cup vodka
2 cups cream (I used 33% fat)

Measure ingredients into a clean jar. Mix well and chill.  Store in the fridge. This is so very rich and boozy so would ideal served over ice or with your coffee.

 

My Last Petit Dejeuner

If you have been following, I am honoring my blogging friends by making their recipes for my last meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner -  in my housesit in Tennessee for the past six months.  I will be leaving in a couple of days.  My first stop is Memphis and hopefully I can post a restaurant review on some real good BBQ.

This is also my contribution to Saturday Blog Showcase hosted by Thibeault's Table this week.

Today is my breakfast!  Most important meal of the day!  I have three beautiful recipes that I have been dying to try.  First I will be having Cherry Rose Rolls from saveurs and gourmandises.  These are absolutely scrumptious.  I am so glad Nadjibella has shown me how to make these.

For a sense of having something healthy, I am enjoying Raw Apple Breakfast with variations from Crisis Brownies.  I have a can of pineapple rings and homemade yogurt and some nuts.  So, I guess you could say my inspiration was from Crisis Brownies but I completely changed her recipe!  I don't mean to serve everything in a wine glass, but other than huge blue soup bowls, I have nothing else in the kitchen!  It looks a lot like my kheer but honest, it's yogurt!

And to accompany I need a wonderful beverage. Memoria at Mangio de Sola has a divine hot chocolate called Non-White Hot Chocolate.  My whipped cream topping is a little lame but I am doing it by hand with a little whisk and a little bowl - the ultimate in clumsiness!

I will close my eyes and dream that I am in Paris by the Seine enjoying petit dejeuner.

 Cherry Rose Rolls

Source: The Sourdough Cookbook by Rita Davenport

Makes 24 to 30 rolls

3/4 C milk
1 envelope active dry yeast (1T)
1/2 C water
1 C sourdough starter
1/2 C butter or margarine, melted
1/2 C granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 to 4 C all-purpose flour
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

1 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 T milk

• In a small saucepan, heat 3/4 cup milk almost to a boil over medium heat. Do not boil. Set aside to cool 10 minutes.
  
• Sprinkle yeast over water, set aside to soften 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter, cooled milk, softened yeast mixture, butter or margarine, granulated sugar and salt. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.Turn on to a lightly floured surface. Clean and grease bowl; set aside.
• Knead dough 5 to 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator 2 hours or overnight.
• Grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 24-30 equal pieces.
• Gently roll each piece between your hands to a 12-inch rope. On prepared baking sheet, loosely coil each rope, tucking end of rope under coil.
• Leave 2 inches between coiled ropes. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place free from drafts. Let rise 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Press the center of each roll with your fingers until you touch baking sheet. Make indentations about 1 inch wide.
• Spoon cherry pie filling into each indentation. Bake in preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  
• Remove from baking sheet, cool on a rack.
• For decorating, In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk, Beat until smooth. Spoon into a pastry bag. Decorate rolls by pressing mixture through a tip with small opening.

SOUR DOUGH STARTER
1 pkg dry or cake yeast in 1/2 c. warm water 2 c. all-purpose flour 2 c. water 1 tbsp. sugar Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir in flour, warm water and sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. This may take a day or two. During this time stir 2 or 3 times daily, then refrigerate. Renew every 5-10 days.